Bravo, Mr. de Blasio.
Despite the delicious political brouhaha over whether the mayor was foolish to attack the governor for failing to support him, it was important for the city to hear from Bill de Blasio why he thinks his ambitious agenda has been blocked.
In Queens, we wonder why Gov. Andrew Cuomo extended mayoral control for six years to former Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a nominal Republican, but only gave de Blasio—a fellow Democrat—one year. We’re also puzzled that Cuomo fought the mayor’s tax plan to encourage developers to build critically needed affordable housing and let the rent regulations law die on the vine before they were resurrected in much the same form days later.
As we have noted before, these are two grown and powerful men locked in a school yard rumble that has serious repercussions for Queens and the other boroughs. Both are Democrats facing a divided state Legislature, where the Republicans control the upper house.
A united Democratic front could do wonders for this city of 8.5 million.
Our mayor is not always politically adept. He has made some big blunders such as showing up late for the annual memorial service for the Flight 587 victims in Belle Harbor and snubbing his longtime patron, Hillary Clinton, by withholding support for her campaign platform.
But Cuomo, an astute lawmaker, has also stumbled by dismantling his ethics commission before the other two men in the room were indicted on corruption charges and allowing the latest budget deal to go through without a penny for the beleaguered MTA. Queens is a transit wasteland and deserves better public transportation.
A frustrated de Blasio called a press conference last week to accuse the governor of playing games and seeking revenge. Cuomo responded in a terse statement saying coalition-building was the way to get things done.
Is that why the Dream Act was never passed to provide tuition to certain immigrant students or the minimum wage not lifted?
Whatever war of egos may be at play, de Blasio was right to speak out. Regardless of what the pundits say, he had little to lose. His key programs are in lockdown and the city is not getting a fair shake from Albany.
At least now we will be able to better evaluate Cuomo’s stands on city issues and decide whether Queens’ native son is really seeking revenge after all.
