By Jill Colvin
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN — Mayor Michael Bloomberg warned that 15,000 more teachers could be fired if the state delivers the type of budget blow that many are bracing for.
Speaking during his weekly radio sit-down with WOR's John Gambling, Bloomberg said the state could strip up to $1 billion in education aid from the city’s budget, forcing the city to fire what could amount to every new teacher that has been hired over the past five years.
The mayor already announced plans to cut more than 6,000 teachers from the city's payroll through a combination of layoffs and attrition in the coming fiscal year.
As budget D-Day draws near, Bloomberg has repeatedly urged the state to do away with its "last in, first out" mandate, which forced the city to fire teachers and other workers who were hired most recently first, regardless of performance.
Bloomberg again blasted the policy Friday, arguing that it not only forces the city to lay off some of its best teachers, but also disproportionately penalizes lower-performing schools, which tend to employ more new hires.
The United Federation of Teachers strongly opposes the plan.
Cuomo is set to unveil the city's fate during his first Budget Address since taking office in Albany Tuesday.
