Dean Fuleihan is totally assured that Zohran Mamdani can ship on the formidable agenda—addressing all the things from transportation to lease stabilization and childcare—that impressed New Yorkers to present the mayor-elect a mandate to run the nation’s largest metropolis.
And when Fuleihan, Mamdani’s choose to serve within the highly effective place of first deputy mayor, speaks, it pays to hear. He’s one of the vital skilled arms in New York Metropolis and state authorities.
After many years of service because the “price range guru” for Democrats within the New York State Legislature, he labored as director of the New York Metropolis Mayor’s Workplace of Administration and Funds beneath former Mayor Invoice de Blasio. He then served as first deputy mayor—a place that performs a essential function in defining the scope and course of municipal administrations—throughout de Blasio’s second time period, earlier than being appointed by New York Governor Kathy Hochul to the New York State Monetary Management Board.
Now, at age 74, Fuleihan is again in metropolis authorities, as Mamdani’s choose to assist him information town in a second of immense problem. And immense alternative.
The number of Fuleihan—together with that of longtime Mamdani aide and first marketing campaign supervisor Elle Bisgaard-Church to function the brand new administration’s chief of workers—was hailed as a masterstroke by former Obama White Home director of political affairs and US ambassador to South Africa Patrick Gaspard. A savvy observer of New York Metropolis governance who has been a key member of the Mamdani camp, Gaspard says. “Mayor-elect Mamdani is pulling collectively an A group and this announcement is the proper combo of a gradual hand with a motion punch. Dean Fuleihan has been a shoulder-to-the wheel public servant who has all the time moved the levers of presidency with working households entrance of thoughts. Elle Bisgaard-Church is a coverage innovator who had the audacity to construct the most important grassroots motion we’ve skilled in NYC in generations. That is good.”
After Mandani’s announcement of the choice, Fuleihan went to work instantly within the new mayor’s transition workplace. It was there that he spoke solely with The Nation about why he started advising Mamdani final winter, why he stays so enthusiastic in regards to the affordability agenda on which the brand new mayor ran and received, and why—in contrast to all of the naysayers who tried to recommend through the bitter mayoral marketing campaign that the 34-year-old Mamdani lacks the expertise and wherewithal to control the metropolis—he thinks New York’s 111th mayor is strictly what town wants.
THE NATION: Throughout the mayoral marketing campaign, Zohran Mamdani’s critics always questioned whether or not he might ship on the formidable platform he outlined. You’re somebody who’s deeply skilled in authorities. Is your choice to take this job a sign that you just imagine that [Mamdani can] get the job completed?
It could be a disgrace if we had been at a degree the place addressing the intense issues of New Yorkers was not given the best precedence —recognizing that, OK, these are difficult issues, however that affordability is a disaster, and he’s [determined] to deal with it. It was clear within the marketing campaign, and it was clear from each dialog I had with him, properly earlier than the first, that [Mamdani had] an formidable agenda, an aggressive agenda. However he supposed to attain it, and that’s what was so interesting. That’s why I’m so blissful to be becoming a member of this administration and to be a part of a group that’s gonna ship on this [program].
So my reply, my easy reply, is “sure. “ And I even have a tough time understanding why individuals assume that’s so sophisticated.
THE NATION: One of many irritating issues about our politics, in so many situations, is that it has turn into so constrained in its imaginative and prescient that it’s arduous for many individuals to think about that somebody might get elected on an affordability agenda, and really—with a number of arduous work, with a number of battle—ship on it. Nevertheless it’s your sense, as somebody with quite a lot of expertise in native and state authorities, that this administration can ship on the promise of a visionary marketing campaign.
FULEIHAN: My reply is that we’ve to ship on it. He ran on a dedication [to do these things] and he acquired an unimaginable quantity of assist for that dedication—and actually love and hope.
That is what we’re in authorities for. I imply, we’re in authorities to do tough issues.
There are individuals on the market struggling, and so they’re having a tough life…. It needs to be our privilege to ship on these commitments to them.
