Public Health

Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Speaker Quinn, National Institute For Reproductive Health And Mayors Across The Country Announce 2008 Urban Initiative For Reproductive Health National Summit

Wed, 7 May 2008 14:52:35 -0500

35 cities to gather in New York City to share best practices to improve maternal and reproductive health care in America’s cities

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn and National Institute of Reproductive Health President Kelli Conlin, along with San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon and Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich today launched the 2008 Urban Initiative for Reproductive Health National Summit being held on May 8 and 9 in New York. The Summit, hosted by the National Institute for Reproductive Health (NIRH), will bring together elected officials, public health officers and advocates from over 35 cities in the United States and Mexico to create, promote and share policy solutions that address the reproductive health issues that affect over 100 million women living in urban areas across the country.

“Cites from across the nation and the world are coming together in New York to address the growing disparities in reproductive health and discuss public policy based on science, not ideology.” said Mayor Bloomberg. “Mayors share a common determination to produce results for their constituents and this summit will draw attention to the progress cities across the nation are making in improving reproductive health for millions of women and families.”

“As municipal leaders we have a responsibility to provide for the reproductive health of our constituents, and for any of us to be successful we must have the ability to share best practices and effectively communicate with a community of experts,” said Speaker Quinn “The Urban Initiative for Reproductive Health Summit is a major step towards addressing some of the disparities that New Yorkers and other urban Americans face in everything from unintended pregnancies to sexually transmitted infections. I’m very proud that New York City has the opportunity to host elected officials from across the country for this important conversation.”

“By bringing together forward-thinking leaders from cities across the country, I believe this summit is going to change the way we solve the significant reproductive health care problems faced by urban women and families,” said NIRH President Conlin. “This is the only opportunity anywhere for leaders to share their experience creating bold and groundbreaking initiatives that greatly improve reproductive health. Participants in the Summit are visionaries who are ready to do what it takes to tackle the real issues facing women in American cities: their health, their pregnancies, their families. We believe that these are the advocates who will have a real impact on the future of reproductive health. While national leaders get bogged down in unproductive ideological battles, its urban policymakers who do the hard work of creating effective solutions that have long-lasting community impact. This Summit is putting us firmly on the path to solutions that truly improve urban health.”

“Lawmakers continue to tout politics over science and real public health solutions,” said San Francisco Mayor Newsom. “In this divisive political environment, it falls to municipal leaders to come together to push the envelope, to innovate, and to address the reality of reproductive and maternal health in urban and suburban America.”

“Mayors and city public health officials are pushing on all cylinders with proven strategies like aggressive outreach, free clinics, school-based health centers and mobile treatment teams despite federal financial setbacks and bureaucratic headaches,” said Baltimore Mayor Dixon. “We are investing in what works, and I commend Mayor Bloomberg and Speaker Quinn for spearheading this dynamic initiative to unite our efforts.”

“Local governments are on the forefront of providing reproductive health care to women,” said Anchorage Mayor Begich. “We must work with diverse stakeholders to come together and create lasting changes to the public health system.”

City and public health officials will discuss how municipalities can help women access timely and comprehensive sexual and reproductive health information and care resulting in healthier women, healthier pregnancies and healthier communities. Urban communities experience disproportionate incidences of teen motherhood, unintended pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections and adverse birth outcomes including low birth weight and infant mortality, than their rural counterparts. The Urban Initiative for Reproductive Health is the National Institute’s latest campaign to bring policy makers, advocates and elected officials to bring the issue of women’s health needs to the forefront. As part of the Urban Initiative, the National Institute will foster sharing of best-practices and promising local models for reproductive health solutions that can be replicated in cities around the country.

Cities participating in the Urban Initiative for Reproductive Health Summit include:
Albuquerque, New Mexico; Anchorage, Alaska; Ann Arbor, Michigan; Atlanta, Georgia; Austin, Texas; Baltimore, Maryland; Boston, Massachusetts; Chicago, Illinois; Cleveland, Ohio; Columbus, Ohio; Denver, Colorado; Detroit, Michigan; Des Moines, Iowa; East Haven, Connecticut; Hartford, Connecticut; Houston, Texas; Los Angeles, California; Madison, Wisconsin; Mexico City, Mexico; Miami, Florida; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Minneapolis, Minnesota; New Haven, Connecticut; New York, New York; Oakland, California; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Portland, Oregon; Providence, Rhode Island; Seattle, Washington; St. Louis, Missouri; St. Paul, Minnesota; San Francisco, California; and Washington, DC.

For the past ten years, the National Institute for Reproductive Health has worked with more than 40 organizations in 32 states to design new policy approaches helping expand access to quality reproductive health care by providing information and removing barriers. Specific projects have included the Low-Income Access Program, the Residency Training Initiative, the Adolescent Health Care Communication Program, and the Latino Reproductive Rights Project.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg And New Democrat Coalition Offer Roadmap Forward On Health IT

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 15:20:39 -0500

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and members of the New Democrat Coalition today urged Congress to take action on measures that would encourage rapid nationwide implementation of health information technology. At a press conference with the Mayor, the New Dems unveiled a roadmap that will guide their efforts to achieve a fully interoperable health IT exchange by 2018 with adoption by at least 75% of providers. The New Dems made their announcement shortly after meeting with Mayor Bloomberg to discuss the successful transition that New York City is making from paper records to safe, secure electronic health records.

“Nationwide, we’re paying – heavily – for a system that’s geared toward caring for us once we’re sick,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “We’d be better served by a system that’s designed to keep us healthy, which is what we are doing in New York City. Electronic medical records are key to putting the focus on prevention rather than treatment, and we’re very grateful for the opportunity to share what we're doing in New York to shape a national program.”

“Moving our health care system into the 21st Century will save money and improve patient care. The New Democrat Coalition believes we should start by establishing a nationwide electronic medical records system,” said Congressman Joseph Crowley (NY-7). “New York City successfully implemented a Health IT system, and it should serve as a model for Congress as we work to establish a nationwide program. Thank you to Mayor Bloomberg for accepting my invitation to brief the New Democratic Coalition.”

In New York City, EHR’s are already used by more than 200 primary-care providers that care for more than 200,000 people. The City is on track to meet its goal of equipping more than 1,000 local health care providers—many of them practicing in the city’s poorest and sickest neighborhoods—with secure EHR systems by the end of the year, benefiting more than a million patients. This effort will create the nation’s largest community-based EHR network.

Broad implementation of Health IT will help improve safety, quality, access to information, public health, and patient involvement. In the broader context of health reform, universal implementation of health IT can help effectively reach the ultimate goal of meaningful health coverage for every American.

“As New Dems we are serious about our commitment to using innovation to enable us to meet our goals, and that is why we are so excited about the tremendous promise health IT holds for improving health care in America.,” said Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz, Co-Chair of the New Dem Health Care Task Force. “If implemented widely and used effectively, health IT will move America’s health care system forward in leaps and bounds by increasing quality, saving lives, and making more efficient use of taxpayer dollars.”

The RAND Corporation estimates widely implemented, interoperable, and effectively employed health IT could save the U.S. $147 billion per year in increased efficiency, decreased hospitalizations, and decreased medical errors.

“Harnessing the power of cutting edge medical technology is essential to improving medical outcomes and reducing health care costs,” said Capps, Co-Chair of the New Democrat Coalition Health Care Task Force. “We need to build a health information technology infrastructure that brings medical records and prescribing into the 21st Century while protecting the privacy of patients.”

Representing the largest payer of health care in the United States, Congress must pass legislation to facilitate a firm infrastructure, standards, and financing system to solidify our long term commitment to health IT.

“Through my work in the health care field, I have seen firsthand the potential for savings and gains in quality of care that can be achieved through health IT adoption. For every dollar we invest in health IT, we could realize $41 in savings – in addition to saving thousands of lives and preventing innumerable medical errors,” Congressman Jason Altmire, Co-Chair of the New Dem Health Care Task Force said. “States, localities, and our nation’s hospitals are already leading efforts to implement health IT on their own. Congress needs to take action now to ensure we establish national standards on interoperability and privacy, so we can move toward universal use of health IT.”

Mayor Bloomberg And Commissioner Frieden Unveil State-Of-The-Art Electronic Health Record Technology

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 10:30:36 -0600

Health Department Innovation Already Improves Care for 200,000 New Yorkers; City Is on Track to Fulfill Mayor’s Pledge to Deliver Lifesaving Technology to More than One Million Patients by End of Year

New York City’s Electronic Health Records Set New Standard for Health Care Nationwide; Technology Will Help Transform System of Disease Care into One of Preventing Disease

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas R. Frieden today unveiled the City’s next-generation electronic health records (EHRs), already in use at more than 200 primary-care providers across the city that care for more than 200,000 New Yorkers. Amidst a growing national debate about how to fix the health care system, the City is on track to meet its goal of equipping more than 1,000 local health care providers – many of them practicing in the city’s poorest and sickest neighborhoods – with secure EHR systems by the end of the year, benefiting more than a million patients.

This effort will create the nation’s largest community-based EHR network and is a step toward a new kind of health care system that puts the focus on prevention rather than treatment. The Mayor and Commissioner Frieden were joined at the announcement by New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Richard F. Daines, City Council Member Joel Rivera, and Dr. Sumir Sahgal, a physician whose Bronx practice has adopted the new technology.

“Electronic health records that put prevention first are a necessary but not sufficient step to fix our ailing health care system,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “Today’s milestone of improved health care for 200,000 New Yorkers through EHRs puts us well on our way to delivering this innovative, life-saving technology to more than one million people in the city by the end of the year. By bringing this health technology to New Yorkers, we are building a national model for a health care system that works, by preventing illness rather than merely treating people after they’re already sick. In Washington, they talk about how our health care system should be reformed; here in New York City, we are actually doing it.”

“This system gives doctors the right information at the right time so they can make the right decisions and save lives,” said Commissioner Frieden. “By giving doctors and patients the tools to better manage conditions such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, we can prevent thousands of strokes, heart attacks and early deaths.”

The Health Department’s Primary Care Information Project, led by Assistant Commissioner Dr. Farzad Mostashari, developed the new electronic health records with the firm eClinicalWorks, which was selected through a competitive process. The new software promotes prevention by giving doctors tools that no other commercially available health record provides. With $30 million, the Health Department developed the EHRs and offers eligible practices (primary care providers with over 30% Medicaid and uninsured patients) a subsidized package of EHR software and services – including licenses, onsite training, data interfaces, and two years of maintenance and support. In return, eligible practices must bear the costs of hardware and network infrastructure and contribute $4,000 to the Fund for Public Health in New York for ongoing technical support. The Health Department is also helping non-eligible practices integrate the new prevention tools into their own EHRs. The initiative is being supported by a $3.2 million grant from New York State and evaluated through $5 million in funding from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

“We congratulate Mayor Bloomberg and Commissioner Frieden on their Primary Care Information Project,” Commissioner Daines said. “Electronic health records are critical to improving health care quality and efficiency, and must be aligned with the State’s proposals to link reimbursement to quality outcomes for patients in order to realize their potential. New York State is also funding a statewide health information network so that no matter where a patient is seen in New York, an authorized physician will have access to that patient’s electronic health record. This represents a breakthrough for patients and doctors.”

