Oct 27, 2009 6:09 am US/Eastern
Bloomberg Lays Out His Vision Of NYC Circa 2013
With Huge Lead Over Thompson In Latest Poll, Mayor Takes Some Time To Talk About Out Plans; Dem Fights To Discredit
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
-
-
New York City's 2009 Mayoral Candidates, Michael Bloomberg (left) and William Thompson
CBS
With eight days to go until the election, a new poll has Mayor Michael Bloomberg stomping his opponent Bill Thompson.
The Quinnipiac University survey has Mayor Mike ahead by 18 percentage points, 53 to 35, and with the polls seemingly going his way, the mayor laid out his vision of what he will accomplish in the next four years.
It was Mayor Bloomberg's "I have a dream speech."
"Picture a young boy playing with friends in Brownsville, spared from a random gunshot that would have taken his life because we kept that gun off the street," Bloomberg said on Monday.
Bloomberg spoke of his vision for the next four years, and what kind of city he will leave -- if he wins -- at the end of his term in 2013.
* Crime down another 15 percent
* Half-price fares for city residents who take the Long Island Rail Road and Metro North
* A new express "F" train
* A 9/11 memorial
* And creating the best public school system of any in the country
"Not only will more middle class families be staying in the city and sending their kids to our schools here, I believe we'll start to see and entirely new phenomenon. Families from around the nation and the region will be moving in to the city for the schools," Bloomberg said.
Many of the things the mayor envisions are already in the budget or are expenses born by other entities. Total cost of the mayor's plans is estimated at only $50 million.
The mayor's speech came as supporters of opponent Thompson aired a commercial that pokes fun at the mayor's decision to overturn term limits. It claims he wont stop at three and envisions the city as he seeks term six in 2021 and the city is known as "Bloombergtown."
"Manhattan is home to only the super rich there are no public schools working families commute from outer regions to work minimum wage jobs," Bloomberg said.
Thompson said the mayor has broken many promises.
"The mayor has promised before and promised the people of the city that he would never undercut or undermine term limits," Thompson said.
Team Bloomberg said that Mayor Mike does keep his promises. They said that 97 percent of the 100 promises he made in the 2005 campaign are either done or in the process of being implemented.
Thompson on Monday picked up the endorsement of City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, a Bloomberg ally who was pressured to support the Democrat in the race.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Comments