Bloomberg by Chris McNickle

Author:Chris McNickle
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing
Published: 2017-04-08T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

The Politics of a Billionaire Mayor

Bloomberg’s wealth allowed him to manage the politics of the mayor’s office differently from any of his predecessors. All the rest needed other people’s money to win City Hall and stay there. Bloomberg financed his own campaigns, affording him unmatched independence. Yet, his vast wealth did not eliminate conflicts, it reversed their direction, as historian Fred Seigel has put it. Bloomberg outspent his rivals many times over, disbursed hundreds of millions of dollars of philanthropy that bought loyalty, and deployed the resources of an incumbent mayor with exceptional skill. The combination made him a formidable candidate. Unpopular decisions early in his first term made him appear vulnerable partway through it. Economic recovery and shrewd politicking allowed him to win a landslide victory for a second term. His bold ambition caused him to seek a third, even though New Yorkers had twice voted convincingly to limit city elected officials to two terms.

Not Feeling the Love

Like most newly elected politicians, Bloomberg enjoyed a honeymoon. His approval rating in February 2002 was 65 percent, and still 57 percent in July after his first round of budget negotiations. In November of his first year, a charter reform proposal he backed won, an indication of sorts that voters trusted his judgment. The new provision affirmed the role of the public advocate as acting mayor if the incumbent were incapacitated, but instead of serving for the remainder of a term in progress, the period was limited to just sixty days, followed by a special election. A few weeks after that vote, Bloomberg proposed a 25 percent property tax rate increase along with other revenue-raising measures, and his romance with voters turned to tears. Just 41 percent approved of his performance following the announcement, less than the 46 percent who told pollsters they did not like the way the mayor did his job. After budget negotiations in July 2003, nearly twice as many people disapproved of the mayor as favored him, 60 percent versus 31 percent. Only 24 percent would have reelected him. It was the lowest level of support for a mayor since David Dinkins’s unhappiest days. Bloomberg’s decision to raise taxes to help balance the budget rather than rely on fiscal gimmicks and quality-of-life damaging service cuts was good for the city, but bad for him. It required conviction and courage. Bloomberg did what he believed was right and took the hit.1

In August 2003, a power failure that started in Michigan and Ohio spread into Canada and across the northeast United States. The largest blackout in history arrived in New York City with startling swiftness. Bloomberg demonstrated deft emergency management skills. “Since 4:11 p.m. Thursday, Mayor Bloomberg has emerged as a highly visible and unifying figure in a city shaken by its sudden loss of electricity, subways and normal daily routines. He has sought to project calm in the face of adversity. He has sought to convey toughness at the very hint of lawlessness,” New York Times reporter Winnie Hu wrote of the mayor.

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