Electronic Health Records Will Help Revolutionize Care

Designed and used in the right way, secure electronic health records can help transform health care, just as information technology has revolutionized other industries in recent years. Besides improving efficiency and preventing medical errors, a well-designed electronic health record can help physicians monitor – and manage – health risks to entire groups of patients. New York City’s new health record guides doctors through routine medical exams, ensuring that they provide preventive screenings, prescribe the most effective drugs, offer protective vaccines, and give smokers the support they need to quit. And by visually tracking measures such as cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar, the record gives doctors and patients the information they need to chart progress and maximize health.

The new health record also allows doctors to provide patient-centered care, and to monitor their own performance to see how well they are doing at providing good preventive care. This will also allow insurers and the government to restructure payment systems to favor high quality preventive care that will help reduce the need for higher-cost surgeries and treatments that occur after a patient becomes sick.

The new health record improves the quality of care. Policy debates typically focus on how to increase access and control cost – both critical issues – but they often skirt the issue of how to make health care more effective. Nationally, nine out of ten people with uncontrolled diabetes or hypertension already have health insurance, yet they still lack the support and treatment they need to effectively manage their conditions. And national studies show that patients receive only half of the preventive services they need when they visit their doctor.

The City’s Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) demonstrated the power of EHRs when it implemented them a decade ago, winning three national awards over the past five years. HHC plans to update its EHR system to include decision-support features of the Health Department’s new system, and also integrate with existing HHC technology.

At the most basic level, electronic health records convert a paper chart to an electronic one. This reduces paperwork and helps prevent medical errors. But electronic health records can also improve people’s health by making preventive care the default setting. The Health Department’s prevention-oriented EHRs improve health care by:

• Giving doctors the fuller picture of a patient’s health by integrating the patient’s medical history, lab results and current medications into one electronic interface
• Improving follow-up care by prompting the doctor’s front office to send reminders to patients
• Increasing preventive screenings, such as mammograms, colonoscopies and pap smears, by providing automatic reminders during routine medical exams
• Reducing the risk of adverse drug reactions by tracking prescriptions and flagging potential interactions
• Allowing doctors and patients to track blood pressure and cholesterol control with simple charts and graphs
• Ensuring best practices and reducing errors by highlighting the most effective drug treatments (and doses) when a diagnosis is made
• Expediting care by providing instant referral when a patient needs care
• Reducing delays in treatment by sending prescriptions electronically or by fax
• Tracking medication use and identifying patients who need more assistance to take their prescribed treatment
• Tracking quality of preventive care over time, and in a comparable way between different doctors and different practices

Armstrong, Bloomberg Join Forces In Cancer Fight

Sat, 19 Jan 2008 17:21:00 -0600

Three heavyweights in the nation's public health debate — cyclist Lance Armstrong, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona — joined forces Friday to continue pushing cancer into the national political arena.

Mayor Bloomberg, Health Commissioner Frieden and Consumer Affairs Commissioner Mintz Announce That The Smoking Rate Among New York City Teens Was Lowest On Record in 2007

Wed, 2 Jan 2008 12:09:25 -0600

Sustained Anti-Tobacco Initiatives Cut Teen Smoking by More Than Half Over Six Years

Bronx Has Lowest Prevalence of Teen Smoking in the Five Boroughs

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas R. Frieden and Consumer Affairs Commissioner Jonathan Mintz released new data today from the 2007 New York City Youth Risk Behavior Survey showing that cigarette smoking among New York City teens declined by 20% between 2005 and 2007. The City’s teen smoking rate has dropped by more than half over the past six years from 17.6 percent in 2001 to 8.5 percent in 2007, the current rate that is about two-thirds lower than the latest available national teen smoking rate of 23 percent. The Mayor linked the continuing decline – which far exceeds the national decline – to the City’s sustained efforts to reduce smoking among adults. Those efforts include a tax increase, the smoke-free workplace law, and TV and subway ads that graphically depict the realities of tobacco-related illnesses.

“In 2001, roughly one out of every six high school students smoked. Today, that has fallen to about one out of every 12 – or about 8.5% of students,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “The reduction in teen smoking we’ve achieved in New York City will eventually prevent at least 8,000 premature deaths. These new numbers prove what we in New York have long believed: when you take bold public health measures, you get results.”

“Smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in New York City and few people over the age of 18 start smoking for the first time,” said Commissioner Frieden. “Preventing youth smoking will further reduce adult smoking and premature deaths in years to come. Parents should know that the strongest predictor of whether their children will smoke is if they themselves smoke.”

In 2007, an estimated 20,000 students smoked cigarettes. Had smoking not declined since 2001, there would have been at least 24,000 additional teens smoking in New York City. This decrease will prevent an estimated 8,000 premature deaths. The largest recent declines in teen smoking were observed in Staten Island (down 36 percent between 2005 and 2007), and the Bronx (down 37 percent). Teen smoking remains highest in Staten Island at 14.7 percent.

In addition to efforts to reduce smoking, New York City has also gotten tougher at enforcing cigarette sales to minors. “With our Youth Tobacco Enforcement and Prevention Program, we are conducting more undercover inspections than ever, and under the Mayor’s leadership, raising compliance to levels never before seen,” said Commissioner Mintz. “While we’re thrilled with the program’s success and high compliance, our teams continue to go undercover every day to make sure businesses do the right thing and communities are protected. Parents and kids can be the most helpful by reporting stores that make illegal sales.”

The New York City Youth Tobacco Enforcement and Prevention Program employs teens ages 15 to 17 to work undercover, accompanied by agency inspectors. The teens are paid $7.25 per hour plus Metro Cards and are required to take a no-smoking pledge. The Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) licenses approximately 11,000 tobacco retailers in New York City, and conducts daily inspections at stores year-round in all five boroughs. In fiscal year 2007, DCA conducted nearly 16,000 such inspections. In fiscal year 2007, 89 percent of businesses were in compliance for not selling cigarettes to teens, while in November alone, 93 percent of businesses —an all-time record high—stopped selling cigarettes to kids after being issued a violation. DCA’s Youth Tobacco Enforcement and Prevention Program is made possible by a New York State grant.

Bronx public high school students have the lowest prevalence of smoking in the city at 6.2 percent – a tremendous benchmark as historically, communities with socioeconomic challenges often have significant health disparities compared to other parts of the City. For example, compared with other boroughs, the Bronx has the highest HIV and diabetes death rates.

Smoking rates do not vary significantly by age or grade among New York City students, but girls previously reported a higher rate than boys. Between 2005 and 2007, however, the smoking rate for teenage boys fell from 10.5 percent to 8.3 percent, while the rate for teenage girls dropped from 12 percent to 8.6 percent, eliminating the differences in smoking by gender in 2007.

Youth Risk Behavior Survey

This information is based on results of the 2007 New York City Youth Risk Behavior Survey, a self-administered, anonymous questionnaire adapted for New York City from protocols developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nationally, the survey is conducted in both public and private schools. In New York City, the survey has been conducted in public schools every two years since 1997. From 1997 to 2001 the survey was conducted by the Department of Education (DOE); since 2003, it has been conducted jointly by DOE and the Health Department.

For smokers, quitting is the single most important thing they can do for their health and the health of their families. Smoking causes lung and mouth cancer, as well as stroke and heart disease. After just 24 hours of being tobacco free, a person’s risk of heart attack drops. Within 30 days, lung function improves.

For more information about the dangers of smoking – and how to stop – call 311. New Yorkers looking to obtain free nicotine patches can visit the Staten Island Ferry Whitehall Terminal in Manhattan on January 3rd and 4th from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM, or the Kings Plaza Mall in Brooklyn between January 7th and January 11th from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Mayor Bloomberg And Speaker Quinn Announce Green Cart Legislation To Improve Access To Fresh Fruit And Vegetables In Neighborhoods With Greatest Need

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 10:14:31 -0600

Program to Phase in Fifteen Hundred Vendors Over Two Years into Neighborhoods with Low Consumption and Limited Access to Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

New Food Policy Task Force Partnership with the Food Trust and Food Bank for New York City

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Speaker Christine C. Quinn today proposed legislation that would increase the number of food carts that sell fresh fruits and vegetables only. The carts will be located in neighborhoods throughout the five boroughs where access to fresh fruit and vegetables is limited. The Green Cart proposal, recommended by the Food Policy Task Force, calls for 1,500 permits to be phased in over two years, and requires vendors to operate in designated neighborhoods where consumption of fruits and vegetables is low. The Mayor and Speaker were joined by Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Linda Gibbs; Health Department Commissioner Thomas Frieden; New York City Food Policy Coordinator Benjamin Thomases; Food Bank for New York City President Lucy Cabrera; Bedford Stuyvesant Family Health Care Center President Ulysses Kilgore; and Citizens’ Committee for Children of New York Executive Director Jennifer March-Joly.

“Access to healthy foods varies widely throughout New York City, and in many lower-income neighborhoods, supermarkets are few and far between. There is demand for fruits and vegetables in these neighborhoods, and this regulatory change will enable the market to meet that demand,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “The Green Cart legislation will also provide opportunities for vendors to make a living selling fresh fruits and vegetables in communities where healthy food can be difficult to find.”

Cart permits will be issued for vendors in specific areas throughout the five boroughs where fruit and vegetable consumption is low. The allocations for designated areas within each borough, to be phased in over two years, are as follows: Bronx and Brooklyn will each get 500 permits; Queens will receive 250 permits; Manhattan will have 200, and Staten Island will receive 50 permits.

“The only way we’ll ever put a dent in the dual problems of malnutrition and obesity is to increase access to healthy food,” said Speaker Christine C. Quinn. “The Council has taken major steps to improve access to nutritious food, and with this legislation, we’ll take another bold effort towards becoming a healthier and more equitable city.”

A recent Health Department study comparing Harlem to the Upper East Side found that supermarkets in Harlem are 30 percent less common, and that only 3 percent of bodegas in Harlem carry leafy green vegetables as compared to 20 percent on the Upper East Side. The Green Cart legislation covers neighborhoods where at least 12 percent of adults reported, in Health Department surveys, that they did not eat any fruits or vegetables on the previous day.

“We are in the midst of an obesity epidemic,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas R. Frieden. “In some neighborhoods, rates of obesity and diabetes are 50 percent higher than the citywide average. To tackle this problem, and help prevent diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, we must change our environment and make healthy food more available.”

