The Political Insider

By Adam Andrzejewski for RealClearPolicy

Even as New York City becomes increasingly unsafe, Mayor Bill de Blasio is focusing on spending $30 million of taxpayer money to remove former President Donald Trump’s name from all city property.

As Eric Trump put it, “New York is being overrun by crime and homelessness, and people are fleeing in record numbers, yet this mayor’s focus is using $30 million of taxpayer money to settle political scores.”

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After the Jan. 6 Capital riot, de Blasio said he would pull the Trump Organization’s longtime concession contracts to run the historic Central Park carousel, Wollman and Lasker skating rinks in the park, and the Trump Ferry Point Golf Course in the Bronx.

But kicking out the Trump Organization would have closed the two skating rinks six weeks early, creating an outcry from skaters and the decision was reversed, allowing the contract to run out instead, the New York Post reported.

The new rink operators raised rates, costing a family of four $109 to enter, rent skates and rent a locker, compared to the $95 when the Trump Organization was running it.

Also, rather than allow Trump to continue running the Central Park carousel, the iconic ride remained closed for all of summer 2021, only reopening Oct. 16 with a new operator.

Now, de Blasio is so determined to kick the Trump Org. out of the Bronx golf course — for which Trump still has 13 years left on its contract to run — that he’s fine with spending $30 million of city taxes to end it early.

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Comptroller Scott Stringer, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., both Democrats, and residents are objecting to de Blasio’s decision, the Post reported, in part for fear of losing the 150 jobs there.

De Blasio’s willingness to spend $30 million and lay off 150 people shows that he cares less about the New York City residents he’s supposed to represent than he does taking care of a political vendetta.

Syndicated with permission from RealClearWire.