In Final Days of Race (for NYC mayor), (Democratic) Challenger Lays Out (tax-and-spend) Agenda

New York Times ^ | October 31, 2009 | Michael Powell

[reaganaut1]

With the leaves turning and the mayoral race down to its final paces, William C. Thompson Jr., the Democratic candidate, sketched out a liberal policy agenda Friday, saying he would fight to repeal laws that allow landlords to charge market rents for regulated apartments.

He promised to appoint pro-tenant members to the Rent Guidelines Board to oppose higher rents and pro-rider members to the board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to oppose raising fares. He said he would keep subway station agents on the job, and try to place all rent-regulated middle-class apartments that are part of the Mitchell-Lama program since 1973 under rent stabilization laws.

He also said he would give the homeless priority for Section 8 rental vouchers and allow homeless families who now are required to pay for shelter to instead put that money into escrow to be used for a permanent apartment.

These are some of the positions that would place Mr. Thompson to the liberal side of the political mainstream in New York City, and open up some — although perhaps not a lot — of ideological space between him and Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.

“Next week New Yorkers have a choice between more of Michael Bloomberg’s Republican policies, which cater to the wealthy, and my vision,” Mr. Thompson said, flanked by supporters on the steps of City Hall. “I’m not the other choice; I’m the right choice.”

As his words suggest, however, Mr. Thompson is fighting the perception that he is light in the pocket on policy questions. His policy director quit over the summer, although he was later replaced. And except for a proposal to tax New Yorkers making more than half a million dollars, he has taken longer to flesh out his ideas than many past mayoral candidates, Democratic and Republican.

[princeofdarkness]

Real Liberal vs Liberal-lite? NYC is doomed either way.

[pnh102]

I like how less than 50k residents of NYC pay for over half the city budget. For as liberal as Bloomberg is, even he knows that if NYC loses these people, the city is doomed.

If the Democrat wins, I wonder how long it will take for these people to flee.