Results tagged “mayor”

Though the end result of last night's mayoral election doesn't come as much of a surprise, the closeness of the race shocked a lot of onlookers. After running a record-breaking $100 million campaign that won major endorsements and blanketed the city in nearly non-stop advertising, Mayor Bloomberg defeated the underfunded Democratic candidate Bill Thompson by only 5 percent of the vote, winning with 51 percent to his rival's 46. This comes after polls from the days before the election predicted Bloomberg ahead by double digit — some even anticipating a win almost as large as his 20 percent victory in 2005. The pollsters might have some explaining to do.

Mayor Bloomberg and former mayor Rudy Giuliani are becoming buddies on the campaign trail, but they're rivals when it comes to baseball. The Mayor and his predecessor are squabbling over coveted seats in the box beside the Yankees dugout at the American League Championship Series, according to Page Six, which reports that the competition for "front-row supremacy" on Friday will be almost "almost as exciting as the contest on the field." We're not so sure about that, but it's certainly interesting in light of the fact that Bloomberg declared that Giuliani would make a good governor at this week's mayoral debate.

The Rent is Too Damn High Party just cannot catch a break. Besides being shockingly omitted from last night's debate, Mayoral candidate Jimmy McMillan has had to stand by and watch the Board of Elections cut the d-word from his party's name, stripping it of all its cachet. And now an internal rift in the party has forced McMillan to turn his back on the Rent Is Too Damn High nominee for comptroller—and instead endorse his Democratic rival.

Meet (or revisit) Jimmy McMillan: retired postal office worker, Vietnam veteran, former stripper, and Mayoral candidate. His party is the Rent Is Too Damn High Party, which features one of THE best websites in the universe by loudly and proudly confirming the obvious: "There Is Nothing Else To Talk About! We apologize for the bad grammar. But... your rent is still too damn high." Woah, how did he even know that? The psychic McMillan would have a complete lock on the election, but a certain someone is obviously a little threatened, and so the Board of Elections is turning up the heat.

There's no stopping Mayor Bloomberg from buying another term, so it's not like he has to win anybody's approval. Still, it's nice to see he's at least making an effort, rolling out the campaign promises just like any other average Joe politician. In an Op-Ed in one of the tabloids today, Bloomberg asks, "How would you like to use your mobile device to see a map of available parking spaces in your neighborhood—and also use it to pay your meter? Or how about getting a text message as your meter is about to expire, so you can get back to your car before getting a ticket?" It's a start... but can these new meters give us back rubs too, like the ones in Japan?

The latest Quinnipiac poll put Bloomy's approval ratings at 69%, and holding a strong 52-36 lead over the Democrat William Thompson. In an interview with Gothamist, asked what it would take to unseat the billionaire, former DNC chair Howard Dean replied, "Term limits."

Move over Bloomberg, there's a new billionaire in town, and he's just as old, white and male. His big plans include bringing subway fares down to a nickel by including cattle and bulk freight transportation through our underground system. Don't ask questions, it just makes sense! And who can naysay his plan to sell Staten Island to New Jersey?

That controversial Grand Street bike lane, beloved by cyclists and loathed by some business owners because it makes receiving deliveries onerous, now has a new enemy: Democratic mayoral candidate Bill Thompson. The comptroller was in Chinatown doing some pandering campaigning yesterday when he announced that, if elected, he would tear up that dedicated bike lane, which is buffered from traffic by a row of motor vehicle parking. Thompson told voters, "I'm in favor of bike lanes but you can't put bike lanes in without speaking to the community. You can't put bike lanes that are doing damage to local businesses."

The Post reports, "Top state Republicans will urge former Mayor Rudy Giuliani to abandon his interest in running for governor and run instead against unelected US Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand." Apparently some think there isn't support for a Governor Giuliani, what with polls showing that Attorney General Andrew Cuomo would beat him, but Senator GIuliani has a more appealing ring—"State Republicans describe Giuliani's chances against Gillibrand as excellent and say the statewide organization fielded by Cox to become party leader could become a powerful base for a Giuliani Senate race." Interesting, especially since former governor George Pataki has been mentioned as a possible Senate candidate—but he's got a lot of baggage.

