April 8, 2025
Watch video right here at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3H8fjUz038
Mayor Eric Adams: Oh boy, it is good to see a few of you. You understand, all through these final fifteen months, I relied on one factor, I relied on God. And I might say it, I might bless the Lord always. His phrases of reward would repeatedly be in my mouth. And I am standing in entrance of you due to my religion in all these New Yorkers who’re going via tough occasions. Lean into your religion, as a result of that’s your reply.
Good morning. We had one other excellent week of delivering a safer, extra inexpensive metropolis. As we proceed to make New York Metropolis the very best place to boost kids and households. Public security crime stats are clear. The primary quarter of the yr, which is a continuation, which lots of people appear to be lacking. This can be a continuation. We had 5 straight quarters with reducing crime. It did not begin in January, people. 5 straight quarters and reducing crime.
When you do not acknowledge that, you actually miss the women and men who’ve been doing the job repeatedly. And we simply actually need to thank them. Public security and justice. I say over and over, they’re the prerequisite to our prosperity. And final month, we achieved one other historic milestone in delivering a safer metropolis for New Yorkers. And did the factor our administration is greatest recognized for, holding our metropolis secure and breaking information. Document after file after file. You hear time and again on this administration, the primary time ever is one thing that’s repeatedly said.
And for the primary three months of the yr, we noticed the bottom variety of shootings [in] recorded historical past in 1 / 4. The bottom variety of shootings in recorded historical past. That is a testomony to the women and men. 21,000 weapons eliminated off our streets, together with 57 untraceable ghost weapons. These are simply wonderful numbers once you have a look at it. And it ties into the general public security plan of getting a gun unit at first of the administration. All of these issues that you simply heard individuals criticize this administration for.
You are seeing the fruits of the labor, going after these with extreme psychological well being sickness, giving them the care they deserve, eradicating the encampments off our streets, having a gun unit corresponding to CRT to exit, eradicating 80,000 unlawful automobiles off our streets. Simply all of this stuff will not be lastly materializing. And also you’re seeing the outcomes of only a good, strategic initiatives that ignored all of the noise, now have a look at the numbers. This quarter, we decreased murders by 34 %, 34 % in murders, 23 % in shootings and transit crime went down by 18 % as properly. And we see promising stats.
While you have a look at retail theft, there was an actual situation round retail theft. We got here collectively and put collectively a Retail Theft Taskforce. And the numbers are displaying an 8 % lower year-to-date. Individuals who consider retail theft is a victimless crime, they’re improper. When shops shut, we lose staff, those that must get their prescription or every other objects from the pharmacy, they need to journey additional to areas to take action. So it is a holistic method of how we will deal with this.
And in March alone, we noticed decreases in six of the seven main crime classes. And whereas these numbers are unimaginable [and] spectacular, six straight months of declining crime as a part of 5 straight quarters of declining crime, that’s what we promised and that is what we delivered on. Affordability, actually pleased with this. I need to hand off to the Deputy Commissioner of Employee Safety, Commissioner Mayuga, [on] what she has achieved final week.
We had been proud to announce that we elevated the minimal pay price for app-based supply employees, as soon as once more, this time as much as $21.44 per hour. We beforehand set the primary of this sort within the nation. Minimal pay price for app-based supply employees in June of ‘23. And we’re seeing it proceed to tick up. Now, what occurred earlier than we bought into workplace? Earlier than we bought into workplace, the pay price was $5.39 per hour. From $5.39 per hour to $21.44, that is an actual accomplishment.
Within the final two years, $700 million in wages to those supply employees. Robust bond score, one thing that I like to speak about over and over as a result of all these outdoors town, outdoors of the administration, they discuss how unhealthy we’re managing town, however they are not the consultants. They do not have a finance diploma. They know nothing concerning the economic system. They know nothing concerning the stability of cities. They’re consultants on the market. They’re referred to as bond rankings. S&P and all of those worldwide bond raters, they decide how properly you are managing your metropolis in order that those that need to spend money on your metropolis can get actual data, not political data. What did they do?
For the sixteenth time throughout this administration, they saved us at a AA class score for common obligation bonds. It says that all through the disaster of COVID, all through the disaster of the migrant asylum seekers, all through the financial downturn, we now have stabilized this metropolis and managed this metropolis, balancing every time we wanted a funds, we achieved that activity.
Extra jobs within the metropolis historical past, second largest tourism within the metropolis historical past. Small companies are working extra within the metropolis historical past. We’re placing $30 billion again within the pockets of on a regular basis New Yorkers. That is the way you handle throughout the disaster, and we will proceed to take action. So all of these Eric-like individuals who state what they want to do, have a look at what we now have performed. And we will get that out and let individuals know that daily, the success of this administration.
