NEW YORK—The progressive era in New York City is officially here.
Under a cloudy sky and in the crisp January air, the next generation of citywide politicians officially took office during a ceremony at City Hall Wednesday.
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.
“Today, we commit to a new progressive direction in New York,” de Blasio said during his inaugural speech. “And that same progressive impulse has written our city’s history. It’s in our DNA.”
The change in dialogue was evident in every speech given during the inaugural ceremony. Gone was the praise for the positive changes that former mayor Michael Bloomberg gave to the city that has dominated the news coverage for the last two weeks.
The progressives elected to citywide office reminded New Yorkers what change they had chosen for the city when they cast their ballots two months ago.
“The wave of progressive victories our city has recently enjoyed, thanks to the City Council, was in some ways inevitable,” James said in her inaugural speech. “The fabric of our city, of our nation is made strong by the untold sacrifices of so many who are left defenseless, unrepresented, unspoken for. But at some point in history, the tide must turn.”
