Category Archives: Bill de Blasio

Let 1 Million Trees Bloom (Updated)



Million TreesNYC 11-20-15It was smiles and praise as the 108th and 109th mayors of New York City appeared together this morning in the Bronx.  Michael Bloomberg and Bill de Blasio spoke at a ceremony marking the planting of more than 1 million trees in the City under the “MillionTreesNYC initiative.”  The program was launched during the Bloomberg administration, with inspiration and significant involvement by Bette Midler.

Bloomberg and de Blasio have rarely appeared together since de Blasio took office.  They recently crossed paths at the Al Smith Dinner, where Bloomberg delivered a funny, but stinging, “tribute” to the current mayor.  They previously shared a stage at de Blasio’s inauguration, which featured some biting critiques of the Bloomberg years.  Among those critiques was a speaker who referred to Bloomberg-era New York City as a “plantation.”  Today, however, they spoke of plantings, not plantations.

Bette Midler, Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., Council Member Mark Levine, Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver and  Executive Director of New York Restoration Project Deborah Marton also joined the ceremony, held at Joyce Kilmer Park in the Bronx.

Here are a few of our photos – our full photo gallery is available here.

Million TreesNYC 11-20-15

(Video on the continued page – click here.) Continue reading Let 1 Million Trees Bloom (Updated)

de Blasio Press Q&A: The Unisphere Edition



de Blasio FMCP 11-16-15Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced the creation of the Flushing Meadows Corona Park (FMCP) Alliance, formed with the goal of supporting and promoting the park.  Located in Northeast Queens, FMCP is approximately 900 acres and includes within it Citi Field and the National Tennis Center.  The Alliance is composed of a mix of government and commercial businesses, with some civic groups and labor.

de Blasio spoke outside the Queens Museum, also located within the FMCP, with the 1964 Worlds Fair Unisphere behind him.

Joined by Council member Julissa Ferreras-Copeland and Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver, de Blasio fielded both on topic and off topic questions.  He demurred on answering security-related questions, noting that he had a second press conference scheduled for this afternoon with Police Commissioner William Bratton and stating that he would address such questions at that later press conference.

Photo Gallery:

Our press conference photo gallery is here.

Flight 587 Memorial Service



IMG_5235Mayor de Blasio today attended his second Flight 587 memorial service as mayor, arriving early and avoiding a repeat of his 2014 public relations disaster.

IMG_5238The memorial service is held annually in Rockaway on the date of the 2001 crash of American Airlines flight #587, with a moment of silence timed to the exact moment of the crash.  Last year de Blasio infamously arrived after the moment of silence, bringing simmering discontent with his then-frequent lateness to a boil.  Today de Blasio arrived early, speaking with many mourners before the 9:05 ceremony began and visiting the granite memorial wall afterwards.  Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, NYS Senator Adriano Espaillat and NYS Assembly Member Guillermo Linares also attended.

Our full photo gallery is here.

de Blasio On Bloomberg’s Roast



“I thought it was first rate!”  That was Mayor Bill de Blasio’s reaction when asked today about his immediate predecessor’s roast of de Blasio last night at the Al Smith Dinner.  Michael Bloomberg’s speech was quite funny, but also stinging.

The mayor had just ended a post-Veterans Day Parade press Q&A and was walking away when a shouted question from WNBC TV’s Andrew Siff brought him back.

Bratton & de Blasio On Begging & Homelessness



From Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Monday press conference, Mayor de Blasio and Police Commissioner Bratton’s comments on homelessness and begging.  Among their responses was Bratton’s statement that New Yorkers should discourage begging by not giving money to people doing so.  de Blasio and Bratton were responding to a question from Marcia Kramer, with a photo she provided, on a specific person begging on the Upper West Side and why the NYPD did not address the situation.

de Blasio Press Q&A: The Zadroga Act Edition



Mayor Bill de Blasio today joined New York City members of the House of Representatives in urging newly elected House Speaker Paul Ryan to pass legislation permanently reauthorizing and fully funding the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Reauthorization Act.  de Blasio hosted a meeting and press conference at City Hall with   House members Charles B. Rangel, Joe Crowley, Carolyn Maloney, Jose Serrano, Nydia Velazquez, Hakeem Jeffries, Gregory Meeks and Yvette Clarke.  Dan Donovan attended the closed press meeting, but did not attend the press conference. Police Commissioner Bill Bratton and Public Advocate Tish James also attended the press conference.

