NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who is heavily rumored to be considering a third party White House run, announced in his state of the city address a proposal to extend a $1 Billion property tax cut. It is a move that would undoubtedly please New Yorkers but some see it as another step in Bloombergs presidential aspirations, specifically as a means to appeal to anti-tax conservatives.

From an Associated Press piece:

With Bloomberg set to travel to the important electoral states of Texas and California this week, political analysts said his tax-cutting proposal could help his image with anti-tax proponents and show that he has confidence in the city’s economy.

“He would be … wanting to project an image that he’s smart about running economic matters, which he would argue the country is going to be needing very much in the next couple of years,” said Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist Institute for Public Opinion.

So is this another sign Bloomberg will run? I personally am as skeptical as I always have been. At this point I don’t know what Bloomberg could do, short of putting a lampshade on his head and yelling racial slurs, that wouldn’t be interpreted as a sign that he is running for president by the media. Even then I am sure they could find a constituency they would say he was appealing to.

The Bloomberg speculation probably won’t end until November.