Borough president

Memorial to Joseph Guider, Borough President of Brooklyn

A borough president is an elective office in each of the five boroughs of New York City. Borough presidents currently have little real power within the New York City government and generally serve as ceremonial leaders who advocate for their boroughs on key issues.

Borough Presidents advise the Mayor, comment on all land-use items in their borough, advocate borough needs in the annual municipal budget process, appoint Community Boards, chair the Borough Boards, and serve as ex officio members of various boards and committees. They generally act as advocates of their boroughs at the mayoral agencies, the city council, the New York State government, public corporations and private businesses. Their regulations are compiled in title 45 of the New York City Rules.

Reasons for establishment

Prior to January 1, 1898, the city was coterminous with New York County, which at that time comprised Manhattan and the Bronx. On that date, Boroughs of Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, the Bronx and Richmond (Staten Island) were created. Brooklyn was coterminous with Kings County, the Boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx with New York County, and the Borough of Richmond with Richmond County. Queens County included the borough of Queens together with all of what today is known as Nassau County. The boroughs assumed most county functions, but did not replace them.[1]

The offices of borough president were created by charter in 1898 with the formation of the City of Greater New York, to preserve (in a later writer's words) “local pride and affection for the old municipalities” after consolidation.[2]

On January 1, 1899, Queens County was partitioned. The easternmost three towns, with an area of 280 square miles (730 km2), were transferred to form Nassau County.[3]

On April 19, 1912, the New York State Legislature separated the County of Bronx (which began separate activity in January 1914) from the County of New York, which now became coextensive with the Borough of Manhattan.[4]

Role

To balance local authority along with the centralization of government, the Office of Borough President was established with a functional administrative role derived by having a vote on the New York City Board of Estimate, which was responsible for assisting in the formulation of the city's budget and controlling land use, contract, and franchise powers. The Board of Estimate consisted of the Mayor, the Comptroller and the President of the New York City Council, each of whom were elected citywide and had two votes, and the five Borough presidents, each having one vote.[5]

In 1989, the Supreme Court of the United States, in Board of Estimate of City of New York v. Morris (489 U.S. 688) declared the New York City Board of Estimate unconstitutional on the grounds that the city's most populous borough (Brooklyn) had no greater effective representation on the board than the city's least populous borough (Staten Island), this arrangement being an unconstitutional violation of the Fourteenth Amendment's Equal Protection Clause pursuant to the high court's 1964 "one man, one vote" decision.[5]

The city charter was revised in 1990 and the Board of Estimate was abolished. The Office of Borough President was retained but with greatly reduced power. The borough budget reverted to the mayor or the New York City Council. A Borough President has a small discretionary budget to spend on projects within the borough. The last significant power of the borough presidentsto appoint a member of the New York City Board of Education was abolished, with the board, on June 30, 2002.

The two major remaining appointments of a Borough President are one member of the city Planning Commission and one member of the Panel for Educational Policy. Borough Presidents generally adopt specific projects to promote while in office; but, since 1990, Borough Presidents have been seen mainly as the ceremonial leaders of their boroughs. Officially, they advise the Mayor on issues relating to each borough, comment on all land-use items in their borough, advocate borough needs in the annual municipal budget process, appoint Community Boards, chair the Borough Boards, and serve as ex officio members of various boards and committees. They generally act as advocates of their boroughs at the mayoral agencies, the City Council, the New York State government, public corporations and private businesses.

Borough presidents are elected to four-year terms; and can serve three consecutive terms (12 years) before term limits.[6]

As of 2014, the borough presidents are:

Borough President Party
The Bronx Ruben Diaz Jr. Democratic
Brooklyn Eric Adams Democratic
Manhattan Gale Brewer Democratic
Queens Melinda Katz Democratic
Staten Island James Oddo Republican

Borough Boards

Each Borough has a Borough Board consisting of the Borough President, the City Council members from the borough, and the chair of each of the borough's Community Boards. The Borough Boards meet monthly to serve the needs of the local communities. They may hold public hearings, make inquiries into the performance of public services, and make recommendations about city owned land use and sales within the borough.