Query: Mr. Mayor, I even have two questions.
Mayor Adams: Sure, Marcia.
Query: The primary query is, throughout the migrant disaster, you criticized the Biden administration for not giving town sufficient cash and for not serving to you out. Now the Trump administration is making an attempt to claw again as a lot as $200 million.
Do you’re feeling betrayed? Do you’re feeling that two presidents will not be understanding the disaster that New York Metropolis went via with over 200,000 migrants coming right here? And what are you going to do by way of the Trump administration making an attempt to take the cash again?
Mayor Adams: Effectively, hear, you combat for New York. I combat for New Yorkers. I made that clear. And one, let’s be clear on our math. They’re making an attempt to claw again $200 million. And we’re combating for that $200 million. The company counsel has already taken actions for that $200 million. We had been very clear. We consider that $200 million belongs to us.
The earlier administration gave us a price ticket of dealing with a nationwide disaster. We’re going to combat and state that this $200 million belongs to us. However then let us take a look at $7 billion. $7 billion, we misplaced within the earlier administration in comparison with $200 million. We’ll combat for each penny. It doesn’t matter what it’s, this shouldn’t be carried on the backs of taxpayers. Now, the constant a part of this, we’re suing for that $200 million. We’re elevating our voice for that $200 million. We raised our voice for the $7 billion. The place was everybody else? Why did not everybody else be part of us in that $7 billion? You’ll be able to’t critique an administration primarily based on their get together. You should critique it primarily based on what town wants.
I didn’t hear certainly one of my colleagues increase their voice and say it was improper for the Metropolis of New York to need to spend $7 billion. And in order that inconsistency is what it’s best to all be asking about. For those who’re indignant over $200 million, why will not you infuriate [over] $7 billion? I do not know why we’re not asking these people that. And so not solely that, my ask of the Biden administration was to safe the borders. For those who safe the borders, we are able to cease the circulation from our metropolis.
This administration is securing the borders. My ask of the Biden administration is let’s go after these harmful gang members which might be creating violent crimes amongst migrants and asylum seekers in on a regular basis New York [that] are documented and undocumented. They did not need to try this. This administration is doing that. Hats off to the Homeland Safety Secretary and to Tom over at ICE, and others that need to collaborate with us on coping with felony conduct. We’re clear that we do not take care of those that are coping with civil enforcement. The town would not enable us to do this.
But when we bought companions on the federal stage and all of those businesses which might be keen to collaborate with us on felony behaviors, we are saying hooray to that. And that is what the Homeland Safety Secretary and what ICE borders are is doing. So, sure, corp counsel is taking authorized motion. We’ll combat for each penny and it is as much as the courts to make that dedication.
Query: So, clearly you are in marketing campaign mode with this outfit and along with your assault on the truth that individuals haven’t been providing you with the credit score that you simply’re due. However normally once you’re in a marketing campaign, you’ve gotten a particular particular person that you simply need to go after who you suppose is your nearest competitor.
So I am questioning, you realize. Who’re you working in opposition to and who do you suppose has not lived as much as the file that you simply declare that you’ve achieved within the final three and a half years?
Mayor Adams: Effectively, no, this outfit is just not campaigning. This outfit is my life and God we belief. I went via hell for 15 months and all I had was God, you realize, God and my household and those that understood that I did nothing improper, whatever the incoming that I acquired. And so I need to be very clear so individuals who misunderstand, my religion is actual. Return [to] the times when that indictment got here out and I stood in entrance of you guys within the rotunda and I said, my religion is actual in God. As a matter of reality, the quote I said was that I had extra religion in God on the time I used to be in it than I ever did.
And in order a lot as I can say, and never till you had been in that kind of circumstance, do you perceive the impression and significance of your religion? And so once you say who, I am a Democrat working on an Impartial line. Allow them to combat it out. Let me see who I am working in opposition to in November. I believe all of them are working from their information. I am working on my file. The housing disaster. Return to the Benefit program that the previous governor canceled. The inequities in COVID.
Let’s return to among the guidelines and blockage that the others have performed. You understand, the stuff in Albany, the Elevate the Age, the bail reform. I imply, all these guys bought to run. They’re working from their file. They making an attempt to alter– Brad and, and defund the police. You understand, I haven’t got to run from my file. I can run on a file and that is an ideal feeling. And so whoever comes out of that is cloud of people. I will see them in November..
