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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR- 027-10
January 19, 2010

STATEMENT OF MAYOR MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG ON FAILURE TO BRING GOVERNOR’S BILL TO RAISE THE CAP ON CHARTER SCHOOLS TO THE FLOOR OF THE LEGISLATURE

"Sadly, some 36,000 New York City students on waiting lists for charter schools - and thousands more who need and deserve better educational choices - were told today to wait longer, because help is not on the way. The Governor proposed a bill that would create options for those children and help the State win $700 million in federal money. It was the only bill that had the support of a majority of Senators, yet the Democratic leaders of the Senate and Assembly defeated it without even a vote - on the same day the Governor's budget presented a $1 billion cut to school aid statewide. While others played Russian roulette with our children's futures, great credit is due to Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos, the members of his conference, and Democratic Senator Craig Johnson - the sponsor of the Governor's bill - who fought to make New York's Race to the Top application as strong as possible. And while I rarely hesitate to speak my mind when I disagree with someone, I also try to give credit where it is due and want to thank Senator Ruben Diaz, Sr. for his help on this important issue. Our children and their parents are owed a second chance from the Legislature. They deserve nothing less."







MEDIA CONTACT:


Stu Loeser / Dawn Walker   (212) 788-2958




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