Transcript: Mayor de Blasio Holds Press Gaggle in Omaha, Nebraska

April 15, 2015

Mayor Bill de Blasio: Hey! Fancy meeting you guys here! What are you guys doing here?

Question: I thought you made a very good case for the challenges with accumulating wealth and what happens with that, but then, I remember back to your first day and your first press conference, you said you were going to get rid of the working class horse-and-carriage owners in New York? Isn’t that a bit hypocritical?

Mayor: It’s not. We’ve said from the beginning that anyone who’s working in that industry is going to have opportunity in one of the other things we create. I want to see replica antique cars – electric cars – that cover those same exact routes, that get the same tourists paying the same money, and will provide jobs for people. I just don’t think animals in the middle of New York City, horses in the streets of New York City is humane and decent, but I absolutely want to see the same people get jobs.

Question: Even though they’ve been there since 1853?

Mayor: Well, I think it’s a lot busier a city than 1853, and a lot more dangerous, but – in terms of the traffic – but I want to make sure people get jobs, and we’re going to be able to do that.

Question: One final thing – isn’t the very wealth that you talked about who financed your campaign, and actually who wants the stables?

Mayor: I don’t think either one of those statements is true. I think my campaign was financed by everyday people, and our campaign finance system, where there’s matching funds – that’s where the vast majority of our money was from for the campaign. And this is about, clearly, something I believe is arcane – it doesn’t make sense anymore in New York City. But the people who do the work, we’re going to make sure get parallel jobs, because they deserve that.

Question: Many people are pushing for Elizabeth Warren to run for president. What do you think of her as a candidate? Do you think she’d do a good job?

Mayor: She’s said very clearly she doesn’t want to be a candidate. I think take her on her word. I think she’s a tremendous U.S. Senator –  I think she’s one of the best progressive voices in this country, but she has made abundantly clear that her mission is to stay in the Senate.

Question: Mayor, you indicated on Meet The Press and again today you’d like to see presidential candidates consider a tax on the wealthy. Do you have any more details – is it something like what you envisioned when you started a millionaire’s tax to fund a specific program or – ?

Mayor: Well, a couple things I’ve talked about tonight – the Buffet Rule simply says rationalize the tax system so the wealthy are not paying less than working people. That’s one point. Close the carried interest loophole. That needs to be done on a national basis as another point. I think it’s looking at some of the foundational realities of our tax system and figuring out how we can make them fair and decent again. So, I think there’s a number of proposals – and we’re going to be also gathering with progressive leaders next month in Washington to put forward an organized plan around tax fairness and progressive taxation. I think a lot of progressives will buy into it.

Question: And do you think you would consider, like, an income tax increase for the highest earners?

Mayor: Absolutely. I think the bottom line is if we’re going to do the things we have to do as a country, which means investments in infrastructure, education, research, those resources have to come from somewhere, and obviously we have unprecedented concentration of wealth. It stands to reason that the wealthy should pay more so that we can actually get this country back on the right track.

Question: You and Secretary Clinton will be overlapping in Des Moines for a few hours this evening. I wondered if you had any plans to meet with her, and if so, can we come?

Mayor: I don’t have any plans. You know you’d be most welcome if I did, but I don’t have any plans.

Question: Just the Times?

Mayor: That’s right. No, everyone, Michael! Everyone.

Question: Thank you.

Mayor: [inaudible] I’m like, “Hi! I brought my friends with me!” No, no plans to meet with her. Yeah, we’re going to be here for a while, so – in Omaha.

Anything else? Okay.

Question: I have one – 

Mayor: Please. Please.

Question: I have one more horse question.

Mayor: Bring it on.

Question: In 30 years, there have been three horses that have been in accident and died in New York City. Every person in Nebraska wants to go to New York City. They want the quintessential visit, which is Central Park ride in the carriage. Last year, 155 pedestrians were killed in New York City because of accidents. How can you say that it’s not safe for the horses when it looks to me like it’s more unsafe for the people?

Mayor: Well, it’s not safe for the horses, and it’s also inhumane for the horses. Those are two separate, but related points. Horses are not meant to be in the streets of the biggest city in the country in the middle of traffic – it stands to reason. We’re doing a lot to protect our pedestrians – that’s our Vision Zero program. We’ve driven down pedestrian deaths to the lowest level, thank God, since 1910, and we’re going to do a lot more. So, we’re going to do a lot to protect our people, but I’m just clear that horses do not belong on the streets of our city.

Question: You’ve taken a carriage ride?

Mayor: Long, long ago. I think when I was a kid.