Is it possible to overhaul the budget and get rid of Eric Adams at the same time?
A major progressive coalition goes full court press to get the mayor to quit — and to restore all the good stuff he slashed from the budget.
Clawing budget funds back for education, housing and mental health services, and riding Eric Adams out of office on a rail? Are we even allowed to dream such lofty dreams in 2025?
We can and we should, according to the progressive coalition behind The People’s Plan NYC, which, as they have for the past few years, went public yesterday with a series of proposals for the city budget’s next fiscal year, this time with a new demand attached: that Eric Adams either resign or be removed from office.
Following the resignation of four deputy mayors this week, “It feels like there are no grownups left in the administration,” People’s Plan spokesperson Zara Nasir told The Groove. “And obviously the collusion with Trump is a huge concern. It feels really scary to have a mayor who’s looking out for himself over the well-being of residents of the city.”
(As of press time, Adams insists he’s not going anywhere, and Gov. Kathy Hochul, who does in fact have the power to remove him from office, hasn’t publicly committed to anything one way or the other. If you’re wondering about what happens next if Adams does somehow leave office, The City’s got a full explainer for you here.)
The rally yesterday in front of the Tweed Building featured a broad coalition of progressives including Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, City Council Finance Chair Justin Brannan, Council Members including Chi Osse and Sandy Nurse, mayoral candidates Brad Lander and Jessica Ramos, and reps from organizations including the NYC DSA, Make the Road NY, NY Working Families Party, and the New York Immigrant Coalition.
“I think the Council and the public advocate are mostly on the same page,” Nasir said. “The problem is we’re facing a behemoth. We need more stability from City Hall; the news cycle and everyone’s time and attention is being so swallowed up by Eric’s corruption and scandals that we just have less time to do what needs to happen.”
The group’s demands total $750 million (a small fraction of the overall $115 billion city budget), and include putting hundreds of millions back into childcare and CUNY programs that have seen massive cuts in recent Adams-era budgets. Legal services and other services for immigrant New Yorkers are also a major priority in the budget package.
Dave Colon
The budget proposal also allocates $250 million toward public safety in the form of expanded mental health services (think expanding crisis care services and training more workers in that space) as well as safe haven housing to provide 4,000 beds over five years for unsheltered New Yorkers with substance or mental health challenges.
“There’s a mental health infrastructure that the Progressive Caucus and our folks are working together and trying to fight for, and it’s a big concern for many New Yorkers,” Nasir said. “It requires longer-term investment in various solutions.”
One way or another, a budget must be passed by June 30, though Nasir said, “I don’t know, frankly, given the leadership vacuum in the city and the mayor’s compromised agenda, how that’s supposed to get done.”
Between now and then, the City Council and the mayor negotiate over his preliminary budget — which was released last month — meaning now’s a prime time to get your local Council member’s office on the horn (find yours here) and let them know where their constituents’ priorities lie.
Regardless, Nasir added, “We’re going to try to use all the tools in our toolbox to make sure we’re protecting and defending New Yorkers from budget cuts, and also from Eric Adams and also from Donald Trump.”
Comments ()