Bloomberg on 'Politically Viable' Options for the Rebate Checks

At a press conference in Queens to unveil results of a public survey about city services, Michael Bloomberg was asked about the $400 rebate checks for homeowners, which he proposing to cancel as a cost-saving measure, but which the City Council still wants to send.

“Lets assume you didn’t raise taxes and you also did the rebate,” the mayor said. That would result in “an extra billion-dollar cut.”

In a follow-up question in the clip above, the mayor was asked if there could be some kind of trade in which he sends the checks in exchange for the City Council agreeing to raise taxes.

"We’ll have to make a decision based on what is politically viable to do. But if something is not politically viable -- doesn’t mean you can avoid the consequences,” the mayor said.