NYC Democratic Primary Debate For Mayor — Full NY1 Coverage

[0:00] Good evening. Welcome to the final Democratic primary debate in the race for mayor of New York [0:05] City. I'm Errol Lewis, political anchor for Spectrum News New York One, and we're coming [0:11] to you from the Gerald W. Lynch Theater at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, [0:15] located on the west side of Manhattan. I'm joined by Brian Lehrer of WNYC Gothamist and Katie Honan [0:21] of the news organization The City. The candidates have been making their pitches to New Yorkers [0:26] for months now, and we are only hours away from the start of early voting across the five boroughs [0:32] starting on Saturday. Over the next two hours, you're going to hear from the seven leading [0:38] Democratic candidates on their proposals on issues directly affecting the lives of New Yorkers. [0:44] A reminder that the mayoralty is currently held by Eric Adams, who has withdrawn from the Democratic [0:50] primary and is running in the November general election as an independent candidate. Tonight's [0:56] debate is brought to you by the New York City Campaign Finance Board, the city agency that [1:01] administers the public matching funds program. It's also sponsored by Spectrum News New York One, [1:07] WNYC Gothamist, and the city, and Spectrum Noticias. And our co-sponsors are John Jay College [1:13] of Criminal Justice, the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY, the Center for New York [1:19] City and State Law at New York Law School, and the Museum of the City of New York. And you can watch [1:25] tonight's debate without a paywall on NY1.com. It's also being broadcast on NYC TV, WNYC Radio, [1:34] the Spectrum News, YouTube page, and C-SPAN, and in Spanish on Spectrum Noticias and YouTube. [1:43] The candidates joining us tonight have met a polling or fundraising threshold established by the [1:48] campaign finance board in order to take part in the debate. In alphabetical order, Adrienne Adams is the [1:55] city council speaker representing parts of Southeast Queens. Andrew Cuomo previously served as [2:02] governor of the state of New York. Brad Lander is the New York City Comptroller. Zoran Mamdani is a [2:09] state assembly member representing parts of Queens. Zelnor Myrie is a state senator representing parts [2:16] of Brooklyn. Scott Stringer is a former city Comptroller and Manhattan Borough President. And Whitney [2:23] Tilson is a former hedge fund manager who helped create Teach for America. Now for the rules. The [2:28] rules that you see on your screen right now have been agreed to by all of the candidates. Each [2:33] candidate will deliver an opening statement of up to 45 seconds. Answers to our questions will [2:38] generally be limited to 60 seconds with a chance for rebuttals at the discretion of the moderator. [2:44] And candidates will have an opportunity to ask one opponent one question during our cross [2:49] examination round. We're going to begin with opening statements. The order was determined by a [2:53] random drawing this morning. And so we'll begin with Scott Stringer. Good evening. Well, good [2:58] evening. Look, I love New York City. I was born and raised here, and I believe the future of this [3:05] city can be limitless. But let's face it. People are feeling that it's getting tougher to live here. [3:12] People who built our neighborhoods are leaving the city. Young people who want to lay down roots here do not [3:17] see enough opportunity. I say enough is enough. We need a mayor who has experience. We need a mayor who [3:24] has competence and a mayor who has a vision to build affordable housing to enact universal child [3:29] care to build a public school system so that kids can thrive. I've seen the best of this city in every [3:36] neighborhood as controller as a borough president as a state legislator. And I know that right now at this [3:41] moment, we need somebody who has the ability to make sure this city can rise again. And I'm going to do [3:48] it. Okay. Next is Elno Amari. This morning, I was on Flatbush Avenue getting my hair cut so I could be [3:54] fresh for this debate. And one of my constituents walked in and didn't talk to me about politics. She [4:00] said, what are you going to do to fight for immigrants like me and my husband? I got on the train as I left [4:05] and I ran into a mother who said, what are you going to do to fight to help make our schools [4:10] world class? So here's the thing. You're going to hear a lot of promises, a lot of nice and cute [4:15] things on the stage tonight. But when you put your head to the pillow, you want a mayor that is going [4:21] to fight to keep your family safe, fight to keep that roof over your head and fight to give you [4:26] opportunity. I know that because that's what I think about every single day. And I'm ready to put the [4:32] gloves on as the next mayor to fight to make that a reality. Thank you. Next candidate is Whitney [4:38] Tilson. Good evening. I'm Whitney Tilson, and I'm not a politician. I'm a businessman and [4:43] philanthropist. And I entered this race because I love this city. But right now, it's a mess. [4:49] It's not talent that we lack. We've got the best and brightest, nor money. We spend double that of any [4:54] other city in the world. It's leadership, and we can't afford amateur hour in City Hall anymore. [4:59] It is rightly said that being job of mayor of this complex, enormous city is the second hardest [5:05] job in the world. That's why we need a mayor who's experienced, competent, and can get things [5:10] done, not a social media phenom with cute videos. Someone who can balance the budget and make tough [5:15] choices, not pie in the sky promises that there's no realistic plan to pay for, and someone who will [5:22] keep us safe by ending chaos, not inciting it, by supporting law enforcement, and by not threatening [5:28] to defund and dismantle our police. I will be that mayor, and so I'm asking for your vote. Thank [5:33] you. Okay. Our next candidate is Adrienne Adams. Thank you very much. My name is Adrienne Adams, [5:39] and I'm running for mayor because I'm an everyday New Yorker, just like all of you are. When I [5:42] open my front door, I see what every New Yorker sees, and that is we are in need of a change. I raised [5:48] four children in Southeast Queens in the same home that we live in. I buy my own groceries, [5:52] so I know the cost of groceries for everyday New Yorkers. Look, as the leader of the city council, [5:59] leading the most diverse city council in the history, led by women majority, I realize what [6:05] leadership truly is. I'm already doing the job. I have successfully negotiated three city budgets. [6:11] I'm now in the middle of negotiating my fourth city budget. I continue to lead and step in where [6:16] our current mayor has not, where we have fought through the city council budget cuts. We have [6:22] saved public libraries and pre-K. I'm Adrienne Adams, already doing the job, asking you to rank me [6:28] number one to be the first woman mayor of the city of New York. Next candidate is Brad Lander. [6:35] If you watched last week's debate, you already know I'm not the flashiest candidate in this race. [6:40] I don't have a famous father. I'm not the best at TikTok. My daughter's here. All her videos do [6:46] better than mine. But I love this city. I believe in its future, and I know how to make government work [6:54] better. As controller, I've saved taxpayers over $2 billion, canceled corrupt contracts, [7:00] managed the pension funds to record highs. I've built or saved over 50,000 affordable homes. [7:07] As mayor, I'll deliver 500,000 more. That's why today, the New York Times opinion panel said, [7:13] I'm the best choice for mayor. I've got the public integrity that New Yorkers deserve, [7:19] the progressive values that New Yorkers share, and the management chops to deliver on them. [7:25] Next is Zohran Mamdani. [7:27] My name is Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, and I am running to make the city affordable. [7:32] I'll freeze the rent for millions of tenants, make buses fast and free, and deliver universal child [7:37] care. And before you ask, I'll pay for it by taxing the rich, the same billionaires who put [7:42] Donald Trump back in the White House, the same ones who are funding Andrew Cuomo's campaign. [7:46] Like many New Yorkers, I wasn't born in this country, but I grew up in this city, [7:50] and it's one that we're in danger of losing. We're under attack from authoritarianism from the [7:54] outside and an affordability crisis from the inside. Yet if you turned on your television 20 years [7:59] ago, you'd have heard the same tired, failed policies you'll hear from politicians tonight. [8:03] It's time for a new generation of leadership. And that's exactly what my campaign is building, [8:08] a movement of more than 36,000 volunteers who have knocked on nearly a million doors and left [8:13] us just two points away from City Hall. So join us, and let's win a New York you can afford. [8:19] Next is Andrew Cuomo. [8:21] Good evening, and thank you all very much for having me here today. I do have a very famous [8:29] parent who I'm very proud of, Matilda Cuomo, and I hope she's watching. Everyone has a plan, [8:36] as you've heard. Everyone always has a plan. That's always the way. But the question for tonight [8:41] is, who has the ability to get the job done? That's really the question. Who can build housing? [8:47] I built housing across the nation as HUD secretary. I built LaGuardia Airport, [8:51] Kosciuszko Bridge, Second Avenue Subway, and more. Who can do public safety? While my colleagues [8:58] were defunding the police, I was adding more police. Who can manage the city? I manage the state [9:05] that has double the budget of New York City. And who can take on Donald Trump? That is the big [9:12] question. And he sent troops into cities all across this country, but he never sent them into New [9:18] York when I was there, and he never will when I am mayor. A job looks easy when you haven't done it. [9:26] Experience matters. I will get the job done. I will work for you 24-7. [9:35] Thank you for your opening statements, candidates. Mr. Cuomo, many New Yorkers are concerned about [9:40] what's happening in Los Angeles. Workplace immigration raids and deportations, protests [9:45] with some violence, the president's deployment of the National Guard and the Marines over the [9:50] objection of the governor and the mayor. The Trump aide, Stephen Miller, said the mayor has [9:55] no say. If you were mayor of New York right now, how would you handle this situation if something [10:02] like that happened here? Yeah. We had this situation