7 Questions With Mayoral Candidate Scott Stringer

NEW YORK CITY — Scott Stringer, the former New York City Comptroller, is running for mayor in New York City's primary election on Tuesday, June 24.

Stringer, 65, is a Democratic candidate, who is originally from Washington Heights, then lived for decades on the Upper West Side, and now lives in Lower Manhattan.

Before serving as city comptroller, Stringer served as a state assemblyman, then as Manhattan Borough President.

Patch recently asked Stringer seven questions about his campaign. See his replies below.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The following article contains information about one of several candidates who have announced their campaigns in the 2025 primary election. Patch has contacted the other candidates with the same questions and will post replies as they are received.

PATCH: Why are you running for Mayor?

STRINGER: I’m running for mayor because New York needs someone with the experience, competence and vision necessary to address the top issues facing our city. I can fix what’s broken and make the city work for people again.

PATCH: What sets you apart from the other candidates?

STRINGER: I’m the common sense alternative to pie-in-the-sky promises made by inexperienced candidates on one side and a corrupt and chaotic egomaniac on the other. Right now, the city can’t even do the basics, much less deliver on some of these big ideas. New Yorkers deserve a mayor who will actually get things done — and someone who truly cares about the city, not just their own political career.

PATCH: List two ways you plan to make New York more affordable.

STRINGER:

1. We need to make sure that people can raise a family in the city. That means making both housing and childcare more affordable. I want to turn the city’s vacant lots into thousands of homes for working families, a plan that I call Mitchell-Lama 2.0.

2. I’ll split the cost of childcare three ways between employers, the city, and parents. I’ll also expand programming in school so that the school day goes until 4:30 — parents will have an easier time making their schedules line up and our kids will spend more time learning.

PATCH: List two ways you plan to make New York safer.

STRINGER:

1. I want to hire 3,000 new cops. Last year, we shelled out $1.6 billion on police overtime. By hiring more cops, we can make the city safer—I want to put an officer on every train —and save money in the process.

2. I’ll also create the first Deputy Mayor for Quality of Life, focused on integrating public safety, mental health, and sanitation so that we can deal with all of these problems more efficiently.

PATCH: What’s your plan to improve the subway system?

STRINGER:

I’ll put a cop on every train. New Yorkers should be able to get on the subway without worrying about their own safety. We’re failing that test right now. I worry about my kids when they take the subway to school, and I know that thousands of other parents do too. We need to make our subways work for New Yorkers.

PATCH: ICE is cracking down on college campuses and immigrants in NYC. How will your administration respond?

STRINGER:

I’ve stood up to Trump before as City Comptroller. Now, Trump 2.0 is coming for New York once again. I have the experience, the grit, and the backbone to fight back. You have certain people who say that we shouldn’t “overreact” to Trump’s authoritarian tactics. I disagree. I’ll do everything I can to not comply with Trump’s agenda to destroy the city. He doesn’t run the city — we do.

PATCH: What’s one place in the city you frequent the most?

STRINGER:

These days, it’s wherever my kids are: taking them to school, to basketball practice and chess tournaments, and going out to eat as a family.

Early voting started on June 14 and will continue until June 22.