Vallone pointed to expectations that the city could lose half its teachers to retirement over the next five years. He also said the city should demand more from teachers by requiring a Master's degree from every new teacher starting in 2005. He added that the City Council would press for a major expansion of computer programs in city schools and urged the private sector to donate computers to city schools. Between those whose families can afford to give them full-time access to computers, at school and at home, and those who can't. Citing the latest political skirmish to find a new Schools Chancellor, Vallone repeated his demand that the Board of Education be abolished and replaced with a city Commissioner of Education directly accountable to the Mayor and City Council.
Schools are there to empower kids.
Schools are not there to play power politics. Elderly Vallone said expanding services for the city's nearly 1 million senior citizens and assisting them with their daily living expenses would be a high priority for the Council in the year 2000. Noting that the Meals on Wheels program currently provides food for the elderly five days a week, Vallone pledged that the Council would expand funding to provide meals every day. Additionally, he said, the pressure of rising rents continues to be felt most keenly by those living on fixed incomes and proposed tax relief for senior renters. He also proposed the creation by the city of assisted living facilities for seniors in every neighborhood.