before, right? This is not a case of first [10:09] impression. President Trump did this, and Trump won. He did it a number of times. He sent troops into [10:15] cities all across the country. This is him being macho, authoritarianism. He's the commander in [10:22] chief. He never sent them into New York because I said to him, you better never send troops into [10:28] New York. We don't need them. It would be a hostile act. It would be a problem. Right now, [10:35] in this situation, we're going to protect our immigrants. This is a sanctuary city, and we are going [10:41] to defend the laws of the sanctuary city. We have an NYPD that is the largest police force in the [10:48] United States of America. Donald Trump only picks fights that he can win. He cannot win a fight with [10:57] me as mayor of New York. Mr. Mamdani, any contrast so far? You know, what is so troubling to see right [11:05] now is we also have the NYPD assisting ICE in some of those very missions right here in New York City. [11:12] We saw the Strategic Response Group arrest a pastor who was peacefully observing the arrest of a migrant [11:19] at Federal Plaza. When I am the mayor, the NYPD will serve public safety of New Yorkers. They will not [11:24] assist Trump's ICE agents. And furthermore, though Donald Trump may not believe in the law, [11:29] we have to be clear that we do, and we will in fact bring back our law department to its pre-pandemic [11:34] staffing levels, 200 additional lawyers, and start to provide lawyers for immigrants who are in [11:40] deportation cases because we know that by doing so, we in fact increase their likelihood of coming [11:45] home to their families in New York City by 11 times. Finally, we can see examples in previous [11:50] mayoral administrations where the mayor's team like Steve Banks and the last administration took [11:55] every single step they could to ensure that none of the personal information the city had would be [12:00] turned over to the Trump administration. I would follow that example through all of our agencies. [12:04] Thank you. Ms. Adams, Ms. Adams, staying on this topic, but with kind of a follow-up, [12:11] if the president sees what he thinks is disorder in the streets and believes that local and state law [12:17] enforcement officials are not doing a good job at protecting citizens and property, why shouldn't he [12:24] step in? His supporters say that's his responsibility. [12:27] We are right now dealing with a lawless president enacting lawless behavior across this entire [12:33] nation. As one who continues to speak up and out against Donald Trump, currently Donald Trump [12:40] would like to bring ice back onto Rikers Island, which has been illegal since the year 2014, [12:45] through an executive order put forth by the deputy mayor of the city of New York, not the mayor of [12:52] the city of New York, which is unprecedented. They want to bring ice back onto Rikers Island, [12:57] and the person that is endorsing me, she is the baddest AG in the nation. Her name is Tish James. [13:04] She said, Adrian, if Donald Trump starts to get in your way, sue him. So I am suing him. I am suing [13:12] the mayoral administration and Donald Trump's ice. We will continue to protect immigrants when I am [13:18] mayor, just like I am protecting them as the leader of the city council. We will make sure that Donald [13:24] Trump's ice obeys the law. We are a sanctuary city. I am here to protect that in the city council, [13:30] and when I am mayor, I will continue to protect our laws and our immigrants. Mr. Lander, continuing on the same [13:38] track, but if the president says the mayor has no say, which seems to be the case because he did deploy [13:46] the Marines and the National Guard, what would you do? What could you do? Let me tell you about how the mayor [13:52] could have a say. Last Thursday and again this morning, I went down to the federal building to observe [13:58] immigration court and then accompany immigrants out past ICE agents so they could get out of the [14:04] federal building and back to their families. One was a couple with kids in our city school system. [14:10] They were worried they weren't going to see them again. So I stand up to bullies that don't back down [14:16] from a fight, and I will make clear that we're going to protect the 40% of New Yorkers who are [14:22] immigrants, and we're going to keep them safe, and we're going to keep New York City safe. You can [14:27] de-escalate conflict. What Trump wants is to strike fear and escalate conflict. We're going to make clear [14:33] we stand up for immigrant New Yorkers, and we de-escalate and keep the peace. I do want to tell you, though, [14:39] about some immigrant New Yorkers that Andrew Cuomo screwed when he was governor, and we're defending in my [14:44] office a couple of hundred immigrant subway cleaners who he made clean the subway cars, but cheated out of the [14:51] prevailing wages and health care that they were due. We're fighting right now to get it back. [14:56] I stand up to bullies, and I'll stand up to Donald Trump. Mr. Cuomo, you were named, so we may not be [15:04] able to do this every time all night, but you were named so you get a brief response. Yeah. I don't know [15:11] what Mr. Lander is talking about. The MTA contracted for cleaning services. I assume that's what he's [15:19] talking about. The MTA goes through a rigorous contracting process. They should never have hired [15:26] illegal immigrants if it is true, but obviously I had nothing to do with them hiring anyone. I'm sorry, [15:35] is that what you said? What did you call them? If anyone was undocumented or they didn't pay the [15:40] proper wages, I had nothing to do with it. It would have been done with the MTA. You didn't pay them [15:45] the proper wages. You cheated them out of the prevailing wages they were due and the health care [15:49] they were due. I didn't contract with them at all. The MTA contracted with them. Who appoints the chair [15:56] of the MTA? Oh, I see. So every contract that the MTA contracts, you want me to be held responsible? [16:02] This one, yes, because a couple hundred immigrant workers got cheated out of two and a half million [16:07] dollars and their health care and the orders came from on high. Yeah. So you say if they did it, [16:13] that would obviously be wrong. The MTA contracts were six billion dollars per year. They have multiple [16:20] contracts. We have a controller on the state of New York who audits the books. I'm sure he's almost as [16:28] good as you. And if that happened, he would have found out. Thankfully, these are prevailing wage [16:33] workers under city contracts. But still on President Trump and Mr. Stringer, you can reply to that if [16:40] you want. But my moving on question is his administration has made deep cuts to some programs [16:47] that directly fund services for New Yorkers. A listener to my radio show asks, how do you propose [16:53] addressing funding shortfalls for critical services or which programs will you prioritize above others, [17:00] assuming you can't make for all the funding gaps, make up for all the funding gaps? And please tell [17:05] everybody how you think your approach would be better than the other candidates. Sure. Sure, [17:09] Brian. Well, look, I was in Trump one when I was a city controller. And during that time period, [17:14] I didn't let him get this city down. During my time, I managed to divest $4 billion from fossil [17:20] fuels controller. I divested from gun manufacturers. I divested from private prisons. I put the line in [17:26] the sand with that guy, and I will do the same as mayor. Look, when you grow up in Washington Heights, [17:31] everything comes your way. And you understand the only way to deal with as a bully is to draw the line [17:36] early and fight back. So here's specifically what I'm going to do. First as mayor, we're going to [17:41] establish a very, very rainy day fund. We need to get $500 million from the state and $500 million [17:46] from the city so that we can continue to replenish the money that Donald Trump is taking from us. [17:52] $80 million is taken in the dead of night. We need to keep the social safety net alive until [17:57] Hakeem Jeffries becomes the speaker and we can dismantle the Trump organization. Just one, [18:01] two seconds just to straighten out the two of them. I was the one who brought the prevailing case with [18:06] the MTA on those workers. And I believe very strongly then that we have to make sure that [18:12] we pay wages so people can live and stay in New York. And that's why I did it. Mr. Myri, [18:15] same question about dealing with the defunding of the city. Yeah, first, let me put my lawyer hat [18:23] on for a second. What Donald Trump is doing right now is flat out unconstitutional. And we got to say [18:29] that very clearly because they are counting on the chaos being normal. They're counting on us being [18:34] relaxed about this approach because we see it in the headlines every day. It is flat out [18:38] unconstitutional and we should not, as a city, hesitate whatsoever to bring it to him when he's [18:44] coming after our folks in this city. So look, I want to hire 50 more lawyers to our law department [18:49] so we can go on the offensive. And the best way for us to be independent of the Trump cuts is to [18:55] expand our tax base. That is why I want to deliver a million homes over the next 10 years. [18:59] It's why I want to extend pre-K and 3K to 6 p.m. It is why I want universal afterschool for [19:05] everyone. This has to be a city where you can raise a family, where people can make the choice to stay [19:09] here, when they can spend their money in our local economy. We can create $18 billion over the next [19:15] 10 years if we create 1 million homes over the next decade. That is what I plan to do. And I plan [19:20] to go on offense every single time this bully comes after my city. [19:24] Mr. Tilson, Mr. Tilson, you'll get the last word on this. People are talking about standing up to [19:33] President Trump. Can it ever be smart, in your opinion, to hold your tongue about your worst [19:38] opinions of him so that New York could possibly get better treatment? Or would that not be effective? [19:44] Yes, possibly. There's a grim anniversary coming up on Tuesday. It is the 10-year anniversary of Trump [19:51] coming down that escalator, spewing hatred and xenophobia. And I've been fighting him tooth [19:57] and nail every day of those 10 years. That said, he is a childish bully. And getting into a Twitter [20:07] war with him needlessly would hurt our city, I think. He tweets a lot of crazy stuff. And most of the time, [20:15] if you simply ignore it, he moves on to his next