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De Blasio Announces Mayoral Campaign

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- New York City Public Advocate Bill de Blasio announced his candidacy for mayor Sunday, citing a need to bring leadership and services to every community in the city.

De Blasio, a Democrat, accused Mayor Michael Bloomberg of leaving many New Yorkers behind.

"After nearly twelve years of Mayor Bloomberg's policies, our City isn't living up to its potential – not by a long shot," he said in a news release. This mayor's policies have been very good for some in our city. But so many middle-class New Yorkers have been ignored and priced out. They just yearn for a city of good schools and good jobs – and a leader in City Hall who knows that we only succeed if we leave no New Yorker behind."

Under Bloomberg, de Blasio said, "City Hall too often has catered to the elite rather than the needs of everyday New Yorkers."

If elected, de Blasio said he would focus on neighborhoods – "good, clean, strong, safe neighborhoods in which New Yorkers from all five boroughs can start businesses, raise their kids, and find homes they can afford."

Among his focuses would be making sure New York City students receive the best public education possible, asking the wealthiest New Yorkers to help finance an expansion of early-childhood education and after-school programs, bringing leadership to all five boroughs rather than focusing on Manhattan, cutting what he called the "bureaucracy and red tape that hurts small business," and "fixing the NYPD's broken stop-and-frisk policy."

De Blasio was elected public advocate in 2009. In the mayoral race, he will likely face fellow Democrats Christine Quinn – the current City Council speaker – and William Thompson, former city comptroller.

Former Metropolitan Transportation Authority President Joseph Lhota has also announced his candidacy for mayor as Republican.

Whom do you want to see as the next mayor? Leave your comments below...

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