Seth Pinsky

Thank you. It's great to be here.

Thank you. It's great to be here.

I entered city government in 2003, which was not that long after the September 11th attacks on New York City. I joined the administration, which had actually started on January 1st, 2002. And as Mayor Bloomberg took his oath of office, the World Trade Center site was literally still smoldering.

I entered city government in 2003, which was not that long after the September 11th attacks on New York City. I joined the administration, which had actually started on January 1st, 2002. And as Mayor Bloomberg took his oath of office, the World Trade Center site was literally still smoldering.

So in many ways, what was the greatest challenge of the Bloomberg administration that is the September 11th tragedy and figuring out how to move the city forward beyond that was also the greatest opportunity for the city because it was clear to almost everyone that something significant had to be done if the city were to be saved, let alone were to grow again and become prosperous.

So in many ways, what was the greatest challenge of the Bloomberg administration that is the September 11th tragedy and figuring out how to move the city forward beyond that was also the greatest opportunity for the city because it was clear to almost everyone that something significant had to be done if the city were to be saved, let alone were to grow again and become prosperous.

And actually, throughout Mayor Bloomberg's time in office over the 12 years that he was in office, there were several major catastrophes that befell the city that the administration had to respond to. September 11th, first, the 2008 financial crisis, second, Superstorm Sandy towards the end of his time in office. And each of those allowed the administration to look anew at

And actually, throughout Mayor Bloomberg's time in office over the 12 years that he was in office, there were several major catastrophes that befell the city that the administration had to respond to. September 11th, first, the 2008 financial crisis, second, Superstorm Sandy towards the end of his time in office. And each of those allowed the administration to look anew at

the way the city operated in its entirety, to question whether the way it had been operating before was the right way, and to build a consensus among multiple stakeholders as to what the direction forward would be.

the way the city operated in its entirety, to question whether the way it had been operating before was the right way, and to build a consensus among multiple stakeholders as to what the direction forward would be.

I think the most important thing that distinguished the Bloomberg administration in trying to answer all of those questions was the very rigorous approach to analyzing what the needs of the city were and what

I think the most important thing that distinguished the Bloomberg administration in trying to answer all of those questions was the very rigorous approach to analyzing what the needs of the city were and what

I think was really important and that a lot of people don't appreciate about the administration was the amount of time that we put into first framing the question of what is the problem before we jumped to the answers to the question. And in government, what tends to happen is the opposite, that everyone likes answers.

I think was really important and that a lot of people don't appreciate about the administration was the amount of time that we put into first framing the question of what is the problem before we jumped to the answers to the question. And in government, what tends to happen is the opposite, that everyone likes answers.

And so they jump to answers without necessarily knowing if the answers that they're giving are the answers to the real questions that are creating the problems in the first place.

And so they jump to answers without necessarily knowing if the answers that they're giving are the answers to the real questions that are creating the problems in the first place.

Hurricane Sandy was a terrible tragedy. There were billions of dollars in property damage. Dozens of lives were lost. People were rendered homeless. It was a really terrible event in the history of the city. As the city was beginning to recover from the hurricane, I actually was on paternity leave.

Hurricane Sandy was a terrible tragedy. There were billions of dollars in property damage. Dozens of lives were lost. People were rendered homeless. It was a really terrible event in the history of the city. As the city was beginning to recover from the hurricane, I actually was on paternity leave.

And about two weeks into my paternity leave, I got a phone call from the deputy mayor to whom I reported, Bob Steele, who said that coming out of Superstorm Sandy, Mayor Bloomberg and the senior leadership at City Hall believed that there was a once in a generation opportunity to think about how climate change might impact New York City in the decades ahead.

And about two weeks into my paternity leave, I got a phone call from the deputy mayor to whom I reported, Bob Steele, who said that coming out of Superstorm Sandy, Mayor Bloomberg and the senior leadership at City Hall believed that there was a once in a generation opportunity to think about how climate change might impact New York City in the decades ahead.