The Rats Still Run This City: NYC Is Still Looking for Its 'Rat Czar' Mayor Eric Adams said in a press conference that the position had not yet been filled.
By Emily Rella
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The rats are going to hate this announcement.
It appears that the New York City Department of Sanitation is still looking for a "Rat Czar" to help take down Mayor Eric Adams' biggest pest problem.
The Mayor first made headlines last month when he posted a listing for the position, which called for a "highly motivated and somewhat bloodthirsty" rat exterminating enthusiast to help lead and combat the ongoing rodent issue that's been sweeping the streets of NYC. This, of course, led to a series of memorable quotes at a press conference.
"The rats don't run this city, we do"
— Emma Court (@emmarcourt) October 17, 2022
"A virulent vehemence for vermin? A background in urban planning, project management, or government," the original listing questioned. "And most importantly, the drive, determination and killer instinct needed to fight the real enemy – New York City's relentless rat population?"
The job was listed with a salary range of $120,000-$170,000.
As of Thursday, it appears that the city officials were still in search of someone to fill the covetable title. A New York Post reporter Tweeted from a recent press conference, and the mayor seemed to acknowledge that the position was still open.
Some funny lines here.
— Bernadette Hogan (@bern_hogan) January 26, 2023
On rats: "We're hiring a rat czar, and it WONT be Curtis Sliwa."
Open restaurant program: "It's time to retire the Covid cabins and replace them with something" - says he wants a permanent outdoor dining program.
Curtis Sliwa, a former Republican candidate for NYC Mayor who Mayor Adams was very adamant about not hiring for the czar position, went viral earlier this month for trying to use feral cats to round up rats around Mayor Adams' Brooklyn-based home.
"They'll be like Batman and Robin going up and down the block on patrol," Sliwa reportedly said in reference to his cat solution outside of the Adams' door.
Though Sliwa's odds of snagging the rat czar position are unlikely, others might also be facing difficulty getting the job: The listing appears to be removed from the city's website.
Perhaps it means that someone has already earned the job? Only time will tell, but until then, the war against the rodents wages onward.