City Comptroller Scott Stringer is challenging Mayor Bill de Blasio’s coveted pre-kindergarten program as it kicks off this week, arguing that more than 70 percent of all contracts were yet to be submitted. Photo courtesy NYC Comptroller’s Office
City Comptroller Scott Stringer says his office has less than 30 percent of all city universal pre-kindergarten contracts just days before the first day of school.
“My office will continue to work expeditiously to review and register contracts as we receive them, in accordance with our Charter-mandated responsibility,” Stringer said. “Universal Pre-K holds the promise of transforming our City’s educational process, which is why we have to get it right. But we cannot sacrifice safety in the name of expediency.”
Among the contracts reviewed to date, Stringer said his office uncovered significant problems, several of which were directly tied to the safety and security of our children. Those issues included one vendor that had a former employee who was charged with conspiracy to commit child pornography, as well as a vendor that had six violations issued for failing to have required personnel screened with the New York State Central Register of Child Abuse and Mistreatment.
The administration has since been able to provide documentation to prove that those problems were addressed, the comptroller said.
But that news was at-odds with what Mayor Bill de Blasio was saying in the days leading up to the first day of school. The mayor held a press conference last week to bash the comptroller’s report and accused STringer of wanting to leave parents with misinformation about their children being in danger.
Under the City Charter, Stringer’s office has 30 days to conduct integrity reviews on all contracts for corruption, fraud and fair contract practices, the comptroller said. Some contracts already received to date also included other errors such as missing permits, inconsistent counts of students on multiple documents, and vendors not listed on the charities website as being up to date with filing requirements.
“I will continue to work closely with Mayor de Blasio to resolve these issues,” Stringer said. “I am confident that he will devote the necessary resources to ensuring the safety and security of these classrooms.”
