Gotham Gazette

The Place for New York Policy and politics

Bill de Blasio

Bill de Blasio

  • Could 2023 Finally See Movement on New York City Property Tax Reform?

    Housing (photo: Edwin J. Torres/Mayoral Photography Office)


    It’s been well over a year since Mayor Eric Adams promised, on the campaign trail, to “immediately” form a committee to "come up with real solutions" to make New York's property tax system more fair and equitable. But Adams never formed the committee and he has not made property tax reform a priority in his first 13 months as mayor.

    After 40 years of lawsuits, commissions, and half-hearted efforts at property tax reform, there is limited optimism for wholesale change,

    ...
  • Mayor Adams Misses Campaign Promise to ‘Immediately' Take On Property Tax Inequities

    Mayor Adams with Budget Director Jiha & Chief of Staff Varlack (photo: Benny Polatseck/Mayor's Office)


    When he was running for mayor in 2021, then-Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams promised that, if elected, in his first year he would "finally" tackle a particularly thorny area of city finance that impacts all New Yorkers: property taxes. As he takes the stage to deliver his second State of the City address on Thursday, the mayor has made no apparent progress on this significant campaign promise.

    Virtually everyone agrees New York City's property tax system is irrational and unfair,

    ...
  • Arguments For and Against Questions 2-4 on the 2022 New York City Ballot, Racial Justice Proposals

    Out to vote (photo: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office)


    As the ballots turn this fall, New York City voters will decide the fates of three proposed amendments to the City Charter intended to lay the groundwork for greater racial equity.

    Voters throughout the five boroughs are able to flip their ballots and vote "yes" or "no" on three separate questions to, respectively, codify a statement of equity and racial justice principles as a new preamble to the City Charter; establish a city government office dedicated to racial equity and require a regularly-updated racial justice plan from city

    ...
  • What Happened to the Sunnyside Yard Master Plan?

    Rendering of the Sunnyside Yard Master Plan


    In March 2020, then-Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration and Amtrak released the Sunnyside Yard Master Plan, an ambitious $14 billion infrastructure project that would deck the 180-acre rail yard in Queens and effectively create a new community with thousands of affordable homes and dozens of acres of green and public space situated atop a new regional rail hub.

    But the plan was released at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, just before the city and state went into lockdown, economic activity slowed to a crawl, and every city infrastructure project was put on

    ...
  • NY-10 Candidates Pitch Brooklyn Political Clubs

    5 of the NY-10 candidates at Monday's forum (photo: Ben Max)


    Nine Democratic candidates running inthe crowded race to represent New York’s new 10th congressional district appeared before several Brooklyn politics clubs on Monday evening, answering questions about pressing issues in the district, their policy platforms, and more.

    The forum —

    ...
  • Rent Guidelines Board Votes Through Rent Increases for 1 Million NYC Apartments

    Housing in the Bronx (photo: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office)


    Update: On Tuesday evening, the Rent Guidelines Board voted 5-4 to approve rent increases of 3.25% on one-year leases and 5% on two-year leases for the roughly 1 million rent-stabilized apartments in New York City.

    Many elected officials quickly condemned the decision, calling the increases too high, though they are lower than what the board's independent analysis showed building owners need to cover rising costs. Still, many

    ...
  • Crowded Field Forms for Democratic Primary in New Manhattan-Brooklyn 10th Congressional District

    Bill de Blasio, Yuh-Line Niou, Carlina Rivera, Jo Anne Simon, Mondaire Jones, Daniel S Goldman, Elizabeth Holtzman, Maud Maron


    More than a dozen New York City Democrats are vying to represent the newly redrawn 10th congressional district, which will span much of Lower Manhattan and a large swathe of Brooklyn. The candidate who wins the August primary is expected to win the general election in November given the district is heavily Democratic.

    The reconfigured New York congressional map, approved by a New York Supreme Court judge last month, has shifted district boundaries and political aspirations. Given

    ...
  • How Trash Became a Top-of-the-Heap City Budget Issue

    Council Member Chi Ossé on a sanitation tour of his district (photo: John McCarten/NYC Council Media Unit)


    Trash has become among the most prominent issues in this year’s New York City budget negotiations, as well as the focus of larger policy debates about how the city handles its garbage and recycling.

    The infamous mountains of black bags that clutter sidewalks, the overflowing waste baskets at street corners, and the litter on city streets have all been the subject of significant attention from Mayor Eric Adams, Comptroller Brad Lander, and many members of the New York City Council,

    ...
  • City Council to Examine Adams Administration's Preparations for Spending Billions in Federal Infrastructure Funding

    Infrastructure in action (photo: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office)


    In November, Congress approved President Joe Biden’s $1.2 trillion infrastructure plan, which is expected to deliver tens of billions of dollars to New York City for crucial needs. As the city prepares for the influx of federal funds, experts are pointing to several priorities that they believe Mayor Eric Adams should pursue, and the new Democratic mayor will no doubt be evaluating his priorities as he continues to map out his own infrastructure plans, including through budget negotiations with the

    ...
  • Will New York Form a Covid Response Review Commission?

