Press Room

"I want to thank New Yorkers for all that they have done to protect one another and limit the spread of COVID-19, allowing us to work to move forward. There will never be a perfect time to lift these policies, and the decisions will always be difficult, but the best course of action is to move gradually and guided by the science.

"Based on recent CDC guidelines, easing masking measures can make sense, provided other standards are met. As I have said, though, it is unnecessary and unwise to suddenly remove Key2NYC, especially while simultaneously lifting other protections and amid existing vaccine disparities across neighborhoods. Vaccine requirements are helping New Yorkers both be safe and feel safe as they patronize local businesses, and we should only move forward only in a way that ensures we don’t go backward. Lifting Key2NYC sends the wrong message at the wrong time.

"Finding a new normalcy will mean continuously monitoring the level of risk and impact of new policies. To that end, I am glad to see the mayor follow through on establishing a color-coded standard for COVID-19 risk and the corresponding safety measures. My office has advocated for this for several months, and the administration has previously signaled support.

"At the same time, I believe more clarity and transparency is still needed on the metrics used to reach these declarations. Right now, the CDC’s assessment places New York City counties at “medium” risk, not low. Additionally, the city’s new definition of “low” risk protocols includes masking in some spaces where vaccination status is unverified – seemingly at odds with the administration lifting protocols, especially around Key2NYC, today. Consistency of messaging and metrics is essential to giving New Yorkers the tools they need to protect themselves and one another, and rebuilding trust that government will not repeat the mistakes of the past."

"We know that the path forward in pandemic management requires risk assessment, and the gradual removal of some measures as we work to find a new normalcy that works for New Yorkers. The decisions to lift safety measures that have helped to protect New Yorkers amid new waves and new variants need to be guided by the science, not the calendar.

"Given my continued concerns about removing masking requirements in schools before properly assessing any increase in spread following the winter recess, I am relieved the mayor is taking time to account for this risk before following the governor in changing policy, and urge him to provide clarity, transparency, and clear communication on what standards determine a shift. It is also critical that any change comes alongside addressing problematic, pervasive issues with ventilation in schools. I have additional concerns related to the disparities in vaccination rates and school funding across different communities within our city, and the city must address these issues to ensure that all students in all neighborhoods are kept safe.

"It would be unnecessary and unwise to rapidly remove vaccine screening requirements in restaurants and other venues across the city simultaneously. Removing multiple layers of protection at once by eliminating mask and vaccine requirements now compounds the complications and risks, especially with existing vaccine discrepancies. It is important to assess the impacts of each new measure before rushing to the next.

"It is true that New Yorkers have stepped up and kept one another safe by getting vaccinated – at the same time, the Key2NYC screenings have had great benefit in limiting the spread of COVID in our city, and in helping New Yorkers feel safe and comfortable patronizing our businesses as we move forward in economic recovery. Moving away from these vital protections that helped us get to this point, too quickly, all at once, risks a repeat of some of the mistakes our city and state have made in the last two years.

"I urge New Yorkers to continue to do what we know works to protect one another, and New York’s executives to move forward only in a way that ensures we don’t end up going backward."

"One hundred and twenty-five years after our nation’s highest court upheld segregation, the first Black woman has been nominated to the Supreme Court. I congratulate Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on her historic nomination, one which I hope will send a powerful message to young Black women across the nation, like my daughters, about what they can do, and what still has to be done. I also hope that as we continue to progress, we can go from groundbreaking ‘firsts’ to seconds, thirds, and new paradigms.

"In addition to the historic nature of her nomination, Judge Jackson is ideally suited for this moment and for the challenges facing our country and the court. On civil rights and racial justice; on protecting reproductive freedoms and workers rights; on combating gun violence and threats to our democracy; and so much more, the Supreme Court will be vital. It is critical that even with the realities of a conservative majority, we have jurists like Judge Jackson guiding the court and helping us to move forward with the gains we have made across decades, not recede from them.  

"Judge Jackson’s legal background also sets her apart and makes her a crucial voice – as a former federal public defender – the first in the court’s history – she understands and involves herself in the fight for the marginalized. She understands the justice system in its many structural injustices, and has worked unremittingly to improve it. I urge the Senate to move quickly to confirm her appointment, and look ahead to seeing her take her place on the Court and in our history."

