MAYORAL CANDIDATE
Eric Adams
Brooklyn's Borough President since 2014, Adams is a former NYPD police officer who served for over 20 years before retiring as a captain. Upon his retirement, Adams was elected to the New York State Senate 2006' where he represented New Yorkers across Brooklyn. While in the New York State Senate, he chaired the Veterans, Homeland Security, and Military Affairs Committee and the Racing, Gaming, and Wagering Committee. Adams served 4 terms in the Senate before being elected as Brooklyn's Borough President.
What Stands Out: Adams’ experience as a high-ranking member of the NYPD is something he claims equips him better than his competitors to address crime and police misconduct. In a time where police brutality is at the forefront of issues, Adams has claimed that his internal knowledge of the NYPD can allow him to change how they operate. While serving in the NYPD, Adams co-founded and chaired groups like 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement Who Care and Grand Council of Guardians that speak out against police brutality. While he has publicly rejected the idea of "defund the police," Adams does claim to recognize significant changes need to be made to how taxpayer money is allocated towards the police budget. However, with the recent surge of crime across NYC, Adams seems to be taking a "tough on crime" approach. Some have criticized Adams by claiming he has a questionable history of campaign-financing with ties to multiple lobbyists, including some that are accused of unfairly gentrifying Brooklyn. There are also question marks regarding Adam’s place of residence with significant signs pointing to his home being in New Jersey, despite Adams claiming to live in Brooklyn. Adams claims both of these accusations are rooted in racism. Adams has also been criticized for encouraging parents to search their kids in a video he released in an attempt to combat gun violence.
SHORT ANSWERS
On COVID: "Give a tax break to businesses that pay the Commercial Rent Tax if they demonstrate hardship and commit to employment levels. Implement a weekly sales tax holiday on services and products likely to be paid for in-person, incentivizing local spending."
On Healthcare: "We need to boost funding to NYC Cares and help immigrants sign up for MetroPlus and Child Health Plus through MyCity plan that connects every New Yorker with the services they qualify for."
On Criminal Justice: "We will minimize misconduct by being transparent about police misconduct, making it easier for cops to report when their colleagues behave badly, and empowering communities to choose their precinct leadership."
On Housing: "I will upzone wealthier areas so we can build affordable housing in areas with high quality of life and build the small, cheaper micro-units that are common today around the world."