Transcript: Mayor Adams Mayor Adams, NYCEDC, Councilmember Hanks Double Down on Support for Staten Island's North Shore with New Action Plan

September 14, 2023

Andrew Kimball, President, NYC Economic Development Corporation: Good morning, everybody. Good morning! It's beautiful. My name's Andrew Kimball. I'm president and CEO of the city's Economic Development Corporation, and it is truly an honor to be here today with so many community leaders, elected officials to really announce a new day in terms of how we approach the North Shore its development and its future.

It's great to be standing here talking about this neighborhood and this borough and finally delivering on promises made over many, many years. We're joined...yes.

We're joined here today by the mayor; Deputy Mayor Torres-Springer, Borough President Fossella, Council Member Hanks, State Senator Scarcella-Spanton, I think Assemblyman Fall. And we're really delighted to be here and be delivering for the community on this action plan.

Mayor Adams made a commitment earlier this year to bring a renewed focus to the rejuvenation of this area. The collective hard work and dedication of this formidable group standing here today has led to where we are with announcing this action plan and new vision. And we feel it's exactly what this plan does: investing in our public ground, creating more waterfront access, providing the backdrop to help spur enormous economic growth and development, creating thousands of units of new housing at a time when our city so desperately needs it, delivering for the North Shore what's happened on the Brooklyn waterfront, what's happened on the west side of Manhattan, beautiful green space invested in by the public sector that generates private investment alongside it.

This plan will prioritize local job placement and career pathway opportunities and bring over a million square feet of new commercial space to the North Shore while continuing to build off the ongoing work this administration is doing prioritizing the community. This plan was not done in a vacuum. It truly demonstrates the power of working across city agencies. One of the things I love about this mayor is sets the tone of collaboration and discipline and getting it done. And I specifically want to thank the Department of City Planning. Chairman Garodnick is here today, a great partner on so many economic development projects across the city. 

The city's Department of Transportation, the Parks Department, HPD, the School Construction Authority, and working closely with a Council member who is a true leader and understands our constituents and directly responds to the community who has long felt, that's right, who has felt a lack of prioritization and attention that it deserves. That changes today. NYCEDC is excited to see this action plan come to fruition and see the North Shore finally reflect the vibrant community that it is.

And now it's my pleasure to introduce the Get Stuff Done Mayor, Eric Adams.

Mayor Eric Adams: Thanks so much, Andrew, and just really the team from the borough president to the amazing councilwoman. We're joined by the Senator and the Assemblyman. You know, that's one thing about Staten Island, of, you know, even once the races are over they come together as a team.

They realize for so long Staten Island has been just denied and ignored. And you know, they had the title of being the forgotten borough. Well, I have made it clear on all my visits here, you are not forgotten in this administration. You are very much part of the five boroughs of New York City, and this is...

...This is an administration that's focused on the outer boroughs, the outer boroughs. You know, with a heart and soul that feed the prosperity of this city. Councilwoman, you, we came out, we walked up and down the block and you called me and told me to come take a tour. And just look at this beautiful waterfront. Who wouldn't want to live there? All these beautiful places that are coming up. Right by the ferry. You could walk down the block. This is an amazing, amazing borough. It was, I think that your success is going to, really everybody's going discover this, Vito, you know, how amazing this borough is.

City Council Member Kamillah Hanks: You already know.

Mayor Adams: Right, and just come and move here. And so this is so important to us, and DM Torres-Springer, as we just focus on these major projects of how do we continue to build. We have an inventory problem, and our team is just really focused on how do we build more, how do we really explore these beautiful waterfronts. And that's Andrew and Dan and the entire team is attempting to do.

And so as a five borough mayor, we want to have five borough projects and initiatives, and we have some really exciting things that are in the pipeline as we move forward. This city, in order for it to prosper and remain economically resilient into the 21st century, we must invest in growing downtowns and create new job hubs that are accessible to all New Yorkers no matter where you live.

