Governor Andrew Cuomo is promising big things for the Bronx this year, including a commitment to fix failing schools. NY1's Zack Fink filed the following report.
Laying out his agenda for the year in the Bronx on Wednesday, Governor Andrew Cuomo is renewing his urban roots.
"I have never seen as close a relationship as the Bronx has with the state government," Cuomo said.
Part of the governor's plan is to fix what he said are 178 failing New York State schools, 44 of which are located in the Bronx. That plan includes adding more charter schools.
"If the school is failing, it's going to fail again unless you do something different," Cuomo said.
Not all Bronx elected officials are on board, though.
"If we're going to have charter schools, if that's going to be the new norm of the school system, the new model, then make the whole system that way," said City Councilman Andrew King of the Bronx.
The governor's plan has managed to win over another one-time rival, state Senator Ruben Diaz Sr.
"Today, I saw a feisty governor. I saw a person willing to challenge the establishment for our children, for the better education. I love that," Diaz Sr. said.
The relationship between Cuomo and Diaz Sr. hasn't always been good. A fight over abortion rights last year led Diaz Sr. to endorse Cuomo's opponent in the governor's race, Republican Rob Astorino. The endorsement came even though Diaz's son, Ruben Diaz Jr., the Bronx borough president, was the chair of Cuomo's re-election campaign.
"I love these father-and-son political teams, by the way," Cuomo said.
Drawing from his own experience, having once served as his father's campaign manager for the Bronx, Cuomo seems to have learned how to find common ground with the senator, one of the borough's big personalities, who has been in elected office since 2001.
"We don't always agree on everything, I think it's fair to say, but I always respect his beliefs and I always respect his committement to his beliefs," Cuomo said.
Cuomo normally takes his budget message out on the road this time of year, but Wednesday was the first presentation he has done this year within the five boroughs. The rest have been held in communities outside of New York City, although it is anticipated that he will hold more in the city the next few days.