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Stringer Says Income Tax to Fund Universal Pre-K Unpopular Amongst Pols

New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer said lawmakers do not appear to favor an income-tax increase to fund the mayor's universal pre-K. But he urged former colleagues to find funding somewhere, Capital New York writes.

New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer said lawmakers do not appear to favor an income-tax increase to fund the mayor's universal pre-K. But he urged former colleagues to find funding somewhere, Capital New York writes.

"Clearly, it doesn't seem like people are moving towards a tax, necessarily," Stringer said.

"That doesn't mean we throw up our hands and walk away. It means we drill down and say, look: we've come up with ways to pay for pre-K."

But Governor Andrew Cuomo said on a radio show on Monday that the tax was no more certain a funding mechanism than anything else in the state budget.

"There's nothing that says if you pass a tax, you can't undo the tax," said Cuomo.

But still, Stringer insisted there was a way to fund the plan if you "read the tea leaves."

"The leaves don't point, today, in the direction of a tax," said Stringer. "But a revenue stream must be put in place."




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