Photo: RexUSA.
It's official: There's a new family living in Gracie Mansion. City Hall was abuzz yesterday for the official inauguration of New York City's 109th mayor, Bill de Blasio, who follows Michael Bloomberg's 12 years in office. Former President Bill Clinton presided over the swearing-in ceremony, which included de Blasio's family, friends, and close supporters. Last November, the Democratic candidate dominated the polls, taking 70% of the mayoral vote.
Bloomberg's successor maintains that his number one priority is to close NYC's affordability gap. "When I said we would take dead aim at the tale of two cities, I meant it," de Blasio declared during his inaugural address. "And we will do it. That mission — our march towards a fairer, more just, more progressive place, our march to keep the promise of New York alive for the next generation — it begins today. We won't wait. We'll do it now."
Other guests attending the celebration included Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, former secretary of state Hillary Rodham Clinton, and the actress and activist Cynthia Nixon. With the New Year and a new mayor, we hope de Blasio stands behind his political promises and 2014 is full of positive changes for our fair city. (Reuters)