Michael Bloomberg

Michael Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg Michael Bloomberg Michael Bloomberg
Mayor of New York City
Incumbent
Assumed office 2001
Preceded by	Rudy Giuliani
Personal details
Born	February 14, 1942 Boston, Massachusetts
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Susan Brown (divorced)
Children	Georgina, Emma
Residence	New York

Michael Rubens "Mike" Bloomberg (born February 14, 1942) is a prominent American businessman, the founder of Bloomberg L.P., and the current Mayor of the City of New York. Although a Republican in a predominantly liberal city, the Mayor has gained blocs of support from people of various political backgrounds.

Personal life and business career

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Michael Bloomberg on Wall Street.

Bloomberg was born in Boston, Massachusetts, at St. Elizabeth's Hospital, in a neighborhood known as Brighton, on February 14, 1942. He lived at 100 Brainerd Road, in the Boston neighborhood of Allston, until he was two years old, when the family moved to Atherton Road, in Brookline, Massachusetts. When he was four, the American Jewish family moved to Medford, Massachusetts, a Boston suburb. He lived there until after he graduated college. He is an Eagle Scout. He attended Johns Hopkins University, where he joined Phi Kappa Psi, and graduated in 1964 with a B.S. degree in electrical engineering. Later he received his MBA degree from Harvard Business School.

Bloomberg was a general partner at Salomon Brothers, where he headed equity trading, sales and, later, systems development. He made his fortune with his own company, Bloomberg L.P., selling financial information terminals to Wall Street firms; the company also began a radio network (the flagship station is 1130 WBBR-AM in New York City).

Bloomberg is among the world's richest people. He was ranked 34th by Forbes magazine in its list of 400 Richest Americans in September 2004. He was ranked 94th in the Forbes List of the 500 Richest People in the World in March 2005.

His daughters by former wife, British-born Susan Brown, are Georgina Bloomberg (who has been featured on Born Rich, a documentary film about the children of the extremely wealthy) and Emma Bloomberg. His younger sister, Marjorie Tiven, is Commissioner of the New York City Commission for the United Nations, Consular Corps and Protocol. His mother, Charlotte Bloomberg, is still alive, in her nineties, and reported to be in good health. His current girlfriend is state banking superintendent Diana Taylor.

He has written an autobiography, Bloomberg by Bloomberg (1997, ISBN 0-471-15545-4).

Bloomberg does not reside in Gracie Mansion, the official mayor's mansion, but at his own home elsewhere on the Upper East Side (79th Street between Madison and Fifth avenues). He maintains his home address in the white pages and is known to ride the subway to City Hall every morning, even during periods of heightened terrorist alert.

Philanthropy

Forbes and other sources report his net worth at US$5 billion, which, in addition to aiding his political career, has allowed him to engage in substantial philanthropy, including the donation of over US$200 million to Johns Hopkins University, where he served as the chairman of the board from 1996 to 2002. His charitable contributions were such that he was ranked seventh in the United States in philanthropy.

2001 election

In 2001 the incumbent mayor, Rudy Giuliani, was ineligible for re-election, as New York limits the mayoralty to two terms. Several well-known New York City politicians aspired to succeed him. Bloomberg, a lifelong member of the Democratic Party, decided to run for mayor as a member of the Republican Party, reportedly to avoid the crowded field in the Democratic primary.

Voting in the primary began on the morning of September 11. Later that day, however, because of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center, the primary was postponed. In the rescheduled primary, Bloomberg defeated Herman Badillo, a former Congressman, to become the Republican nominee. The Democratic primary did not produce a first-round winner. There was a runoff, in which the nomination went to New York City Public Advocate Mark J. Green.

In the general election, Bloomberg had Giuliani's endorsement. He also enjoyed a huge spending advantage. New York City's campaign finance law restricted the contributions a candidate could accept, but Bloomberg exercised his right to opt out of this law, attracting some criticism. He spent some $73 million of his own money on his campaign, outspending Green by five to one. [2] One of the major themes of his campaign was that, with the city's economy suffering from the effects of the attacks, it needed a mayor with business experience.

In addition to being the Republican nominee, Bloomberg had the ballot line of the controversial Independence Party, in which "Social Therapy" leaders Fred Newman and Lenora Fulani exert strong influence. The latter proved important, as Bloomberg's votes on that line exceeded his margin of victory over Green. (Under New York's fusion rules, a candidate can run on more than one party's line and cumulate all the votes received on all lines. Green, the Democrat, also had the ballot line of the Working Families Party.) Another factor was the vote on Staten Island, which has traditionally been far friendlier to Republicans than the rest of the city. Bloomberg crushed Green in that borough, taking 75% of the vote there. Overall, Bloomberg won 50% to 48%.