Community Boards

New York City is divided into 59 administrative districts, each served by a Community Board. Community Boards are local representative bodies that serve as advocates for New York City residents and communities. Each board has up to 50 voting members, with one half of the membership appointed each year for two-year terms; there are no term limits. Additionally, all City Council members whose council districts cover part of a community district are ex-officio board members and may participate in all board activities. However, council members may not vote on board issues. Borough presidents appoint the voting Community Board members, with half of the appointees nominated by council members representing the district in proportion to the percentage of the community board's population they represent. Broadly assigned by the city charter to "Consider the needs of the district which it serves," the boards have been limited in their ability by ineffective local communication channels, minuscule budgets and archaic technology. As a result, many residents have concluded that they have little impact on the operation of their communities or their lives.[7]

Office holders

Bronx Borough Presidents

# Borough President Party Term[n 1]
1 Louis M. Haffen (1854–1935) Democratic 1898–1909
2 John F. Murray (1862–1928) Democratic 1909–1910
3 Cyrus C. Miller (1866–1956) Democratic 1910–1914
4 Douglas Mathewson (?1870–1948) Republican/Fusion 1914–1918
5 Henry Bruckner (1871–1942) Democratic 1918–1934
6 James J. Lyons (1890–1966) Democratic 1934–1962
7 Joseph F. Periconi (1910–1994) Republican/Liberal 1962–1966
8 Herman Badillo (1929-2014) Democratic 1966–1970
9 Robert Abrams1 (born 1938) Democratic 1970–1978
10 Stanley Simon2 Democratic 1979–1987
11 Fernando Ferrer3 (born 1950) Democratic 1987–2002
12 Adolfo Carrión, Jr. (born 1961) Democratic 2002–2009
13 Ruben Diaz, Jr. (born 1973) Democratic 2009-

Notes: 1. In November 1978 elected as New York Attorney General 2. On January 5, 1979, elected to fill vacancy; resigned on March 11, 1987 3. On April 15, 1987, elected to fill vacancy

Brooklyn Borough Presidents

# Borough President Party Term
1 Edward M. Grout (1861–1931) Democratic 18981901
2 J. Edward Swanstrom (1853–1911) Fusion 1902–1903
3 Martin W. Littleton (1872–1934) Democratic-Independent 1904–1905
4 Bird S. Coler (1867–1941) Municipal Ownership League 1906–1909
5 Alfred E. Steers (c. 1861–1948) Democratic-Independent 1910–1913
6 Lewis H. Pounds (1861–1947) Republican/Fusion 1913–1917
7 Edward J. Riegelmann (1870–1941) Democratic 1918–1924
8 Joseph A. Guider (1870–1926) Democratic 1925–1926
9 James J. Byrne (1863–1930) Democratic 1926–1930
10 Henry Hesterberg (c. 1882–1950) Democratic 1930–1933
11 Raymond V. Ingersoll (1875–1940) Democratic/Fusion 1934–1940
12 John Cashmore (1895–1961) Democratic 1940–1961
13 John F. Hayes (1915–2001) Democratic 1961
14 Abe Stark (1894–1972) Democratic 1962–1970
15 Sebastian Leone (born Democratic 1970–1976
16 Howard Golden (born 1925) Democratic 1977–2001
17 Marty Markowitz (born 1945) Democratic 2002–2013
18 Eric Adams Democratic 2014–

Manhattan Borough Presidents

# Borough President Party Term[n 2]
1 Augustus W. Peters (1844–1898) Democratic 1898–1899
2 James J. Coogan (1845–1915) Democratic 1899–1901
3 Jacob A. Cantor (1854–1921) Democratic 1902–1903
4 John F. Ahearn (1853–1920) Democratic 1904–1909
- John Cloughen (acting) (died 1911) Democratic Dec. 1909 (4 days)
5 George McAneny1 (1869–1953) Fusion/Democratic 1910–1913
6 Marcus M. Marks (1858–1934) Republican 1914–1917
7 Frank Dowling2 (c. 1865–1919) Democratic 1918–1919
8 Edward F. Boyle (c.1876–1943) Democratic 1919
- Michael Loughman (acting) (c.1867–1937) Democratic 1919
9 Henry H. Curran3 Republican 1920–1921
10 Julius Miller (1880–1955) Democratic 1922–1930
11 Samuel Levy (1876–1953) Democratic 1931–1937
12 Stanley M. Isaacs (1882–1962) Republican 1938–1941
13 Edgar J. Nathan (1891–1965) Republican 1942–1945
14 Hugo Rogers (1899–1974) Democratic 1946–1949
15 Robert F. Wagner, Jr.4 (1910–1991) Democratic 1950–1953
16 Hulan E. Jack5 (1906–1986) Democratic 1954–1961
17 Edward R. Dudley6 (1911–2005) Democratic 1962–1964
- Earl Louis Brown (acting)7 (1903–1980) Democratic 1965
18 Constance Baker Motley8 (1921–2005) Democratic 1965–1966
19 Percy Sutton3, 9 (1920–2009) Democratic 1966–1977
20 Andrew Stein3 (born 1945) Democratic 1978–1985
21 David Dinkins10, 3 (born 1927) Democratic 1986–1989
22 Ruth Messinger3 (born 1941) Democratic 1990–1997
23 C. Virginia Fields3 (born 1946) Democratic 1998–2005
24 Scott Stringer (born 1960) Democratic 2006–2013
25 Gale Brewer (born 1951) Democratic 2014–

