Mayor, Calling Donation Bill "Best We Could Negotiate," Regrets Union Exception

A bill that would revamp the city's campaign finance system would be better if it restricted donations from unions, Mayor Bloomberg said yesterday.

"Do I think it would have been better if they were included? Yeah, I think it probably would have been better," the mayor, who supports the bill, said.

Mr. Bloomberg has touted the legislation as a historic measure that will quash the pay-to-play culture of city politics. He maintained that position yesterday, but noted it "was the best deal that we could negotiate."

The legislation, which he hammered out with the City Council, a body whose members receive generous donations from organized labor, bans donations from businesses and caps contributions from lobbyists and entities that have at least $100,000 worth of business with the city.

Some critics say it gives special status to the city's powerful labor unions. Mr. Bloomberg said that, unlike companies with business before the city, the influence of unions is easier to track and measure.

"Everybody knows when the union does something," he said.

Speaker Christine Quinn has defended the bill, saying unions are not getting special treatment.