Zohran Mamdani took the oath of office early on Thursday after a very full day of major interest to Streetsblog readers.
He named a Deputy Mayor for Operations, Julia Kerson, news of which the Daily News broke.
And, hours later, he named Mike Flynn as the new Department of Transportation commissioner, the second-most-important job in city government. Streetsblog got the official confirmation, but Gothamist, amNY and the Daily News had been sniffing around all day.
Both picks were well received, which means we can add a day to our Mamdani disappointment counter:
Day 1: Good.
In his brief remarks on a glitchy livestream, the mayor cited transit at the very top, owing partly to his commitment to public transit but also the location of the swearing in — in the old City Hall subway station.
He then let Flynn share center stage … at his own inauguration, evidence that Mamdani might be the real deal:
Mike Flynn was officially announced at Mamdani’s inauguration. Pool photo
The announcement — at Mamdani’s announcement — came as a surprise to some, including, apparently, the mayor’s official YouTube channel, which cut out before Flynn was announced. But the pool report has it:
A kid was hurt in a new fare gate, which the Post will play to the hilt.
We’ll be back tomorrow with full news and the final results of our year-in-review votes and more tributes to our donors during our December fundraising drive (there’s still time to contribute!):
Streetsblog provides high-quality journalism and analysis for free — which is something to be celebrated in an era of paywalls. Once a year, we ask for your tax-deductible donations to support our reporters and editors as they advance the movement to end car dependency in our communities.
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Together, we can create a more livable, walkable, bikeable, equitable and enjoyable city for all. Happy holidays from the Streetsblog team!
Tabloid legend Gersh Kuntzman has been with New York newspapers since 1989, including stints at the New York Daily News, the Post, the Brooklyn Paper and even a cup of coffee with the Times. He's also the writer and producer of "Murder at the Food Coop," which was a hit at the NYC Fringe Festival in 2016, and “SUV: The Musical” in 2007. He also writes the Cycle of Rage column, which is archived here.
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