The Environmental Protection Agency plans to start inspecting New York City schools for PCB contamination early next month.
The federal government wants the city to replace fluorescent light fixtures that might leak PCBs. The city says they pose no immediate danger.
The city says replacing the fixtures would cost $1 billion and lead to 15,000 teacher layoffs. EPA Regional Commissioner Judith Enck says that figure doesn't make sense.
Schools spokeswoman Natalie Ravitz says the city is working with the Obama administration to find solutions.
Replacing lightbulbs will cost 15,000 teacher jobs?
What WON'T they use as an excuse to layoff teachers?
I bet we'll start to hear that they'll replace the light fixtures with the PCB's in them, but only if the union caves on seniority.
Using layoffs as leverage against the EPA - that's a new one.
I wonder if they could have afforded to replace the light fixtures if the CityTime scammers Bloomberg hired hadn't stolen $80 million dollars from the city and cost the city over $630 million in cost overruns for the CityTime payroll project?
I bet they could have.