The Mayor and the Speaker also announced a new partnership with The Food Trust and the Food Bank for New York City that will work with supermarket operators to develop policies encouraging them to locate in neighborhoods in need of improved access to healthy foods.

Partnership with the Food Trust and the Food Bank for New York City

The Food Policy Task Force facilitated a $175,000 grant from the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman Foundation to the Food Trust to work with the Food Bank for New York City and the grocery industry to ensure adequate access to fruits and vegetables for all New Yorkers. This grant supplements an earlier $75,000 allocation by the City Council to the Food Bank for this project. The Food Trust is a Philadelphia-based nonprofit organization which works to ensure that everyone has access to affordable, nutritious food. Through its supermarket initiative, the Food Trust has helped spark the new development or renovation of more than 30 supermarkets in Pennsylvania in the last four years. This initiative has been recognized as a model program by the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the National Governor’s Association.

“Our work at the Food Bank and FoodChange to address hunger, poverty and nutrition issues has taught us that creating access to affordable, nutritious food in low-income communities is the long-term solution we need,” said Food Bank President Lucy Cabrera. “The City’s new Green Cart legislation will put fresh fruits and vegetables on the tables of families in low-income neighborhoods across the city, and that is a huge achievement by any measure.”

“One of the easiest ways to better our health is to eat more fruits and vegetables every day,” said Bedford Stuyvesant Family Health Center President Ulysses Kilgore. “And while some New Yorkers are already doing this, many of us have difficulty because fresh fruits and vegetables are not as accessible in our neighborhoods. This proposal will make it possible for every New Yorker to choose a healthier diet.”

“Limited access to nutritious, affordable food contributes to growing rates of childhood obesity in New York City and places approximately 500,000 children at risk of developing significant health problems as adults,” said Citizens’ Committee for Children of New York Executive Director Jennifer March-Joly. “The new Green Cart legislation proposed today will help to improve the health of hundreds of thousands of New York City children by bringing healthy, affordable food to communities most in need.”

“The Food Policy Task Force has created a new forum to develop policies across City agencies that have a positive impact on what New Yorkers eat,” said Food Policy Coordinator Ben Thomases. “The Green Cart legislation will introduce a new way to bring healthy food to New Yorkers. By partnering with Food Trust and the Food Bank, we will also find new ways to bring supermarkets to New York’s neighborhoods.”

If the Green Cart legislation is enacted, applications for these carts and more information on how to apply will be available by logging onto the Health Department web site at www.nyc.gov or by calling 311. Priority would be given to people currently on the permit waiting list, as well as disabled veterans, disabled persons and veterans.

The Office of the Food Policy Coordinator

The Office of the Food Policy Coordinator was established by Mayor Bloomberg in January of 2007. The Food Policy Coordinator is responsible for convening the Food Policy Taskforce and coordinating the efforts of City agencies to improve access to healthy food. The Food Policy Task Force was convened with the goal of increasing access to healthful foods for low-income New Yorkers, and is comprised of representatives from the Speaker’s Office, Department of Education, Health Department, New York City Human Resources Administration, and the Council on the Environment of New York City.

Mayor Bloomberg Accepts The Julius B. Richmond Award From The Harvard School Of Public Health

Mon, 29 Oct 2007 16:35:35 -0500

“Good afternoon. Thank you, Dean Bloom, for that kind introduction, and let me also thank Drew Faust for being such a gracious host. As for the Red Sox - I come with an official offer from the city of New York: We would now be willing to send Babe Ruth back to Boston – if it will help return the game to its natural order. Think about it.

“As mayor of New York, I unfortunately don’t have time to accept all the many wonderful invitations I receive for events outside the city – even those that take place only a couple of stops on the Red Line from where I grew up. But I was certainly not going to miss this one. After all, I am receiving an award for work in an area that is close to my heart – from a university that played such a big part in my life. And there’s the added privilege of receiving an honor named for such a distinguished scientist.

“Doctor Richmond is a true champion of public health. He transformed the field with his foresight and innovation, and at 91 years old, he remains an inspiration for all of us who strive to make this a better world. In fact, he’d make a perfect match for my 98-year-old mother, who’s here with me today. She’s always had a thing for younger men. (Too bad he’s not single. Sorry, Mom.)

“My own passion for public health was originally stoked during my work for my alma mater, Johns Hopkins, and its own distinguished school of public health. I’m very honored that the school’s dean emeritus, Al Sommer, is also with us today.

“My involvement with that school has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. And it inspired me to make public health one of New York’s top priorities when I was elected mayor. Since I became mayor, my Administration – led by our visionary Health Commissioner, Dr. Tom Frieden – has established a number of trailblazing initiatives to improve the health of our citizens.

“The result is that New Yorkers are living longer than ever and, for the first time since World War II, living longer than the average American – and that gap has grown every year since 2001. That’s right – if you want to live longer, forget about retiring to a condo in Florida... move to Brooklyn. Or Queens – or anywhere in the Big Apple! I can’t promise warmer weather, but we don’t have nearly as many mosquitoes. (And actually, about a third of those New Yorkers who do move south, come back a few years later.)

“In New York City, we’ve attacked a broad spectrum of public health issues over the past six years, but when you really break it down to its roots, the strategy we’ve followed has hinged on two principles: number one – we respect science. We’ve based policy not on what we want to be true, but on what we can prove is true. And number two – we take seriously our duty to act on what we know. So we rely on the forceful application of law as the primary instrument of public health policy. This afternoon, I’d like to talk to you about both of those principles, starting with the importance of respecting the science.

“The company I started 25 years ago made its name by giving people timely, reliable information – the right information to make the right decisions at the right time. And I’ve tried to bring this same concept into city government. I’ve always believed in the power of good, solid data – because if you can’t measure a problem – you can’t manage it.

“This might seem like a ‘given’ – but at all levels of government, especially in Washington, we’ve seen centuries of scientific discovery take a backseat to political ideology. I like to call this phenomenon “political science.” And you can see it at work in the movement to restrict federal funding for stem cell research or to discredit the theories of evolution and climate change.

“But pretending health problems don’t exist – or simply ignoring the truth – isn't part of my Administration’s approach. We find out what public health issues are facing our residents, and we gather all the information we possibly can. Then we attack the problems – stressing prevention where we can, and focusing our resources where they will do the most good. Let me give you a few examples of how the science has guided us.

“In 2001, our city was hit by a terrorist attack unprecedented in its size, scope, and impact on people’s physical and mental health. No one could predict the long-term consequences of such a unique, yet devastating, tragedy. That’s why our Health Department set up a process to document the effects of the disaster called the World Trade Center Health Registry – the largest such effort ever undertaken in this country.

“Since 2003, the Registry has been studying a sample of some 71,000 people – representing every state in the Union – who were exposed to the attacks. By conducting these investigations, we can stay on top of any emerging conditions – especially problems like cancer and some pulmonary diseases which take longer to appear – and we can make sure to always give the best treatment to those who are truly affected – and not those some politicians say are affected.

“I should note that the City has stepped up to cover much of the costs of this treatment – and will do so for as long as necessary. But this is clearly a national obligation – because it was an attack on our entire nation, and people from across the country responded. So we will continue to seek Federal funding to help all of those whose health has been affected by 9/11-related conditions.

“Another great example of how science has guided us is PlaNYC – our ambitious strategy for putting the city on solid ground environmentally and economically in the decades to come. It emerged from rigorous research on the challenges facing our city. One of the most pressing is our air quality; in neighborhoods like Harlem and the South Bronx the air is bad and children are hospitalized for asthma at four times the national rate. Confronting this problem means directly attacking the sources that contribute to air pollution.

“You may have heard about our proposal to implement a congestion charge for vehicles driving through parts of Manhattan. That will certainly cut down on the pollutants in our air but so too will our proposals to reduce emissions from our buildings; to convert our taxi fleet into hybrids; to build cleaner power plants; and to plant one million trees over the next 10 years. In fact, I planted the first of those million trees a few of weeks ago in the South Bronx with the help of the one and only Big Bird!

“Many of PlaNYC’s elements have been inspired by what other cities around the world have done. This process of looking to others and building on what they have achieved is really a hallmark of science – and is a big part of all our public health efforts. A good example is our Nurse Family Partnership program – which sends experienced nurses into the homes of low-income, first-time mothers who are often ill-prepared for the overwhelming responsibility that comes with caring for a new baby.

“Around the country, rigorous evaluation of these programs has shown that they dramatically reduce the things we want to see less of – like child abuse, criminal behavior, and infant illness and death – and increase the things we want to see more of – like longer intervals between first and second births, school achievement, and longer-lasting relationships between mothers and fathers. Because of this track record, we felt it was worth giving the program a shot in New York, with the help of support from the private sector.

“We know that investments made in a child’s early years dramatically and reliably improve his or her odds for good health, educational achievement, and earning potential later in life. These are the same reasons that motivated Doctor Richmond to launch the landmark Head Start program back in 1965. And that’s why we’ve made the Nurse Family Partnership a key part of our agenda to combat poverty – which affects 1 in 5 New Yorkers. It’s also why we’re expanding the program to other neighborhoods in the city, and creating a special team of nurses to work with pregnant teens in foster care and women in jails and shelters.

“Giving young mothers the information they need to strengthen their parenting skills is a crucial part of helping them lead healthy, fulfilling lives. And that’s the same philosophy behind our ‘Take Care New York’ campaign. ‘Take Care New York’ is the most comprehensive health policy agenda ever developed for any city in America. By establishing 10 core priorities with measurable outcomes, it encourages people – and their doctors – to be pro-active when it comes to their health, such as getting screened for cancer and knowing their HIV status.

“‘Take Care New York’ was created much in the mold of Doctor Richmond’s groundbreaking 1979 report, which established quantitative public health goals for the nation. Already, it has helped us reduce the number of New Yorkers who die each year from HIV. And over the past five years we’ve not only seen a 44% increase in colonoscopy screenings – but 265,000 more New Yorkers now have a regular doctor.

“Certainly, these kinds of public information campaigns, which rely heavily on public awareness, are invaluable but we must also recognize that, by themselves, they are insufficient to the enormous tasks at hand. And that brings me to my Administration’s second guiding principle: We need to pack some power into our punches. It’s like the way Mark Twain once described his appreciation for the nature of thunderstorms: ‘Thunder,’ he said, ‘is good. Thunder is impressive. But lightning does the work.’

“In the realm of public health, public information campaigns are good… but it’s the law that really does the work. That’s been demonstrated time and again – in areas ranging from mandating vaccinations; to requiring automobile seatbelts; to improving workplace safety; to the inspections of meat products; and fluoridation of water. Public health succeeds by making healthy choices the norm. Clearly, there are many matters of personal behavior and personal taste that we have no business regulating. But just as clearly, there are also areas in which we have an obligation to act on what we know – on what incontrovertible facts tell us.

