Betsy Gotbaum
Encyclopedia
Betsy Gotbaum was the New York City Public Advocate. She was elected as Public Advocate for New York City
in 2001, and reelected in 2005. A longtime civic leader, she is the third woman elected to a citywide post in NYC history. Because she ran unopposed in the 2001 and 2005 elections, Betsy Gotbaum received more votes than any other candidate, including those for Mayor
or Comptroller
. She is a Democrat
.
. She then received her B.A. from George Washington University
in 1961. After graduation, she moved to Recife, Brazil, where she taught high school English and mastered Spanish and Portuguese. She returned to New York several years later and earned a Masters Degree in Education from Teachers College, Columbia University
.
as District Manager for the Chelsea-Clinton (Manhattan West) Neighborhood, Assistant for Women's Issues, and Assistant for Education. Betsy Gotbaum continued her work in education with Mayor Abraham Beame
, managing a training program for school security officers.
In the late 1970s, Betsy Gotbaum was recruited to run the New York Police Foundation. At the Police Foundation, she developed an innovative citywide health screening and work-site hypertension program with the New York City Police Department
and facilitated an intensive training program for 911 operators. She also created a program engaging New York City in a campaign to purchase bulletproof vests for every police officer.
In 1990 newly elected Mayor David Dinkins
appointed her the first female New York City Commissioner of the Department of Parks & Recreation. Gotbaum created a toll-free Parks hotline and successfully argued for a change in city policy allowing the Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC) and other organizations to use Central Park
for fundraising events.
After leaving the Parks Department in 1994, Gotbaum became President of the New-York Historical Society
, a position she held until launching her campaign for Public Advocate in 2001. When she took over, the Historical Society was closed to the public and on the verge of bankruptcy after years of mismanagement. Betsy Gotbaum rescued the institution from financial collapse, renovated its landmark building, and recalled its collections from various warehouses. In November 2000, she opened the innovative Henry Luce III Center for the Study of American Culture. She also instituted exhibitions, education and public programs for a diverse and ever-increasing audience, leaving the society with a $33 million endowment. Betsy Gotbaum resigned from the Historical Society to run for the Office of the Public Advocate.
in the Democratic runoff. She was unopposed in the general election. As Public Advocate she focused on education policy, along with women's issues, child welfare, affordable housing and senior services, and has been known to work with Mayor Michael Bloomberg
on certain issues. She battled Bloomberg on mayoral succession issues. In return, Bloomberg sought to eliminate the office altogether in 2002 and reduced its budget.
Gotbaum focused on the ombudsman role of the office and specifically on the needs of children, the elderly, and people who are powerless. At the request of the New York State Legislature, Gotbaum created a Commission on School Governance to examine mayoral control before it expires in 2009.
, as well as information technology and Wi-Fi
advocate Andrew Rasiej, and the pro-business Queens-based dentist Jay Golub. She was unopposed in the general election. She took the oath of office for a second term on January 1, 2006.
.
Throughout her career, Betsy Gotbaum has shown commitment to community service. She has served on the boards of innumerable not-for-profit organizations, including the Community Service Society; The Valley Recreation and Youth Development Program in Harlem; Goodwill Industries; and the Municipal Arts Society.
She also serves on the Board of Trustees for the Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation and the Michael Stern Parkinson's Research Foundation. These organizations fund neuroscience research primarily at The Rockefeller University.
since 1977. Previously her name was Betsy Hogen, and she has one daughter from her first marriage. Her maiden name was Betsy Flower. She started an office blog, the Public Advocate's Corner, in September 2008.
On September 28, 2007, her daughter-in-law, Carol Gotbaum
, died in custody shortly after she was arrested at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
, after getting into a confrontation with gate crews who refused to allow her to board a plane to Tucson. In May 2008, the family filed a lawsuit against the City of Phoenix
.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 2001, and reelected in 2005. A longtime civic leader, she is the third woman elected to a citywide post in NYC history. Because she ran unopposed in the 2001 and 2005 elections, Betsy Gotbaum received more votes than any other candidate, including those for Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
or Comptroller
Comptroller
A comptroller is a management level position responsible for supervising the quality of accounting and financial reporting of an organization.In British government, the Comptroller General or Comptroller and Auditor General is in most countries the external auditor of the budget execution of the...
