US News

TEACHERS FILL DEMS’ COFFERS

Members of state Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith’s education panel — which issued a report that would gut mayoral control of city schools — feasted on $100,450 in campaign contributions from the powerful teachers union and its allies, a Post analysis has found.

Meanwhile, the New York State United Teachers — which includes the New York City teachers union — plowed an additional $179,400 into the coffers of the New York State Senate Democratic Campaign Committee since 2006. That’s the central fund-raising arm to elect Democrats to the Senate.

The teachers unions and backers pumped:

* $10,400 into the war chest of Sen. Shirley Huntley of Queens, co-chairwoman of the Senate Democratic Task Force on School Governance. She formerly served on the Community School District 28 parent council in Queens.

* $3,000 to co-chairman Martin Malavé Dilan of Brooklyn, both as a state senator and, formerly, as a city councilman.

* $29,150 to Sen. Kevin Parker of Brooklyn and $28,250 to Sen. Toby Stavisky of Queens, the two largest recipients.

* $29,650 combined to Sens. Liz Krueger of Manhattan and Bill Perkins of Manhattan, Velmanette Montgomery of Brooklyn and Suzi Oppenheimer of Westchester.

During one task force hearing, Stavisky boasted that she opposed the 2002 law giving the mayor direct control of the schools, adding, “I have misgivings about it now.”

Details of the union largesse come as Smith sought to distance himself from his panel’s report calling for eliminating mayoral control and resurrecting an independent Board of Education.

“This report does not reflect the position of Senator Smith,” said the majority leader’s spokesman, Austin Shafran.

“Senator Smith has and continues to be a supporter of mayoral control. He does believe there’s an opportunity for minor improvements in the system to increase parent participation and involvement,” he added.

carl.campanile@nypost.com