New York City Public Advocate: Difference between revisions

{{Infobox Politicalofficial post

| post = Public Advocate

| body = New York City

| flag = Flag_of_New_York_City.svg

| flagsize = 150px

|insignia flagcaption = SealFlag of New Yorkthe City BW.svgof New York

| image = 142 = File:Jumaane Williams, OWS 2012 (portraitcropped).jpg

| imagesize = 200px

| incumbent = [[Jumaane Williams]]

| incumbentsince = March 19, 2019
| style =

|website[[Nick E. = Smith]]<ref>{{URL|httphttps://advocatewww.pubadvocate.nyc.gov/about#deputy-public-advocates/}}</ref>

The office was created in 1993, when the [[New York City Council]] voted to rename the position of President of the City Council. Following the City Charter revision of 1989 which eliminated the powerful [[New York City Board of Estimate]] on which the president held a seat, the post was seen as largely ceremonial; its only notable responsibility was to cast the deciding vote in the City Council in the unlikely event of a tie, a power that was eliminated in 2001.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/bloomberg-would-axe-ublic-advocate/1873819/ |title=Bloomberg Wants to Axe Public Advocate|date=October 12, 2009|access-date=June 26, 2020|last=Ross|first=Scott|publisher=NBC New York}} </ref> At the time, it was thought likely that the post would be abolished altogether.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/01/30/nyregion/president-is-confusing-council-may-alter-title.html?searchResultPosition=1 |title='President' Is Confusing; Council May Alter Title|date=January 30, 1993|access-date=December 3, 2010|last=Raab|first=Selwyn|work=The New York Times}}</ref> The position survived, and has been held by [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]] throughout its history. [[Mark J. Green (New York politician)|Mark Green]] was the first public advocate and served through his unsuccessful run for Mayor in [[2001 New York City mayoral election, 2001|2001]].

Also in 2001, the City Council amended the city charter to transfer the public advocate's functions as presiding officer of the City Council to a Speaker elected from among the council members. Green's successor, [[Betsy Gotbaum]], thus had her role limited to being the city's de facto ombudsman. The [[2009 New York City Public Advocate election, 2009|2009 election]] to succeed Gotbaum was highly competitive and was won by [[Bill de Blasio]], who later became the first public advocate to win the Mayor's office.

The public advocate is a non-voting member of the [[New York City Council]] with the right to introduce and co-sponsor legislation. Prior to a 2002 charter revision, the Public Advocate was also the presiding officer of the Councilcouncil.<ref>{{cite web|last=Cardwell|first=Diane|date=December 2, 2002|title=Betsy Gotbaum, the Advocate, Struggles to Reach Her Public|website=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/12/02/nyregion/betsy-gotbaum-the-advocate-struggles-to-reach-her-public.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm|access-date=14 January 14, 2013}}</ref> The public advocate also serves as an ombudsman for city government, providing oversight for city agencies, investigating citizens' complaints about city services and making proposals to address perceived shortcomings or failures of those services. These duties, worded somewhat ambiguously, are laid out in Section 24 of the City Charter. The public advocate serves on the committee which selects the director of the [[New York City Independent Budget Office]] and appoints members to several boards and commissions, including one member of the [[New York City Planning Commission]]. The public advocate also serves as chairman of the Commission of Public Information and Communication established by Section 1061 of the [[New York City Charter]].

Along with the [[Mayor of New York City|mayor]] and the [[New York City Comptroller|comptroller]], the public advocate is one of three municipal offices elected by all the city's voters. In the event of a vacancy or incapacity of the mayor, the public advocate is first in line to become mayor.<ref name="NYCRun">{{cite book|title=What makes New York City run? : a citizen's guide to how city government works |url=https://eportfolios.macaulay.cuny.edu/fields2014/files/2013/12/What-Makes-NYC-Run.pdf |date=2001|publisher=League of Women Voters of the City of New York Education Fund |location=New York, N.Y. |isbn=0-916130-02-9|pages=30–31 |edition=Third |language=en |format=trade |chapter=The Mayor }}</ref>

| [[Mark J.Green (New York politician)|Mark Green]]

