NEWYORK: New York city Mayor Eric Adams said that NYC administration put back $30 billion back in the pockets of New Yorkers and have put New Yorkers in contact with 70 city, state, and federal programs that can make life in New York city more affordable.
Giving interview to Voice of South Asia, Mayor Adams said that they know things are challenging for Americans and New Yorkers. “We know affordability is a real issue and that is why we put in place our money in your pockets initiative,” he said.
“We found creative ways to return money back to working class New Yorkers. Like I like to say, we cannot determine what the price of bread is, but we can put bread in your pockets. And that’s what we have been doing,” he said.
He said that we have put back $30 billion in the pockets of New Yorkers. “Everything from excusing medical debt to decreasing the cost of childcare from $55 a week to less than $5 a week, to paying for high speed broadband for NYCHA residents, to paying the college tuition for foster care children, giving reduced fare Metro cards for low-income New Yorkers and building record levels of affordable housing. We’ve found creative ways of saying we can’t control inflation, but we can put money back into your pockets,” he said.
“We’re going to continue to do that, but far too many resources remain on the table that many New Yorkers are not aware of,” he said.
“So we have put New Yorkers in contact with 70 city, state, and federal programs that can make life in New York City more affordable because that’s the goal that we must accomplish in ensuring that. And lastly, in Albany right now, we have an initiative that’s called Ask the Tax for the Working Class,” he said.
Mayor Adams said that those who make 150% of poverty line or below, federal poverty line or below won’t have to pay any income tax.
“So if there’s a mother with one child that’s making a certain dollar amount, she would not have to pay any income tax. And this is going to impact 582,000 New Yorkers and save taxpayers $63 million. That is how you fight to help New Yorkers deal with inflation,” he said.
To a question about deportation of immigrants for many reasons, Mayor Adams said that the city is very clear. “Our city laws state we cannot collaborate with ICE or any civil enforcement,” he said adding that we need to be also very clear on what’s playing out in our city.
“We do not have immigration officials in our hospitals taking people and deporting them. We don’t have it taking place in our houses of worship, our mosques, churches, our synagogues. We don’t have them in our schools. And so I think a lot of the anxiety is coming from people who want to create this anxiety,” he said.
He asked people in the city, documented and undocumented, continue to go to school with your children, continue to go to work, continue to get medical care and continue to call on city services and agencies when you need them.
“That is what we should be focusing on right now. And if there was a shift in behavior or policies or actions from the federal government, I would let New Yorkers know that,” he said.
“Right now, we’re not seeing that. No one is being rounded up in their jobs or any other places. The federal government has made it clear to us their focus right now is dealing with those who commit violent actions and taking them off our streets,” he said.
He made clear that he support collaborating with federal agencies to go after dangerous people who are preying on migrants, undocumented people, documented people as no one wants criminal elements in their city.
To a question about Islamophobia and fear of immigration raised by the Trump administration, the same way he protect all New Yorkers he will protect Muslim community.
“I do not protect New Yorkers based on their religious or based on their immigration status. We’re consistent in protection of New Yorkers and I’m going to continue to do that,” he said.
“I’m going to continue to educate the children, protect people in their houses of worship, including our mosques, our churches, our synagogues, our Buddhist temples. This is a city of many faiths and I’m going to continue to provide a safe place where we can raise healthy children and families. And what we have done with our Muslim population is different from any other administration,” he said.
He said that they allowed the call of prayer on Fridays that has never been done before. He said that administration allow Muslim community to pray at the city buildings and they were building their spaces even in precincts where one could go to pray.
“We have really been open arms to all of our ethnic and our religious groups in general, but specifically to the Muslim community and we will continue to arrest, apprehend and ask for prosecution of anyone that creates any form of hate crime such as Islamophobia,” he said.
Regarding question about Pakistani community, he said that he stood with the Pakistani community during some very difficult times.
“I was there back in 2001. When the terrorist attacks happened, the community was devastated. Young men was rounded up and brought to the federal penitentiary. I raised my voice back then in 2001 and say this should not be happening to the community. I’ve been a partner during some very difficult times,” he said.
“When the Lahore bombing took place, I stood with the community to denounce terrorism. When the earthquake happened in Pakistan, I was side by side with the community. And when women were attacked for wearing a hijab, I stood firmly with the community fighting against Islamophobia and hate,” he said.
He said that he was not a person that comes just during elections to say “I’m your brother.” “I stand with you as your brother throughout the years, and I’m going to continue to do that,” he said.
“The Pakistani is an important community. They believe in faith. They believe in family. They believe in small business. And most importantly, they believe in public safety. And the Pakistani police officers have grown in numbers because of some of the great work that has been done,” he said.
Replying to question about migrant crises status and shelters homes, he said that we’ve had over 230,000 migrants and asylum seekers in city added those 230,000, 190,000, we have been able to help and take the next step on their journey.
“That is an awesome achievement that we accomplished. We still have a few thousand that are still in our care. We’re going to continue to transition them to take the next step on their journey. That’s the goal,” he said.
He said that no one comes to America to live in a shelter. “They come to America to participate in the American dream, and we want to assist them in doing so,” he said.
On a question about leaving the democratic party and announcement of running election as an independent, he said that he is a Democrat and he is going to run as a Democrat.
“I would have loved to have run in the Democratic primary where we collected over 25,000 signatures, but this case dragged on longer than what I believe it should have. It took three weeks before the judge made his final decision. This impacted our ability to be prepared for the June election,” he said.
“We now are going to run in the general election in November. We have a longer period of time to get our message out, to share with New Yorkers the success we have, and not have this case overshadow how well we have run the city,” he said.
Mayor Adams dispelled the impression that there has never been any coordination, collaboration, or any agreement from the Trump’s administration and from him personally or from his administration.
“What I said about dangerous immigrants creating violence in our city and should be deported after they serve their time is what I said before the Trump administration came in office. If you look at what I said for the last few years, you’ll see I am saying nothing differently now. So the narrative that this was some form of corrupt agreement is just incorrect and it is not documented in any facts,” he said.
