When Howard Wolfson Says, “The Issue Of Jobs And The Economy Is One That We Want To Engage The Public With In A Conversation,” Expect Bad Stuff To Happen

Maybe you wondered why Bloomberg started a huge television campaign eight months before the election, a campaign featuring the mayor, “his trademark jacket and tie swapped for a casual button-down shirt, talking to ordinary New Yorkers about their financial woes.” Ads that focus on the mayor’s “plan to create or save 400,000 jobs, provide loans to small business and invest in infrastructure. ‘We do have a plan to get through this,’ Mr. Bloomberg says. ‘The city can’t do everything, but we can do a lot to make it easier for the people that live in this city.” Maybe you thought, wow, that’s early to be advertising, especially when likely opponents are basically silent. Hmm. Hmm:

Based on the amount of television time the mayor has purchased, the average New Yorker is likely to see the ads about 12 times.

Howard Wolfson, a spokesman for the campaign, said that New Yorkers “will certainly see the ad.” But, he added, “It will not saturate the airwaves.”

Asked about the timing, Mr. Wolfson said: “If it were up to me, we would have run ads a month earlier than today. This issue of jobs and the economy is one that we want to engage the public with in a conversation.”

So why burnish your middle class cred back in April? Is it because the Executive Budget is due in less than a week or so? Remember Chekhov’s Gun . . .

The Release Of The Executive Budget Must Be Coming Up Soon

I was going to say, gosh, the city budget process seems quiet. But now it begins — with advocates fearing cuts and the mayor fearing a non-attriting workforce:

Mayor Bloomberg’s hopes of avoiding city-worker layoffs are being jeopardized by the record-low number of employees quitting or retiring, The Post has learned.

Because of the difficult economy, fewer employees are leaving the city’s workforce than in previous years, making it harder for Bloomberg to cut the budget by simply not replacing retired workers.

The city’s uniformed workers are on pace for a record-low attrition rate this year — 4.2 percent, according to the city’s Office of Management and Budget.

The typical attrition rate is between 7 percent and 8 percent.

The civilian workforce in the city had a steady 7.2 percent attrition rate in fiscal years 2007 and 2008, but is down to 5.7 percent for the present year, which ends June 30.

BYO Butter

But then again, there may be a corkage charge for that, too:

Recession-hit restaurants are helping themselves to your wallet by serving you an extra side of super sneaky charges.

The Post last week found city eateries subtly billing customers for things usually free — including bread and butter.

. . .

Unexpected costs found by The Post include . . . $3 for bread and another $2 for butter at Company, in Chelsea.

No cost was mentioned when bread was requested and delivered to a Post reporter last week — and a waiter refused to give a refund.

“It’s clearly on the menu, and we do have a famous baker,” restaurant spokeswoman Danielle Pagano said, referring to owner Jim Lahey.

The menu listing is in Italian.

Update, 4/28/09: This correction doesn’t change the fact that Company charges $2 for butter:

Due to an editing error, a story in yesterday’s Post misattributed a quote explaining the cost of bread and butter at Company, in Chelsea, to restaurant spokeswoman Danielle Pagano instead of to a waiter. Also, the menu listing is not in Italian.

Not Only Embarrassing But Considering His Smoking Initiatives A Little Counterproductive As Well

Now that’s embarrassing:

Despite Mayor Bloomberg’s crusade against cigarettes, city pension funds remain heavily invested in Big Tobacco — with more than 6 million shares, worth $103 million.

The $82.5 billion pension system owns 6,024,823 shares of Altria, formerly known as Philip Morris, according to an agenda for the company’s stockholders meeting next month.

Can’t You Just Extort Bon Jovi Again? Doesn’t Paul Simon Want To Make Another Live Album?

Of all the stupid things you can do when you volunteer, picking up trash at the park seems like one of the stupidest:

With record crowds anticipated this summer as many New Yorkers stay home to save money, the Central Park Conservancy had to devise an emergency plan to ensure the grass stays green and clean.

For the first time, park volunteers — who traditionally help with less menial tasks — will be given trash grabbers and garbage bags, conservancy President Doug Blonsky said yesterday.

As a result of budget cuts, the conservancy — which manages the park for the city — has already laid off some employees and cannot afford to hire the extra 50 seasonal workers normally depended on to pick up the trash, he said.

. . .

“The bottom line is we’re asking New Yorkers to pitch in and pick up the litter for us,” Blonsky told The Post. “In the past, our volunteers have focused on horticulture and planning, but now we need help with the litter.”

At several locations throughout the park, volunteers can sign up to help with the upkeep.

“You’ll get a bag and a grabber, and a little vest to wear,” Blonsky said.