NYC Transition

NEW YORK—Melissa Mark-Viverito became New York’s first Latino to hold citywide office Wednesday. City Council unanimously chose the East Harlem council member as its next speaker at its charter meeting for the 2014–2017 session.

NEW YORK—A day before the City Council vote for its next speaker, Mayor Bill de Blasio rejected a comparison that his working relationship with Melissa Mark-Viverito would resemble that of former Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former Council Speaker Christine Quinn.

NEW YORK—On Tuesday Mayor Bill de Blasio appointed his seven-member press team. Five members of the press team worked for de Blasio previously, either during his mayoral campaign or his time as public advocate. Two have worked as journalists before crossing the line between the press and public officials.

Thousands of people lined up on the grounds outside Gracie Mansion Sunday for a handshake and a picture with the city’s new mayor, Bill de Blasio.

NEW YORK— During an impromptu protest outside police headquarters, a handful of New Yorkers opposed the return of Police Commissioner Bill Bratton.

NEW YORK—Praised for the speedy launch of his transition team and for the unique process that the transition followed, the new mayor of New York City Bill de Blasio has been slow in making appointments to his administration.

NEW YORK—Ray Kelly’s tenure as commissioner of the largest police force in the United States was defined by a series of admirable accomplishments, catastrophic moments, and tactics widely questioned by city residents.

NEW YORK—Just under 24 hours after taking the oath of office at City Hall, Mayor Bill de Blasio found himself on the other side Thursday. De Blasio administered the oath of office to his new Police Commissioner Bill Bratton in a ceremony at One Police Plaza.

Bill de Blasio became the 109th mayor. Former President Bill Clinton, who stressed the urgency of addressing inequality, administered the oath. Letitia James took the office of public advocate, and Scott Stringer became the city’s comptroller. All campaigned to bring progressive change and rid the city of the conservative policies that have ruled for two decades.

Bill de Blasio kicked off the new year living a dream: taking the oath of office to become mayor of the City of New York. The event was live streamed on nyc.gov.

NEW YORK—Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio named veteran labor negotiator Robert Linn as labor relations director Tuesday, just hours before his inauguration. Linn will be tasked with negotiating the renewal of municipal labor contracts for all 300,000 city workers.

NEW YORK—The red digits on the countdown clock in City Hall flashed zeros—the days left in Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s tenure. Some numbers will remain after he is long gone. They compose his legacy, which speaks for itself.

NEW YORK—Just 48 hours before taking office, Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio appointed his schools chancellor, Carmen Farina, a former teacher, principal, and superintendent with 40 years of experience in the New York City public school system.

NEW YORK—Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio appointed former United States Attorney Zachary Carter as the city’s chief lawyer Sunday.

20 years ago, more than 2,200 people were murdered each year in New York City. That number is now less than 350, which Bloomberg calls “a huge success story.”