NYC: Bloomberg and Quinn up-spin another budget pact

Bound by a common interest in positive spin, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Council Speaker Christine Quinn (D-Manhattan) jointly announced in triumphal tones their final agreement on a new budget. The lengthly statement is so clearly geared toward advertising the agreement's punctuality, balance, lack of increases in tax rates and funding of popular programs that it doesn't even include an overall figure for governmental operations, which is set to exceed $69 billion. 

Quinn's remarks as distributed in a press statement from Bloomberg's office, received Sunday evening, sounded aimed in part at disputing rivals' attacks as "grandstanding" in what's likely to be the make-or-break Democratic primary to succeed Bloomberg.

“This budget process should serve as an example to our colleagues in government throughout the country that if you focus on delivering and check the grandstanding at the door, you can accomplish a great deal – and that’s what this is all about,” said Quinn, in rhetoric that has become familiar in Albany as well.

“While the Council and the Administration came into this budget with different priorities," she said -- drawing a partisan-expedient line between herself and the incumbent --  "we both had a willingness to negotiate in good faith and in the end, arrived at a budget without the bickering and confrontation that is unfortunately too often associated with government.

"By working together, we’ve ensured that libraries and pools will stay open, parks will be maintained, and preserved both vital childcare seats and after school programs that middle class families depend on."

"Not only does this budget maintain or enhance services throughout the city, it leaves the next Council, the next Administration and all New Yorkers with the peace of mind that their government was able to work together to protect vital services.”