Transcript: Mayor Adams Calls In For Live Interview With WBLS 107.5 FM’s “Caribbean Fever”

February 25, 2024

Dahved Levy: Sir, there are growing concerns about the use of fentanyl in the city and the increase in the number of deaths in the country. We also have the migrant and homeless crisis going on. How are you dealing with all these crises overlapping each other?

Mayor Eric Adams: You know, it was so important prior to becoming mayor I read a host of books about mayors and governors and presidents and had a lot of conversations with those who have run a city, and even my conversations with former Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Bill de Blasio, and just the mentorship of David Dinkins when he was mayor in my younger years.

They all stated that every mayor is going to go through crises. Every mayor is going to have those moments that's going to define them. Mayor Bloomberg had 9/11, Bill de Blasio had Covid. And so we all have them. The goal is, is to use your managerial skills and cycle out of that, and that's what we're seeing.

I inherited a city where crime was trending in the wrong direction, where businesses did not want to open here, where we were dealing with Covid, we were dealing with educational challenges. And look at where we are, Dahved, two years later, two years.

More private sector jobs in the history of the city. Crime is decreasing, homicide, shootings, five out of seven major crime categories, 4.1 million riders are back on our subway system. Again, bond raters that define the success of the city showed my stability and managerial skills and improved our bond rating from my first year in office to the second.

They just announced again that they believe we're doing an amazing job. And this is with 177,000 migrants and asylum seekers that we have to navigate and take care of. And so we are not surviving, we're thriving in the city.

Levy: Sir, you know, you said you said two years, two years, two years. You have been mayor now for two years. What is the one thing that you underestimated about being the mayor?

Mayor Adams: I did not come into the job underestimating the uncertainty of it, because remember, I policed during the eighties, and I knew that there's always twists and turns in the city, so when something happens you have to respond immediately. And that is where my skills have been developed and honed over the years, that, you know, when you are a police officer, as I was, when you started your day, Dahved, you didn't know what you were going to face.

You didn't know if you were going to face a robbery, a missing person, a homicide. And so I don't look and say, I don't expect something. What I've got to expect is that I must be prepared for whatever comes in front of me.

Levy: So there's a perception that New York City subway crime is rising. I saw during the week that they have installed special lights and you have added more cops. Do you think that this is enough to have an impact?

Mayor Adams: Yes, no, subway crime is rising. You don't solve a problem by ignoring the problem. We had a 20 percent increase in subway crime. Our Subway Safety Plan that allowed us to deploy a large number of police officers into the subway system, the funding ran out, we have to adjust.

But here's something that happens in policing in the subway system that many people don't realize. When, after Officer Wenjian Liu was shot and killed in Officer Ramos, we implemented a new method of policing where we had police officers doing dual patrol. That was never in the subway system before.

So, we basically cut our Police Department in half in the subway system because of this dual patrol for safety reasons. It was a smart thing to do. We knew officers were dealing with a lot of threats and a lot of violence.

So now we have to adjust and compensate for that. And so one of the things we've done, we've done 12 hour tours that allows more face-to-face relief, it allows officers to get a greater time that they're in the system.

And we're going to be introducing some new methods of having the precinct personnel also do inspections in the system, because we don't want to go backwards in the subway crime and we want to make sure we continue to make the city safe.

But Dahved, let's be clear on this. New York City is the safest big city in America. And those are the facts. That's not Eric saying it to just sell something. We're the safest big city in America, and that will continue to be.

Levy: Talking about subway, how is the war on rats going, and can you provide updates on the outdoor restaurant program? How long do you plan to allow outdoor restaurants to operate?

Mayor Adams: Well, first let's talk about my favorite topic, and those are those rats. [Laughter.]

You know, we all hate them, you know, and we have a whole of government approach that has helped drive down our rat sightings. After the Department of Sanitation, they instituted new curbside trash set out times, went into effect in April.

Rat sighting complaints are down seven percent citywide since May and down 20 percent in 2023 in rat mitigation zones. These are places that we have identified as real rodent problems. And so we are seeing with the rat czar and Commissioner Tisch, the commissioner of Department of Sanitation, we're seeing real results.

But part of that victory is getting trash bags off our streets. In the next few weeks, you're going to see 70 percent of our trash bags are going to be moving into going into bins. You already saw that the food service agents, companies have to put their trash in bags.

Chain stores have to put their trash in bins...I'm sorry in bins, chains stores have to put theirs in bins. You're going to see in the future homes from one to nine units are going to do the same. We're going to get 70 percent of our garbage in bins. And eventually with larger buildings we'll do the 100 percent.

No one thought this could be done. They thought it was going to take five years, we're doing it in less than two and a half years.

Levy: Wow.

Sir, one more thing before you go. It has been reported that the city is going to expand programs for students with autism. What are you going to do to make New York City a more autism-friendly state?

Mayor Adams: And we have to, because you know, I always use the theory that we have to have an upstream mindset and prevent our children from falling into the river then pull them out downstream. You know, studies have shown anywhere from 30 to 35 percent of our young people who are in jail are dyslexic, and other learning disabilities.

And that's the same when we look at autism support. We want to make sure the city is a city where we're autistic friendly and autism friendly, and so this administration, our public schools will meet the needs of our students, especially students with autism.

So, the DOE recently announced the completion of Reimagined Special Education. This is the first report created by their Special Education Advisory Council, and the goal is of the Special Education Advisory Council announcement in December '22, is that we had to first analyze the current state of special education in New York City and identify the gaps so that we can close those gaps and do the right programming.

So, beginning in school year '24 to '25, all students on the autism spectrum entering kindergarten in Districts 5, 12, and 14 will be offered seats in high demand, high outcome autism program close to their homes, which is important and connected to the communities because it's all about making sure we give these young people and families the support they need.

But now keep this in mind. This expansion we're talking about will add new autism focused programs serving 160 total students across the three districts, and these specific programs have demonstrated success, with 95 percent of autism Nest and Horizon Program participants ultimately graduating from high school.

So, this is so important to me. Children with special needs, we need to give them the special support that they deserve because the families deserve better.

Levy: Sir, I thank you very much for your time. I know you have been very busy tonight, but I'm very appreciative that you took time out to talk to the Caribbean audiences. You've got the last word, sir. Go ahead.

Mayor Adams: Always, Brother. Thank you so much, man. As I say, rockin' you, rockin' you. You've been doing it for so many years, combining music with good conversation.

And I just want to say to New Yorkers, listen, we are moving in the right direction. We have a lot to do, but when you look at two years two months into this administration, it is clear our style of management has given the bond raters the comfort they need and you're seeing this city is going to continue to be the safest, cleanest big city in America.

Levy: Two years.

Mayor Adams: Love you. Thank you so much.

Levy: Two years, two months, two minutes, two seconds.

Mayor, thank you very much. Mayor Adams, thank you very much. Have a good evening. Caribbean Fever 107.5 WBLS, Mayor Adams in the house.

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