ALBANY

UFT PRESIDENT BACKS USE OF GAMBLING MONEY FOR CFE SUIT

The union boss for tens of thousands of city teachers said for the first time yesterday that she supports the use of gambling proceeds to resolve a 12-year-old lawsuit and increase state spending on public schools by billions over the next four years.

Randi Weingarten, president of the United Federation of Teachers, said at a lobbying event two months ago that a proposal to fund the Campaign for Fiscal Equity suit with money from video lottery terminals was interesting but inadequate. “My goal here is to stop everyone from making excuses as to why they can’t fund CFE,” she said.

But in a turnaround yesterday, Ms. Weingarten said she is ready to support the gambling proceeds as a last resort. State Senator Joseph Bruno, the Republican majority leader, has repeatedly suggested using video lottery money for schools. Ms. Weingarten had remained undecided on the question until now. Her change of heart suggests a deal with lawmakers may be in the works.

“I’ve been very open and flexible on things I don’t normally believe in,” Ms. Weingarten said at a lobbying event attended by more than 1,000 city teachers. “For example, I personally am morally against gambling, but I would still, to try to find a CFE solution, I would still be open to video terminals if that was part of a way we could find a solution.”

Ms. Weingarten’s comments came just days after the state Legislature passed a budget that included just $47 million more in spending on New York City schools this year than Governor Pataki proposed in his executive budget.

– Staff Reporter of the Sun

STATE

CLINTON, SCHUMER URGE PATAKI FOR UPSTATE FLOOD DISASTER AID

Senators Clinton and Schumer urged Governor Pataki yesterday to seek federal disaster aid to help the state’s flood-ravaged communities recover. Several counties remained under a state of emergency yesterday afternoon, including: Broome, Chenango, Delaware, Sullivan, Otsego, Schoharie, and Tioga, according to state authorities. Mr. Pataki flew over Orange and Ulster counties Monday to view the flood damage there. He promised to seek a presidential disaster declaration, a first step toward federal action. “I’ve never seen devastation like this,” Pataki said. “We’ll do everything we can to help.”

– Associated Press

NEW JERSEY

GIANTS SUE TO FORCE STADIUM CHANGES

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Less than a month after a deal to build a new $750 million stadium fell apart, the New York Giants yesterday filed a lawsuit to force New Jersey to make “state of the art” renovations to Giants Stadium and to block the $1.3 billion Xanadu entertainment project. In their lawsuit against the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, the Giants alleged that their Meadowlands landlord breached its lease obligations by failing to provide the team with a “state of the art” facility as provided under a lease amended in 1995. An April 29 court hearing is scheduled.

Sports authority chief executive George Zoffinger had no immediate response.

Xanadu spokesman Robert Sommer said the lawsuit would hurt construction workers.

– Associated Press

LONG ISLAND

PROSECUTORS WITHDRAW PELOSI PLEA DEAL

RIVERHEAD – An offer by prosecutors allowing Daniel Pelosi to plead guilty to one count of attempting to intimidate a witness at his murder trial – settling a 16-count indictment – was unexpectedly withdrawn yesterday after the convicted killer of a Hamptons millionaire said authorities ignored claims that the witness threatened his family.

State Supreme Court Judge Robert Doyle has scheduled an April 20 pretrial conference.

– Associated Press