And that's why today we are just really, really proud. This is probably one of the significant moments in administration, to launch the Staten Island Action Plan. And it is a beautiful a plan. A whole lot of pictures and you know, some… So, look through it and you can get an idea of where we're going and what we're planning on doing. And a real vision, last year I walked this waterfront with the councilwoman and we talked about this, and she laid it out. She was bold about it. You know, all of the barriers historically that have gotten in the way of just developing this waterfront. And you had so many promises as Staten Islanders about getting this done, and over and over again you heard it, it never happened.

Well, we're going to make it happen. And we said this over and over I don't know how many times with the communities with deputy mayor and told you, these projects have laid on the sideline on the shelf for so long, and we're just going to move them through and get them done.

And when you're dig in the weeds and find out why it couldn't happen, no one had an answer. You know, everyone was just, you know, just saying things, and we were like, that's not making any sense. And so, you know, we have to move away from just looking at dollars and cents and just focus on common sense. This is a common sense administration, and that is why we're able to put shovels in the grounds and get projects done. Once in a generation investment of approximately $400 million.

It's going to bring homes, a school, jobs, open space, waterfront access an flood resiliency to Staten Island. And it is the result of a lengthy community engagement of the team that's here, your electeds, really brought the community to the table. That's very important to us to have community input. And this is just part of our Working People's Agenda. The city can't be so expensive that people who provide the services can't afford to live here, we have to have a working people agenda that falls in line with all of you who are smiling, with… We settled the long 13 year run of the Staten Island Ferry contract.

No one thought it was going to be done. Administration after administration, finally we've got a working class mayor that was able to give a working class contract to add with the over 80 percent of the contracts we settled with 95, 96, 97 percent ratification rates for the union members who are there. So, I'm a union mayor, and we were able to settle that long 13 year contract with the Staten Island Ferry.

And this project is going to bring more homes, schools and open space to the people of Staten Island and creating a vibrant, mixed-use waterfront community. The project is equitable, it also has environmental benefits; and in the long run, these equitable projects are not only important and the right thing to do but they make good economic sense. The Staten Island Action Plan will create 7,500 family-sustaining jobs, good jobs, and generate an economic impact of $3.8 billion and will create 2,400 new homes on city owned land, thousands of additional homes on private sites. A new public school… Even this bee wants to live out here now.

A new public school, 600 K-8 school seats and 1.3 million square feet of new commercial space. It would give local residents 20 acres of continuous waterfront public access. Think about that. And no date is cheaper than being able to go out and walk along the waterfront, so...

You know, this is economic sense, you know that? Including a two mile waterfront esplanade stretching from Stapleton to St. George. So, construction is to resume in the fall, will include a plan to redevelop and we reopen Pier 1.

Everything from good views to sight, a place to enjoy the breeze, fishing. You know, sometimes we don't look at what's beyond the layers. You know, how many of us grew up with family members, you just sit down and just fish with and just use the waterfront and just engage in conversation, something that is just missed.

So, there's a lot of the layers to this that we don't even realize how it's just going to change the quality of life and interaction with each other, and it just draws on so much that we need to do to start the process not only of rebuilding buildings but rebuilding families and communities and communications and interactions. And we will reimagine the Bank Street site, home of the former New York Wheel with year round programming and activities.

We're going to also restore public access at the St. George Esplanade, further enhancing the waterfront experience. Now the residents of the North Shore will be able to find jobs close to where they live, send their children to schools in their community, enjoy the waterfront and just really appreciate this entire redevelopment.

We've heard all the time how important is equity aspect of this, projects like New Stapleton Waterfront and Tompkinsville Esplanade will aim for a minimum of 30 percent minority and women owned and disadvantaged businesses. It will also prioritize local hiring and job access as well as the process of getting it built and finished.

One of the lessons that we learned during Covid is that our city has changed. People are working closer to home. We must have a real plan to address that and face that, and that is what we're doing. This is a great project, great partnership. All of our electeds, they should be proud of themselves. Every level of government, city, state and borough wide government, they all have come together to say let's do this for Staten Island.

And I'm really excited about this. This is a legacy project that we all could be proud of. An to those Staten Islanders who are here who decided to stay, remain through storms, uncertainty, threats of strikes, you know, this is for you. And we are happy to be there for. I promised you during the campaign I was going to be your mayor, and we want to live up to that every day. Congratulations to you.

