SOTC: Bloomberg Outlines Final Agenda As Mayor

Thursday may have been Mayor Bloomberg's final State of the City Address, but that didn’t stop him from outlining what he called an ambitious agenda for his last 320 days in office.

“Our goal is not to spend the year cutting ribbons. It’s much bigger than that: Our goal is to advance projects – and start new ones – that will keep our city on the right course for decades to come. And to do that, we’ll take on the toughest jobs – and the most politically difficult jobs,” Bloomberg told the audience in Brooklyn’s Barclay’s Center. 

The Mayor discussed plans to improve college readiness and standardized test scores. He proposed adding an additional 26 charter schools by September, expanding the number of technical and job training schools like P-Tech in Brooklyn, and designing several specialized high schools through his Young Men’s Initiative. 

Rebuilding and upgrading the city’s infrastructure after Superstorm Sandy was another important topic for the Mayor. 

“This year, we’ll develop a long-term plan so that when extreme weather hits – we’ll be able to get the lights back on quickly and ensure that the heat keeps working, the gas stations stay open, the hospitals maintain power and the transportation system keeps operating,” Bloomberg said noting the city would not abandon the waterfront. 

Bloomberg said his rebuilding plan would also be a jobs plan creating thousands of construction and long-term jobs in some of the city’s hardest-hit areas. He said it would also help businesses get back on their feet. He plans to sign an executive order waiving all city fees for Sandy-related repair work for businesses. 

The Mayor also announced several green initiatives with the goal of doubling recycling rates by 2017 and reducing the city’s carbon footprint over the next decade. He also suggested the city add several European-style hostels to make tourism more affordable to young people.  

But, his list of new initiatives was minor compared the laundry list of completed and ongoing infrastructure projects and health initiatives he highlighted from his eleven years in office. 

Click here to see Mayors full agenda.