. She is a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
.
Early life
A native New Yorker, Betsy Gotbaum attended The Brearley School and graduated from the Masters School in Dobbs Ferry in 1956. She then attended Connecticut College for 2 years, followed by Barnard CollegeBarnard College
Barnard College is a private women's liberal arts college and a member of the Seven Sisters. Founded in 1889, Barnard has been affiliated with Columbia University since 1900. The campus stretches along Broadway between 116th and 120th Streets in the Morningside Heights neighborhood in the borough...
. She then received her B.A. from George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
in 1961. After graduation, she moved to Recife, Brazil, where she taught high school English and mastered Spanish and Portuguese. She returned to New York several years later and earned a Masters Degree in Education from Teachers College, Columbia University
Teachers College, Columbia University
Teachers College, Columbia University is a graduate school of education located in New York City, New York...
.
Political career
Betsy Gotbaum became involved in civic affairs in the 1970s, while serving on the staff of former Mayor John LindsayJohn Lindsay
John Vliet Lindsay was an American politician, lawyer and broadcaster who was a U.S. Congressman, Mayor of New York City, candidate for U.S...
as District Manager for the Chelsea-Clinton (Manhattan West) Neighborhood, Assistant for Women's Issues, and Assistant for Education. Betsy Gotbaum continued her work in education with Mayor Abraham Beame
Abraham Beame
Abraham David "Abe" Beame was mayor of New York City from 1974 to 1977. As such, he presided over the city during the fiscal crisis of the mid-1970s, during which the city was almost forced to declare bankruptcy....
, managing a training program for school security officers.
In the late 1970s, Betsy Gotbaum was recruited to run the New York Police Foundation. At the Police Foundation, she developed an innovative citywide health screening and work-site hypertension program with the New York City Police Department
New York City Police Department
The New York City Police Department , established in 1845, is currently the largest municipal police force in the United States, with primary responsibilities in law enforcement and investigation within the five boroughs of New York City...
and facilitated an intensive training program for 911 operators. She also created a program engaging New York City in a campaign to purchase bulletproof vests for every police officer.
In 1990 newly elected Mayor David Dinkins
David Dinkins
David Norman Dinkins is a former politician from New York City. He was the Mayor of New York City from 1990 through 1993; he was the first and is, to date, the only African American to hold that office.-Early life:...
appointed her the first female New York City Commissioner of the Department of Parks & Recreation. Gotbaum created a toll-free Parks hotline and successfully argued for a change in city policy allowing the Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC) and other organizations to use Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
for fundraising events.
After leaving the Parks Department in 1994, Gotbaum became President of the New-York Historical Society
New-York Historical Society
The New-York Historical Society is an American history museum and library located in New York City at the corner of 77th Street and Central Park West in Manhattan. Founded in 1804 as New York's first museum, the New-York Historical Society presents exhibitions, public programs and research that...
, a position she held until launching her campaign for Public Advocate in 2001. When she took over, the Historical Society was closed to the public and on the verge of bankruptcy after years of mismanagement. Betsy Gotbaum rescued the institution from financial collapse, renovated its landmark building, and recalled its collections from various warehouses. In November 2000, she opened the innovative Henry Luce III Center for the Study of American Culture. She also instituted exhibitions, education and public programs for a diverse and ever-increasing audience, leaving the society with a $33 million endowment. Betsy Gotbaum resigned from the Historical Society to run for the Office of the Public Advocate.
2001 Race for Public Advocate
In 2001, Gotbaum finished first in the Democratic primary and then defeated Norman SiegelNorman Siegel
Norman Siegel was the director of the New York Civil Liberties Union , New York's leading civil rights organization, under the umbrella of the nationwide American Civil Liberties Union...
in the Democratic runoff. She was unopposed in the general election. As Public Advocate she focused on education policy, along with women's issues, child welfare, affordable housing and senior services, and has been known to work with Mayor Michael Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg
Michael Rubens Bloomberg is the current Mayor of New York City. With a net worth of $19.5 billion in 2011, he is also the 12th-richest person in the United States...
on certain issues. She battled Bloomberg on mayoral succession issues. In return, Bloomberg sought to eliminate the office altogether in 2002 and reduced its budget.