Notes:

 Terms begin in January and end in December where not otherwise indicated.
c. (circa) approximately
1. President of the Board of Aldermen of the City of New York (first in succession to the Mayoralty), 1914–1916; New York City Comptroller, 1933
2. President of the Board of Aldermen, 1917
3. unsuccessful candidate for Mayor of the City of New York
4. Mayor of New York City, 1954–1965
5. removed from office January 16, 1961
6. on January 31, 1961, elected to fill vacancy; in November 1961, elected to a full term; in November 1964 elected to the Supreme Court; resigned on December 31, 1964
7. Deputy Borough President, acted as President between Dudley's resignation and Motley's election
8. on February 23, 1965, elected to fill vacancy; in November 1965 elected to full term; resigned upon taking office as federal judge
9. on September 13, 1966, elected to fill vacancy; in November 1966 elected to remainder of the term; then re-elected twice
10. Mayor of New York City, 1990–1993

Queens Borough Presidents

# Borough President Party Term[n 2]
1 Frederick Bowley (1851–1916) Democratic 18981901
2 Joseph Cassidy (c.1866–1920) Democratic 19021905
3 Joseph Bermel (1860–1921) Democratic 19061908
4 Lawrence Gresser (1851–1935) Democratic 19081911
5 Maurice E. Connolly (1881–1935) Democratic 19111928
6 Bernard M. Patten Democratic 1928
7 George U. Harvey (c. 1881–1946) Republican 19291941
8 James A. Burke (1890–1965) Democratic 19421949
9 Maurice A. FitzGerald (1897–1951) Democratic 19501951
10 Joseph F. Mafera (1895–1967) Democratic 1951
11 James A. Lundy (1903–1973) Republican 19521957
12 James J. Crisona (1907–2003) Democratic 19581959
13 John T. Clancy (1903–1985) Democratic 19591962
14 Mario J. Cariello (1907–1985) Democratic 19631968
15 Sidney Leviss (1917–2007) Democratic 19691971
16 Donald Manes1 (1934–1986) Democratic 19711986
17 Claire Shulman2 (born 1926) Democratic 19862001
18 Helen M. Marshall (born 1929) Democratic 20022013
19 Melinda Katz (born 1965) Democratic 2014–

Notes:

c. (circa) approximately
1. Stepped down as borough president in February after attempting suicide while under suspicion of corruption. Manes committed suicide on March 13, 1986.
2. First woman to hold this position

Richmond/Staten Island Borough Presidents

In 1975, the Borough of Richmond formally renamed itself the Borough of Staten Island.

# Borough President Party Term[n 2]
1 George Cromwell (18601934) Republican 18981913
2 Charles J. McCormack (died 1915) Democratic 19141915
3 Calvin D. Van Name (18571924) Democratic 19151921
4 Matthew J. Cahill (died 1922) Democratic 1922
5 John A. Lynch Democratic 19221933
6 Joseph A. Palma (18891969) Republican 19341945
7 Cornelius A. Hall (18891953) Democratic 19461953
8 Edward G. Baker (19061971) Democratic 19531954
9 Albert V. Maniscalco (19081998) Democratic 19551965
10 Robert T. Connor (19192009) Republican 19661977
11 Anthony Gaeta (19271988) Democratic 19781984
12 Ralph J. Lamberti (born 1933) Democratic 19841989
13 Guy V. Molinari (born 1928) Republican 19902001
14 James Molinaro (born 1931) Conservative 20022013
15 James Oddo (born 1966) Republican 2014–

See also

Notes

  1. Terms begin and end in January where the month is not specified.
  2. 1 2 3 Terms begin in January and end in December where not otherwise indicated.

References

  1. New York. Laws of New York; 1897, 120th Session, Chapter 378; Section 2; Page 2.
  2. Jackson, Kenneth T. (1995). The Encyclopedia of New York City. New Haven, Connecticut: The New York Historical Society and Yale University Press. pp. 129–130. ISBN 0-300-05536-6.
  3. New York. Laws of New York; 1899, 121st Session, Chapter 588; Section 1; Page 1336.
  4. New York. Laws of New York; 1912, 135th Session, Chapter 548; Section 1; Page 1352.
  5. 1 2 Cornell Law School Supreme Court Collection: Board of Estimate of City of New York v. Morris, accessed June 12, 2006
  6. 'A champion for Brooklyn': Pols have raised big bucks for race to become borough president By Lore Croghan (New York Daily News) January 14, 2013
  7. "NEW YORK CITY CHARTER, City of New York: As Amended Through July 2004" (PDF). nyc.gov. Government of New York City.

External links

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