Rob Caloras on Bloomberg

NYC Public School Parents posted an article called Rob Caloras on Bloomberg's authoritarian arrogance:

At a recent press conference, Mayor Bloomberg stated that people who want to change the school governance law are either irrational or putting their own self interest ahead of students. On his radio show he said that, there would be riots in the streets if his control over the schools is not continued.

For the full article, click here. 

Room 8 parodied this radio show at a cryptic post, TOP 10 OTHER THINGS MAYOR BLOOMBERG THINKS MIGHT CAUSE RIOTS IN THE STREETS.

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An Orthodox blogger questions Bloomberg: Miffed by "Ridiculous" Question

What's this? Vos Iz Neias, a self-described voice of the Orthodox Jewish Community, challenges Bloomberg's logic in Bloomberg Miffed by "Ridiculous" Question:

We're facing tough times. The mayor is a great philanthropist. He's supported many charitable causes. The other day, he promised the bishop of Brooklyn to consider a plan to convert four parochial schools threatened with being closed into public charter schools.

But it is hardly ridiculous to ask whether this man should flaunt his wealth in the political arena. he has done good for the city. He has also exhibited great hubris and if he truly believes in a democratic system, he should be willing to accept legal limits on campaign expenditures.

You have fans out there, Mr. Mayor, and critics. Are you afraid to test your achievements on a level playing field?

For more, click here. 

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Conflicts of Interest Board goes after the little fish

Accountable Talk, a school-oriented blog, riffs on the irony of the Conflicts of Interest Board fining a teacher but letting Bloomberg slide. 

Read more here. 

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El Diario: How much for the Big Apple?

El Diario questions Bloomberg's campaign spending in How much for the Big Apple?:

Bloomberg, the self-made billionaire, reportedly became annoyed when a reporter yesterday asked him about limiting his campaign spending.

It’s a reasonable question. But Bloomberg resisted discussing his campaign, which has clearly been in motion since last year. And he would not commit to setting a ceiling for campaign spending.

These were inadequate responses. Last year, Bloomberg reversed his longstanding disdain for the idea of overturning term limits on city elected officials and engineered a vote in the City Council to extend these limits.

Organizations that received Bloomberg foundation money were called on to testify on behalf of extending the limits. The editorial boards of the largest city newspapers were assiduously courted. Chits were called and counted.

Since then, Bloomberg has been recruiting a growing list of campaign advisors.... Unfortunately, by playing coy with the size of his re-election treasure chest, the mayor is also creating the impression that he is willing to buy the public office.

Read more here. 

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How being mayor is EXTREMELY profitable for Bloomberg

Noticing New York has a series of must-read articles about Bloomberg's charity/profitability. Here is an extended quote from Bloomberg's Increasing Annual Wealth: 1996 to 2008:

Here, as a quick reference, are figures on Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s increasing estimated annual net worth consolidated from Forbes for our article The Good News IS the Bad News: Thanks A lot for Mayor Bloomberg’s “Charity” (Monday, February 2, 2009). For more on what those numbers mean in context click to read the article.

The most reliably constant gauge of his wealth over the years are the annual figures published by Forbes in September of each year:

1996 - $1 billion
1997 - $1.3 billion
1998 - $2 billion
1999- $2.5 billion
2000- $4 billion
2001- $4 billion
2002- $4.8 billion
2003- $4.9 Billion
2004- $5 Billion
2005- $5.1 Billion
2006- $5.3 Billion
2007- $11.5 billion
2008- $20 billion

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"Non-partisans" commingle with the Bloomberg campaign

Elizabeth Benjamin reports about the connection between Bloomberg's re-election campaign and supposedly non-partisan groups. In Frieden's Bloomberg Foundation Work, she writes

Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden, who is reportedly up for a job with the Obama administration, met with Mayor Bloomberg’s top pollster and another political consultant last year, according to records obtained by the DN's Kate Lucadamo.

The Health Department says both lunch meetings were part of Frieden's private work for the Bloomberg Family Foundation.

This was brought to my attention on a bloglabeled Truth, Justice and Freedom:

Mayor Bloomberg's closest aide, Deputy Mayor Patti Harris, has been working for his charitable foundation without first getting clearance from city ethics watchdogs.

Harris, who earns $227,219 a year on the city payroll, took on an advisory role for the Bloomberg Family Foundation, which the mayor set up last year to give away his billions.

And she's not the only city employee doing side work with the foundation.

Read more here. 

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Avella: DOB’s New Development Challenge Process is a Farce

City Council Member Tony Avella, a candidate challenging Michael Bloomberg for mayor, released this statement: 

Avella: DOB’s New Development Challenge Process is a Farce
February 05th, 2009

Today, Tony Avella criticized the Department of Buildings (DOB) new development challenge process, which creates a 30-day formal challenge period for the public to contest new developments.

“While I believe that the posting of online diagrams for proposed new developments on DOB’s website is definitely a step in the right direction and leads to greater transparency, I completely disagree with the new development challenge process. Despite being touted by Mayor Mike Bloomberg as empowering the public with greater oversight over new developments, the truth is that this 30-day comment period is actually diminishing the ability of residents to contest new construction by creating a defacto statute of limitations. This procedure will, in effect, actually benefit unscrupulous developers who will simply wait out the clock to avoid community challenges,” stated Avella.

“Furthermore it is extremely inappropriate for the final appeal in the public review process to be brought before the Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA), which, throughout its existence, has essentially been a rubber stamp for developers.

“This is just the latest example of the Bloomberg administration’s failed attempts to reform this agency. In order to have true reform, DOB needs to be held accountable for their actions and must also allow greater community involvement. Avella added, “We cannot let Mike Bloomberg and DOB get away with this blatant attempt to silence the public when it comes to reporting building violations and unsafe construction.”

Avella has been the leading critic of DOB since taking office in 2002 and has made overdevelopment and DOB reform top issues in his Mayoral campaign.