When he was running for mayor, Bill de Blasio committed himself to a plan for universal Pre-K that would raise taxes on the wealthiest residents of New York City by "the cost of a latte" each day. Yesterday, as part of his state budget announcement, Governor Andrew Cuomo proposed a similar expansion of Pre-K classes across the state, but with one major difference—no new taxes.
"The state will pay for it, and the state will be proud to pay for it,'' Cuomo said of his $1.5 billion proposal to fund full-day universal pre-K statewide over a 5-year span. De Blasio's plan, meanwhile, calls for $340 million to be spent annually in New York City alone on universal Pre-K.
While de Blasio called it "a commendable proposal," in a press conference yesterday, the mayor vowed to continue to pursue his agenda, citing the overwhelming support of NYC residents. "The public believes in this. We've seen it in any number of public-opinion polls. We certainly saw it with the mandate that I received in November," de Blasio said yesterday.
Cuomo, however, cruising to an easy gubernatorial reelection this year and eyeing the White House in 2016, doesn't want any tax hike to tarnish his resume as he steps onto the national stage. By offering to pay for the program through funds that the state already has, Cuomo is attempting to outmaneuver the populist de Blasio.
“This budget recognizes and believes that tax relief is an economic growth strategy that is working for our state,” Cuomo said, setting up a confrontation with de Blasio, who essentially needs Cuomo's support to raise taxes in New York City.
However, if de Blasio is able to raise taxes on New York City's highest earners, that would free up budget money to be spent elsewhere in the state on universal pre-k, a development that would be quite palatable to upstate politicians. Quite palatable, indeed.