Gotbaum focused on the ombudsman role of the office and specifically on the needs of children, the elderly, and people who are powerless. At the request of the New York State Legislature, Gotbaum created a Commission on School Governance to examine mayoral control before it expires in 2009.
2005 Race for Public Advocate
In the September 13, 2005 Democratic primary, Gotbaum beat civil rights advocate Norman SiegelNorman Siegel
Norman Siegel was the director of the New York Civil Liberties Union , New York's leading civil rights organization, under the umbrella of the nationwide American Civil Liberties Union...
, as well as information technology and Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
advocate Andrew Rasiej, and the pro-business Queens-based dentist Jay Golub. She was unopposed in the general election. She took the oath of office for a second term on January 1, 2006.
2009 Race for Public Advocate
Despite the extension of New York City term limits, which made Gotbaum eligible for a third term, she decided not to run for reelectionNew York City Public Advocate election, 2009
The election of the New York City Public Advocate took place on Tuesday, November 3, 2009, along with elections for the Mayor, the City Comptroller, borough presidents, and members of the New York City Council...
.
2010 Appearance in "The Lottery" Docudrama
Ms. Gotbaum was featured in this docudrama directed by Madeleine Sackler, in which she shared her views:- against charter schools--Charter schools are not the answer, poverty is the problem in the New York Education system
- in favor of unions--“I think the union is a force in New York City as well it should be. I think the union is here to stay I don’t think it’s going anywhere. And I think to think that you can get rid of it is a mistake”
Accomplishments
Upon taking office, she pledged to focus on five main policy areas—hunger, housing, child welfare, education, and women’s issues.Throughout her career, Betsy Gotbaum has shown commitment to community service. She has served on the boards of innumerable not-for-profit organizations, including the Community Service Society; The Valley Recreation and Youth Development Program in Harlem; Goodwill Industries; and the Municipal Arts Society.
She also serves on the Board of Trustees for the Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation and the Michael Stern Parkinson's Research Foundation. These organizations fund neuroscience research primarily at The Rockefeller University.
Personal life
She has been married to former New York City labor leader Victor GotbaumVictor Gotbaum
Victor H. Gotbaum was an American labor leader. From 1965 to 1987, he was president of AFSCME District Council 37 , the largest municipal union in New York City.-Biography:...
since 1977. Previously her name was Betsy Hogen, and she has one daughter from her first marriage. Her maiden name was Betsy Flower. She started an office blog, the Public Advocate's Corner, in September 2008.
On September 28, 2007, her daughter-in-law, Carol Gotbaum
Carol Gotbaum
Carol Anne Gotbaum was an air traveler who died, at age 45, on September 28, 2007 in Phoenix, Arizona in Sky Harbor International Airport while being held in police custody. She was arrested after becoming angry while attempting to board her plane to enter an alcohol treatment center in Tucson,...
, died in custody shortly after she was arrested at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located southeast of the central business district of the city of Phoenix, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States...
, after getting into a confrontation with gate crews who refused to allow her to board a plane to Tucson. In May 2008, the family filed a lawsuit against the City of Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
.
2001 NYC Democratic Ticket
- Mayor: Mark J. GreenMark J. GreenMark J. Green is an author, public interest lawyer and a Democratic politician who lives in New York City. He worked with Ralph Nader from 1970-1980, eventually as director of Public Citizen's Congress Watch, and is also the former president of Air America Radio .He was New York City Consumer...
- Public Advocate: Betsy Gotbaum
- Comptroller: William Thompson
2005 NYC Democratic Ticket
- Mayor: Fernando FerrerFernando FerrerFernando James "Freddy" Ferrer was the Borough President of The Bronx from 1987 to 2001, and was a candidate for Mayor of New York in 2001 and the Democratic Party nominee for Mayor in 2005.- Background :...
- Public Advocate: Betsy Gotbaum
- Comptroller: William Thompson