“In New York, we’ve worked especially hard to bring the force of law to bear on three of these areas: reducing tobacco-related illness; combating heart disease and diabetes; and ending the violence caused by illegal firearms. First, let me talk about tobacco. We’ve come a long way since Dr. Richmond spurred the war on tobacco with his 1979 Surgeon General’s Report. That landmark publication amplified the irrefutable link between smoking and cancer, pushing the issue back onto the national stage where it has remained. But millions of Americans continued to smoke despite knowing the dangers.

“We needed to develop new solutions. That’s why five years ago, we introduced New York City’s pioneering Smoke-Free Air Act, which wiped out smoking in bars and restaurants. Its premise – supported by testimony from a Nobel Prize winner and former head of the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Harold Varmus – was that waiters and bartenders should not be forced to risk their health because of second-hand smoke in order to earn a living.

“You can probably imagine that in the beginning, I wasn’t the most popular person in certain parts of the city. Even some of my good friends opposed the ban – and they weren’t shy about telling me. (Whoopi Goldberg sent me an ashtray!) I also remember many people predicting that the ban would be a death knell for our tourism industry. Some feared no one from places like Italy or Ireland would ever visit the city again! But not only has that proved to be completely wrong; both Italy and Ireland are among more than a dozen nations around the world that have followed our lead and banned smoking in public places.

“So have more than a dozen states and many cities here in the U.S. – from Maine to Montana to New Mexico. More than half of all Americans are now protected from second-hand smoke on the job. And what’s maybe most rewarding is when a waiter or bartender comes up to thank me for protecting his or her health and sometimes it’s a person who was initially against the ban.

“The law – in the form of higher cigarette taxes – has also played an important role in reducing first-hand smoke in our city. Early in my Administration we raised the tax per pack by nearly $1.50. This has been an especially key factor in helping to reduce smoking among teenagers, who are particularly sensitive to the price of cigarettes. Five years ago, 1 in 4 teenagers smoked; today, it’s 1 in 10. And it gives me enormous satisfaction to report that because of all our efforts, today some 240,000 fewer New Yorkers smoke than did four years ago. That will prevent about 80,000 premature deaths in the years to come.

“Our success in New York has encouraged me as a private philanthropist to extend this campaign across the planet, where five million people die from tobacco-related diseases each year. Last year, I committed $125 million from my foundation toward the first two years of an initiative to combat smoking in developing countries, where two-thirds of the world’s smokers live. The funding – which will go toward locally-based groups working to raise taxes on cigarettes; limit the marketing of tobacco; raise awareness of its dangers; protect people from second-hand smoke; and help smokers quit – far more than doubles the private resources that have been devoted to this cause in these countries.

“New York is also making aggressive and innovative use of the law to combat heart disease. In 2006, we passed a regulation which phases out the use of artificial trans fats in restaurants. Just as we did with our smoking ban, we faced a lot of opposition, but once again, we let the science drive our message: Artificial trans fats have shown to increase the risk of heart disease and are likely responsible for at least 500 deaths in our city each year.

“Today, despite their initial concerns that the ban would hurt business, nearly all New York restaurants are complying with the law and showing that it’s easy to cook without trans fats. New Yorkers are now enjoying healthier foods without any change in taste or price. And once again, our city blazed a trail for others to follow: more than a dozen jurisdictions have either passed or are considering similar laws and nearly 50 national restaurant and fast food chains have removed trans fats from their kitchens – as well as nearly all packaged goods manufacturers.

“We’re now matching this success with a range of legal interventions aimed at curbing the twin epidemics that are getting worse in our city and in our nation: obesity, and with it, diabetes. Starting last year, we mounted a broad attack on this “silent killer” – ranging from school lunch programs that exceed Federal nutritional standards; to regulations requiring some restaurants to display calorie information; to exercise programs in child care centers.

“Such a comprehensive campaign is needed because nearly one out of every ten people in our city is diabetic and – even worse – nearly one out of every three of them doesn’t even know it. We are also working with local laboratories and doctors to create the nation’s first-ever public health diabetes registry. Today, when New Yorkers get their blood sugar levels tested at any doctor’s office or health facility in our city, that information goes to our Health Department. And when people have dangerously high blood sugar levels, we will work with their doctors to improve their level of control.

“Some people may call these steps intrusive. But I call it dynamic and effective public health. There have been very sad moments in our City when a child has died, or family abuse has been revealed – and the stories dominate the news. I’d love to see more headlines about the thousands and thousands of children and families we do help – and the lives we do save – because these are the stories that truly reflect what we’re doing, and what we aspire to do.

“Clearly, the force of law is also the only effective means of stopping the carnage created by a third public health menace: illegal guns. Now, at the outset, let me make it clear that, according to the FBI’s annual crime report, New York City is by far the safest big city in the nation – safer, even, than places like Madison, Wisconsin, and Rancho Cucamonga, California. Nevertheless, more than 300 New Yorkers are murdered with illegal guns each year. During my Administration that terrible toll includes seven members of the NYPD, as well as two auxiliary police officers. I gave eulogies at all of their funerals. Every one of those deaths broke my heart – but there was one in particular which moved me to take the fight to the next level.

“I still remember the incident clearly: It was November 2005 and a young officer named Dillon Stewart had been gunned down during a traffic stop. Despite doctors’ best efforts, the cop died on the operating table. Minutes later, the hospital’s director of trauma surgery – Dr. Robert Kurtz – joined me as I addressed the press. The doctor was exhausted, still in his scrubs, which were covered in blood.

“Calmly and professionally he explained how his team had tried to save the officer… how they had reopened the young man’s chest after the first surgery had failed… how he had held the officer’s heart in his hands. All to no avail. And then at that moment – having seen so many gunshot victims in his ER that the Army now comes to him for training, he felt compelled to speak out forcefully and publicly – about the awful bloodshed produced by guns on our streets.

“There’s no question his candor that day touched the heart of our city. And it galvanized us to apply the law with more energy than ever before. But first, as always, we looked at the data. Here’s what we found: About 30 Americans are murdered each day with guns –equivalent to the Virginia Tech massacre happening every day. About 85% of the guns recovered in crimes in our city are bought out-of-state. About 1% of dealers are responsible for the majority of guns used in crimes nationally. Now, the obvious question was: Who are those rogue gun dealers?

“Believe it or not, Congress has been trying to keep us from finding out. It’s a disgrace – a triumph of special interests over law enforcement. And it’s a problem that affects not just New York – but all cities. That’s why over the past two years more than 240 mayors from across the nation and from both major political parties have joined me and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino to lead where the federal government will not. Because as mayors, our first responsibility is public safety, and because we understand that stopping illegal guns has nothing to do with ideology or with the Constitutional right to bear arms. It’s about preventing criminals from getting guns.

“That’s why in New York, we’ve passed the toughest law in the country against illegal possession of a loaded gun. And it’s why we’ve sued out-of-state dealers whom we’ve caught selling guns illegally. Half of those dealers have settled with us and agreed to have their sales monitored – and that’s a big first step in the right direction.

“In closing today, let me just offer my gratitude once again for this very kind, and very surprising, honor. If you had told me – four decades ago, during my days here on campus – that one day I would receive the School of Public Health’s highest award, it would have seemed ridiculous. And given my academic record, my professors would have been even more surprised! But my life has clearly taken a number of unexpected turns – and I’m happy that I discovered my passion for public health, even if it took longer than all of you. I applaud you – especially the students, for finding your calling, too.

“Public health might not produce the immediate results and instant gratification of private medicine. It doesn’t provide the same kind of money or glory, but, guided by the best research and the judicious application of the law, it can make a huge difference for millions and millions of people. I can’t imagine a better way to spend your life or anything you could do to make a bigger impact. Thank you again for this incredible honor.”

Mayor Bloomberg Delivers 2008 State Of The City Address

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 13:51:16 -0600

"Thank you, Helen, and good afternoon. It's great to be in Queens. Home of Louis Armstrong, Simon & Garfunkel, and the great Count Basie, who wrote my entrance music today - 'One O'Clock Jump.' I'm especially glad to be here at the brand-new public pool and ice rink in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. I was hoping to ride in on a Zamboni but I couldn't get it through the Midtown Tunnel.

"Speaker Quinn and members of the City Council, Comptroller Thompson, Public Advocate Gotbaum, Borough Presidents, Mayors Dinkins and Koch. I want to welcome you and all our distinguished guests here today. And I'd like to start by introducing you to some guests of my own. Five special families: the Ramóns, who came to New York from Colombia 20 years ago; the Chens, originally from Ningbo, China; the Snreenivasans, originally from Madras, India; the Bias family, who moved here in 1953 from South Carolina; and finally, the Farruggios, who came from Sicily, and are here today with the newest member of their family - Sienna - born just two weeks ago.

"Five different families. Five different backgrounds, origins, even native languages. Yet they all live, just blocks apart, right here in Flushing. And they share something else: Immigrant - or native-born all of them have hitched their dreams to this great city. I wanted to invite these families today, and a number of others in the front rows, because the diversity they represent is what makes our town special. This is New York City.

"These families - like all of us - do not know what the new year will bring, especially as the economy appears headed for difficult times. Family budgets are tightening, and so are budgets for businesses and governments. But these families have put their faith in our city. They believe in the promise it has always offered. And our challenge - those of us in this room who work for them - is to make it just a little bit easier to redeem that promise, a little bit easier to get through these uncertain times.

"Their presence is a two-way street. New York gives them unlimited opportunities and these families help make New York the nation's economic engine, its financial hub, its fashion center, its media mecca, and its cultural capital. And that's one of the messages I've been speaking out on, to those who are wailing against immigration, to those politicians who, all of a sudden, have embraced xenophobia, I say: open your eyes.

"Take a look behind me. This is what makes America great. This is New York City. This is Freedom. This is Compassion, and Democracy, and Opportunity.

"We are in a competitive struggle. And the stakes couldn't be higher. Over the past year, I've seen cities from London to Paris to Shanghai, pushing the frontiers of progress. They are doing everything they can to attract the best and the brightest in every field: medicine; engineering; construction and more. These cities are not putting up barriers; they're not looking inward or blaming someone else. They're not afraid of the new or the different, and we shouldn't be either. If we are, we won't have a future.

"Keeping New York City and America at the front of the pack begins with an openness to new energy, meaning immigration, and to new ideas, meaning innovation. It means thinking about problems in new ways, and using the most powerful new technology from every place to solve them. It means recognizing what we do well and how - with education - we can improve and be the beneficiary of change, not its victim.

