January1st,2014

*ADDRESSEMBARGOEDUNTILJANUARY1ST,2014ATNOON

NEWYORK,NYInauguralAddressofScottM.Stringer,44thComptrolleroftheCityofNew York,aspreparedfordelivery: "Twelveyearsago,whenNewYorkgatheredonthesestepstoswearinanewgovernment,itwasa deeplyuncertaintimeforourCityandourNation. Thedustfromgroundzerostillhungintheair.Oureconomywasbattered.Ourconfidenceshaken. ButthepeopleofNewYorkrosetothatepicchallengeastheyalwaysdo,withgrit,compassion,and eternalbeliefthatthereisnothingthatourCitycannotovercomewhenwejointogetherasone. Today,wehavearrivedatadifferentmomentoftransitionforourCityandonceagainNewYorkers havecometogetherwithanewsenseofresolvetotacklethegreatchallengesofthistime. MayordeBlasio,thankyouforgivingvoicetothosewhofortoolonghavehadnoneandfordemanding thatwemustagainbeaCitywhereworkingpeoplecanaffordtopursuetheirdreams,andwhere aspirationandopportunitymustwalkhandinhand. Therewillbethosewhosaythatweasacitycannotaffordtotacklepovertyandinequality.As Comptroller,Isaywecan'taffordnotto. Ibelievethatpursingaprogressiveagendaandbeingfiscallyresponsibleisnotmutuallyexclusive.We canandwemustdoboth. Wecandoubledownonsolvinghomelessness,onimprovingourinfrastructure,ongrowingjobs whilealsoprotectingourdoubleAbondrating. WecanliftupeveryNewYorker,byensuringthatallcommunitiesaretreatedequallybeforethelaw. Wecaneducateeverychildwiththeskillsneededtocompeteinthe21stCenturyeconomy. Andyes,wecansheltereveryfamilyinsafe,affordablehomes,notsqualidshelterswhere22,000of ourchildrenwillgotosleeptonight. AstheCity'schieffiscalofficer,itismydutymypromisethatIwilldoeverythinginmypowerto maintainourfiscalhealth. Iwillauditeverycityagencytorootoutwasteandabuse. Iwillworkeverydaytobuildourpensionfundsothatwecaninvestmoreresourcesinprioritiesthat matterandIwilljoinwithotherinstitutionalinvestorsaroundthecountrytoholdcorporationstothe higheststandardsofworkplacesafety,environmentalsustainabilityandcorporatediversity. Becausecompaniesthatrespecttheirworkersandourplanetarecompaniesthatwillhelptogrowour

pensionfundforyearstocome. IintendtoremaketheofficeofComptrollerintoathinktankforinnovationandideas. Becausewithnewfacesmustcomenewapproachestoourmoststubbornchallenges,fromeducating ourkids,todiversifyingoureconomy,toimprovingretirementsecurityforall. Now,noneofthiswillbeeasy. Butthere'sareasonE.B.WhiteoncecalledNewYork"Avisiblesymbolofaspiration." Yousee,itwasaspirationthatledmillionsoffamiliestoleavetheirhomelands,drawnbythepromiseof Liberty'seternalflame. Itwasaspirationthatbroughtworkersintoourstreetstofightfora40hourworkweek,transforming NewYorkintoabeaconoffairnessandopportunity. Anditwasaspirationthatdroveourparentsandmygrandparentstolaydownrootsandbuildour neighborhoods,knowingthathardworkwouldberepaidwithsuccess. Today,millionsofNewYorkerscontinuetobenefitfromthislegacy. AndjustasAmericahashistoricallylookedtoNewYorkforinspiration,sothecountryonceagain turnsitseyestowardustoday,tothiscity,toourpeople,forablueprintofathrivinghopefulfuture,toa citythatputspeopleabovepolitics,andsharedprosperityaboveindividualsuccess. Acitythatdemandsperformancefromitsgovernment,andholdsitsleaderstothehigheststandardsof transparencyandefficiency,andacitythatunderstandsthatforallitsgreatwealth,NewYorkisonlyas strongasitsmostvulnerablecitizens. WecanandwewillupholdandstrengthenNewYork'seternalpromise,thatinthesefiveboroughs,it doesnotmatterwhoyouareorwhereyoucomefrom,allpeoplewillfindopportunityandafairshotat successinourCityofaspiration. Thatismysolemnpledge.Thankyouverymuch."