The Legacy of Ed Koch, Essay Example

The question of whether or not Ed Koch was a good mayor is one that is actually self-evident. When Ed Koch took office, New York City was deteriorating and nearing bankruptcy. Its real-estate and infrastructure were crumbling and crime was widespread. By the time he left office, tremendous improvements had been made in each of these areas, primarily in regard to the renovation of the city’s properties and the creation of a thriving economy. Koch was also instrumental in advocating the partnering of private industry and government through the use of conservancies to effect positive change for the city’s infrastructure and properties. Some observers may claim that this showed how Koch favored business and the wealthy over the common citizen. However, Koch’s approach to renovation included the creation of better housing units for poor people, as well as expanding the area and quality of public places by spending over a billion dollars on projects to create and renovate parks.

In addition to works which benefited the public, Koch focused on trimming the excess “fat” from his own staff and reduced public hiring quotas. He also favored modernizing the agencies and bureaucracy of the city government. All in all, Koch was a revolutionary mayor in that he shouldered a complete transformation of both the city’s condition and the way that the government conducted business and raised capital. The greatest criticism that should be made about Koch’s legacy is that he brought capitalism and government so close together as to be indistinguishable. This, in turn, places government in a lesser position than the interests of private industry. The primary concern of local government should be the welfare of its citizens as a whole. It is possible that Koch’s groundbreaking work as mayor with private industry set a precedent that resulted in some of the more Draconian policies enacted by later mayors like Rudy Giuliani. The impetus to “clean up the city” and make it a good place for business led to the perceived persecution of poor people and minorities. This may, unfortunately, be a consequence of Koch’s legacy. That said, there is no doubt that Koch’s tenure as mayor of New York was an overall positive influence on the city.