Well, after a solution fizzled and the jobs of hundreds of New York City teachers evaporated into thin air with next year's budget, Governor Cuomo set the next deadline dance to June 1st. If the two sides really, really couldn't sit down and sort out their differences by that day, Albany would intervene on their behalf and put in place a state-led evaluations system - one that would probably peeve the UFT and the Department of Education but whatever. Tough luck for the sore losers.

But yesterday, the State received different plans from both of the frenemies to see just how ideologically "distant" they claim to be. As of now, the plans submitted yesterday have not been made available to the public. However, a glimpse at what happened back in January kinda gives us an idea of where the UFT and DOE stand.

Wikimedia Commons

Yesterday, in a 60-1 vote, the New York Senate passed a bill that would prohibit the sale of human body parts, unless the practice is validated by law (i.e. hospitals, clinics, etc.). For whatever the reason, current public health law only covers the territory of human organs, not body parts. And that's become a huge problem.

Wikimedia

G is for greenbacks, baby.

But now for some good news: 2013 is looking way, way better. And as the Voice's John Surico mentioned last month, there's even a little unexpected cash involved--the 2013-2014 budget passed in Albany surpassed the MTA's expectations by some sweet $40 million. Now, the obvious question: How the hell do we spend it?

However, there is a legislative linchpin in this ban that exempts hundreds of commercial businesses from soda pop regulation: if a grocery store, supermarket or bodega makes less than 50 percent of its sale from processed foods, that enterprise is under the oversight of New York State's Department of Agriculture, not the City.

In essence, this loophole will leave New Yorkers with the ability to walk right into, say, Gristede's and buy all of the 32 oz.'s of soda they wanted but the inability to do the same at any local pizzeria.

With that being said, the entire efficacy of the law (as well as the anti-ban advocates' immense frustration) comes into question. What's the point of having a half-ass soda ban? If this exemption exists, we can't even really call it a 'soda ban' - it's more like a 'soda inconvenience,' if anything, right?

Well, Mr. Bloomberg has apparently asked himself these questions, too. So, yesterday, he told Albany to jump on his banning bandwagon in an attempt to ensure that every 32 oz. in the State goes unturned.

John Surico

Looks like State Education Commissioner John King wasn't kidding.

Yesterday, the Associated Press was informed by an anonymous Cuomo administration official that, in his 30-day budget amendments coming up this week, the governor will position Albany to be the central arbiter of a still-not-disclosed statewide teacher evaluations deal; one that will garner millions of Race to the Top funds for New York. After a threat from Mr. Cuomo a few weeks ago, this is the official announcement that, yes, things have gotten that bad.

But this will only happen if the City and its teachers can reach a deal by the newly set deadline, September 17th.

This transfer of power away from the local municipalities is a direct result of the inability of New York City, along with a few other school districts, to get their act together on the controversial subject. The core of the 2010 law passed by state lawmakers -- to outsource responsibility to local municipalities on coming to an accountability agreement -- broke down late last month when Mayor Bloomberg's Department of Education walked out of negotiations with the United Federation of Teachers. 

And, as we know, the teachers union has had a rough past dealing with City Hall wrested with mayoral control over educational policy. So we can't blame them for losing $250 million in state aid, leading to a free fall in the Mayor's budget that will result in the dismissal of 700 teachers, right?

After the collapse in talks between the mayor's Department of Education and the UFT last month, Albany went ahead and extended the deadline for yet another month for the City (and other areas -- it's just not us!) to come to some sort of agreement on teacher evaluations. The new deadline -- the upcoming date of March 1st -- is meant to give the two feuding parties a fresh start on negotiations that could secure over $300 million for the City in state and federal aid.

And, for state education commissioner John King, that's seriously all we're getting.

Last week, Governor Andrew Cuomo's State of the State address was entitled "New York Rising." What happened yesterday in Albany might explain why.

In a 104 to 43 vote, the New York State Assembly officially passed the NY Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement (SAFE) Act on Tuesday afternoon. The bill was handed down from the State Senate, where it passed 43 to 18 late Monday night. In a signing ceremony on Tuesday evening, Governor Cuomo, alongside other top state officials, signed the bill, making New York the first state in the country to pass significant gun control measures after what happened in Newtown a month ago.

As President Obama weighs 19 executive orders related to the issue on a federal level, the NRA issued a statement in response to New York's new law, calling it an "all-out assault on the Second Amendment and the law-abiding citizens of New York." But, if the large margins in both of New York's chambers are any indication, the gun-toting lobby group may be in the serious minority on this one.

John Surico

[jsurico15@gmail.com/@JSuricz]