de Blasio Press Conference 11-9-15

For Mayor de Blasio it was a moment of shared interest, if not unity, with a group that he’s had a variety of political differences with.  Renewal of the Zadroga Act, funding treatment for first responders ill from the effects of working in the wreckage of the World Trade Center, is a strongly shared interest transcending a variety of differences de Blasio has with City House members.  It faces strong opposition in the Republican Congress, however, and a floor vote in the House is not certain to occur.

Continue reading de Blasio Press Q&A: The Zadroga Act Edition

The Acting Mayor of Mets Nation



If you can’t be with the one you love, love the one you’re with.  Red Sox lover Bill de Blasio appears to have taken that advice to heart, doing his best to exude support for the Mets in their World Series quest.  de Blasio, who has previously said that “the 1986 World Series still does create certain twinges in my body“, managed to work in the 2004 Red Sox pennant victory over the Yankees despite being down 0-3 when asked about the Mets during a non Red Sox related press conference.

de Blasio Press Q&A: The 3rd Sandyversary Edition



Mayor Bill de Blasio marked the third anniversary of Hurricane Sandy today with a visit to Staten Island’s south shore.  Appearing in front of a home rebuilt by the Build It Back program, de Blasio lauded the progress in Build It Back during his administration.  He announced that the program is to be completed by the end of 2016 and detailed the evolution in the program from the time he took office.  Among the statistics he cited were “2,015 construction starts (including 1,217 construction completions), as well as 5,319 reimbursement checks totaling nearly $104 million”, while noting that each of these categories was at zero when he took office.

Press Q&A:

There was both on topic and off topic Q&A.

Here’s the full Q&A:

de Blasio Press Q&A: The Banjo* Edition



Mayor Bill de Blasio visited Breezy Point today, joined by Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro.  Their appearance two days ahead of the third anniversary of Hurricane Sandy’s landfall was intended to laud the progress in the City’s Build It Back program, and included a separate visit with a Breezy Point family just returned to their rebuilt home.  de Blasio and Castro were joined by Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, Assembly Member Phil Goldfeder (who represents Rockaway), Council Member, HPD Commissioner Vicki Been, Housing Recovery Office Director Amy Peterson, Resiliency Director Dan Zarilli, HUD Deputy Assistant Secretary Marion McFadden and HUD Regional Administrator Holly Leicht.

Press Q&A:

Mayor de Blasio’s staff had announced the press conference as fielding “on topic” questions only.  de Blasio implemented that restriction even more restrictively, declining to answer “on topic” questions addressing the planning and future operation of the ongoing recovery efforts.  Question topics included the estimated time for completion of all of the Sandy recovery home rebuilding, the implementation of new flood maps, whether de Blasio’s reported future endorsement of Hillary Clinton is tied to a longterm need for federal government assistance, whether in Secretary Castro’s view the City could do better on any element of Sandy recovery efforts, communicating an increased sense of urgency to City agencies, significant variations in the reported number of Build It Back applicants, how the City will continue its increased rate of repairs, details on the construction firms used in the program and praise for developer Gerry Romski.

Continue reading de Blasio Press Q&A: The Banjo* Edition

Photo Gallery: Columbus Day Parade



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As has become standard, Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio appeared separately at this morning’s Columbus Day Parade.  Governor/mayor tensions seem somewhat lower, at least momentarily, as both seem satisfied with their recent agreement on funding the MTA capital plan.  Continuing tensions on a variety of other issues is a virtual certainty, however, and neither appeared eager to discuss the other in their respective press Q&As.  As Governor Cuomo was ending his Q&A a reporter asked whether he had given “any thoughts about marching with the Mayor?”  “I normally march alone” Cuomo replied.

We caught up with both, however, and have photos from each appearance.

Our full photo gallery from this morning’s Columbus Day Parade is here.