A new poll finds that New Yorkers statewide favor Governor Andrew Cuomo’s plan to fund pre-kindergarten over New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s proposal.
The Quinnipiac poll finds that the majority of New Yorkers prefer Governor Andrew Cuomo’s plan to finance expanded pre-kindergarten through state funds, than favor Mayor Bill de Blasio’s proposal to tax the wealthy to get the money.
Governor Cuomo, who does not support the plan to tax the rich, says upstate cities don’t have enough wealthy to finance pre-K in their cities, and so using state funds is better.
“A lot of cities don’t have that kind of economic base,” Cuomo said. “They don’t have those number of millionaires.”
Mayor de Blasio, who stood by his plan in a budget address, took issue with the premise of the poll’s question, saying it was the equivalent of asking “would you like a bowl of free candy?”
De Blasio says it is “progress” that the debate has now evolved from if there should be pre-K is a good idea, to how universal pre-kindergarten can happen.
