The De-Manhattanization of Politics

| 17 Feb 2015 | 12:58

De Blasio has vowed to turn his attention to the outer boroughs

For the past dozen years, Manhattan has received a disproportionate amount of love from City Hall.

Michael Bloomberg not only lived in the borough, but his entire life and social circle were encompassed by it. And that was reflected in his biggest initiatives. From CitiBike to pedestrian islands to the rebirth of city parkland, Bloomberg's signature ideas have tended to be heaviest felt in Manhattan, often to the chagrin of the outer boroughs.

All that is about it change.

Much has been made of Bill de Blasio's Brooklyn base, both real and politically symbolic.

But de Blasio did make it clear in his campaign that he thought Manhattan had tended to get more than its share under Bloomberg -- whether it comes to bike lanes or school rebuilding or grand new public-works projects. De Blasio has vowed to reverse that, and there's no sign his new residency on the Upper East Side is going to temper those vows.

So could residents of Manhattan now find themselves getting less from City Hall, as it seeks to make up for lost time?

Look for some high-profile early projects from de Blasio in 2014 -- parks, schools, arts ventures -- as he seeks to make his case, leaving the city's most populous borough sitting, at least for now, on the sidelines.