Bloomberg declined the mayor's salary, accepting remuneration of $1.00 annually. He is considered a liberal Republican, who is pro-choice, in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage and an advocate for stricter gun control laws.

Policies

Bloomberg giving a speech in August 2004.

Bloomberg has said he wants reforming public education to be the legacy of his first term and addressing poverty to be the legacy of his second. He is known as a political pragmatist and for a managerial style that reflects his experience in the private sector. Bloomberg has chosen to apply a statistical, results-based approach to city management, appointing city commissioners based on their expertise and granting them wide autonomy in their decision-making. Breaking with 190 years of tradition, Bloomberg implemented a "bullpen" open office plan, reminiscent of a Wall Street trading floor, in which dozens of aides and managerial staff are seated together in a large chamber. The design is intended to promote accountability and accessibility.

On January 30, 2006, Bloomberg fired Edward Greenwood IX, employed as an assistant in the city's lobbying office in Albany, after finding him playing solitaire on a computer in his office. "The workplace is not an appropriate place for games," Bloomberg said. "It's a place where you've got to do the job that you're getting paid for." [3] (See also: Austin M. Allran)

Education

Bloomberg's first mayorality coincided with a major shift of authority over the city's public school system from the state government to the city government. From 1968 until 2000, New York City's schools were managed by the Board of Education, which was comprised of seven members. Only two of the seven were appointed by the mayor, which meant the City had a minority of representatives on the board and the mayor's ability to shape education policy was greatly diminished. In addition to the Board, 25 local school boards also played a part in running the system. In 2000, the local boards and Board of Education were abolished and replaced with a new mayoral agency, the Department of Education.

Bloomberg appointed Joel Klein as Schools Chancellor to run the new department, which was based at the renovated Tweed Courthouse near City Hall. Under Bloomberg and Chancellor Klein, test scores have risen and the City has obtained a higher percentage of funding from the state budget. Bloomberg opposes social promotion, and favors after-school and summer school programs to help schoolchildren catch up, rather than allowing them to advance to the next grade level when they may be unprepared. Despite often tense relations with teachers' unions, he avoided a teacher strike by concluding a contract negotiation in which teachers received an average raise of 15% in exchange for givebacks and productivity increases.[4]

Bloomberg has enforced a strengthened cellphone ban in city schools that had its roots dating to a 1988 school system ban on pagers. The ban is controversial among parents, who are more concerned since September 11, 2001 with their ability to contact their children. Administration representatives have noted that students are distracted in class by cellphones and often use them inappropriately, in some instances sending and receiving text messages, taking photographs, surfing the Internet, and playing video games, and that cellphone bans exist in other cities including Detroit and Philadelphia.

Social policy

Bloomberg claims to support the legalization of same-sex marriage in New York. However, he appealed a decision finding the limiting of same-sex marriage unconstitutional. "My personal opinion is that anybody should be allowed to marry anybody. I don't happen to think we should put restrictions on who you should marry.... What the city doesn't want to have happen is people getting a marriage license and then six months, or one year later, or two years later, finding out it's meaningless," he has said.[5]

Public health

Bloomberg extended the city's smoking ban to all commercial establishments, removing the last indoor public areas in which one could smoke in the city: bars and nightclubs. The smoking ban took effect in March 2003. Bloomberg's smoking ban is considered trend-setting as across America and Europe and other regions of the world, smoking bans are now becoming widespread.

Immigration

Bloomberg is a supporter of immigration reform to secure the rights of illegal aliens, who comprise a large part of the population of New York City. He argues that deportation breaks up families and scares illegal aliens away from cooperating with law enforcement or accessing vital social services; as such, he supports proposals like those put forth by U.S. Senators Ted Kennedy and John McCain, which would normalize the status of otherwise law-abiding illegal aliens already present. Bloomberg also believes that border enforcement is somewhat futile. He told the Senate, "It is as if we expect border control agents to do what a century of communism could not: Defeat the natural forces of supply and demand and defeat the natural human instinct for freedom and opportunity. You might as well sit on the beach and tell the tide not to come in."

