New York City has a highly centralized municipal government. The mayor, chosen by a citywide electorate for a four-year term, has wide executive powers. The mayor has a leadership role in budget-making, authority to organize and reorganize administrative agencies and to appoint and remove their heads, a strong veto, and all powers not specifically otherwise granted.
The comptroller, elected on a citywide basis for a four-year term, recommends financial policies and advises the mayor and the city council in the preparation of the budget.
There are nine major administrative agencies, called administrations. The police and fire departments are not classified as administrations, but are also principal agencies.
Certain important city agencies are quasi-independent, including the board of education, the board of higher education, the health and hospitals corporation, and the housing authority.
In addition, two major agencies are bi-state or regional in character: the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which controls airports and interstate buses, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which controls subway and bus operations in the city and commuter railroad service in New York and Connecticut.
Legislative authority is vested in the city council, made up of 51 members, who are elected from individual districts for four-year terms. The presiding officer is the public advocate, chosen for a four-year term by a citywide electorate. The advocate can vote only to break a tie.
The most powerful member of the council is the speaker, who is chosen by a majority of the members and appoints the heads of the various council committees.
The council introduces and enacts all laws and approves the budget; it can override a mayoral veto by a vote of two-thirds of all the members.
Each borough has a president elected to a five-year term. The borough president’s position is largely ceremonial with primary responsibilities in the area of public improvements.
The five borough presidents had more political power when they served on the Board of Estimate, which controlled the city’s budget approval process. The Board of Estimate was abolished in 1990.
Politically, the city is strongly Democratic. Two small political groups are the Conservative and Liberal parties. The Democratic Party traditionally controls the mayoralty unless one of the other parties or an alliance of them draws many Democratic votes.
Though the five counties or boroughs have little administrative authority, the political centers of gravity in the city are the county party machines in the individual boroughs.
The comptroller, elected on a citywide basis for a four-year term, recommends financial policies and advises the mayor and the city council in the preparation of the budget.
There are nine major administrative agencies, called administrations. The police and fire departments are not classified as administrations, but are also principal agencies.
Certain important city agencies are quasi-independent, including the board of education, the board of higher education, the health and hospitals corporation, and the housing authority.
In addition, two major agencies are bi-state or regional in character: the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which controls airports and interstate buses, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which controls subway and bus operations in the city and commuter railroad service in New York and Connecticut.
Legislative authority is vested in the city council, made up of 51 members, who are elected from individual districts for four-year terms. The presiding officer is the public advocate, chosen for a four-year term by a citywide electorate. The advocate can vote only to break a tie.
The most powerful member of the council is the speaker, who is chosen by a majority of the members and appoints the heads of the various council committees.
The council introduces and enacts all laws and approves the budget; it can override a mayoral veto by a vote of two-thirds of all the members.
Each borough has a president elected to a five-year term. The borough president’s position is largely ceremonial with primary responsibilities in the area of public improvements.
The five borough presidents had more political power when they served on the Board of Estimate, which controlled the city’s budget approval process. The Board of Estimate was abolished in 1990.
Politically, the city is strongly Democratic. Two small political groups are the Conservative and Liberal parties. The Democratic Party traditionally controls the mayoralty unless one of the other parties or an alliance of them draws many Democratic votes.
Though the five counties or boroughs have little administrative authority, the political centers of gravity in the city are the county party machines in the individual boroughs.
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