"That's how I built my business and that's the approach I've brought to a City government that was insular, and provincial, and married to the conventional. To stay competitive, this year New York will continue implementing the most ambitious agenda of any city in the country, and doing something that too often doesn't happen in government: following-through on promises.

"We are committed to making our City government quicker, leaner, stronger, better, and to giving all New Yorkers a city that matches their ambition and honors their dreams. What I'm going to describe today is not just about programs and applications. It's about helping people like the families behind me who live the State of the City every day, and who feel the State of the City when they're walking down the street, when they're paying their bills and when they're sending their children off to school.

"So let's talk about the State of our City for these families - and yours. Let's begin with government's most fundamental responsibility: public safety.

"In 2007, we made the safest big city in the nation safer than it has been in generations. The fewest traffic deaths in nearly a century. Historic lows in jail violence. Historic lows in fire fatalities. And the fewest homicides recorded in modern history. This is New York City today.

"Sadly, just three days into our new year, we got a heartbreaking reminder of the risks our first responders take every day: We lost FDNY Lieutenant John Martinson while he was battling a fire in a 25-story building. And last August, we lost firefighters Robert Beddia and Joseph Graffagnino to a fire at the old Deutsche Bank Building. These heroes left us more than an inspiring example of sacrifice. They left us with a job to do: Providing our police officers and firefighters with the best new tools and training - so that when they walk into an emergency situation, they'll have the best possible chance of walking safely back out.

"This year, Commissioner Scoppetta and the FDNY will pioneer a state-of-the-art high-rise fire simulator that will play an important role at our new 23-week training academy. That's nearly double the length of the old training program. And starting this year, the fire academy will begin welcoming the most diverse classes in its history.

"We'll also take a major leap forward in modernizing and improving emergency communications. By placing GPS-systems in every fire truck and ambulance, we can now track and deploy them more effectively - which has helped reduce ambulance response times by 21 seconds over the past 18 months. That makes a big difference in saving lives. But we can do better.

"This year, we'll be launching the New York City wireless network - which allows first responders to get more information, more quickly. Maps, mugshots, rap sheets. It will move us from slow dial-up to high-speed broadband with 100 times the capacity of the old analog system. At the same time, we'll expand its functions to serve all of City government - even the more mundane things that influence our quality of life.

"For instance, it will allow us to read water meters remotely or improve control of traffic signals. To further reduce police and fire response times and improve emergency communications, we'll move past the old agency-centric way of handling 911 calls.

"Right now, if you call 911 to report a fire, you first speak to a police operator then you're transferred to a fire operator - in a completely different location - and you have to tell your story all over again wasting precious seconds. This year, to begin streamlining the call-taking system, operators and dispatchers will move into the first of two new centralized facilities, working side by side, saving time, and possibly even lives.

We'll also have 'Digital 911' up and running by this summer, allowing New Yorkers to send digital photos to the police from their cell phones. These new communication tools will enable the NYPD to continue driving crime down to historic lows. Because, whether it's one murder or 496 we are not satisfied we are not finished and we are not letting up in the fight against crime - not for one second.

"In the year ahead, we'll use the latest technology to continue turning up the heat on criminals - and, to more quickly exonerate the innocent. The single most powerful way to do both is through DNA analysis. Two years ago, we convinced the State Legislature to expand DNA testing to cover all convicted felons, and some misdemeanors. This year, we will urge Albany to follow the lead of the federal government - and a growing number of European countries - by taking DNA fingerprints from all those who are arrested. This would help keep the innocent out of jail and the guilty off our streets.

"In the months ahead, we will also challenge the private sector to speed up DNA fingerprinting so that when DNA is left behind, officers can identify suspects more quickly and avoid wrongful arrests. And to do this, we will establish a six-figure prize for anyone who can invent a device tailored to the NYPD that analyzes DNA right at the crime scene. It's just one more way we are trying to bring private sector innovation into the public sector.

"This year, we'll also use technology to fight the #1 public safety threat in our city - and in all cities: illegal guns. In less than two years, our bi-partisan coalition of Mayors Against Illegal Guns has grown from 15 members to more than 250. Together, we've put the issue of illegal guns back on the national agenda - and against all odds, we have made important progress: Beating back federal legislation that would have made it easier to traffic in illegal guns. Convincing the federal ATF to release some of the critical trace data our officers need to track the flow of guns across state lines. And most recently, in the wake of the Virginia Tech tragedy, we helped pass a major upgrade to the federal background check system.

"The Virginia Tech murders showed what happens when state governments fail to share mental health records with the ATF. But Virginia was not alone. Right now, thousands of New York's mental health records are not in the federal background check system. So, this year, we will push for new State legislation requiring all State agencies to supply these records to federal authorities - and I say: Let's get it done before the April 16th anniversary of the Virginia Tech massacre and before another senseless tragedy takes place.

"Two years ago, under Commissioner Kelly's leadership, the NYPD created a special Gun Suppression Squad to improve our anti-trafficking intelligence. Now, to take this work to the next level, we will begin creating a comprehensive database of firearms evidence - something no other city in the country has. It will become the latest addition to our revolutionary Real Time Crime Center.

"We will also seek to follow Governor Schwarzenegger's lead in passing legislation that requires manufacturers to use microstamping technology, which helps police better connect crime scenes to guns. Criminals are hoping we don't pass it - so what are we waiting for?

"We'll also deploy the latest technology against those who seek to attack our city a possibility that, unfortunately, is just as strong as it was before 9/11. In the year ahead, Commissioner Bruno and the Office of Emergency Management will help every City agency draw up plans that guarantee continuity of operations during a wide-scale emergency. At the same time, the NYPD will expand its Lower Manhattan Security Initiative by deploying 30 vehicles Downtown with automated license plate reading devices. The NYPD deserves the world's best counter-terrorism tools and we're going to make sure they have them.

"We've brought new technology to every level of city government to improve customer service and employee performance. I've always believed that achieving these goals begins with providing the information people need to hold our feet to the fire. That's the idea behind the streamlined Mayor's Management Report, and behind the progress reports we've released on both our campaign promises and PlaNYC. A government that is more open, more responsive, and more accountable: This is New York City.

"In the months ahead, we will take that philosophy to new heights with a major new addition to our most popular customer service innovation 311. Since 2003, we've logged more than 60 million calls. Now, we haven't been able to satisfy everyone, of course. Someone recently called trying to buy tickets for a Hannah Montana concert. But today, I'm pleased to announce a new and improved 311. The citizens' hotline will soon go on-line. From now on New Yorkers will be able to track the progress of their service requests on the web.

"By this summer, the public will also be able to go online to monitor the progress of SCOUT, our roving team of quality-of-life inspectors who hit the streets last fall. SCOUT has already covered every city street three times over - and we even have one of their scooters here today.

"Over the coming months, we'll go even further. Working with Public Advocate Gotbaum, we will conduct a massive public opinion survey and reach out to 100,000 New Yorkers to get their feedback on how well City government is serving them. We'll also roll out the mother of all accountability tools, which we call Citywide Performance Reporting. It's going to put a wealth of data at our fingertips - more than any other American city has ever made available. Fire response times, noise complaints, trees planted by the Parks Department- you name it.

"More than 500 different measurements from 45 City agencies - all available with a few clicks of the mouse. I like to think of it as a Bloomberg terminal for City government - except that it's free to the public. And no future mayor will ever be able to walk away from it because the public won't let them, and rightly so. Good government is about transparency and accountability. We're doing everything we can to make them both permanent.

"Modernizing City government also requires a comprehensive look at its structure and operations, something that hasn't happened since Mayor Koch appointed a Charter Revision Commission 20 years ago. Since then, a lot has changed, and we've come to see redundancies, antiquated regulations, and areas for cost-savings. It's time to apply those lessons in order to make government more open, accountable, and efficient - not just this year, but permanently. Today, I am pleased to announce that we will appoint a new Charter Revision Commission that will conduct a top-to-bottom review of City government over the next 18 months. We'll consider any proposal that will improve the life of New York and New Yorkers.

"Unfortunately, a Charter Revision Commission can't affect an area that desperately needs modernization: The Board of Elections, perhaps the only agency that still has the party bosses directly calling the shots. But this year, we will work with Citizens Union to build a nonpartisan coalition that unites the left and the right around a very basic idea: Hiring should be based on merit, not party ties. 2008 is the 130th anniversary of the death of Boss Tweed. Let's also make it the year we finally put to rest his style of politics.

"All of our work to make government more accountable stems from a simple principle: Serving our citizens is our most basic responsibility. That goes for every citizen at every income level. In 2008, we will use technology to continue breaking down barriers to City services. For too long, individual agencies have looked at their clients in isolation - even though many New Yorkers interact with City government on a whole spectrum of issues.

"For instance, today, the Human Resources Administration has no way of knowing that a woman who is seeking help finding work might also have a history of homelessness and a child in foster care. This year, in a first for any municipal government, we will link the computer systems at more than a dozen City agencies. They'll be able to share client information without compromising confidentiality.

"Under this new system - called Health and Human Services Connect - New Yorkers will have to give us their information only once, and their case file will be updated online as needed. For the caseworkers this will mean less time pushing paper more time with their clients and, most importantly, a more comprehensive picture of the people we are trying to help.

"We need to give New Yorkers the best service we can because New Yorkers give their best to the city they love. They give their time, their talent, and sometimes, they give more than anyone can imagine. Luís and Yolanda Ramón moved to 45th Avenue, not too far from here, where they raised their three sons, and sent them to P.S. 24. Their eldest boy, who was born in Colombia and emigrated here, joined the United States Marines in 2003, to defend his new country.

"As many of you might remember, three years later, Corporal Julian Ramón gave his life in Anbar Province. Luís and Yolanda, on behalf of all eight and a quarter million of your neighbors, we honor your son, and all of the brave soldiers who've served our country, and city so valiantly. The bravery of Julian, the strength of Luís and Yolanda - This is New York City. And that's why we're going to do more than ever to protect New Yorkers here at home when they're most vulnerable.

"To step up our fight against domestic violence, we will open the City's second Family Justice Center in Kew Gardens giving victims another place where they can find all the services they need under one roof. And to press the battle against homelessness, we will establish nearly 500 beds for the toughest cases: Those who avoid the shelter system because they don't want to be bound by a curfew or forced into a substance abuse program. We can't be afraid to flip the conventional wisdom on its head when it comes to intractable problems like homelessness or poverty. And that's exactly what our Center for Economic Opportunity is doing.

"Over the past year, it's put more than 30 innovative strategies into motion, representing the best new ideas in the field, ideas that have the potential to unlock new solutions to poverty. This work has also helped us build on the progress we've made in reducing the number of welfare recipients to the lowest it has been in nearly half a century.

