Mayor Pins School Takeover Delay on Governor

By Bob Smith

Rochester, NY – Rochester Mayor Robert Duffy says the process of bringing the city school system directly into city government is moving a little slower than originally expected ... because there's still no legislative proposal from the governor's office.

Duffy says the lack of a draft bill to enable a City Hall takeover of the schools has pushed back the scheduled public hearings on the plan until at least early next month, although he'll appear before community groups in the meantime to explain why he's pushing for mayoral control.

"We had forums scheduled last week and this week and they were scheduled at this time because we expected at this point there would be either an affirmative step from Albany, in terms of a program bill or a piece of legislation that could start the process going in Albany - or there would be none. And we have been told now, expect nothing before March 1."

Duffy says the lack of a formal legislative draft won't stop the public discussion of the idea.

He says when the legislation is drafted, it'll include both a provision to allow the city to consolidate its own bureaucracy with the school administration, and appoint an advisory board to replace the current elected school board.