Tip of the Iceberg

Dave Seifman at the NY Post has underscored what we believe is endemic to the royal rein of Mike the First-the use of his vast fortune to suborn the democratic process. In the case that Seifman highlights the results will mean higher water bills for New Yorkers-count on it: "ONE of the newest members of the city's Water Board is going to have a hard time rejecting the administration's request for a 14 percent hike in water and sewer rates next month, because Mayor Bloomberg is appearing at a fund-raiser for the nonprofit she heads just two weeks later."

Who's the conflicted gal? None other than our old friend Marcia Bystryn, the head honcho over at the League of Conservation Voters: "The vote on what would be the third double-digit increase in water fees in as many years is scheduled for May 15. Just 13 days later, Bloomberg is supposed to attend the annual fund-raising bash of the New York League of Conservation Voters at Chelsea Piers. The executive director of the league is Marcia Bystryn, who was named to the seven-member Water Board on Dec. 17."

Where's the conflict here? Just follow the moolah-with the stated sum probably only scratching the surface of the mayor's money machinations: "But the mayor's attendance at her event isn't the only reason Bystryn might want to think twice about going against the administration. The largest individual contributor to her group's political action committee, Climate Action, is none other than Thomas Secunda, co-founder of Bloomberg LP. Records show he wrote a $20,000 check to the PAC on Nov. 12. The previous year he forked over $10,000."

So we now see just a glimpse of how Kermit the Mayor's green machine operates; and the rationale for the outpouring of environmental euphoria over Bloomberg's congestion tax becomes manifest. More evidence that the mayor's retinue is a product, not of love and affection, but of that old cash nexus.