DeBlazing a Path Forward: New York City Mayoral Advisory Commission, 2021

Approximate Committee Size: 28 Delegates

In 2008, Mayor Mike Bloomberg made a little deal with the New York City Council that allowed him to run for a third term: in exchange for all current city council members being eligible to run for a third term instead of the normal two, he would also be allowed to run for a third term. It was quickly overturned in 2010, but the city council was already grandfathered in, so in 2017, incumbents who would have been term-limited ran again and mostly won. That brings us to 2021, when ⅔ of the 51 members in the City Council are termed out, instead of the normal ⅓, creating an unprecedented shift in city politics.  Additionally, deeply unpopular Mayor Bill DeBlasio is termed out after 8 years in office. Comptroller Scott Stringer, one of the other two citywide elected positions is also termed up. This means that at no point in recent history has there been an election with so much uncertainty. Several candidates for mayor have worked for years to establish a base, but the 8-1 financial matching program implemented in 2017 gives an opportunity for candidates without deep pockets to have a fair shot of getting their name out. Finally, Ranked Choice Voting is implemented for the first time, doubling the need for diplomacy. This election is sure to be among the most controversial and close in recent decades, and delegates will need to navigate the voting even as they respond to the constant crises that plague a major city in the day-to-day.

ISSUES TO CONSIDER

Housing Policy

Labor Unions and their Implications for Elections

Climate Effects and Resiliency Projects

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Work through the complexities of developing and implementing effective, equitable housing policy.

• Understand labor unions, the labor movement as a whole, and their effects on city politics.

• Learn how climate events can influence urban planning and how politicians discuss environmental matters at both local and state levels.

About the Chair

Luke Donovan is a member of the class of 2025 in the College of Arts and Sciences majoring in Economics and Math. Luke is from Boston and loves to spend time near the ocean. He started Model UN his sophomore year of high school, where he competed at local conferences and learned that Model UN is an advantageous way to learn the tenets of diplomacy. Outside of NAIMUN, you can find Luke giving tours for Blue & Gray Tour Guide Society, or leading retreats with campus ministry. Luke could also talk about U.S. elections, transportation, and boats all day long. Luke was a Director for NCSC L and NCSC XLIX and a Chair for NCSC LI and served as Director of Operations for NAIMUN LX, Georgetown’s high school conference. Luke currently serves as the CFO of GIRA (Georgetown International Relations Association), which hosts NAIMUN. Luke is excited to be your Chair and cannot wait to share his third and final NAIMUN with you all in February!

About the Crisis Manager

Evan Farley is a member of the class of 2025 majoring in Economics and minoring in Government. He is from Brooklyn, NY, and is incredibly excited to manage a committee about his hometown. This is his fourth and final NAIMUN, having previously served as Deputy Director and USG for Contemporary Crisis, as well as a CA three times and CM for Georgetown’s collegiate conference NCSC. He also led College Democrats and the Triathlon Club on campus. Before starting at Georgetown, he worked for a NYC mayoral race in 2021, and has been involved in politics in NYC since interning on a city council campaign in 2017. He cannot wait to dive back into the fast-paced, messy, amazing world of city politics.