Yesterday's West Indian American Day Carnival was the place for city-wide office candidates to be seen, and leading the way were Mayor Michael Bloomberg and City Comptroller William Thompson, who are expected to battle to be mayor come November. Mayor Bloomberg marched with one of the parade's Grand Marshals—General Colin Powell—who endorsed him heartily, while Thompson marched with Governor David Paterson.

Rep. Jerrold Nadler predicts the FAA's new rules for the Hudson River air corridor will make the situation worse, and Senator Chuck Schumer says the FAA needs to "go back to the drawing board." On Wednesday the FAA released its redesign plan, which, as you surely know, was prompted by the August 8th collision between a small plane and a sightseeing helicopter. While the new rules call for reorganizing air traffic over the Hudson into three separate altitude corridors, some critics still want air traffic controllers to start managing all flights over the Hudson. Currently pilots flying under 1,100 feet and over the river avoid each other simply by looking out the cockpit window; that "see and avoid" method will continue, though augmented by enhanced radio communication between aircraft. Despite the fierce criticism, Mayor Bloomberg expressed lukewarm support for the changes yesterday, telling reporters, "I'm just not going to second guess [Administrator Randy Babbitt] or the FAA. I'll ride with whatever the FAA judgment is in terms of making the city safer." See, this is exactly the kind of bold, independent leadership you get when a mayor isn't beholden to the special Interests!

The City Council will give 550 council aides and central staffers approximately $3.9 million in raises for this year’s salaries and, retroactively, for last year’s salaries. The decision, which was not bogged down by any annoying "voting," was framed by Council speaker Christine Quinn's spokesperson as a "cost of living increase." Charles Meara, the Council's chief of staff and top paid employee, will see his salary go up to $209,973 from $194,132, a gain of $15,841. And his deputy chief of staff, Ramon Martinez III, got a nice bump too, from $191,664 to $207,303. (The Wonkster has a nice top 10 list of the Council's highest paid staffers.) The salary increases, which do not apply to council members, come on the heels of Mayor Bloomberg's $45 million in raises for his staff. And the city's district attorneys and borough presidents have given or are expected to give similar raises. Bucking the trend, City Comptroller William C. Thompson Jr., a cash-starved Democratic candidate for mayor, has frozen the salaries of all his employees who make over $90,000 a year. But how will they afford the cost of living?!

The Naked Cowboy is running for Mayor, so the NY Post is taking this time to delve deeper into the Times Square busker's life (whose first turn in the spotlight was posing as a prostitute on the Jerry Springer Show). There's just so much going on Behind the Underwear!

       

Seriously, this guy? Alright, so this is happening, living tourist attraction Naked Cowboy has officially announced he's running for Mayor of New York City.

Bad Idea Underwear! The Naked Cowboy (real name Robert Burck) is tossing his Stetson in the ring and planning to run for Mayor against Bloomberg. His platform, The Post reports, is "Bringing transparency to a whole new level." Sounds just like something a long hair would say. Sure, Burck has made a nice little business for himself in Times Square, but can he parlay that into a smart stimulus plan for small businesses (something he says will be part of his Mayoral package)? He also plans to bring innovative ideas to tax breaks, tourism, gay marriage, transit and homeland security. He declares, "No one knows how to do more with less than yours truly, and that's the kind of thinking I plan on sharing with my fellow New Yorkers when you elect me." He'll be making his official statement tomorrow in Times Square at 11 a.m. Would you vote for Naked Mayor?

