Summary: Bill de Blasio, mayor of New York City, gives his first interview with WNYC since taking office. De Blasio's first month in office has seen the city drop its appeal against the controversial policing practice of stop-and-frisk, major new benefits added to the city's living wage policy and ambitious plans to create and fund universal pre-kindergarten. Asked to asses how he's doing, de Blasio seemed pleased with his administration's progress, and said the unifying theme of all initiatives is aimed at addressing the city's gap between rich and poor. "We've got a lot of momentum for our agenda," he said, "And we have very consistently gone after issues that defined inequality crisis in the city." The mayor also recapped his encounter with a groundhog Sunday during a Groundhog Day ceremony, during which de Blasio dropped a scrambling Staten Island Chuck. "That is a feisty groundhog there," he said. Bill de Blasio says that a crackdown on jaywalking is not part of "Vision Zero" agenda - says it's up to local precincts. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 3, 2014 "I am unabashedly pro-Israel" says de Blasio while saying that "it doesn't mean I agree with every decision of the Israeli government." — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 3, 2014 Discussing efforts to raise wages and benefits, Bill de Blasio admits even some low-paid city workers are living in shelters. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) February 3, 2014
