Overview
- The 34-year-old is the first Muslim and South Asian to serve as New York mayor, the first born in Africa, and the city’s youngest leader in more than a century.
- At his inauguration he vowed to “govern expansively and audaciously,” outlining goals such as free universal childcare, a major expansion of lower-cost housing, and lower everyday expenses.
- He says he will fund the agenda by raising taxes on the very wealthy and corporations, a plan expected to encounter resistance in state negotiations and federal funding talks.
- He held a quiet midnight swearing-in at the Old City Hall subway station before a larger public celebration; accounts differ on who administered the oath, with reports of an official role for Letitia James and a ceremonial role for Bernie Sanders.
- Early staffing includes naming Mike Flynn as transportation commissioner, signaling a priority on public transit as the state legislative session opens.