“I’m shocked and utterly devastated by the sudden passing of former Council Member Paul Vallone. Paul was a beloved colleague and a well-respected leader in Queens. I have many fond memories of our time serving together in the Council from 2017 to 2021. A dedicated public servant, Paul continued to give back to our city as the Deputy Commissioner of the New York City Department of Veterans Services.
…
“We should all be united in advancing our city by recognizing the harmful legacies of injustice that undermine the health and safety of our city and its neighborhoods. The Council has no interest in prolonging a conversation that has been made unnecessarily toxic by the spreading of fear and misinformation, and we plan to override the mayor’s recent vetoes on Tuesday.
…
“New Yorkers deserve an economy and a city government that works for everyone. While we have made progress in recovering from the pandemic, there remains significant work to confront the longstanding inequities that continue in our communities with an unequal recovery. Mayor Adams’ proposals to reopen access to NYCHA Section 8 vouchers, build more housing, advance opportunities for women, and solutions to make our streets safer are important, and the Council looks forward to working collaboratively on these critical issues.
…
“Today marks 51 years since the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling that guaranteed the federally protected right to safe and legal abortion. The decades-long ability to make our own reproductive health choices is an essential human right of self-determination. Since that right was stripped from Americans in 2022, we have seen the harm it has caused for women and birthing people.
…
In response to misleading comments made by Mayor Adams and officials from his administration about Introduction 586-A to increase transparency on police investigative stops and Introduction 549-A to ban solitary confinement, the Council released the following statement attributable to spokesperson Rendy Desamours:
“Yesterday, another New Yorker died on Rikers, marking the second death in the city’s jails in the last three weeks.
…
“Solitary confinement, by any name, has been proven to cause physical, psychological, and emotional harm, and its use has contributed to continued violence and deaths on Rikers Island. The Council passed Intro. 549-A to ban solitary confinement with more than a veto-proof majority because it is imperative to make the city’s jails safer for those who are detained and staff alike.
…
In response to Mayor Adams vetoing Int. 586 of the How Many Stops Act that would require public reporting of basic data on investigative police stops, Speaker Adrienne Adams and Public Safety Chair Yusef Salaam released the following joint statement.
“It is deeply disappointing that the Mayor is sending the message that Black and Latino communities do not deserve transparency regarding interruptions to their daily lives from investigative police stops.
…
City Hall, NY – Today, New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and members of the Council’s Black, Latino and Asian Caucus (BLAC) held a press conference to celebrate legislation passed during the 2022-2023 session that support Black New Yorkers and other communities of color. The bills, which focus on housing, public health, equitable opportunity, and public safety, have helped expand community-based mental health programs, remove barriers to city housing vouchers, require greater police transparency to increase trust towards improving public safety, banned the use of solitary confinement, established a program to provide doula services and other efforts that confront maternal health disparities, and more.
…
City Hall, NY – Today, the New York City Council voted for its leadership and committee assignments.
“I am proud of the City Council’s Leadership and committee assignments. We continue our legacy as the most diverse Council in New York City history, and each member’s diverse experiences and expertise will shape the priorities that are truly reflective of what our communities need,” said Speaker Adrienne Adams.
…
“While we are pleased about relief for some programs and will continue to review the Mayor’s Preliminary Budget for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25), it is critical to underscore the need for a better approach to budgeting that is based on a more accurate and shared set of facts. Budgets and the numbers that determine them have significant implications on the lives of all New Yorkers, including the hardworking public servants in our city agencies.
…
