Brian We're on WNYC.

With us now, the apparent incoming speaker of the New York City Council, Julie Menon.

Councilmember Menon was already scheduled to come on with us in this slot to talk about her plans for leading the legislative branch of government in the mayors-Aron-Mam-Dani era. And yes, we will talk broadly about that. Their shared interest in affordability, including universal child care and more. Some of the media reports that label her a moderate who might

be a check on Mayor Mamdani, the socialist in some ways, and other things, but the horrific

events of this weekend, the mass shootings in Australia and in Brooklyn, also the one at Brown

University in Rhode Island, and the stabbing of a tourist at Macy's on Friday

as she was changing her baby's diaper, each of those things is not only a tragedy and a crime,

but also raised security and policy questions for the city. So we will try to cover some of

that ground in good faith as well. By way of background, for those of you don't know,

Julie Menon had been a lawyer and a restaurant owner

and became a community leader in Lower Manhattan

after the 9-11 terrorist attack in 2001.

She first became known citywide in that role

through her efforts at helping the area recover and rebuild.

She went on to be elected chair of Community Board one downtown,

and then to hold three roles in the de Blasio administration,

Consumer Affairs Commissioner, Director of the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment,

and then head of the city's U.S. Census effort in 2020.

She got elected to counsel from District 5 on the Upper East Side in 2022.

You know, she's been on the show in each of those past roles, everything I just enumerated,

and now apparently has the support to become speaker when that vote officially takes place in council next

month. Julie Menin will also be the first Jewish speaker of the city council, even as Aramam Dani

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