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Mayors Conference the thirty first in a series of monthly programs designed to help you better understand the problems of the city of New York and how the city government is meeting these problems today a mayor Robert F. Wagner meets the Metropolitan use men to answer their spontaneous questions on city affairs questions from Tom Finnegan of The Long Island star Journal was the mayor in view of the recent criticisms of some of your true listeners and their policies plus the city council disclosures do you believe that the taxpayers of this city is getting a fair shake from your Democratic administration. From Thomas Fiore of the New York World Telegram and sun an estimate you plan to seek reelection this year. From Dominic Peluso of the New York news Mr Maritz talk about creating twenty five new Supreme Court judge ships again how do you feel about it. From radio and television newsman Walter angles Mr Mayor I have some specific questions about what it's like being mayor the city of New York. Now. Gentlemen. As usual we have some good questions here and because of the fact that they. Are ones that we may have a little controversy here and I'm sure you have a good many others I'll forgo my usual practice of making a short day informal statement and get right into the questions so I am ready with wants to stop Whelan's to make the most timely question of the day with sign of a whether you intend to seek reelection this year. Tom I've given that a good deal of thought and I have said before that I will announce it certainly before I watch first that they said because of the inner circle shall. We wouldn't cause too much confusion on that date and you wouldn't have to have two scripts and very shortly I be in a position to make that announcement almost a male as you know each year at the end the cycle I play the role of Robert Wagner Now I've already memorized my lines that this is you know now I want you to give me a little Q. and A time with a lot to do another memory job well we'll give you the cue ahead of time and that's saying how so Natalie I think common All this week I don't know about this week but settling in good time to learn both sets. On this topic again creating twenty five new judgeship Supreme Court catches in Albany and as I recall you proposed such a mohican about it now well one of the basic reasons we opposed that last year was that it would be a predator right now on the taxpayers here and we were not receiving any compensation we had many other areas to meet an increase in our police force fire department taking care of crime and ploy even trying to get better services to our people and I didn't think they looked at time that we could spare that money from any of the other services I understand there's some talk again I don't know what the. Any idea of giving the city money so that these judges can be paid and their staffs paid it will run into quite a lot of money and also is price I'm concerned if my opinion is that. I will have to go into the. Study of the whether they are really needed to relieve the congestion know whether other methods can be used in order to meet that congestion to which would be less expensive than if I understand you right you wouldn't be against it if the state picked up the tab and I wouldn't be against it. In two ways I would have to be convinced number one about the economy and why you want to say in picking up the tab and secondly whether there is this real need or regard to the. Request for additional Supreme Court judges there's a bill now pending in Albany about creating a new judicial district in Queens making that a separate district and bring in more judges which is part of this fifty six additional judges that are sought would you favor having a separate to the issue of this perfectly well time. I would say this that again what I have no objection to what the exact except that we would have to find out how much it would cost. And whether the state would take help us to make that expense and after a study to know whether it's funny name there has been a good deal of talk about things separate district in Queens I'm sure aspires to legal and of I'm concerned we have to be guided by those who have made the full study but again we have the question of expenses. One time Mr Mayor at your urging last summer the Supreme Court. Which was right on your hears we think patient all summer do you think the program was successful which origin at their wedding and well time I appreciate your kindness and saying at my aging that that I was wrong those who said maybe we could cry it out I have no control over the judges to tell them. Whether they should sit on. I I haven't had an opportunity to discuss it fully with the any of the heads of the judicial council such as Judge Conway to see whether Russia successful but we helped them out of that wanted to cause by giving them a condition when Jack Conway did express the opinion that it it worked fairly well and I think we went well and I would think it should be continued Well the judges said that they were in court every day of the summer but they blame the lawyers that are claiming that they weren't ready with the cases and they were unable to obtain witnesses and that there was a charge made that there was a deliberate conspiracy to to delay any easing of the congestion doing or someone wants because they're opposed to it especially on the part of the lions and the judges and the Titans I don't know why and the judges are honorable man and being a lawyer myself I said they failed writers are honorable man we have another lawyer to hand on to let's have a we have to kind of perfection but I would think that. To be a little better system working out the the Kinks might say that the lawyers were there again that's a matter for the judges and the courts to work out and certainly not for the mayor to him would have to but in a. Well it appears the big legislature's going to deny the city's request for its share of the motor vehicle license base and what would that mean a day when the city would not repeal the auto use tax and I'm you'll have better information on that than I have when I just read I'm sorry small body that I wanted which indicated that I'm going to do that well you oftentimes in the in the course of the legislative session you have all sorts of stories coming out of Albany one day they'll say they're going to give us something the next or not I haven't heard anything directly from the the governor of the legislative leaders that they are opposed to what have the opportunity very sharply to meet with them and find out the full position