Mayor Bloomberg Appoints Joseph N. Garba As Director Of State Legislative Affairs

January 3, 2013

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today announced the appointment of Joseph N. Garba as Director of the Mayor's Office of State Legislative Affairs. As Director, Garba will be responsible for leading the Administration's State legislative agenda, overseeing relations with the Office of the Governor and State legislators, preparing the Administration's response to proposed State legislation impacting New York City and helping to lead negotiations on those bills. Garba joined the Bloomberg Administration in April 2010 and currently serves as a Legislative Representative in Albany. He brings years of experience in working with State Government and most recently was a part of an extremely successful State Legislative Affairs team that helped secure passage of major components of the Mayor's State agenda, including: raising the charter school cap, creating a more affordable pension tier for new City employees, expanding taxi service to the boroughs outside of Manhattan, giving the City control of Brooklyn Bridge Park and Governor's Island and overhauling the juvenile justice system. Garba will replace Wendy Saunders, who has served as Acting Director since April 2012 and will return to her post as Assistant Vice President of Intergovernmental Affairs for the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation.

"Joe has been a key part of a team that has delivered for our city time and again," said Mayor Bloomberg. "He has helped lead our successful efforts to win legislative approval for expanding transportation for all New Yorkers through better taxi service, creating more choices for public school parents, reducing exploding pension costs and reforming our juvenile justice system. Joe has been a rising star in Albany, and his talent and passion will help us continue to advance the reforms and State legislation needed to build on the progress we have made in our city. I also want to thank Wendy Saunders for stepping up and leading the office for the last nine months - we didn't miss a beat thanks to her hard work." 

"Mayor Bloomberg's leadership continues to better the lives of New Yorkers every day and I have been honored to advocate on their behalf for the past few years," said Garba. "I am humbled by this new responsibility to lead the Mayor's State Legislative Affairs Office and look forward to working with our partners in government on policies that make a difference in the lives of the people we serve."

Garba brings extensive experience with State government to his new position. Prior to joining the Bloomberg Administration, Garba served as Deputy Director of the Governor's Office of Taxpayer Accountability, an office created by then Governor David A. Paterson to eliminate fraud, waste and abuse in State Government. Previously, he served the Governor in other capacities including Assistant Secretary to the Governor for State Operations and Staff Secretary to the Governor.

Earlier in his career, Garba served as Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs in Governor Eliot Spitzer's Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. Before joining the Spitzer Administration, he worked as a Legislative Representative at the New York State United Teachers.

Mr. Garba holds an MA in Public Administration from the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy, where he served as President of the Public Affairs Student Association, and holds a BA from the University at Albany. He resides in Rensselaer, New York.