Mayor

1. What is the most important issue in the city you would address if elected?

As our city grapples with the impacts of a global recession, my focus is on doing everything I can to help New Yorkers through these difficult times. That's why, right now as mayor, I launched my Five Borough Economic Opportunity Plan, which will help create or save 400,000 jobs, provide loans to keep small businesses open, and offer foreclosure assistance and financial counseling through 311. If reelected, I will fully implement my plan to get New Yorkers through today's crisis and construct the foundation for tomorrow's stronger economy.

2. What other important issues would you address if elected?

For New York to continue to thrive, we need not only good jobs, but also safe streets, great schools and affordable housing. We have made real progress on all three fronts: crime has declined to record lows; mayoral control has allowed us to turn around the public schools, leading our children to achieve gains that have outpaced the rest of the state; and we have begun the largest affordable housing initiative in our history, which will provide homes for half a million New Yorkers.

We cannot surrender these gains. Terrorists still target our city, so we must be more vigilant than ever. Our schools are better, but we have to keep reforming the system to give parents better options for their children. Housing is still expensive, so we have to keep building affordable housing to help keep the middle class in our city. In other words, our work has only begun.

3. What makes you the best candidate for this office?

I believe I have brought an openness to City Hall and an inclusive leadership style that has made New York a safer, healthier and stronger city. Our city faces difficult times and I believe I have demonstrated my capacity to make tough, honest, independent decisions on behalf of all New Yorkers that will keep our economy growing, our schools improving, crime falling, and our city moving forward.

(Reprinted as supplied by the candidate.)

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