LOWER MANHATTAN — While he fights a host of corruption charges, Assemblyman Sheldon Silver still plans to tackle one of Lower Manhattan’s longstanding problems — school overcrowding.
And the scandal-plagued politician has the full support of many in the community.
The assemblyman — who was indicted on federal fraud and extortion charges related to claims that he took millions in bribes and kickbacks — announced he intends to continue to run his School Overcrowding Task Force, a group he started nearly eight years ago.
The next meeting of the group, which had been on hiatus since his January arrest, is scheduled for April 15.
"I am very proud of the work my School Overcrowding Task Force has done over the past eight years," Silver wrote in a emailed statement.
"I fully intend to keep the task force going and am very confident that it will continue to lead the way in getting high-quality schools built for our fast-growing downtown community."
The task force, a group of principals, parents, community board members, elected officials and Department of Education representatives, has met regularly over the years, advocating for new schools and educational space in the increasingly family-filled lower Manhattan neighborhoods.
With three new schools built over the last several years, it’s a group that’s considered very effective Downtown and it couldn’t have achieved what it has without Silver, many residents say.
Despite his corruption charges, and the loss of his power-wielding spot as Assembly speaker, many members of the group say they are happy to have the task force, and Silver, back dealing with school overcrowding.
“He’s been such an advocate for us. He’s been our voice, and the task force has been wildly successful,” said Paul Hovitz, a longtime member of the task force and the co-chairman of CB1’s youth and education committee.
“He would be remiss to not carry this on, regardless of his legal situation.”
Several members said they think it's “great” that Silver is still pushing ahead with the task force, even if he doesn’t hold the same powerful position he once did.
“He’s still our assemblyman, and he still cares,” said Eric Greenleaf, a Downtown parent and member of the group since its start.
“I don’t see his legal case as a conflict with working on this school overcrowding issue and I think he can still be effective in getting things done.”
When school overcrowding and kindergarten waitlists sparked concerns Downtown several years ago, Silver formed the task force with community leaders to push for new schools in the area. Residents credit him with getting the Spruce Street School, P.S. 276 and the Peck Slip School built.
Now, many residents say, they’re still hoping he and the task force can help.
"We still have an urgent need for more schools,” said Matt Schneider, the former PTA president of Battery Park City’s P.S. 276. “He’s proven time and time again that he wants to help solve this problem.”
Parents and community leaders say they fear schools will once again be saddled with kindergarten waitlists, which have led, in the past, to cutting school programs to make room for more children.
The city has promised another new school Downtown to make room for the soaring population of children, but that hasn’t been sited yet — another issue residents say they need help to push ahead.
A spokesman for Councilwoman Margaret Chin, a longtime advocate for Lower Manhattan schools and a member of the group, said she will continue to work with Silver on the task force.
The Department of Education will also continue to send representatives to the meeting, the DOE confirmed.
