Breakfast with the Boroughs
Wednesday May 06, 2009 | Contributor: Jennifer Wright

Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer has dedicated hours and hours toward establishing programs that give back to the community. He has worked to increase affordable housing, protect the health of New Yorkers (important in this flu season!) and help small neighborhood businesses. And perhaps just as importantly, he hosted a beautiful breakfast for some of his supporters this week at Blue Fin.



And it was, as many exclaimed, a full union breakfast. Scott remarked that there’s really nothing he hates more than one of those breakfasts where you just receive a bagel or a “thing” of coffee. As a result he guaranteed that there were enough pastries, bacon, eggs and fruit salad to satisfy those of any appetite.



Yet even with the delicious breakfast, the greatest excitement rose when actress Sigourney Weaver introduced Scott and praised his accomplishments, stating that Scott had done a wonderful job with boroughs, and had kept them from becoming “like boroughs in other cities, like Philly.”

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Scott was delighted, noting that when he was a kid watching Aliens he never thought that he’d actually meet Sigourney Weaver, let alone have her introduce him. However, this isn’t the first time they’ve worked together; she introduced him at the same event last year, and is certainly committed to working with him in the future. He acknowledged her and her husband Jim’s devotion to New York, recognizing that their theater has become a beacon which draws thousands of promising young actors to the city.



Certainly, there is always more to be done. Today, Scott Stringer is working on reforming state educational laws that would allow parents greater involvement in educational decisions that affect their children.  There are also great challenges regarding about New York’s economic recovery. According to the Mayor’s latest research around 300,000 jobs will be lost in the city by the middle of next year, and the budget gap may grow. These financial concerns mean that there is great pressure on the government to figure out how to be more efficient, and to do more work with less money. Mayor Bloomberg and Scott Stringer will have to put their heads together to devise solutions. 



The morning’s meeting proved to be a breakfast that was as informative as it was delicious. It will be interesting to see how Scott Stringer’s policies evolve, and whether they’re able to alleviate any of the current financial burdens on New Yorkers. And, of course, it’s always exciting to see Sigourney Weaver.