De Blasio makes five key appointments on last day of 2013

January 1, 2014 Brooklyn Daily Eagle

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Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio announced five more key appointments to his administration on Tuesday, naming the heads of the city’s Economic Development Corporation, Department of Homeless Services, Department of Transportation and Office of Labor Relations.

With these appointments the Mayor-Elect reiterated his commitment to a broad slate of reforms, including investing in small businesses, making streets safer, developing alternative programs for homeless families and individuals, and negotiating the New York City’s workforce contracts.

Mayor-Elect de Blasio appointed Gilbert Taylor, the Executive Deputy Commissioner at the Administration for Children’s Services, as Commissioner of Homeless Services. Taylor is charged with innovating new approaches to reduce New York City’s record-high homeless population.

Polly Trottenberg, current Under Secretary for Policy at the U.S. Department of Transportation, will serve as the Transportation Commissioner, executing de Blasio’s agenda to expand Bus Rapid Transit in the outer boroughs, reduce traffic fatalities, increase bicycling, and boost the efficiency of city streets.

Bob Linn, a life-long negotiator of labor contracts and arbitrator of labor disputes, will serve as the Director of Labor Relations and lead the Administration’s efforts to resolve outstanding labor contracts. He will be joined by Stanley Brezenoff, who will serve as an unpaid Special Adviser to the First Deputy Mayor.

Kyle Kimball will continue to serve as the President of the New York City Economic Development Corporation and lead efforts to develop career paths the lift New Yorkers into the middle class.

“From revamping our approach to homelessness, to ending the epidemic of traffic-related fatalities on our streets, the stakes for these agencies could not be higher. We sought progressive leaders with the depth and know-how to take on these challenges, and we have built a phenomenal team that is ready to take on a bold agenda,” de Blasio said.

“More families and more children are going to sleep each night in our homeless shelters than ever before. It’s a crisis we will confront with every tool at our disposal. I share Mayor-Elect de Blasio’s fundamental commitment to more aggressive homelessness prevention policies and housing support to transition people from shelters to stable living. We will have a compassionate and effective approach that helps families in crisis,” said incoming Commissioner of Homeless Services Gilbert Taylor.

“One life lost on our streets is too many. We are committed to the maxim that safety— for everyone who uses the roads, including pedestrians and cyclists —is our top priority,” said incoming Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg.

“It’s our charge to do everything in our power to address rising inequality. We will do it by making every economic development dollar go further, and by investing in new career paths and emerging industries that will lift New Yorkers up, in every community. We will innovate new ways to spur affordable housing and meet the needs of neighborhoods, especially those in the boroughs outside Manhattan,” said President of the New York City Economic Development Corporation Kyle Kimball.

“New York City has the finest workforce in the world. We are going to reset the relationship between this city and the men and women who serve it. It will be based on honesty and respect, and a shared commitment to making this city work,” said incoming Director of Labor Relations Bob Linn.

“We have enormous challenges ahead of us. It won’t be easy, but this will be a progressive and effective administration that protects taxpayers and respects its workers. This team will have the benefit of decades of experience working with labor to achieve cost savings, balanced budgets and fair contracts. That’s what we will deliver for the people of this city,” said Special Adviser Stanley Brezenoff.