Scott Stringer: “We are going to rebuild this city stronger than ever”

Supported by a coalition of supporters, mostly leaders of the Democratic Progressive Wing, the comptroller of the city of New York Scott Stringer, made official this Tuesday what was not a secret for the political establishment, his mayoral candidacyoffering a vision for the recovery of the city and a plan for “Return leadership to the Council.”

Stringer made the announcement in Inwood Hill Parkin it Alto Manhattannear his childhood home, while flanked by leaders from the city’s four boroughs, who declared their support for the proposed campaign and policy to address the growing challenges of the Big Apple.

“This city is strong. Our people are strong. But they shouldn’t have to fight on their own. The measure of our success in recovering from this pandemic cannot be whether the Dow Jones continues to rise. The measure of our success should instead be whether we ultimately build a city for all,” Stringer said in his speech.

A man forged in politics

Stringer, a long-career politician with deep ties within the Democratic Party, will run in the Democratic primary in June 2021. His campaign will try to simultaneously appeal to New Yorkers who yearn for a steady hand amid the crisis and to left-wing Democrats. that demand a total reform.

Stringer’s mother was a member of the Council. Both his father and his stepfather worked in local government. Stringer was appointed to the Washington Heights community board at the age of 16, and would later go on to work in the office of then-Assemblyman Jerry Nadler.

The former comptroller spoke at length about how his personal experiences, from growing up in Washington Heights during the fiscal crisis of the 1970s, to the death of his mother, Arlene Stringer-Cuevas, from the coronavirus in April, shaped his views. about the needs of the city and what he would do if he were elected mayor.

Stringer presented a comprehensive policy plan, emphasizing that “we cannot reopen this economy the way we closed it down.” In his speech, he also spoke about his management and governance approach.

“As with all positions I have held, the Council under my supervision will operate with the highest levels of integrity. We will recruit a diverse team of top government experts and professionals. I’ll ask for your hardest work and your best ideas, and I’ll let you do your job. We will chase the big ideas and worry about the little things,” Stringer said.

Broad coalition of support

Supporting Stringer’s campaign were leaders from all four counties, including state Sens. Jessica Ramos, Alessandra Biaggi and Assemblywoman Yuh-Line Niou.

“The next mayor of the city should be Scott Stringer. The next four years of recovery will require a deep-seated love for our city, accountability in governance, and bold leadership on unpopular issues. Our Comptroller has demonstrated his abilities and deserves the worthy promotion,” said Senator Jessica Ramos.

Stringer has so far managed to raise $2.3 million for the campaign, more than any other mayoral candidate.

“Scott Stringer has consistently fought on the side of economic and social justice, and his commitment to leading our city ​​through any crisis is incomparable,” declared Senator Julia Salazar

In the Democratic primary, which has been moved from September to June, Stringer will face a range of candidates who variously champion their fight against racism and sexism.

“With a proven track record as an advocate for marginalized communities, Stringer has shown compassion and fervor in the fight for justice. Stringer’s leadership and progressive policies are exactly what this city needs as we recover from the pandemic,” said Assemblywoman Catalina Cruz.

So far, African-American attorney Maya Wiley, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, have announced that they will run. Council President Corey Johnson is another of the officials considering entering the Manhattan race. They were joined this Tuesday by Kathryn García, who resigned from her position as Health Commissioner.

Main proposals

• Stringer’s plan includes tackling the city’s budget crisis with a multi-pronged approach, eliminating excessive spending at city agencies, pursuing specific revenue generation, and limiting any borrowing to ensure the city does not enter a cycle of dependency. because of overwhelming debt.
• Jump-start the city’s economy, with a focus on neighborhood small businesses and retail, offering cash assistance to businesses hardest hit by COVID-19, supporting minority- and women-owned businesses.
• Stringer says he will prioritize addressing New York City’s persistent homelessness and affordability crisis by instituting the Universal Affordable Housing (UAH) plan.
• It proposes to support families and care for New York children under the age of 3. Stringer’s plan envisions a robust and rapid expansion of child care that would triple the number of children receiving city-supported care.
• He will take aggressive action on climate justice by instituting a moratorium on new fossil fuel infrastructure in the city. Proposes a resiliency plan that protects all 520 miles of New York City’s coastline, not just lower Manhattan.
• Finally, he plans to shift responsibility for non-criminal and social issues to the police and invest resources in communities that have long been criminalized and victimized by police violence.