Borough President of Manhattan

Borough President of Manhattan
Post	Borough President of Manhattan
Incumbent	Mark Levine
Incumbentsince	January 1, 2022
Style	The Honorable
Member of	New York City Council (ex officio advisory roles)
Residence	Gracie Mansion (ceremonial)
Seat	Manhattan
Termlength	Four years
Formation	1898
Inaugural	Gerrit Smith Miller

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Borough President of Manhattan

The Borough President of Manhattan is an elected municipal official representing Manhattan, one of the five boroughs of New York City. The office traces its roots to the consolidation of New York City (1898) and interacts with institutions such as the Mayor of New York City, New York City Council, Manhattan Community Boards, and agencies including the New York City Department of City Planning and the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. Historically influential figures—Fiorello La Guardia, Robert F. Wagner Jr., Rudolph W. Giuliani—have shaped civic policy through the borough presidency in partnership with bodies like the New York State Assembly and the New York State Senate.

History

The office emerged during the consolidation that created Greater New York in 1898, when local leaders from New Amsterdam-era neighborhoods and municipalities such as Harlem, Greenwich Village, Upper East Side, Upper West Side, Morningside Heights, and Inwood, Manhattan sought representation within the enlarged New York County (Manhattan). Early occupants worked with entities like the Tammany Hall political machine, the Republican Party (United States), and reform movements led by figures such as Herbert H. Lehman and Al Smith. During the Great Depression, borough presidents coordinated relief with the Works Progress Administration and the New Deal programs. Postwar redevelopment connected the office to projects like Lincoln Center, Battery Park City, and the expansion of Columbia University, while late 20th-century holders confronted crises tied to events such as the 1975 New York City fiscal crisis and the aftermath of the September 11 attacks.

The borough president holds statutory authorities defined by the New York City Charter and exercises appointments to advisory bodies including the New York City Planning Commission and community boards. Responsibilities include preparing borough-wide capital and budget priorities to submit to the New York City Mayor and the New York City Council, advocating before agencies such as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the New York City Housing Authority, and the New York City Department of Education. The office issues endorsements for land-use matters under the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure and engages with preservation bodies like the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission and civic groups such as the Municipal Art Society of New York. The role convenes stakeholders from institutions including NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, NYU Langone Health, Mount Sinai Health System, and cultural organizations such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, and Broadway producers.

The borough president maintains an office that liaises with Manhattan community boards, borough-based staff, legal counsels familiar with the New York City Administrative Code, and planners who interact with the Department of Buildings and Department of Transportation (New York City). Offices coordinate constituent services involving agencies like the Human Resources Administration (New York City), Department of Sanitation (New York City), and the Police Department of the City of New York. The administrative apparatus works with nonprofit partners such as the Robin Hood Foundation, Citymeals on Wheels, and preservation organizations like the Historic Districts Council. The office organizes public hearings at venues including City Hall (New York City), Bronx County Courthouse (regional coordination), and civic centers across neighborhoods such as Chelsea, SoHo, Chinatown, Manhattan, Lower East Side, and Washington Heights.

Borough presidents are elected in municipal elections administered under New York State election law, often on the Democratic Party (United States) or Republican Party (United States) lines, and sometimes with endorsements from parties such as the Working Families Party (New York) or the Independence Party of New York. Terms last four years with limits shaped by charter amendments enacted during debates involving the New York City Charter Revision Commission and municipal reformers like Jonathan L. Marsh. Special elections and primary contests have involved candidates who later ran for offices like Mayor of New York City, New York City Council, New York State Assembly, or federal posts in the United States House of Representatives.

Notable holders include reformers and national figures: Fiorello H. LaGuardia (who later became Mayor of New York City), Robert F. Wagner Jr. (whose family includes Robert F. Wagner Jr.'s civil service legacy), Edward I. Koch (later Mayor of New York City), David Dinkins (later Mayor of New York City and New York City Board of Elections figure), Rudolph W. Giuliani (later Mayor of New York City and United States Attorney), and more recent leaders like Gale Brewer and Scott Stringer (who later served as New York City Comptroller). Other influential figures include Marty Markowitz (Brooklyn counterpart for comparative context), reform advocates from Lower Manhattan Development Corporation engagements, and preservationists associated with the Landmarks Preservation Commission.

The borough president operates within a framework of intergovernmental relations involving the Mayor of New York City, the New York City Council, and state authorities such as the New York State Assembly and the New York State Senate. Collaboration occurs with agencies including the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, New York City Department of Environmental Protection, and the Economic Development Corporation (New York City). The office participates in land-use reviews coordinated through the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure and interfaces with municipal labor stakeholders such as District Council 37, Transport Workers Union of America, and building trades unions like the United Brotherhood of Carpenters.

Borough presidents have influenced major initiatives—zoning changes in Hudson Yards, affordable housing efforts tied to the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019 debates, and preservation battles over sites including Penn Station (New York City), St. Patrick's Cathedral, and South Street Seaport. Controversies have involved fundraising practices scrutinized by entities such as the New York State Joint Commission on Public Ethics, land-use conflicts echoed in lawsuits filed in New York County Supreme Court, and disputes over charter powers debated during sessions of the New York City Charter Revision Commission and hearings before the New York City Council's committees. The role continues to evolve amid debates over mayoral control of city agencies, fiscal crises, and major events hosted at venues like Madison Square Garden and Yankee Stadium that shape neighborhood impacts.

Category:Government of Manhattan