Mayor Adams loses emergency migrant access
NYC Comptroller Brad Lander took away the mayor’s emergency migrant contracting powers. Morgan McKay reports.
NEW YORK – New York City Comptroller Brad Lander says that his office has stripped Mayor Eric Adams’ emergency powers that allow him to make deals with contractors for migrant services without prior approval.
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The mayor’s administration says this is going to cause significant delays. (Photo by Luiz C. Ribeiro for NY Daily News via Getty Images)
“There’s just too many holes in the way that city hall was using that blanket permission,” Comptroller Lander said.
Lander pointed to a series of missteps – saying that the mayor’s office failed to report subcontractors in certain cases and at times was late in submitting contracts.
Lander pointed to a series of missteps – saying that the mayor’s office failed to report subcontractors in certain cases and at times was late in submitting contracts.. (Photo by Theodore Parisienne for NY Daily News via Getty Images)
“The $432 million DocGo contract, subcontractors that don’t have the appropriate licenses for their security firms, in some cases, paying hotels way above what we’re paying others,” Lander explained. “That blanket approval that’s been letting them do whatever they want is not in the best interest of New Yorkers.”
How it worked before this, was under the mayor’s emergency powers, his administration could make a deal with an outside contractor for things such as laundry services for migrants or to rent a small to medium-sized hotel to house migrants.
After that, the contract would get sent to the comptroller’s office for final approval.
Adams is also now headed to DC on Thursday to meet with officials about the migrant crisis. (Photo by Luiz C. Ribeiro for NY Daily News via Getty Images)
However now with this clawback, this contract will first have to go to Lander’s office for approval before the mayor’s office can act.
The mayor’s administration says this is going to cause significant delays.
“This is an emergency that requires emergency spending,” Deputy Mayor of Communications Fabien Levy said. “We don’t know how many migrants Texas will send or whoever else.”
More than 3,600 migrants arrived in New York City just last week and Adams officials worry that this spike in arrivals will only continue to grow.
Adams took a jab at Lander saying that he would have hoped Lander’s trip to DC a few weeks ago to speak with federal leaders about the migrant crisis would have produced more results.
(Photo by Luiz C. Ribeiro for NY Daily News via Getty Images)
“He went to DC 20 months later and came back trying to tie our hands,” Adams said. “It sort of defies logic to me.”
Adams continued, “I’m a little disappointed that when he turned from DC he didn’t come back with any real answers on this is a national problem.”
Adams is also now headed to DC on Thursday to meet with officials about the migrant crisis. Adams wouldn’t give too many details on his upcoming trip but did admit he still hasn’t spoken with the president since late last year.