Kimball: Thank you, mayor. And as has been said, this project does not happen without the leadership of an amazing councilmember. And one of the great things for us at EDC, and I just want everybody on the EDC team to raise their hand. We've got a tremendous group that's so committed to this borough.

And to be able to have a meeting after meeting with Council Member Hanks and other members of the community but particularly with Council Member Hanks who so deeply understands how economic development works, the importance of putting pressure on us, the importance of having smart planning, the importance of having mixed incomes, the importance of leveraging public investment with private investment has been a true pleasure. So, with that, let me introduce Councilmember Hanks.

Council Member Hanks: Good morning. This feels like a mixture of your wedding day and getting an Academy Award. 

So, good morning everyone. I am Council Member Kamillah Hanks and I'm so excited to be here today. Before I go into and talk about much of the things that had been spoken about previously, and I'm just so happy that, you know, our Mayor is here, we have the Commissioner Kimball. But I just want to thank my staff, Ms. Marci Bishop, my Chief of Staff. I want to thank Paul Casali, my chief adviser. And [inaudible]... Because they've suffered enough.

And you know, I grew up here. You know, I finished with my father    who's no longer here    on this pier. My brother would drag me to Cromwell Center because I was the youngest of four by 12 years, and he would drag me here to play basketball with his friends, and that's no longer here. The things that I love and grew up experiencing in this most incredible borough in New York City were not here. And you know, this moment is 20 years in the making. It seems like an overnight success and everybody is thankful that I was so focused, but this is a culmination of plans that you could have wallpapered my kitchen with.

Everybody knew what was wrong. But as the mayor said, we've got a perfect storm now. We have a councilmember, we have a New York State senator, we have an assemblyman; and most importantly, we have a borough president that we all work together… Because there's no Republicans or Democrats, there's only Staten Islanders. It doesn't matter.

So, I would like to thank my colleagues; and again, thank Mayor Eric Adams, Deputy Mayor Maria Torres Springer, New York City EDC President CEO Andrew Kimball, Borough President Fossella, New York State Senator Scarcella-Spanton and Assemblyman Charles Fall.

I welcome the community stakeholders who are here today. Community Board 1 District Manager Joan Cusack, St. George Civic Association President Ms. Eileen Harrington, Van Duzer Street Civic Association President [Peter Leesy], Dana Walker- Boyd, president of Staten Island Community Alliance Corp, and Ms. 
​Jaclyn Tacoronte, founder of New York City Digital Media Center. So, I know that there are a lot of folks out there that, I'm looking at the sea of faces that have contributed to this and to you all. I am grateful. This is a great day for Staten island's North Shore and it has been a long time coming.

From day one, our office hit the ground running putting the pieces together, and that meant assessing the damage, identifying the key players; and ultimately, advocating for what I knew and what we knew this community wanted, and that is an accessible, walkable, connected waterfront. You can clap now. And the reason that is, is because it's so simple but yet so elusive. For many years, the residents of the North Shore had been subjected to failed projects and broken promises. With the implementation of this action plan we will finally have a roadmap to build a vibrant waterfront for Staten Islanders to enjoy.

We deserve a publicly accessible waterfront that balances commerce, industry and housing for all income levels; and of course, recreation. Now we have an action plan that represents a framework that reflects what this community has been demanding for decades. The goal is to finally have a waterfront that is comparable to others across the city; and quite frankly, the country.

Last year I led a contingency of city commissioners on a tour of the waterfront and they saw the underutilized potential. You have to give a shout out to Mr. Dan Garodnick, commissioner of the Department of City Planning. He's behind me but he is definitely walking with me. That walk-through was a catalyst to creating the plan we are introducing today. As the mayor said, this is a $426 million plan that represents a huge public investment in the North Shore. The plan encompasses 20 acres of open space, over 2,000 housing options for all income levels. 1.4 million square feet of space, commercial space, 3.8 billion in potential economic impact and the creation of at least 7,500 jobs. Now, the mayor said that already, but we're going to say it again, because that is huge, everyone. That is huge.

