GOPers Support Mayor Bloomberg’s Revised Plan to End Rule of Seniority in Teacher Layoffs (NY)

March 30, 2011

ALBANY – State Senate Republicans are pushing a revised plan backed by Mayor Bloomberg to change the last in, first out law dictating teacher layoffs.

The new version was included in a Senate GOP budget proposal introduced over the weekend.

It is billed as a hybrid between the bill the Senate recently passed and an alternative advocated by Gov. Cuomo.

Under the new plan, the city would have the power to lay off teachers for the upcoming school year who were rated unsatisfactory in any of the last five years, have been fined or suspended or meet one of five other criteria – and not just based on seniority.

&#x 0D;
But the Senate also incorporates Cuomo’s plan to push up the implementation date of a new evaluation system by a year so it covers all teachers in the coming school year.

Under that part of the plan, any layoffs starting after the coming school year would be based on the new evaluation system, giving it a year to get up and running.

The proposal also calls for an arbitrator to rule if a school district and its teachers union cannot negotiate the terms of the evaluation system 90 days before the start of the school year.

With just over two weeks until the April 1 start of the fiscal year, the Senate GOP and Assembly Democrats each introduced separate budget proposals over the weekend in anticipation of talks heating up.

Cuomo appears set to get the bulk of what he wants to close a $10billion deficit. The Senate and Assembly plans accept steep cuts to education and health care, a reduction in overall spending and a promise to cap future increases in school aid and Medicaid. Unlike Cuomo and the Senate GOP, the Assembly Dems want to extend for another year a tax surcharge on those making more than $1 million.

The $706 million generated would be used to reduce some of the cuts pushed by Cuomo to school aid, city senior centers, a prescription drug program for seniors and day care slots.

The Assembly Democrats reject a push to impose a $250,000 cap on medical malpractice pain and suffering awards, something Cuomo and the Senate support.

The Senate bill spends $100 million less than Cuomo’s $132.9 billion plan and eliminates $296 million in state cost shifts to local governments, GOP spokesman Scott Reif said. It also would reduce Cuomo’s call for $1.5 billion in school ai d cuts by $263 million.

The Daily News reported yesterday that Cuomo aides said the governor is open to restoring some funding for education and social services.

But the governor is also insistent that the Legislature not only cut total education and Medicaid spending in the coming fiscal year, but also agree to cap any increases in those areas the following year.

He also says he will not accept a budget that does not reduce the overall budget and hold to a 2% cap on state taxpayer-supported spending.