“Our nation, and New York, was built on the institution of chattel slavery. Its legacy continues to permeate our lives, furthering the racial, economic, and systemic inequities that impact Black New Yorkers. Institutional racism, discrimination, and detrimental policies that have persisted across multiple generations contribute to locking Black people out of equitable opportunities and a widening racial wealth gap, where white households have a median net worth 15 times higher than Black households.

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Today, GrowNYC received an anonymous donation to maintain their compost collection program through the end of Fiscal Year 2024, allowing GrowNYC to avoid layoffs for 65 compost employees. The program and employees were at risk as a result of budget cuts in the Mayor’s November Financial Plan. In response, Speaker Adrienne Adams, Council Member Sandy Nurse, Chair of the Committee on Sanitation and Solid Waste Management, and Council Member Justin Brannan, Chair of the Committee on Finance, issued the following statement:

“This morning, we learned that GrowNYC received an anonymous donation to keep their operations open through the current fiscal year.

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City Hall, NY – Today, Speaker Adams joined Mayor Eric Adams for the signing of her Fair Housing Framework legislation into law. The bill, sponsored by Speaker Adams, would require the City to establish targeted housing production goals for each Community District to ensure each New York City neighborhood plays an equitable role in addressing the city’s housing crisis, while accounting for unique community needs.

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City Hall, NY – Today, Speaker Adrienne Adams delivered opening remarks at the Council’s Committee on Finance oversight hearing on the Mayor’s November Financial Plan. Below are the Speaker’s full remarks as prepared for delivery.

Good morning. I’m New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams. Thank you for joining us today, and thank you to Finance Committee Chair Justin Brannan for chairing today’s oversight hearing on the Mayor’s Fiscal Year 2024 November Financial Plan.

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Despite expectation that City will experience very rare decline in tax revenue for FY ‘24, Council projection estimates $1.2B more revenue than Mayor’s budget office

City Hall, NY – Today, the New York City Council released its Economic and Tax Revenue Forecast for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 November Plan. While the national and local economies have continued to be resilient and stable, the Council projects the City to be entering a period of slower economic and tax revenue growth in the next two years due to inflation and higher interest rates aimed at its reduction that are slowing economic growth.

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In response to Governor Hochul signing S.214A/A.2105A into law, which removes the requirement that crime victims provide documentation from law enforcement to be eligible for victim compensation funds and expands the period of time for a victim to file a compensation claim, Speaker Adrienne Adams issued the following statement:

“Unaddressed trauma plays a harmful role in producing negative health and safety outcomes for communities, underscoring the need to ensure crime survivors are supported in their recovery and pursuit of healing.

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Today, Governor Hochul signed four bills into law that improve health care access for New Yorkers. S.1839A/A.2609A requires the Health Equity Council to create recommendations to promote Sickle Cell Disease screening and detection. S.1451/A.782 expands on models to address disparities in health care access. S.3609B/A.3113A enhances the scope of Health Equity Impact Assessments to include reproductive health services and maternal health care.

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Council also votes on measures to curb noise pollution and mechanism for tenants to report on vacant housing units

City Hall, NY – Today, the New York City Council voted to pass a comprehensive package of legislation related to how menstrual products are defined and provided throughout the city. These bills are a direct response to menstrual product stigmatization, the disproportionate burden of accessing menstrual products faced by women and people who menstruate living below the poverty line, and the existing failure of city agencies to provide women and people who menstruate with adequate supplies.

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In response to a report about a 19-year veteran of the Department of Corrections Investigation division submitting an intent to file a lawsuit against Commissioner Molina with allegations he violated federal court orders and city law, Speaker Adrienne Adams and Council Member Carlina Rivera released the following statement.

“The continued mismanagement of the jails on Rikers Island is undermining public safety in our city and the administration’s inability to keep staff and people detained safe is perpetuating a cycle of brutality and death.

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“Transparency, oversight, and accountability are critical when the City is spending billions of public dollars through emergency contracting. Comptroller Lander’s report revealing deficiencies in the Administration’s emergency contracting only underscores the need for the City to reduce its overreliance on this type of procurement and turn towards more sustainable solutions to meet the holistic needs of our communities and those seeking asylum.

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