Bloomberg and Weingarten Lobby for Education

New York, NY —

As state lawmakers meet on the budget, Mayor Bloomberg and teachers union president Randi Weingarten went to Albany today to lobby for education money. The two met with the governor, as well as Assembly and Senate leaders.

Weingarten called school aid a "lifeline" to city students and to the long-term economy. The mayor said he recognizes that the governor and legislators need to think about the whole state, but said he wants to make sure budget cuts aren't taken out on city schools in an unfair way.

Governor Paterson announced yesterday that the state's budget deficit has grown by another $2 billion, to $16 billion in the coming fiscal year. Meanwhile, federal guidelines for how states should distribute education funds in the stimulus package will be released early next week.