Query: Simply to comply with up on Marcia’s first query. While you say, the place was everybody else? Who’re you speaking about? That is query primary– the $7 billion. And the second query is, what concerning the FEMA cash that the Trump administration desires to take again?Commissioner Iscol says that is going to devastate his company.
Mayor Adams: And I believe that involves about $80 million, and I do know individuals don’t need me to proceed to say it, however I’ve to say it till it penetrates. We would like that $80 million. We consider we deserve it. We consider the earlier administration did us improper in addition to the [inaudible] cash, which is about $300 million. We consider we deserve that. And so once you do the mathematics, that is a great distance from $7 billion. And the identical stage of concern I had again then, I’ve now.
New Yorkers deserve each penny. We had been pressured to deal with a federal drawback. And so once you say, properly, who had been they? It could be simple for me if I might say, properly, there have been solely two or three people who find themselves now working for mayor, it was solely two or three those who I might say had been simply these two. None of them had been there. Ask all of them. The place had been your tweets? The place had been your visits to Washington, D.C.? The place had been your advocacy primarily based on New Yorkers? The place had been your what was your motion? None of them can say we stood as much as combat for New Yorkers on your motion.
What had been their lawsuits? I imply. None of them. For those who had been to do an evaluation and ask all those that are working for mayor proper now, say New York was getting hundreds of migrants and asylum seekers within the metropolis, spending billions of {dollars}. What was your place again then? And so they say, properly, right here was my place. Okay, the place did you voice it? The place did you voice it? So I can not say, properly, just one candidate or two candidates. All of them. They had been all M.I.A. And also you guys bought to be asking them that query.
For those who’re indignant with the present president’s administration taking $200 million {dollars}, then you ought to be livid about shedding $7 billion {dollars}. However they weren’t. As a result of they put politics in entrance of the individuals. And I refuse to do this. I combat on behalf of the individuals.
And so Brad retains threatening lawsuits each time one thing occurs beneath this administration. Why wasn’t he pushing for lawsuits beneath the earlier administration? That is simply, you realize, come on. We’ve to have simply fundamental, fundamental questions. It is not solely, Eric, why are you doing such and such? What about all these guys? Make these guys arise and reply questions. You understand, they can not.
Query: I’ve two questions.
Mayor Adams: Sure.
Query: The primary was, for the reason that costs have been dismissed, have you ever spoken to Tom Homan or anyone over at ICE? …For the reason that costs had been dismissed, have you ever spoken to Tom Homan or every other excessive rating official over at ICE? And the opposite query I had was on the chief order. Any updates on that? When that is coming or what methods or what else goes to be in that order?
Mayor Adams: To begin with, I have not spoken to anybody. I do not even know the connection between the fees and ICE. However, no, I’ve not spoken to them. As soon as the administration releases one thing with any kind of EOs that we put out, we make it public. We do not preserve our EOs secret. As soon as it is performed, we launch it. One remains to be coming. As soon as we launch it, we launch it.
Query: You simply mentioned you do not know the connection between ICE and the fees. Decide Ho felt otherwise. He mentioned every thing right here smacks of a discount in Immigration Enforcement Cooperation for dropping the fees. What do you concentrate on that assertion?
Additionally, individually, I believe the place we’re all seeing a distinction with the migrant funding is that Trump is taking again funding that we have already got. The Biden administration allotted that funding. The $7 billion that you simply preserve speaking about, sure, they did not allocate that. However, you realize, it is completely different when it is being taken again. Do you see that distinction?
Mayor Adams: No. That is your logic. That is not my logic. Dropping. [Crosstalk.] Okay. Alright. Effectively, I am not that clear. Dropping, not having $7 billion that ought to be going to the providers of this metropolis after which to rationalize it that, properly, at the least they by no means gave it to you, though they value you $7 billion. That is simply, I do not, that is a difficult math that we realized again on the road. So, no. And now your connection concerning the, concerning the two, Decide Ho, hear, lots of you analyze every thing that was in that 74 web page merchandise.
I simply do not hear you lifting up two issues. Eric is harmless till confirmed responsible and that’s dismissed with prejudice. Carry that up. Carry that up. And I believe it is a stage of hypocrisy when you’ve gotten those that need to accuse me of one thing and but they spend their total lives speaking about justice. I talked about justice reform and felony justice reform as a cop, as a state senator, because the borough president. I visited state prisons and talked to inmates that had been inside. I stood aspect by aspect with Ken Thompson, the previous district lawyer, as we went out to get those that had been illegally convicted. My life has been felony justice reform, and I am at all times going to combat for felony justice reform. And so there isn’t a connection.
