Yet another reminder that that the powers that be will do anything to avoid raising taxes on the wealthy, even if it means (gasp) spending money on educating preschoolers:
ALBANY — After weeks of closed-door negotiations, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and legislative leaders reached a deal on the next state budget that provides $300 million for prekindergarten in New York City and grants new protections for charter schools, officials said on Saturday.
The agreement, which followed exhausting but relatively peaceful negotiations, does not include a tax increase on high-earning city residents that Mayor Bill de Blasio had sought to pay for preschool classes and after-school programs.
Arguably, it was Mayor de Blasio’s threat to tax the super-wealthy that forced this money out of state coffers. Perhaps that’s a lesson Seattle politicians should take to heart in putting together the funding package for our universal preschool program?