Was Michael Bloomberg New York Citys Greatest Mayor
- Read in app
When you purchase an independently reviewed book through our site, we earn an affiliate commission.
THE MANY LIVES OF MICHAEL BLOOMBERGBy Eleanor Randolph
No one is more closely associated with New York Citys 21st-century renaissance than Michael Bloomberg. A self-made multibillionaire , the Boston-born technocrat transformed the city in his 12 years as mayor. Crime plummeted, schools improved, racial tensions eased, the arts flourished, tourism boomed and city coffers swelled. Despite some personal flaws , policy fiascoes and his antidemocratic procedural end run to secure himself a third term, Bloomberg ranks by any fair reckoning as one of Gothams all-time greatest leaders. I say this having voted against him three times.
For all his accomplishments, though, Bloomberg seems to belong to a bygone era. Since he left office in 2014, Americans appear to have forgotten why he became a figure of historic importance in the first place.
The veteran political journalist Eleanor Randolph, who until 2016 wrote about the mayor as a member of the New York Times editorial board, has come to remind us. Her new biography, The Many Lives of Michael Bloomberg, is an excellent introduction not only to the mans tenure as mayor but also to his rise as a Wall Street trader, technology innovator and media magnate . Had he run for president this year, the book would have found a place on every political junkies shelf.
Other Educational And Research Philanthropy
Through Bloomberg Philanthropies, Bloomberg established the American Talent Initiative in 2016 which is committed to increasing the number of lower-income high-achieving students attending elite colleges. Bloomberg Philanthropies also supports CollegePoint which has provided advising to lower- and moderate-income high school students since 2014.
In 2016, the Museum of Science, Boston announced a $50 million gift from Bloomberg. The donation marks Bloomberg’s fourth gift to the museum, which he credits with sparking his intellectual curiosity as a patron and student during his youth in Medford, Massachusetts. The endowment supported the museum’s education division, named the William and Charlotte Bloomberg Science Education Center in honor of Bloomberg’s parents. It is the largest donation in the museum’s 186-year history.
In 2015, Bloomberg donated $100 million to Cornell Tech, the applied sciences graduate school of Cornell University, to construct the first academic building, “The Bloomberg Center”, on the school’s Roosevelt Island campus.
In 1996, Bloomberg endowed the William Henry Bloomberg Professorship at Harvard University with a $3 million gift in honor of his father, who died in 1963, saying, “throughout his life, he recognized the importance of reaching out to the nonprofit sector to help better the welfare of the entire community.”
Years Of Mayor Bloomberg
- Read in app
When he walked into the mayors office 12 years ago, businessman and billionaire Michael Bloomberg took charge of a damaged city. The World Trade Center was a windblown construction site, barely cleared after the attacks on Sept. 11. Tourists were afraid to come to the city residents were afraid to stay. The budget was a disaster, $3 billion to $5 billion in the red. In a modest speech at an intentionally modest inauguration, Mr. Bloomberg nevertheless pledged to rebuild and renew New York and to keep it the capital of the free world.
As he leaves office this week, Mr. Bloomberg has, in many ways, fulfilled that promise. New York is once again a thriving, appealing city where, Mr. Bloomberg boasts, more people are moving in than out. More than 54 million tourists, the most ever, crowded the streets in 2013. The crime rate is down, the transportation system is more efficient, the environment is cleaner. He leaves a $2.4 billion budget surplus, which could give the next mayor, Bill de Blasio, some flexibility in his negotiations with the unions.
On the plus side, one of his underappreciated accomplishments was to make public service a valued vocation for a new group of urban experts. Despite the occasional mistake, he hired mostly top-notch professionals without political pedigrees, and challenged them to try new ideas.
Read Also: Tolls Calculator New York
Mayor Bloomberg’s Legacy: The Good The Bad And The Ugly
Michael Bloomberg’s extraordinary 12-year term as mayor of New york has just ended. This is an opportune time to review the billionaire mayor’s mixed-bag legacy — the good, the bad, and the ugly.
