New York City's long-awaited rat czar has arrived.
Kathleen Corradi, who previously spearheaded the Department of Education's rat reduction efforts, will become the director of rodent mitigation, New York Mayor Eric Adams said Wednesday.
Adams, a vocal rodent antagonist, said late last year that he's looking for a leader in the city's war on rats and that the job will pay $120,000 to $170,000 a year.
Corradi will earn $155,000 a year.
"I think, fighting rats, that's not enough," Adams said at a press conference announcing the appointment.
Corradi's salary is modest for a city official, though. The mayor's communications director earns $211,000 a year.
The mayor has made it very clear his stance on rats. He hates rats, I hate rats, all New Yorkers hate rats.
"When I first saw this job posting, I wasn't sure it was real," she said at the press conference littered with references to the Pixar film Ratatouille and the meme-ified Pizza Rat.
Nearly 70% of schools with persistent rat issues reached their compliance goals during Corradi's tenure.
She's found her calling, Adams said. "This is almost a job that's made for her."
Corradi will coordinate across city agencies, community groups and private-sector companies. She pledged to look for "the most effective technique" to mitigate rats.
The announcement comes as the city works to reduce the hours garbage sits on curbs waiting for pickup and pushes for trash to be in containers. Enforcement of cleanliness violations are up 80% this year. Officials from the mayor's office have visited Greece, Israel and Argentina to study how they manage their garbage.
"The mayor has made it very clear his stance on rats," Corradi said. "He hates rats, I hate rats, all New Yorkers hate rats."
