Applebaum sworn in, faces first challenge as interim mayor

Michael Applebaum’s reign as interim mayor became official on Monday morning.

According to the Gazette, Applebaum was sworn in as Montreal’s 42^nd mayor. He is the first Anglophone in 102 years to hold the job as top dog in Montreal and the first of Jewish origin.

Among some of Applebaum’s priorities are to remove 1.1 percent of the 3.3 property tax hike and to provide more money to public transit to diminish fare increases.

Meanwhile, the interim mayor is facing his first challenge since being sworn in. He must put together a coalition-style executive committee to handle city matters. Union Montreal has already stated that they want five seats on the committee reminding everyone that it still has the most seats on city council. Applebaum can name 11 other members to join him in the new executive committee.

Applebaum has stated that he will not run for mayor in the next municipal elections next November. He will, however, attempt to regain his position as mayor of Cote-des-Neiges-Notre-Dame-de-Grace.