After a two-week break and the state budget in their rear-view mirror, lawmakers have returned to Albany. One of the biggest local issues left for the legislature is mayoral control of New York City schools, which is set to expire in June. But some State Senate Republicans are trying to link the issue to increasing the number of charter schools, something that Democrats oppose. State House Reporter Zack Fink has the story.

After spending some time away from the State Capitol on break, lawmakers are preparing to take up new issues before the legislative calendar runs out in June.

Mayoral control of city schools is also set to run out in June, and some Senate Republicans want to link its renewal to raising the cap on charter schools.

"Well if we can link it to anything to get some legislation that's important to the Senate I think we should do that," said Senator John DeFrancisco, a Republican from Syracuse. "I think it's ultimately going to get done whether it's one year or two years or whatever it may be."

But allowing more charter schools is something assembly Democrats oppose. The issue was one of many that held up the budget earlier this month. Ultimately it was kicked out.

"I think mayoral control should be extended on its own merits," said Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie. "I'm not interested in adding any other criteria to extend the governance of schools."

Last year, Senate Republicans forced mayor de Blasio to come to Albany and make his case in person for why mayoral control should be extended. He ended up getting just a one-year extension, viewed by many as an insult since his predecessor mayor Bloomberg was granted multiple-year extensions.

"I do believe it gets done, I just don't know at what point," said Senator Martin Golden. "I would like to see it get done for more than one year, but it's probably going to be about one year, yes."

In an interview Monday on The Road to City Hall, Mayor de Blasio echoed the speaker's view that there should be no linkage between mayoral control and adding more charter schools.

"On the question of mayoral control, it should be decided on its merits and it should be decided standalone," de Blasio said. "This is the governance system that has worked with two different mayors."

Governor Cuomo was not in Albany Monday. He said two weeks ago they he already achieved most of his legislative objectives in the budget. Cuomo supports an extension of mayoral control, although it is unclear how much of a role he is willing to play brokering a deal.