Janison: Mayoral candidates need reality check

Democratic mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio made the surprising claim last week before a business group that he’s a “fiscal conservative.” He said this despite months of running to the left to win his party’s primary and demanding a new tax on the wealthiest New York City residents.

Now Republican candidate Joe Lhota says he’s the “true progressive” in the race — while expressing concern that over the past 11 years city government “has grown 56% over the rate of inflation,” with taxes, fines and fees raised to pay for it, thus burdening the municipal economy.

Labeling games aside, these two major-party candidates do sound sharply different on money matters. But on Jan. 1, when the next mayor takes office, he will face practical and legal limits on where and how much he can tax, spend, cut, or even redistribute among agencies.