NYC Office of the Mayor, January 31, 2022 — The Retail Council of New York State has joined more than 200 businesses, labor and civic leaders in New York City to publicly support Mayor Eric Adams’ efforts to reduce crime in the five boroughs. The letter is included in a press release from Mayor Adams’ office, printed below.
NEW YORK – The Adams administration today released an open letter from over 200 business, civic, and labor leaders showing broad support for Mayor Eric Adams’ efforts to make New York a safer and more just city. The letter comes a week after Mayor Adams put forth a comprehensive Blueprint to End Gun Violence and follows a series of shocking violent crimes across the city.
“Making New York a safer city is a prerequisite for prosperity and social justice — and will move us past the multiple crises we’re facing,” said Mayor Adams. “It will take all New Yorkers to help move us forward, and the support from this extraordinary coalition is an indication that we are on the right track.”
“The signatories to this letter are leaders in industries that represent more than three million jobs in New York City,” said Kathryn Wylde, president & CEO, Partnership for New York City. “Public safety is the number one concern of employers and workers. We are united behind the mayor’s efforts to reverse the rise in crime.”
“Mayor Adams’ focus on making both New Yorkers and tourists feel safe in our city is crucial for New York City’s recovery,” said Stuart Appelbaum, president, Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union.
“As an institution focused entirely on the health and wellbeing of our fellow New Yorkers, we applaud the mayor’s leadership in offering new solutions to make our city safer,” said Steven J. Corwin, MD, president and CEO, New York-Presbyterian Hospital.
“We appreciate and stand with Mayor Adams in his critical efforts to reduce crime and improve public safety,” said Eric S. Goldstein, CEO, UJA-Federation of New York.
“In many ways, public safety is at the root of our city’s economic recovery — it’s of course important to bringing visitors and people back to the five boroughs, but it’s also critical to securing investment in New York’s future that led to the creation of middle-class careers both in construction and across other industries,” said Gary LaBarbera, president, Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York. “The men and women of the New York City Building Trades stand with Mayor Adams in his call to bring a heightened sense of safety and justice to our streets, and urge leaders at the local, state, and federal level to move quickly to ensure these vital goals are met.”
“The mayor’s blueprint for public safety is a common-sense approach to New York’s crime challenges, pairing essential social services and community-based interventions with appropriate tools for the courts and strategies for police,” said Jonathan Lippman, former Chief Judge, New York Court of Appeals. “I very much urge our city, state, and federal leaders to collaboratively support the mayor’s smart and practical efforts to both tackle crime and ensure fairness in our system of justice.”
“We support Mayor Adams’ comprehensive approach to reducing crime and gun violence,” said Rob Speyer and Steven Swartz, co-chairs, Partnership for New York City. “The return of the pre-pandemic vibrancy of our city depends on his success.”
“On our buses, in the subway, and in the neighborhoods where we live, transit workers see the need to improve public safety every single day,” said Tony Utano, president, TWU Local 100. “All branches of government must step up and take action, and that includes addressing the mental health crisis more effectively. The mayor’s plan is a big step in the right direction.”
“This is a well thought out, comprehensive public safety plan at a time when New Yorkers are looking for action and results,” said Charles Phillips, co-chair, newly formed Mayor’s Corporate Council. “Now is the time to come together around constructive next steps.”
“This is an important and historic approach to public safety,” said Stephen Scherr, co-chair, newly formed Corporate Council. “The strength of our city and its continued economic recovery depend on this type of leadership.”
Open Letter in Support of Mayor Adams’ Efforts to Make New York a Safer And More Just City
We support Mayor Eric Adams’ efforts to reduce crime in New York City. Public safety is the bedrock of a thriving city and, as the mayor has made clear, it is equally necessary to invest in mental health care and alleviate conditions that contribute to violent behavior, including substance abuse, homelessness, and joblessness.
The killing of two young police officers, Jason Rivera and Wilbert Mora, and the dramatic increase in senseless shootings across the five boroughs have elevated the need to get illegal guns off the streets and maximize the ability of law enforcement to function fairly and effectively. The killing of Michelle Go, the Deloitte executive who was pushed under a subway in Times Square, illustrates that illegal guns are only one dimension of a much larger problem.
During the pandemic, both crime and quality of life conditions have worsened in the Central Business Districts, in many residential neighborhoods, on the public transit system, and in local shopping strips where small business owners and employees are vulnerable to attack. New York cannot recover from the devastating impacts of the pandemic without first restoring the sense of personal security that every resident, worker, visitor, and community in our city has the right to expect.
The mayor has taken a courageous position and we all share responsibility to help him carry out his agenda. Governor Kathy Hochul took prompt action to establish an interstate task force and new state office to address the problem of illegal guns. We need to do everything in our power to make New York safe again.
