Break in Case of Emergency: The Case for a Strong Public Advocate

 

By Errol Louis

A half dozen members of the City Council have introduced a bill to abolish the office of public advocate. "The office, if it ever served a purpose, it has outlived it," the bill's lead sponsor, Kalman Yeger, told Politico recently.

Wrong.

The most important power of the position — having a citywide elected official who can, if need be, temporarily step in as mayor — is greatly underrated. As the first in the line of succession, the public advocate assumes the mayoralty if the mayor dies, resigns or becomes incapacitated.

That happens more frequently than most people realize.

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Source: The New York Daily News (via Empire Report New York)