Candidates vying to be New York’s next mayor joined the city’s current three-term municipal chief at the CityLab summit Tuesday. Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg introduced the two mayoral hopefuls to a crowd of city officials, urban planners, scholars, and others from across the globe.
Bill de Blasio (D) and Joe Lhota (R) shared their plans for a vibrant New York City — offering competing views on public education and private-sector job growth. Each candidate then sat for an interview with Aspen Institute CEO Walter Isaacson.
Watch video of Joe Lhota
Watch video of Bill de Blasio
Lhota opened his remarks by congratulating Bloomberg on his mastery of the city’s complex budget. He went on to talk about growth and opportunity as a means to address inequality.
Lhota: “The only way to deal with income #inequality is by expanding the economy.” #CityLab
— Emily Badger (@emilymbadger) October 8, 2013
De Blasio shared his views on early childhood education. He described great schooling as a precursor to well-paying work and a middle-class lifestyle.
“Providing free, high-quality early education to families in need is among the most effective ways to reduce income inequality.” #CityLab
— Bill de Blasio (@deBlasioNYC) October 8, 2013
Both candidates expressed a belief that New York City’s future would require greater self-sufficiency — with fewer resources available from the state and federal governments. This was a reality voiced by other municipal leaders during CityLab.
The conversations with Lhota and de Blasio marked the end of “CityLab: Urban Solutions to Global Challenges,” a summit presented by the Aspen Institute, The Atlantic, and Bloomberg Philanthropies.
Over the course of two days, participants talked about urban ideas that are shaping the world’s metro centers. Topics included economic development; the environment and sustainability; cultural investment; big data; and the intersection of public safety, privacy, and technology. Smaller breakout sessions explored topics like redevelopment, urban infrastructure, transportation, urban expansion, and the creation of the next tech city. The conference took place in New York.
Check out the CityLab playlist on our YouTube channel to see more videos from the event.
And click here to view all of our CityLab blog posts.