Query: Mr. Mayor, I’ve two questions. You’re working as an impartial, I want to ask you ways a lot of it’s a technique for marketing campaign since you acquire extra time now, and the way a lot of it’s a will to additionally enchantment to Republican voters in New York Metropolis?
And my second query is a few proposed lithium ion battery storage facility in Center Village. The neighborhood, [majority] is Polish neighborhood, is anxious that this facility is part of a Metropolis of Sure, like a results of Metropolis of Sure. This facility, if created, can be very shut to high school and it is a residential district. So I simply need to ask you about your opinion on that and in case you might, in case you would oppose that.
Mayor Adams: Yeah, no. And the to begin with, they had been already allowed to do that previous to Metropolis of Sure. So individuals need to conflate the 2. That is not true. Previous to Metropolis of Sure. They had been ready to take action. And FDNY and DOB and the entire groups, they guarantee that what the principles are and the place you possibly can construct these services. I do know there’s a whole lot of worry round lithium ion batteries due to the actions round them that we have witnessed. However that is zoned to be allowed to take action. We’ll guarantee that the businesses do what they’re purported to do they usually’re going to verify it is regulated appropriately.
Query: That it should be secure?
Mayor Adams: It darn higher be secure. We shouldn’t be approving any kind of producing or any kind of storage that is not secure. That is the job of our company to guarantee that it’s secure.
Query: [Inaudible.]
Mayor Adams: And I believe that we’d like partisan politics do not perceive when somebody goes to search out an inexpensive residence. The agent would not ask, are you an Impartial? Are you Conservative? Are you a Democrat or Republican? We have to take care of the affordability of New Yorkers and I simply consider that working class individuals ought to afford to dwell in a metropolis that they supply for daily.
And so I will enchantment to my working class base with working class values. I am constant and you realize, what’s attention-grabbing. Those that have lined me all through my life would let you know, this is identical man. He is the identical man. The identical issues I used to be speaking about as a rookie police officer, I am speaking about as a mayor. I am the identical particular person.
Working class individuals ought to be allowed to be secure on this metropolis. And I will at all times stand on that. And I believe that is going to cross all get together traces as a result of individuals need to be secure and lift their kids and households.
Query: Many individuals have advised us whereas we’re reporting that you’re in a really, distinctive scenario, a place, as a result of in a manner the Trump administration is listening to you. So that they’re hoping that perhaps you might need had some dialogue with Mr. Homan as to what would possibly occur with the Dreamers.
I do know that issues have come down a bit of bit and since there’s a lot worry with individuals perhaps maybe being wrongly deported. Have you ever had an opportunity to debate that, the chance of perhaps what the Trump administration is likely to be considering? Or have you ever had any talks with him in any respect?
Mayor Adams: Effectively, I believe a part of the hysteria and the worry that individuals are feeling is due to those that simply feed on worry. I mentioned from the start, after the election, our conversations with the administration, significantly via, HSI and ICE, of, you realize, anticipated how are issues going to be carried out within the metropolis?
You understand, individuals working round saying that ICE was in our faculties. That was only a lie. Folks working round saying ICE was in our church buildings. Lie. You understand, that there have been roundups and sweeps taking place in our metropolis. It is only a lie.
I used to be very clear. I didn’t waver. I mentioned, go to high school. Have your kids go to high school. Go to your homes of worship. Go to the hospital in case you want care. Name the police in case you’re a sufferer of a criminal offense. We do not take part in civil enforcement. We’re very clear. And so what we have to do is cease feeding into the uncertainty and the disaster. If one thing shifts, we’ll come again to the New York individuals and public and say, listed here are new insurance policies which might be coming down. That is not what occurred. And we have to enable individuals to go on with their lives. That is what’s vital and never feed into this hysteria.
And that is why these nationwide immigrant leaders that got here to town said, “Eric, nobody is doing what you’re doing within the nation for migrants and asylum seekers. And you ought to be the mannequin that the nation is utilizing.” This native politics is creating the hysteria that individuals are seeing.
And I’ve the primary commissioner that is a Dreamer in Commissioner Castro. Traveled with me to the Darien Hole. Traveled with me to El Paso. Has been a transparent advocate to place out what migrants and asylum seekers, documented and undocumented individuals ought to learn about their rights. We have been constant. We’re not inconsistent in how we function. And we had been doing that pre-election.
Query: So, are you hopeful concerning the Trump administration perhaps giving the Dreamers a particular standing? The Trump administration would possibly give dreamers a particular standing. Are you hopeful?
