Business leaders worried about whether the next administration will be as pro-business as this one didn’t get many assurances today from most of the Democratic candidates running to succeed Mayor Bloomberg in 2014.
Right out of the box, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio told hundreds of executives gathered at a midtown forum sponsored by Crain’s and the New York City Partnership that the premise itself was wrong.
“We’re not on the right track for the economic future in my view,” declared de Blasio, reeling off issues ranging from income disparity to the fines levied against small businesses.
Comptroller John Liu called for sweeping changes in fiscal and tax policies, including an end to hundreds of millions of dollars of subsidies to businesses that commit to adding jobs.
Liu also dismissed Bloomberg’s oft-repeated warning that higher city income taxes might drive out the rich who pay most of those taxes..
“The arguments by Mayor Bloomberg that you can’t make this or you can’t do that because it will drive the wealthy out, that’s not something that we have to consistently and continuously beholden to,” he said.
Former Comptroller Bill Thompson suggested a “Marshall Plan” to restore the city after Hurricane Sandy, but offered few specifics about his business agenda.
City Council Speaker Christine Quinn was the only candidate to mention a partnership with the mayor.
“Under the leadership of the City Council, myself, my colleagues and Mayor Bloomberg we demonstrated we understand there is nothing you can do to manage your way out of a bad economic situation if you don’t manage the good times well,” said Quinn.
One lobbyist who attended an earlier panel discussion at the conference featuring technology executives said their view of government’s role in their industry was much more basic.
“They just want to be left alone,” said the lobbyist.