So, I'd like to take a moment to just highlight some of the key areas captured in the North Shore Action Plan. This development will focus from St. George to Stapleton when fully completed in 2027. It will offer two miles of continuous, publicly accessible open space. The city's generational investment of 426 million on the North Shore will have a welcoming and a transformative impact, creating high quality open spaces, restoring neighborhood connections and providing safe and accessible biking infrastructure and a plan that will focus on developing and connecting the highlights of the waterfront including the Stapleton Waterfront esplanade, Pier 1, Bank Street and everything in between.

To ensure inclusive growth, the NYCEDC is committed to supporting contracting of minority and women owned businesses. Additionally, EDC will collaborate closely with local and government partners as well as trusted training and workforce development organizations to prioritize, which is very important, local hiring and to provide career pathways for community members.

The growth potential on the North Shore of Staten Island is substantial, and this action plan aims to catalyze further the development by making significant public investments over the next two years. Our vision is to realize the long awaited — this is great — bridge to bridge concept, allowing residents and visitors to walk and bike along the shoreline from Bayonne to the Verrazano Bridge.

It's time to take our waterfront back, and I'm incredibly excited for the opportunities that lie ahead for my district in the North Shore. The development of the waterfront is not only to create economic prosperity but to enhance the quality of life for our residents, visitors and businesses alike. Again I appreciate the continued support and partnership for Mayor Adams and NYCEDC as we continue to make sure that we make this vision a reality. Thank you.

Kimball: Thank you, Council Member Hanks. 25 years ago in a different life for me I spent a lot of time on Staten Island helping to rebuild public libraries, and I got to know then Councilmember Fosella, and the arc through his career of public service has been about accountability, getting stuff done, being practical and being a collaborator. And it's...we're very lucky to have him now as borough president here to be partnered with the councilmember and the private sector to get it done. So, Borough President Fosella.

Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella: Thank you. Thank you very much, Andrew. Very kind of you to say.

You know, we can say all we want, but just look at this. I mean, just take a look. This is not only one of the best views in all of New York City, but I dare say one of the best views in the world. And that's I think the perspective we should look at it from.

And at the outset I want to thank Andrew and Dan and their teams, and I want to pay special tribute to the lady to my left, that's Council Member Hanks, for never, ever stopping from being a great advocate for this area. And isn't it wonderful to know that your vision is now going to come to...

Council Member Hanks: Yes.

Borough President Fossella: And the two words there is action plan. It's one thing to have a plan, but the important thing that we have to start doing right now is to provide the action. And as been said, there have been a lot of broken promises over the years that have resulted in these crumbling piers behind you not to mention Cromwell Center that I as a kid used to go and play basketball, and now that's in the water.

So, this is the moment when we can all come together, and I thank all the civic leaders and the community board members for never giving up for the residents and [inaudible] and Bay Street Landing and all the North Shore communities for never giving up and to stand tall and to have hope and to be here today, because this is the first day of the new chapter for the North Shore of Staten Island; and frankly, New York City.

For those of us from Staten Island, drive around the city years ago we'd see the Brooklyn waterfront and we'd see the transformation there by the Brooklyn Bridge, and we're like, wow, that's pretty cool. Why can't we get that? Then you see transformations up in Queens and the Bronx and Manhattan. As we stand here today, you're seeing the transformed FDR Drive, billions of dollars transforming the Lower East Side of Manhattan. And you sort of say, wow, look at that. Well, today is our wow moment. Today is the beginning of the wow moment.

And it has been a delight to work with Councilmember Hanks, Assemblyman Fall, State Senator Scarcella-Spanton, because as has been mentioned, we share one view, that's just to do the right thing for the people of Staten Island. We could not have a better relationship, a working, collaborative relationship with Andrew Kimball and the chair of City Planning, Dan, thank you very much.

And we don't do it along with your agencies, public safety is important here, as we know, so we thank the NYPD for what they do every day. You have two great commissioners here on Staten Island, Roseann Caruana, Linda [inaudible], because they're going to be part of this effort.

