Setting a markedly different tone from years past as he presented his vision for a more just city, Mayor Bill de Blasio thanked New York’s public employees for their hard work and contributions to the city in his first State of the City address on Feb. 10.

“I know that these speeches have at times been used to attack the motives of our public employees,” de Blasio said. “Today, I want to recognize the hard work and commitment of those men and women – and to say how proud I am of them.”

“Public service is a noble calling,” he said.

UFT President Michael Mulgrew described de Blasio’s speech as “a breath of fresh air.”

"City employees were praised. It was the first time in years that City Hall saw us as partners," he said.

The city has more than 150 outstanding municipal labor contracts to settle, which de Blasio acknowledged will present a challenge for his administration. But, he said, he is committed to a path forward that will be “progressive” as well as “fiscally responsible.”

As expected, de Blasio spoke at length about universal prekindergarten, his signature education policy. He continued to assert that the best way to fund it was through a small income tax increase on city residents earning more than $500,000 per year.

"Here in New York City, we have a detailed plan, and it's on the table -- one that's real, that's fair, that's reasonable. So let's dedicate the funding we need to do what New York City must -- and let's tap the wealthiest New Yorkers to do so,” he said.

State Senate leaders are divided over the tax hike on the wealthy.

Underscoring the challenge ahead for de Blasio, Republican Sen. Dean Skelos, the co-leader of the Senate's majority coalition, said he would not allow legislation containing such a tax hike to advance to the Senate floor.

Skelos argued that an income tax surcharge on wealthy New York City residents would prompt some to leave New York State, reducing the state’s tax base.

“The last thing we need is to see high earners leave New York State because then we lose their tax dollars,” said Skelos.

Democratic Sen. Jeff Klein, the coalition’s other co-leader, staked out the opposite position. "I will not approve a budget that fails to realize the vision Mayor de Blasio and I share of providing high-quality, universal pre-k to the 50,000 four year olds who need it,” Klein said.  “Mayor de Blasio's plan is the only one that provides New York City with the funding it needs to achieve that goal.”

The Republicans and the Independent Democratic Conference share leadership of the Senate, but both leaders must sign off on legislation to bring it to the floor.

Mulgrew urged the state Senate to bring to a vote the city's request for permission to tax the wealthy. "We have to continue to push for a dedicated funding stream so that we make good on the promise of all-day pre-K for all our students," he said.

The theme of income inequality ran throughout the mayor’s speech.

“The truth is the state of our city, as we find it today, is a ‘tale of two cities’ – with an inequality gap that fundamentally threatens our future,” de Blasio said. “Allowing the income gap to stretch further isn’t simply a threat to those at the bottom – but to every New Yorker.”

De Blasio said he would tackle that challenge head-on, in part by expanding the reach of the city’s living wage standards, increasing the number of living wage jobs offered by city-subsidized employers and pushing Albany to allow the city to raise its minimum wage.