Empowered by the vote extending term limits, City Council members are gearing up for an unprecedented fight against Mayor Bloomberg’s tax hike plans.

One lawmaker threatened to sue to force Bloomberg to mail out the $400 homeowner rebates. Others accused him of inflating budget shortfalls to manipulate the public.

“If you are going to ask me to rely on your overly negative numbers to reach into the pockets of New Yorkers, that doesn’t work for me,” warned Councilman Lew Fidler (D-Brooklyn).

Citing a $4 billion budget hole over two years, Bloomberg this week withdrew the rebate homeowners were expecting this month and asked the Council to raise property taxes 7% before bills go out Dec. 1.

“You can’t tax your way out of an economic downturn,” said Councilman Vincent Ignizio (R-Staten Island), who is considering suing Bloomberg over the rebates.

The mayor can’t raise property taxes without the Council. Whether he can eliminate rebates without their consent “is something that is being explored,” his spokesman said.

Bloomberg faces an uphill fight to win approval on his tax plans after bruising his relationship with the Council last month during the term limits debate.

Council members narrowly passed the bill, which allows him to run for a third term, but the controversial vote showed the typically sleepy body was relevant and many members weren’t afraid of him or Speaker Christine Quinn (D-Manhattan).

Source: NY Daily News