    Gov. Cuomo holding a covid briefing (photo: Governor's Office)


    In 2018, a sight-seeing helicopter crashed into the East River near Manhattan's Upper East Side, killing five passengers. A year later it happened again on the roof of a skyscraper in midtown. The pilot died. After the second crash, Senator Chuck Schumer called for the FAA to require helicopters be equipped with "black boxes," like airplanes, so officials could examine what goes on in the cockpit before a wreck and avoid future tragedies.

    Two years after the first recorded COVID-19 deaths in New York, facing the threat of a new strain

    ...
  • 'Clear Proof Lives Have Been Saved': Will New York Expand on First Overdose Prevention Centers?

    An Overdose Prevention Center (photo: @nycHealthy)


    In December, New York City became the first municipality in the country to establish Overdose Prevention Centers to allow people with substance use disorders to safely use drugs under medical supervision while receiving services such as medical care, mental health treatment, and more. After years of consideration and discussions with other levels of government, the de Blasio administration gave a longtime nonprofit service-provider the go-ahead to offer safe injection sites.

    Within the first three months, the two sites in East Harlem and Washington

    ...
  • Max Politics Podcast: Dr. Dave Chokshi on Recent Covid Policy Decisions and His Tenure as NYC Health Commissioner

    NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Dave Chokshi (photo: Ed Reed/Mayor's Office)


    March 9, 2022 - Max Politics Podcast: Dr. Dave Chokshi on His Tenure as NYC Health Commissioner

    Outgoing New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Dave Chokshi joined the show to discuss the city's latest covid policies, what's next in the city's fight against COVID-19, and to reflect on his nearly two-year tenure as city health commissioner. Dr. Chokshi, who stayed on in the role for the first few months of the Adams administration and is now departing city government as planned in mid-March, explained

    ...
  • Comptroller Lander Launches Tracker for City Spending of $11 Billion in Federal Pandemic Aid

    Comptroller Brad Lander, standing (photo: Office of New York City Comptroller)


    New York City Comptroller Brad Lander on Tuesday unveiled anonline dashboard tracking how the city is spending and allocating more than $11 billion in federal stimulus funds. Lander pointed to several deficiencies in the city’s accounting of those funds, with unclear links between the source of funding and expenditures

    ...
  • ‘We Really Changed the Structure of Housing Production’: Vicki Been on the De Blasio Administration's Affordable Housing Record & What Comes Next

    (photo: Demetrius Freeman/Mayoral Photography Office)

    Vicki Been with Mayor de Blasio (photo: Demetrius Freeman/Mayoral Photography Office)


    Mayor Adams must set the tone that housing is a priority in his administration and pursue holistic, aggressive approaches to address the housing crisis in New York City, according to ​​former Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development Vicki Been.

    Appearing on a recent episode of the Max Politics podcast from Gotham

    ...
  • De Blasio's Six-Week Flurry of Announcements Before Leaving Office

    (photo: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office)

    Mayor Bill de Blasio, Dec. 2021 (photo: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office)


    In the final six weeks of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s eight-year tenure, the administration made a flurry of announcements. The mayor gave out half a dozen keys to the city and tens of millions of dollars. His administration published reports touting progress over the term-limited Democrat’s tenure, announced new programs, pilots, or proposals head-scratchingly late, offered some findings to help set the stage for the future, made budget allocations,

    ...
  • Max Politics Podcast: Vicki Been on De Blasio Era Housing Policy, Neighborhood Rezonings, & More

    vicki been jan12

    Then-Deputy Mayor Vicki Been (photo: Ed Reed/Mayor's Office)


    January 12, 2022 - Max Politics Podcast: Vicki Been on De Blasio Era Housing Policy, Neighborhood Rezonings, & More

    Former Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development Vicki Been joined the show to reflect on housing policy and outcomes during the de Blasio years, when she was first housing commissioner before returning to NYU then re-joining the administration as deputy mayor. Been discussed affordable housing planning, the implementation of Mandatory

    ...
  • Mayor Adams Wants to End Agency Silos; Five City Initiatives Have Been Doing It

    workers covid nyc

    New Yorkers at work (photo: Ed Reed/Mayor's Office)


    Mayor Eric Adams has repeatedly cited inefficiencies of city government for failing New Yorkers and has vowed that he will end silos that prevent city agencies from working together for better governance. His predecessor, Mayor Bill de Blasio, attempted some of that with five pilot programs aimed at addressing poverty-related issues. Those pilot programs are nearing the end of their timeline and, according to the official coordinating the efforts, have made “significant progress” despite the challenges posed by the

    ...
  • The Sizable Downside of De Blasio’s Education Record

    de blasio visits school

    Mayor de Blasio at school (photo: Michael Appleton/Mayor's Office)


    When he first ran for Mayor, Bill de Blasio portrayed himself as a leader who would make a host  of progressive changes in our schools. He promised to be a far different leader than Michael Bloomberg, who had expanded high-stakes testing, proceeded to grade teachers and schools primarily via test scores, closed dozens of public schools displacing thousands of students, and helped charter schools expand in their place. 

