Mayor — Past Speakers — The Common Good

Since assuming office as Mayor of New York City in 2014, Bill de Blasio has developed and executed transformative initiatives including Pre-K for All; Paid Sick Leave; neighborhood policing; IDNYC; and Housing New York, the largest, most ambitious affordable housing plan in the nation.

He began his career in public service in 1989 as part of David N. Dinkins’ successful and historic mayoral campaign and worked in the Dinkins Administration. Over the next decade, de Blasio served as regional director at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; as a school board member for Brooklyn School District 15; and as head of Hillary Rodham Clinton’s historic campaign in 2000 for the U.S. Senate. In 2002, de Blasio joined the New York City Council, representing Brooklyn’s 39th district. During his two terms, de Blasio fought to improve public education, expand affordable housing, protect tenants’ rights, and reform social services for families and children.

De Blasio is currently running in the 2020 presidential elections.

Twitter: @NYCMayor

Rachel Frazin, ‘New York City emergency workers slam de Blasio's focus on soccer pay inequality’, The Hill, 10 July 19

‘109th Mayor of New York City’, The Official Website of the City of New York, 2019

static.politico.jpg — Mayor Ed Koch ✝

American lawyer, politician

Ed Koch is the former Mayor of New York City. During his three terms as Mayor from 1978-1989, he was responsible for placing the City on a GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Practices) balanced budget basis. He created a housing program which, over a ten-year period, provided more than 150,000 units of affordable housing financed by City funds in the amount of $5.1 billion.

Koch was drafted into the Army where he served with the 104th Infantry Division. He served in the European Theater of Operations, received two battle stars, the Combat Infantry badge, and he was honorably discharged with the rank of Sergeant in 1946. Prior to being Mayor, Koch served for nine years as a Congressman and two years as a member of the New York City Council. He has also written many books on his life and experience.

Koch died of heart failure on February 1, 2013, at 89.

He was hosted by The Common Good in 2010: Ed Koch on the Reform of New York's Government.