De Blasio Calls Clergy to Action on Pre-K Tax Plan
BY JILL COLVIN
Mayor Bill de Blasio, in a rare display of anger, today railed against Albany lawmakers, slamming Senate co-leader Dean Skelos for refusing to bring to vote the mayor’s signature plan to tax the rich to fund universal pre-k and sounding a call to clergy leaders to mobilize on its behalf.
“The gauntlet’s been thrown in Albany. We will respond,” the mayor told religious leaders and elected officials gathered at the Bethany Baptist Church in Brooklyn, at a breakfast organized by the Rev. Al Sharpton to support the universal pre-K funding plan.
In a fiery speech in front of the church leaders that had an unusually religious tone, Mr. de Blasio accused Mr. Skelos of “denying our rights in a democracy” and treating the city “as a colony that doesn’t even get to decide it’s own future.”
“Look at every public opinion poll. The people of New York City have spoken,” said the mayor, pointing repeatedly to his election margin. “When you have a majority like that, it’s supposed to rule the day, isn’t it? And political machinations are not supposed to overcome that kind of majority,” he added, leading the crowd in a standing chant of, “We want a vote!”
http://politicker.com/2014/02/de-blasio-calls-clergy-to-action-on-pre-k-tax-plan/
