At midnight Tuesday, Michael Bloomberg — aka his nannyship, self-anointed emperor of everything east of the Hudson River up to and including parts of Long Island (viz., the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens) — was finally sent packing. (It would be technically incorrect to add “from Gracie Mansion,” because the official mayoral digs were never up to Bloomberg’s own lofty standards of living, prompting him to eschew the executive mansion for his own ultra-luxurious apartment).
Now that the sun has officially set on the Bloomberg Years, let’s sit back with a sugared soda of at least 17 oz., a good cigar, and a large pizza with extra triglycerides and take stock of all that this man has done for (to?) the Big Apple. The following is a comprehensive list of everything Bloomie banned during his way-too-long tenure (h/t Gizmodo for all but the last item in the lengthy list).
- Smoking in commercial establishments like bars and restaurants (2003)
- Smoking in public spaces (2011)
- Cigarette sales to those under 21 (2013)
- Sales of “flavored” tobacco products (2009)
- Smoking e-cigarettes in public spaces (2013) ***
- Cigarette in-store displays (2013)
- Cars in Times Square (2009)
- Cars from driving in newly created bike lanes (2007-2013)
- Cars causing congestion below 60th Street in Manhattan (2007) *
- Speeding on residential “slow zones” (2013)
- Illegal guns (2006-2013) **
- Sodium levels in processed foods (2010) **
- Trans-fats in restaurants (2006)
- Loud headphones (2013) **
- Styrofoam packaging in single-service food items (2013)
- Sodas larger than 16 ounces (2012) *
- Collection of yard waste and grass clippings during certain times of year (2003-2013)
- Organic food waste from landfills (2013) **
- Commercial music over 45 decibels (2013)
- Chain restaurant menus without calorie counts (2008)
- The posting of signs in “city-owned grassy areas” (2013)
- Non-fuel-efficient cabs (2007)
- New cabs that aren’t Nissan NV200s (2013) *
- Greenhouse gas emissions (2007)
- Government buildings that aren’t LEED-certified (2005)
- Non-hurricane-proof buildings in coastal areas (2013)
- Black roofs (2009) **
- Construction cranes over 25 years old (2013)
- No. 6 and No. 4 “heavy” heating oils (2011)
- Less than a 2-1 ratio of female and male restrooms in new public buildings (2005)
- Cell phones in schools (2006)
- Two-term limits for city elected officials (2008)
- Baby Formula in City Hospitals (2012)
Needless to say, Bloomie’s replacement, Bill de Blasio, promises to run an even tighter ship than his predecessor, pledging not only to renew Bloomberg’s efforts to ban large soft drinks but in essence to ban charter schools.
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* Overruled/appealed ban
** Suggested/voluntary ban
*** Proposed/pending ban
