Bill DeBlasio?

That would only eliminate him if he was running for 3rd Grade President.

He is running for Mayor!

Aren't they more or less one in the same? But I will gladly vote for any candidate who promises to gets me recess time again!

In fact, de Blasio’s record as a councilman demonstrated a willingness to work with developers to spur economic development and tackle the city's affordable housing crisis, using an approach to land use that at times bore a strong resemblance to Bloomberg's own.

For instance, de Blasio, like Bloomberg, was a staunch backer of the Atlantic Yards project, on the basis of the developer's promise to provide union construction jobs and more than 2,000 units of below-market housing.

So far they have promised everything but recess.

I think affordable housing is the next best thing. What is great about it is that you can even claim you created it, when you did not: http://www.theawl.com/2013/08/the-truth-about-bloombergs-affordable-housing-in-new-york

I expect nothing less from our next Mayor!

...actually, we might get less under our new Mayor...

Reinadeoz,

Interesting topic for a first post on a Brooklyn forum and interesting timing for said post.

Yes, bringing construction jobs to unions is certainly a great achievement.

May I present the next mayor of NYC Bill de Blasio?

It is looking like we may not have to have a runoff

Mayor

11:36 PM ET 1:35

Democrats VOTESPCT.

Bill de Blasio 244,839 40.0%

William C. Thompson Jr. 160,687 26.3

Christine C. Quinn 93,127 15.2

John C. Liu 43,800 7.2

Anthony D. Weiner 30,245 4.9

If no candidate gets at least 40 percent of the vote, a runoff is held with the top two finishers. 95% reporting

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/11/nyregion/results-of-new-york-citys-mayoral-primaries.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Hopefully, there's no run off. I'm very pleased to see Quinn trounced.

Looks like you got your wish witch-king! Quinn apparently conceded too.

I’m really hoping there is indeed a run off.. Despite Bill De Blasio’s big lead in the Primary, I think Bill Thompson would actually have a pretty decent chance in a run off.

I think many of the people who voted for Quinn, Weiner, Liu, etc, might vote for Thompson in a runoff.

anon wrote: In fact, de Blasio’s record as a councilman demonstrated a willingness to work with developers to spur economic development and tackle the city's affordable housing crisis, using an approach to land use that at times bore a strong resemblance to Bloomberg's own.

For instance, de Blasio, like Bloomberg, was a staunch backer of the Atlantic Yards project, on the basis of the developer's promise to provide union construction jobs and more than 2,000 units of below-market housing.

Yes, that is how development happens.

The process is one of give and take between government and developers. Each has its own wants. Each has its own things to trade.

Here's a pretty well written article on DeBlasio's involvement with another nearby project, Gowanus:

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/currency/2013/09/bill-de-blasio-friend-of-real-estate-developers.html?utm_source=tny&utm_campaign=generalsocial&utm_medium=twitter

Hopefully he will be as successful as Bloomberg.

All I can say now is that I’m very disappointed I’ll have to vote for Bill De Blasio in November... De Blasio is better than Joe Lhota, but that's not saying much.

I can’t recall any other politician (Democrat or Republican) who held such powerful positions for 12 years, and yet made absolutely no changes.

sshhhh, he is the new hero of the left. They seem to think he will be able to make good on most of his promises, much as they did when Obama was first elected.

Note to readers: I voted for Obama, I'll vote for Deblasio.

DeBlasio is being seen as a shoe-in. The opposing forces are already predicting his first moves:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303442004579119440354602598.html?mod=WSJ_NY_LEFTTopStories

I do want to see how is going to increase the labor costs of firms that do business for the city, yet not pay them more.

If he pays them more, I do not want to see what will happen to NYC's presently balanced budget....

Oct 27:

Reporters are perceiving him as sounding more pragmatic, now that the race is drawing to a close.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/24/nyregion/a-more-nuanced-de-blasio-emerges.html?ref=billdeblasio&_r=0

Perhaps he perceives himself as being so far ahead of Lhota that he no longer feels a need to pander to the idealist dreams of the activist left. He can now present himself as someone who can accomplish things, despite the complex environment.

Can he solicit "anonymous" donations to cover most of the budget cuts he will enact, to maintain political support? ...Bloomberg was really good at that.

He is now so far ahead, he is beholden to no one.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/28/nyregion/de-blasio-in-position-to-win-mayors-race-by-historic-margin-poll-shows.html?ref=nyregion&_r=2&;

The traditional forces (such as the municipal unions) can't say "We helped get you elected, and we are going to hold you accountable".

Well to everybody's surprise DeBlasio won. Really with an alternative like Joe Lhota who could have seen this coming?

When I interview for my next job, I want Lhota to be my competition.

I have a friend who occasionally runs for office out in Nassau. Last time he ran against Peter King who's head of the terrorist subcommittee and will never lose and might even run for president in 2016. In any event, I think my friend garnered about 5% of the vote. Even most of the people in the Democrat party didn't vote for him. It was almost as if King ran unopposed.

I've come to believe that politics is rarely about qualifications.

...even if those who think DeBlasio is ideal for the job, have to admit that he is not going to have an easy four years ahead of him. This article hints at some of the challenges:

http://www.nydailynews.com/de-blasio-article-1.1511366

This article purports that the only way to fund the programs he (we?) seeks, is to grow NYC.

http://www.businessinsider.com/get-ready-for-the-de-blasio-construction-boom-in-new-york-city-2013-11

I can't wait to hear the whines from the people who want their neighborhood to remain quaint, and all of the building to occur elsewhere.

This is going to be awesome.

"In reality, it is not the affluent who are apt to be disappointed by a de Blasio administration, but those who voted for him with the expectation that the mayor could meaningfully change their lives."

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/17/opinion/sunday/chill-out-1-percenters.html?_r=0

Transition team named:

http://politicker.com/2013/11/bill-de-blasio-announces-60-names-for-transition-team/

The low information voter will believe that DeBlasio received a government that had a budget surplus, then quickly created deficits.

http://www.ibo.nyc.ny.us/iboreports/2013fiscaloutlook.pdf

Jan 1, 2014:NYC gets a new mayor for the first time in 12 years.