then and we can meet the the question that you just asked well if they don't give it to you Would you repeal Well we'd have to see what our financial position would be when we have the final reports from the comptroller everybody and we ministration. Everybody in New York City would like to see taxes repealed and we do everything we can to reduce taxes and still of course give the services I'm still confident that the legislature will give us our share of the motor vehicle fees and I think it's only just as we pointed out on many occasions before the five counties comprising New York City receive nothing in the way of share of that tax and every other county in this state receives that amount I think it's been an arbitrary law arbitrary against the city of New York and I'm sure the legislature will go along with the recommendations of the governor in our request to see that this inequity is straighten out once and for all the New York City will get its rightful share and that of course will enable us to repeal this tax immediately upon the signing of the bill we've already passed a bill here in the council and the Board of Estimate will come for my signature within the next few days. And that will provide the repeal of the auto use tax on the moment the the governor signs the bill giving us our rightful share of the auto the license fee tax a little later in the your emergency must a message to the city council which you pointed out that the law should carry a provision that the auto tax would not be repealed unless the state gave money not with that in any indication of any assurance if you may have absolute governor that he is going to give you the money well I think if it was up to the governor right now we would every save our rightful share because he recommended last year and has again recommended this year I think it's now up to the legislature and. As I say they play a very important role in the passage of legislation and we all know speaking of taxes Mr Mayor the city's basic real estate tax rate on a rise July first well we sincerely hope it advice will not rise that depends we can give you a better information on that time a little later when we have some of the final figures from the controller on our receipts here in the city and so on and our expenses I sincerely hope that we can hold that down to its present right. I think I want to you have a question and I'll defer mine a little that time the well I want to know whether you believe the or even South statement hurt you or helped you politically Well no I don't know. Because I wasn't interested in any of the political phases out but I merely stated my position as I state on a lot of the issues and let the chips fall where they may but I know you want it in the politics but I'm sure you had some impressions on how it affected you and deadly You must receive mail and well I think you can ask Bill pier. Press secretary who was with you boys all day he knows more about the reaction in the mail and I do I happen to check on it because. I felt that I was merely stating my opposition let it go at that well most of the male of the mayor applauded you for your stand but. Around a political circles they feel that. Your snub of the king has taken you out of any possibility of being in the United States Senate which I know is one of your fondest wish Well I would say that when he find his way. Through the very fine position someday maybe I'd like to go there and I. Took a crack at it last fall. That I don't think anybody who wants to be a real public servant should be thinking of the future always as far as his judgment is concerned I think you have to do what you feel is right at the present time and let the future take care of itself oh still on that even sound situation out of the federal government is going to personally receive foreign dignitaries because of that situation do you plan to cut the department of public events budget Well a lot of their pledge of this predicated upon reception of these well points I have only heard them and they say that you made from the press I haven't heard anything from officially in any way matter of fact we've received a few dignitaries not as prominent as some of the other self with even in the past week and until that point arrives where we hear anything official from from Washington we're always delighted to receive those people the people of New York would want to hold the only ones who who recently see receptions are the most prominent as a low echelon dignitaries don't get in my lane other sections but they come to City Hall and we have the money spent on heat for level dignitary So that's those one again I think that's a very iffy question we find out through Washington has some sort of a policy that will be glad they haven't told yourself now speaking of the tradition of Paterson public events. I was thinking of my own. What is what is your reaction to Mr Patterson. Moving taken the initiative whereby he announced that often the street parking would be listed for Lincoln's birthday and then immediately it was countermanded by traffic commissioner Wiley. Saying that and. That I don't believe until I say that he and that I don't want to comment on it I think that Paterson doesn't time the job and knows and states within his own area of jurisdiction Well the purpose of his announcing it was that he wanted to encourage more people to come into the city on the holiday but unfortunately some of the people in the city so notice of this announcement and they paused. In the prohibited areas and the cops who were unaware of mystified us to go out again to check it whether you want them passed and pay for. Me to do something with motorist by the penny should be better liaison I'm ready to marry you don't you don't really feel it even if the federal government steps in to take over the official official reception of these people of course as I understand it our reception is always take place after the heads of foreign states have been to the White House and then come back here is that correct and then they request us to give them the official recess I don't believe that the city of New York want to be put into a position where it does not have the right to honor let's say the prime minister of angles of the merit Dubliner somebody I don't I don't think that that move would mean that we would give up our right to be host as you know we're always delighted to to receive those people and I believe one of the highest officials in the French government will be here around March the first and the city will give him and this is due on a I don't think in many instances and here the fact that they are they are