But in the past, he said, the assistance corporation has provided money to the city for one purpose only to see them used for another.

The city's financial crisis is long gone, but the assistance corporation remains willing and able to use its monetary clout to bring change.

At the same time, the chairman of the assistance corporation, appointed by the Governor, has considerable influence over the city's finances.

The Governor also said he was intrigued by a proposal to allow the assistance corporation to sell new bonds to finance school construction.

Or, it said, the money could come from the Municipal Assistance Corporation.

Then the city received $100 million from the state's Municipal Assistance Corporation.

The $5.2 billion includes $600 million from the Municipal Assistance Corporation.

Nor was there any decision about the $200 million from the Municipal Assistance Corporation.

But in practice, the government has a phalanx of public authorities set up to circumvent that requirement, including the local assistance corporation itself.

The bonds are backed by the city's sales tax revenues, which the assistance corporation diverts to pay the interest and principal.