New Mayors Vow to Make Things Better in 3 Major Cities

Some of the nation’s biggest and most troubled cities began 1994 with new people in the mayor’s office, all of them vowing to turn things around.

In New York, Rudolph W. Giuliani began work on a program to make the nation’s largest city safer. Detroit’s Dennis Archer set about remaking a city ravaged by crime, budget problems and a poor national image. In Pittsburgh, Pa., Tom Murphy said his city needs a top-to-bottom turnaround to attract new business and visitors.

Giuliani, a Republican who defeated Democrat David N. Dinkins, New York City’s first black mayor, said he would add police foot patrols to ensure the safety of students walking to and from William Howard Taft High School in the Bronx. It was one of the most violent schools in the city, with 72 criminal incidents reported last school year.

In Detroit, Archer succeeds Coleman A. Young, who is suffering from emphysema and did not seek reelection after five consecutive terms.

Detroit faces a potential budget deficit of $88.5 million, an eroding population and business base, too much vacant housing and a crime rate that remains high despite recent drops.

“It’s going to take a lot of energy to give us the world-class city we want. I’m excited about the challenges I face,” said Archer, a former state Supreme Court justice.

Pittsburgh’s new mayor is a steelworker’s son whose plans call for a break with the industrial past and bold steps into a new generation.

Murphy has said he plans to develop vacant riverfront properties and expand high-tech industry. He wants riverboat casinos to lure gamblers and an expanded artistic and cultural community to bring tourists to town.