The candidates for mayor are out campaigning today with Democrat Bill de Blasio talking about the city’s growing poverty rate, while Republican Joe Lhota is trying to win over voters in his home borough of Brooklyn.
De Blasio may be feeling somewhat vindicated by the new poverty numbers out today, though of course he says he is not pleased with what he is seeing.
De Blasio has been talking consistently on the campaign trail about income inequality in New York, arguing that the city has become in fact two cities – one for the poor and one for the very wealthy. He sounded that same theme at a breakfast in Harlem with labor leaders and elected officials.
“We can’t succeed as a city if more and more people are falling behind. And we have to use every tool we have. And I want to emphasize the tools that city government has is part of the solution. We need more help from the federal government, obviously, we have to hope our economy gets better. But I want to use every tool we have,” de Blasio said.
Meanwhile, Joe Lhota was campaigning on his home turf in downtown Brooklyn this morning. Lhota has been reaching out to Democrats and labor leaders in the hope of gaining some support for his candidacy. But Lhota says the president of the teachers union has not been very receptive to him.
The union is backing de Blasio.
Lhota: Why don’t you ask Michael Mulgrew why he doesn’t answer any of the phone calls I have left for him?
Reporter: You have left phone calls?
Lhota: Yes I have. Why would I say that if I haven’t.
NY1 has also just learned that Lhota will have an event this afternoon calling for weekly debates with de Blasio in each of the five boroughs. And there will also be a new poll out on the mayor’s race this afternoon. The last one from Marist College showed de Blasio with a 43 point lead over Lhota.
NY1 will have more on the mayor’s race tonight on the Road to City Hall at 7 and 10 p.m.
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