For the sake of civility, let’s start with the good.
My only government job began with Bloomberg’s first term, in January 2002. Lower Manhattan’s newly elected City Council Member Alan Gerson asked me to set aside my media work to serve as the policy director for his newly-commissioned Committee on Lower Manhattan Redevelopment. I also advised the council member on budgetary issues, and in reviewing the new mayor’s unexpected plan to immediately raise real estate taxes by 18 percent.
In the wake of the September 11 attacks only months earlier, New York City’s finances had headed into dire straits. Simultaneous to Bush-Cheney’s infamous tax cuts for the rich — and exploding deficits — a mayor who had come to power on the Republican ticket had initiated the largest city tax increase in modern history. Our City Council voted 41 to 6 to raise billions of dollars to retain essential city services. Mayor Bloomberg was a phenomenal fiscal manager, and as a result, Mayor Bill de Blasio will inherit a $2 billion budget surplus this year.
It also has its drawbacks, when that same king is imperious, arrogant, disregards criticism, and is out of touch with the lives of ordinary New Yorkers. But more on this when I get to the bad and ugly.
Johns Hopkins University Philanthropy
As of 2019, Bloomberg has given more than $3.3 billion to Johns Hopkins University, his alma mater, making him “the most generous living donor to any education institution in the United States.” His first contribution, in 1965, had been $5. He made his first $1 million commitment to JHU in 1984, and subsequently became the first individual to exceed $1 billion in lifetime donations to a single U.S. institution of higher education.
Also Check: Apply For Medicaid Nyc
Lifting New York City
In 2001, just weeks after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, Bloomberg was elected mayor of New York City. He and his team rallied New Yorkers and led the citys resurgence, writing one of the great comeback stories in American history. He turned around a broken public school system by raising standards and making new investments in schools. He spurred economic growth and record levels of job creation by revitalizing old industrial areas, helping small businesses open and expand, and connecting New Yorkers to new skills and jobs. Thanks to policies he put in place, the city recovered from the global recession far faster and stronger than the country overall.
Mayor Bloombergs passion for public health led to ambitious new strategies that became national models, including a ban on smoking in all indoor workplaces, as well as at parks and beaches. Life expectancy grew by three years during his time in office. He also launched cutting-edge anti-poverty efforts, including the Young Mens Initiative and the Center for Economic Opportunity, whose ground-breaking programs have been replicated across the country. As a result, New York Citys welfare rolls fell 25 percent, and New York was the only big city in the country not to experience an increase in poverty between 2000 and 2012.
Mayor Bloomberg also created innovative plans to fight climate change and promote sustainable development, which helped cut the citys carbon footprint by 13 percent.
Michael Bloomberg’s 12 Years At The Helm Of New York City Come To An End
Over the course of three elections and 12 years, Michael Bloomberg spent more than $260m of his own money on first winning, and then holding tightly on to, New York city’s mayoralty.
On New Year’s Day though, his three terms in office end and he is handing power over without a fight.
Bloomberg leaves office having in many ways defined the New York city of the early 21st century, and having ensured that for the near future at least the city will be shaped in his own image.
Once a Republican, eventually accused in some quarters of attempting to create a nanny state, Bloomberg left his fingerprints on New York’s public health, policing, education system and skyline.
Whole neighbourhoods, entire sections of the city, changed in fundamental ways over the 12 years disused Brooklyn waterfronts became sparkling high-rise apartments and districts once dominated by warehouses and blue-collar jobs were reimagined as parks for families and tourists to enjoy.
Bloomberg’s administration poured money into redeveloping Manhattan’s far west side, backing a $2.4bn extension of a subway line to carry passengers to projects such as Hudson Yards and Manhattan West, which will take years to complete but will eventually see once-neglected areas turned into developments for businesses and luxury apartments.
The change has been striking, and many areas have undoubtedly been cleaned up and made more desirable. But that has not always been good news for people living in the city.
