Bloomberg: Public Advocate a Waste of Money

Betsy Gotbaum by giastorms on Flickr

The candidates for public advocate must be feeling 8-track tape useless by now. Earlier this year, Mayor Bloomberg and the City Council made the call to cut the public advocate's budget from $2.9 million to a meager $1.8 million, and now the mayor is visiting far off places (or, Staten Island) to talk trash about the little-known position.

"You should get rid of the public advocate," he told the editorial board of The Staten Island Advance this week. "It's a total waste of everybody's money. Nobody needs another gadfly, and we have an aggressive enough press."

The NY Post called the remark the strongest Bloomberg has made publicly about "a position that has virtually no power but serves as a government watchdog—and that is next in line to succeed the mayor in the event of a vacancy."

And, naturally, the candidates up for the position currently held by Betsy Gotbaum are none too thrilled with his statement. "The position of public advocate is an important one for New Yorkers," Republican candidate Alex Zablocki told the Advance. "This is our only independent voice in government; it is a place people can go to when no one else is listening to them."

His opponent, Democrat Bill de Blasio, said in a statement, "Mayor Bloomberg can not keep changing the rules to suit his political needs."

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By Lisa F in News on October 13, 2009 2:54 PM

Comments [rss]

drewo

A rare case of Bloomberg being on the money. We can all be "advocates for the public", just don't expect to be paid and have an office and staff.

Another position that can go is the Borough Presidents offices. Folks can cheerlead for the borough of their choice on their on own time and dime.

Mr Mel

Does anyone have any experience with the Public Advocate? Has anyone gone there for help? Did anyone ask the Public Advocate to help adjudicate a traffic ticket or anything else.

Come forward and let us hear of your experience. If there's no history, then the Mayor is right.

cxb

BETSY GOTBAUM's office is 99% corrupt, and works FOR the emperor. I've stung the office many times and they are frauds.

However, under Mark Green, the office was actually critically needed.

It's this simple: either give the office POWER to stop govt corruption (i suggested prosecutors with the power to arrest any govt employees including the mayor) or else axe it. (Ditto the BPs.)

BLOOMBAG IS FLAT-OUT LYING, however. (100% of the media endorses the naked emperor and he pretends that's "checks and balances" from the fourth estate??)

STOP TAX HIKE MIKE on nov 3rd or you aint' seen tax hikes or rent increases YET!!!

The Captain

I dislike Bloomberg even more now. Nice line about the eight track tape by the way!

JacqueMehoff

maybe we should let the voters decide and maybe it will go on the election ballot twice and still someone might say F U to the voter's decision.

JW

PA is a ridiculous position. Aren't city council members supposed to listen to and represent constituents?

Wasn't this position created around the time Giuliani was elected in 93? Seems it was the Dems way of trying to have some sort of platform to speak out against him.

It's a job for someone who just wants to hear his or her own voice and dissent from the mayor (whoever sits in that seat). Well, except Gotbaum hasn't really made a peep whilst there. Has the PA ever criticized the council? the comptroller?

Blue387

I think Tony Avella would be a good public advocate.

felixthecat2

Betsy Gotbaum did NOTHING and that is why the seat is MEANINGLESS as her. Too bad Norman Siegel didn't win but at least Green lost.

Past Taliban

How much does Black Hussein Osmama earn?

Because if it's anything over than $3 dollars a year then IT'S ALSO A FVCKIN' WASTE OF MONEY!!!!

JenChungsBaby

It's easy to write off the public advocate when Betsy Gotbaum has been in the job for eight years. She's a total moron do-nothing ineffective hack. Mark Green was pretty good as PA, even though the structure of city government gives the position little real power.