EDWARD I. KOCH 1924-2013
MAYOR EDWARD IRVING KOCH DIED RECENTLY AT THE AGE OF 88. HE WAS THE 105TH MAYOR OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK TO THOSE OF US WHO SERVED UNDER HIM, HE WAS A LARGER THAN LIFE INSPIRATION WHO TAUGHT US TO ENGAGE THE WORLDS OF POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT WITH GUSTO AND MORAL COURAGE. TRAITS THAT HE DEMONSTRATED DAILY PERFORMING THE SECOND HARDEST JOB IN AMERICA.
AFTER HE LEFT OFFICE I SENT A NOTE TO
HIM WHICH SIMPLY SAID “YOU HAD LAGUARDIA …ALL OF THOSE WHO COME AFTER YOU, WILL
HAVE HAD KOCH”. HE WAS A TRANSFORMATIVE MAYOR WHO SAVED THE CITY FROM FISCAL
RUIN AND MADE IT BETTER FOR EVERYONE DURING THE TUMULTUOUS 70s AND 80s. HE LAID
THE GROUNDWORK FOR HIS SUCCESSORS TO MAKE THE CITY PROSPEROUS, SAFE AND LIVABLE
ON A LONG TERM BASIS.
MY JOB IN ALL THREE OF HIS TERMS FOCUSED
ON THE NEEDS AND RIGHTS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. ED KOCH PIONEERED NUMEROUS
PROGRAMS IN THIS ARENA AND NEVER TOOK PUBLIC CREDIT FOR THEM.
NEW YORK CITY UNDER HIS WATCH PUT 1500
DISABLED YOUTH TO WORK EVERY SUMMER AND SET UP JOB TRAINING AND PLACEMENT
PROGRAMS FOR ADULTS USING FEDERAL MONIES IN NOVEL WAYS NOT FOUND ANYWHERE IN
THE REST OF THE NATION. HE MADE APRTMENTS FOR DISABLED PEOPLE AND STARTED NYC
ON THE PATH TO ALMOST 100% ACCESSIBILITY FOR VOTING SITES, UNIVERSAL CURB CUTS
AND ACCESSIBLE MASS TRANSIT. HE PASSED LANDMARK HUMAN RIGHTS LEGISLATION AND
INITIATED THE FIRST PROGRAMS FOR ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES IN DISASTER SITUATIONS. HE DID ALL OF THIS AND MORE AND AGAIN HE
NEVER TOOK ANY CREDIT.









