Press Room

On Tuesday, New York City Public Advocate spoke before the NYC Commission to Strengthen Local Democracy Charter Revision Commission at a public hearing to emphasize his proposals to strengthen transparency and accountability measures in city government, both through his office and other oversight bodies. 

In the Public Advocate’s May statement before the commission, he pushed for expanded resources for entities including the Board of Correction and the Civilian Complaint Review Board – proposals now reflected in the commission’s preliminary report. At last night's hearing, he focused on strengthening the investigative powers of the Office of the Public Advocate, particularly through subpoena power and clarified standing to sue. 

Under current Charter provisions, the Public Advocate can seek a ‘summary inquiry’ into city agency conduct, but only through a lengthy and expensive legal process. “Subpoena power, on the other hand,” he argued, “would not require my office to go to court first and expend limited money and resources for information that under purview of the Charter should be shared if requested. Giving the office full subpoena power would better allow the office to fulfill its duties as mandated by the existing Charter.” 

“Additionally,” he continued, “the Charter does not make clear the Public Advocate’s standing to sue on behalf of the residents of New York City”. Because the Law Department determines which cases can be pursued, this violates the intende

separation of powers among city officials as the Office of the Public Advocate is independent from mayoral agencies. Clarifying standing to sue would improve transparency and accountability in New York City.  The Public Advocate noted that “The Governor recently acknowledged that in the current climate of corruption and the appearance of corruption, citywide elected officials in NYC should have the ability to hire independent counsel and have standing to sue.”

Read his full statement below.  STATEMENT OF PUBLIC ADVOCATE JUMAANE D. WILLIAMS TO THE NEW YORK CITY NYC COMMISSION  TO STRENGTHEN LOCAL DEMOCRACY JULY 1, 2025

Hello. My name is Jumaane Williams, and I have the pleasure of serving as Public Advocate for the City of New York. I want to thank this Commission for inviting me to testify before you once again. I also want to thank Chairs Garrido and Rice as well as Members of the Commission and my fellow New Yorkers for their participation in this open and transparent process to make government better and fairer.

My previous testimony touched on government accountability, specifically reforms to government oversight bodies like Board of Corrections (BOC) and the Civilian Compliant Review Board (CCRB) — recommendations that I was pleased to see reflected in the Commission’s recent recommendations. I do however want to reiterate two recommendations respective to my office: the need for subpoena power and for standing to sue. 

The Office of the Public Advocate may petition for a summary inquiry under Charter § 1109, but only for instances where a City agency or official has not upheld the law, or failed in performing a specific duty required of them by law. The Public Advocate, amongst other city elected officials, the Commissioner of Investigation, or any five taxpaying citizens, can ask the NY Supreme Court to institute a “summary inquiry into any alleged violation or neglect of duty in relation to the property, government or affairs of the city.”  This process requires filing a lawsuit that the agency from which information is being sought, to answer the complaint and argue to the court why it shouldn’t grant the inquiry; with further ability to appeal an affirmative ruling – an expensive and time consuming process. Subpoena power, on the other hand, would not require my office to go to court first and expend limited money and resources for information that under purview of the Charter should be shared if requested. Giving the office full subpoena power would better allow the office to fulfill its duties as mandated by the existing Charter.

Additionally, the Charter does not make clear the Public Advocate’s standing to sue on behalf of the residents of New York City. Because the Law Department determines which cases can be pursued, this violates the intended separation of powers among city officials as the Office of the Public Advocate is independent from mayoral agencies. Clarifying standing to sue would improve transparency and accountability in New York City. The Governor recently acknowledged that in the current climate of corruption and the appearance of corruption, citywide elected officials in NYC should have the ability to hire independent counsel and have standing to sue.

Finally, on the question of commissions and boards, I was asked by a member of the Commission during my previous testimony if I believed there was a commission or board that the Public Advocate should have appointments for. I would like to propose an appointee by the Public Advocate for the Franchise and Concessions Review Committee (FCRC). 