guests of the national government that the national government should pay at least some part of the budget of the Department of Commerce and public even. And the expense the only clients like me whether things outside of repressed receiving the few top dignitaries but there have been many people who feel that the State Department should share in the expense How do you feel about it as may well cost it was help financially but after all we are a big city and the biggest attraction I would say in the in the entire United States for any of our foreign visitors and we're willing to do our share provided it doesn't get out of line. Is the Maya getting back to the question of whether you seek reelection and if you do decide to run we'd be satisfied to run again with the comptroller generals from the city council president well again that's presuming that I would run I would say that I would be delighted to run with I was gentleman I think they've done a good job and we had a good team we won a victory through. Hard primary and I lection and we've worked together since then and I'm sure we can work together in the future. Mr Mayor this week with the television industry as you know announced that. It would continue again for the duration this telecast that occurred to me that I don't think anybody has ever asked you since we started them three years ago we're going into the fourth year what it's really like being there the city of New York and I have a few specific questions that I think those who watch the American press might be interested in the first one being the probably the second largest administrative job in the country you consider the kind of man killing job as the presidency is described as being by those who are close to him Well I think a lot of people have said that the mayor's job well as a as a man killing job I think some of the things said about it the truth some of the little nonsensical. Sometimes we said that we go to many more banquets for instance than we could possibly make in the course of an evening. It's a it is a difficult job it takes its time consuming but it has a lot of satisfaction to work one of the toughest moments when one budget time comes around or when the gentleman from city hall turn up a scandal or when you have entered departmental troubles one of the one of the real bad headaches Well I guess we have so many headaches in the cost of the day that said difficult to classify them. But. I suppose the most difficult problem we have here in this in the city is to try to meet the demands for more services on the part of the people in our departments. And and yet at the same time keep our budget under control and come I thought head of the budget here well if and if it happens I want to continually throughout the year because there are many worthy and fine people interested and worthy in good causes who come to City Hall and seek assistance and they make fine arguments and it's difficult to say no but we have to say no a lot more times than most people realize in the city or our budget would be way out of hand we want to run our city economically. And you mainly and and therefore it. Is a question of trying to pick first things as first one of the most rewarding moments I mean that day when you say gee this is been a good day I mean when when the budget almost gets balanced or sometimes when I don't at a hearing somebody will say something nice about City and rather than being there to complain or to ask for more. And and of course I suppose the most rewarding moments for me is the opportunity to spend some time with my family or going back over a few previous administrations particularly for example Gotti I mean am I right in saying that your method of running this city is pretty much depends on having a good team of department has rather than the kind of sort of one role we had. Well I believe and first of all having department heads because the problems of the city are much worse now than I mean they get worse each year because of inflation and the demand for greater services and therefore no one person could possibly keep in contact with all of the problems in the cost of the day in any detail and they have with good commissioners and with good people in city hall who can bring the problems to you as rapidly as possible and you try to find solutions and say it's very helpful but no matter how many good people you have around and the buck stops at the mayor's desk and he has to make the decision was the man or judging from your answer you are quite pleased with your commissioners and the work that your administration is doing but I think by and large our commissioners have done a fine job I hope we can get back to your question but I'm trying to when I'm writing this want to throw one line just give us a left of complaints I think up one four and that is what's it like living in a great humanity and all this is an awfully old place but it looks good on the outside it is a good place to live come up and see in some time and be divided to show you around it's a. It's a very lovely place to live in and. Wonderful location that black tie can always say that. In the family we're glad to get out to our little place in the country because when we get the opportunity because that's our only real home and there's nothing like your own real home. We're getting back to the commissioners for instance there was some person of the sanitation department for the practice of permitting labor organizers to be on the city payroll and not do any garbage removal work then you have All right let's stop at that time how long happened going on well I would agree it's been going on for four yes all right then after we you know you stop all right let's go on to the next one what did that have anything to do with the sanitation commissioner turning in his resignation I don't know that's glasnost man I practice was stopped after a slow lawsuit was started and railed in the newspapers and it was not a day I know our attention now is not attached and he thought it was all about the tax commission where one of the commissioners was accused of sitting on a case of obvious all probably I realize he was sent to the commissioner of investigations and the commissioner of investigations came a clean bill of health. How about the charges that the police deplorably over in force to pluck the regulations for up with their shoot to build up the city treasury by handing out thousands of tickets Well that's absolutely nothing to that time and I'm sure you don't agree with that that we ever of asked any department or any collector. To use that method of fines for increasing the revenues actually deliver