Historic day as New York blocs realign

THE HISTORIC shift in New York City politics is now complete. By unanimously choosing Melissa Mark-Viverito as City Council speaker — the second most important post in municipal government — the 51 members of that chamber broke ground Wednesday in more ways than one.

It’s not simply that Mark-Viverito, the Puerto Rican-born councilwoman from East Harlem who also represents the South Bronx, broke a big glass ceiling, becoming the first Hispanic to hold a citywide post.

The population of this town, after all, is already 30% Hispanic. Many young Latinos are bound to be inspired by Mark-Viverito’s example. She instantly becomes an influential figure nationwide.

That explains why so many Latino communityand political leaders, including former mayoral candidate Fernando Ferrer, U.S. Rep. Nydia Velazquez and state Assembly man Jose Rivera, packed the Council chambers duringthe vote.

Butthe Council accomplished something bigger. It sent a clear signal, especially to our business andreal estate barons —the 1% who had everything their way duringthe Bloomberg era— that all branches of city government are now lined up behind Mayor de Blasio’s promise to end the tale of two cities.

With de Blasio, Mark-Viverito, Public Advocate Letitia James and Controller Scott Stringer, citywide government is now in the hands of themost ethnically diverse and liberal Democratic coalition in memory.

The speaker’s race had previously been a backroom affair, strictly arranged by county Democratic bosses whose only concern was trading jobs and committee chairmanships for their people. Not this time. This contest provoked nearly two months of fierce lobbying amongCouncilmembers.It featured first-ever public forums in all five boroughs with all the candidates.

Itwas also marked by astring of astounding news accounts aimed at derailing Mark-Viverito, who emerged from the start as themost liberal of the candidates and as de Blasio’s choice.

Some of those accounts were so bizarre or irrelevant that they were almost laughable.

There was the story about Mark-Viverito refusing tosay the Pledge of Allegiance. Another about her being a supporter of leftist Bolivian President Evo Morales, the first indigenous person elected as ahead of state in theWestern Hemisphere. Then there was the one about her urging freedom for five Cuban nationals jailed for espionage in this country.

There was the story of a ridiculous law suit that claimed Mark-Viverito was somehow connected to some Santeria-induced art mural in East Harlem.

To call those articles venomous character assassination and classic red-baiting is to be charitable.

But there were also legitimate stories by my Daily News colleague, Greg Smith. Smith revealed that Mark-Viverito had failed to report for several years on her City Council disclosure forms the rental income she had from her East Harlem building.

Her claim that it was oversight just isn’t credible. And it raises valid questions about what she reported on her taxes.

But she wouldn’t be the first public figure with financial disclosure or income tax problems. Former Mayor David Dinkins had them. Even Obama’s first Treasury secretary, Timothy Geithner, neglected to report some income on his taxes. Then there’s the Rev. Al Sharpton, who should be on the IRS wall of shame for his repeated tax shenanigans.

Mark-Viverito needs to practice the transparency she preaches and face the penalties, if any, that result.

None of this, however, diminishes the historic vote the Council took, nor the message it sent, in naming Mark-Viverito as this city’s first Señorita Speaker.