Jul 2, 2009 6:07 am US/Eastern
Bloomberg Gets Proactive In Face Of Senate Madness
Puts Together 7-Person Board To Run NYC School System As Response To Albany's Inaction On Mayoral Control
Hizzoner Says Layoffs Coming If Sales Tax Is Not Raised
Mayor: "N.Y. Government A Laughingstock From Coast To Coast"
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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NYC Board Of Education (File)
CBS
Mayor Michael Bloomberg took over as ringmaster of the Albany circus on Wednesday, cracking the whip to make sure the political chaos doesn't cripple education in New York City.
The mayor told CBS 2 HD he hopes the Legislature returns to sanity … soon.
It was a sight no one ever expected to see again in New York City -- a board of seven people established to run the schools.
"We're here today for an emergency meeting to temporarily reconvene the New York City Board of Education," First Deputy Mayor Patricia Harris. "We need to insure that as the result of inaction in Albany we protect the students and schools in New York City from any chaos."
Senate Democrats may have thought they were dealing Bloomberg a blow by allowing his precious school governance law to expire at midnight Tuesday. But the mayor demonstrated that he can lead while they can't. He quickly established a new Board of Education packed with people who support him, including three deputy mayors. In effect, he's still running the schools.
Deputy Mayor Dennis Wolcott, who was actually named to the panel by Queens Borough President Helen Marshall, was elected board president.
"Since the Senate refused to exercise its duties responsibly we here in the city are moving to protect our children. We'll do our best to keep them from becoming victims of the Albany train wreck," Bloomberg said.
The new board picked Schools Chancellor Joel Klein as the "new" chancellor and demanded that Albany pass a mayoral control bill. The mayor lambasted the do-nothing Senate.
"The current paralysis in Albany is making the New York State government a laughingstock from coast to coast," Bloomberg said.
The next meeting of the Board of Education is not until Sept. 10. Officials hope that by then Albany will have gotten its act together and passed mayoral control.
Parent groups are divided about the issue. Some say the mayor has done a fine job, while others say they want more parental involvement in key decisions.
Meanwhile, the mayor said layoffs are looming if the Legislature doesn't pass a bill to let the city raise its sales tax.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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