You know, the mayor is wearing a Jets hat. Who likes that idea? Who doesn't like that idea?

But for those who watched the other night — and our best wishes go out to Aaron Rodgers for that terrible situation — but for those who were watching the game the other night, especially if you're a Jets fan, you had this probably sinking feeling among other things is, that's the Jets, right? To, oh, my God, this game is over, the season's over.

Guess what happened? They played together as a team and they didn't give up. And they didn't give up, and they didn't give up and they didn't give up. Even at the very last second saying, this is it, game's over, they won.

So, we're winning today because they wouldn't give up. And as those things took place over the years in other boroughs, in other communities I mentioned on the waterfront we're here today really because of one person. That's the man to my right. He's the guy who when we started talking about this year a year and a half ago, he said, we're going to do whatever we can. We're going to be with you. we're going to ride...and I've been, as Andrew mentioned, I've been around a little bit. So I'm like, yeah, I don't know about this.

But I have come to appreciate and respect Mayor Eric Adams for being a man of his word and to following through on his promises; and today, he kept his promise, he kept his commitment. We thank you, Mayor Adams.

Mayor Adams: We'll do a few on topic and do a couple off topic.

Question: What do you hope to see in the site of the would-be New York, the wheel, the ferris wheel, the project that was abandoned?

Kimball: Sure. Well, I think one of the things that this mayor has shown, this administration, is that when a project hasn't worked we're not afraid to pull the Band-Aid off and get it right. And that's what we did with that project by de designating the previous selected developer that could not deliver.

So, we're going to put it back out for competitive process in late November. But the same vision of activation, of recreation, of entertainment, of drawing people to the waterfront remains at the core of what we'd like to see there. We've worked very closely with Dan and his colleagues at city planning to make sure that we have the proper zoning to do that.

And we are very hopeful that particularly given now this comprehensive action plan where the private sector can see the public sector is acting. It's creating that green ribbon along the waterfront. It's creating rationalization between the former wheel site, the empire site, the ferry landing, Pier 1, Tompkinsville, Stapleton. It's all part of one effort. And that if they invest in the wheel site there will be a return in part because we're investing alongside them.

Question: Hi, Mr. Mayor.

Mayor Adams: What's happening?

Question: Could you clarify, I don't think… Housing's not a part of this plan but you feel like the infrastructure investments you're making will make the housing more attractive. Is that right?

Kimball: Housing is very much part of the plan. And you know, this is a very detailed, comprehensive booklet, so I really encourage you to look at. It's got numbers, it's got timeline, it's got renderings. Part of it is unlocking private investment, so as an example, the lighthouse building there have been stalled for a long time, we got that restarted last year. It was a little bit bumpy, but we did it, and now it's getting done.

When you go look to the south at the Stapleton site, there's going to be hundreds of new units of mixed income housing. We're going to have an RFP out for that in late November, and we're taking action in October by breaking ground on all the public ground so when people respond to that RFP, the private sector, they know the public sector's going to deliver the public ground around it.

And then there are a number of up land sites, a number of sites that HPD is moving on — Housing Preservation and Development — that are up land. There have been three rezonings in Staten Island over the last 10 years that have not delivered on the hopeful promise of them, in part because the private sector didn't fully respond. We think with this 20 acres of green space the private sector will respond, and that's why we're confident of a lot of housing and new commercial space getting built.

Mayor Adams: And the term is if you build it they will come, we believe that if they come, they'll build it. And when people come down here to see how beautiful the waterfront is, builders are going to realize that people are coming here and they're going to build.

So, it's a combination of the housing that's planned as well as what we know this is an exciting waterfront. And too many people have not come over and they noticed that, like I said, look at these beautiful buildings that are here now, and to get this project started again is just a real W.

And I think something that Anderw said that really resonates with me: this administration, we're not afraid to say, hey, this is not working, let's do it again. You know, people are embarrassed when something you propose is not moving the way you want it to, we don't have a problem with that. You know, criticizes us, critique us. We're perfectly imperfect, but you know what? We're dedicated and we're going to get this stuff done.

Question: Can you elaborate on the [inaudible.]