Mayor Adams: Hear, sure, I’m. I consider our Dreamers, like Commissioner Castro, contribute to our metropolis. Immigrants contribute to our nation. And we should always do it proper.
I proposed beneath the earlier administration, when somebody comes into the nation, safe your border, have a look at the place Individuals want populations. We’re reducing inhabitants throughout all the nation in sure municipalities. Permit individuals to go to these areas that we’d like individuals. Spend three years there. That is a symbiotic relationship. After which go wherever you need within the nation.
We’ve to have smarter immigration insurance policies. We said this over and over. You can not have an unsecure border. That’s what the issue was. And we have to repair that drawback.
Query: Now that your costs have been dropped, are you planning to enchantment the marketing campaign finance board’s resolution to not grant you matching funds? That is my first query. After which my second query is on the Trump administration threatening to withhold funding from college districts which have DEI insurance policies. You are the Black mayor of the largest metropolis within the nation.Are you going to both speak on to the president? Or are you going to hitch different mayors of coloration throughout the nation to talk out about this?
Mayor Adams: I am a member of AAMA, African-American Mayors Affiliation. And I used to be on the stage with NAN the opposite day and speaking about this particular query about DEI. DEI is greater than three letters. You understand, anybody can have an entity or program. What are you doing with this system?
We’ve the strongest discrimination legal guidelines within the nation, proper right here in New York and our numbers are clear. I am an emblem of DEI. While you have a look at the range of my administration, the primary Korean commissioner of SBS, the primary Indian to be a deputy mayor, first Trinidadian to be a deputy mayor, first Filipino to be a deputy mayor, first African-American lady to be first deputy mayor, second African-American to be chief of workers, first Hispanic male to be Corrections commissioner, first lady to be the commissioner of the Police Division, first African-American lady to be a police commissioner, first Hispanic male to be a police commissioner. I might go down an inventory.
You understand, it should not be DEI. It ought to be ELA. I am a consultant of what DEI means. However you possibly can’t simply have packages. We’ve these packages for all. What are your numbers? $19 billion in small enterprise, on girls and minority-owned companies on this administration. You are seeing actual outcomes. So this is a chance for all of us that consider in variety to go to all of those entities and say, do not simply put three letters up and say what you are doing. Let’s examine your outcomes. How properly are you doing?
After which you will get high quality like I did as a result of we broke information due to the range and high quality. However you can too enhance when you have the range inside your administration. So I joined my mayors in saying we’d like to verify we now have variety. And all of our administrations. We’re on the identical web page with that.
Query: You are liable to shedding federal funding. What do you do?
Mayor Adams: Why are we in danger? You understand, if the federal authorities lays down guidelines as any administration might do, let’s be clear on that. If we predict they’re unfair, we will do what we now have been doing. We’ve an organization counsel only for that.
We’ll do, if one thing we consider is unfair– This can be a nation the place there are techniques of combating in opposition to one thing you consider is unfair. We’ll make the most of these techniques to take action. That is the system that we’re beneath. That is the system that I respect. And that is why that is the best nation on the globe.
Query: [Inaudible] the primary query concerning the matching funds?
Mayor Adams: Matching funds. Yeah, we consider we should always not have misplaced our matching funds. And we will do every thing doable to combat for them. I maxed out. I used to be completed elevating cash. I used to be performed. And we will do every thing that is doable to combat for our matching funds.
Query: Just a few weeks in the past, you had been requested about cooperation between NYPD and ICE because it pertains to the arrest of pupil activists. You mentioned that we comply with the legislation. I need to guarantee that I perceive the legislation.
If there is a scenario the place somebody is issued a summons at a protest and that summons is sealed or dismissed, can the NYPD in any circumstances share that data with any of their federal companions, together with HSI?
Mayor Adams: We’re clear. We can not collaborate for immigrant deportation. Utilizing your situation, if somebody is a recognized terrorist, like TDA, like a few of these gangs have been categorized for, in case you’re a recognized terrorist and also you’re doing felony investigations, felony and never deep civil enforcement, no matter we might do to seal that case or to convey that particular person to justice. We’re allowed to take action.
We’re not allowed to collaborate for civil enforcement. Interval. The legislation could be very clear and it is crucial to take action. So we now have no file that this occurred. There aren’t any– once I inquired, they mentioned we didn’t flip over something and we do not collaborate for civil enforcement. They mentioned that over and over.
Query: In order that applies if, you realize, on this scenario we now have the federal government utilizing this terror statute to go after pupil protesters. And I imply, I believe that in among the gang circumstances you’ve got talked about, it is civil and that it is being led by federal immigration authorities. So it is nonetheless a bit of murky to me.
