Transcript: Mayor Mamdani Appears on FOX5 With Morgan McKay
Zohran Mamdani on NYC Mayor's Office transcripts.
Passages
It's incredibly exciting. Those will be the first keys to the city that I've presented under our administration. And they are keys that have been designed for this moment. They carry the typography of the greatest living typologist in New York City, who helped to design not only what's being used at the 9-11 memorial, but also what is being used as the NYPD font, NYCFC — so much of what we know of as a city is going to be carried through in that and we're really excited to present it to the players.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceI think it's — as you said — that while we saw the last majority of New Yorkers celebrate in a way that was both respectful, responsible and appropriate, frankly, we did see a select number who behaved in a way that was unacceptable. And I'm really appreciative for the men and women of the NYPD who kept our city safe over the course of this finals run, and they do so every day. And I've made clear over the course of this run and every day that I've had the opportunity to, that there is no room for this kind of violence, whether towards someone who's next to you or towards a police officer. And what we're looking forward to when it comes to the parade tomorrow is a parade of celebration, of joy and responsibility. And I am confident that will be the case. The parade will begin at 10 a.m. However, when I've told anyone that it will be until 10 a.m., they tell me they're going to be there at 5 a.m. And I understand that because everyone's been waiting a long time. The viewing pens will open at 6 a.m. And we're reminding every New Yorker that there's going to be screening. There's gonna be safety and security procedures. So, we advise everyone to not bring a bag, make sure you are coming and you are ready to go through that process and to be there to celebrate.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceYeah, I've been in touch with Jim, and I would say that I'm less interested in relitigating the past and more about the fact of how we can work together to celebrate the moment of the city. And that is something that's bringing not just he and I together, but the entire five boroughs. No.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceThe youth vote — I'm not doing great with the youth vote right now.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceIt is about facilitating this as an experience, not just for New Yorkers, but also for those who are visiting the city. So you can see a lot of the work that we're doing through our World Cup Czar as well as through additional agencies, whether it's ensuring that match-day travel is smooth, whether it is ensuring that the city is working together with each of the fan fests across the five boroughs, or it's ensuring that we are making clear to each and every person visiting the city the many things that they can do in the city. And so, we take those responsibilities very seriously because this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity and we're so excited to have people come to the city.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceThat about covers it, and I would also just say that when it comes to this tournament, it's less of something that I view as a responsibility or a burden. It's more of an opportunity. This is the opportunity of a lifetime, and it's not just for those visiting our city for the first time. Also, for New Yorkers, you know, many of us who grow up and we have a very specific understanding of our city. Then a moment like this comes, and we get to view the beauty and the breadth of our city in its totality. So, we have a program where we're offering a $26 meal deal for more than 900 restaurants across the five boroughs. If anyone is interested, they can go to NYC Tourism's website and they can find that list and that's a way for New Yorkers to also explore their own city.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceYou know, these are officers that are going to be added because of two specific reasons that were presented to me. And the first was the fact that within our NYPD, there isn't sustained training after an officer gets through the Academy. And this is a desire to ensure that training is a regular part of serving in this Department. And that's the bulk of these additional officers. The other is that when we looked at the Bronx, we found that the Bronx was being treated differently than Brooklyn, than Manhattan, than Queens. It had one Borough Command, whereas these other boroughs, with comparative levels of demand had two. And so, we made the decision to split that command into two, which increases response times and also puts it on parity with these other boroughs. And these are critical reasons of why we made this decision. And I also appreciate that the criticism that we receive, is criticism still coming from a place of wanting this to be the best possible city. And we appreciate that criticism. And this is why we make those decisions.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceI see it as something that is fulfilling our mutual desire to deliver a safe city to New Yorkers. And I'm so proud of the results we've seen over these last six months, as we've seen crime drop to historic lows, and as we’ve seen this partnership be one that can deliver on that wish to ensure that the greatest city in the world is also going to be the safest city in the world.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceI think that we're working very well together right now and I'm excited to keep that going.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceI will always believe in the importance of having the wealthiest pay a little bit more in taxes so that everyone can afford a life in the city. And I'll tell you that my focus right now is on these next few weeks, as you said. It's not just finalizing the city budget. It's not just the parade tomorrow. It’s the World Cup. It's July 4. It's America 250. So, for me, that's the focus right now, but I look forward to starting the budget process for next year as we continue to advocate for our city.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceI would just correct the record, in the vast majority of that $50 million [are] pre-existing responsibilities prior to our administration. So that Office of Mass Engagement is also an umbrella office that brings in existing initiatives and work, like the Community Affairs Unit or Public Service Unit, and that work has to carry on because many New Yorkers have looked to those agencies as ways that they can interact with the city. In terms of what's new; we're talking about a much smaller percentage of that amount of money. And to your point, it's not just about sharing what the administration is doing. We want New Yorkers to be a part of that. So, we recently had a final hearing of the Rent Guidelines Board. As you know, the Rent Guidelines Board determines the rent increase or lack thereof for more than 2 million New Yorkers. Yet, last year, [fewer] than 1,000 New Yorkers — I think it was 4 or 500 — testified. The percentage of those who were impacted versus those who were involved is minuscule. And so, we wanted to knock on doors to let people know not how they should testify, but that they should. And that's one of the key jobs that they've been doing.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceWell, I think first, the Rent Guidelines Board is an independent board, and they'll make their independent decision. I’ve been clear that I do believe that tenants deserve relief, and also my belief in tackling the cost-of-living crisis is true for everyone. So, when I've spoken to landlords, especially for affordable housing, they've told me that one of the costs has skyrocketed in recent years, and that is their insurance. And one of the decisions we made in our executive budget was to invest more than $100 million in the next few years on creating a city-backed insurance fund that can decrease those costs for these kinds of landlords so that we can actually do the work of maintaining ownership of these buildings and the quality of habitation for those who are [their] tenants. And when it comes to the Board, they've found that, as you said on the cost, they've also found that revenues have increased for landlords, and I think they're balancing all of this as well as the testimonies.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceWell, I think first and foremost, I'm incredibly excited about her campaign as well as Claire's campaign and Brad's campaigns as campaigns that showcase the fact that the affordability agenda, the work of transforming the most expensive city in America into one that's affordable, can't be done alone. So many of the people who not just voted for me but canvassed for me did so with the hope of fulfilling this agenda and the knowledge that it would require partners at every level of government. These are the partners that would help to do that work. And when it comes to Darializa, you know, she recently was asked this question herself and she apologized for some of the remarks. She spoke about regret [for] the language that she used. I think she also showed the fact that her campaign is being run on what she is fighting for today and that is a message I think is resonating with many across her district.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceYou know, I think the line for me is an acknowledgement and an affirmation of what you believe in in this moment and what you're fighting for. And too often in our politics, there isn't even a willingness to acknowledge that or even, you know, what we saw in her case, apologize for it. And I think that that reckons with how people feel and the willingness to be a leader that's also receptive to that.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceSo, it is the same chef who's been at Gracie Mansion for many years. We don't have pork in our kitchen for what we eat. She's incredible. The team is incredible. And I think one of the beautiful things is having so many people around you who are making it easier for you to succeed in your work. It's what makes so much of this possible and I just appreciate what they do every single day. Go-to breakfast? It's gotta be scrambled eggs. Some kind of avocados, tomatoes, a little bit of labneh. I have not asked. Thank you. ###
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the source
Every passage above is taken from this recording: NYC Mayor's Office transcripts, Transcript: Mayor Mamdani Appears on FOX5 With Morgan McKay.