"Another 12 pioneering ideas will hit the ground this year - including a new partnership with our three public library systems to promote literacy among high school dropouts. It will be part of an emerging focus on New Yorkers who are a key part of the poverty puzzle: young fathers. Through a new campaign called 'NYC Dads,' for example, we will help more young fathers connect with their children, and with jobs. Congress should do its part too, by ending the marriage penalty in the Earned Income Tax Credit and lowering the qualifying age from 25 to 21. At the same time, Congress should withhold the money from any father who isn't up to date on child support payments. Bigger benefits, basic responsibilities. To me, that's the right way to fight poverty.

"At the same time, let's face up to the hard fact: too many of today's young fathers have run afoul of the law. They face an uphill battle in getting their lives back on track - but if they don't, their children will suffer most.

"That's why this year, we will build more classrooms at Rikers Island and make going to school there more attractive. And to keep inmates on the right path once they leave, we will link them to the benefits they need immediately upon release. They've paid their debt - but with no prospects, sadly, too many of them will return to jail. Let's help them build their future - which will help keep all of us safe.

"A central part of reducing poverty is improving public health - and over the past six years we've helped New Yorkers of all incomes be proactive about their health. The results speak for themselves: 265,000 more New Yorkers now have a regular doctor; a record number are being screened for colon cancer; teen smoking has plunged an incredible 52 percent; and due to these accomplishments - and others - the average New Yorker is living longer than the average American. Think about that. On the other hand, why shouldn't we? This is New York City!

"Now, we're stepping up our fight against New York's number one killer: heart disease. That's why, last year, we didn't just ban trans fats. Working with Speaker Quinn, we've increased the availability of healthy foods in neighborhoods where they are hardest to find and also introduced legislation to raise the number of street vendors who sell fruit and vegetables.

"This year, we will raise the quality of food served in every City agency from our hospitals to our schools to our senior centers. That's nearly 1.5 million meals every single day of the year. We'll also continue opening parks and playgrounds in every neighborhood, so that every New Yorker has no more than a 10-minute walk to enjoy them.

"Over the next 25 years, the number of New Yorkers over 65 is going to nearly double- growing to 20% of our city. That's an incredible statistic. Seniors bring both stability and vitality to our neighborhoods. Just take a look at John Bias. He's joined councils, clubs, and community boards. He retired and now he's busier than ever.

"Today I'm announcing a major effort called 'The All Ages Project.' In collaboration with the City Council and the New York Academy of Medicine, this project will completely re-envision what it means to grow old in New York, for seniors like John and me!

"For instance: How can we ensure that more seniors are cared for in their own homes, rather than in institutions? And how do we make our city easier to get around in? Next month, we will begin to address that second challenge with traffic engineering improvements at 25 high-accident areas which are especially problematic for seniors, including some here in Flushing.

"This will make the streets safer for all of us including our children. Everything we're doing, in fact, will create a better future for our children - because soon this will be their city. They'll be the ones sitting in your seats, voting, paying your Social Security benefits or even be up here giving the State of the City address.

"That's why, from the beginning, we've pursued major education reforms that put 'children first.' That commitment has been the engine driving everything we've achieved in the past six years: Raising graduation rates by 20%; increasing reading and math scores by double digits; slashing the bureaucracy; funding schools more generously - and more equitably; rewarding principals and teachers for excellence; closing the shameful achievement gap between ethnicities; and giving all children a chance to fulfill their God-given potential. This is New York City.

"The families of New York expect a lot from their schools - and they have every right to. They're entrusting us with their children. Five children, in the case of the Snreenivasan family. They're the people we have to answer to. That's why one of our first steps was putting parent coordinators in every school. It's why we reached out to 850,000 families in the biggest school survey ever. "It's why we've created school progress reports - in 10 languages.

"And this year, we'll use the power of technology to give families another window into their children's schools. Recently, we unveiled a performance management database that allows principals and teachers to track student progress. This fall, we'll open up this web-based system to parents. No longer will kids be able to hide test scores from parents.

"We will put technology to work in other ways, too. For instance, this year, we'll begin testing GPS systems on our school buses to help us measure on-time performance and keep track of our fleet in the event of a citywide emergency. Technology will also help us in our mission to ensure a first-rate teacher in every classroom. This year, we'll provide a new web-based 'tenure tool kit,' to empower principals to make tenure decisions the right way: Rigorously, fairly, and based on student learning and progress.

"This will build on our work with the UFT to make teacher tenure what it is supposed to be- a reward for success, not an automatic right for punching the time clock. Make no mistake, we believe in our teachers. That's why we've raised salaries 43% and invested more than $2 billion in training and supporting them. But we're also going to be tough enough to give principals the authority to evaluate all teachers based on how well their students are actually learning. Students and parents deserve nothing less.

"In 2008, we're also going to set higher student standards and make sure that every student entering high school is ready to do high school work. Last year, Speaker Quinn and the Council did a great service by spotlighting the challenges we face in our middle schools. We've begun implementing many of their recommendations and now, we're ready to take the next step.

"Four years ago, I proposed ending the shameful practice of social promotion for 3rd graders in our city. Not everyone liked that idea, you may remember. But our 3rd graders rose to the challenge - and then, when we expanded the policy to 5th and 7th graders, they rose to the challenge, too.

"Now I will ask the City's Panel on Educational Policy to end social promotion next school year in the 8th grade. We're going to give 8th graders the extra support they need to meet our higher standards. If they're going to succeed in high school, and in a competitive world they need to know the basics before they get there. Three years ago, we launched new vocational programs to engage young people who had either already left school, or were on the verge of dropping out. Thousands of them have now gotten their lives on track. This year, we're going to begin dramatically transforming how high school students prepare for technical careers in a number of growing fields. Traditionally, such career and technical education has been seen as an educational dead-end. We're going to change that. College isn't for everyone, but education is.

"Building on work by the State Education Department, we'll do what no other public school system in the nation has done- create rigorous career and technical programs that start in high schools and continue in our community colleges. We'll offer the first of these new options in September 2009. And we'll lay the groundwork this year - a process that will be led by a task force I'm announcing today.

"I'm glad to say it will include Merryl Tisch of the Board of Regents, and will be co-chaired by two great citizens: New York Life CEO and Chairman Sy Sternberg and my good friend, former Mayor David Dinkins. Thank you, Sy and thank you, Mayor Dinkins.

"Finally, let's talk about the most pressing concern to the state of our city: the economy. This is likely to be a difficult year - as our great comptroller, Bill Thompson, and others have forecast. But, you should know, we haven't waited for the hard times to hit before taking action.

"During the sunny days, we prepaid debt, saved for retiree's healthcare, and budgeted responsibly, and when clouds started forming last year, working with the Comptroller, we began to cut spending and freeze hiring. Now, we will not walk away from making the hard decisions about what we can and can not afford.

"Next week, I will present our preliminary budget for Fiscal 2009. It will contain spending reductions we committed to last fall. It will also rely on support from our partners in State government and our municipal unions, which have always stood with the City during difficult times. But it will also offer something that more and more homeowners need continued tax relief.

"We remain committed to extending the $400 property tax rebate to all homeowners. Also last year, working with the City Council, we offered a seven percent, across-the-board property tax cut for one year. Next week's preliminary budget will propose an extension of that cut. However, adopting it will depend on a variety of factors unknown today - from the health of our economy to the continued help we get from our partners in State government to the outlook for future years after our Administration has come to an end.

"We've been through tough times before and come out stronger because we came together to make this city better for everyone. That is exactly what we will do once again by pushing ahead with a five-borough economic development strategy that has broken all the rules about the ability of City government to affect the economy. By investing in a diverse, growing slate of industries and by making our city more livable and more business friendly, this strategy has helped create 179,000 private sector jobs over the past four years alone.

"In 2007 we set records in so many key economic areas: The highest bond rating in nearly 80 years; roughly $25 billion in new construction; a record 33 percent home ownership rate; and 46 million tourists. This is New York City. And since small businesses are the backbone of our city's economy, supporting them now is more essential than ever.

"From my own experience, I know that the last thing small businesses want to deal with is a lot of red tape. That's why this year, our Business Express web site will make it much simpler for business owners to determine what permits and licenses they need from various agencies. And the Department of Consumer Affairs will also begin offering online applications and renewals for those permits and licenses. The growth of our small business community has been fueled by our population growth - and together, they're adding new urgency to the need for modern infrastructure.

"That's exactly why we developed PlaNYC, our strategy for creating the world's first truly sustainable city. PlaNYC includes 127 proposals - many of them pioneering the latest technology to achieve our goals. This year, we'll work to increase our use of solar panels to continue greening government buildings and we'll join forces with the real estate industry to make new construction and old buildings greener.

"This is the single most important thing we can do to reduce our carbon footprint - but it's not the only thing. With the State's blessing, we'll also use technology to create a system of congestion pricing - something no other American city has done. It will help us achieve four critical, inter-connected goals: reducing traffic congestion; raising money for mass transit; improving our air quality; and fighting climate change.

"Better mass transit is key to our economic growth. That's why we refused to wait for the MTA to build the extension of the Number 7 line, and just last month broke ground on the first new mile of subway track that the city has funded since the 1950s. The 7 extension is a great example of our five-borough economic development strategy in action. That's New York City today.

"By rezoning some 40 blocks of underused land on Manhattan's West Side, we set the stage for the neighborhood's revival. That's New York City today. Now, by investing in infrastructure and public parks, we are unleashing the forces of the private sector. That's New York City, too. And that's been our story in every borough.

"Over the past six years we've rezoned one-sixth of the city - more than the past six administrations combined. And we've invested more than $4.5 billion dollars in new infrastructure and public attractions. Just look at the building we're in today. In fact, this is the largest facility ever built inside a City park. The pool upstairs won't officially open until next month but if anyone wants to take a dip now, I'm sure we can work something out.

"This year, we'll keep charging ahead - rezoning the South Bronx and continuing to invest $3 billion in new infrastructure. We'll rezone 125th Street in Manhattan to make way for more jobs and more affordable housing. We'll do the same at St. George on Staten Island, catalyzing new jobs and economic growth. We'll also rezone Willets Point, a stone's throw from here, the first step in what will be one of the most significant environmental reclamation projects of our time. And, with our partners in City and State government, we'll work to bring the magic back to America's first playground: Coney Island. This is New York City. We can't lose it!

"The list of investments could go on and on. It starts in Lower Manhattan, where we will do everything possible to pick up the pace at the World Trade Center site and, working with the State, finally bring the Deutsche Bank building down this year. At the same time, we will continue to revitalize Fulton Street in Lower Manhattan, and we'll open the first section of the hottest new park in the country: the High Line, which we hope will be anchored by a new Whitney museum.

"We'll break ground on a new home for the Theater for a New Audience in Downtown Brooklyn and begin constructing Brooklyn Bridge Park. Not far from here, the Queens Museum of Art will expand, and construction will begin on a million-square-foot office complex at Queens Plaza. And not far from there, in Long Island City, we will work to turn some 30 acres of prime, waterfront real estate into the largest new development of middle-income housing since Starrett City more than 35 years ago.

