Bloomberg: Support For NYPD IG Not Deal-Breaker For His Vote
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Mayor Michael Bloomberg has made up his mind on who he's going to vote for to succeed him at City Hall - but he's not naming any names.
Bloomberg also would not say whether his position against having an NYPD inspector general played any role in his decision-making process.
"When you support candidates, you look at the totality of their views. You're not going to agree with anybody on everything," Bloomberg told reporters including WCBS 880's Jim Smith. "And so, you're going to have to make some compromises."
Bloomberg staunchly opposes an inspector general, fearing it will tinker with his formula for reducing crime. That has put the mayor at odds with front-runner and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn.
"Given the progress that we've made in making these streets safe, people run risks of tampering with it," the mayor said.
Bloomberg: Support For NYPD IG Not Dealbreaker For His Vote
Quinn last week announced she reached a deal to install an inspector general to oversee the police department. Bloomberg has said he would veto the measure, but Quinn said she has enough support to overturn the veto.
Other Democratic mayoral hopefuls, including Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, have voiced support for an NYPD inspector general.
Bloomberg said he has no intention of announcing who he's backing, leaving the door open to possibly change his mind before November.
"We're not going to spend the whole time between now and the election talking about who I'm going to vote for," the mayor said. "Maybe I'll change my mind between now and then and if I do, you won't know that I ever did it."
On Tuesday, NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly made his first public comments against having an inspector general.
