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What Now, Mayor Bloomberg?


"All I wanted -- and you gave it to me -- was four more years," Mayor Michael Bloomberg said on election night.

But in his reelection campaign, Bloomberg focused on the past, not the future, boasting of his record during his first term, but avoiding until the last few weeks his agenda for his second term.

Mayor Bloomberg's plans for the next four years -- which are outlined in a document on his Web site entitled, "Moving Forward: The Bloomberg Vision for New York City" -- are notable, not only for what they promise, but for what it will take to accomplish them. They depend largely on the mayor's ability -- not much tested in his first term -- to win battles outside of the city.

On education, the mayor wants to double the number of pre-kindergarten and day care slots to serve more than 300,000 children. Key to the plan, however, is funding from the Campaign for Fiscal Equity lawsuit and the $23 billion the court has ruled the city schools are owed in education funding. The mayor has said that the governor and State Legislature in Albany must contribute the full amount and that the city should not pay a cent. Governor George Pataki is appealing the court ruling.

On housing, the mayor recently expanded his previous housing plan and promises to build or preserve 165,000 affordable homes by 2013. His plan, however, depends on the continued strength of the real estate market, developers willing to work with the city, and hundreds of millions of dollars in financing from philanthropic and financial partners. And for every new affordable apartment built, the city loses others as rent-stabilized apartments drop out of the state-controlled system. One of the reasons the city has such a housing crisis, some experts say, is that lawmakers in Washington have slashed federal housing subsidies.

On crime, Bloomberg focuses on strengthening state gun laws and securing more homeland security funds from the federal government. He is also calling for the governors of New York and New Jersey to create new seats on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Port Authority for the city police commissioner to help the city plan for future terrorist attacks.

On economic development, the mayor is banking on the rebuilding of Ground Zero, a site still mired in controversy, owned by the Port Authority, and leased by private developer Larry Silverstein. When Bloomberg recently called for more housing to be built in lower Manhattan, he was roundly criticized by nearly everyone involved including Governor Pataki, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, who represents the area, and the two U.S. Senators from New York, whose job it is to lobby for federal rebuilding money.

And the mayor's second term agenda is also notable for what it does not say: how he plans to address the looming $4.6 billion budget deficit. The only tax the mayor and the City Council can raise without permission from the governor and State Legislature is the property tax, which was already hiked by 18.5 percent in 2002. And Bloomberg has declared budget items like debt payments, labor pensions, and funding for Medicaid as "uncontrollable," meaning he can do little to change a third of the city budget.

The mayor proved he was capable of big victories in Albany when he convinced the State Legislature to give him control of the schools. Beyond that, many of the mayor's most significant accomplishments happened "in house." He used his knowledge of technology to create the 311-call system. He lobbied the City Council to pass his smoking ban in bars and restaurants. He successfully negotiated contracts with city workers. But he avoided battles - like taking a more active role in Ground Zero or pushing for a commuter tax - knowing that the power of City Hall only extends so far.

The mayor, who has touted himself as a non-partisan, apolitical manager of the city in his first term, may ultimately be measured by how successful a politician he can be in convincing people in Albany, Washington, and elsewhere to help him achieve his vision for New York City.

Mark Berkey-Gerard, city government editor of Gotham Gazette, was in charge of campaign coverage 

The Ballot Questions


For more details on these ballot questions -- essays arguing pro and con, transcripts of debates -- click on The Fine Print on the Ballot.

When New Yorkers go to the polls on November 8th, many will be surprised to find that — in addition to being able to choosing the city’s mayor --- they can vote on four ballot questions – two statewide and two for New York City alone. Here is a quick rundown of the measures:

Question 1: Amending the State Budget Process

This measure would amend the state constitution and would enact several pieces of legislation, already approved by the legislature, concerning the way the statewide budget is formed. It calls for the creation of a contingency budget, which would automatically go into effect if the governor and the legislature do not agree on a budget by the beginning of the fiscal year. That contingency budget – based on the previous year’s budget – would provide the basis of the new budget. Under this scenario, legislatures would have greater power to shape the budget than they do now and than they would if they agreed to a budget earlier in the year -- without the contingency budget. Other provisions of the ballot measure would establish an Independent Budget Office whose members are appointed by the legislature, and move certain items onto the general budget that are currently funded independently. (Read an overview by the Rockefeller Institute in .PDF format)

Proponents (in .PDF format) say the amendment will bring accountability and transparency to the state's budget process. The specter of a contingency budget, they say, will encourage on-time budgets, while shifting some power from the governor to the legislature would bring New York into line with most other states.

