Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Another Reason To Like Eliot Spitzer - He Stymies Bloomberg Projects EVEN BEFORE He Becomes Governor
The New York Times says Eliot Spitzer has put the brakes on at least three Bloomberg-supported projects and he hasn't even been elected governor yet!!! Gee, can you imagine all the good he'll do once he takes office and can stand up to mayor moneybags in a way that Governor Pataki wouldn't and most other politicans couldn't. Here's how Spitzer has already started blocking Bloomberg:
The article goes on to say that Spitzer and Bloomberg do not have a bad relationship (although Spitzer and deputy Mayor Dan Doctoroff - the architect of so many of these projects - do), but Spitzer is looking to protect himself from both Bloomberg and the outgoing governor, George Pataki, from sticking him with projects, financial obligations, and political appointees that he does not want.
Frankly, I don't care what the reasons are for Spitzer sticking it to Mayor Moneybags. As long as he keeps doing it, I'm happy. Bloomberg lost the West Side railyards/New York Jets development deal last year, yet he is still trying to bully the MTA into selling the railyards site to the city for a ridculous price so that he can remake the West Side his own way without any input from the state. Every time some politican forces Bloomberg to have to compromise on an issue (like Sheldon Silver did over the Jets deal), it's a good thing for New York City. For too long now Bloomberg has gotten his way on everything from his schools takeover to no-bid contracts for his corporate buddies to redevelopment in the city. Now New Yorkers are going to have somebody up in Albany who is strong enough to say "Sorry, Moneybags, you can't ALWAYS get your own way, no matter how much money you have!"
And that's a good thing for all of us.
Eliot Spitzer has not yet won the Democratic primary for governor in New York, but already he has started flexing his political muscle, lobbying to put the brakes on projects that Mr. Bloomberg has been trying to accelerate.
Last month, Mr. Spitzer called for further review of the high-rise residential development and basketball arena proposed for the Atlantic railyards in Brooklyn. Then, last week, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver switched gears to halt a $900 million construction plan for Moynihan Station in Midtown Manhattan after Mr. Spitzer, a fellow Democrat, announced his opposition to the project.
A day after officials delayed the Moynihan plan, Mr. Spitzer stepped up his criticism of a city proposal to buy the railyards on the Far West Side from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, calling the city’s $500 million offer stingy and suggesting an auction to the highest bidder.
The article goes on to say that Spitzer and Bloomberg do not have a bad relationship (although Spitzer and deputy Mayor Dan Doctoroff - the architect of so many of these projects - do), but Spitzer is looking to protect himself from both Bloomberg and the outgoing governor, George Pataki, from sticking him with projects, financial obligations, and political appointees that he does not want.
Frankly, I don't care what the reasons are for Spitzer sticking it to Mayor Moneybags. As long as he keeps doing it, I'm happy. Bloomberg lost the West Side railyards/New York Jets development deal last year, yet he is still trying to bully the MTA into selling the railyards site to the city for a ridculous price so that he can remake the West Side his own way without any input from the state. Every time some politican forces Bloomberg to have to compromise on an issue (like Sheldon Silver did over the Jets deal), it's a good thing for New York City. For too long now Bloomberg has gotten his way on everything from his schools takeover to no-bid contracts for his corporate buddies to redevelopment in the city. Now New Yorkers are going to have somebody up in Albany who is strong enough to say "Sorry, Moneybags, you can't ALWAYS get your own way, no matter how much money you have!"
And that's a good thing for all of us.
