Chris McNickle argues that New York City Mayor David Dinkins
failed to wield the power of the mayor with the skill required to
run the city. His Tammany clubhouse heritage and liberal political
philosophy made him the wrong man for the time. His deliberate
style of decision-making left the government he led lacking in
direction. His courtly demeanor and formal personal style alienated
him from the people he served while the multi-racial coalition he
forged as New York's first African-American mayor weakened over
time.
Dinkins did have a number of successes. He balanced four budgets
and avoided a fiscal takeover by the unelected New York State
Financial Control Board. Major crime dropped 14 percent and murders
fell by more than 12 percent. Dinkins helped initiate important
structural changes to the ungovernable school system he inherited.
His administration reconfigured health care for the poor and
improved access to medical treatment for impoverished New
Yorkers.
McNickle argues that David Dinkins has received less credit than
he is due for his successes because they were overshadowed by his
failure to fulfill his promise to guide the city to racial harmony.
This stimulating review of a transitional period in New York City's
history offers perspective on what it takes to lead and govern.
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