Bloomberg Threatens Even More Layoffs

Now the Mayor of 38% is threatening even more teacher layoffs than the 4,666 already planned.

Cuomo says he is "manufacturing" a phony financial crisis.

Here's the Times on the battle between the two:

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg on Monday dismissed the budget agreement reached in Albany over the weekend as an “outrage,” saying that it was likely to require the city to make another round of steep cuts.

In defiant terms, Mr. Bloomberg said the cuts proposed by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and legislative leaders would disproportionately fall on the city, despite the fact that it served as an economic catalyst for the rest of the state.

...

The city was already bracing for cuts that would leave it with 6,100 fewer teachers, 20 fewer fire companies and 100 fewer senior centers. Mr. Bloomberg’s aides on Monday did not rule out the possibility of additional teacher layoffs.

While Mr. Bloomberg acknowledged that he did not have the details of Mr. Cuomo’s agreement, he said, “I know enough of the facts to be concerned.”

The city’s budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1 is about $65.6 billion.

It has become something of an annual tradition for New York City mayors to warn of dire cuts from the state, only to have money restored at the last minute. But facing particularly grim financial circumstances this year and a governor with significant political momentum, Mr. Bloomberg may have more cause for concern.

Mr. Cuomo’s aides have said repeatedly that the city has the money to avoid teacher layoffs and has manufactured a financial crisis.

On Monday, a spokesman for Mr. Cuomo defended the budget deal, saying it required “shared sacrifice from communities across the state.”

“The city revenue position has improved so they have much less pressure on their overall budget,” the spokesman, Josh Vlasto, said in a statement.

...

The war of words between Mr. Cuomo and Mr. Bloomberg escalated throughout the day. A spokesman for the mayor fired back at the governor late in the day saying, “Albany wants to have it both ways: take credit for a budget with real cuts and take no responsibility for the consequences of those cuts.”

Sure, the revenue is increasing, Wall Street is back at 2008 highs, and the city has a surplus - but that's not enough for Bloomberg.

He wants teacher layoffs no matter what.

Unless the other politicians in the state - including Cuomo and Silver - call him on this shit, he just may get them.

But we'll see where the Mayor of 38% goes in support if he pushes the layoffs.

The Times ran a big story this morning about how much money Bloomberg wasted on CityTime and how little oversight he gave the project.

City Controller John Liu has said millions can be saved by cutting outside contracts Bloomberg has going with his business and tech cronies.

And the governor said Bloomberg is full of shit and is "manufacturing" a phony crisis.

It's not like Bloomberg is holding many cards in this fight here.

Nonetheless, he is one stubborn oligarch so he may decide to go ahead with the layoffs.

Indeed, he may, as he threatened to do today, increase the number of layoffs.

What say you?

Layoffs?

Bloomberg caves?

UFT caves?