Thompson, Weprin Rap Mike On Water Board Rate Hikes

City Comptroller William Thompson Jr. and Councilmember David Weprin, who are seeking the Democratic Party nominations for mayor and city comptroller, respectively, both blasted Mayor Michael Bloomberg's recent double-digit water rate increases and also called for loosening the board's makeup and authority to reduce the mayor's influence over it.

This could become a key issue in the upcoming campaigns and could bring about formation of a Thompson- Weprin ticket in the general election in November.

Thompson escaped any challenge in the Democratic primary when Congressmember Anthony Weiner took himself out of this year's mayoral race, but Weprin has a major primary battle shaping up against three rivals—Councilmembers John Liu, and Melinda Katz, both of Queens, and David Yassky of Brooklyn.

Weprin and Thompson have consistently been among the strongest critics of the New York City Water Board, all seven members of which are appointed by the mayor. For three straight years, Weprin complained recently, the board has showered double digit hikes on city homeowners and landlords, the last being a 13 percent increase.

We differ with the president... because it appears his call to Israel, who stepped aside, may also keep Congressmember Carolyn Maloney, above, from challenging Gillibrand. By Thompson's figuring, this swelled the average homeowner's annual water bill to $903 as of July 1, up from $571 four years ago.

Weprin (D- Hollis), chairman of the council Finance Committee, also announced legislation which would place a cap on future increases and would for the first time give the council authority to take action whenever a proposed increase goes above the established cap.

"This is the only way to bring the Water Board in check, by providing the balance that is lacking right now," Weprin declared. Weprin's bill, which would need approval by the state legislature, has a good chance of passing in Albany. Assemblymember James Brennan (D- Brooklyn), who heads the Committee on Cities, is sponsoring it. Thompson, meanwhile, would loosen the mayor's control over the Water Board by having him appoint only four of the seven members, rather than all seven. The city comptroller, the public advocate and the City Council Speaker would appoint the other three members.

Thompson noted that two board members were removed last year after merely questioning a rate hike. His bill must also be passed by the state legislature.

When Thompson made the announcement on the Water Board proposed change, Assemblymember Brennan was at his side as a sign of support.

The thought of a cross-endorsement deal between Thompson and Weprin arose because both have been endorsed by former Mayor David Dinkins, the city's first black mayor. Thompson, who is also black, could help Weprin line up black votes while Thompson would benefit from possible support from Weprin's Jewish constituents.

Thompson also charged that the Department of Education (DOE) was paying too much to a private company for public school supplies under a $150 million contract, which he refused to register.

The mayor defended the pact, saying, "It's true that individual things in it can be bought cheaper, but we don't have to have a big investment in inventory."

Meanwhile, a new poll showed that although respondents said they generally approve the job Bloomberg has done, a majority of the New Yorkers polled said the mayor did not deserve a new term, and they would like to see someone else do the job. They were not asked to name possible replacements, however. They also opposed the change in the term limits law by 55 to 40 percent.

The mayor, who has already spent $20 million on his re-election campaign and could go as high as $100 million totally, opened six more neighborhood campaign offices in his effort to reach voters in every neighborhood.

Two of the new offices are in Queens, at 157-16 Northern Blvd., Flushing, and 65-12 Jamaica Ave., Jamaica.

OBAMA, RANGEL GO TOO FAR: President Barack Obama and Congressmember Charles Rangel in recent weeks have both taken the liberty to try to discourage people from entering races for public office.

The president asked Congressmember Steve Israel (D- Long Island) to remain in his present position, rather than challenge U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D- New York). Rangel called upon New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo to refrain from challenging Governor David Paterson in the gubernatorial election next year, when Gillibrand will also be running.

In Gillibrand's case, Obama's suggestion to Israel has also served to deter other very capable candidates from offering a challenge to the upstate lawmaker, who was appointed by Paterson to replace Hillary Clinton in the Senate.

We differ with the president in this instance because it appears his call to Israel, who stepped aside, may also keep Congressmember Carolyn Maloney from challenging Gillibrand.

Maloney has excellent qualifications for the Senate, having prepped for it in the New York City Council and in the Congress for almost two decades. It's not fair for the president to deny Maloney a chance to move her career along while at the same time denying New York voters the choice of candidates.

Certainly the president didn't pay any attention to those who advised him not to run against Clinton, and he shouldn't be butting in other races.

The same applies to Rangel. Paterson has not been an outstanding replacement for Eliot Spitzer and Cuomo has done extremely well in the Attorney General's office. But the question doesn't necessarily revolve around relative performances; it comes down to trying to discourage someone from exerting a basic freedom of choice. That's not the American way. It doesn't help matters either that Rangel, one of the top black public officials in the country, is asking someone to step aside so a black candidate can have an unchallenged run for re-election. Some people might call Rangel's action racist.