In 2014, after promising voters that he would put an end to “income inequality” which produced a “Tale of Two Cities” across the five boroughs, Mayor Bill de Blasio was swept into office.
As the lame duck enters the final year of what was a rocky two-term mayoralty, critics suggest he not only failed to fulfil his core commitment, but before setting off he is on track to renege on a plethora of other commitments
“Mayor de Blasio will give Pinocchio a run for his money when it comes to lying,” Councilman Robert Holden, a Queens Democrat, joked.
Although Hizzoner has fulfilled some important commitments, including introducing universal pre-K to city schools, expanding paid sick leave insurance, and decreasing stop-and-rule police, he has struggled to make progress on most of his progressive agenda and stands to leave City Hall with few legacy projects to show for it.
He has also fallen short of convincing state lawmakers to approve many of his pet causes, including removing the admission test for the most selective high schools in New York, and renovating the outdated property tax structure of the city so that a fairer share is charged by owners of valuable properties.
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, a Democratic fellow, has deep doubts that before leaving office, Blasio will make some progress on his agenda, said his spokeswoman, Letitia-Theodore Greene.
“While he has a year to prove us wrong, it’s as clear as the day his leadership has not met the moment again and again, in the midst of the pandemic, from public safety to public housing,” she said.