On Wednesday, New York City Council members are expected to choose a speaker to lead them and, when necessary, unite them as a counterweight and an alternative voice to the mayor's. Or that's how it's supposed to work.
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Melissa Mark-Viverito of East Harlem declared herself the winner three weeks ago. For that she could thank Mayor Bill de Blasio, who lobbied hard on her behalf.
It's troubling enough having a speaker who is handpicked by the mayor, as Mr. de Blasio liked to point out when he used to ridicule Christine Quinn as a tool of Michael Bloomberg. But there are also the questions raised in recent news reports about Ms. Mark-Viverito. The Daily News reported that she failed to report any rental income from a building she owns in East Harlem, a disturbing lapse if she has tenants there, as voting records suggest. The Post noted that she recently signed onto a lawsuit seeking to nullify "co-locations" of charter schools in school buildings, including one — Dream Charter School in her district — that she boasted of helping to finance.
Ms. Mark-Viverito's supporters insist that she will stand up to Mr. de Blasio. They accuse her main rival for the post, Daniel Garodnick, of representing the old system, in which Democratic leaders picked the speaker and doled out committee chairmanships, patronage jobs and member pork. It's true that party bosses in Queens and the Bronx, outmaneuvered by Mr. de Blasio, want Mr. Garodnick to win. But Mr. Garodnick has an independent streak of his own and has distinguished himself in the fight to preserve middle-class housing and other issues.
The next speaker will be judged by her or his independence and ability to reform Council rules to introduce transparency and accountability. Council members should consider the reputation and legislative record offered by Mr. Garodnick, who seems the better choice.
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