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Nevin Al Sukari - Sana'a - Former New York mayors David Dinkins (L) and Ed Koch. — AFP pic
NEW YORK, Oct 31 — New York’s mayors are an eclectic bunch — from uniters to heroes-turned-villains and those accused of corruption.
Here is what to know about five of the most high-profile mayors of the Big Apple as the city prepares to pick its 111th leader on November 4.
Fiorello La Guardia (1934–1945)
La Guardia lends his name to New York’s first major airport, inaugurated in 1939, a recognition of his role as the builder of modern New York.
He remains the preferred mayor of present-day candidates Zohran Mamdani and Andrew Cuomo.
Born in New York to Italian parents and raised between the US and Italy, La Guardia was one of many city leaders of immigrant descent.
A progressive Republican, he was elected by opposing Tammany Hall, the Democratic hub that had controlled the city for a century.
Nicknamed “the Little Flower,” he led the city during the Great Depression, collaborating with president Franklin Roosevelt.
Under La Guardia’s administration, New York developed public housing, a modernised subway system, new parks and two airports, and reformed its welfare system.
The orator: Ed Koch (1978–1989)
Koch famously described himself as “the sort of person who will never get ulcers. Why? Because I say exactly what I think.”
Born in New York in 1924 to Polish Jewish parents, he studied law before entering politics.
The city faced high crime and a financial crisis when he took office.
The Democrat, who described himself as “liberal with sanity,” imposed austerity while renovating thousands of abandoned homes.
He famously pounded the sidewalks, asking passers-by “How’m I doin’?”
His tenure ended marred by corruption scandals involving close associates, the closure of a hospital serving Black residents, and criticism of his AIDS policy.
Diversity champion: David Dinkins (1990–1993)
New York’s first African American mayor championed diversity, calling it a “gorgeous mosaic.”
Born in neighbouring New Jersey, Dinkins served in the military before studying mathematics and law.
His marriage to the daughter of a New York State Assembly member propelled him into politics.
He was unable to secure re-election after battling rising crime and racial tensions.
This culminated in 1991’s Brooklyn riots after a rabbi’s motorcade hit two Black children, killing one.
Dinkins strengthened police and supported community mediation and racial integration, laying the groundwork for a sustained drop in crime and more inclusive policies.
‘America’s mayor’: Rudy Giuliani (1994–2001)
The first Republican mayor in 20 years in true-blue New York, Giuliani cut spending and cracked down on crime.
He pushed the controversial “broken windows theory,” insisting on zero tolerance for low-level lawbreaking.
Critics accused him of ignoring police brutality, noting crime was declining nationwide anyway.
Giuliani’s management of the September 11, 2001 attacks aftermath earned him the nickname “America’s Mayor” — and Time magazine’s Person of the Year.
After an unsuccessful 2008 Republican presidential run, he joined Donald Trump’s campaign to overturn Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential victory.
Ex-attorney Giuliani has since been repeatedly sued for defamation and disbarred in New York.
The progressive: Bill de Blasio (2014–2021)
This Democratic outsider courted voters emphasising the city’s economic divisions after 12 years under independent Michael Bloomberg’s leadership.
His progressive wins included universal pre-kindergarten and a reduction in police stop-and-frisk actions.
But de Blasio’s policies aimed at promoting affordable housing failed to curb rising rents and homelessness.
His attempt to introduce a “millionaire’s tax” to fund his social programmes was blocked by state legislators.
He struggled to engage police unions following the Black Lives Matter protests in 2014 and 2020, and is remembered for a stuttering response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
He abandoned his presidential ambitions in 2020 amid a lack of support. — AFP
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