Power 100 - New York City 2016

If 2014 was the year of progressive change in New York City – with a liberal mayor and City Council coming to power after 12 years of a moderate technocratic administration – 2015 could be characterized as a regression to the mean. 

The honeymoon is firmly over for Mayor Bill de Blasio, who saw much of the public enthusiasm for his political agenda wane in his second year. Meanwhile, the promise of an activist City Council has begun to fade as Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and nearly half of the council approach lame duck status.

In fact, the 2017 election year played a role in the overall churn of this year’s list. Rumored mayoral challengers like Rep. Hakeem Jeffries made their Power 100 debut partly as a result of the constant intrigue around whether they will run. And several council members emerged on the list as possible successors to Mark-Viverito, a result of behind-the-scenes maneuvering that has already begun. Apparently it’s never too early to start campaigning.

There was also a reshuffling of the city’s lobbying, business, real estate and labor interests, now that a clearer picture has emerged of which organizations and individuals have access and clout in City Hall. And as de Blasio’s inner circle of advisers has winnowed to a select few, we tried to accurately reflect who the mayor listens to when shaping his policies.

This list will undoubtedly be met with some criticism, as is the case every year, but our rankings were not made lightly. We reached out to sources to get a sense of what they were seeing. We considered pitches from all corners of government. And we took all of the feedback we got with a grain of salt and a skeptical mind. In the end, we have come up with a list that we believe accurately reflects the current political landscape in New York City – one that will hopefully ignite a vigorous debate.

1. Andrew Cuomo, Governor

2. Bill De Blasio, Mayor

3. Charles Schumer, U.S. Senator

4. Preet Bharara, U.S. Attorney

5. Bill Bratton, NYPD Commissioner

6. Carl Heastie, Assembly Speaker

7. Alicia Glen, New York City Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development

8. Eric Schneiderman, New York Attorney General

9. Melissa Mark-Viverito, New York City Council Speaker

10. Michael Bloomberg, Former New York City mayor, businessman and philanthropist

11. Scott Stringer, New York City Comptroller

12. Kirsten Gillibrand, U.S. Senator

13. Tom DiNapoli, New York State Comptroller

14. Emma Wolfe, New York City Intergovernmental Affairs Director

15. Steven Banks, Commissioner, New York City Human Resources Administration /Department of Social Services

16, Valerie Berlin / Jonathan Rosen, Principals, BerlinRosen

17. Tom Prendergast, Chairman and CEO, Metropolitan Transit Authority

18. George Gresham, President, 1199SEIU

19. Phil Walzak, Senior Advisor for Strategic Planning, New York City Mayor’s Office

20. John Flanagan, State Senate Majority Leader

21. John Banks III, President, REBNY

22. Anthony Shorris, New York City First Deputy Mayor

23. Bill Rudin, Chairman, Association for a Better New York; Chairman, Real Estate Roundtable; Vice Chairman and CEO, Rudin Management Company Inc.

24. Ruben Diaz Jr., Bronx Borough President

25. Rob Speyer, President and CEO, Tishman-Speyer Chairman, Real Estate Board of New York

26. Carmen Fariña, New York City Schools Chancellor

27. Neal Kwatra, CEO and Founder, Metropolitan Public Strategies

28. Brad Lander, New York City Council Deputy Majority Leader

29. Melissa DeRosa, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Chief of Staff

30. Errol Louis, Host, NY1 Inside City Hall

31. Peter Ward, President, New York Hotel and Motel Trades Council

32. James Capalino, CEO, Capalino+Company

33. Dean Fuleihan, New York City Budget Director

34. Hector Figueroa, President, 32BJ SEIU

35. Kathryn Wylde, President and CEO, Partnership for New York City

36. Chirlane McCray, First Lady of New York City and Chairwoman, Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City

37. Michael Mulgrew, President, United Federation of Teachers

38. Richard Buery, Deputy Mayor for Strategic Policy Initiatives

39. Rupert Murdoch, Chairman and CEO, News Corporation

40. Joe Crowley, Congressman

41. Josh Mohrer, General Manager, Uber NYC

42. Peter King, Congressman

43. Rebecca Katz, Partner, Hilltop Public Solutions

44. Eric Adams, Brooklyn Borough President

45. Bruce Ratner, Executive Vice President and Director, Forest City Enterprises

46. Mort Zuckerman, Publisher, New York Daily News

47. Jerrold Nadler, Congressman

48. Jeff Klein, State Senate Independent Democratic Conference Leader

49. Maya Wiley, Counsel to the Mayor

50. Letitia James, New York City Public Advocate

51. Pat Foye, Executive Director, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

52. Keith Wright, Assemblyman and Manhattan Democratic Party Chairman

53. Suri Kasirer, Founder and President, Kasirer Consulting

54. Frank Seddio, Brooklyn Democratic Party Chairman

55. Bob Master, Legislative-Political Coordinator, Communications Workers of America, District 1

56. Jumaane Williams, New York City Councilman

57. Merryl Tisch, Chancellor, New York State Board of Regents

58. Gary LaBarbera, President, Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York

59. Michael McKeon, Partner, Mercury Public Affairs

60. Gale Brewer, Manhattan Borough President

61. Emily Giske, Partner, Bolton-St. Johns

62. Hakeem Jeffries, Congressman

63. Marcos Crespo, New York State Assemblyman

64. David Greenfield, New York City Councilman

65. James Oddo, Staten Island Borough President

66. Carlo Scissura, President and CEO, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce

67. Henry Garrido, Executive Director, District Council 37

68. Cy Vance, Manhattan District Attorney

69. James Dolan, CEO, Cablevision; Executive Chairman, Madison Square Garden Company

70. Carl Weisbrod, Director, New York City Department of City Planning, Chairman, New York City Planning Commission

71. Alphonso David, Counsel to the Governor

72. Bill Lipton, State Director, Working Families Party

73. Norman Seabrook, President, New York City Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association

74. Nydia Velazquez, Congresswoman

75. Julissa Ferreras-Copeland, New York City Councilwoman

76. James Milliken, Chancellor, CUNY

77. Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York

78. Stuart Appelbaum, President, Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union

79. Jimmy Van Bramer, New York City Council Majority Leader

80. Richard Bamberger, Managing Director, Kivvit Consulting

81. Patrick Lynch, President, Patrolmen's Benevolent Association of the City of New York

82. Michael Klein, Principal, Dentons

83. John Samuelsen, President, Transport Workers Union Local 100

84. Steve Cassidy, President, Uniformed Firefighters Association of Greater New York

85. Ed Wallace, New York Co-Chairman, Greenberg Traurig

86. Jay Hershenson, Senior Vice Chancellor, CUNY

87. Vincent Alvarez, President, New York City Central Labor Council

88. Michael Woloz, Partner, Connelly McLaughlin & Woloz

89. Penny Abeywardena, Commissioner, Mayor’s Office for International Affairs

90. Ritchie Torres, New York City Councilman

91. Ramon Martinez, New York City Council Deputy Chief of Staff

92. Jill Furillo, Executive Director, New York State Nurses Association

93. Kyle Kimball, Vice President of Government Relations, Con Edison

94. James Merriman, CEO, New York City Charter School Center

95. Sid Davidoff, Senior Partner, Davidoff Hutcher & Citron

96. Emily Rafferty, Chairperson, NYC & Company

97. David Rivel, CEO, The Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services

98. Harry Nespoli, President, Uniformed Sanitationmen’s Association (Teamsters Local 831)

99. Charles Rangel, Congressman

100. John Catsimatidis, Chairman and CEO, Red Apple Group