If some federal associate involves you and says we wish data on somebody who’s suspected of advancing terrorism on campus and we consider that you’ve a few of their former felony arrest data. Can that be shared?
Mayor Adams: We– wait. Hear, one factor, if you have not discovered but, it’s best to by now, I am not a lawyer. I’ve a corp counsel, you realize, and if somebody comes and we now have been extraordinarily, extraordinarily meticulous when our federal companions come to us coping with immigration. We sit down, discover out what they want and need. After which the corp counsel determines if we might do it or not.
We have been extraordinarily meticulous and I enable them to do this. I’ve a whole lot of respect for Muriel, who’s over at corp counsel, Mike over at NYPD. They have been extraordinarily meticulous. And once more, I mentioned it earlier. I will say it once more. I look ahead to collaborating with HSI, with ICE, with all of our companions of going after those that are committing crimes. And so they decide primarily based on the inquiry, they being corp counsel primarily based on the inquiry. Can we transfer? We transfer ahead on one thing and I respect that.
Query: Again when the migrant disaster was actually raging, you probably did criticize Republican Governor Abbott in Texas. And also you had been aggressive with suing the bus firms. However within the narrative since, it has been the concentrate on the Biden administration and their lack of consideration and failure to deal with what was a gaping wound. And town was nonetheless not recovered from the pandemic.
Mayor Adams: For sure.
Query: So I am now questioning now, is not this your impartial run for mayor? Cannot you converse to the, I believe a whole lot of Individuals really feel that that gambit that went on with a Republican [governor] utilizing this disaster, sending migrants in summer time garments to a New York winter after which the shortage of response from the Biden administration. That reveals the 2 get together system is profoundly damaged. And might you say that your impartial candidacy understands that perhaps greater than most?
Mayor Adams: You are employed. Sure and it’s. And that is what I believe individuals simply actually do not admire about me being their mayor. Now, I am not going to say individuals as a result of individuals do cease me on a regular basis. The chattering courses. Consistency.
We simply do not. I anticipate individuals to be constant and genuine. The unorthodox method I’ve to only coping with these points as a result of I am related to actual New Yorkers and I do know their pains. I do know what they are going via as a result of I’ve gone via that. And so once I converse to these points, once I’m keen to criticize irrespective of who your get together is. You understand, I took a pledge to the flag. I did not take a pledge to a celebration. And generally that will get in the way in which, it will get in a manner, you realize
So I believe you are useless on. You are proper that, you realize, once I mentioned, Governor Abbott, it was improper. Shouldn’t have been performed in any municipalities. However return then what I mentioned additionally. I mentioned El Paso shouldn’t be going via this. Brownsville, Texas shouldn’t be going via this. None of those cities ought to have gone via this. Chicago. You understand what this did to Chicago, Denver.
You understand, I align myself with all of those cities as a result of no metropolis ought to have had gone via this. And it was not solely Governor Abbott. Let’s be clear what he did was improper, nevertheless it was not solely him and even the federal authorities was sending individuals right here. The administration was sending individuals right here. And so we must be clear. It was improper for cities to choose up the load of a nationwide drawback. That was improper.
Query: To a different worldwide concern, Governor Newsom, who has an economic system that is just like the fifth largest on this planet. With these tariffs is now asking his advisers to open up conversations with worldwide buying and selling companions. Would that be one thing?
This can be a buying and selling metropolis and was earlier than it was American. Is that one thing that you simply’d entertain? I imply, you realize, the world. Would you be keen to suppose creatively and perhaps in a case of those tariffs preserve going up, open up conversations with different elements of the world?
Mayor Adams: You understand, this dialog and I used to be listening to some tapes and performing some studying over the previous few days. And a few interviews and studying a couple of books on this, you realize, and I should have spent an ideal a part of the weekend studying up on tariffs and I nonetheless do not perceive them. These are very complicated conversations and other people spend their lives understanding the steadiness of our economic system.
There’s one factor I do know. No matter we had been doing. It was not working. Affordability is a matter for on a regular basis New Yorkers. Wealth has been amassed within the highest stage of individuals within the nation. And I am seeing low earnings, working class individuals are struggling daily. And so no matter we had been doing, we have to suppose otherwise. And I need to spend extra time of understanding this tariff dialog.
However there are better minds than my thoughts that perceive this greater than I do. And I am not even going to attempt to act like I am an professional on the steadiness of tariffs and worldwide commerce. I am making an attempt to study extra. I am making an attempt to study extra about it. This has been dropped on all of our plates. And we have to study extra.
