Rikers once held 19,000 people. It didn’t make us safer.
Closing one of the facilities there, taking a step toward finally closing Rikers for good, is part of designing a system that reflects the realities of public safety.
As we near the final budget vote, it has become clear that this budget ignores some of the most critical elements of reducing NYPD funding and redefining public safety.
Unless it meets those needs, I will use my Charter authority to prevent the budget from being executed.
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New Yorkers will not be content with low hanging fruit, when what's needed is to uproot the tree.
Without an NYPD hiring freeze and a commitment to a just transition away from the current school safety model, I‘ll use my Charter power to prevent the execution of the budget.
“In a moment when New Yorkers, with the entire nation, are demanding a reimagining of public safety, a reckoning with systemic injustices and inequities, the city falls far short with a budget that misses the moment of need.”
FULL STATEMENT ON FY2021 BUDGET:
NEW: A mask mandate has resumed for all 11 NYC public hospitals and @NYCHealthSystem clinics and nursing homes after an increase in COVID-19, flu and RSV cases in NYC.
Reminder: Wearing high quality masks in crowded areas is an effective way to stay safe.
The data we called for & finally got today on #COVID19’s racial impact confirms & reinforces what we've seen over years of systemic inequities. These ingrained injustices have always been there, but the numbers show the bias has a body count.
Statement:
Today we mark a heartbreaking first: New York City's first confirmed #COVID19 case.
To the countless New Yorkers who have lost loved ones, you are not alone in your grief. As a city, we mourn those we lost and together, we commit to collective care and well-being. [1/2]
Bloomberg ads create the image of an ally of teachers, champion of affordable housing & the working class.
Take it from someone who lived under, served with, fought against him— behind the curtain, the image begins to melt away.
My piece in @USATODAY:
"From the moment the President of Columbia—30 hours into a nonviolent protest of students on the lawn—called the NYPD in...that sent reverberations throughout the nation...They escalated every single point of the way."
The public advocate spoke to media about student arrests.
In New York City, we support our street vendors. Not hate.
The Public Advocate visited Q Halal Cart after vendors Sam and Mohamed experienced deplorable, Islamophobic harassment.
As we continue to monitor the situation, we urge New Yorkers to show up for our neighbors.
Last night from Brooklyn to Buffalo, we saw still more instances of New York law enforcement officers aggressively engaging with nonviolent protesters making their voices heard against over-policing.
I ask the Mayor, the Governor, have you finally seen what's happening?
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If the Mayor would rather have a legal battle with my office than a meaningful fight to redefine public safety, it's another instance of misplaced priorities for an admin that says we can't afford new nurses, teachers, counselors, but can only afford to hire more police.
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This is a shameful tactic, another desperate abuse of power by this administration to try and ignore laws it opposes.
Misusing a ‘state of emergency’ is dangerous, especially from a mayor who claims to care about public safety.
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Living with COVID doesn’t mean ignoring it. As cases are rising, the city must reinstate a color-coded COVID threat assessment system to better inform and guide people trying to protect themselves and their families amid an ongoing pandemic.