Mayor Adams: I didn't hear it.

Question: Can you elaborate on the flood resiliency plan?

Kimball: I mean, obviously, part of creating this green ribbon of 20 acres from Stapleton all the way up to the wheel site is not just about the parkland up land, it's not just about bikes and pedestrians, it's not just about integrating fully with the working waterfront, which we are doing, but it's also creating a resilient waterfront that builds, with the expectation that sea level is rising, that there are storm surges.

And that's one of the great things that our EDC capital team brings to the table working with our partners, again, at DEP and DOT and parks, to make sure that we create a waterfront that is resilient for the next 100 years.

Mayor Adams: Thanks. We'll do a couple of off topics. Good job. Good job.

Question: Hi, Mr. Mayor. I wanted to get your reaction to the indictment released by the Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg yesterday, just, what was your initial reaction when you learned about the charges and you yourself are mentioned as meeting with some of the defendants. I was curious if you could tell us how much you knew about the requests they had from city government and the actions, you know, that your former buildings commissioner…

Mayor Adams: Well, it is really challenging to, you know, a person like me that's all over the place. I mean, I'm in so many meetings, conversations, visits, you know, something could happen here and somebody could say, you know, hey, Eric was on the waterfront also.

The reality is that our… My administration did nothing wrong. The administration wasn't accused of doing anything wrong. The DA did his investigation and we're going to allow that investigation to take place. And you know, I traditionally don't go into private conversations, but I will say this. I was not communicated with from the DA's office on this.

And so it's going to take its course. Everyone is held to a high standard. I think when Brendan McGuire left he clearly shows that I was the first mayor that has ever had former prosecutors as their chief counsel, and I do that for a reason, because we must be held to a high standard. And whomever does not follow that, there are entities that will make the determination.

Question: There was a rally of faith leaders recently and they were sort of the latest people to voice this notion that the administration isn't working well with others on the migrant crisis. Do you think that's a fair critique?

Mayor Adams: Well, we cannot be selective in determining the rallies that faith leaders have, because there was another rally of a larger group of faith leaders that are stating that it is ridiculous to say Eric Adams anti immigrant. My administration is reflective of probably the most diverse group of first time, first generation. It's ridiculous to state that Eric and his team has not been on the forefront heading this and the coordination with over 100 different organizations.

We've had a number of meetings with hundreds of faith leaders that have come together, everything from trying to house migrant asylum seekers in their churches. So, you know, in a city like this, we're 8.3 million people, you're going to have to 35 million different opinions. That's the reality, you know, who are we kidding ourselves?

You know, I think it is an embarrassment and is an insult to the hardworking New Yorkers in government and New Yorkers, New York City taxpayers and civil servants have carried the burden of a global issue on our backs alone for the most part. And we've done it all hours of the night.

Unlike other municipalities, people not sleeping on the streets in encampments. We fed, we clothed, we housed. We showed the level of dignity and respect to migrant and asylum seekers like nowhere else.

And so those who are now sitting in the bleachers calling out of what we could have done better, roll up your sleeves. No one is stopping you from participating. And so I just, I'm not going to accept people insulting the civil servants who have stood up and stepped up.

And it is wrong for anyone on any level of government to say this city, New York City, the people in this city and the workers is this city, that we have not done more than anyone else for 110,000 people that have showed up on our own doorsteps, 10,000 come in every month, and we have continued to respond to that.

New York City and the residents here should be applauded for what we have done. We have taken up the national crisis on our own, and we've done a darn good job. So, the naysayers that every day they wake up and they look through the papers and say, okay, what can we criticize everything about, you know, it's the same people. When are we going to discover that? It's the same people that no matter what I do.

Well, you know, Eric wore that blue tie, let's criticizing and rally against that. Let's stop! We're in a crisis. And if people want to help, reach out to the team and say, how can we help. You don't have to have a press conference and say we want to help, just come and help, because we need a lot of help.

Question: Hi, Mr. Mayor. Governor Kathy Hochul is proposing creating a state level work permit for migrants. So, just, it's still under a proposal right now and they're working out language, but just trying to get your reaction on that. And two, just trying to see a little bit more about the budget cuts. I know the FDNY and NYPD union are expressing some concern about cutting overtime.

