Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Why is this guy so cheap?

The Bloomberg administration warned its agencies this week that they might have to cut 1.5 percent from their budgets for this fiscal year and 4 percent next year because of a slowdown in the national economy, volatility in the stock market and a tentative labor agreement with city firefighters.

Bloomberg Asks Agencies to Propose Budget Cuts

Though it is not unusual for the administration to ask its agencies to reduce costs in tight budgetary times, this request comes as the city is basking in an economic glow that has defied national trends.

The city has projected a $3.9 billion budget surplus this year and a $1.4 billion surplus for 2008. Earlier this year, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announced a one-year, $750 million cut in property taxes and $250 million in other tax cuts.


Hey Mike, think of how much extra budget you'd have if you flooded the DOB with new inspectors and they fined all the people found to have built illegally!

Instead, you're wasting our tax money on creating new positions, like this one:

City's First Food Policy Tsar Sets His Table

Great! This guy will change the way people eat. Yeah, and there's a bridge in Brooklyn I'll sell ya.

Hey Mike, we also don't have enough people signing up to become cops:

Police Department Struggling To Meet Recruitment Target, Kelly Says

Remember your campaign promise in 2001 to get them a raise? What happened?

Photo from Gotham Gazette

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Now, a 31-year old Czar. A food czar! And part of the Clinton team. Way to go! Bloomberg! Hire from the family of public relations people who savagely fired the then-White House Travel Staff.

Pander, Pander.

Now you bring on this Clintonista with no background in food policy but Thomases has had to rely on his entrepreneurial experience. "I've always loved thinking about large organizations and what makes them work,"

Yes, just exactly what this city needs: someone with zero experience, but, who loves "thinking" about large organizations.

He's read so much about the the national obesity epidemic that "I think of my own eating habits ..."

Now that he's "thought about his own eating habits", he's properly prepared to supervise your eating habits and portion sizes.

"After an initial task force meeting in early February, Mr. Thomases described an agenda still being defined, but one that he said will focus on boosting enrollment in food support programs, improving the quality of food that city agencies already serve, increasing access to healthful foods in poor neighborhoods, through initiatives like the healthy bodegas program."

"Boosting the enrollment???"

Increasing the dollars spent. This, while Bloomberg is cutting budgets?

This while the Police and firemen are unable to support their families.

Bloomberg-Clinton-Thomases-food czar-leave NYPD and FDNY helpless-skip town when children die ...

What is Bloomberg good for?

Anonymous said...

The city needs to dump this unqualified jackass. Assuming that we need a food czar, don't you think a food czar should be a dietician? Wouldn't you want a legal council that actually went to law school – and maybe had some experience practicing law?

If he were connected to Thomas’s English Muffins, however, that really would qualify him to be a food czar. You can eat anything on those.. eggs, peanut butter, lunch meat, whatever. Ever have a hamburger on one? Now that's a food policy I can abide by.

Anonymous said...

I know a registered dietitian with an MBA who could see the issues from both sides and advise on prudent policy. However, I think she may be underqualified for this position as she isn't a political crony.

georgetheatheist said...

And don't forget even a bigger Clintonista:...NYC Schools Chancellor Joel Klein! He was Billy-boy's Anti-trust honcho in the Justice Department which pursued the Microsoft case. When Fed Judge Thomas Pennfield Jackson ruled against Microsoft, the stock-market tanked! ("It's the economy stupid"...remember that Clinton bullshit?...then he goes and F's-up the economy.) Why has no one ever asked Bloomie, a successful businessman, who was not born into money, why he would reward that scoundrel Klein with a position in his administration?

georgetheatheist said...

BTW Joel Klein is from Queens. He grew up in the Woodside Public Houses and went to Bryant High School - government subsidized throughout his life!

Anonymous said...

Georgetheathiest asked: "Why has no one ever asked Bloomie, a successful businessman, who was not born into money, why he would reward that scoundrel Klein with a position in his administration?"

Bloomberg is not very bright, and he is lazy. Making money is not a function of being bright or hardworking. It can be the result of brutal manipulation of weak people - a characteristic trait of Bloomberg.

Bloomberg is as much a wild-eyed liberal as any Clinton or Clintonite. He's betting on a Hillary presidency, with himself as Sec of Treasury.

From that position, associated with that unscrupulous lawbreaking mob, he would enrich himself beyond any madman's wildest dreams.

Anonymous said...

"boosting enrollment in food support programs, improving the quality of food that city agencies already serve, increasing access to healthful foods in poor neighborhoods, through initiatives like the healthy bodegas program."

We are already the most taxed people in USA. These are all machine inspired programs. This is a tweeder agenda.

Anonymous said...

Cutting back on services .... as they are planning a big boost in population.

Huh?

Does anyone from the 4th estate want to tackle this?

ha ha ha ha ha ha

KRM said...

Sorry to bust your bubble guys, but cutting costs on an already over bloated government is a good thing.... albeit costs should be cut in the right places... That Coffey kid is a good example of what is wrong with most city agencies: nepotism and cronyism. He had no college education, was the son of a member of the Koch administration, and was getting paid over $100,000 (not including benefits, of course) as a reward for helping Bloomie out during his campaign (and he was hardly anyone special). This "food" czar is another example of this, but everyone on this thread is going a bit far with the Bloomberg bashing. He's done a far better job than any of the past mayors, and unlike most elected executives anywhere in the United States, he is actually formulating budgets that plan for future deficits! I think Mayor Bloomberg is guilty of some political back-room dealings, but he's hardly the Anti-Christ a lot of you make him out to be...

BTW, I think crappy is right about the building inspectors. If the city administrated their inspection units as they administrate their meter maids, the city would be swimming in newly-found revenue.

Anonymous said...

So what did the Coffey kid do anyway? Caffiene czar?

mmm.. Coffey and Thomases - perfect for breakfast, not for New York.

Anonymous said...

Bloomie is only interested in our city's financial rating!

I don't own any NYC Muni Bonds.

I do own others!