Crime and security

During Bloomberg's tenure, the reduction of crime that began under Mayor Rudy Giuliani has continued[6]. Bloomberg's approach to the issue has been more low-key than that of Giuliani, who was often criticized by advocates for the homeless and civil rights groups.

Since 2003, Bloomberg has become increasingly assertive in demanding that federal homeland security funds be distributed to municipalities based on risk and population rather than any other measure.

Gun control

Bloomberg is a strong advocate of gun control and made it a major issue of his administration in his second inaugural address. Most of the beneficiaries of his donations to Congressional candidates have been opponents of gun control. Those incumbent Congressmen have had high ratings ("A" to "B+") from interest groups (e.g., National Rifle Association, GOA) which oppose gun control.

Bloomberg once indicated, "I don't know why people carry guns. Guns kill people..."[7]

Budgeting

Facing a severe fiscal crisis after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Bloomberg introduced a $3 billion tax increase in the middle of the fiscal 2003 year. This move is credited with stabilizing the City's finances, which have since recovered. In 2004 and 2005 the city experienced record surpluses, but financial experts and Bloomberg administration officials warn about significant unfunded future pension costs owed to city workers. To address this concern Bloomberg unilaterally set aside $2 billion for a city retirees health fund in 2006.

Under Bloomberg the city has also given large subsidies to sports owners and real estate developers to spur new economic development.

Poverty

Bloomberg claims he wishes poverty reduction to be the central focus of his second term. In 2006 he appointed a Commission on Economic Opportunity to come up with innovative ideas to address poverty in the city. The commission's initial report is scheduled for release in September 2006.

According to the United States Census Bureau the city's poverty rate has not changed since 2001, while in Manhattan the earnings of the top fifth of earners ($330,244 on average) are 41 times the earnings of the bottom fifth ($8,019 on average). The Bronx is the poorest urban county in the United States.

A memo from the leaders of the commission leaked to the press suggests that the commission will not be addressing aid to the elderly, the unemployed, the homeless, and those returning from prison. Arguing that it cannot address everyone's problems adequately, the commission's focus reportedly is on three groups: children, young adults, and the working poor. The New York Times reported that little new city money is likely to be invested to fight poverty; management reform will be the main source of improvements. For example, the Times noted that food stamp administration will be important for all three of the groups targeted by the commission. Food stamps are fully funded by the federal government, so any expansion of their use is a cost-free reform for the city.

Support for Republicans beyond New York area

Since 2000 he gave $29,200 in donations to eleven Congressional candidates. Nine of these candidates were Republicans: John E. Stevens, Harold Rogers, John McCain, Richard C. Shelby, Lynette Boggs McDonald, Vito J. Fossella, Peter T. King, James T. Walsh, Michael Oxley. Their voting records on social and economic issues are characteristic of conservative Republicans.

World Trade Center responder death benefits

On August 14, 2006 Governor George Pataki signed legislation ordering the city to pay increased amounts in death benefits for rescue workers, such FDNY and NYPD members who later died from illnesses such as cancer after working at the World Trade Center site. The mayor objected to this, arguing that the increased cost of $5 million to $10 million a year would be unduly burdensome for the city.

2004 Republican National Convention

While Bloomberg was mayor, New York City hosted the 2004 Republican National Convention, to the opposition of many locals who felt it was inappropriate during the Iraq War. The Parks Department denied a permit for an anti-Republican march to terminate at Central Park's Great Lawn, and also denied a permit for a rally there. Critics cited this as abridging First Amendment rights.

He was particularly criticized for his handling of protest activity. Hundreds of protesters or political dissidents were detained at a former bus garage on Pier 57 characterized by opponents as a "Guantanamo on the Hudson". New York City Police took unprecedented measures in forbidding the attempts of photographers to stand and take photographs during the protests.

The National Council of Arab Americans and the ANSWER Coalition, the two groups sponsoring the planned march and rally, have sued the city in federal court for the denial of the Great Lawn permits. The city claims that a large gathering would have damaged the newly renovated Great Lawn. It also claimed it could not provide adequate police protection, and that the protesters failed to provide a rain date for the gathering. The July 31, 2006 edition of the The New York Times reported that court documents appeared to indicate the Parks Department turned down the permits in order to shield Republican visitors from the protests. The documents include several emails and legal memoranda from city officials.

