Cuomo Sticks It To De Basio

That's the Post's takeaway this morning:

Charter schools will be big winners in the new state budget under a tentative deal hammered out by Gov. Cuomo and legislative leaders Thursday night, sources close to the talks said.

For the first time the privately operated schools will be eligible for government funds to cover the costs of leasing classroom space in private buildings, Albany sources said.

The city would be required to first look for space in regular public schools where new charters — or those wishing to expand — could be co-located.

And if such space couldn’t be found, the city would have to reimburse any charters that rent in private buildings, which could cost the city as much as $40 million a year.

And in a slap at Mayor de Blasio, he’ll be barred from charging rent to any charter school co-located in public school buildings.

During the mayoral campaign last year, de Blasio vowed to charge rent to the better funded charter.
“There is a complete ban on rent,” a source familiar with the deal said.

The agreement also calls for de Blasio to find alternate space for all three of Eva Moskowitz Success Academy charters booted from city facilities for the fall.

Cuomo — as well as state Senate leaders Dean Skelos and Jeff Klein — pushed hard for the measures after de Blasio took actions to limit charters.

“The governor stuck it to de Blasio,” said another source.

Michael Fiorillo reacts:

The growing edifice of hypocrisy, deception, greed, corruption and sadistic will-to-power is just sickening to behold.

What a bleak, bleak time: cravenness on the part of those who should be representing us; fear, apathy and ignorance on the part of most of our colleagues; aggressive predation by the privateers and their political courtesans.

We're screwed, folks, we're screwed...

Agreed - the message has been sent.

The corporate whores own the state.