Brooklyn, NY – Last week, the nearly 200,000 people I represent were left stranded by their Mayor – a Mayor I have supported for years. In fact, his no non-sense approach to government is what I have always sought to emulate. Yet, the man who convinced me that I needed his leadership for a third term, failed me. Because of his failure, millions have suffered. Politicians, pundits and everyday people are already pointing fingers, blaming Commissioners and Deputies across the Administration. I, however, place the blame squarely where it belongs: on the mayor who is always in charge.
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When the City Council holds its oversight hearings on January 10th, my goal will be to examine where there were failures, whether they were avoidable and how to prevent this type of catastrophic breakdown in emergency response in the future. My colleagues and I will, undoubtedly, make countless recommendations to the Mayor. However, if history is any guide, he will ignore them. This is a man who shuns criticism and vests his commissioners with a degree of trust and autonomy unseen by any other Mayor in our history. While I appreciate the benefits that come with knowing you have the support and protection of your boss, I believe that his persistent defense of seemingly indefensible acts is inexcusable and directly led to the events of last week. In essence, the Mayor sends a message to all of his staff: it is okay to screw up, because I will never fire you.
In 2006, Nixmary Brown’s death shocked and outraged the city, and there were fervent calls for Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) Commissioner John Mattingly to resign following a breakdown within his agency that was appalling. The Mayor stood behind Mattingly and both made promises to reform an obviously broken system. In 2009, three years later, the City Council held hearings that showed the deficiencies at ACS persisted and, in 2010, history repeated itself when 4-year-old Marchella Pierce, who was under ACS-supervision, was found beaten and starving to death in her home. Mattingly remains at the helm of ACS because even having children die on your watch is not enough to get Mayor Mike to fire you.
In a December 2009 City Council hearing, my colleagues highlighted spiraling costs and irregularities with a program called CityTime. Despite mounting evidence that corruption was afoot, the administration did not pursue the Council’s claims that the program was in trouble. A year later, the CityTime scandal erupted, nearly $80 million in fraud was uncovered and federal prosecutors arrested city subcontractors. It seemed like a no-brainer that Joel Bondy, the head of the payroll-administration office responsible for overseeing the project, would be fired immediately. Not so, in the Bloomberg administration. Bondy was only suspended and, just days later, resigned on his own terms. Apparently, having the greatest modern fraud perpetrated under your watch is also not enough to get Mayor Mike to fire you.
When I announced my City Council run one year ago, I was delighted at the time to have the Mayor’s support. I believed then, that the Mayor has a unique ability to run government efficiently. However, his unwillingness to hold his staff accountable has become the fatal flaw of his administration. Mr. Mayor, it is not too late to rectify the mistakes that you made. But, it will require you to hold individuals at the highest levels of your administration accountable for their mistakes, as well. Accountability only means one thing: every single person responsible for the snow failure must lose their job. Until every single person who failed this city is fired, you will not regain my confidence or the confidence of millions of other New Yorkers.
David Greenfield is an attorney and Democratic New York City Councilman from Brooklyn.
This past Motzei Shabbos Greenfield was interviewed on Talkine Radio with Zev Brenner where he blasted the Mayor, saying he won’t support the Mayor should he decide to run again.
You can listen below.
Accountability does not mean firing every responsible person. That is utter nonsense! Perhaps the union needs to be busted. Some heads may need to roll and changes need to be implemented. To err is human. Firing all responsible parties will just create chaos in the mismanaged system. Does Greenfield want to be fired if he fails to deliver on issues on his agenda or should we take his entire performance into consideration?
It’s irresponsible to be so abrasive and arrogant at this early level in his career. This is not leadership! You can be firm without being so antagonistic. Simcha Felder pushed his agenda in a very peaceful manner and enjoyed an excellent working relationship with the mayor despite open disagreement on some bills he proposed.
David Greenfield is the best councilman representing us in years. B”h we have you in office expressing clearly and effectively the voices of the people. one thing bothers me: how in the world did we allow simcha felder to hold this seat untill now? were was he? did he ever criticize mayor bloomberg?
Wow!! David, it takes real courage and true guts to stand up to this Mayor the way you have!! Keep up your good work!!
David, from everything we’ve read it would seem that a RICO investigation of the Sanitation Union is called for.
I believe this David is fighting Goliath, yes I know David won but will history repeat itself? I doubt it. I think David’s position went to his head & is frying his brain. It’s the U N I O N nothing else, they are bringing this country to it’s knees.
In one sense, Greenfield is correct. Heads must roll. Not because any mistake requires terminations, but because the issue here was safety. We had all city emergency services grounded to a halt. Police, fire, and ambulance vehicles could not get anywhere. Such paralysis maintains the status of NYC as the terrorists’ most beloved location on the globe. This homeland security issue is of major importance, and I would expect investigators at the federal level to watch the process closely.
It may mean union busting, it may mean terminations, it may be broad based replacements of workers at several levels. What we watched was not a natural disaster, it was criminal behavior. I’m not quite sure the sweeping firings is how to manage this, but there are undoubtedly some people that need to join the ranks of the unemployed. And Councilman greenfield is absolutely accurate in placing the entire blame on the mayor. The buck stops on his desk.
Moish is right. At what company, organization etc. does failure and error mean firing? Doesn’t the Sanitation department do a fine job otherwise save for this blizzard mess? In government firing does not accomplish anything except appease the masses. It does not fix things. It doesn’t ensure that at the next snowfall things will get any better. Mr. Greenfield has become a true beaureucrat, sadly.
the same mentality that put obama in to office put in bloomy.but bloomy was luckier.a crissis appeared after three terms.now everyone sees what bloomys detractors have been saying for years.
good work David
I did NOT vote for you, but definitely would in the future.