    Bloomberg and his schools chancellors had done all

    ...
  • Max Politics Podcast: Bill de Blasio's Legacy and Eric Adams' Agenda

    eric adams prec

    Bill de Blasio & Eric Adams (photo: Erica Sherman/Brooklyn BP's Office)


    January 5, 2022 - Max Politics Podcast: Bill de Blasio's Legacy and Eric Adams' Agenda

    Bill de Blasio recently left office after eight years as Mayor, handing city government off to Eric Adams. Joining the show to discuss de Blasio's legacy, the city he left to Adams, and what's ahead for the new Mayor are: Sally Goldenberg of Politico, Dr. Christina Greer of Fordham University, and Harry Siegel of The Daily Beast and The Daily News (Greer and

    ...
  • 'Didn't Quite Hit The Need': Bill De Blasio's Complicated Two-Term Legacy as Mayor of New York City

    Bill de Blasio city hall

    Bill de Blasio at City Hall, Dec. 30 2021 (photo: Michael Appleton/Mayor's Office)


    Bill de Blasio rode into office on the big promise of ending “the tale of two cities” by reducing the gaps between the haves and have-nots. He was the first Democrat elected to lead New York City since David Dinkins won his one and only term in 1989. De Blasio, a former aide in Dinkins’ City Hall, pledged a progressive correction to the 20 years of Giuliani and Bloomberg rule that were marked by aggressive “broken windows” policing, friendliness to big business and real estate

    ...
  • Steven Banks on 'Welfare' Reform, Fighting Homelessness, and the De Blasio Record

    de Blasio homelessness steve banks

    Steven Banks, left, with Mayor de Blasio (photo: Edwin J. Torres/Mayor's Office)


    As the de Blasio administration comes to a close, the mayor and his top commissioners have been reflecting on their legacies. Mayor Bill de Blasio has repeatedly said over the years that his biggest failure was on homelessness, acknowledging that he did not fully grasp the degree of the problems involved and the necessary solutions. He has said in recent weeks that he believes the administration started to really get things moving in the right direction as his

    ...
  • Emma Wolfe Reflects on the De Blasio Years

    Bill de Blasio Emma Wolfe cabinet nyc mayor

    Emma Wolfe, to the mayor's right, Mayor de Blasio & others (photo: Michael Appleton/Mayor's Office)


    With Bill de Blasio’s tenure coming to an end, one of his top aides is reflecting on the administration’s legacy, defining achievements of its eight years in power, and what she thinks people got wrong about his leadership.

    Emma Wolfe, who has worked as de Blasio’s chief of staff for over a decade, dating to his time as Public Advocate, recently ...

  • Max Politics Podcast: Commissioner Steve Banks on the De Blasio Administration's Social Services Record

    50196001981 2cbba03531 c

    NYC Social Services Commissioner Steven Banks (photo: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office)


    December 20, 2021 - Max Politics Podcast: Commissioner Steve Banks on the De Blasio Administration's Social Services Record

    Steve Banks, who has led major social services and homelessness efforts under Mayor Bill de Blasio for the entire eight-year administration, joined the show to discuss the reforms he's ushered in and the administration's record on public benefits, homelessness, and more.

    Listen to the

    ...
  • What's The [Data] Point? 8, Emma Wolfe on the De Blasio Years

    whats the data point


    What's The [Data] Point? Episode 113 -- 8, Emma Wolfe on the De Blasio Years[You can listen to or download What's The [Data] Point? wherever you get your podcasts, including iTunes]

    emma wolfe inset

    Emma Wolfe, Chief of Staff and Deputy Mayor for Administration under Mayor Bill de Blasio, joined the show to discuss the de Blasio years. Wolfe has been a top advisor to de

    ...
  • De Blasio Leaves Adams a City Budget Mess

    fy ex bud

    Mayor de Blasio at a budget briefing (photo: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography)


    Some of us in government are old enough to remember when Mayor Bill de Blasio took office almost eight years ago, fulminating to any reporter in earshot about how his predecessor, Michael Bloomberg, left him with expired labor contracts that presented the city with an “unprecedented” fiscal challenge.

    “The future should not have been mortgaged in this way. But it was by the previous administration and we will have to grapple with it,” he told The Observer at the

    ...