And I believe this is a wonderful second of civic understanding. I believe our kids must be speaking about this in faculties. What does this imply? All that is taking part in out over our heads. So we have to dig into it. Say, what does this imply? What are each side of this situation on? Is that this the suitable factor to do? The improper factor to do? However what I do know is that on a regular basis individuals are watching their paychecks not present for his or her households. So one thing was improper, and we have to determine the suitable answer.
Query: Hello, Mayor, so would you criticize President Trump if the federal cuts attain $7 billion and in case you’d wait till then, is that too late?
Mayor Adams: I am criticizing shedding $200 million. I am don’t perceive what you are asking me. I am criticizing shedding $200 million, you realize, so I am not going to attend until $7 billion. I am criticizing shedding $200 million.
You understand, there’s a and also you guys have been making an attempt this for a very long time, significantly your outlet. You understand, you need to see me combating due to those that are simply indignant proper now. I am simply not in that crew.
Query: [Inaudible] Biden by title. You have not criticized Trump by title.
Mayor Adams: Once more, I will criticize something that takes away our cash. So I do know you want to see me in a combat. I do know that. I do know you look ahead to that.
[Crosstalk.]
Mayor Adams: Okay, I am glad you are the rhetoric choose.
Query: I am glad that is not a vogue assertion. You understand, simply to comply with up on a few of these questions. You understand, you do preserve coming again, and never simply at the moment, to the $7 billion. And I get that town was in a nasty place.
However, you realize, in equity, that was then. That is now. You have kind of urged that your reluctance to criticize the Trump administration publicly was going to be good for New York. However what do you say to people who find themselves asking the query, what’s New York getting out of your relationship with the Trump administration?
Mayor Adams: The identical factor we bought with my relationship within the Biden’s administration. I bought Joe Biden, the president, to come back to New York after we had been coping with an actual crime drawback. We didn’t have an ATF head. We introduced him right here and we sat down and we met with NYPD personnel. We took him over to our disaster administration group members and noticed what we had been doing on the bottom. We had been capable of get further funding due to that. That is what we get.
Each administration, you need to have these conversations and relationships. We can not ignore the truth that and we must be sincere with that proven fact that there are some people who find themselves simply indignant as a result of the election did not end up the way in which they need. And due to that, they simply need this verbal conflict.
I do not desire a verbal conflict. I need to have the ability to. I need to have the ability to produce for our metropolis. I need to herald a transportation secretary to go all the way down to the BQE to see why we now have to get the BQE accomplished. I need to have actual conversations about getting assets to working class individuals. And so it might be satisfying to somebody for me to get right into a verbal confrontation and dialog.
It took nearly a yr earlier than I began publicly criticizing the president across the migrants in asylum seekers. Nearly a yr after 10 journeys to Washington. After speaking with their workers. And so I am not going to fall into “let’s simply get indignant.” I’ve to provide for the Metropolis of New York. And I will use my greatest skills to take action the identical manner I did with the earlier administration.
Query: What particularly are New Yorkers–
Mayor Adams: Safe border. We went from 230,000 migrants and asylum seekers. Bus masses coming in repeatedly. We’ve a safe border now. And the numbers have trickled down, you realize, to a considerable state.
Collaboration with Homeland Safety secretary and ICE to go after harmful individuals who burn girls on the practice, shoot at cops, assault migrants in asylum seekers, and have been capable of go in our felony justice system and simply come proper again out and repeatedly do it over and over.
Somebody that is lastly listening to me saying that my metropolis have to be secure. And we can not create issues on a nationwide stage that may create that. So we’re getting issues that I would like. And we will combat if we consider that cash is being re-clawed again from her in an actual manner. And so there’s one thing, too.
We do not see ICE in our faculties. Did y’all notice that? There’s one thing, too. We do not see ICE in our church buildings. We do not see enforcement, main sweeps going via employment. Folks name the police. You do not see the cops flip in people who find themselves undocumented to cops. So what are we getting? We’re getting cooperation. We’re getting cooperation.
Are there going to be locations we will disagree? Sure. I preserve saying I do not agree with myself on a regular basis. So, sure, we’re. That’s what administrations are. You trip with Albany. Now, all people says, properly, you realize, you speak to the president. So did Hochul. Do y’all know Hochul met with the president? Proper. So, I imply, have you learnt that?
