City Hall Page #4

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Hover, nudge, show we care.

And then we gotta do

something concrete.

Something big,

something important.

Something that means jobs.

That means building Bank Exchange.

I won't let these shootings interfere

with my program for the city.

I'm speaking at the boy's funeral.

James Bone's funeral.

That's a blueprint for trouble.

I don't care.

It's the right thing to do.

I don't think

you'll be welcome there.

They got me anyway.

Let's go to work.

Kevin, I need you.

So what happened?

Frank Anselmo and his real-estate

cronies is what happened.

They want the subway stop to raise

their land value.

The property around Bank Exchange?

And?

Anselmo said,

"No subway stop...

...no Bank Exchange. "

- And you said?

I thought we could keep Anselmo

on the back burner...

...but we need Bank Exchange.

We need jobs. We need that money

going into the community.

Given the situation at

Broadway and Marcy...

...it's politically expedient.

The hell with

politically expedient.

I'm talking about a 60-story building

that'll employ 3000 people.

It'll put food on the table.

That's what counts. That's what

we're about. That's Bank Exchange.

That's all it is.

You said we can't

afford a subway stop.

That'll take politics.

More than one way to skin a cat.

Get in there.

Keep that staff fired up.

You're the boss.

What are you doing tonight?

Hadn't thought about it.

You ever see Carousel?

The musical? You serious?

A little before my time.

You'll love it.

Frank Anselmo will be there.

I'm free.

George...

...Frank Anselmo's in there.

Tell him to come up.

I want to see him in the lobby.

Just list them for me.

That's all.

Let me get back to you.

We're missing the best part.

You know it by heart.

I saw you lip-synching.

Well, lucky I do.

I couldn't hear all the words.

I don't know if it's my old ears

or the subway underneath.

- Did you like the Billy Bigelow?

- He's good.

Good voice.

What'd you think of the

Julie Jordan?

Good act, no voice.

My Nettie could sing better.

We met 25 years ago, Westbury...

I heard about that.

Speaking of performances, Frank.

I don't wanna hear about

another one like this morning.

Your boy embarrassed me.

You'll have to live with it.

- Why?

- Because he's my boy.

There's oil...

...under that vacant lot, Frank.

Jobs.

You don't need to politick me.

I run Kings County.

Jobs for people of this city.

Not leases for Lenny, Murray

and all your greedy pals.

Just because this kid thinks

he can elect you President...

...you'd forget who got you here?

I don't forget anything.

You're developing a short memory.

Or a selective one.

You want me to

refresh it for you?

I'm sorry, John.

Here it is.

The off-ramp costs me five million.

Another $35 million

for the subway stop.

You'll get some from me.

The rest I got to beg Albany.

I got better things

to beg for from Albany.

I got a solution.

How about a spur...

...off the Canarsie Line?

- Are you crazy?

A spur is $ 120 million

a track mile.

Bank Exchange is good for the poor.

It's good for the jobless.

It's good for the whole city.

As for subway stops,

infrastructure, off-ramps...

...we can't afford it.

Then you'll have to

forget the whole thing.

I love the second-act opener.

Then you won't wanna miss it.

"This was a real nice clambake. "

I'm building up my IOUs

with Albany.

The governor needs to

step up with a new subway stop...

...or I won't support him

for re-election.

And the off-ramp?

Next year.

- It's already in my budget.

- Next year's too far.

You're only a boss, Frank.

I'm the f***ing mayor.

Mayors rule.

Bank Exchange.

My way or the highway.

Why do I get the feeling

you're getting the bigger half?

Let me ask you something.

If I'd have offered you less...

...would you have been polite

and taken it?

Of course.

You got what you wanted.

I like to kiss the pretty ones.

There's another pretty one.

You got Bank Exchange.

- How did you know?

- I saw the kiss.

I saw the smile.

How'd you get it?

I didn't say no.

But he'll take a bath

on those leases.

It'll just take him longer.

- Something for him, something for me.

- More for you?

No, no.

More for the city.

Hey. Cigar.

Sneaking in a drink for Sydney?

I was.

Now they're both for me.

Helps Frank Anselmo go down.

Off-ramp and a subway stop

already budgeted for.

But I'm left holding the bag.

What are you complaining about?

The bag's full of cash.

Minus a year.

You can weather a year.

You can weather 100 years.

I've got partners.

You're my partners!

You're holding so many

options on land...

...you could buy Brooklyn.

You could probably

buy Staten Island too.

Would you excuse us, please?

Of course.

I got an appointment anyway.

Good.

Then it works out nicely.

You sure

Bank Exchange is all set?

We got everything we wanted.

Now you can get

something else for me.

- What's that?

- My name out of the papers.

How?

With $40,000.

What am I gonna do with $40,000?

Let me ask you a question.

You ever heard of a cop

with $40,000?

Who wasn't crooked?

A cop with $40,000

would make big headlines.

Say hello to Nettie for me.

I will.

- Take care.

- All right.

That's for the dead cop.

Reverend Chapman will introduce me?

With one sentence.

And then what?

Get out of here.

- And which way is that?

- Side door.

No. Out the front.

Is that a good idea?

Intel's out there, and they say

people aren't happy.

Sisters...

...brethren...

The mayor of the city of New York...

...the Honorable John Pappas.

Thank you, reverend.

I was warned not to come here.

I was warned.

They warned me:

"Don't stand behind that coffin. "

But why should I heed

such a warning...

...when a heartbeat is silent...

...and a child lies dead?

"Don't stand behind...

...this coffin. "

That boy was as pure

and as innocent...

...as the driven snow.

But I must stand here because...

...I have not given you

what you should have.

Until we can walk abroad

and recreate ourselves...

...until we can stroll along the

streets like boulevards...

...congregate in parks,

free from fear...

...our families mingling...

...our children laughing,

our hearts joined...

Until that day,

we have no city.

You can label me a failure

until that day.

The first, and perhaps only great

mayor, was Greek.

He was Pericles of Athens...

...and he lived

some 2500 years ago...

...and he said:

"All things good of this earth...

...flow into the city...

...because of the city's greatness. "

Well...

...we were great once.

Can we not be great again?

I put that question...

...to James Bone...

...and there's only silence.

Yet...

...could not something...

...pass from this sweet youth to me?

Could he not empower me...

...to find in myself the strength...

...to have the knowledge...

...to summon up the courage...

...to accomplish this seemingly

insurmountable task...

...of making a city livable?

Just livable?

There was a palace...

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