Also Check: New York Dmv Car Registration
Bloomberg Alumni Are Back In Action And Turning On Their Own
Bloombergs former aides are now back in the mix, shaping the race to choose de Blasios successor.
04/01/2021 07:55 PM EDT
-
Link Copied
NEW YORK Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg had a knack for attracting top-tier staff and commanding loyalty in the City Hall he ran for more than a decade as well as the campaigns he waged to get there.
But as those staffers take up positions in opposing camps for this years Democratic mayoral primary, the Bloomberg alumni are lobbing grenades at each other, on the trail and online, as the candidates grow more restive by the day referring to their former trenchmates as tone-deaf, disingenuous and one candidates supporters as a clown car.
For 12 years, Bloomberg dominated city politics a billionaire three-term mayor who first ran as a Republican but launched a public health push against tobacco and sugary drinks, and was a prominent gun control and environmental advocate. Since 2014, though, Mayor Bill de Blasio has largely repudiated his legacy and exiled most of his loyalists from City Hall. Bloombergs former aides are now back in the mix, shaping the race to choose de Blasios successor.
Chris Coffey, who spent twelve years in Bloombergs City Hall and mayoral campaigns, is the co-campaign manager for frontrunner Andrew Yang. The firm he works for, Tusk Strategies, is headed by Bradley Tusk, Bloombergs 2009 campaign manager.
Coffey said his fellow operatives are piling on Yang because of his frontrunner status.
Where Does Mike Bloomberg Live And How Big Is His House
Former New York City mayor and 2020 democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg got into a heated exchange with fellow candidate Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders on Feb. 19, 2020, concerning the topic of homeownership. The tense conversation went down at the democratic debate in Nevada when Sanders was tasked with defending himself against voters who said they’d be “uncomfortable with a socialist candidate.” While explaining his position, the 2020 contender blasted Bloomberg for incorrectly calling him a “communist” earlier in the evening, and then explained why billionaires shouldn’t enjoy an unfair advantage. Bloomberg didn’t seem to appreciate the takedown, snarking on Sanders, “What a wonderful country we have. The best known socialist in the country happens to be a millionaire with three houses. What did I miss here?”
Although it’s true the senator does own three properties , the businessman’s quip seemed to backfire on him because it opened up a can of worms regarding his own hefty real estate portfolio. As it turns out, Bloomberg owns an eyeopening amount of homes with large price tags. Here’s everything you need to know about where Mike Bloomberg lives and how big his house is.
Recommended Reading: Nyc To Italy Flight Time
Michael Bloombergs Many Houses: A Somewhat Complete List
To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories.
- Save Story
To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories.
Everyone with a television can agree: Mike Bloombergdid not do so well at the Democratic debate last week. The billionaire former mayor of New York City suffered blinding attacks from Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, and the rest of the group, and was mostly unsuccessful in his attempts to turn the tables. He did, however, throw out one practiced line about Sanders: The best-known socialist in the country happens to be a millionaire with three houses.
Sanders replied by detailing his real estate portfolio, which, like many members of Congress, includes a house in D.C. as well as a house in his hometown, in his case Burlington, Vermont. He also has a summer home on Lake Champlain. Which tax haven is your home? he asked Bloomberg.
Bloomberg retorted that he pays taxes and lives in New York City, but the truth, of course, is much more complicatedand luxurious. Bloomberg does live in New York, and depending on how you count them, he reportedly has eight homes in the state. He also reportedly owns several properties in London, Florida, Colorado, and Bermuda, where locals have referred to him as a part-time resident.
Mayoralty Of Michael Bloomberg
The mayoralty of Michael Bloomberg began on January 1, 2002, when Michael Bloomberg was inaugurated as the 108thmayor of New York City, and ended on December 31, 2013.
