City Fixes and New Food Stores: A Fresh Look at the Mayor’s First 100 Days

The mayor used a big rally in Queens to say that the next part of his term will focus on small, everyday fixes – what he calls “pothole politics. ” He also announced three new promises for the rest of his time in office: opening five city‑run grocery stores, making all trash containers available everywhere, and speeding up buses on 45 key routes. The event was staged like a museum of his first 100 days, with props and photos that highlighted the city’s progress. A surprise guest was Senator Bernie Sanders, who praised the mayor’s work and said it could inspire other cities. The mayor began by acknowledging that people were skeptical when he was elected, but he repeated his commitment to govern as a democratic socialist. He said the purpose of the night was to show what can be achieved in just 14 weeks, and that if the city can handle small problems, it can tackle bigger ones. He highlighted concrete results: more than 102, 000 potholes filled in a year, plans to repave over 1, 100 lane miles of streets, and winter services that removed millions of pounds of snow. He used these examples to explain “pothole politics” as a practical approach that keeps government close to everyday life.

Moving on, he revealed the grocery‑store plan, one of his biggest campaign promises. He said all five stores will open by the end of his term, with the first one in East Harlem’s La Marqueta market. He emphasized that these stores will offer lower prices and better treatment for workers, and he invited competition to keep costs low. The mayor also addressed trash containerization, saying that previous efforts had stalled and that his administration will push for full container use by 2031. He promised cleaner sidewalks, fewer rats, and a more organized city. Finally, he talked about buses. While the free‑bus promise may have to wait another year, he announced a plan to make buses faster on 45 routes. The goal is to cut commute times by up to six minutes each way and add more accessible stops for people who live far from transit. He acknowledged that the free‑bus promise remains a future goal and that he will work with state officials to achieve it. The speech also listed other achievements: a $1. 2 billion childcare deal, free care for toddlers, tenant repairs, worker protections, and improvements in safety. He ended by saying that city government will no longer fear its own shadow but instead protect working people.

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