You grease my palm and I will grease yours. ~sigh
Posted on 10/31/2002 6:33:39 AM PST by SheLion
Mayor Bloomberg's tough anti-smoking bill and the City Council's living-wage proposal don't appear to have much in common.
But they may end up linked as deal bait.
Sources said Bloomberg may agree to sign an altered version of the wage bill if the Council approves his controversial smoking ban.
"The two have been talked about in the same conversations," a City Hall insider said.
Another source also confirmed the quid-pro-quo negotiations.
Bloomberg wants smoking barred in all places of work, including taverns, restaurants and private clubs. But some Council members are believed to be pushing for an exemption for cigar bars.
The living-wage bill requires city firms doing business with the city to provide their workers with certain pay and health benefits. The original version sets an hourly wage of $8.10 for workers who get health benefits and $9.60 for those who do not. Administration officials have said the measure is too costly.
Bloomberg and City Council Speaker Gifford Miller (D-Manhattan) met yesterday to talk about the bills, among other issues.
Chris Policano, Miller's spokesman, denied there is any linkage between the two. "Each of these bills is being considered on the merits," he said.
Mayoral spokesman Ed Skyler likewise denied any connection between the two.
Council Minority Leader James Oddo (R-Staten Island), a sponsor of Bloomberg's smoking ban, has offered up a more narrow substitute in case the negotiations bog down.
He has asked Miller to move an existing bill that would extend city law to ban smoking in restaurants that seat fewer than 35. Current city law prohibits smoking in restaurants seating more than 35 customers.
THE CLINTON EXCEPTION
Scum sons of b!tches.
Yes, lest we forget:
NICEST PEOPLE YOU WOULD EVER WANT TO MEET..........unTIL we vote them into office. Then they get behind closed doors with their cronies and figure out how to stick it to their constituents. Pretty low, if you ask me.
Many states are working to legalize marijane. Go figure. Smoking regular tobacco is A KILLER! But smoking marijuana is sooooooooooooooooooooo good for the health.
GIVE ME A BREAK!
"THEY" want to legalize it so they can get that HIGH to feed their ADDICTION and not worry about the COPS!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.