Bloomberg gave a sworn statement in which he claimed to have "no unique personal knowledge" about the permit denials. However, several of the documents in question indicate that Bloomberg received regular updates regarding the status of the permits. For example, an email from Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe informed Bloomberg that "following your call", he recieved assurance that the denial letter would go out on July 11. Benepe also went to the Great Lawn himself to see if there was any activity and personally emailed the mayor to let him know there was no demonstration there.

2005 election

Bloomberg seconds after being sworn in for 2nd term as Mayor of New York City on January 1, 2006.

Michael Bloomberg and his current girlfriend, Diana Taylor, at the 2006 Time 100 gala, as covered by blog Rocketboom.

Bloomberg was re-elected mayor in November 2005 by a margin of 20%, the widest margin ever for a Republican mayor of New York.[8]

Bloomberg had spent over $66 million on his campaign by late October 2005, and was projected to exceed the record of $74 million he spent on the previous election. He chose not to use public campaign funds and therefore his campaign was not subject to the restrictions imposed on candidates who accept such funding.

In late 2004 or early 2005, he gave the Independence Party $250,000 to fund a phone bank seeking to recruit volunteers for his re-election campaign.[9]

Former Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer won the Democratic nomination to oppose Bloomberg in the general election; there was no opposition in the Republican primary, as Bloomberg's campaign successfully sued to keep Thomas Ognibene off the ballot. Ognibene, who ultimately ran on the Conservative Party ticket, accused Bloomberg of betraying Republican Party ideals.

Bloomberg was the most prominent Republican to oppose the confirmation of John Roberts as Chief Justice of the United States.[10] Though a Republican, Bloomberg is a staunch supporter of abortion rights and did not believe that Roberts was committed to maintaining Roe v. Wade.

In addition to receiving Republican support, Bloomberg has obtained the endorsements of several prominent Democrats: former Democratic Mayor Ed Koch, former Democrat governor Hugh Carey, former Democrat City Council Speaker Peter Vallone, his son, Councilman Peter Vallone, Jr., former Democrat Congressman Floyd Flake (who had previously endorsed Bloomberg in 2001), and Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz.[11]

Bloomberg's term as mayor ends on December 31, 2009. He is banned by term limits from running again. The election means that the Republicans have held onto the mayor's office for four consecutive elections, or sixteen years. Bloomberg joins Rudy Giuliani and Fiorello LaGuardia as re-elected Republican mayors in this mostly Democratic city. (John Lindsay was also elected mayor of New York twice while a registered Republican; however, Lindsay did not receive the Republican Party nomination during his campaign for re-election, and he switched to the Democratic Party during his second term.)

One of Bloomberg's top aides, Kevin Sheekey, has indicated that he is trying to convince Bloomberg to run for President in 2008 as an Independent or a Democrat. Bloomberg has often expressed in public about his lack of intrest in running for president. Like was the case with his mayoral campaign, he would use mostly his own funds to finance his would be presidential run.[12][13]

Bloomberg has pledged his support to the LGBT community to support marriage equality.

Bloomberg is heard every Friday on the John Gambling Show 770 WABC Radio 10:00-11:00, and accepts callers.

Post-Mayoral plans

Mayor Bloomberg has repeatedly stated his intention to return to a life of philanthropy once his eight year tenure in office expires.

In pursuit of this goal he has purchased a prospective headquarters for his planned foundation on the Upper East Side, originally built by Stuyvesant Fish, for $45 million.

In August of 2006 Bloomberg donated $125 million to a worldwide anti-smoking initiative designed to curb smoking and introduce anti-smoking measures throughout the globe.

The donation will defray the cost of the first two years of a "Worldwide Stop Smoking Initiative," and the recipients will chiefly be pre-existing anti-smoking lobbying groups.[14]

Rumors abound that Mayor Bloomberg is also considering a White House run in 2008. He has met with officials from both the Republican Party and Democratic Party to assess his chances as an independent. He purportedly stated on the weekend of September 16, however, "How likely is a 5' 7" Jew-from-New York, billionaire, who's divorced, and running as an independent, to become President of the United States?" [15]

See also

• Election results for mayor of New York

External links

• Mike Bloomberg for NYC webpage
• Gotham Gazette 2005 webpage
• CityMayors.com profile
• Campaign contributions made by Michael Bloomberg
• New York Times Endorsement
• Mike Bloomberg for President
• The Mayor And His Money
• Primal Fear Short piece supporting a Badillo-Bloomberg Republican primary.
• Ferrer, Ognibene Take Shots At Absent Mayor In First Debate

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