Mayor Bloomberg’s bid to extend his control over city schools has been strengthened by the coup in Albany — provided the fragile coalition survives, insiders said yesterday.
New Senate President Pedro Espada Jr. and Republican Majority Leader Dean Skelos both said yesterday they want to renew mayoral control over city education before the current school-governance law lapses on June 30.
SENATE SHUT AMID ‘COUNTERCOUP’ BID
DICKER: HAPLESS GOV GETTING WHAT HE ASKED FOR
“I support a strong mayoral control . . . The essential core of mayoral control must be preserved,” said Espada, a Bronx Democrat who switched his allegiance to the GOP — thus ousting Democrats from power.
“That debate will happen before the law sunsets,” the former city bilingual-ed teacher promised on Albany’s Talk Radio 1300.
GOLISANO WAS POWER BEHIND PUSH
For his part, Skelos said “we can get [mayoral control] done right away.”We’ve seen the students’ performance improve,” Skelos said on the same radio program.
Should the new leadership hold, Bloomberg will be negotiating with a GOP-led coalition that strongly supports his push to renew mayoral control — as opposed to a Democratic conference where a bloc of members wants to take away his power.
EDITORIAL: END THE CIRCUS, NOW
City Hall insiders intend to keep their heads down until things shake out — but said the new GOP working majority looks good to them.
“If the current Senate leadership doesn’t collapse,” said one city official, “it’s good for us.”
For his part, Bloomberg downplayed the leadership turmoil.
“I’ve always thought we need bipartisan support, so who’s ever in charge probably isn’t going to make that much difference,” he said.