Don't tell the Naked Cowboy to "go back to Ohio," because someone in his hometown of Greenhills doesn't want him back. Reportedly a mayoral candidate there, Pat Andwan, is urging city council members to protest Robert Burck's performance at the Greenhills Summer Festival tomorrow, saying "it's an inappropriate venue for a man who wears only underwear." She called his behavior both "indecent" and "deviant." But the current Mayor, Oscar Hoffman, told the Cincinnati Enquirer, "I have no problem with the Naked Cowboy. Nobody on council has a problem with it. He doesn't do anything immoral. It's just a catchy name." Burck plans to go on with the show as planned; he added that Andwan was a "lunatic," but from his experience he's also "aware there are people out there who are not underwear-friendly."

Some follow-up to Mayor Bloomberg's exchange with Observer (and PolitickerNY) reporter Azi Paybarah. The NY Times described that the mayor "seemed to reach new heights of peevishness, calling a reporter who posed a question he did not like 'a disgrace.'" (The question was whether the mayor, who spoke of an economic turnaround, oversold his pitch for overturning term limits.) CBS 2 reported, "Many would say the reporter's question was relevant, especially since the city's failing economy is one of the reasons Bloomberg sought an exemption from term limits." Paybarah's editor Josh Benson told the Daily News, "It was a reasonable question. We're comfortable leaving it to everyone else to judge the quality of the response." A spokewoman for City Comptroller and mayoral hopeful Bill Thompson said, "What’s disgraceful is the Mayor’s refusal to answer the tough questions. Calling people names, having staff block cameras and bullying the press aren’t going to stop people from asking the mayor to explain his term limits bait and switch." The Mayor apologized, though indirectly; according to Paybarah, Bloomberg's press secretary Stu Loeser "called to relay an apology from the mayor."

In an Op-Ed in today's Times explaining his aborted mayoral campaign, Rep. Anthony Weiner explains that, unsurprisingly, Mayor Bloomberg's godly fortune had a little something to do with it: "The Supreme Court decision in 1976 in Buckley v. Valeo, which allows candidates to spend however much they want on their own races, makes it possible for billionaires to swamp middle-class candidates. In this case, a sports analogy is apt: If one football team has 110 players on the field, the team with 11 has a hard time getting through the blocking and tackling on the crowded turf."

After suspending his mayoral campaign in March, representative Anthony Weiner has decided to drop out of the race for the Democratic nomination, according to a scoop in City Hall News. Democratic Party officials have been increasingly throwing their support behind Controller William Thompson—with the notable exception of Long Island Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy, a Democrat, who today announced her endorsement of Mayor Bloomberg. Weiner spent Memorial Day weekend attending three parades, a burst of activity that could have been interpreted as campaign appearances, but a source tells City Hall News that Weiner will formally announce his withdrawal tomorrow. His exact reasons for dropping out are not yet known, but Bloomberg's God-like affluence certainly played a factor. Though the Post had been gleefully attacking the six-term congressman in recent months, it's doubtful their smears broke his will to run; as the Daily News puts it, Weiner "wakes up in the morning looking for a fight." His withdrawal leaves just Thompson and Council Member Tony Avella to fight over the Democratic nomination.

Party's over, bedbugs. Today Mayor Bloomberg (heard of him? We humans call him the MAD DOG) has just created a Bedbug Advisory Board to take the fight to you. A veritable Justice League is forming, comprised of the best and brightest in pest management, entomology, and... Consumer Affairs. And come nine months from now, these geniuses are going to report their findings to the mayor, and who knows what they'll recommend? Everything's on the table—even DDT. Well, probably not, but if you're a bedbug who's smart enough to be reading this on the internet, there's nothing we can do to stop you at this point anyway. (Not really a joke, NYC bedbugs have been mutating into unstoppable super insects.) The creation of the Advisory Board, which mirrors steps taken by other bedbug-infested cities, came out of a City Council hearing on the blood sucking fiends last month. And with an increasing number of New Yorkers plagued by the resilient pests, we're not waiting around for the government to take action: we're releasing the hounds.