childish foolishness. So, to your question, [20:24] I will fight Donald Trump as mayor, stand up to him, sue him if necessary. But my job is to serve the [20:33] people of New York. And that sometimes involves not provoking a childish person, but one who [20:39] unfortunately holds a lot of power. And our 10% of our city budget is federal funding. [20:44] Candidates, thank you for this first round. [20:47] Okay, candidates, some of you have many years of government experience, [20:51] while others have spent less than a decade in office. One of you has never been elected to [20:55] any office. So, and then if we consider age, one of you would be, if elected, the oldest person ever [21:01] to be sworn in as mayor, while another would be the youngest mayor to take office in more than 100 [21:07] years. So, let me start with you, Mr. Momdani. What do you say to critics who think that a 33-year-old [21:12] assemblyman who's only been in office four years needs more experience before becoming mayor [21:17] of the largest city in the country? What I would ask is for them to judge me by the campaign that I [21:23] am running. A campaign we began with about two full-time employees polling at 1% that has now grown to [21:29] be one where we manage over 36,000 volunteers that have knocked on nearly a million doors. And ultimately, [21:35] what I will deliver to New York City is what I've been delivering in this race, innovation and [21:39] competence. And I will do so by hiring the best and the brightest. Because for too long, we've had an [21:45] understanding of leadership, where you simply want to replicate each one of your ideas and hire the [21:50] people who will be quickest to say yes to whatever you say to them. I will instead hire the people who [21:54] have the track records, the excellence, the fluency. And it has been a pleasure to meet with [21:59] incredible officials like Maria Torres Springer, like Patrick Gaspard, like Steve Banks, like Amit Baga, [22:04] so many who have delivered that public service and that public excellence in this city. And that is [22:09] what I would be doing as the next mayor of this city of New York. Mr. Myrie, a similar question. [22:14] What would you say to New Yorkers concern that your legislative record, however lengthy, [22:18] is not the same as running an organization of 300,000 employees? Listen, I think New Yorkers want a [22:24] mayor that is going to deliver results for them and to do it when it is difficult to achieve. [22:28] I've passed over 60 bills that have become the law. But when I ran for state Senate back in 2018, [22:34] Albany was dysfunctional. Some rogue Democrats propped up by Andrew Cuomo prevented so many [22:41] legislation that would help everyday New Yorkers, whether it was protection for tenants, whether it [22:46] was reproductive health, whether it was climate legislation, whether it was your right to be safe [22:51] in your neighborhood. And on day one in the state Senate, I passed something called early voting, [22:56] which all of us are going to participate in on this Saturday. So I am about the results and about the [23:01] work. I have built coalition. I have listened to stakeholders. I've done really difficult things. That [23:07] is the job of the mayor to get everyone at the table and to achieve something that people said was [23:12] impossible. I've been in the business of delivering for the people of my district. I look forward to doing the [23:18] same thing for the people of New York City. Okay, Mr. Cuomo, if elected, you would be the oldest person [23:25] ever sworn in as mayor. If you serve two full terms, you'd be 76 years old upon leaving office. [23:31] Is somebody in their 70s the ideal age for holding the second hardest job in America? [23:36] Let's do one term at a time if we can. I think you raise a very important point. Experience matters. [23:45] And I think inexperience is dangerous in this case. Mr. Mondami has had a staff of five people. [23:51] You're not going to run a staff of 300,000 employees. He's never dealt with the city council. [23:58] He's never dealt with the Congress. He's never dealt with the state legislature. He's never [24:02] negotiated with the union. He's never built anything. He's never dealt with a natural emergency. [24:08] He's never dealt with a hurricane, with a flood, et cetera. He's never done any of the essentials. [24:13] And now you have Donald Trump on top of all of that. And he's never dealt with what I think [24:19] is the greatest national threat that we face in this president. To put a person in this seat [24:27] at this time with no experience is reckless and dangerous. To Mr. Lander and his experience, [24:36] remember, this was the fiscal watchdog under the Eric Adams administration, which was like the [24:41] bookkeeper at Tammany Hall. Mr. Mondami, to Mr. Cuomo, I have never had to resign in disgrace. [24:55] I have never cut Medicaid. I have never stolen hundreds of millions of dollars from the MTA. [25:00] I have never hounded the 13 women who credibly accused me of sexual harassment. I have never [25:05] sued for their gynecological records. And I have never done those things because I am not you, [25:10] Mr. Cuomo. And furthermore, the name is Mamdani. M-A-M-D-A-N-I. You should learn how to say [25:18] it because we got to get it right. Yeah. Mr. Lander. May I respond? [25:24] Is this my response or is this my 60 seconds on the question? Let Mr. Lander speak and then you [25:31] can respond to both of you. Just to be clear, is this my response to Andrew or is this my 60 seconds [25:35] on experience? No, no, no. This is your response if you choose. Thank you. So I've gotten so many [25:40] Eric Adams contracts canceled. We can't keep track. He tried to put a $432 million no-bid crony [25:46] contract and we audited it and we got it canceled. We have done it time and time again. Andrew knows [25:54] a lot about corruption. That's part of the experience he had. He created a corruption commission [25:58] and then killed it as soon as it got too close to him. But his senior aides had to resign in [26:04] corruption, disgrace. And let's be clear, he has experience. But leadership is not inviting [26:10] 25-year-old young women into your office as he admitted he did and then asking them about [26:16] their intimate life and whether they would date older men. I lead by building the best teams, [26:21] not through sexual harassment, corruption and disgrace. Mr. Cuomo. [26:26] Yeah. Mr. Mondani's right. He's never done anything, period. [26:33] Mr. Mondani. This is a man who passed. [26:36] Mr. Mondani. Just say the name right, Mondani. [26:38] This is a man who has done nothing. He's accomplished nothing. Three bills are all he passed. He is the [26:48] worst attendance record in the New York State Assembly. He has never held a real job. He has [26:56] zero accomplishments. I want to be very clear. [26:58] Now he thinks he's going to be ready to be mayor of the city of New York. It is laughable. It is [27:04] laughable and it is dangerous. [27:06] Okay. I want Mr. Cuomo to look out into the crowd and look at Richard Chow, who lost his brother [27:13] to suicide because of the taxi driver debt crisis. I went with Mr. Chow over many, many months organizing [27:20] to push this very city to finally reckon with its complicity in that. And we won $450 million [27:27] in debt relief. And I want you to look at him and tell him that that's nothing. [27:32] Okay. Let's, um, pass. Let's move to Mr. Stringer. Yeah. [27:39] Can I just right cut right to chase and tell what's really going on here? So truth be told, [27:45] experience matters. And Andrew Cuomo has experience. I know that he does, but vision matters. [27:53] And Mondani, you said it right, right? Mondani. Mondani. Almost there. Okay. I'm getting there. [27:59] Almost there. But you have the vision and you have articulated it during the campaign. [28:04] The problem, the problem is we need somebody who can do both. And my experience and my vision, [28:12] when you combine it, is the third lane to win this race. And that's what we have to do. [28:18] Okay. Very good. Very good. [28:19] We cannot, we cannot have a mayoralty on training wheels, but we also have to have a mayor who's [28:25] willing to go to town hall meetings to meet where the voters, where they are. And that hasn't [28:30] happened with the experienced candidate. Now, one last thing, every job I've had, state legislator, [28:35] I introduced rules reform in the assembly and got it passed. As Manhattan borough president, [28:39] I actually built affordable housing. I didn't do one or two rezonings. I did that as my life's work [28:43] and made a difference. As controller, I built the best controller's office that Brad Lander takes [28:49] credit for. And I'm proud of that. Okay. Fair enough. Um, I want to bring Ms. Adams into the [28:54] conversation. Ms. Adams, your private sector experience involved finding and training corporate [28:59] leaders. Um, government, however, involves working with people who are independently elected, [29:04] maybe politically connected, who cannot be bypassed, cannot be fired. How do you avoid, uh, falling [29:10] into the trap of catering to vested interests at the expense, possibly of the public interest? [29:17] Well, in the words of Scott Stringer, let's just cut to the chase. As the only candidate currently [29:23] doing this work that everyone is aspiring to do as co-leader in city government and city hall [29:28] already as one that has walked up those steps of city hall for almost 10 years as the one that is [29:34] leading one of the largest legislative bodies in the entire country as one that has seen 120,000 units [29:42] of affordable housing coming up in the city as one who has championed the largest victory for [29:49] affordable housing in a generation as one that is already doing this work as one that has taken [29:55] private skills from the private sector in management. I have trained people that will make more money [30:02] than I will ever make in a lifetime and bringing those skills with me into the public sector into [30:07] the New York City Council now leading a body of 50 council members as the one with the experience [30:14] ready to go to work tomorrow because where I work is where everyone else on this on this stage [30:20] aspires to work in city hall in Adrian Adams, New York. Okay. I have a question for you, Mr. [30:28] Tilson, related to this discussion. You have frequently said on the campaign trail that, quote, [30:32] career politicians have caused many of the city's problems or made them worse. You said tonight, [30:37] in fact, that this is no time for amateur hour. Explain why a lack of experience running a city agency [30:43] would