"We are deeply concerned about the message that the mayor is sending by appointing leaders who have histories of disparaging the rights, and even the humanity, of LGBTQ New Yorkers and of working to criminalize abortion. LGBTQ immigrants in NYC need to know that they can turn to city agencies for help. Especially at this moment, people in New York City need to know that their city will wholeheartedly defend their right to reproductive health care.

"All New Yorkers need to know that their leaders view them as fully equal people and will work every day to protect their rights. Apologies and redress for past harm are important, as is meaningful, demonstrable growth. At the same time, it’s critically important that concerns about the people hired to serve our city are heard, acknowledged and meaningfully addressed, not dismissed.

"This is a city that holds dear the values of equality and dignity. Those are the values that we will hold this administration accountable to."

"I want to extend my prayers of condolence and comfort to the family of Eddie Kay, who passed away this week after over six decades of advocacy for working people as a union leader and organizer. His time with 1199 SEIU and TWU Local 100 was legendary, and he shaped policies and changed lives as his gruff voice spoke out tirelessly for worker justice.

"I was grateful to have had the opportunity to work personally with Eddie, to get to know him and his role as a giant in the labor community and in its history, and to have his support in my work. He was deeply dedicated to the fight for progressive, transformational change, and it was an honor to be in that fight alongside him. His legacy and model of leadership will long continue."

"In discussions with the administration, I’ve stressed that the coming budget needs to build toward a new normal, a new era, and new philosophy, building on the strength of what has worked and learning from the errors of what hasn’t. In many ways, what the mayor outlined today acknowledges that need.

"Fiscal responsibility must be paired with human responsibility – we cannot cut for the sake of cutting without consideration of the cost to New Yorkers. In this year’s budget, we need to invest in what the government can do, and has an obligation to do, to improve the lives and protect the futures of its people. I appreciate that across a range of issues, the administration recognizes the role that strengthening successful programs and launching new initiatives can play in the immediate and long term health of our city’s people and economy.

"New York’s budget is still bolstered by federal spending in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis – how those funds are allocated and managed is critical to our recovery. This funding should be used not only to respond to immediate needs, but to bolster and build new physical and programmatic infrastructure that will set a foundation for the future – as will the record reserves this budget allocates.  

"This emphasis on long-term investment is reflected in the need to invest heavily in climate resiliency and other infrastructural improvements, which I am glad to see well-represented in the mayor’s budget. We need to go further, working to prevent as well as prepare for the kind of climate emergencies which were once extraordinary but are increasingly more common. Construction and conversion must also be devoted to safe, sustainable, deeply affordable housing across the city, and the city must provide DOB and HPD with the funding necessary to protect tenants across the city from bad landlords and dangerous violations.

"Key among areas of investment is community-centered public safety solutions. While law enforcement has a role to play, it is critical that we expand the scope of and budget for non-police alternatives, whether for mental health crises, traffic enforcement, homelessness outreach, gun violence intervention, harm reduction services, or roles within the NYPD which can be civilianized. I will continue to guide our budget and our city toward a reimagining of public safety.

"It is essential that our budget prioritizes the needs of and services for children and families. I am proud that after many years of advocacy from myself and others, the Summer Youth Employment Program will be essentially universal under this budget. We fought for this goal for many years, and it’s very encouraging and vindicating to see it highlighted so early in this process and administration. It is important that we expand opportunities and strengthen support for young people in their homes, communities, and schools. Expanding the number of school counselors and the resources available for restorative justice in schools will have an impact not only on the education of our young people, but the safety and stability of our neighborhoods.

"As my own family is experiencing now, focus on and investments in maternal health, both before and after children are born, is invaluable. I am glad that the mayor shares and reflects this commitment in the budget, and it should be paired with dramatic expansion in childcare services and affordability that will support families and strengthen our economy. Training medical workers before high-risk emergency deliveries and expanding at-home family visits will save lives. I am excited that the budget will invest in these critical programs for mothers and young families. 

"Our city’s investments must center both economic and community health, development, and growth, and I believe that this year’s budget can meet these goals. The mayor’s preliminary budget is just that, a starting point – and this is a good place to start. Over the next months of the budget process I look forward to working with the administration and the City Council to ensure that our city’s budget sets the city on course with the necessary resources for recovery and renewal."