Whitney’s letter to his fellow New Yorkers
Dear family/friends/readers,
I just filed to run for mayor of NYC.
Why? Those who know me well might think I’m a glutton for punishment and, because I wasn’t able to run my annual 24-hour World’s Toughest Mudder sufferfest earlier this month, I’m doing this instead!
But seriously, I’m deeply concerned – and a majority of New Yorkers agree – that our beloved city is headed in the wrong direction.
I am committed to turning our city around and have many bold ideas for how to do so.
My five biggest priorities are:
- Cut violent crime by 50%;
- Address the cost-of-living crisis, much of it driven by housing costs and unnecessary regulation, and put more money in working people’s pockets;
- Rein in out-of-control spending by eliminating corruption, reducing inefficiency and delivering better services for less;
- Improve our public schools; and
- Prioritize citizens (and permanent legal residents) in the allocation of city resources.
We need to shake up our city government and abandon a lot of terrible ideas, which can only be done by an outsider – a businessperson, not a career politician.
More details are in my 16-page letter to NYC voters that is posted on my website at www.whitneyformayor.com, in which I introduce myself, explain why I’m running, lay out my biggest ideas, and make the case for why I think I can win.
The donation page isn’t up yet, but I’ll be asking for support – but only from NYC residents, at least initially, to take advantage of the city’s 8:1 match – the highest return on investment I’ve ever seen!
The NY Post and Bloomberg have already run stories about it and I did a 32-minute interview with Don Lemon, which you can watch here:
I’ll follow up in a few days with more details.
Wish me luck!
Whitney
In a bold and unprecedented move, Whitney Tilson has entered the New York City mayoral race, sharing his vision through a comprehensive 16-page manifesto. The letter outlines Tilson’s candidacy, priorities, and strategies, and is sharing the key highlights for our readers.
As Tilson states in the opening of his campaign letter:
"New York is the greatest city in the world. I wasn't lucky enough to be born here, but I did the next-best thing: I married a New Yorker, moved to the city more than 30 years ago, and fell in love with it."
The document serves as both an introduction to Tilson’s motivations and a roadmap for his ambitious plans to tackle the city’s challenges. Below, we provide a detailed summary of the manifesto’s key points, including his bold priorities, political identity, and strategic approach to the campaign.
The Motivation
Tilson's candidacy stems from a deep concern about the city's trajectory. "I'm deeply concerned – and a majority of New Yorkers agree – that our beloved city is headed in the wrong direction," he writes. This sentiment is backed by stark statistics: "Only 37% of New Yorkers feel that their neighborhood is safe, down from 50% in 2017. 33% of New Yorkers rate their quality of life as poor."
Five Transformative Priorities
Tilson outlines five core priorities that form the backbone of his campaign:
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Crime Reduction
"As mayor, my first priority will be to reduce violent crime – and pledge to cut it in half by being tough, smart and strategic." He provides a nuanced approach: "Most violent crime isn't random: 50% of it occurs in a mere 3.5% of our city's blocks. I will work with police and local communities to identify where dangerous criminals are terrorizing law-abiding citizens."
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Cost of Living Crisis
Tilson proposes radical solutions to address housing and economic challenges. He advocates for "cutting onerous, unnecessary red tape and NIMBY-driven zoning rules to make it faster and less expensive to build new housing." He even suggests making public transportation free, stating, "I think public transportation should be a basic government service, just like our police, fire and education departments."
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Fiscal Responsibility
"Our city government will spend a mind-boggling $112 billion this year, equal to $13,434 per capita, far more than any of the nine other U.S. cities with populations of 1 million or more." Tilson promises to "rein in out-of-control spending by eliminating corruption, reducing inefficiency and delivering better services for less."
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Education Reform
"We're spending $40 billion on our schools this year, yet more than half our kids are reading below grade level." His solutions include ensuring "a high-quality teacher in every classroom" and expanding "after-school and summer programs so all kids are learning year-round."
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Prioritizing Citizens
Tilson takes a controversial stance on resource allocation: "My administration will make tough choices, prioritizing the interests of citizens ahead of non-citizens." He criticizes current spending, noting that "New York City this year will spend more than twice as much on the 233,000 recent migrant asylum seekers ($4.7 billion – more than $20,000 each) than the Fire Department ($2.2 billion)."
Political Identity
Despite his critiques, Tilson emphasizes his Democratic credentials: "I'm a dyed-in-the-wool lifelong Democrat. I believe in what the Democratic party used to stand for and what it must stand for again." He champions traditional Democratic values while criticizing what he calls the "radical left."
Campaign Strategy
Tilson is strategic about his approach. "My strategy is, for now, to keep a low profile while I raise money, build out my team and campaign infrastructure, talk to dozens of business and civic leaders, and go on a listening tour to hear New Yorkers' ideas and concerns."
Path to Victory
He sees a clear opportunity, noting that "Mayor Adams won the 2021 primary with only 289,403 votes in the first round and was ultimately victorious... with only 404,513 votes – less than 5% of the city's population."
In his own words: "I hope you'll find me and my ideas worthy of your investment, where the return will be a shot at making the greatest city in the world as truly great as it can be."
See the full Whitney for Mayor letter here.
