As the ball drops and Mayor/Elect Mamdani becomes Mayor Mamdani and on New Year’s Day his block party and inaugural speech to tens of thousands of NYers: a victory lap and rolling out his platform: affordability and public safety will be at the top of his list.
A week later the 51-member City Council will elect Julie Menin as Speaker, potentially a partner, in the past speakers sometimes, an adversary to the mayor, and a week later Governor Hochul, facing a tough reelection battle will give her State of the State message: will it be conciliatory? Include a few of the mayor’s prime policy goals?
Frenemies or partners?
Cuomo and de Blasio were bitter enemies, Mayor Adams and Speaker Adams frequent foes, Governor Hochel both signed the class size reduction bill and schemed with Bloomberg, Hochul took 5 million in advertising dollars to urge support of a bill to override local zoning laws in exchange for removing the NYC charter school cap.
The chasm between campaigning and managing is vast, one is “promising” and the other “delivering.
Mamdani, Menin and Hochul as partners or each with their own agenda.
The governor is running for office, she faces a primary in June and a hotly contested race in November until Friday against either Bruce Blakeman, the Nassau County supervisor or Elise Stefanik, an ultra MAGA congress member from upstate, unexpectedly Stafanik withdrew announcing she would not be running for governor or congress. Hochul would love to have Mamdani mobilizing younger voters. She’s onboard in regard to childcare, will she convince the MTA board to support Free Buses?
Before Zohran has taken office outgoing Mayor Adams appointed members to the Rent Guidelines Board, seemingly thwarting “freeze the rent” for the million rent stabilized apartments and, in its final meeting the City Council passed a number of highly controversial housing initiatives: it is likely Adams will veto, will the new Speaker support overturning the veto or work with the newly elected mayor?
The current Council is “progressive,” another way is saying far to the left.
Can Speaker Menin control her members and partner with Mamdani? A little like herding cats.
The UFT, the teachers union has always has a good relationship with Menin who served in a number of important roles in the city: in spite of 46 of the 51 council members signing on to a bill to increase paraprofessionals salaries Speaker Adams refused to bring the up for a vote, Will Menin?
The major legislative issue for the UFT in Albany is Fix Tier 6 (lower the Tier 6 retirement ages from the current 63 to the Tier 4 age 55). Will Hochul support? Will Mamdani urge the Governor to support?
New mayors have to come out of the box sprinting, daily appearances, achievements big and small, a police presence without alienating his core supporters, acknowledging rising anti-Semitism, balancing the needs as he constructs a 26-27 budget, the list is long and gets longer.
Can Zohran have a frenemy relationship with Trump? Federal dollars are crucial.
The Governor’s preliminary budget at the end of January, will Hochul slip in Free Buses dollars? Will childcare be prominent?
At times the sun shines through the fog, on other days enveloped by dark clouds, are we at the cusp of a financial tsunami, will “our leader” invoke the Insurrection Act and abolish elections? Is Trump planning a Reichstag Fire?
Is Mamdani the leader we need?
Enjoy Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa with family and friends, looks like a rough ride ahead.
Ed in the Apple: Blogging on the Intersection of Education and Politics Title 