make you a better manager than some of your rivals here. I actually view not being a politician [30:49] as a feature, not a bug. It is possible to hire people into administration, of course, who have [30:56] the experience of running a big bureaucracy. I would point to Mike Bloomberg as my inspiration [31:02] when I decided to run for mayor. He had never held elected office before. I think he was one of [31:07] our greatest mayors. He steered us through the global financial crisis, and I believe that having [31:13] someone like him who I saw was independent of all the special interests who in a low turnout offseason [31:20] primary like what we're having right now, only 5% of New Yorkers of our total population is probably [31:28] going to be enough to win the primary and effectively and certainly last time was enough to win the [31:35] mayoralty. So I think we need a mayor who is independent of that inherently corrupting system, [31:41] who doesn't need the job, who isn't angling for higher office, and who brings a business background, [31:48] which I think is more relevant to managing one of the world's largest bureaucracies. [31:52] Okay. Thank you, candidates. [31:54] When New Yorkers are asked their top concerns, one of the biggest issues is always affordability, [32:01] particularly the high cost of housing. Millions of New Yorkers and rent-stabilized apartments [32:06] are currently awaiting a final ruling from the rent guidelines board about how much they could [32:10] pay more each month in rent. But first, we'll get to a crucial question about the production of [32:16] housing. We want you, the candidates, to address New Yorkers with your top proposal to ease the [32:21] housing crunch. And I'll start with you, Mr. Myrie. We know you've been vocal about a plan to build [32:26] and preserve 1 million units of housing. You mentioned it earlier. Is that a realistic [32:30] possibility given the current dynamics in the city? Let me tell you what's real, Katie. [32:35] People are leaving the city because they can't afford to stay here. They can't afford the rent, [32:40] can't afford to own a home. Like me and my wife, who were looking to put down roots in the same [32:45] neighborhood we grew up in, people are struggling. And we've had leaders of the past that have put [32:51] their solutions forward, and things have only gotten worse. So yes, 1 million homes over the next 10 [32:57] years, because we can't keep nibbling around the edges. That is the only way we're actually going to [33:02] bring down the cost of housing. And listen, is it going to be challenging? Of course it's going to be [33:06] challenging. But anything worth anything is going to be hard to do. We built the Empire State Building [33:12] in 13 months, and we did it 100 years ago. Come on already. Of course we can do a million homes. [33:19] I want to change our public land to be affordable housing. I want to convert our industrial areas [33:25] to residential. We have commercial real estate space that is laying vacant that can be converted as [33:29] well. We have opportunities to revitalize NYCHA. We've got to be bold in this moment, but we need the [33:35] leadership and the courage to get it done. And that's what I'm going to do. Thank you. Mr. Stringer, [33:42] your housing model, your housing plan is to model a highly successful plan from the 1950s. You call [33:48] it Mitchell Llama 2.0. It sounds ideal, but how would you pay for this expansive plan? Okay, this is [33:57] where we just got to have an honest conversation. I get a million. I could easily stay. We could do 2.5 [34:04] million, given my experience. It's all put that aside for a second. People need affordable housing. [34:10] Now they need low income housing. Now the way we do it is we take the thousand vacant lots. I audit it [34:17] as controller, and we give that land back to the people to not for profits to limited profit [34:23] developers. We don't ask the luxury developers to build the lower and affordable housing. We need. [34:27] We get a generation of people to come in and build the tens of thousands of units of housing. See, [34:33] it's not just about building housing. The second question or the question that I care passionately [34:38] about is who are we building housing for? We've got to build more housing, two, three bedroom [34:42] apartments for families so that after the second kid, they don't leave. They stay here. We need to do [34:47] what we did with Mitchell Llama housing, a housing stock that is the best practice in the world. We've got to [34:53] build more of that housing, integrated housing, because the people who moved into those buildings, [34:57] you know what they did? They didn't just exist in those apartments. They built communities, [35:02] schools and daycare centers, and this is a promise I can keep while I'm alive, while I'm mayor, [35:08] and we'll see what happens going forward. But let's do that immediately on day one when I'm mayor. [35:12] Thank you. Mr. Lander, as mayor, you declare a housing emergency which could help you build half a [35:19] million homes, including on city owned golf courses. How do you get the citywide support for [35:24] this plan? So the New York Times opinion panel today said I was the best choice for mayor because I [35:29] combine clear and bold plans and a real track record of delivering. That is especially true on [35:36] housing in the neighborhood around the Gowanus Canal. When I was council member, I organized the [35:41] community to support redevelopment. More housing, more affordable housing is going up there than anywhere else [35:47] in the city and the community supporting it because it's coming with open space and affordable [35:52] art studios as well as 3,000 genuinely affordable homes. We're even fixing up the NYCHA units nearby [35:58] as controller. I saved the 35,000 rent stabilized units that were put at risk when Signature Bank failed [36:05] by investing to buy the mortgages on them. I know how to do this. I have a detailed plan for getting [36:11] 500,000 units built. That's around the Interboro Express where we've got new opportunities for [36:17] transit-oriented development. And we can build great new neighborhoods on four of the city's 12 [36:23] golf courses because people will be excited about courtyards for families, about daycare centers, [36:28] about new schools and libraries, places they could own in neighborhoods they will love. Thank you. [36:34] Okay, Mr. Cuomo, you were HUD secretary. You were governor for more than a decade. You managed a [36:42] nonprofit housing organization. What would you say to voters who wonder if all that experience [36:47] might end up being in the end the wrong experience since after decades of work, we've ended up in a [36:54] housing emergency here in the city. I would say, Errol, I would say look at look at the results, [37:00] right? Everyone has a plan. I have a plan. I have a plan. Everyone has a plan. They had a plan to [37:05] build LaGuardia Airport. Nobody did it until I did it. They had a plan to build a new Moynihan [37:10] train station, but nobody could do it until I did it. They had a plan to finish the 2nd Avenue Subway, [37:14] but nobody could do it until I could do it. Now we have plans to build affordable housing and we do need [37:20] hundreds of thousands of units of affordable housing. There's no doubt, but we're going to need a [37:25] different model. The city HPD does not work to create this volume. The state housing program does [37:32] not work to create this volume. We're going to have to accelerate the you alert program and then [37:38] we're going to have to open every option available. NYCHA units office to residential conversion. Every [37:45] city owned piece of property we have to look at air rights. How do we maximize it? We are going to have [37:51] to have a full on assault to build affordable housing. And yes, it's one thing to have a plan. [38:01] It's another thing to have the ability to do it. And that's where New York City has fallen down [38:07] time and time again, not the managerial ability to complete a plan. Ms. Adams, you mentioned the [38:16] recent city of yes rezoning that you were instrumental in helping to pass. It's supposed [38:21] to create tens of thousands of units of housing, but the experience of past rezoning like the one in [38:27] downtown Brooklyn suggests that it can take as long as 10 years or longer for rezoning to result in [38:33] actual construction. If you're elected mayor, what would be your plan to get units built more quickly [38:38] than that? We're going to build it faster. And just to let Mr Cuomo know I've got a plan. It's already in the [38:45] works. It is called the city of yes, the city for all something that I have already ushered in. So [38:51] the work is already being done. We're hearing a lot of plans and policies, but this is something [38:55] already I'm already doing this work. We have already begun the works for the city for all. And in that [39:03] proposal, it is the most aggressive rezoning proposal in a generation for this city to build [39:10] upwards of 82,000 affordable units for New Yorkers. We want to keep people here. I want my children to [39:16] stay here. I'm an everyday New Yorker. I don't want them leaving because New York is not affordable [39:21] for them. And so I have made sure that there is $5 billion that is put into the city for all [39:27] proposal. So Mr Cuomo, we are going to take care of the HPD vacancies within that $5 billion. We're going [39:34] to make sure that communities like mine and Southeast Queens are protected. Infrastructure is [39:38] protected. We're going to make sure that we've got extended and expanded access to city FEPPS [39:43] vouchers. We're going to make sure that there are repairs available for NYCHA residents and Mitchell [39:47] Lama residents. And we're going to make sure that homeowners also have access to funding to make [39:52] sure that the homeowners have repairs. We won't have to look at foreclosure in the volume and we don't [39:58] have to look at deed theft in the volume. I'm already doing the work. I'm already there. Thank you. [40:02] And still on housing and to bring the last two of you into it, Mr Tilson, you said in the last debate [40:10] that your housing construction plan is the opposite of Mr. Mom Donnie's, more private sector, [40:16] less public. Can you elaborate on that in your 60 seconds and then we'll hear Mr. Mom Donnie [40:21] argue for his approach? Sure. If I were to summarize my plan in four words, it'd be unleash the private [40:27] sector. That is the only way to rapidly build anything like the scale that we're talking about. [40:33] I said it's the opposite of his plan because his plan