Oral history interview with Alair Townsend, 1992.

Biographical Note

Former NYC Budget Director and Deputy Mayor.

Scope and Contents

Background: childhood, former work in Washington, D.C.; appointment as budget director: description of work routine, environment, staff; reflections on significance of being a woman in a predominantly male Koch staff: perception by business world, support from women; use of media in achieving support for budget policies; budget: process and efficiency of implementation, differences between federal and New York City budget systems, issue of rent control, communication with public, negotiations with heads of agencies, surplus; appointment as deputy mayor of finance and economic development, contrast with position of budget director; issues in economic development: energy usage, housing, retention of major corporations; differences between New York and Washington government and politics; personal recollections of Edward I. Koch: management style, media presence, effect on staff and public, difficulty of third term, lack of enthusiasm.

Subjects

• Gutfreund, Owen, interviewer.--http://id.loc.gov/vocabulary/relators/ivr
• Interviews.
• Koch, Ed, 1924-2013.
• Municipal officials and employees--Interviews.
• New York (N.Y.). Mayor.
• Oral histories (literary works)
• Townsend, Alair--Interviews.

Access Conditions

Copyright by the Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York, 1992.