ITS TIME FOR OUR ELITIST DICTATOR TO GO “MIKE GO HOME”
Can you enumerate any real job that Greenfeld ever had that he could judge others ineptness. Bloomberg did not become a Billionaire from being inept and all the other adjectives that he describes Bloomberg by. He should be ashamed of himself.
Greenfeld has done a great disservice to our community. He will never ever get a thing more from the Mayor. All his complaining now is simply gratuitous to show our community that he cares.
If one looks at his great promises and what he can deliver, you will find that it is mostly air. He will now use this as an excuse for not accomplishing anything. The vindictive Mayor, Nebach doesn’t want to speak to him. He couldn’t get the vouchers before the storm either. Greenfeld needs to be replaced at the next election. Our community are not fools (I think?).
Greenfield politics as usual just trying to get some publicity. What would you have done differently. Just remember in politics what goes around comes around becarefull
Greenfield is correct in this. If Doherty doesnt take the responsibility, and in fact, give the dept an A, he must go . What happened to the tape of the sanitmen buying beer that was erased? Private citizens, without cameras, saw plows go by with their plows raised. Back and forth on Ave M with no snow being plowed. They should be interviewed, the logs checked as to who was plowing and then firings . This was mass insubordination with lives lost as a result. the NYC economy lost billions in the week that everything was shut down. Meanwhile, next year NYC faces a 8.5 billion pension bill from retired workers. Are they crazy?? Why hasnt this been changed? Why does every cop, fireman and sanit man run up huge overtime in their final year just to goose their pensions which average 50k a year after 20 yrs of service. Lunacy leads to bankruptcy.
This is all big talk. Greenfield has a big mouth. Let’s see big accomplishments. He promised to outdo Hikind on sex abuse. Has he done anything? He says he is concerned about corruption. Why look for b’ever hanahar; what’s about VL in Brooklyn. Let’s see tachlis! So far his biggest accomplishment has been getting elected and making a few enemies.
Give David some credit. Yes, heads should roll. It’s no big deal to be in charge of the daily routine. The big bucks are paid for time of crisis, which have turned out to be a failure.
If the management failed during a crisis, then it’s time for them to go.
The fact that he believes “every person accountable for the snow should lose their job” speaks volumes about his impracticality and irrationality in dealing with major issues. I would like Mr. Greenfield to go to their house and fire them just as he implored Mr. Bloomberg to “come down himself and shovel the snow.” I want to know if his stance would change when he looks those families in the eyes and tells them that in the toughest economic climate our city has ever seen, there will not be enough money to put food on the table. Granted, people MUST be held accountable, however, firing the masses is not the answer. I love how Mr. Greenfield also conveniently stated in his press conference that he “should come down with a shovel on his own and they will shovel ALONG with him.” If it is so important, why wait for the mayor? This personal vendetta against Mr. Bloomberg extends beyond the snow. Mr. Greenfield is hurt by the fact that his once staunchest supporter declined his pet-project, Priority 7. We are operating deep in the red and face an unbearable budget. Should Mr. Bloomberg approve the project and fire city employees instead? We all know what Mr. Greenfield would answer.
I hope Greenfield isn’t reelected.
dear david! u realy did a great job BUT enough is enough stop making noise again and again with out doing nothing it took u almost 4 days till u realizd to start doing somthing so now u wanna cover it with noise STOP
Bloomberg is way out of touch with the average guy in NY. Besides for the snow, what about the city going wild with bike lanes, doubling the parking fines when he came into office originally, and his nutty idea (which didn’t pass) about charging 5 cents for each plastic bag used. He needed a good “slap in the face” from someone who used to admire him, to try to bring him down to earth. Thank you David.
If I were the Mayor I would give every community in the City vouchers (7) but not the areas represented by the vicious rabble rousing councilman and politicians.
Greenfeld is a hothead, and this is his way of doing business. This will bring no good, all it does bring is head lines for greenfeld. No sane politician comes out so openly against the mayor, the people can do that in riots, for politicians there are diplomatic venues. I’m really scared of the backlash this will bring on our community.
Bloomberg is mayor because the frum community — at least, most of it — voted for him. I am sure that 2 1/2 years from now all the Republican trolls will be out for a repeat performance, savagely attacking whatever Democrat he is running against.
Deep in the red. Just like everyone else. The feds and state are all in deficit. But the mayor has not done a thing about it. Let’s look at his record. Deficits grew steadily every year he was in office. Many of his highest commissioners, as Greenfield pointed out, were corrupt or incompetent. His stubbornness in how he never pays attention to his own constituents is legendary, and it is time this midoh cost him a little. How has he managed the deficit? Fine the heck out of everyone. The construction projects, pedestrian islands, waterfalls, etc. were enormously wasteful. Deficit? You bet.
Bloomberg is the worst mayor in the world.
I did NOT support councilman Greenfield when he ran the first time but after he came in to office I must agree that he is the best councilman out district ever had. And god should bless him.
“Havey Mesunim Badin” your strident tone will come back to haunt yu.When yu need something from city hall yu wont be able to get anything.not even a garbage bag!
I live in Greenfields district and never knew he was such a fool. To ciome out against a sitting Mayor, who may or may not run for higher office, does he think that the Mayor will ever respect the Jews in our distrct? There are ways to criticize, but to be that blunt?! I agree fully with comment One.
It’s clear to anyone of average intelligence or higher that Bloomberg has not been running NYC successfully. You don’t have to be a good Mayor to know what a good Mayor looks like. (Rudy Giuliani! Where are you?)