De Blasio Sets Ambitious Goal for Affordable Apartments…​ to be used as pre K classrooms

The prestigious NY Times reported that De Blasio Sets Ambitious Goal for Affordable Apartments. Marquel investigated their purpose, and learned they are to be used as pre K classrooms if Cuomo delivers on his threat to finance the program through student loans.
Mayor DeBlasio has settled on a larger number of apartments than those built by any prior mayor, 200,000. But he’s holding an ace up his sleeve. If governor Cuomo refuses to raise taxes on millionaires in order to fund DeBlasio’s other pet project, universal pre K education, then DeBlasio intends to use these apartments as pre K classrooms.

Meanwhile Cuomo is sticking by his promise not to raise taxes. His proposal to fund pre K, suddenly a pet project of his, as well, is to require pre K students to take out student loans, just as college students do. And they needn’t repay until they graduate. As the law stands now, that would be graduation from middle school. DeBlasio calls that “unacceptable.”

We asked Cuomo if he were serious.

“I’m always serious,” he said, chuckling. But, we asked, what’s wrong with raising taxes on millionaires? “I’m a millionaire,” he answered, laughing.

But, TPV questioned, “Aren’t you a democrat? Don’t democrats like to tax the rich?”

“Well of course,” he answered. “But democrats have changed. Now we don’t raise taxes just like the republicans. Look at Obama, look at Clinton. Times have changed. We’ve learned it’s better to be a democrat with republican policies. Especially with taxes. Clinton called it triangulation. I call it student loans. I don’t know what Obama calls it. Blah blah blah, I believe.”

But how can you ask pre K students to take out student loans? We asked. It sounds barbaric.

Barbaric? Hardly. I took out student loans in college and law school. These kids should get used to it at an early age. In fact that’s the whole point of pre K. To get them used to school at an early age. And what is school? Student loans. This is real pre K, not DeBlasio make believe tax the rich student loans.

But, TPV added, student loans often become a tremendous burden. When they graduate they start with a debt that is impossible.

“You’re being melodramatic,” said Cuomo. “First of all, it comes due in middle school so they won’t have any other debts.”

TPV was shocked, saying, “Yes but they’ll have no income either.”

“You don’t need income. I didn’t have any income when I paid off all my student loans.”

TPV asked how that was possible.

I asked my daddy to pay.

TPV stared at this seeming nincompoop. “These kids don’t have dads who will pay.”

“Hah! They have to ask!” Said the governor of New York.

You have to ask. Or, at least, wonder.

For the French version of this exchange, watch this:[youtube id= 64yianfGvzc width= 470 height=315]