May 28, 2008 8:06 pm US/Eastern
School Budget Cuts Outrage Escalates At City Hall
Nearly Two Dozen City Council Members Threaten To Withold Votes For Mayor's Budget Unless $400 Million In Cuts Be Restored
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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In an unprecedented move on Wednesday, nearly two dozen city council members said they will not vote for Mayor Bloomberg's budget unless over $400 million in cuts to the classroom are restored.
CBS
Another day of outrage as the budget battle over Mayor Michael Bloomberg's proposed education cuts got even hotter. On Wednesday, some two dozen city council members did a most unusual thing.
"This is wrong, everyone in this city should stand up and say shame on you Chancellor Klein...If you think I am mad, that's because I am," said Randi Weingarten.
"How dare they spend money on Yankees Stadium and a $6 million court house and then justify taking cuts to children that will affect them in the classroom. It's outrageous," said Bronx parent Ernesto Maldanado.
Maldanado was just one of hundreds of parents who came to City Hall on Wednesday to demand action; to demand that the City Council stand up to the mayor and restore cuts to education.
"This mayor has found money for stadiums for the Mets, the Yankees, the Nets. Don't tell us there isn't money in this budget to fund our classrooms. I'm going to vote NO unless it's there," said Councilman Bill Deblasio.
In an unprecedented move, nearly two dozen city council members said they will not vote for Mayor Bloomberg's budget unless over $400 million in cuts to the classroom are restored.
"Every one of them represents on average 165,000 people, and thousands of children in their districts," said Chair Council of the Education Committe Robert Jackson.
"I am extremely afraid of what this will do for my children; the children of New York City, not just my children. 1 million children in the public school system and this impacts every single one of them," said NYC parent Shana Marks-Odinga.
The budget battle with Mayor Bloomberg and Schools Chancellor Klein should intensify even more because now the City Council Finance Committee says it has found the dollars to help restore the cuts.
It's too early to know whether Mayor Bloomberg will allow the City Council to use the funds they've found. The city budget must be enacted by June 30.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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