Mayor Eric Adams and top deputies met one on one with some Albany lawmakers Tuesday, lobbying for an extension of mayoral control of the city’s school system – although “no consensus” was reached on a final plan.
Adams took the train up early to make scheduled meetings with top education committee chairs – Assemblyman Michael Benedetto (D-The Bronx) and state Senators Shelley Mayer (D-Westchester) and John Liu (D-Queens) early in the day.
“I told him it was good that he was in Albany because my members should be seen and talked to,” said Benedetto, the Assembly’s Education Committee Chairman.
“I don’t know if anybody’s in City Hall today!” he quipped after attending a 10 a.m. meeting alone with Adams, city Schools Chancellor David Banks and roughly 20 other city officials.
But he admitted there’s still no deal – yet – to grant Adams mayoral accountability.
“I told him we’re not there yet. We’re still digesting all the opinions,” he said, telling The Post he hopes to present a final proposal to Democratic assembly members by early next week.
Adams has until June 2 to win a renewal of the program, which expires June 30 and is essential to his education platform.
In brief remarks with reporters Tuesday, Hizzoner expressed confidence in getting an extension of mayoral control before lawmakers leave Albany for the year.
“This is the process. I served up here. I understand that these lawmakers want to hear from us, they want to hear from their constituents. And you know, this was a good exchange of ideas. I took a lot of notes,” Adams, a former state senator, said.
Team Adams’ full-court press in Albany for city priorities was received well by pols, after critics slammed City Hall for perpetuating a dysfunctional and ineffective lobbying effort in the halls of the state Capitol.
“It was really a good move for him to come to Albany,” admitted New York City Education Chairman John Liu – who criticized Adams back in March after the mayor hastily exited a legislative hearing on education.
“He directly answered a lot of the legislators’ questions and responded to concerns because a lot of them haven’t heard directly from him on this issue. So I think that instilled a lot of confidence.”
“I think it will be renewed. We’re not we’re not going back to the system of local school boards 20 years ago. But is it going to be extended for four years with no changes? No, That’s not likely either,” he added.
The measures presently up for debate as negotiations continue include:
- Granting Adams between a one- to four-year extension of mayoral control of schools
- Term limits for appointees to the Dept. of Education’s governing body, the Panel for Education Policy
- More parental involvement in school control on a community basis
Assemblywoman Alicia Hyndman (D-Queens) – who partook in an over an hour-long forum with members of the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislative Caucus – noted the timeframe is still up for debate.
“There isn’t a consensus, it depends on which member you ask of New York City where they stand. I think there is more of a consensus to continue. However, the time limits – whether it be two year, three year, four years – I think that’s what’s been contested right now,” she said.
Adams has other priorities he’s seeking ahead of the session’s end, including an extension of the 421a tax abatement program favored by developers, an extension of the city’s speed camera program as well as funding for the Big Apple’s embattled public housing authority NYCHA.
“Other issues certainly did come up. But the mayor kept it focused. And he was very deliberate about the issue of mayoral control today,” Liu told The Post, after his own meeting with Adams.
Meanwhile, Albany’s three leaders — Democrats Gov. Kathy Hochul, state Sen. Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (Westchester) and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (The Bronx) — were absent for Adams’ trip north.
The trio was in Buffalo for President Biden’s visit to the scene of last weekend’s horrific race-based mass shooting.