is to spend a hundred billion city dollars [40:39] to build affordable housing. So my plan, I don't think this should take 10 years if you truly do it. [40:46] And it's not just zoning regs. It's all the whole bureaucracy going through the city government [40:51] agencies. It's going through the whole Euler process. This can be done. Austin, Texas is a good [40:57] example. Their rents went up 25% in the year 2021. The city leaped into action quickly, changed its zoning [41:04] rules. They increased supply by 15% in three years and rents dropped by 20%. I don't just want to [41:09] stabilize rent. I think we can drop rents in this city. That's the objective. But right now, [41:14] it's outrageous that businesses and real estate developers have to hire expediters to deal with [41:20] the city bureaucracy. So it's a much bigger problem. And the mayor controls, uh, most, uh, or all of [41:26] this. Thank you, Mr. Mom. I met a grandmother in a senior center in Brownsville, and she came up to [41:36] me and told me that she'd been on a waiting list for seven years for senior housing and that she wasn't [41:41] sure if she was going to be able to stay in the city any longer. The reason that my campaign is [41:47] committing to building 200,000 truly affordable homes is because if we don't, we will lose the very New [41:53] New Yorkers who built this city and we will lose them unless we rapidly scale up the programs we [41:58] already have programs in HPD like Sara senior affordable rental apartments Ella extremely low [42:04] level affordability, the very kind of programs that are built for the New Yorkers who are being priced [42:09] out of the market. And we do this while also ensuring that it is easier to build even for the [42:14] private sector. We end the requirement to build parking. We end this piecemeal approach that [42:19] we've taken instead having a citywide comprehensive planning approach. These are the kinds of ways [42:24] in which we can actually ensure that we start to build more than four houses per a thousand people [42:29] that we actually start to get up to Jersey City and Tokyo and build the housing that's necessary in the [42:33] city. To finish this round, by a show of hands, I will translate for the radio audience. How many of you [42:41] would support a rent stabilized rent freeze this year? Hands up if you do. Okay, the ones whose hands are up [42:51] are Stringer, Myri, Mangani and Lander, not up. State the question, please. Would you support your [43:01] donors who gave you two and a half million dollars to freeze the rent? In the rent stabilization system, [43:06] this year, rent freeze this year, yes or no, Mr. Cuomo? Would I vote for a rent freeze this year? Yes. [43:12] I'd leave it to the rank guidelines board. Who controls them? The mayor. If we appoint them, [43:16] the law controls them. You should read it. The law didn't control you, did it? You should read it. [43:21] Ms. Adams, your hand was not up, was it? Why not? Oh, it was raised. There has to be a balance there. [43:28] So only Mr. Tilson's hand was not up. Okay, that was a yes or no. And finally, also on a show of hands, [43:35] on rent freeze or no, a listener to my show asks, would you be open to tying [43:41] rent increases to landlord rates of return, their profits, rather than simply on one year's costs? [43:49] Yes or no, if you're open to tying the increases to profits rather than one year's cost increase? [43:57] Who would say yes to that change or that proposal? I don't see any hands. Brian, it is part of the [44:04] formula already. It's part of the formula. It is part of the formula. Now you look at a variety of [44:09] factors, including net operating income relative to costs, as it should be. Mr. Landers is right. [44:15] That is the law. You look at the costs that the landlord is incurring, and that's how you set the [44:21] rent increase if you do. But also the profits. Yes. The profit margins. [44:27] Yeah, they do an economic analysis. That's what the rental guidelines board does. Katie. [44:32] Thank you. And this question is from Mr. Cuomo because it did come up earlier. [44:35] Many voters are grappling with how to disqualify you to disqualify you or not after the sexual [44:42] harassment findings that led to your resignation as governor. How do you argue people should consider [44:47] that factor and we'll let the other candidates give their take? Yeah, I would ask them to look at [44:52] the facts and not the political rhetoric that you hear on this stage. Uh, I said when the report was [45:00] issued, it was all political. That's what I said. And I said nothing was going to come of it. Four [45:08] years later, we've had five district attorneys, Democrat, Republicans, upstate, downstate. They've all [45:16] looked at them. Nothing has come of them whatsoever. There has been one civil case that's been resolved. [45:22] I was dropped from the case. So absolutely nothing has come except political fodder for my opponents [45:33] and political fodder at the time. Do any other candidates want to chime in? [45:39] Sorry, Mr. Landon. [45:42] You admitted at the time that you called a 25-year-old staffer into your office and asked her questions [45:49] about whether she'd had older partners and whether she was available and intimated that you were [45:55] looking for a partner. Everybody here knows that you sexually harassed women, that you created a [46:01] toxic work environment. We're here with all these, all these CUNY students, many of them young women. I [46:07] went to the city college commencement. There's a, the valedictorian is going to come work at the [46:12] Department of Homeless Services. I don't want to have to tell her don't go work at City Hall because [46:18] the mayor is a sexual harasser. Those are just bold-faced lies. You admitted it at the time. [46:29] It's frightening that you can look at a camera and lie that easily. Right now I'm looking at you. [46:35] You admitted it at the time. I never said that. I never said that. And by the way, that has been [46:42] totally disproven by every court that has looked at it. Every- Courts don't disprove things. [46:50] Everyone knows. Yes, they do, sir. A report was issued. The DA's looked at it. They all disagree [46:57] with you. I was dropped from the case. So that, those are the facts. The Biden Justice Department and [47:03] the attorney general of the state of New York, and again, it was reported that you admitted at the [47:08] time that it was a mistake to call that 25-year-old into your office. Folks can check the record. [47:13] And the attorney general's- And folks, you know, if he worked for you, you would fire him. [47:17] Hang on, hang on, hang on, hang on. The attorney general's report was determined by a court to be [47:29] hear-say, and not a finding at all. I understand Mr. Lander is just a pause. [47:36] The report of the women? Mr. Lander? The issue of sexual harassment, that's what you're calling [47:40] hear-say. Hold on, hold on. The district attorneys looked at all those complaints. Okay. [47:44] And not a single case was wrong. All right, we're going in circles. Let's- [47:47] We're going to move on. Candidates. Maybe you know better than the facts. [47:49] Candidates. This is disqualifying. Candidates? The man resigned. It should be obvious. [47:54] Candidates. The problem is we do not get to address the issues that New Yorkers care about. [47:59] Yeah, that's just what we're going to do. That's just what we're going to do. Just hang on, [48:03] hang on, hang on. We are done with this topic. We're going to move on to the next one, [48:06] candidates. Let's talk about quality of life, concerns about disorder and public safety. [48:12] The number of complaints about disorderly conduct in New York City have nearly tripled compared to the [48:17] pre-pandemic year of 2018. Arrests for disorderly conduct have risen significantly, [48:23] but New Yorkers still say they are less satisfied about their quality of life than in the past. So [48:27] we're going to start with you, Mr. Lander. Do you want the NYPD to address quality of life [48:32] violations, or is there some other way to do it? And how would you address concerns about quality [48:37] of life without violating constitutional rights or opening the door to accusations of illegal profiling? [48:45] As mayor, my number one priority will be to end street homelessness for people with serious [48:50] mental illness. When I talk to people about what's influencing their quality of life, [48:54] what would they like changed? They would like to be able to get on the subway and feel safer. [48:59] Last week, I talked about a friend whose middle school student was pushed to the ground by a mentally [49:05] ill homeless person. But we don't have to be a city where a couple thousand of our mentally ill [49:10] neighbors sleep on subway platforms and the sidewalks and stoops of our buildings. Uh, [49:16] and yes, of course, NYPD have a role to play in keeping neighborhoods safe, getting guns off the [49:22] street. But no amount of policing is going to connect a homeless mentally ill person to the housing and [49:28] services that they actually need. The plan that will is called Housing First. It's working in Houston [49:34] and Denver and Salt Lake City. We used it here to end street homelessness for veterans, [49:39] and I will use it to end street homelessness for people with serious mental illness. And that'll [49:43] be a city with a dramatically better quality of life for everyone. Okay. Um, Mr. Stringer. [49:50] Let me try to answer your direct question, which is the issue of quality of life. And to me, [49:57] as someone who has spent his entire life here, who's raising kids here, uh, people do not want to live, [50:03] uh, with trash. They don't want to live with broken sidewalks. They don't want, uh, a 3-1-1 system that [50:09] can't resolve the basic day to day issues that New York has faced. We've gotten away from that kind of [50:15] work. You know, swagger to me is different than swagger at City Hall today. Swagger means I feel [50:21] satisfied when we help somebody get the services we need. How I'm going to do it specifically, [50:26] we've got to have a deputy mayor for quality of life and institute what I call quality stat, [50:31] meaning there's a lot of agencies apart from the police that actually are responsible for the [50:36] day-to-day running of the city and resolving complaints and issues. We need to measure that. [50:40] We need to look at the data at 3-1-1. We need to do the follow-ups. I'm going to be the mayor in the [50:46] Ed Koch mode that comes to town hall meetings and communities just like Ed did his controller, [50:50] roll my sleeves up, go in front of hundreds of people