Opponents argue that, because lawmakers will have more power over the budget once the contingency budget is in effect, there is an incentive for them to stall. After the beginning of the fiscal year, critics say, the governor would have practically no power over the legislature, which they think will lead to irresponsible spending.

Question 2: Transportation Bond Act

This state measure establishes a $2.9 billion transportation bond issue – in other words, it calls for New York State to borrow $2.9 billion for various transportation projects. Voter rejected a similar measure in 2000. Half would go to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to help fund the construction of such mammoth projects as the Second Avenue subway, extension of the Long Island Rail Road to Grand Central Station and new buses and cars for subway and commuter rail lines. The rest would go toward road and bridge projects around the state including some in the city.

Governor George Pataki and Mayor Michael Bloomberg back the measure, as do a range of organizations including the Straphangers Campaign, which argues the MTA needs money, and the New York Building Congress, which sees such borrowing as a necessary investment in the future. Opponents, such as the Citizens Budget Commission (in .PDF format), argue that the state is already burdened with too much debt, while E.J. McMahon, director of the Empire Center for New York State Policy within the Manhattan Institute, has argued the measure includes too many ”amenities” along with essential projects.

Question 3: Establishing an Ethics Code for Hearing Officers (in .PDF format)

This measure would amend the City Charter by having the mayor establish a code of ethics for administrative hearing officers, who resolve citizen complaints and adjudicate a range of non-criminal matters, such as parking tickets, noise complaints and building code violations.

The lack of a code of conduct governing hearings is “a matter of special concern” because many people who appear before them do not have lawyers and are not familiar with city rules, Ettina Plevan, president of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, 2005 told (in .PDF format) the charter revision commission in March.

The measure has attracted little attention. Assemblymember Richard Gottfried has said he opposes it because it would shift power from the City Council to the mayor. Others question why such an arcane matter should go before voters. ''Charter revision commissions should be used to meet serious challenges to the city's constitution, not to advance the mayor's politics,'' said Council Speaker Gifford Miller, who backed a measure on class size that was kept off the ballot because of Questions 3 and 4.

But Ester Fuchs, the Bloomberg adviser who heads the charter panel, said in July that an ethics code for administrative judges and hearing officers merits a referendum because of the gravity of the issue.

Question 4: Adding Financial Management Requirements (in .PDF format) to the City Charter

Under this measure, the city would be required to balance its budget by generally accepted accounting principles and ensure that the annual audit of the city's accounts also follows such principles. The city would have to create a four-year financial plan, as well as keep a minimum general reserve of $100 million. It would also be restricted in its use of short-term debt.

The city is already compelled to do these things by the Financial Control Board, which is set to lose much of its power in 2008.

Proponents of the measure say that the charter revisions would guarantee that the city would continue to act responsibly after the board's expiration.

Those arguing against the revisions say that they do not adequately replace the board's requirements. Without a specific, independent entity to assess whether the city is fulfilling its responsibilities, they argue, there is no way to keep city officials honest.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Fine Print on the Ballot


An Overview of the Four Ballot Questions
A guide to all four questions on the November ballot.
More...

Question 1: Amending the State Budget Process
Should the state budget process be amended to give more power to the State Legislature?
-Overview of Question 1
-Transcript of a forum on Question 1
-Vote Yes by Megan Quattlebaum and Blair Horner
-Vote No by Gerald Benjamin and Charles Brecher

Question 2: The Transportation Bond Act
Should the state borrow $2.9 billion to fund mass transit and road improvements?
- Overview by Bruce Schaller
- Vote Yes by Jeremy Soffin
- Vote No by Nicole Gelinas

Question 3: Ethics Code for Hearing Officers
Should the mayor create an ethics code for administrative judges?
-Overview by Joshua Brustein
-Vote Yes by Peter J. Kiernan
-Vote No by Richard N. Gottfried

Question 4: Adding financial management requirements to the City Charter.
Should the city add fiscal controls to the City Charter to ensure a balanced budget?
-Overview of Question 4
-
The Fiscal Crisis After 30 Years by Joshua Brustein

 



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