Bloomberg's Latest Doublespeak

"...The mayor acknowledged that he has sparked a political firestorm with his plan to car drivers $8 and truck drivers $21 to enter Manhattan between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.

"Let's talk about the elephant in the room," he said, introducing the touchy topic.

Bloomberg admitted that it took some convincing before he embraced the idea, which is modeled on the congestion-pricing plan pioneered in London in 2003.

"I've thought about this question a lot," the mayor said. "And I understand the hesitation about charging a fee. I was a skeptic myself. But I looked at the facts and that's what I'm asking New Yorkers to do."

Aides projected the fee would discourage 94,000 motorists a day from entering Manhattan. About 815,000 do so today.

Deputy Mayor Dan Doctoroff said that since most people don't commute by car into Manhattan, 95 percent of city drivers wouldn't be affected.

"There will be some people who pay more," he said. "There's no question about it. But the reality is they represent a tiny fraction of the people who commute."

It's such a big deal, but only will affect a tiny fraction of the people.

Huh?

All Bloomberg truly wants is an excuse to raise taxes. All ANY liberal truly wants is an excuse to raise taxes, and the modern way of doing it is to emulate the success of Algore. Take a sensitive topic, blow it out of proportion, tax the people unmercifully to bulge the government coffers, and for one thing and one thing only.

Sure, there will be more trees planted. Grass seed flung by the ton. But the real liberal agenda is entitlement programs and whenever a windfall lands in their lap they can't help themselves and begin spending the money, OUR money, so that others need not work.

Economics 101 says that the more customers you have the more money you make. So instead of acquiring vacant lots throughout the city and turning them into discount parking garages, hizzoner wants FEWER folks to spend their money in the city. Instead of adding more buses and trains the mayor wants those visitors and their cold cash to stay in CT, or NJ, or PA.

But his plan will work, at least to some degree. Mention planting a tree and the loons swoon. And say, want to get some of that Hollyweird money?

SPIDER-Man 3" will be the most expensive movie ever made when it opens May 4. While industry insiders claim Sony Pictures spent $350 million on production alone, Hollywood reporter Kim Masters reports in Radar magazine that the total bill - including prints and marketing costs - is more than $500 million, making the Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst flick a record-breaker. One of the film's producers, Laura Ziskin, disputed the $350 million number, and said, "I refuse to say the [real] number because it makes me choke. 'Spider-Man 3' was a super-expensive movie - the most expensive film we've ever made. But there's no way you can get to $300 million." A Sony rep claimed it only cost $270 million. The production spent more than $1 million a day shooting on location in union-heavy New York, and it also employed expensive computer-generated special effects.

Then do some minor union-busting, Bloomy, then stand back and haul in the cash. It costs NY'ers 40-50% MORE for pretty much everything because Bloomy and his minions cater to the unions hand and foot.