and say, let me have it. What do you want? [50:55] What's going on? And I will resolve the complaint to 24 hours. That's the kind of mayor that we need in [51:01] this city to keep people here and to make sure that we become the beacon of the greatest city in the [51:06] world. Okay. Mr. Mamdani. You know, when I speak to New Yorkers across the five boroughs, [51:13] what I hear time and time again are these very kinds of complaints. Complaints around the cleanliness [51:19] of our streets, complaints around whether the parks that they love can actually be maintained, [51:23] and so many of them come back to a mayoral administration that has underfunded city agencies [51:29] time and time again, literally requesting to take garbage cans off of sidewalks. That's what we [51:34] have had for the last four years. I'm proud to have been endorsed by DC 37, the single largest labor [51:39] union representing municipal workers in this city. The people who run this city trust me to lead this [51:44] city, and what I will do is fully fund each one of those agencies to ensure that we are not just [51:49] providing public service. We're providing public excellence so that each and every New Yorker is [51:53] finally receiving the quality of life that they deserve living in this city. Okay. And so Mr. [51:58] Mairi, really in a lot of ways what I'm getting at is that the city government and a lot of voters, [52:04] frankly, will reflexively reach for the NYPD as the best tool to handle what they perceive as disorder, [52:11] which some people say is kind of a stepping stone towards crime or in some ways a precursor to it. [52:16] What's your take on that and how would you handle it? Yeah, let me first say, Scott, you got a little [52:20] bit of swag. You got some sneakers on today, so I don't want you to discount yourself. [52:24] But I got it from you. All right. All right. Very good. So let me say this. Let me say this. [52:29] Look, I walk the streets. I take the subways just like you do. And part of the reason that people [52:33] are frustrated with politics is because you walk the streets, you take the subways, [52:37] and then you listen to folks on this stage, and it's completely divorced from your reality. [52:42] Here's what I want to do. I think we need police and clinician teams in our subways and our streets [52:47] 24-7 to get people on a path to real recovery. New Yorkers are compassionate people, but we want [52:53] to ensure that people are actually getting that help. So I want stabilization centers in every borough [52:58] so that we can deliver that help. Public safety requires us to do two things. We understand that [53:03] police officers are necessary, but we also have to invest in the things we know prevent crime and [53:09] disorder in the first place. That's why I want 50,000 more summer youth jobs so that it is universal. [53:14] We have no young person on a waiting list. Stop telling our kids what not to do without [53:19] giving them something to do. I want universal after school as well so that we can have a safe [53:24] place to be and have our families have a place where their children can stay. [53:27] Okay. Mr. Tilson. Yes, to answer your question directly about enforcing more quality of life issues, [53:38] for example, I ride my bike almost every day in the city. The e-bikes are fast and dangerous, [53:44] and we're riding up on the sidewalks blowing through red lights, [53:47] and cops started enforcing it. And I can tell you being out there every day, [53:50] they're now obeying the law. That is the kind of thing that contributes to the feeling of lack of [53:57] safety. I will say that my what I would not do is demonize the police by calling them wicked and [54:04] corrupt by threatening to defund and dismantle them as Zoran has done. And we are at a 34 year low in the [54:10] number of police officers. There's only one candidate on this stage, him who has not said [54:15] that he would try and build that number back up. So I think his Department of Community Safety, [54:21] which he talks about is just backdoor code word for continue to defund the police. [54:26] They are demoralized. They're understaffed. And we have created a revolving door where an officer [54:34] at the Midtown North precinct very close to here actually told me she is still filling out the [54:38] paperwork for most of her arrests and the criminal is back out onto the street before she's finished. [54:43] Did you want to respond? I want to say it very clearly because both Mr. Tilson and Andrew Cuomo's [54:53] Republican billionaire donors have been lying about me on our television screens. And right now, [54:58] I will not defund the police. I will work with the police because I believe the police have a [55:03] critical role to play in creating public service public safety and fundamentally when I put together [55:09] our proposal for the Department of Community Safety, it was built upon the many conversations I [55:14] had with rank and file officers who had told me that they signed up to join the department to take on [55:20] serious crimes. And yet what they were being asked to do is play the roles of mental health [55:24] professionals and social workers. And that is part of the reason why 65% of crimes in the first quarter [55:30] of this year are still not solved. We need to ensure police can focus on those crimes and we have [55:35] mental health professionals and social workers to address and tackle and resolve the mental health [55:39] crisis and homelessness. Okay. And I just want to just clarify, Whitney, did you not talk about my police [55:49] retention plan or you didn't? Come on, Scott. Ms. Adams, I want to bring you in the conversation [55:55] because you were at City Hall when the funding question came up that has been interpreted by [56:02] some as defund the police. What was happening then in that particular session with that particular [56:08] proposal? And if you're elected, what would you do about this question of where and when and if the [56:15] police get involved in quality of life policing? Thank you for asking the clarifying question, Errol, [56:20] very much. The FY 2021 budget season was a very, very tough season for the New York City Council [56:27] and quite frankly, for the mayoral administration as well. We were still masked up in the pandemic [56:33] and New York City was very, very underfunded as a city. We were looking towards going in the hole, [56:40] if you will. So several city agencies had to take a haircut. The NYPD was one of those agencies, [56:47] as were many, many city agencies. Heck, the New York City Council, we had to take a haircut. [56:52] So there was funding reallocation that happened across the board for New York City because of the [56:59] pandemic. So, I mean, services were cut. Many folks out there realized that some of park services were [57:05] cut and other services were cut as well, unfortunately. So that was the climate that we were in, [57:10] quite frankly, during the pandemic season. As mayor, though, I know that New York City is [57:17] fiscally found. Our issue right now is going to be Trump proofing the New York City, Trump proofing [57:24] New York City, which I am doing right now as one who is negotiating the fourth New York City budget, [57:30] something that no one else on this stage can say. And we've already put aside in reserves, [57:35] through my leadership on the council, $1.9 billion to begin to protect the people of the city of New [57:41] York from Donald Trump's harsh cuts. We want the administration to not match us, go above us. [57:47] We're going to need to make sure that our resources are protected, that our nonprofits are protected, [57:52] that our children, our seniors, our health care is protected. And as leader of the city council, [57:58] I've already made a start in doing just that. All right. Thank you, Mr. Cuomo. Yeah, [58:04] if we wonder why the people watching this are frustrated is because of the disconnect of what [58:10] they're hearing. They are afraid on the streets. They feel unsafe. You can quote statistics all day [58:16] long. They get afraid walking into the subway. They get afraid walking down the street when they see [58:20] a mentally ill homeless person. We did defund the police. We did. We cut $1 billion from the police. [58:29] People on this stage said defund the police. That was the chant. And $1 billion was taken from the [58:38] police department. Mr Mondami says he would dismantle the police. Uh, that's his expression. Mr. Landers [58:47] said, I'll admit progressives like me were slow to recognize the problems of crime and quality of [58:57] life and mopeds. See, it's not so difficult to take responsibility, is it? That's what he said, [59:03] that they were slow to realize the crime that people were living with. We have to get back to safety. [59:11] I would add 5,000 police officers. Yes, we need mental health professionals who also help [59:17] work with the mental ill and they're two totally separate things. But this city has to be safe. [59:24] Opportunity for youth is part of it. But if people don't feel safe, Errol, they're not going to stay. [59:30] End of story. Okay. Real quick. Yeah, I mean, I think New Yorkers want accountability. They want [59:39] accountability when people commit crimes. They want accountability when officers use excessive force. [59:44] They want accountability when top brass violate their office and they want accountability from [59:49] elected officials. So yes, I said we were slow to reckon with rising disorder. Here's how I'm going to [59:56] actually deliver it. You've you've never taken responsibility for one single thing you've done [1:00:03] wrong in your entire life. Not one single thing. You should try it sometime. Okay. Ms. Adams, [1:00:12] real quick. I just want to clear up the whole defund mystery here that keeps on being used as far as [1:00:18] the New York City Council and the FY 2021 budget is concerned. Let's just be clear. The budget is [1:00:24] negotiated with the mayoral administration. The NYPD is a part of the mayoral administration and the [1:00:32] reallocation of funds was done with the knowledge of the NYPD, not in any far off land far, far away. [1:00:39] I don't know how long you've been out of it, Mr. Cuomo, but it's been a while. So I just want to make [1:00:44] sure that we are clear here tonight. Old slogans and scare tactics aren't going to make anybody in New [1:00:50] York City safer. Okay candidates. Thank you candidates. We're going to move on to our lightning round. [1:00:56] That's where every each candidate will answer our questions with a brief response. Usually yes or no. [1:01:02] I'm going to start with a show of hands one. Despite changes in