So if it is, inform me one thing, if it is all proper for Governor Hochul to fulfill with the president, it isn’t all proper for me to fulfill with the president? I imply, these things has to start out making sense. I am the mayor of the most important metropolis in America. Think about me not having a relationship with the president of crucial nation on the globe. This does not make sense.
Recover from it. He is the president now, he is the president. Well-liked vote, electoral vote. We bought to recover from this. We bought to. I bought to ship for our metropolis. And that is and that is what I must do. And all those that are saying, “Oh, simply combat and resist, resist, resist.” I am not a part of resist motion. I am a part of the produce motion. That is why we broke information within the metropolis. That is why we’re getting it performed.
Query: Downtown Manhattan, the ferries to Liberty Island and Ellis Island, they’re besieged by scammers and hucksters, like 40, 50 individuals. We have been down there reporting on it. There’s just one ferry that is purported to be going. It has every kind of scammers, you realize, approaching vacationers, harassing vacationers. What can town do about it? Why did they let it get out of hand once more?
Mayor Adams: So I will– DJ let’s pop down. I will go and have the precinct commander go down. I do not know if I might do it at the moment or tomorrow. I do not know what I am doing. However we will see what is going on on down there. We used to have that drawback earlier than we cleaned it up. So I am going.
Query: That’s in all probability going to convey them out much more.
Mayor Adams: So I will go there and I will be [Joe Torres], you realize, and see if individuals method me. You understand, we bought 65 million vacationers that got here to town. Second largest within the metropolis’s historical past. And I need to ensure that they are not scammed. I need to guarantee that they’re handled in respectful methods. So I will go down with the precinct commander and discover out precisely what he is doing about that, as a result of that may’t occur. We do not need individuals down there doing that.
Query: Okay, thanks. Two questions. One, nearly your authorized case. Clearly, your case is completed. However there have been two different individuals who had been charged. You understand, straight in relation to your case, Mohamed Bahi and Erden Arkan, the businessman, their circumstances weren’t dropped. They, it seems like, are going to be convicted. Do you suppose that is truthful that you’re, you realize, performed and they’re nonetheless going to face penalties for felony legal responsibility for the alleged very same scheme?
And the second query, only a coverage factor. The resort business is making a giant push to decrease the occupancy tax that is charged to vacationers. Which they are saying would encourage extra individuals to go to. Do you help that? It is a funds ask, I believe.
Mayor Adams: Yeah, they’ve attorneys. And I believe that query ought to be offered to their attorneys. I believe Decide Ho was clear. I used to be harmless till confirmed responsible, and he made a dedication to dismiss with prejudice.
With the resort occupancy tax, we have to do no matter we are able to to make sure our success round inns. And our group is the potential of dropping the tax in order that we proceed to be aggressive. The resort business has performed properly beneath this administration. I used to be at [] yesterday, final evening. We need to proceed to get individuals in our metropolis. You understand, as I said, 65 million vacationers, second largest within the metropolis’s historical past. And the way in which we did it’s due to public security.
You understand, individuals need to come to a secure metropolis. We are the most secure huge metropolis in America. And oftentimes lots of people, once I go to Instances Sq., they are saying “One of the vital issues that attracted us to town is that, you realize, we have at all times seen you, however we want to come see you in actual time because the mayor.” So I am a giant vacationer draw for town, you realize.
Query: Congratulations in your costs being dismissed. Good for you. So, Mr. Mayor, over the weekend, you and President Trump’s transportation secretary rode the New York Metropolis subway. Might you share with New Yorkers what that journey is about?
And secondly, composting in New York Metropolis, what are the fines for not composting in New York Metropolis?
Mayor Adams: You understand, I used to be simply among the numbers. We’ll provide the actual high quality numbers or what they’re. However, a part of that is to encourage individuals to do composting, not solely as a result of we need to do citations as a manner of taxation, however the individuals to be engaged.
You understand, we’re having an actual environmental situation. And we checked out, in a two yr rollout, the quantity of composting materials diverted from landfill went up 60, 65 %. And if we are able to get individuals to normalize that of, you realize, composting their meals straps, it’s good for the environment and it’s good, make good sense on how we use these. Objects that will not fall into our landfills.
And so it is crucial that, primary, the general public perceive the separations of composting, the best way to carry it out and to encourage individuals to do it. And we do not need to simply hit individuals with fines to encourage them. We would like individuals to purchase into this system and guarantee that’s performed appropriately. So we are going to, I will provide the actual quantity. However, you realize, all people talked about it, having a citywide composting program. We had been capable of accomplish it. You understand, what different individuals discuss, we’re capable of do. That is why I preserve saying I am working on my file as a result of that is what we’re capable of do.
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