Wednesday, April 10th marked the 100th day of my term as Mayor. What
have we accomplished? Plenty. New York remains the safest big city
in the nation. Serious crime is down. There have been almost a third
fewer murders this year compared to the same period last year. The
Fire Department also is rebuilding and will soon be back to full strength.
Lower Manhattan's
restoration has been remarkable. Streets and subway stations have
reopened; so have offices and stores. And earlier this month, President
Bush agreed to return Governors Island to New York City. Over the
next 100 days, we'll start to establish a flagship City University
campus there, a Harvard in the harbor. In addition, we'll focus on
these four major goals:
- Balancing
the City budget without raising taxes. We face tough economic times,
and increasing taxes would discourage the new jobs and investment
we badly need. By July 1st, the City must adopt a balanced budget
for the next 12 months. With the cooperation of the City Council,
the State Legislature and the municipal unions, we'll pass a budget
that doesn't lay off City workers or impose new taxes.
- Making the
mayor accountable for the success of our schools. I'm more confident
than ever that State government will establish mayoral control of
the schools this spring, and just as importantly, establish the
means for making parents fuller partners in their children's education.
Both these reforms are essential to getting our schools back on
track.
- Coming up
with a better plan for handling the City's garbage. The Department
of Sanitation's budget is more than one billion dollars, and it
will only increase down the road. We now export most of our waste
to other states. Reopening the Fresh Kills landfill isn't the solution.
So over the next 100 days, we'll develop a new solid waste management
system that is economically and environmentally responsible and
politically feasible.
- Jump-starting
the conversion of the Farley Post Office on West 33rd Street into
a splendid new Penn Station. The plans for this new station have
been drawn. Now it's up to all the parties involved, including the
Post Office, to move on them. Visitors coming into New York deserve
to arrive at a train station that reflects this City's greatness.
Realizing this major project will spur development on the far West
Side and will, like creating the Governors Island CUNY campus, be
a big vote of confidence in New York's future.
During the last
100 days, we've assembled a first-rate team to run City departments
and agencies. Now we're ready for the next 100 days, and the next
1000-days of challenge and achievement for New York City.