Leaving the City in Crisis: De Blasio’s Mayoral Legacy

Michael Goodwyn’s assessment of Bill de Blasio’s term as mayor is spot-on, but I can’t help but wonder how the man served not one but two terms in office in the first place (“End of an Error,” Jan. 1).

The city, thanks to Mayor Putz, has returned to the 1970s. Unless Mayor Adams rejects the wacky woke agenda of his party, which has destroyed cities all over America, New York City will never recover.

The policies of de Blasio and the Democratic Party have failed miserably and have proven to be ineffective in combatting crime, homelessness and mental-health issues. In fact, they make the problems worse and hurt most the people whom the Dems profess to advocate for — minorities and workingclass families.

Michael D’Auria

Bronxville

The good news is that not only is de Blasio gone but, try as they will, the citizens of New York City cannot possibly elect anyone worse going forward. We have hit bottom; the only way is up.

New Mayor Adams can achieve greatness if he has the spine and intestinal fortitude to follow his instincts and withstand the liberal pressure he will face when making tough decisions.

That will be an instant breath of fresh air for all of New York City.

Jerry Chiappetta

Monticello

Goodwin’s column on the departure of “New York’s worst mayor ever” misses one clear lesson: What a leftist government (operating under the facade of “social justice”) will exact on any metropolis — filth, fear, rampant crime, disorder, corruption, the degradation of public education and, just as significant, the flight to a better place of those who can afford it.

Social justice will be had again in New York when its streets are free from garbage, riots are not tolerated, cops are respected and appreciated, criminals are put and kept in prison, bogus programs (e.g., “ThriveNYC”) are banished and children are enrolled in public schools to learn, not to be indoctrinated and coddled.

Anthony Parks

Garden City

What was going through the minds of those who cast votes for de Blasio for a second term?

Did they really believe that things were going to get better after his first four years of broken promises and lackluster performance?

Besides leaving behind an economically challenged, crime-ridden city, what are Hizzoner’s real accomplishments?

He once and for all eliminated the controversy of whether Abe Beame or David Dinkins was the worst mayor in New York’s modern history. That title is his, hands down.

John Kapica

Carmel

Congratulations to the people of New York City for being rid of de Blasio.

My wife and I used to enjoy coming to New York, but after what de Blasio and his money-wasting wife have done to it during his two terms, we feel that the risk factor is far too great.

With crime, riots, the pandemic and a lack of proper police protection, we just said “no more.”

If things return to normal under Mayor Adams, we may return. We will wait and see.

The people of New York City have chosen their new mayor wisely. They’re fed up with stupid. They had eight years of the worst administration in Gotham’s history.

Donald Tyndall

Allentown, Pa.

Goodwin captured the eight years of mismanagement and incompetence that turned this great city into a sewer.

It must be a Democratic trait to take what works and is effective and turn it to something inferior.

When police officers turned their backs on de Blasio at the funeral of murdered officers, it was an honest reaction to a mayor who never had their backs. It is the same reaction that the people of this state should show him in his delusional quest to run for governor.

It is always about him, not about service to the people.

Tony Giametta

Oceanside