Mayor Bloomberg Vows Funding Where Government Fears To Tread

The New York Sun reports:

New York City's multibillionaire mayor, Michael Bloomberg, told a group of the country's wealthiest individuals and most generous philanthropists that private charity has to "step up and take the lead" to fund research and programs the government declines to.

"There are some controversial areas where government is willing to tiptoe," Mr. Bloomberg said during a speech last night in this capital city. "But then there are others where the government fears to tread at all. They're just too highly charged. It's in areas like these that private philanthropy has to step up and take the lead."

It's not clear why the government needs to be involved in funding research.