Top schools pick dissed Blaz over money, texts show
In the end, it all came down to the money.
Miami schools superintendent Alberto Carvalho may have been motivated by cash in his humiliating, lastminute rejection of Mayor de Blasio offer to run the nation's largest public school system – a job he accepted before turning it down on live television, newly released communications show.
In one of the most embarrassing moments of de Blasio's administration thus far, Carvalho turned down de Blasio's job offer on March 1 — just one day after de Blasio publicly named him the new city schools chancellor.
Carvalho's surprise aboutface left de Blasio scratching his head, telling reporters, "We're all confused at what happened here,” after Carvalho announced his shocking decision.
But text messages between Carvalho and de Blasio's Deputy Mayor Dean Fuleihan show Carvalho grousing about cash even after he accepted the $345,000 base salary the city offered him.
In the texts, Carvalho asked Fuleihan for contributions into a cushy retirement plan worth thousands each year, similar to what he received in Miami.
“I am concerned about my understanding regarding the tax deferred annuity contribution,” Carvalho texted Fuleihan on Feb 28. “This is important.”
Fuleihan wrote back: “We cannot provide the contribution. I apologize with for any confusion but all of these factors went into our offer of $345,000 and now matching your current base pay.”
Carvalho responded with a terse: “Will call at break time of my meeting.”
He then pushed again for the retirement money and an expense account.
“This one has caught me totally off guard,” he wrote. “I understood the expense account was not feasible but understood the tax-deferred contribution to be fine.”
Fuleihan responded, “No we never do this.”
Carvalho replied, “I must've grossly misunderstood the previous conversation.”
Days later he turned down the job.
Carvalho's rejection of de Blasio's offer paved the way for the appointment of current schools Chancellor Richard Carranza a few days later, who started at the same salary that Carvalho negotiated with the city.
Carranza did not get the expense account or retirement money Carvalho sought.
Carvalho didn't respond to a request for comment.