"As you know, affordable housing is the foundation of strong communities. That's why we created the largest affordable housing program ever undertaken by any city - 165,000 units by 2013 enough for 500,000 people more than the entire city of Atlanta. We've already financed construction and preservation of 69,000 units - and this year, we'll see the largest number of units financed since the mid-70s. We're also going to help more New Yorkers buy their own homes - families like the Farruggios. Joe, his wife Alexis, and their two kids, wanted to build their dream home and now they're building it on the lot right next to his father's.

"To help even more families buy and keep their homes, we recently joined with the City Council to create the Center for New York City Neighborhoods. This month, the Center will open its doors and begin helping families who've been hit hardest by the sub-prime mortgage crisis. Keeping housing affordable is essential to remaining a city that welcomes the middle class.

"And to help more New Yorkers enter the middle class, we will continue promoting an industry that offers tens of thousands of jobs for those on their way up the economic ladder: tourism. Last year, NYC & Company ramped up its global reach by launching the 'This is New York City' campaign and opening offices in places like Sweden, Russia, China, and Brazil. In 2008, we'll add new locations in India and Australia to keep us moving closer to our goal of attracting 50 million annual visitors by 2015.

"There is no doubt what draws so many tourists to our city: arts and culture. No matter what your pleasure - from MoMA to Mamma Mia from Landmarks to sculpture parks you can find it here. This is New York City - the most diverse arts and entertainment community in the world.

"Later this year, in what will be a major new work of public art, four man-made waterfalls - as tall as the Brooklyn Bridge - will rise out of New York Harbor; a fitting symbol of how our entire waterfront is coming back to life. And also this year in what will be an incredible send-off to America's greatest sports cathedral, Yankee Stadium will not only host Pope Benedict the 16th but also the 79th Major League Baseball All-Star Game and, I have no doubt, the most dramatic Game Seven of the most thrilling Subway Series of all time.

"The year ahead is not going to be easy - but as I stand here, I'm more optimistic about our future than ever. There's a great quote in the latest Philip Roth book: 'I came to New York,' the character says, 'and in only hours, New York did what it does to people; awakened the possibilities. Hope breaks out.'

"What a wonderful description of our city. We believe in all of the possibilities. A city that constantly pushes the boundaries of innovation. A city that's open to everybody from around the world. A city that can compete with any place on Earth. A city where 'hope breaks out.'

"Every January, when the mayor gives this speech, it's tradition to sum up the 'State of the City' in one word - one adjective. But today I look to the people behind me and say: The State of the City is as energetic as Julian Chen at the playground and as vibrant as a holiday dinner with the Snreenivasan. It is as inspiring as John Bias, as strong as the pride inside Luís and Yolanda Ramón; and as full of promise as beautiful little Sienna Farruggio.

"Energetic. Vibrant. Inspiring. Strong. Full of promise. This really is New York City. God bless you and God bless New York City."

Mayor Bloomberg Delivers Opening Address At "Ceasefire! Bridging The Political Divide" Conference

Tue, 19 Jun 2007 01:21:29 -0500

The following is the text of Mayor Bloomberg’s speech as prepared. Please check against delivery.

“Thank you, Mayor Villaraigosa. It’s a pleasure to be in L.A. – the greatest, most exciting American city, west of the Hudson River. (I say that as an entirely neutral observer of course.) I also want to thank the Annenberg School for hosting this conference. The last time I was in California, the Annenberg family hosted a dinner for Mayor Villaraigosa that I had the pleasure of attending. They’re a great family, some of whom live in my fair city, but most importantly, if they keep feeding me, I’ll keep coming back.

“I hope that tonight and tomorrow, everyone at this conference will share with us their thoughts about the governmental challenges we face in our nation, and how to meet them. Solutions will require a diversity of opinion and fresh approaches. So, in that spirit, let me begin by cutting to the chase of why I think this conference is necessary.

“America, the most wonderful country in the world, is at a crossroads. The politics of partisanship and the resulting inaction and excuses have paralyzed decision-making, primarily at the federal level, and the big issues of the day are not being addressed – leaving our future in jeopardy. We can accept this, or we can say – ‘Enough is enough!’ – and together, build a bright future for our country.

“I believe we can turn around our country’s current, wrong-headed course, if we start basing our actions on ideas, shared values, and a commitment to solve problems without regard for party.

“The point of this conference is clear: We do not have to settle for the same old politics. We do not have to accept the tired debate between the left and right, between Democrats and Republicans, between Congress and the White House. We can and we must declare a ceasefire – and move America forward.

“While a ceasefire is essential, it must also be followed by change. Real change – not the word, but the deed. Not slogans, but a fundamentally different way of behaving – one built on cooperation and collaboration. And it is needed now – because more than ever, Washington is sinking into a swamp of dysfunction. No matter who’s in charge, sadly today, Partisanship is King.

“It’s become a contest to one-up the other side and to score points for the next election. Decisions in DC these days are more political and less issue-based than ever before, and the consequences have been disastrous.

“When you go to Washington now, you can feel a sense of fear in the air – the fear to do anything, or say anything, that might affect the polls, or give the other side an advantage, or offend a special interest.

“This is paralyzing our government – and it’s leading our elected officials to push all the big, long-term problems onto future generations: health care, Social Security, budget deficits, global warming, immigration, you name it.

“Their inaction and partisan gridlock are destroying our relationships and reputation around the world.

“They are hurting our economic competitiveness, driving scientific and medical discoveries overseas, and jeopardizing our future as the land of hope and opportunity.

“They see the same problems we do – but instead of working to address their causes, and provide real, lasting solutions, they tinker around the edges, offering band-aids that do nothing to stop the bleeding, giving us platitudes and promises, but never the decisive and merit-based legislation and leadership we need. And then they blame the other side when the bleeding gets worse.

“Why do elected officials act this way? I think there’s one primary answer. They become hooked on partisanship because it offers easy answers. And then it consumes them. It becomes their most important priority.

“We’re talking about a serious and harmful addiction here – and unfortunately, there’s no ‘Promises’ clinic for partisanship. (If there were, maybe they’d stop making so many empty promises.)

“The United States can’t afford for this to continue. We need Washington to break its addiction, to end the gridlock, and to stop passing the buck to future generations. Leading from the front: It’s what built America.

“But these days, the federal government isn’t at the front – it’s cowering in the back corner of the room, ducking responsibility and hoping no one notices. The fact is, if our country is going to meet the challenges of this new century, all of us who care more about progress than political parties have to take responsibility for ending this corrosive culture of partisanship.

“It’s a waste of time pointing fingers and blaming the politicians in Washington – after all, we elected them. No, if we want to Washington to change – we, the individual voters they work for – have to hold them accountable.

“From my experience, ending Washington paralysis means bridging divides, but that does not mean just splitting differences. That’s a common political cop out. Public policy is not a zero sum game – and it doesn’t always have to be a partisan tug-of-war.

“Believe it or not, by thinking outside the box, and bringing creative ideas to the table…we can increase the overall benefits that both sides can achieve – and more importantly, what America can achieve.

“That’s what nonpartisanship permits: Getting big things done, producing real results, solving tough problems. And that’s what governors and mayors around the country have been doing – stepping in to solve national problems at the local level, and two great examples of that are Governor Schwarzenegger and Mayor Villaraigosa.

“City and state governments can lead the way, but in many cases, our actions are limited and pre-empted by federal policies. And more and more, those policies are failing to keep up with the times and failing to respond to our most-pressing problems.

“We need Washington to begin taking the same nonpartisan, results-oriented approach that is succeeding in cities and states. As I see it, this approach is based on five values of leadership that have the power to bridge the partisan divide, and it all begins with independence.

“There’s nothing wrong with belonging to a political party – about two-thirds of us do. But joining a party doesn’t mean you should stop thinking for yourself! Neither party has God on its side, a monopoly on good ideas, or a lock on any single fiscal, social, or moral philosophy. And anyone who says their party does, and the other party doesn’t, is either a fraud or just not a good student of history.

“For progress, ideas have to be evaluated on their merits, not their origins. Conventional wisdom must be challenged, no matter whose it is, and we must be willing to call ‘em like we see ‘em – no matter what party discipline demands. In other words – independence from politics, ideology, and petty selfishness.

“Nonpartisan leadership also requires good, old fashioned honesty and common sense, and I know you’ll hear a lot of it from the participants at this conference.

“Promising ‘a chicken in every pot’ without saying who’d pay for it, or a ‘secret plan to end the war’ or falling back on ‘motherhood and apple pie’ without taking on the underlying reasons why families are struggling to make ends meet – that’s not honesty. Nor is it honest to make decisions that are guided by political expediency or campaign donations – or by faith-based science, instead of real science.

“Honesty means having the courage tell the public the unvarnished truth – the downsides as well as the upsides, the costs as well as the benefits, and it means making decisions on the merits – and only on the merits.

“I would bet that all the participants at this conference will tell you that voters respect and reward those who rely on common sense to make their decisions and who refuse to let politics get in the way of doing the right thing for the right reasons. Taking this approach builds trust, and trust bridges divides. Governors and mayors are doing this every day, and Washington has to start doing it as well.

“Innovation is another value central to nonpartisan leadership. Innovation means discarding the tired old solutions that haven’t worked, digging down to the roots of a problem and finding creative new ways to attack its source. There are a lot of great ideas out there – and goodness knows I don’t have them all. But I’ve made my career encouraging others to develop them – and being willing to try them, even when no one else will.

“Sure, supporting new programs or policies that are untested requires vision and creativity – and that support may be unpopular. But you can’t be innovative unless you’re courageous. ‘Nothing ventured, nothing gained.’

“My experience has been that if you have the facts on your side, and you’ve taken a common sense approach – even if you must admit you’re not sure it will work, even if you have to tweak it as you go along, and particularly if you accept input from others – well, pretty soon, people will be lining up to join you because they’ll respect your willingness to try and your openness as to the risks. But it’s up to you to have the courage to go out on that limb first.

“That leads us to another key value of nonpartisan leadership: teamwork. Teamwork means reaching across the aisle – or down Pennsylvania Avenue – so that you can build the coalitions needed to get things done. But it also means having the best team at home. In both business and government, the organization is only as good as the people who work there.

“We need to hire the best, not the ‘yes men’ or the campaign contributors or the politically connected. I know that sounds obvious, but it’s not in Washington. Where in the Constitution is it written that ambassadors have to be big campaign donors? Passing over career diplomats to give big donors jobs as ambassadors to important foreign posts doesn’t help us overseas at the very time that international opportunities and problems should be central to the federal government’s planning and work.

