The next mayor is going to face a budget crisis because government spending during Mayor Bloomberg’s tenure spiraled “out of control,” Republican mayoral candidate Joe Lhota said yesterday.
“The expenses are growing out of control, combined with the fact that the budget right now has no money in there whatsoever for any labor settlements either going back or going forward,” Lhota said on WNYC radio.
“You know, if we give anything retroactive, it could mean upwards of $10 billion we’re missing from the budget,” he said of contract settlements with the city’s unions.
Lhota told The Post his comments were intended as a dose of fiscal reality, and not a criticism of Bloomberg, whose stewardship he praised.
“It is a fact the budget has grown 56 percent above the rate of inflation over the last 11 years,” declared the former MTA chairman. “The budget is going to be priority No. 1 for the next mayor.”
The preliminary fiscal 2014 budget released last month shows spending by city agencies is actually headed down by 1.1 percent next year, while “uncontrollable” expenses that include pension and health-care costs are expected to jump by 6.8 percent.
Mayoral spokesman Marc LaVorgna said spending during the entire Bloomberg administration would have fallen below the rate of inflation if not for those fast-rising costs.
Lhota isn’t the first candidate to question how the next mayor is going to come up with billions in back pay to settle expired municipal-labor contracts.
Bloomberg insists there’s no issue, because there’s no money to pay retroactive raises.
Lhota’s eagerness not to offend Bloomberg didn’t extend to the Democrats running for City Hall.
“There’s a whole lack of management experience on their part,” Lhota charged in the radio interview, previewing a possible line of attack for the general election.
“They’ve never run a complex organization before. Running the City Council is one thing, running the Public Advocate’s Office is another thing, being the city comptroller. But it’s not about leadership, it’s not about management. It’s clearly not about making decisions.”
Two Democrats counter-attacked separately, with both invoking the upcoming subway-fare hike to try to take down Lhota.
“Joe Lhota during his very brief tenure at the MTA failed to negotiate a contract with transit workers and oversaw a massive toll and fare hike,” noted a spokesman for Democrat Bill Thompson.
“His idea of leadership is hiking tolls six weeks after a catastrophic hurricane,” said former City Councilman Sal Albanese, offering Lhota a taste of what’s to come if Lhota becomes the Republican nominee.
Businessman John Catsimatidis, who is angling for the same GOP slot, raised the prospect of a wild general election in November if Adolfo Carrión ends up as the Independence Party candidate.
“Adolfo Carrión could be the Ross Perot of 2013,” predicted Catsimatidis.