The Quadrangle

Issue date: 3/9/05 Section: Perspectives

Mayor Bloomberg is only for the people when it is time for election

In 2001, both registered voters and residents of NYC know about the disastrous administration of Republican mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. Hiding in the post-9/11 shadowed legacy of fellow Jasper, Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, he paraded against his Democratic challenger, Mark Green, on a platform of corporate smarts, fiscal planning, and toughness. Unfortunately, when he was inaugurated, our new brilliant mayor just happened to throw his Harvard Business School credentials out the window to govern with a mandate of political illiteracy. For example, due to the unfortunate events that played out on September 11, 2001, the Big Apple was embroiled in a horrific budget deficit short-fall of $3 billion in FY-2001 and a projected $6 billion deficit for the following year, FY-2002.

So, what did Mayor Bloomberg do? Instead of exercising the fiscal ingenuity and toughness that President Bush exhibited in the face of the national recession by cutting taxes, Mayor Bloomberg acted as a fiscal pimp by shoving poor working-families in NYC with exorbitant property tax increases, frivolous ticket fines, and complicated delays in bus/train union negotiations. In essence, Mayor Bloomberg only did one good thing: he showed by example that a college-degree and education doesn't mean anything if its holder lacks the common sense that God gave him. If the city is facing a record budget deficit due to, in part, the tragedy of 9/11 which depressed business confidence and investment, and created a rippling effect of a national recession (caused by layoffs), the last thing that should be done is raising taxes on the New Yorkers who are still working! It's common-sense! In times of recession taxes should not be raised, they should be cut in order to get people to spend more into the economy.

Anyway, the question stands: what should have Bloomberg done to fix the budget crisis instead of ignorantly raising taxes on poor working families? First and foremost, facing a $3 billion shortfall and projected $6 billion deficit the following year, the main thing to do is to reduce overall city spending for the first FY by about $11 billion: $10 billion to balance the budget, and one billion to store for construction investment to stimulate the economy, enabling the budget to be balanced. Next, in an effort to hold down spending for later years, privatize various city services like the garbage and buses/trains to the respective employees, so that they could be self-employed working for profit rather than a miniscule wage.

Continued...

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