Government Manhattan

1 government

1.1 politics
1.2 federal offices
1.3 crime , public safety

government


manhattan municipal building

since new york city s consolidation in 1898, manhattan has been governed new york city charter, has provided strong mayor–council system since revision in 1989. centralized new york city government responsible public education, correctional institutions, libraries, public safety, recreational facilities, sanitation, water supply, , welfare services in manhattan.

the office of borough president created in consolidation of 1898 balance centralization local authority. each borough president had powerful administrative role derived having vote on new york city board of estimate, responsible creating , approving city s budget , proposals land use. in 1989, supreme court of united states declared board of estimate unconstitutional because brooklyn, populous borough, had no greater effective representation on board staten island, least populous borough, violation of fourteenth amendment s equal protection clause pursuant high court s 1964 1 man, 1 vote decision.

since 1990, largely powerless borough president has acted advocate borough @ mayoral agencies, city council, new york state government, , corporations. manhattan s current borough president gale brewer, elected democrat in november 2013 82.9% of vote. brewer replaced scott stringer, went on become new york city comptroller.

cyrus vance jr., democrat, has been district attorney of new york county since 2010. manhattan has ten city council members, third largest contingent among 5 boroughs. has twelve administrative districts, each served local community board. community boards representative bodies field complaints , serve advocates local residents.

as host of united nations, borough home world s largest international consular corps, comprising 105 consulates, consulates general , honorary consulates. home of new york city hall, seat of new york city government housing mayor of new york city , new york city council. mayor s staff , thirteen municipal agencies located in nearby manhattan municipal building, completed in 1914, 1 of largest governmental buildings in world.

politics

the democratic party holds public offices. registered republicans minority in borough, constituting 9.88% of electorate of april 2016. registered republicans more 20% of electorate in neighborhoods of upper east side , financial district of 2016. democrats accounted 68.41% of registered vote, while 17.94% of voters unaffiliated.

manhattan divided between 4 u.s. congressional districts, of represented democrats. 7th district based in brooklyn , queens, includes few heavily puerto rican sections of lower east side, including avenues c , d of alphabet city; represented nydia velázquez. 10th district, based on west side, covers of upper west side, hell s kitchen, chelsea, greenwich village, chinatown, tribeca, financial district, , battery park city, sections of southwest brooklyn; represented jerrold nadler. 12th district, so-called silk stocking district political base teddy roosevelt , john lindsay, covers of upper east side, yorkville, gramercy park, roosevelt island, , of lower east side , east village, portions of western queens; represented carolyn maloney. finally, 13th district comprises upper manhattan , small portion of western bronx, including neighborhoods of harlem, inwood, marble hill, spanish harlem, washington heights, , portions of morningside heights , upper west side; represented adriano espaillat.

no republican has won presidential election in manhattan since 1924, when calvin coolidge won plurality of new york county vote on democrat john w. davis, 41.20%–39.55%. warren g. harding recent republican presidential candidate win majority of manhattan vote, 59.22% of 1920 vote. in 2004 presidential election, democrat john kerry received 82.1% of vote in manhattan , republican george w. bush received 16.7%. borough important source of funding presidential campaigns in united states; in 2004, home 6 of top 7 zip codes in nation political contributions. top zip code, 10021 on upper east side, generated money united states presidential election presidential candidates, including both kerry , bush during 2004 election.

james farley post office


federal offices

the united states postal service operates post offices in manhattan. james farley post office in midtown manhattan new york city s main post office. located @ 421 eighth avenue, between 31st street , 33rd street. post office stopped 24-hour service on may 9, 2009, due decreasing mail traffic.

both united states district court southern district of new york , united states court of appeals second circuit located in lower manhattan s foley square, , u.s. attorney , other federal offices , agencies maintain locations in area.

crime , public safety


an nypd boat patrols new york harbor



a slum tour through 5 points in 1885 sketch

starting in mid-19th century, united states became magnet immigrants seeking escape poverty in home countries. after arriving in new york, many new arrivals ended living in squalor in slums of 5 points neighborhood, area between broadway , bowery, northeast of new york city hall. 1820s, area home many gambling dens , brothels, , known dangerous place go. in 1842, charles dickens visited area , appalled @ horrendous living conditions had seen. area notorious caught attention of abraham lincoln, visited area before cooper union speech in 1860. predominantly irish 5 points gang 1 of country s first major organized crime entities.

as italian immigration grew in 20th century many joined ethnic gangs, including al capone, got start in crime 5 points gang. mafia (also known cosa nostra) first developed in mid-19th century in sicily , spread east coast of united states during late 19th century following waves of sicilian , southern italian emigration. lucky luciano established cosa nostra in manhattan, forming alliances other criminal enterprises, including jewish mob, led meyer lansky, leading jewish gangster of period. 1920–1933, prohibition helped create thriving black market in liquor, upon mafia quick capitalize.

as in whole of new york city, manhattan experienced sharp increase in crime during 1960s , 1970s. since 1990, crime in manhattan has plummeted in categories tracked compstat profile. borough saw 503 murders in 1990 has seen drop of 88% 62 in 2008 , has continued decline since then. robbery , burglary down more 80% during period, , auto theft has been reduced more 93%. in 7 major crime categories tracked system, overall crime has declined more 75% since 1990, , year-to-date statistics through may 2009 show continuing declines. based on 2005 data, new york city has lowest crime rate among ten largest cities in united states.