Gov. Cuomo will throw cold water on Mayor de Blasio’s plan to soak the rich on Tuesday by promising $1.5 billion in state money to fund universal pre-kindergarten classes for any New York district that wants them.
Cuomo’s plan – to be announced during his annual budget address Tuesday afternoon – would likely kill de Blasio’s vow to fund pre-K classes citywide by hiking taxes on wealthy city residents.
Cuomo, who is running for reelection and is also mulling a possible bid for the White House, has vowed to not raise taxes.
The mayor was expected to respond to Cuomo’s proposal later Tuesday morning.
De Blasio throughout his campaign and again since his landslide election victory has repeatedly called on tax hikes on the rich to pay for a $340 million plan to provide pre-K over five years.
Cuomo’s plan would give the city more than $340 million without the tax hike, which needed Albany’s approval.