NYC-WTC_000230769

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

THE NEW YORK TIMES, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2001

Sizing Up Budget Cuts and Answering Criticism About Experience ' Following are excerpts from an inter­ ly sure how serious the economic down­ view with Michael R, Bloomberg, the Re- turn, how protracted it is going to be. Some pidslicaii mayoral candidate, conducted facts are already in. Commercial vacan­ yesterday by reporters and editors of The cies in midtown are going up. and down- [ New York Times. town it's a little bit harder to measure Q. If you’re mayor of New York today, because of the severity of the disaster. But what are you telling the city about an­ there’s an enormous amount of space thrax? downtown. The great danger that we face , is companies deciding just to leave, and the . MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG Wc have to depend collateral damage, if you will, of any kind on the federal government for most of our of downturn, particularly companies leav­ inlormation. We have to better coordinate ing, on small businesses. The people that , ■with the federal government. We will keep are really getting hurt here — and I’ll , you posted. In the meantirne, go about your come back to this — are small companies lives. We are taking the appropriate meas­ where, when they can’t withstand a tempo­ ures. Then, of course, we have to make rary economic downturn, they lay off peo­ sure that the city and the federal govern­ ple. ... But for the city as a whole, sales tax ment are taking the appropriate actions. down, personal income tax down, compa­ But in terms of the outreach to the public, nies leaving. Next year, Office of Manage- ’ you should not be — but the problem you ment and Budget says $2.3 billion deficit. J have is you don’t have a lot of information. There are numbers in the paper ... 4 The public has a right to know. And the billion, 6 billion. The bottom line is that balance between cautioning them and urg­ nobody knows. Some things are coming ing them to exercise prudence in terms of back quicker than forecast, and some , what to look for in their day-in and day-out things are just not. ... । lives, has to be balanced with the potential to scare people so badly that they start Q. Is it possible the city is inflating or staying home, not participating, not going hyping the number to try to make a better i on with a normal life. .., case in Washington? You think that’s what’s going on? Q. Given that anthrax was found, and traces of it were found at the Morgan MR. BLOOMBERG Well, the city always tin- ' postal station here in Manhattan, do you derestiniates revenues because they have think it should have been shut down? to negotiate with the unions. So there is J that, I think that the outlook for federal aid j MR. BLOOMBERG I’m not in a position to is problematic.... I don’t think we should i make that judgment, and I don’t think any declare bankruptcy, throw up our hands outsider is. You have professionals there to and say there’s no solution to this problem. ■assess the risks and make decisions. You cannot raise taxes. That is clear. If That’s not — that’s what you have experts you raise taxes you will drive enough busi- ‘ for. And if,all of us think that we have the ness and people out of this city. Your total i detailed knowledge, you’re just wrong. tax revenues over a period of lime would Q. But say if you were the mayor today and probably decline rather than go up. There you----- are some efficiencies you can get. But the -IWR. BLOOMBERG It’S a federal facility, Ko. city is not so poorly run that there are I ... So I don’t think the mayor can walk in enormous packets of corruption or waste and say the post office should be closed.... that you can say well better management You certainly want to talk to the federal will cut back. Yes, in a $40 billion budget ■ government and assure yourself that the you can certainly cut some things. You can . federal government is taking what steps find some efficiencies. And I've thought .that they think are appropriate, because what you do is you have to get the unions the mayor is going to be on television involved in some kind of a saving-sharing , communicating with the public. But in plan where — because other than that you , terms of running the post office, in terms will not get the cooperation you need. But of tracking down anthrax in the post office, ■ you can do that to some extent. And there that's what we have professionals for. And are also some revenue sources that we it you have absolutely no confidence in haven’t tapped. If you could get the federal them, then maybe we should replace them. government to change the law, which you But you can’t sit there and second-guess might be able lo do, actually, so that we e'very single security decision. I am in can refinance our debt more than once, we favor of disclosure to the public right up to can save a little over $100 million in just the point where, for valid security reasons, that. ... But then you get down to the in the middle of an ongoing investigation, either-or. We’ve got logo and say that if we you have to say government does withhold don't have the money, we have to cut back certain information. ... what we’re .spending. And cutting back what we’re spending ,., where halt of it is J ‘d- The city that you inherit if you win this in salaries and pension, there’s just no ' election is headed for all kinds of financial question what has to give.... trouble. What should New .Yorkers expect My first priority would be to try to , about their government? protect those that are already working for JBR. BLOOMBERG Well, No. 1, nobody’s real- the city under the theory that they’re the

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NYC-WTC_000230769