NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani greets commuters on subway, announces Office of Mass Engagement
abc7ny.com

... Friday is the second day in office for New York City's new mayor and Zohran Mamdani is already looking to follow through on campaign promises.

On his second day in office, Mamdani announced an effort to get more people involved in city government -- a move meant to mirror the grassroots energy of his successful campaign.

The creation of the Office of Mass Engagement will be led by Tascha Van Auken, the head of his huge campaign volunteer network.

"For too long, city government has only listened to the wealthy and well-connected while working New Yorkers remain further and further disconnected from those elected to serve them," Mamdani said.

"The Office of Mass Engagement will fundamentally change this, creating a deeper connection between City Hall and community organizations, faith-based groups, and everyday New Yorkers looking to make their voices heard."

He started his day on Friday morning like an everyday New Yorker himself, greeting commuters on a packed W train as he rode from Astoria, Queens to City Hall.

He gripped an iced coffee in one hand as he shook hands with the other commuters -- laughing and joking with riders, while taking countless selfies.

"I love your energy, you're awesome," one rider told him after shaking hands.

Asked by another rider how long he would be commuting from Queens, he said "for just a little bit longer," indicating he would be moving into Gracie Mansion soon. ...

Mayor Zohran Mamdani announces action to make New York City housing more affordable
abc7ny.com

... The press conference was held at 85 Clarkson Avenue in Brooklyn, a rent-stabilized building, where residents are threatening a rent strike. ...

Ian Dury and The Blockheads " Reasons To Be Cheerful, Pt. 3 (1979)
www.youtube.com

That's a lyrics-enabled video, albeit a bit cryptic.

So ...

Lyrics excerpt ...

genius.com

...
[Verse 1]
Summer, Buddy Holly, the working folly
Good golly, Miss Molly and boats
Hammersmith Palais, the Bolshoi Ballet
Jump back in the alley and nanny goats
18 wheeler Scammells, dominica camels
All other mammals, plus equal votes
Seeing Piccadilly, Fanny Smith and Willie
Being rather silly and porridge oats

A bit of grin and bear it (Reasons to Be Cheerful)
A bit of come and share it (Part 3)
You're welcome we can spare it, yellow socks
Too short to be haughty (Reasons to Be Cheerful)
Too nutty to be naughty (Part 3)

Going on forty, no electric shocks
The juice of a carrot (Reasons to Be Cheerful)
The smile of a parrot (Part 3)
A little drop of claret, anything that rocks
Elvis and Scotty (Reasons to Be Cheerful)
The days when I ain't spotty (One, two, three)
Sitting on a potty, curing small
...

Bob Dylan - The Times They Are A-Changin' (1964)
www.youtube.com

Lyrics excerpt ...

genius.com

...
In the liner notes for his album Biograph, written by Cameron Crowe, Bob Dylan said the following about this song:

This was definitely a song with a purpose. It was influenced of course by the Irish and Scottish ballads ... Come All Ye Bold Highway Men', Come All Ye Tender Hearted Maidens'. I wanted to write a big song, with short concise verses that piled up on each other in a hypnotic way. The civil rights movement and the folk music movement were pretty close for a while and allied together at that time. Almost everyone knew everyone else. I had to play this song on the same night that President Kennedy died. Somehow it became a constant opening song and remained that for a long time".

[Verse 1]
Come gather 'round, people, wherever you roam
And admit that the waters around you have grown
And accept it that soon you'll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you is worth saving
And you better start swimmin' or you'll sink like a stone
For the times, they are a-changin'
...

5 takeaways from Mamdani's start as NYC mayor
thehill.com

... New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) proclaimed a "new era" as he took the helm of the country's largest city on New Year's Day.

Mamdani, the 34-year-old democratic socialist whose star rocketed last year, was publicly sworn in on the steps of City Hall, where he addressed a crowd of thousands in a sweeping inauguration speech attended by top progressive allies.

"My fellow New Yorkers, today begins a new era," Mamdani said.

Here are five takeaways from Mamdani's inauguration and his first hours in the mayor's office:
Mamdani gets to work on NYC affordability

Mamdani, whose policy proposals for rent freezes, city-owned grocery stores, universal child care and fare-free city buses have been criticized as unfeasible, laid out a bold vision for affordability in New York City as he rejected "small expectations" in his inaugural speech.

"Beginning today, we will govern expansively and audaciously. We may not always succeed, but never will we be accused of lacking the courage to try," Mamdani said in his inauguration. "We will transform the culture of City Hall from one of no' to one of how.'"

But the new mayor's progressive agenda faces massive challenges in the Big Apple. Rising housing costs and historic-low vacancy rates are pushing some to leave the city, homelessness doubled between 2022 and 2024, and policy changes at the federal level are set to further squeeze New Yorkers' pocketbooks. The city ended 2025 with a staggering budget deficit of $380 million, according to the Independent Budget Office.

He'll also need support on some of his initiatives from New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), who has backed Mamdani but expressed reservations about some of his plans, such as his goal to make city buses free to ride. ...