Mayor Adams: Whatever creative ideas that we could come up with, I commend Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar who's also putting together proposals. Whatever we need to do to take some of the pressure off of our city, we welcome.

And so what the state lawmakers do, we want to welcome that. We have the senator and assemblyman here. We're asking for help. You know, we need help. And so whatever proposals they do that could assist us in what we have been calling for, let them work. People should work.

The precursor to sleep that allows you to experience the American dream is the right to work. It is...nothing is more anti American than not being work. All of our ancestors arrived here, and the reason they were able to move from the state of being dependent to independent is because they were able to work.

Some of the jobs weren't the best jobs, but it was a step towards independence. People want to dignity of being independent. How could we not allow people to work? And so if they have a way to do it, I welcome that one hundred percent.

The second issue you were raising was...

Question: Budget cuts.

Mayor Adams: Budget cuts. We spent, this is like the...this is like simple math. We spent $2 billion. All of us who are homeowners know you budget yourself for the year to pay your rent, your gas, your lights, feeding your children, school payments. You budget yourself. That's the fixed dollar amount.

If your roof caves in, you have to find that money from somewhere. It's going to come from maybe letting your lights shut off, maybe not having heat in the winter, maybe cutting back on the basic needs you have. Our roof caved in. I have to find that money somewhere.

We have a November plan. The law requires me to balance my budget every two years. In November, I have to readjust. We spent $2 billion. We have another 3 billion we're going to spend. That's $5 billion. So, I have to look at where I might get it from.

You know what's interesting? We have all these mathematical geniuses saying, well, you have $106 billion. No, it's not. We have about $30 billion. The bulk of that $106 billion are fixed costs that there's nothing we can do about it. So, so we have $30 billion that we have to find $5 billion from; and then, in the next cycles we have to find $12 billion.

And like the comptroller of the City of New York is supposed to be protecting our budgeting and he's running around saying, well, there's no problem. He's in contrast to the reality that's on the ground. He should not be so desirous of trying to be mayor, he needs to be comptroller right now.

And why is he the only city wide elected that has not gone to Washington, D.C. and said, let's stop doing this for New York City. That's the problem. I really need New Yorkers to understand: we've got a $5 billion deficit that we have to take out of the household of New York City. It's unacceptable.

So, it's going to hurt. It's going to hurt a lot. It's not going to only hurt from what's happening, it's going to hurt because we are moving at such a good rate in the city. We're doing some unprecedented things. We have been investing in our young people and our families and our housing, and now all of this is going to come at the people of the City of New York. We went through enough through Covid, we're coming back and we should not be burdened with this.

I don't want to do these efficiencies, but the reality is the law requires me to balance my books. And I need every, all of my leaders to be part of this on difficult times we have.

Question: Mr. Mayor, your administration said yesterday...

Mayor Adams: I'm sorry, who?

Question: Your administration said yesterday that the deputy mayor was talking about a detailed census of the asylum seekers that you currently have in your care in looking at work papers specifically.

So, over the last 18 months, has your administration not been properly tracking the migrant papers, are the work papers and all of that process going forward which has been a criticism from the state and the feds which has led to, they said, leading to delays in getting these work visas.

Mayor Adams: Okay, so let me understand you right, because I may not fully understand your question. People are critiquing how we managed the work papers, and the people who are critiquing them are seeing thousands upon thousands of people come into our country and end up in New York City.

And so a crisis that is created nationally we're looking at a local city to solve it. Is that what you're trying to say to me? And then they're looking at the fact that the men and women who are who are supposed to be taking care of the everyday needs of New Yorkers are now being pulled out of their assignments, having dual roles of processing paperwork, building from ground up the infrastructure to go through a lengthy federal process    each application sometimes takes four hours to do    and a long waitlist where people who actually filled them out are not being handled because we don't have enough judges doing it.

And so the crisis that was created, now we're looking at the individual who's trying to fix the crisis and say, you're not doing a good enough job.