THE NATION: You talked about that you just began speaking with Zohran Mandani earlier than the first. When did you get fascinated with his candidacy?
FULEIHAN: I used to be fascinated with him from the start. He was working a marketing campaign that was definitely [unlike] something I had seen earlier than. We related in late winter and began a dialogue that’s been fairly constant since then. I’ve been serving to and advising him—and advising the group.
His braveness of conviction, his consistency of conviction, didn’t waver through the main or after the first. It’s unimaginable and was greater than admirable. From the very starting, I stated to him I’d do something I might to assist him in any method that was doable. Now, I’m doing it, and I’m actually enthusiastic about that chance.
THE NATION: I’m fascinated with your evaluation of essentially the most vital challenges the administration goes to face. The place do you see the most important hurdles?
FULEIHAN: I see it as a complete. I don’t see it as one downside—and typically it will get portrayed as that: “Oh, what’s gonna occur with Washington?” “Is Albany gonna be cooperative?”
It’s way more than that. [Mamdani] is so outlined on the affordability query, and each New Yorker you speak to is aware of precisely what that agenda is. We now have to ship that agenda. However we additionally need to ensure that all the things operates; that everyone in New York Metropolis feels it is a authorities that’s ensuring that we’re doing the day-to-day issues that we’re imagined to do in managing a metropolis. That’s part of the job that I’m right here to verify occurs.
On the similar time, whereas we’re doing that, we’ve to be excited about how we obtain that coverage agenda. How will we negotiate that coverage agenda in New York Metropolis and in Albany? After which—and New York will not be alone on this—[we have to be looking at] what is going on with the federal authorities? What are the implications, with regard to the federal authorities, for town of New York, in addition to the residents of town?
So, I see this as many ranges that need to be addressed on the similar time.… We’re going to be constructing by this transition to ensure that, after we begin, we’re doing all these issues.
THE NATION: You clearly know state authorities exceptionally properly. Do you assume that the connection that Governor Hochul and the incoming mayor that was constructed through the late levels of the marketing campaign can really turn into a powerful working relationship the place the state backs town up on essential points?
FULEIHAN: Sure.
You had been very light in regards to the de Blasio relationship with Andrew Cuomo [who, as governor, frequently, and sometimes intensely, clashed with the former mayor].
I don’t assume there’s any query that this [relationship with Hochul] has gotten off with the proper of respect. We’re going to have the ability to work with that and use that. This is not going to mirror the connection [with Cuomo], which I feel was an unfair relationship on the a part of the governor on the time. That’s not going to occur right here.
[Mamdani and Hochul] have most of the similar pursuits. It’s fascinating how a lot the governor has been on the market on common childcare. She did a tax credit score final yr within the price range. That kind of will get forgotten, and it shouldn’t be forgotten, as a result of that is an space that she clearly cares about.
So, OK, right here we’ve an space that everyone stated, “Oh, it’s an excessive amount of, it’s too costly,” and unexpectedly you could have the mayor-elect of New York Metropolis and the governor of New York State saying we’ve to do that. That is essential. We now have to deal with the issues of the pressures on households. We now have to deal with baby poverty.
THE NATION: It should assist that the state of New Mexico is implementing common childcare proper now. That’s one instance on childcare. However most of the issues that Mandani talked about through the marketing campaign are issues which were completed elsewhere. So they’re reasonable initiatives.
FULEIHAN: Sure. Look, we’ve seen this earlier than. With de Blasio, clearly, the very very first thing he [set out to do] was common pre-Okay, and all people, all people stated that was not doable. The forms stated it will take 5 years. The governor stated there’s no method—you begin with a pilot, and we received’t fund it.
And what occurred? We did it in two years, and nobody I do know, actually nobody, says that that wasn’t an excellent factor, that that wasn’t a optimistic factor. So authorities really can do issues rapidly, can transfer rapidly. It’s our obligation to ensure that we’re doing that.
