It's been nearly four years since Bill de Blasio became mayor of New York City, and this November

voters are likely, if polls are to be believed, to give him another term in office.

At the time of his mayoral campaign, de Blasio cast himself as part of a movement of progressive

left-wing leaders that's growing in the city and across the country.

But de Blasio's successful campaign

was a reflection of the tremendous improvements the city had made from the 20 years prior to his

election, when crime and disorder ruled the streets and subways, the city's economy and finances

were in chaos, and millions of the city's residents were either dependent on welfare or fleeing

for the suburbs. These days, the city is unquestionably safer than ever, but signs of trouble

persist. The region's transportation system is in dire need of repair. New York's political

leadership is consumed by controversy, and then there's the prospect of a future

recession or financial crisis, which could spark yet another disaster in the city's budget.

On today's Ten Blocks podcast, we're going to talk with Seth Barron, our new associate

editor about New York City politics and some of the ongoing issues in the city.

Hello, I'm City Journal editor Brian Anderson.

Thanks for joining us for the Ten Blocks podcast featuring urban policy and cultural commentary with City Journal editors,

contributors, and special guests.

Welcome back to Ten Blocks. I'm your host, Brian Anderson. Joining us on the show today is

Seth Barron. Seth is City Journal's associate editor and the project director for the Manhattan Institute's New York City Initiative.

He's written about New York City politics for years, and you can find him on Twitter at NYC Council Watch.

Seth, thanks for joining us.

Oh, thank you, Brian. I'm glad to be here.

...