Naked Cowboy
On July 20, 2009, it was announced that Burck would challenge Mayor Michael Bloomberg in the 2009 election for Mayor of New York City. At his announcement, Burck stated, "No one knows how to do more with less than yours truly, and that's the kind of thinking I plan on sharing with my fellow New Yorkers when you elect me." In response, Jonny Porkpie, the self-proclaimed "burlesque Mayor of NYC" announced that he would run against him, echoing Lloyd Bentsen during a campaign announcement that critiqued Burck's "man-panties". "I know naked. Some of my best friends are naked. And you, sir, are not naked."
Mayoralty of Michael Bloomberg
Bloomberg was one of the most active big city mayors on the issue of the environment. On April 22, 2007 he announced PLANYC: an aggressive program to vastly improve New York City's environmental sustainability by 2030. On May 23, 2007, Bloomberg announced that by 2012, all the city's medallion taxis will be hybrid cars.
PLANYC aims to improve the city's sustainability through a multi-pronged approach that includes, among other things, the adoption of traffic congestion pricing based upon a system currently used in London and Singapore. Bloomberg contended this measure would reduce pollution and traffic congestion while raising revenue for the city. He also pledged to plant one million trees in New York City, in an effort to clean the air and boost property values.