Under the Charter, the FCRC is composed of elected officials and/or their designees as appointed by the Mayor, the Comptroller, the Corporation Counsel, the Director of Office Management and Budget (OMB) and one additional appointee chosen by the Mayor. A Borough President or their appointed designee may also serve on the FCRC if the franchise or concession before the committee is located within their borough. Given the citywide perspective this committee holds, I believe that amending the Charter to include an appointee by the Public Advocate would be suitable. 

I look forward to answering any questions from the Commission. Thank you.

"Donald Trump’s threats to arrest and deport a New York elected official are dangerous and despicable, but not surprising. This is the result of a relentless campaign of lies and bigotry aimed at the Assembly Member and Democratic mayoral nominee because of his views and identity – a campaign aided by both the words and the silence of many other New York elected officials. We must all – including current Mayor Eric Adams – condemn these attacks for what they are, and stand in opposition to Trump’s misinformation and hate.

"This is yet another example of the Trump administration's true aims – to deport people because he doesn’t like their race, their religion, their beliefs. He is finding new ways to make Black and Brown people illegal, and this a moment to stand together, refusing to give in to his rhetoric and policies that make all of us less safe."

“It was always evident that Mayor Adams would try to find a way to defy Local Law 42 – he said so before it passed – and his declaration of a self-imposed state of emergency was never anything more than that. I am relieved that Judge Pearlman agrees that the mayor is not above the laws the Council passes – in this case, passed twice, after years of deliberation. This was an abuse of the concept of a 'state of emergency.' It should be obvious that the longstanding crisis on Rikers was not caused by a law which has not even been in effect.

“The harm of prolonged isolation is clear, documented, and dangerous for people on both sides of the bars. It is a threat to public safety and human dignity. I implore this mayor, after spending a year violating the law banning the practice, to finally follow it. We cannot address any issues on Rikers by doing the same things that have failed for many years – it’s long past time to implement real change.”

"Unaffordability is the top issue for New Yorkers, as they clearly told us last week. Housing costs are driving tenants from their homes and from our city – working families, must be our top priority. Once again, Mayor Adams supports increasing rents across the board for millions of renters. "The Board’s own data showed landlords are making a profit. I know some small owners are truly struggling – the solution is not to demand more money from tenants who simply don’t have it as homelessness increases. "Don’t wait til next year to do the right thing – freeze the rent today."

“This budget incorporates long-overdue steps to restore and strengthen critical services for New Yorkers. I’m encouraged to see baseline funding and investments for key programs—early childhood education, special education, mental health care, libraries, and immigrant legal services—investments communities have demanded for years. Years of cuts don’t disappear with a single budget. This mayor’s pattern of underfunding—fueled by misleading projections—has left deep scars in communities across the city. While these restorations are welcome, they do not erase the loss of momentum in delivering the services New Yorkers rely on. 

“I thank the Speaker and Council for standing firm: your advocacy shielded New Yorkers from the most damaging proposed cuts and ensured critical programs, especially in the face of misguided austerity. This budget shows progress, but it must be seen as a starting point for lasting reinvestment—not a comprehensive solution. My office will continue reviewing the details, ensuring this funding reaches the people it’s meant to serve, and pushing to address the deep inequities that remain across our city. Moving forward, we will hold the line for working families, vulnerable communities, and the promise of a more equitable, just city for all.”

"Donald Trump’s attacks on birthright citizenship are in line with his overall strategy to invalidate the presence and existence of anyone in this country who he opposes, no matter how long they’ve been here or how they arrived. In a decade, we’ve gone from his claims that President Obama wasn’t born in this country to claiming it’s not even enough for someone to be. This is not, and was never, about so-called 'criminals.' 

"As the son of immigrants I worry that by sidestepping the issues of birthright citizenship itself, while limiting the ability of lower courts to prevent this and other assaults on the Constitution and the rights it bestows, we are opening the door even further to authoritarian impulses.

"My fellow elected officials should be much more alarmed about this than a proposal for free buses in New York City."