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COMMUNITY OP-ED FEBRUARY 21, 2025 | The Indian Eye 12

As we fight for a better

future, our city remains strong and

continues to make progress

We currently have an all-time high number of jobs in our city after we broke the record for the

most jobs in New York City’s history for the eighth time over the course of our administration

And, finally, we requested continuing financial 80,000 new homes over the next 15 years across
support to manage the international asylum seeker every neighborhood throughout the five boroughs.
international crisis that has landed at our city’s front This is key to making New York City more afford-
door. Although our proactive measures have helped able and livable for working-class families.
reduce the number of asylum seekers in our care from But we know the cost of living across our city
a high of 69,000 in January 2024 to less than 47,000 is still too high. Working-class New Yorkers must
today, we have still spent more than $7 billion to care also be able to afford groceries, medicine, transpor-
for newcomers over just three fiscal years and antic- tation, and other necessities. Every penny counts
ipate spending billions more in the years to come. for our families. To help them, we have helped put
All our asks of Governor Hochul and the state more than $30 billion back into the pockets of work-
Legislature build on our administration’s track re- ing-class people.
cord of success. Last year, we celebrated back-to- Even as we fight for a better future, our city
back record-breaking years for producing and con- remains strong and continues to make progress.
necting New Yorkers with new, affordable homes. Crime is down, both on our streets and in the sub-

ERIC ADAMS We also passed our “City of Yes for Housing Op- ways. In 2024, homicides and shootings reduced for
portunity” plan — the most significant pro-housing the third consecutive year — and are both down
reform in our city’s history. Governor Hochul and double digits since we came into office. Moreover,
ince day one of our administration, our mis- the state’s support, combined with our generation- our January crime statistics are now out, and for the
sion has been to make New York City a safer,
Smore affordable city that is the best place to al zoning reforms, will lead to the creation of over second month in a row, overall crime in our city is
raise a family. Last week, our team and I visited Al-
bany to advocate for funding and legislation so that
we can continue to fulfill that mission and keep de-
livering for working-class New Yorkers.
We focused on four key areas. First, passing
our “Axe the Tax for the Working Class” legislation
to make life more affordable for working-class New
Yorkers. This plan eliminates or cuts city personal
income taxes for low-income New Yorkers at a mo-
ment when our state faces a historic affordability
crisis. We anticipate that “Axe the Tax” will generate
an average benefit of $350, putting a total of more
than $63 million back into the pockets of low-in-
come families — helping more than 582,000 New
Yorkers. Making New York City more affordable
for working-class families strengthens our city and
benefits us all.
Second, we called on Albany to pass the “Sup-
portive Interventions Act” to finally allow people
with severe mental illness to get the lasting support
they need. I have been very clear: our subways are
not a hospital and the days of ignoring people in
need are over. The Supportive Interventions Act
will help ensure people get the care they need until All our asks of Governor Hochul and the state Legislature build on our administration’s track record of success (File photo)
they are truly ready for discharge and receive “as-
sisted outpatient treatment” afterwards if they need down by double digits. came into office.
ongoing support. We also currently have an all-time high number Despite these wins, we recognize there is more
Third, we advocated for reforming laws so we of jobs in our city after we broke the record for the work to be done. We will continue to work with
can continue to protect defendants’ rights, while most jobs in New York City’s history for the eighth Governor Hochul and the state Legislature in the
improving the efficiency of our criminal justice sys- time over the course of our administration. And — fight to make New York a safer, more affordable
tem. We must do more to ensure repeat offenders this is important — unemployment has dropped in city, and the best place to live and raise a family for
are truly held accountable so that we can keep our all demographics, with Black and Hispanic unem- generations to come.
communities safe. ployment both down more than 20 percent since we Eric Adams is the Mayor of New York City, NY

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