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De Blasio and Bloomberg
November 4th, 2009

Sure, they squabbled over term limits, but they can still sit down for coffee.

In a post-election photo opportunity, newly re-elected Mayor Michael Bloomberg sat down with Public Advocate-elect Bill de Blasio this afternoon to make nice. De Blasio was a Thompson supporter and was very critical of the administration during his campaign for the city’s second-in-line spot.

Here’s the post-coffee statement from de Blasio:

“The mayor and I had a productive meeting today. We discussed several priorities that I have been advocating for, including bringing public school parents back into our education system, reforming the Civilian Complaint Review Board and making elections more open and fair. I am hopeful that we can continue this positive dialogue in the years ahead. As I have said before, I plan to be a watchdog over City Hall. I will work with the mayor when he is right, but I won’t hesitate to stand up when I disagree.”

The post-election coverage all seems to point to a so-called vulnerable mayor with an energized and more vocal comptroller and public advocate. Both John Liu’s and de Blasio’s records have been more critical of the administration, but they are also no Tony Avella or Charles Barron.

We will have to see how the new dynamic pans out come January.

When asked about yesterday’s margin of victory, which was smaller than most expected, Bloomberg said, “What people are going to judge this administration on is accomplishments.”

By Courtney Gross on November 4, 2009, 6:03 pm
In category: City Hall, Electoral Politics, Gotham City, Governing, nextNY | No Comments »

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Council Races
November 4th, 2009

Republicans picked up two seats on the City Council yesterday, bringing their total to five seats out of 51. The GOP gains came in District 19 in Bayside, where Republican Dan Halloran defeated Democrat Kevin Kim, and in Flushing’s 20th council district, where Peter Koo, a Republican and businessman, defeated Democrat Yen Chou. The three incumbent Republican councilmembers — Erich Ulrich, James Oddo, and
Vincent Ignizio
— all held on to their seats.

The race in district 19, to fill the seat formerly held by Tony Avella, was particularly nasty with candidates lobbing charges about the other one’s tactics and fundraising. At one point, the Daily News reported, Kim’s forces tried to capitalize on “Halloran’s acknowledged involvement in a pre-Christian pagan religion, Theodism.”

In the Flushing race, which attracted less attention, Koo, who has run for office before, captured the seat now held by Comptroller-elect John Liu.

Unlike primary day, yesterday was a good day for council incumbents. All those who managed to win their primaries in September kept their seats on Election Day. Diana Reyna held off a stiff challenge — and the opposition of the powerful Brooklyn Democratic boss, Vito Lopez — to keep her seat from Bushwick, and longtime Brooklyn politician Al Vann will get to remain in politics for another four years as he fended off a spirited challenge in Bed-Stuy from Mark Winston Griffith.

For all results go to Gotham Gazette’s election page.

By Gail Robinson on November 4, 2009, 11:46 am
In category: Electoral Politics, Gotham City | No Comments »

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Lame Duck Chancellor?
November 4th, 2009

Following his narrow victory last night, Michael Bloomberg may make changes — Ben Smith reports in Politico that he has “already promised a major shakeup of his senior aides.”

So who’s headed out the door? David Bloomfield, an education professor at Brooklyn College, bets on Schools Chancellor Joel Klein.

“Eight years seems enough for the chancellor, who has a history of short-term jobs and immediate prospects as an internationally acclaimed education consultant,’” Bloomfield writes. “Also, believe the rumor that Bloomberg traded the chancellor’s head for the legislature’s renewal of mayoral control and that a new chancellor will help Bloomberg counter charges of third-term lethargy.

Bloomfield sets out some possible successors, including former Chicago and Philadelphia superintendent Paul Vallas, and Christopher Cerf, who had a top post at Tweed before going to the Bloomberg campaign.

By Gail Robinson on November 4, 2009, 11:17 am
In category: Education, Electoral Politics, Gotham City | 1 Comment »

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