wouldn't amount to a great deal I can tell you when the budget of my side but. On the question of enforcement. In the opinion of the police commissioner that that isn't one of the way and that's methods of cutting down accidents and cutting down deaths and then juries and nobody likes to get a ticket I'm sure I I know and the past I never liked it when I would like to in the future but we do have to have some enforcement and it's interesting to know that due to enforcement particularly on moving vehicles and plus one of the law that we've been able to cut down on deaths and accidents and injuries to last citizen that I don't see the sense that a mock rate while the rest of the country it's been going up. We've had somewhere about a you know over twenty percent decrease in deaths and accidents here and since they have had some enforcement now we don't want to have any body be overzealous in the enforcement I think they have to give and I'm so sad that they must give us innocent as a fan break and be sure that they are violating the law and not merely give out tickets for the sake of giving out tickets I've heard that come to my attention and I am so I'm on the police commissioner that I practice is not correct and he certainly agrees but one final question as you know I'm always interested in small homeless and on Thursday you approve another agreement with a private tax exempt the proper ation to arrest pays taxes. For a housing project in Long Island City that's that you want to please feel that you missed it you're also the proof will lose to London to blow up as we have been opposed to additional tax free housing right what is your position well. A lot of questions involve We just don't want to give our tax exemption for the sake of giving out tax exemptions but in certain areas where do the high land cost the only possible way of getting down getting the rents down to a point where the people in the middle income class can. Afford to live in those projects is to get some form of tax exemption I believe the one you mentioned was the one where they receive only a portion of the exception Well I'm sorry Tom Gramm estimate it was a story in the papers this week about a law department official who solicited his employees his underlings and as a result thirteen of them. Thirteen of them in the one hundred dollars tickets to the Democratic last night how do you feel about the officials soliciting people who work under the well I want to say this where we're still checking on the matter as a matter of fact when it was found out that the money was immediately refunded to these facials and I don't want to condemn and the body until they've had an opportunity to present their side of the picture there are some people who. Like to jump out and begin to criticize right away without getting all of the facts out speaking on a theoretical basis. I am opposed to the soliciting any pressure put on any city employee probably so the employees are less asked to contribute to lots of things are various charities. Various tribes Red Cross hot fund and so forth and there are some departments which actually. Have a fun and each employee contributes to this very small percentage of his. Salary and they set up their own board and that's what is responsible for the distribution of things like that all right but I would certainly be opposed very strongly opposed to any form of pressure or coercion I feel that the city employees right from the man down have a responsibility. To see that they are above reproach I want to make sure that when I leave as mayor. Citizens of this town will feel that they have honesty in their administration and that if there is any dishonesty on the part of any one of the individuals that we will move pride in and see to what that justice has met and I may say too that. I look forward and I am and going to invite a committee set up by the city council. To. Blow up a code of ethics and help in the clarification of the present law I'm going to invite them in to have a talk with them this week and ask them if they would also take a look at. The law as it affects all city employees right from the money that then you change your mind about a code of ethics now you feel a cold and I think I've nationally now and I don't mean to say that a code of ethics but to take a look at our law to tighten it up if they feel that it's necessary in conjunction with the study the cooperation council is making is that the idea that's right and to get together with they work with the city council just to make sure that we have every full protection to the employees and to the public well besides not saying that I found out anything wrong but we want to be sure that we have the very best in this whole United States besides that in few of the embarrassing stories to which Tom and both times I've referred concerning the conduct of some members of your administration what do you plan to do about asking the R.S. about a mile of the well you're going to do are you going to call them in and lay down. Laura what do you think they should do or do you have any plans about leave cos they know how I feel and least I'll tell them and we immediately have the commissioner of Investigation move in and as I said he has his report shows that there was nothing wrong well the F.B.I. plot and often times people like to go to criticize it particularly public officials and where there's a little feeling and they will often make false accusations and we have to be prepared to meet that you think these disclosures those done point out the criticism would lead to another fusion movement in this election year well I don't know what the fusion of them people have in mind and they are all good friends of mine have indicated many occasions their satisfaction with US administration and only the future can tell us something like that I. Certainly don't feel that this administration far as the mayor is concerned and has it been astray ssion as anything to apologize for the gentleman our time has run out on this edition of the mayor's conference and I feel on behalf of W P I X and Channel eleven I want to thank Mayor Wagner and the panel for coming up here and conducting this discussion today thank you. Mayor has come from has been presented as a public service by radio and television stations of New York today Mayor Robert Wagner answered spontaneous questions from Tom Finnegan of The Long Island star Journal Thomas fury of the New York World Telegram and Thomas Dominick producer of The New York new radio and television newsman as mayor of conferences produce for me I don't like that right Arnold Cohen. Today's program was directed by her post.