Manhattan Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito declared victory in the race for City Council speaker last night as she unveiled the support of 31 of her colleagues. Mark-Viverito would be the first Puerto Rican woman and first Hispanic to head the Council. Mayor-Elect Bill De Blasio has lobbied hard to get Mark-Viverito, an early supporter, in as speaker. De Blasio began calling councilmembers on Monday night — even winning the support of Republican Eric Ulrich of Queens. County leaders had backed Councilman Dan Garodnick for the position. Garodnick billed himself as a better check on de Blasio. He contested Mark-Viverito's victory last night but it appears that de Blasio's lobbying has paid off.
NEW FROM THE GOTHAM GAZETTE — City Council To Take Up Leftover Bills At Final Meeting: The City Council is expected to mark its final all-member meeting of the year on a note of legislative triumph — and by saying goodbye to nearly two dozen outgoing colleagues. By Chester Soria. READ MORE.
ALSO: Why De Blasio's Pick For Budget Director Makes Perfect Political Sense. READ MORE
Want A Minute With The Next Mayor? Imagine for a moment that you’ve got a minute of Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio's time. What should be his top priorities as the next mayor? We're crowdsourcing your responses on our website — so sound off and let your voice be heard. #deblasio
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Women Firefighters Push de Blasio to Help Boost Their Ranks (DNAinfo)
Bloomberg Warns de Blasio on Labor Contracts (Crain's)
