Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Bloomberg: "Rich People Don’t Always Win"
By
Jen Chung
Published Jul 3, 2009
Modified Jul 3, 2009
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Chung
Published Jul 3, 2009
Modified Jul 3, 2009
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
At last night's Working Families Party mayoral forum with Mayor Michael Bloomberg, City Comptroller Bill Thompson and City Councilman Tony Avella, Bloomberg defended his campaign spending, "I made every dime that I have... I've used my money only to talk about what I would do and what I have done. There's nothing wrong with that as far as I can see... Rich people don’t always win...You can't buy an election. The public's much too smart for that. You can use it to get a message out." The NY Times, though, found the explanation "drew some hisses and even laughter."
Bloomberg also said his staff was looking at whether NYC could mandate paid sick days (he supports it for large businesses, doesn't know about impact on small ones) and said his administration's homelessness policy made shelters "much more humane and civilized." However, Thompson and Avella questioned Bloomberg's reluctance to raise taxes on the rich.
The Times also reports that, per crowd reaction, Bloomberg seemed the "least popular of the three" while Avella "seemed to generate the most applause" and notes that the WFP endorsement is "especially crucial to Mr. Thompson, the presumptive Democratic nominee, because he trails Mr. Bloomberg badly in polls and has watched many Democrat-friendly unions and officials back the mayor." The WFP will endorse a candidate on July 9. And Reverend Billy, who is also running for mayor, wonders why the WFP didn't respond to his application to appear at the forum; the WFP claims they never received one.
Tagged
City Comptroller Thompson
City Councilman Avella
election 2009
mayor bloomberg
working families party
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
A reliably Republican part of NJ, until ICE came to town
The Trump administration’s plan to convert a warehouse in Roxbury into an ICE detention center has upended local politics ahead of the midterm elections.
By
Mike Hayes
Published Oct 20, 2026 at 6:30 a.m. ET
NYC school integration debate exposes tensions between Black parents and Mamdani
Some see a blind spot when it comes to the representation of Black New Yorkers in Mamdani's administration and agenda.
By
Elizabeth Kim
News
NYC school integration debate exposes tensions between Black parents and Mamdani
Some see a blind spot when it comes to the representation of Black New Yorkers in Mamdani's administration and agenda.
By
Elizabeth Kim
Queens man charged with hate crime at Jewish-owned bagel shop displaying Israeli flags
By
Giulia Heyward
MTA train yards are in such bad shape plants are growing out of the roof, watchdog says
By
Stephen Nessen
High-ranking NYC officials to testify in ex-buildings boss Eric Ulrich's corruption trial
By
David Brand
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .