This year’s Republican primary for mayor is an interesting race, with the two top candidates being John Catsimatidis and Joe Lhota. A third candidate, George McDonald, is also in the running.
Lhota, a former deputy mayor under Rudy Giuliani and most recently head of the M.T.A., brings a track record of having worked in New York City government at a high level. He played important roles helping the city recover from both 9/11 and Hurricane Sandy.
On the negative side, we well remember Lhota’s acting as Giuliani’s designated attack dog in 1999 against the Brooklyn Museum forcing it to remove its controversial “elephant dung Madonna” artwork at the threat of losing city funding. This particular incident sticks with us (no pun intended) because we need an open-minded mayor who doesn’t stifle creativity and free expression.
McDonald has done great work with the Doe Fund, getting ex-convicts back on their feet by providing them jobs and housing.
Catsimatidis’s candidacy has a lot to like, and his personal story is inspirational. He’s a self-made man who grew up in an immigrant family on E. 135th St. in East Harlem. Through hard work and a shrewd business sense, he has built a supermarket empire, Gristedes, with 2,000 employees in the city, and another 6,000 employees at his Red Apple convenience stores located outside of the city. He also took over a troubled Canadian oil business and has made a fortune out of it. His business acumen would be a plus for New York, just as Bloomberg’s has been.
In fact, Catsimatidis calls himself the “common man’s Bloomberg,” in that he vows he will never forget his roots and where he came from. His work raising funds for and being a strong supporter of the Police Athletic League for 30 years is a testament to this.
Coming from outside of politics — just as Bloomberg did — benefits him, since he won’t be beholden to political allegiances and special interests.
Above all, Catsimatidis is a pragmatist. For example, he has said he would increase vocational education, to help ensure that youths receive jobs training and a path toward bettering their lot in life.
He’s a plainspoken man who is open to ideas and thinking outside the box.
Above all, Catsimatidis believes in keeping our city safe and secure, which is important, especially, in an era of terrorism.
He would keep Ray Kelly on as police commissioner. Not all voters would agree with this, but Catsimatidis stands firm that Kelly has done a great job.
Ultimately, he’s not afraid to stand by his convictions, and is an independent thinker, beholden to no one. The Villager supports John Catsimatidis for mayor in the Republican primary.
