"Bribery? No, no, no."
Leo straightened up, a look of surprise on his face as if he'd been gravely misunderstood.
"How could this be called bribery? This is optimized resource allocation."
Leo pointed to the blank space representing the first district, his tone becoming incredibly sincere.
"Mr. Council President, you have always been a staunch defender of fiscal discipline on the City Council."
"I have the utmost respect for your position."
Leo's voice was filled with reverence.
"I went back and reflected for a long time, and I believe you were right. As the Mayor, I cannot force a Council President so committed to his principles to accept a debt he detests."
"So, to prevent your constituents from shouldering this heavy burden of debt, and to protect your esteemed political reputation..."
"I have specifically instructed the budget office to completely exclude your first district from this five-hundred-million-dollar bond project."