“Where does it say we should care about campaign experience or party affiliation in filling federal jobs? That doesn’t get us the best and the brightest. Sadly, both parties do it, in both the legislative and executive branches, and both are wrong. I believe you hire the most qualified people, you empower them, you lead them and you hold them accountable.

“And that’s the fifth value of nonpartisan leadership: accountability. I built my company on the idea of getting and delivering better data and listening to what the data told me, even when the message wasn’t pleasant. By using data to manage, you can hold yourself and others accountable for results. But today, in Washington, instead of using data to make decisions and manage, the data is manipulated to justify ideological positions.

“That’s why ideologues throw good money after bad, while results-oriented managers fix problems before they invest more money. Too often, failing government agencies get bigger budgets, while successful agencies have their budgets cut – because government caters to those screaming the loudest, regardless of what they’re screaming about. In business, it’s exactly the opposite! You invest more in the most successful departments, and less in those that aren’t performing.

“Never – or almost never in government – do we promote those who deliver and dismiss those who don’t. Never – or almost never in government – do we admit when we fall short of our objectives. Never – or almost never in government – do we ourselves accept blame, and say ‘I screwed up.’ It’s always: ‘Mistakes were made,’ or ‘Round up the usual suspects,’ or ‘Let’s hold a hearing.’ Accountability? Good luck!

“All of these values that are essential to nonpartisan leadership apply to business, philanthropy, and government – but in government, they are too often absent, especially at the federal level. The good news is that mayors and governors around the country are embracing these values to tackle the big challenges – and let me touch briefly on a few of them, and how it’s possible to bridge the divides and make real change.

“Let’s start with education, because it’s an issue that Mayor Villaraigosa and I both care deeply about and it’s a challenge that both our cities share. When I came into office, New York’s school system was failing – badly. And that means we were failing our children.

“Tinkering at the margins for decades had done nothing. In New York, we needed to get at the source of the problem – the inefficient, ineffective, and unaccountable Board of Education. With support from school leaders and parent leaders, we won control of the system – and that’s when the hard work began.

“When we announced that we would end social promotion, when we pushed to lengthen the school day to provide extra help for struggling students, when we worked to expand the number of charter schools, when we cut the bureaucracy and re-directed that money into the classroom, – at each point, we were met with resistance from politicians and special interests. But in each case, we succeeded.

“We even raised our teachers’ salaries 43% – thereby winning union support and cooperation on critical issues, including a new program of merit pay for our principles. Change is hard, and I understand that. But you can’t solve problems by wishing them away, or studying them to death, or deferring to ideological advocacy groups.

“You have to make the hard decisions, take action, and hold people accountable for results: teachers, principals, parents, students – and, particularly with mayoral control, the Mayor and his appointees. The results? Steady progress that is real and has great promise for the future: Graduation rates have increased 20% and test scores have climbed 10% in Reading and more than 20% in Math. We still have a long way to go, but our children are finally getting the opportunities they deserve.

“As bad as our schools were five years ago, the outlook for New York’s economy back then was even worse. After 9/11, the conventional wisdom was that businesses would flee and that New York would return to the bad old days of the 1970s, when the City nearly went bankrupt. And there was good reason to be worried: We faced a major fiscal crisis and the largest budget deficits in our City’s history.

“But we learned a lesson from the 1970s: when you stop investing in the future, you begin a downward spiral – and we refused to let that happen. So we made the hard decisions to cut the budget without gutting it – insisting that agencies do more with less by achieving efficiency gains.

“And, as a last resort, we even raised property taxes and income taxes on high-earners so that we’d have the money to incent our municipal employees to continue providing the great services that underpin the City’s quality of life. As you can imagine, cutting spending and raising taxes didn’t make me the most popular man in town. (I like to think of it as a character building experience.)

“But I’ll tell you what it did do: it allowed us to close the huge budget deficits, balance the books and continue investing in the future: building new schools, revitalizing old industrial areas, creating the largest affordable housing program in the nation, supporting our cultural institutions, parks, libraries, and universities, and expanding world-wide advertising to attract businesses and tourists. And, because public safety is the foundation of economic growth, we developed innovative ways to crack down on crime and illegal guns. As a result, we’ve driven down crime by nearly 30%.

“None of the initiatives we’ve undertaken are owned by the Republican or Democratic party. They were built on the values of nonpartisan leadership – and they paid off. Today, New York City’s economy is stronger than ever.

“We’ve turned a $5 billion deficit into a $4 billion surplus. We drove annual unemployment last year to an all-time low, and our bond rating has climbed to an all-time high – Double AA. The income tax hikes have been rolled back. The property tax hikes have been offset through $400 rebates for homeowners.

“And this year, we’re not only cutting property taxes by 7%, we’re also making cuts of more than $200 million to the sales tax and to small business taxes. But we’re not just using the surplus to cut taxes – we’re also saving for the future.

“Consider this: the federal government requires cities and states to set aside funding for future retirees’ pensions – but not for future retirees’ health care, even though we have just as much of an obligation to pay their health care costs as we do their pensions. This makes no sense! Keeping a debt off the books doesn’t make it go away.

“So we’ve done something fairly unusual: we’ve set up a trust fund for future retiree health care costs, and we’ve dedicated $2.5 billion from our surplus to it. That’s just basic fiscal responsibility.

“In politics, there’s nothing so tempting for elected officials as a surplus. They treat it like found money, and instead of saving it for a rainy day, or for their elderly parents, they go on a spending binge. Of course, in Washington, they go on spending binges with or without a surplus. (After all, they print money, something we don’t do at the state or city level.) These binges mean that they don’t balance the budget, or shore up Social Security, or control health care costs.

“They just keep expanding programs and services and helping themselves to more and more pork barrel grants. A culture of instant gratification dominates Washington – and guess who’s going to pay the bill? Your children and my children.

“The health care costs that we’re saving for in New York highlight another serious problem: Not only is our country’s heath care system terribly expensive, it’s terribly ineffective. It offers no incentives for doctors or patients to seek preventive care. As a result, problems that could be prevented with cheap, basic medicines – or with smarter personal choices, especially around diet, exercise, and smoking – are not dealt with effectively until they become life-threatening and require expensive procedures.

“Even though American medicine is the most advanced in the world, we’re not delivering the simple preventive medicine that would allow us to avoid more diseases and live longer, healthier lives. In the U.S. we pay 50% more for health care than they do in Europe, but on average, we live about four years less. In effect, we’re paying more for the privilege of getting sick and dying early. Once again, it makes no sense. And once again, no one in Washington is talking about how to fix it.

“Instead, everyone talks about universal health insurance coverage – and that’s an important goal. But it’s not going to change the underlying reality of a health care system that is both too expensive and too ineffective.

“That’s why in New York, not only have we dramatically increased health insurance coverage… we’re moving toward a ‘pay-for-prevention’ system of health-care that rewards primary care doctors who succeed in keeping people out of hospitals. A key step in doing this is providing prevention-oriented electronic health records to help doctors deliver better preventive care.

“These records can also enable private insurers, as well as Medicaid and Medicare, to hold doctors accountable for their patients’ performance – and to pay more to the doctors who keep their patients healthy.

“Helping people live longer, healthier lives is also why we’re working so hard to increase screenings for breast and colon cancer and HIV, to keep criminals from getting illegal guns, to keep kids from starting to smoke – and to help more adults quit, to get more nutritious meals in our public schools… and to keep artificial trans fats out of our restaurants – and out of our arteries.

“Once again, these are not Republican or Democratic ideas. These are ideas that can cut to the root of our problems – and by doing that, have the power to cut through partisanship.

“We’re pursuing the same approach in our effort to reduce poverty – and if ever there was an area that called out for new ideas, this is it.

“For instance, we’re investing in a pilot program that offers financial incentives to poor families to encourage them to make the decisions that will help them rise out of poverty. Under the program, which is being funded with $50 million in privately raised money, you can earn cash if you keep your doctors’ appointments, maintain high rates of school attendance and participate in job training programs. This approach has worked well in Mexico, but it’s never been tried in the U.S.

“We don’t know if it will work here. But we do know two things: One, if we stick to the same old big government solutions, we’ll fail. And two: Financial incentives encourage higher performance – that’s human nature, and it’s the foundation of our economic system. Why shouldn’t government tap into that? It may prove to be the best anti-poverty program since the Earned Income Tax Credit – or it may not. But we’re not afraid to find out.

“Finally, I want to close by touching on an issue that an increasing number of people on both sides of the aisle now recognize as a major problem: global warming. The science is undeniable and more than any other issue, climate change highlights the need for long-term plans that begin tackling the causes of the problem now.

“California has been a leader in this effort, and I want to applaud both Governor Schwarzenegger and Mayor Villaraigosa for their bold plans. And let’s not forget Rich Daley of Chicago and Manny Diaz of Miami, who I think will go down as two of history’s great mayors or dozens of other mayors across the country who have been leading on environmental issues for many years.

“In New York, we’ve laid out our own detailed plans for reducing carbon emissions by 30 percent by 2030, investing in more clean energy sources and creating a truly sustainable 21st century city. And like California, where we are today, we’re going to hold ourselves accountable for meeting interim goals.

“Anybody can set goals for 2050 or 2070 – but we’ll never reach them unless we start taking real action now. That’s what California and New York are doing, along with many other cities and states. But the federal legislators, as usual, are way behind the curve – laughably setting goals for some far off time when they’ll all be dead and can’t be held accountable!

“With global warming, and with all the areas I’ve talked about, we face big challenges. We’re not going to solve them with small ideas, or with the same old approaches or with partisan attacks. That’s why – no matter what the issue – cities and states are experimenting with innovative new ideas and bold new approaches. And that’s the way it should be. As Justice Brandeis once said, states are the laboratories of democracy. We’re the pioneers.

“We can’t wait for Washington to come riding to the rescue. We’ve got to take the bull by the horns and do it ourselves. That means embracing pragmatism over partisanship, ideas over ideology, and results over rhetoric.

“Tonight and tomorrow, we’re lucky to have an all-star line-up of speakers, beginning with three people who know this issue as well as anyone: Judy Woodruff, Nancy Kassebaum Baker, and Harold Ford, Jr., who recently gave us the benefit of his wisdom in New York. We’re going to be hearing a lot of bold ideas and practical, common sense thinking at this conference.

“I’m looking forward to it – because together, we really have a chance to change America for the better. We know it won’t be easy – change never is. But when you start thinking about the potential benefits of what we can achieve, you start realizing that this challenge is too important to ignore.

“Partisanship may be King in Washington – but the rest of us don’t have to pay tribute. Standing at the crossroads, we have a choice: In one direction: the swamp of dysfunction. And in the other: the bridge that spans the divide.

“All of us in this room know the right way – let’s get moving. Thank you.”