technology, [1:01:05] do you still have a MetroCard in your wallet? Show of hands. Mr. Myrie, Mr. Cuomo, [1:01:12] Ms. Adams still have the MetroCard. God bless you. Um, uh, let's go down. [1:01:22] Name, name one department that you would make cuts to. We'll go right down the line. Mr. Uh, [1:01:27] Tilsen. Um, there's so many to choose from. Just one. I think there's a lot of fat cut in the DOE [1:01:39] budget, but there are areas I would invest more in. DOE means Department of Education, not, uh, [1:01:44] the Board of Elections. Mr. Stringer. As controller, I identified. Just one. [1:01:50] Efficiencies in every city agency to make them more, uh, run better and efficient. So it's not about [1:01:56] cutting or targeting one agency. It's really about doing due diligence and all the agencies. [1:02:00] Mr. Myrie. Yeah, I think, uh, New Yorkers experience city services every day. It's not [1:02:04] about who has what. It's about how we're delivering. Uh, so I think it's important that we are efficient [1:02:09] in that. I think we can shift some, uh, uh, some funding from the, uh, economic development [1:02:13] corporation to our city's general, uh, general. Okay. Mr. Mom Donnelly. I think we have to end our [1:02:18] city's addiction to consulting and contracts. We're currently paying McKinsey millions of dollars to design [1:02:23] a trash can. You don't have to do that. Mr. Landon. Last year, we paid out $2 billion in claims [1:02:30] against the city. I'll put them on the books of city agencies so they have an incentive to reduce [1:02:35] them. They can keep half the savings. It's hundreds of millions of dollars we can save. Mr. Cuomo. [1:02:39] City government hasn't been properly managed in 12 years. It needs an overhaul from top to bottom. Uh, [1:02:47] that's what I think has to be done. Where'd you start? Where would you start? Uh, I think if housing [1:02:52] is a top priority, I would start with HPD because that's one of the first jobs we have to start. [1:02:56] Okay. Ms. Adams. You know, I I'm still negotiating the city budget. The only one on the stage that's [1:03:01] doing this thing. So let's just be real about it. The mayor actually implemented pegs that took away [1:03:08] head count for many, many city agencies. So I don't think that we're in the space right now to cut [1:03:14] anything. We do need to reform and revamp city agencies. So what we need to do is take a look at, [1:03:20] as was said, contracts. We've got a lot of bloated contracts out there, [1:03:24] primarily because of the cronyism under Eric Adams. [1:03:30] In this lightning round, just three yes or no questions from me. Is it logistically possible, [1:03:36] Ms. Adams first, to close Rikers by 2027? Yes or no? No. Mr. Cuomo. No, the law is a joke. Mr. [1:03:46] Brando. Not a joke, but not by 2027 either. Mr. Mamdani. No, Eric Adams has made it functionally [1:03:52] impossible. Mr. Myrie. No, but it needs to close. Mr. Stringer. No. And Mr. Tilson. No, [1:03:58] not by 2032 either. We'll go the other order on yes or no. Do you support an expansion of red light [1:04:04] cameras, Mr. Tilson? Absolutely. Mr. Stringer. Yes. Absolutely. And I voted for it in Albany. [1:04:10] Thank you, Mr. Myrie. Mr. Mamdani. Yes. And unlike Andrew Cuomo, I know you can't turn right on red in New York City. [1:04:15] Mr. Landon. Yes. And with real accountability for drivers who do it. Mr. Cuomo. Yes. Ms. Adams. Yes. [1:04:26] And one more. We'll start in the middle with Mr. Mamdani. Have you ever voted for a Republican? No. Mr. Myrie. [1:04:34] I have not, but I voted for a Democrat that ended up caucusing with the Republicans. That's why I ran for [1:04:38] state Senate in the 2018. Mr. Stringer. Ever voted for Republican, Ms. Stringer? Never in my life. Mr. Tilson. Sure. [1:04:46] Mr. Plumber. Ms. Adams. No. Mr. Cuomo. No. And Mr. Lander. No. [1:04:53] No. This first question, it's a two-parter. I'll start with you, Mr. Tilson. What is your favorite [1:05:00] park or play around in the city? And would you as mayor commit to at least 1% of the city budgets [1:05:04] going to the parks department? Yes. I raised three daughters in the city. They're now in their 20s. [1:05:11] Shout out to my youngest, graduating from college in two days, actually. And I ran the Daddy Olympics [1:05:18] in Central Park every day. We circled the park and had a number of favorite playgrounds. I'd say the [1:05:24] favorite we called playground number one, which is at 96th and 5th. And I've actually called for [1:05:30] permanently making the parks budget 1% of the city budget, so it increases with the city's budget. [1:05:35] The parks are our gems. Mr. Stringer? 1% for parks because every kid deserves outdoors, [1:05:42] and we have got to make sure we fix all the parks, not just in wealthy communities. But look, [1:05:46] my favorite park is where the kids want to play. So if it's on a basketball court, I'm there. If it's [1:05:50] Central Park, I'm there. Rockefeller Park, I'm there. I have no decision making it. It's all up to them. [1:05:55] Mr. Myron? My favorite park is Prospect Park, and my parents, [1:06:02] are here in the audience with us, and it is where I learned how to ride a bike. It is where they [1:06:13] took me throughout my childhood. So I absolutely would commit to 1% to our city's parks. It's a [1:06:18] shame that we have not done that already. Mr. Mondani? I would absolutely commit 1% of the city [1:06:25] budget to the parks department. I'm proud to have done so over the course of this campaign, [1:06:28] and I have to say that my favorite park is Astoria Park. Mr. Lander? [1:06:32] Mr. Lander? Mr. Lander? Mr. Lander? Mr. Lander is right on this question. Prospect Park is the [1:06:36] best park in New York City, and my kids are here, and they played baseball and learned to ride their [1:06:41] bikes, and I was just at the Celebrate Brooklyn concert opening. Yes, we'll do 1%, but we've got to [1:06:47] focus it on the parks that need it most. I passed a law that helps us do that, and as mayor, I'll make [1:06:53] sure we focus on those parks that have been way too long neglected. Thank you. Mr. Cuomo? [1:06:57] Yes, for the 1%, and I'd also like to see the private sector get involved with conservancies, [1:07:03] not just Central Park. It's beautiful. It's Manhattan, but there are other boroughs also, [1:07:09] Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx, Staten Island, etc. My favorite park is Cunningham Park in Queens, [1:07:16] and 1%, but let's get conservancies set up for all the parks. Ms. Adams? [1:07:22] We definitely have to get to the 1%. We've been fighting in the council for as long as I've been [1:07:28] in the council to get there. My favorite park has to be Baisley Pond Park in Jamaica, Queens, [1:07:33] of course. That's my district, my park, but we've got to get rid of those phragmites. [1:07:36] And this is a quick one. It's a one- or two-word answer. I'll start with you, Ms. Adams. Which [1:07:41] borough have you spent the least amount of time in? Staten Island. Mr. Cuomo? [1:07:46] I would say Staten Island. Mr. Lander? [1:07:51] Staten Island. Mr. Mondani? Uh-oh. The beacon of free transit? Staten Island. [1:07:56] Mr. Myrie? I'd say Staten Island. Mr. Stringer? [1:07:59] I've been doing this. I've been everywhere. [1:08:04] So no, all equal? They're all equal, including Staten Island. [1:08:09] Mr. Tilson? It was almost a sweep. [1:08:14] All right, we are going to take a short break now. When we come back, we'll bring you the [1:08:18] cross-examination round where each candidate will ask one opponent, one question. And because this [1:08:23] election will require New Yorkers to rank their candidates, we want to take a moment to explain [1:08:27] how ranked choice voting works, courtesy of the Campaign Finance Board. The debate will continue [1:08:32] in just a few minutes. There's a new way for New Yorkers to have their say in city elections. [1:08:52] A way that gives voters more choices and can lead to more diverse winners. [1:08:57] It's called ranked choice voting. 74% of New York voters chose to use it in primary and special [1:09:05] elections for city offices, mayor, public advocate, comptroller, borough president, and city council. [1:09:13] You won't see ranked choice voting in general elections or elections for state or national offices. [1:09:18] But in ranked choice voting elections, you can now rank up to five of your favorite candidates [1:09:23] for each office. Here's how ranked choice voting works. On your ballot, you'll see candidates [1:09:30] listed in rows and numbered rankings and columns. Pick your first choice and completely fill in the [1:09:36] oval next to their name under the first column. Like always, you can just vote for your one favorite [1:09:41] candidate and submit your ballot. You might like several people. If you have a second choice, [1:09:49] fill in the oval next to their name under the second column. Do the same thing for your third, [1:09:55] fourth, and fifth choices if you have them. A few don'ts. Don't rank the same candidate more than once. [1:10:04] It won't help them and it takes away your chance to rank the others who are running. Don't give the [1:10:09] same rank to multiple candidates. It could disqualify your ballot. Don't worry. This is a [1:10:15] new process and you can always ask a poll worker for help or for a new ballot if you make a mistake. [1:10:20] So how do ballots get counted with ranked choice voting? If one candidate gets more than 50% of [1:10:28] everyone's first choice votes, they win the election right away. That's it. If no candidate gets more than [1:10:35] 50%, ballots will be counted in rounds. Round by round, the candidate with the fewest votes is [1:10:42] eliminated. So if your top rated candidate is eliminated, your vote goes to your next highest [1:10:48] choice. This keeps going until only two candidates remain. The person with the most votes wins. [1:11:01] Ranked choice voting is already popular in many cities around the country because voters find that [1:11:05] it helps more voices be heard. Now it's our turn. Get answers to your questions and learn more at [1:11:12] NYCCFB.info.rcv. Welcome back to our Democratic primary debate for mayor live from John Jay College [1:11:41] of Criminal Justice. We're more than halfway through the debate with the seven leading Democratic candidates. [1:11:46] Now it is time for the cross-examination round. That's when each candidate gets a chance to ask one [1:11:51] question of one rival. Our order was selected at random and we'll begin with Scott Stringer. [1:11:55] Thank you all. My question is for Adrian Adams. So during the City of Yes negotiations, [1:12:03] you successfully brought billions of dollars in