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Is it shocking that Mayor Bloomberg may ignore the City Council by refusing to issue the $400 property rebate checks to homeowners? The NY Times calls him "defiant," as he said yesterday "that he had no plans to release the money." And the Post quotes him as saying, "We have no money. I think that's what you have to understand. This is not a legal issue; this is a fiscal issue."
Earlier, Bloomberg said he would take $256 million used for rebates to save money, but it turned out that the City Council must approve canceling the rebate--and the Council is highly unlikely to do so.
City Council member Vincent Ignizio, who filed a lawsuit to keep the rebates checks coming, notes that the money could mean a lot to people planning for the holidays and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn said, "I can guarantee New Yorkers we are going to fight as hard as we can to get them those checks as quickly as possible." And Council member Lew Fidler called Bloomberg's atittude "the height of arrogance."
Bloomberg's spokeman Stu Loeser said, "Nobody wants to send money more than he does. The question is, how are we going to pay for them, when we already proposed eliminating a Police Academy class, and reducing hours overnight at certain firehouses?” The Mayor, though, may be hedging his bets: "We obviously aren't going to send out checks when we don't have the money... for the moment."
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that cheap fuck!
1) Forcefully win the ability to run for a third term.
2) Let your two terms lead to the city being flat broke.
3) ???
4) Profit!
What profit? He doesn't want to send out free money when he has to cut back everywhere else. Why doesn't this make sense to people? How does everyone think this is a power play by Bloomberg? Just because the city council is pandering by making promises the city can't keep, Bloomberg gets in trouble for it? In case no one figured it out, rebates aren't mandatory. They are a nicety that you get when there is money for them. Anyone whose budget counts on them getting that back is an idiot and painted themselves into a hole.
Someone please explain to me why he hasn't lifted the tax abatement that was given to all the new developers/developments? I am not being snarky, I'm trying to understand why that's still a go—the 15-year abatement.
that's what you get when you make deals with the Devil.
Quinn makes me sick, she is disgusting, blah
The rebates might just keep a few more productive citizens from packing it in and getting the hell out of town while they still can.
Why is there always plenty of money to provide benefits for illegal aliens?
people better not vote for this scum next year - his true bourgeois colors are coming out now that he conned his way into being able to run again
Its Bill Thompson's time
#4 I don't know the details, but development keeps NYC going. It's a free 'loan' the city gives out to get people to develop and guarantee an increase to the tax base in the future.
I'm no fan of the idea of having any mayor run for a third term, but if he manages to close the budget gap and make everyone look ridiculous while doing it I may rethink that decision. Compared to the problems the MTA is having I can't believe the Council wants to even try and fight this. That should be the top issue of their agenda.
He's rigth. There's no point in rebates unless you're buying a DVD and thus can get it for free. Remember the MTA's Holiday rebate? Oy vey!
the rebate is not free money. Doomberg raised taxes by 18% in his first term. this was supposed to be temporary. instead, he kept the rate when things were good and sent a check (of our own money mind you) with a nice letter during his election campaign. I find this ridiculous.
I also find it ridiculous that the same man who increased the city the city budget by over 50% is now the only one who can get us out of this mess? what? and his method to do it is to tax out anyone left not on public assistance?! please, forget about a 3rd term, just leave already. you've done enough damage here with your backroom deals, stadiums, huge benefit package give outs, etc, etc, etc. what have you actually accomplished besides a smoking ban and a lot of hype?
If someone can afford to live in NYC--and buy property here--does a meager 400 dollar check really represent a life-changing windfall that they can't live without?
I mean, it's important to watch every dollar, but let's retain some perspective here.
If the city is in debt and doesn't want to cut back on essential services, it doesn't make any sense to send out checks that are going to make more of significant difference to the city as a whole than in any individual's pocket.
In fact, it sounds oddly reminiscent of the Bush tax rebates--not worth much to any individual family but tremendously hurtful to the economy as a whole.
www.reddyrighter.com
Bloomberg should release the rebate checks...clearly identify where the additonal cuts are requred...and leave it to Ignizio, Quinn et al to defend their positions to their constituents. You gotta pick your battles Mike.
Gloomberg should fire a few more rotten police officers and send them goddamn checks out.