NYC grapples with budget challenges amidst growing asylum seeker influx

In a candid Tuesday briefing held on November 21, 2023, at City Hall in New York, Mayor Eric Adams revealed the intricacies behind the city’s November budget update. Acknowledging the complexities faced by the administration, the mayor expressed gratitude for the platform that the weekly briefings provide.

“Last week, I think we did Wednesday because we get to hear the full scope and not just the sound bites and not just the sentences. We are getting to hear directly from you and to see your team and hear what they’re doing,” said Mayor Adams, thanking Deputy Mayor Fabien Levy for the initiative.

The mayor highlighted the hurdles faced in settling union contracts, noting the prolonged wait for agreements, especially among ferry boat workers and operators, who endured a 13-year wait. He emphasized the need to provide fair salaries to over 300,000 union employees to ensure they can afford to live in the city they serve.

Adams expressed frustration over the impact of COVID-19 on the city’s finances, stating, “And then when you looked at the sunsetting of Covid, a lot of people didn’t realize that money was not permanent. It was sunsetting, and there was too much that was put into permanent policies in money that was not permanent.”

The mayor also addressed the burden of asylum seekers, criticizing the defunding of New York City by the national government and stressing the ongoing influx of thousands each week. “I’m going to support working people. I’m going to make sure that our city continues to be safe, and I’m going to make sure that we continue to attract businesses here so that we can continue to make sure our economy is strong,” Mayor Adams declared.

In the face of public anger over budget cuts, Adams conveyed his own frustration, saying, “New Yorkers, I want you to know I’m angry also. I am angry that instead of doing a budget that I want, a budget that pours into services for our seniors, cleaning our streets, continue to build housing, putting support into our young people, we have to move in another direction.”