Watch out Bloomberg! Yesterday Reverend Billy launched his campaign for Mayor of New York City, sending out a letter declaring "It's time for all of us to rise up and reclaim our wonderful city from Starbucks and the other awful chain stores, from real estate speculators and the predators on Wall Street. Together, we'll give New York back to the people who love it." Hallelujah! Nominated by the Green Party last week, he made his announcement in person in Union Square yesterday, donning an electric blue suit.

One day he's posing for photo-ops with Middle East war as his backdrop, the next he's filling potholes for photographers in Sheepshead Bay—but according to Mayor Bloomberg, it's all part of the same gig: "That's the mayor's job, filling potholes and showing the flag and trying to support those that help us keep a safer world." Running for re-election happens to be another job requirement, and with a controversial third term within his grasp, we can expect to see Hizzoner doing more press highlighting kitchen table issues like these.

New York City's eight-plus million residents just got 33 new public places where they can recycle their rubbish, Mayor Bloomberg and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn announced at a press conference yesterday in City Hall Park. The new locations are an expansion of a pilot public recycling program that started in March 2007, when 126 blue and green recycling cans were placed in high traffic areas at 10 sites, finally giving New Yorkers' the chance to do in public what they're required by law to do at home.

The Times stepped out on Sunday to gauge public reaction to the ubiquitous street fairs that turn various city blocks into a banal mob scene every damn weekend. Perhaps the best quote comes from awestruck Midwesterner Stephen Pijanowski, who loves street fairs so much he went to two over the weekend, explaining, "We have nothing like this in Chicago." On the other hand, New Yorker Javier Ortiz, on his way to brunch, declared the street fair to be "just in our way."

If you watch just one Community Board Meeting video this summer, make it this one. Willets Point property owners who've been passionately protesting Mayor Bloomberg's controversial $3 billion plan to rezone the area (to make way for a hotel, convention center, offices and retail stores) have put together this video showing how the sausage gets made over at Community Board 7. Their gripping featurette focuses in on a contentious committee meeting that yielded a yes vote for the city's proposal, despite serious reservations voiced by board members.

The most indispensable member of Council Speaker Christine Quinn's staff seems to be an unpaid 81-year-old World War II veteran, her father Lawrence P. Quinn. An endearing profile in the Times today spotlights his ongoing efforts for his daughter, who will run for mayor next year. Ms. Quinn, an openly gay liberal, calls him "an all-purpose schlepper" who comes in handy for retirement home photo-ops. Mr. Quinn, a practicing Catholic, seems to be crying for help: “It’s not volunteerism; I am forced to do it." But he lives alone and all his pals are dead, so maybe he's okay with being his daughter's "trophy wife." Although he's been known to tell voters, "I don’t agree with her, either. But listen, if she loses, she’s unemployed and I’m going to have to pay her rent"

Angry opponents to Mayor Bloomberg’s plan to develop 62 acres of poorly-maintained land in Willets Point, Queens disrupted a press conference yesterday held by city officials in Washington Square Park to tout the proposal. Councilman Hiram Monserrate, whose district includes Willets Point, led over two dozen protesters to the press conference, where they drowned out advocates for the plan, chanting “Justice for Willets Point!” According to the Times, the police refused to remove the protesters, telling officials they had a right to be there, even if they were being disruptive.

At a breakfast forum this morning, Representative Anthony Weiner – a likely mayoral candidate – handed out a 5,000 word manifesto about how he would keep the city affordable for the middle class. The Sun has it that Weiner also used his half-hour speech to criticize the proliferation of big-box chains in New York, wondering, “What is the value of having a Wal-Mart on Queens Boulevard that wipes out economic development on the rest of Queens Boulevard. What is the value of saving 15 or 20% on that pair of jeans, in terms of creating jobs for the rest of Queens?” But the congressman also stressed that he's a "middle-class New Yorker.” And later: “I’m cheap.”

The Belmar, NJ mayor who hurt the feelings of Staten Island residents is ready to make amends. Mayor Ken Pringle (pictured) insulted the borough to the point of its residents calling for a boycott of his beach town.