New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio's plan to slash funding for charter schools is "tragic for the children," former Republican Mayor Rudy Giuliani said Tuesday.
"I think what he's doing with charter schools is tragic for the children, who all of a sudden get an opportunity to get a better education. And now we're going to pull that away from them," Giuliani told "Fox & Friends."
Parents and charter school advocates decried de Blasio's plan that would divert $210 million from charter schools to fund a proposal for prekindergarten classes.
Giuliani said the move should come as no surprise, given that de Blasio ran for mayor "as the most left-wing of the four Democratic candidates." He said it was unfortunate the mayor was "taking the city in that direction."
With de Blasio's plan to raise income taxes on wealthier residents, Giuliani maintained he had a "fundamental misunderstanding of how the city works." He said the city needed the more affluent New Yorkers, because "most of the money we get to help the poor we get from the rich."
"On the economic front, things that are being done now will do serious damage to the long-term economic outlook," Giuliani said.