Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio spent the day before Thanksgiving volunteering at a Brooklyn food pantry, and while news about his incoming administration has been scarce, he did give some hints of what’s to come. NY1′s Bobby Cuza filed the following report.
Bill de Blasio hasn’t gotten to the hard work of governing yet, but on Wednesday, he did roll up his sleeves and do some heavy lifting – specifically, 13-pound turkeys, as he and his wife, Chirlane McCray, lent a hand at the Bed-Stuy Campaign Against Hunger.
De Blasio said that the demand underscored his campaign theme of growing inequality.
On this Thanksgiving, are you seeing more and more New Yorkers struggling to put food on the table? Are you affected by rising food costs? Join the conversation on “The Call” at 9 p.m. with NY1′s John Schiumo or email your thoughts.
“It’s quite evident today what that means in human terms, how many families are struggling just to put together the food for a Thanksgiving meal,” de Blasio said.
As to his agenda, de Blasio said that he’s planning an organized, grassroots campaign to push his signature policy proposal, a tax on the city’s wealthiest to fund pre-kindergarten and after-school programs.
“In the coming days, we’re going to announce what a campaign will look like to make sure we pass the tax plan in Albany,” he said. “So we’re going to hit the ground running with a very strong effort to get that passed.”
He also noted a Quinnipiac poll out Wednesday that showed that New York State voters back the plan roughly 2 to 1, including 64 percent support upstate.
“I think families upstate understand exactly what we’re going through here,” de Blasio said. “I think they want the same for their children, and they realize that asking the wealthy to pay a little more is fair.”
De Blasio denied reports that he’s settled on Bill Bratton as police commissioner, but said that news of appointments is coming.
“I have not picked anyone. I’ve not had any final conversations with any candidates,” he said. “We’re continuing the process, and as I say, I think you can start to expect the announcements to begin late next week.”
As to his own Thanksgiving plans, de Blasio said that he and family will spend the holiday at his cousin’s in Connecticut. He assured the assembled media that he won’t be doing any cooking, and he disclosed that his favorite part of the meal is the stuffing.
“For all of you in the yam lobby or the pumpkin pie lobby, I’m supporting stuffing, without any compunction,” he said. “Thank you. Have a great Thanksgiving, everyone.”
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