NEW YORK CITY: Christine Quinn Signs Off As Speaker Of The City Council

"Dear friends, I'm writing today to say thank you, and wish you a Happy New Year. Thank you to each and every one of you who came to committee hearings or town hall meetings, who sent emails, who made phone calls. Thank you for lending us your ideas and making your voices heard, for playing a part in shaping the city we love so very much. And thank you for helping make the greatest city in the world even greater. As I think back on my eight years as City Council Speaker, and my fourteen years as a member of the Council, I can't help but feel grateful, humbled, and proud of all we accomplished together.

"We helped thousands more families find affordable homes, and thousands more students get full day pre-kindergarten. We created good middle class jobs, passed some of the strongest environmental protections in the nation, and helped New Yorkers lead longer and healthier lives. Though we are ending this chapter of our work together, the story of New York City is still being written every day in every corner of the five boroughs. I look forward to continuing to fight by your side in the months and years ahead, to give every New Yorker even greater opportunity, to find innovative solutions to our biggest challenges, and to ensure that our best days are always ahead of us." - Christine Quinn, in a press release issued on her last day as speaker and member of the New York City Council.