New York Mayor Fills Poverty Post With a Critic

[hrmjustin]

MICHAEL HOWARD SAUL

The top attorney at the nonprofit Legal Aid Society who for three decades has been a hard-charging advocate for poor New Yorkers will take the reins of New York City's welfare agency, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Friday.

Over the years, the society's attorney-in-chief, Steve Banks, has spent many an hour on the steps of City Hall assailing mayors and policies that he contended unfairly treated the homeless and other low-income New Yorkers. And the Legal Aid Society—which represents people who can't pay for attorneys in criminal and civil court—has challenged a number of city policies in the courts, from homelessness to food stamp eligibility.

Now, for the first time, Mr. Banks has been invited inside City Hall to play a role in developing city policy on poverty.

The Human Resources Administration has roughly 15,000 employees, serving more than 3 million New Yorkers by administering food stamps, temporary cash assistance, health insurance, home care to seniors and HIV/AIDS support services.

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304709904579411722848719340?mod=WSJ_NY_News_LEFTTopStories&mg=reno64-wsj

[loudsue]

1. Gawd! I really do like de Blasio!! He KNOWS!!

He gets it!!! He's like a breath of fresh air!

[hrmjustin]

3. I agree. I am glad he is stirring things up.

[daleanime]

2. Sweet!

[hrmjustin]

10. Love him.!

[valerief]

4. Wow, this isn't business as usual! nt

[hrmjustin]

5. Nope he means wants to shake things up.

[ReRe]

6. Carry on, Mayor de Blasio!

I think we can agree that Mayor de Blasio is NOT a third-wayer. Finally, a Mayor for ALL the people of NYC!

[hrmjustin]

8. I am glad he won the nomination and electionby big numbers. he has a huge mandate.

[ReRe]

11. He is the kind of President I am looking for.

Would be a good question for all presidential candidates, re their views on Mayor de Blasio's style of running NYC.

[hrmjustin]

12. Good points.

[Jackpine Radical]

7. Helluva nice call, Bill.

Love you for it.

[hrmjustin]

9. Agreed!

[eggplant]

13. Turncoat! Sellout! Giving up his fight for the poor to work for the man!

(Do I really need a sarcasm tag here?)

[hrmjustin]

14. No tag needed.

[eggplant]

15. You wouldn't think so, but there are a startling number of humor impaired folks here.

As an upstater, I'm pretty amazed at Hizzonor. Quite a lot can get done when you actually want to.

[sheshe2]

16. K&R

I like your Mayor Bill de Blasio .

Thanks Justin~

[hrmjustin]

18. Your welcome.

[Jake2413]

17. Sweet

[hrmjustin]

19. Agreed!