THE NATION: However you do have a singular circumstance, nonetheless, if you end up coming in with a mayor that the president of the US has been starkly essential of. The president has made threats about withholding federal funds and doing all kinds of different issues that would undermine the administration. How do you anticipate maneuvering by that problem to construct a relationship with the federal authorities?
FULEIHAN: Look, the mayor-elect has been very clear about this. We’re going to defend the rights of New Yorkers. And we’re going to look, in each method doable, [to see] if there’s issues we are able to do with the federal authorities—he additionally stated he would do this.
We’re gonna work with the governor. We’re not alone on this. We’re gonna ask a number of these individuals who symbolize this metropolis and this state, and we’re going to deal with it.
However what we’re not gonna do is let [threats from Republicans in DC] cease the commitments that we made, that the mayor-elect made to those that voted for him, and those that didn’t vote for him however nonetheless need this agenda.
THE NATION: So that you’ve obtained 47 years of governing expertise. That’s greater than a dozen years longer than Zohran Mandani has been alive. What does his choice to decide on you as first deputy mayor say? Clearly, there’s a respect for expertise. After which, additionally, in your half, there’s a respect for the keenness of someone who’s coming in attempting to alter issues. Give me a way of how we should always wrap our heads round the truth that a man with 47 years of expertise is coming in to work for a man who’s 34 years previous?
FULEIHAN: I feel you stated it in asking the query, proper? He’s bringing imaginative and prescient, power, hope, and he’s wanting round and saying, I additionally want expertise—however expertise to get issues completed.
I’ll take it as a praise that, from the very starting, we talked about the way you make authorities work to get an formidable agenda completed, and there are methods to try this. And, so, I’m attracted to each message that the mayor-elect has articulated, I imagine in it, I imagine it may be completed. We have to make it occur. It’s that essential that, at this level in my profession, sure, it’s value doing. It’s an obligation that we needs to be doing
THE NATION: The mayor-elect identifies as a democratic socialist. How do you determine your ideology, your partisanship?
FULEIHAN: I’m clearly a Democrat. I’ve labored my complete life with [Democrats]. I wouldn’t be right here if I didn’t really feel full alignment together with his agenda. Full! No matter you name it.
THE NATION: What drew you to politics within the first place? What introduced you to a lifetime of public service?
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FULEIHAN: I come from an immigrant household, My father was an immigrant from Lebanon. My mom’s mother and father had been immigrants from Lebanon, and her first language strolling into college was Arabic, not English.
They did what we need to hear, proper? They struggled, they succeeded. A part of that success was instilling in me, in my brothers, a dedication to public service, and a duty to verify, no matter alternatives we had been supplied on this nation, that different individuals get the exact same alternatives. [Growing up], it was a continuing politically energetic dinner desk—all the time speaking about politics and insurance policies each within the US and all over the world.
It’s been actually a life calling: When you’ve got the flexibility to have one in all these positions [in government], it’s an unimaginable privilege. It may be arduous, certain, however all people out there may be working arduous. And the affordability disaster is simply magnifying that strain on them. We now have to have the ability to give again and make that life higher.
THE NATION: The announcement of your choice was made at Roosevelt Home, the place Franklin Delano Roosevelt made a few of his transition bulletins. That wasn’t a coincidence. It appears to recommend an ambition to do issues on the scale that an FDR would have.
FULEIHAN: Completely. Look, it’s an exquisite place. It’s an exquisite establishment. For me, it’s an exquisite establishment as a result of it’s a part of the Metropolis College of New York, and I’ve now spent three years on the Metropolis College, on the Institute for State and Native Governance. It was an important alternative for me to thank the management at each CUNY and the Institute, and to remind all people of the significance of that establishment to the material of New York. It truly is a part of it. It seems to be like New York Metropolis, it helps New York Metropolis, it’s unimaginable and it’s a tremendous establishment.
And, sure, being there on the Roosevelt Home made a number of statements in regards to the incoming administration.
THE NATION: Which can arrive with an formidable agenda. And also you’re not ready till [Mamdani’s Inauguration Day] January 1 to get began.
FULEIHAN: I’m within the momentary transition workplace, and we’re already working.
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