* elected to two four-year terms<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hicks |first1=Jonathan P. |title=Green Breezes in Rematch From Primary |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/11/03/nyregion/the-1993-elections-public-advocate-green-breezes-in-rematch-from-primary.html |access-date=2 January 2, 2019 |work=New York Times |date=November 3, 1993|page=B5}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Nagourney |first1=Adam |title=Giuliani Sweeps to Second Term As Mayor; Whitman Holds on By a Razor-Thin Margin - Firm Grip on City – Mayor Wins 4 Boroughs – Messinger Makes Her Concession |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/11/05/nyregion/1997-elections-overview-giuliani-sweeps-second-term-mayor-whitman-holds-razor.html |access-date=2 January 2, 2019 |work=New York Times |date=November 5, 1997|page=A1}}</ref>

* ran for [[Mayor of New York City]] but lost<ref>{{cite news |last1=Nagourney |first1=Adam |title=The 2001 Elections: Bloomberg Edges Green in Race for Mayor; McGreevey is an Easy Winner in New Jersey |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/07/nyregion/2001-elections-mayor-bloomberg-edges-green-race-for-mayor-mcgreevey-easy-winner.html |access-date=2 January 2, 2019 |work=New York Times |date=November 7, 2001|page=A1}}</ref>

* elected to two four-year terms<ref>{{cite news |title=The Races in New York City |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/10/nyregion/the-2005-elections-the-races-in-new-york-city.html |access-date=2 January 2, 2019 |work=New York Times |date=November 10, 2005|page=B6}}</ref>

* did not run for re-election<ref>{{cite news |last1=Santos |first1=Fernanda |title=Betsy Gotbaum Says She Will Not Seek Re-election as the City's Public Advocate |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/28/nyregion/28advocate.html |access-date=2 January 2, 2019 |work=New York Times |date=October 27, 2008|page=A28}}</ref>

* elected to one four-year term<ref>{{cite news |last1=Chen |first1=David W. |last2=Barbaro |first2=Michael |title=Bloomberg Wins 3rd Term as Mayor in Unexpectedly Close Race |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/04/nyregion/04mayor.html |access-date=2 January 2, 2019 |work=New York Times |date=November 3, 2019|page=A1}}</ref>

* ran for [[Mayor of New York City]], and won<ref>{{cite news |last1=Barbaro |first1=Michael |last2=Chen |first2=David W. |title=De Blasio Is Elected New York City Mayor in Landslide; Christie Coasts To 2nd Term as Governor |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/06/nyregion/de-blasio-is-elected-new-york-city-mayor.html |access-date=2 January 2, 2019 |work=New York Times |date=November 6, 2013|page=A1}}</ref>

* elected to two four-year terms<ref>{{cite news |last1=Powell |first1=Michael |title=In New York City's Sharp Left Turn, Questions of Just How Far |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/07/nyregion/in-new-york-citys-sharp-left-turn-questions-of-just-how-far.html |access-date=2 January 2, 2019 |work=New York Times |date=November 7, 2013|page=A29}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Neuman |first1=William |last2=Goodman |first2=J. David |title=De Blasio Coasts to Re-election, as Second-Term Challenges Await |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/07/nyregion/bill-de-blasio-mayor.html |access-date=2 January 2, 2019 |work=New York Times |date=November 8, 2017|page=A1}}</ref>

* resigned one year into her second term to take her elected position as [[Attorney General of New York|Attorney General of New York State]]<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mays |first1=Jeffrey C. |title=Breaking Barriers, Letitia James Is Elected New York Attorney General |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/06/nyregion/letitia-james-wins-ny-ag.html |access-date=2 January 2, 2019 |work=New York Times |date=November 7, 2018|page=A28}}</ref><ref name=LJCJ>{{cite news |last1=Goodman |first1=J. David |title=2 of New York's Most Influential Offices Are About to Be Held by One Person |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/31/nyregion/corey-johnson-public-advocate-council-president.html |access-date=January 2, 2019 |work=New York Times |date=December 31, 2018|page=A17}}</ref>

| [[File:Corey Johnson 2015NYU Expansion Plan Lawsuit Press Conference (cropped).jpg|70px]]

| [[File:142 Jumaane Williams, OWS 2012 (portraitcropped).jpg|70px]]

* won the [[2019 New York City Public Advocate special election]]<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mays |first1=Jeffery C. |title=Jumaane Williams Wins Public Advocate Race in New York City |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/26/nyregion/public-advocate-nyc-results.html |access-date=26 February 26, 2019 |work=New York Times |date=February 26, 2019|page=A1}}</ref>

* [[2009 New York City Public Advocate election, 2009]]

* [[2013 New York City Public Advocate election, 2013]]