Statement of Mayor Bill de Blasio on President Obama's State of the Union Address

January 20, 2015

"Tonight, President Obama laid out his clearest vision yet for how the United States must tackle the greatest challenge of our time-income inequality-and said what Americans across the country have known for some time: the time to act and to defeat this challenge is now. In today's global economy, where the majority of wealth is held by one percent of the world's population, we need more than ever a champion in the White House for the middle class, the working class, and those trapped in vice grip of poverty. As I've said before, we can't wait to address these issues. We must ensure the wealthiest pay their fair share, so we can move together as one nation toward greater prosperity. Cities must act, as we have in New York City, on values like paid sick leave, immigration reforms, universal pre-kindergarten, and better wages, so together we pursue a path toward stronger cities and greater opportunity laid out by President Obama tonight."