January 21, 2013
Marc Bussanich
Bill Thompson presented his mayoral vision last week at a civic event—hire more police, encourage small business growth in the boroughs, hire a deputy mayor for infrastructure and a schools chancellor with pedagogical experience all without raising taxes.
Thompson doesn’t oppose the widely unpopular Stop and Frisk program; he wants to reform it so that it doesn’t violate a person’s civil liberties.
He warned against growing budget deficits if decisive action isn’t taken. He blamed Mayor Bloomberg’s policies of filling budget gaps with “one-shot fiscal gimmicks” and non-recurring revenues.
He proposed that he’d go line by line through the budget, focusing especially on outsourced government contracts.
Thompson said he’d also tackle income inequality.
“New York cannot and will not reach its full potential until we fill the most threatening gap of all—the affordability and opportunity gap.”
He was asked by someone in the audience would he raise taxes as Mayor to pay for the items he’s proposing and the gaps to fill.
He said that he would not; that savings could be derived from current budgetary expenses by limiting outsourced government contracts. (See video)
