In first NYC budget, de Blasio pushes pre-K, retiree healthcare

(Reuters) - New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio included a tax on the wealthy to pay for universal pre-kindergarten in his first budget and proposed restoring $1 billion to a retiree healthcare fund that his predecessor's plan would have drained. The proposal marks the first time in 20 years that a Democrat has drafted a spending plan for the biggest city in the United States. The Democrat-led City Council must approve a budget by the start of the fiscal year on July 1. The centerpiece of de Blasio's plan, universal early education and an expansion of after-school programs, faces headwinds in the state capital, where Governor Andrew Cuomo has proposed a different funding source that doesn't require a tax hike. A Republican leader in the state Senate has also said he won't allow lawmakers to vote on de Blasio's plan. (Reporting by Hilary Russ; Editing by Nick Zieminski)