Bloomberg was known as a political pragmatist and for a managerial style that reflected his experience in the private sector. Bloomberg chose to apply a statistical, results-based approach to city management, appointing city commissioners based on their expertise and granting them wide autonomy in their decision-making. Breaking with 190 years of tradition, Bloomberg implemented a “bullpen” open plan office, reminiscent of a Wall Streettrading floor, in which dozens of aides and managerial staff are seated together in a large chamber. The design was intended to promote accountability and accessibility. At the end of Bloomberg’s three terms, the New York Times said, “New York is once again a thriving, appealing city where the crime rate is down, the transportation system is more efficient, the environment is cleaner.”
Also Check: Pay Traffic Tickets Online Nyc
A Fixer Or A Bully: New Yorkers Have Opinions On Bloomberg As Mayor
- Read in app
Compiled by Aidan Gardiner
New Yorkers have never been shy about voicing their opinions. So, with Michael R. Bloomberg making preparations for a presidential run, we asked readers who lived through the Bloomberg administration to tell us how that experience shaped their view of him as a potential president. More than 800 responded. We asked our politics reporter Stephanie Saul to reflect on Mr. Bloombergs legacy as we shared a selection of our readers comments, which have been lightly edited.
When Michael R. Bloombergs three-term mayoralty ended in 2013, he left behind a city that had been remarkably transformed during his 12 years in office. He had taken over in 2002, when New York was on its knees economically and spiritually, reeling from the September 11, 2001, World Trade Center attacks. He set about rebuilding the city.
I loved how Bloomberg lowered crime, banned smoking, eliminated trans fats and built green parks. I like his reputation for delegation. And I loved how it wasnt legal to pee in public. Amy Giroux, Manhattan
New Yorkers also became more health conscious. He required calorie counts on fast food, banned smoking in bars and restaurants, and installed bike lanes and a bike-sharing system.
He brought a C.E.O.s touch to the school system, abolishing the old Board of Education, bringing in outsiders to run things and providing city space to charter schools.
Public Image And Lifestyle
Throughout his business career, Bloomberg has made numerous statements which have been considered by some to be insulting, derogatory, sexist or misogynistic. When working on Wall Street in the 1960s and 1970s, Bloomberg claimed in his 1997 autobiography, he had “a girlfriend in every city”. On various occasions, Bloomberg allegedly commented “I’d do her”, regarding certain women, some of whom were coworkers or employees. Bloomberg later said that by “do”, he meant that he would have a personal relationship with the woman. Bloomberg’s staff told the New York Times that he now regrets having made “disrespectful” remarks concerning women.
During his term as mayor, he lived at his own home on the Upper East Side of Manhattan instead of Gracie Mansion, the official mayoral residence. In 2013, he owned 13 properties in various countries around the world, including a $20 million Georgian mansion in Southampton, New York. In 2015, he acquired 4 Cheyne Walk, a historical property in Cheyne Walk, Chelsea, London, which once belonged to writer George Eliot. Bloomberg and his daughters own houses in Bermuda and stay there frequently.
Read Also: Registering A Car In Nys
New York City Mayoral Election
AdamsSliwa
The 2021 New York City mayoral election was held on November 2, 2021. Incumbent Mayor Bill de Blasio was term-limited and ineligible to run for re-election.
On June 22, 2021, the primary elections for the Democratic and Republican primaries were held. The 2021 primaries were the first New York City mayoral election primaries to use ranked-choice voting rather than the plurality voting of previous primaries. On election night, Guardian Angels founder and radio talk show host Curtis Sliwa won the Republican primary with 67.9% of the vote, defeating New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers founder Fernando Mateo.BrooklynBorough President and former police officer Eric Adams had a lead on election night in the Democratic primary but did not reach 50% of the vote, meaning that ranked-choice voting would come into play. In the final round of ranked-choice voting in the Democratic primary, Adams defeated former New York City Department of Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia, 50.4%49.6%.
In the general election, Adams handily defeated Sliwa with 67.0% of the vote to become the 110th Mayor of New York City and the city’s second African-American Mayor.