The walls of Bo Dietl’s 50th floor Midtown office are lined with photos and newspaper clippings highlighting both his years as an NYPD detective and the investigative and security firm he has helmed since leaving the force 30 years ago. But the office’s main showpiece is the view of the city he hopes to run come Nov. 7.
“I want to change this city and bring it back where people are happy and all people can live in this city, not just the rich,” he said.
While Dietl thinks there are “four or five major issues” facing New York City, its beleaguered transit system is definitely at the top.
“I do travel the subway and got stuck on it the other day when we were going to campaign up on 125th Street,” he said. “We got stuck on the damn A train for about 25 minutes.”
Unlike Mayor Bill de Blasio, who proposed a “millionaires tax” to help fund infrastructure, Dietl would “immediately” use the city’s $4 billion surplus to fix the subway.
“[The mayor] loves to say it’s not our problem, it’s the governor’s, but these trains are being ridden by New Yorkers, which is your elected people,” Dietl said.
If elected, Dietl vows to still ride the subway “because if I want to be mayor of the people, I have to take the trains,” he said.
Here’s what the independent candidate has to say about other issues facing his potential constituents.
REAL ESTATE
“I’d like to put a tax on foreign-owned apartments in New York City, tax them on what the value of their apartment is.”
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
“There are different avenues. We have to think about permanent housing. Section 8 housing is something I really like a lot. These big real estate people are not going to get tax incentives, and all the variances they get, unless they build not-for-profit housing for us.”
HOMELESSNESS
“Nobody wants homeless shelters in their backyard, and I truly understand. I think I have an answer. We have Randall’s Island, where I used to work when I was a detective, and Ward’s Island. I’d love to build 40-story buildings there called ‘homeless centers.’ We’d try to help them – try to find them jobs and permanent housing.”
NYPD
“I’m a high school graduate. I couldn’t afford to go to college. I want to waive the two-year college degree for the police department. Bring kids from the inner city in and let them continue their education while they’re in the department. It’s very important to get more cops from the community they work in, patrolling their own area.”
PRESIDENT TRUMP
“I’ve known Donald Trump for 35 years. I think he tells a lot of fibs, he’s a narcissist – but one thing about Donald Trump from my experience, he gets things done. If I become mayor, I’d go to Washington and say, ‘Look, Mr. President, I know you hate New Yorkers for some reason, but you love New York. You built this city – we need help for our police officers against anti-terrorism, we need help for our housing and infrastructure, these subways. We need federal funding. New York is the capital of America, probably the capital of the world. We need you, Mr. Trump.’”
DACA
“I’m not for taking people and moving them out and sending them back. A lot of kids are born in the United States of America, and they’re illegally here, but they become citizens automatically. I certainly don’t want to get rid of the breadwinner if they’re not committing crimes. I want them to work, I want them to pay taxes and give them an avenue to becoming a citizen, like my parents had.”
TAKING DOWN CONFEDERATE SYMBOLS
“It gets to a point where we say to ourselves, ‘Do we support the Civil War?’ It was totally wrong, but we can’t erase history. I don’t want them getting rid of Auschwitz, and in another 50 years, you’ll get these psychopaths saying it didn’t happen. Where do we stop? We have to keep these symbols of the good, the bad and the ugly for people to learn and not make the same mistakes.”
Bo Dietl’s New York
FAVORITE STEAK
“Peter Luger’s and Wolfgang’s, but I have to be honest, I own a piece of it in New Jersey.”
FAVORITE PIZZA
“Love Lombardi’s downtown and Patsy’s, the original on First and 117th. I’ve been eating it since 1970.”
FAVORITE PARK
“I ride around Central Park on a bike, I do three times around. It’s nice to see people happy, enjoying what New York is.”
METS VS. YANKEES
“Truly love them both. New York is New York. I also love the Red Sox and Phillies; if we’re not in, I root for them, our northeast cousins. Too much of this negativism.”
JETS VS. GIANTS
“I love my Jets, and I love my Giants.”
NETS VS. KNICKS
“I love the Knicks, [but] they suck. I hope we get a good team.”
RANGERS VS. ISLANDERS
“I like the Rangers. I’ll root for the Islanders if they’re in it.”
