David Dinkins

David N. Dinkins
File:Dinkins.jpg
106th Mayor of New York City
In office January 1, 1990 – December 31, 1993
Preceded by	Edward I. Koch
Succeeded by	Rudolph W. Giuliani
Personal details
Born	(1927-07-10) July 10, 1927 Trenton, New Jersey
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Joyce Dinkins nee Burrows
Residence(s)	New York, New York

David Norman Dinkins (born July 10 1927 in Trenton, New Jersey) was the Mayor of New York City from 1989 through 1993, being the first and to date only African American to hold that office. He is the most recent Democrat to have been elected Mayor of New York City. During World War II he served in the United States Marine Corps. Dinkins is a graduate of Howard University, with a degree in Mathematics, and Brooklyn Law School.

Political career

Dinkins was a product of the traditional Democratic Party organization in Harlem and became part of an influential clique of African-American politicians that included Percy Sutton, Basil Paterson, Denny Farrell, and Charles Rangel. As an investor, Dinkins was one of fifty African American investors who helped Percy Sutton found Inner City Broadcasting Corporation in 1971. He served briefly in the New York State Legislature and for many years as New York City Clerk.

He was named Deputy Mayor by Mayor Abraham D. Beame but was ultimately not appointed due to scandal. He was elected Manhattan Borough President in 1985 on his third run for that office. He was elected the city's mayor on November 7 1989, having defeated three-term incumbent Mayor Ed Koch and two others to win the Democratic nomination and going on to narrowly defeat Rudy Giuliani, the Republican candidate.

Mayoralty

Dinkins entered office pledging racial healing throughout what he called the "gorgeous mosaic" of New York's diverse communities. It was thought that his low-key personality, which contrasted so sharply with that of his predecessor, along with the symbolic aspect of his being the city's first black mayor might ease racial tensions. Instead, Dinkins' term was marked by polarizing events including the 1991 Crown Heights riots and the boycott of a Korean grocery in Flatbush. He withheld police protection during the Crown Heights Riots, publicly endorsed the accused shoplifters at the Korean grocery, and he used city funds to pay for the funeral of the drug dealer whose being shot by police sparked the Washington Heights Riots .

Perhaps as a result, he is often viewed as unpopular, presiding over a city at its nadir, due to a history of poor management stretching over decades. Many perceived him as weak and indecisive, if well-meaning, at best. The diplomatic style that had seemed like an asset now appeared to be a liability. He was also hurt by the fact that crime was out of control, as he was in office during the peak of the crack epidemic and the drug-fueled wars which followed it.

Economic policy

Dinkins became mayor with a $1.8 billion budget deficit when he entered office. He attempted to balance the budget and raised taxes. Although with high oil prices due to the Gulf War and an overall downturn in the economy this backfired. 300,000 private sector jobs were further lost, erasing the city’s tax base. His handling of the city's finances was criticized as being too beholden to the unions and other pressure groups that were vital to his election. Investment was at an all time low.

His integrity came under fire, as well as his efficacy. In response to his failure to file (or pay) income taxes for 5 years earlier in his career, Salon magazine later reported, Dinkins reasoned, "I haven't committed a crime. What I did was fail to comply with the law."

In 1991, New York was unable to pay city employees. The Dinkins administration proposed unprecedented cuts in public services, $1 billion in tax increases and the elimination of 27,000 jobs. He cut education by $579 million, marked 10 homeless shelters for closing which was opposed by the city council. Just a year later however, the city had a $200 million dollar surplus.

In 1991, Mayor Dinkins signed a law which made it illegal for companies in New York City to do business with companies in Northern Ireland that discriminated against Catholics. In that same year, he hosted an unprecedented open house event in which 1400 people came to City Hall to speak with city officials. 1,058 suggestions, 216 problems, and 258 other comments were recorded. Fewer than one percent of the suggestions were considered for implementation.

1993 election

In 1993, Mayor Dinkins again faced Rudy Giuliani in a bitter contest with the candidates' vote totals changing only marginally from the 1989 result. This time however, Giuliani emerged victorious. Dinkins's departure from office at the end of 1993 would later prove to be something of an irony for New York City; although he was the city's first black mayor, he has also remained its last Democratic mayor to date in a city where party affiliation among registered voters overwhelmingly favors Democrats.

After the election, Giuliani had plans to privatize many of the public services, though Dinkins made last-minute negotiations with the sanitation workers, presumably to preserve the public status of garbage removal. Giuliani also blamed Dinkins for a "cheap political trick" when Dinkins planned the resignation of Victor Gotbaum, Dinkins' appointee on the Board of Education, thus guaranteeing his replacement six months in office. Another similar Dinkins move was his last minute signing of a new 99-year lease with the USTA National Tennis Center, including strict limitations on flights in and out of neighboring LaGuardia Airport during the US Open. Giuliani managed to renegotiate a less restrictive lease.

Dinkins was subsequently given a professorship at Columbia University. Although he has not attempted a political comeback, Dinkins has remained somewhat active in politics, and his endorsement of various candidates, including Mark J. Green in the 2001 Mayoral race, was well-publicized. In some of his actions, such as the Green endorsement, he has been in conflict with Al Sharpton. He supported Democrat Fernando Ferrer in the 2005 New York mayoral election.

During his time serving as mayor, his chief-of-staff was Ken Sunshine.

Dinkins is married to the former Joyce Burrows and they have two children. The couple are members of the Church of the Intercession in New York City. Dinkins' radio program "Dialogue with Dinkins" can be heard Saturday mornings on WLIB radio in New York City.

Dinkins is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha and Sigma Pi Phi ("the Boule") the first collegiate and professional Greek-letter fraternities, respectively, established for African Americans.

Citywide tickets on which Dinkins ran

1989 NYC Democratic ticket

• Mayor: David Dinkins
• City Council President: Andrew Stein
• Comptroller: Elizabeth Holtzman

1993 NYC Democratic ticket

• Mayor: David Dinkins
• Public Advocate: Mark J. Green
• Comptroller: Alan Hevesi

References in Popular Culture

• The animated series Futurama (created by Matt Greoning of The Simpsons fame) makes a reference to David Dinkins. A donut shop called Dinkin' Donuts (which is, in turn, a reference to Dunkin' Donuts) is seen in several episodes.

• Jungle Fever, the racially charged Spike Lee joint starring Wesley Snipes and John Turturro, takes place during Dinkins' mayoral term. Turturro is reprimanded by his local customers, all white, for having voted for Dinkins.

• "Mr. Dinkins will you please be my mayor," is a lyric in the song titled "Can I kick it?" by A Tribe Called Quest

• The 1993 election is parodied in the Seinfeld episode "The Non-Fat Yogurt". Although Dinkins is not seen, he is ridiculed as he takes the advice of Lloyd Braun that everyone in the city should wear name tags.

External links

• David Dinkins biography and video interview excerpts by The National Visionary Leadership Project

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