benefits and opportunity on top of City of Yes. [1:12:11] As you know, I've been campaigning because I really do believe we have a realistic opportunity [1:12:16] to take those parcels of land and turn them into affordable housing. Do you envision or would you [1:12:22] sort of signal that that idea could be coupled with funding, the funding that you obtain when [1:12:27] you start thinking about your own, uh, housing implementing your own housing agenda if you were [1:12:32] mayor? Well, Scott, thank you for the question. And thank you for recognizing that I have ushered in [1:12:38] billions of dollars for housing for the people of the city of New York. Thank you for that. I, [1:12:43] as mayor, I would be open to any, any feasible option of housing expanding it for the people of [1:12:49] the city of New York. We got to continue this. My work has just been the floor and not the ceiling. [1:12:55] So I'm more than willing to to expand on the great work that I'm still doing as City Council [1:13:01] Speaker. Okay. Thank you. Mr. Murray. My question is also for Speaker Adams. Uh, we, uh, [1:13:08] have seen, uh, over the past two decades, 200,000 black New Yorkers leave this city. Uh, we know that [1:13:14] this is a top issue for most New Yorkers, the cost of living here. And I'm wondering if you can talk to [1:13:20] us, uh, about ushering through the city of yes and what implications that has for black New Yorkers who [1:13:26] are struggling to stay in this city and what we could be building on going forward. Love the question. [1:13:31] Thank you very much, Senator. And again, thank you for referencing the city of yes, Trent championed by [1:13:37] the city council Speaker Adrian Adams. Thank you so much. Um, yeah, within within the proposal, [1:13:44] which which the city council renamed City for all we've built in, um, financial safeguards for [1:13:51] for black families, um, many of whom I'm sure, as you know, also, uh, we've seen leave our city in [1:13:59] droves over the past two decades, and we want to make sure that our families stay here. That is why [1:14:05] we have built in within that $5 billion in the proposal. We are protecting homeowners so that [1:14:12] homeowners in disrepair can repair their homes. That is built in through the financing. We've also [1:14:18] built in, uh, repairs for NYCHA families for Mitchell Lama, uh, Mitchell Lama residents as well. [1:14:24] Rochdale village is a Mitchell Lama. Tremend the second largest Mitchell Lama in the city of New [1:14:29] York within my own district. So we have built in financial safeguards to protect our black families, [1:14:36] families of color from leaving New York. This is something again, I live in a black plant family. [1:14:41] I don't want my children to leave. So this is for their protection as well. Thank you, Mr. Tilson. [1:14:46] Yeah, um, so Ron, you're a proud member of the Democratic Socialists of America. Uh, [1:14:51] you refer to each other as comrade and, uh, right now on the DSA's website, it's, uh, it calls for [1:14:59] the government ownership of all major industries to decriminalize all misdemeanors, including, uh, [1:15:07] theft and assault to empty our prisons and to disarm this, uh, dismantle and defund the police. [1:15:15] So your words are very reassuring, but, uh, this is what I read from your people. And I wonder if you, [1:15:22] uh, will disavow this or, uh, implement it as mayor. Yes, like David Dinkins, I am a member of [1:15:33] the organization and the organization's platform is not the platform of this campaign. The platform [1:15:38] of this campaign is the one you can find on the website at Zuhran4NYC.com. That's a platform that [1:15:43] is going to deliver an affordable city for New Yorkers who are currently being priced out of what is [1:15:48] instead the most expensive city in the United States. It's one that we're going to deliver [1:15:52] public safety to each and every New Yorker. And we're going to do so by recognizing the critical [1:15:56] role that police have to play in that and also by creating the Department of Community Safety [1:16:01] so that police do not have to do the work of mental health professionals and that we can [1:16:05] follow the example, the evidence based policies we've seen be successful elsewhere in the country [1:16:10] and start to divert those mental health calls outside of the police department so the police [1:16:14] department can focus on the seven major categories of crime. Okay. Next is from Ms. Adams. Yes. [1:16:27] Thank you. I was looking for Errol to look up because he's confusing me. Oh, okay. Thank you. [1:16:32] I have a question for, uh, Assemblymember, uh, Mamdani. I know how to pronounce your name. Thank you [1:16:38] very much, Speaker Adams. Um, Assemblymember, um, I've raised a family in New York. Uh, I have over [1:16:47] 20 years of experience in the private sector. I have led the city council through many, many challenges, [1:16:56] uh, taking this city through three successful budgets and billions of dollars in city budgets [1:17:03] now working on our fourth, which will also be successful, um, and have been continuing this work [1:17:10] for a number of years on the city council. Uh, in a recent New York Times article, you said that you [1:17:16] were the most qualified person to be mayor of the city of New York. Uh, given what I've just laid out, [1:17:22] do you think you're more qualified than me to lead the city? [1:17:26] I, I, I very much appreciate your work and your leadership and your track record speaker. I think [1:17:34] that each one of us on the stage will say that we are the most qualified to lead the city because if we [1:17:39] didn't believe that, then we would have no business running for mayor. And ultimately, I believe [1:17:44] that because I believe the most pressing crisis we're facing here is one of affordability. And that [1:17:49] is something that my campaign has been laser focused on. And that is why I'm proud to say that we are [1:17:54] going to address it by freezing the rent for millions of rent stabilized tenants by making the slowest [1:17:59] buses in the country fast and free and by delivering universal child care to each and every New York [1:18:03] family. Mr. Landier, your turn. Peter, will you please stand up? Andrew, this is Peter Arbini. He's [1:18:13] been trying to ask you a question for five years. His father Norman, his father Norman died because of [1:18:23] your disastrous order sending people with COVID into nursing homes. Then as you admitted this week, [1:18:29] you personally altered the state health department report to undercount the death total, to hide the [1:18:35] death total and then evaded and lied to these families for five years. So tonight, will you finally [1:18:42] apologize to Peter and other grieving New Yorkers or will you just keep or will you just keep gaslighting [1:18:52] them with blather about what a great job you claim you did? Maybe, maybe where you come from in St. Louis, [1:18:59] facts don't matter. But here they do. So let's talk about that. First of all, on nursing homes, 1.2 million [1:19:09] people died of COVID in the United States. It's horrendous. 83,000 people died in New York State. [1:19:15] It is horrendous. It was a pandemic unlike anything we've ever seen. When it comes to nursing homes, [1:19:22] we now know the facts because numerous studies have been done. New York State implemented the federal [1:19:30] guidance set by CMS CDC, Dr. Fauci. We implemented it. Other states implemented it. That has been proven [1:19:39] over and over and over again. When you look at the total death toll in New York, [1:19:47] the rate of death in nursing homes, we're number 38 out of 50 states. Only 12 states had a lower rate [1:19:58] of death than New York, which is incredible, in my opinion, since we had it first and worst, [1:20:06] and does not give enough credit to the women and men in those nursing homes who worked so hard. [1:20:12] Mr. Arbini lost the father. I am very, very sorry for that. He brought a legal case against the state. [1:20:21] The legal case was dismissed. When you look at the papers on the case, there was no COVID-positive [1:20:30] person sent from a hospital to the nursing home while Mr. Arbini was in the nursing home, [1:20:41] so it is factually impossible, Brad, that he got COVID from someone coming from a hospital. [1:20:51] Okay. Mr. Momdani. [1:20:53] You know, I just, I want to address something first, which is that... [1:20:57] You're going to ask a question or not? I'm going to ask a question, but Brad Lander is more of a [1:21:01] New Yorker than Andrew Cuomo is, and to hear all of this... Who are you going to ask the question to? [1:21:04] To hear all this about St. Louis, we have to just make this clear. [1:21:08] Now, all of us on this stage... Wait, who are you going to ask your question to? [1:21:12] I'm asking it to Andrew Cuomo. Okay. [1:21:14] I feel like most people would have known I'm going to ask Andrew Cuomo a question. [1:21:17] I knew. I knew. I knew. I knew. I knew. [1:21:19] I knew. You knew. We did. We both knew. We knew. We agree. [1:21:25] All of us on this stage have spoken about how Donald Trump is an existential threat to democracy, [1:21:35] to the city, to this country. And Andrew Cuomo, you have received millions of dollars [1:21:43] in funding from the very billionaires who put Donald Trump back into office. Will you now look [1:21:50] at the camera and tell your super PAC to return those millions of dollars and to your own campaign [1:21:58] to return that close to half a million dollars to ensure that this is not a race that is bought [1:22:03] by those same Trump billionaires? I know you don't understand the law, [1:22:11] but it would be illegal for me to direct an independent expenditure committee. [1:22:15] Is it illegal for you to direct your own campaign? [1:22:17] One question, one answer. That's the law, okay? Number two, [1:22:22] I dealt with Mr. Trump as governor. We had very, very difficult times. I got more help for New York [1:22:32] from Trump than anyone expected. New York was one of the few places that he did not send in troops [1:22:40] when he sent them everywhere else because he didn't want to deal with me. That's the fact. [1:22:46] I got him to send us masks. So are you going to return the half a million dollars to your own campaign? [1:22:51] And then on your point about, oh, billionaires, let's remember this. I am the candidate on the stage [1:22:58] who is supported by more labor unions than any other candidate. 650,000 working men and women [1:23:08] support me. Then why is it that JD Vance went to more picket lines than you now? [1:23:12] Let me finish because they know me and they know my record. The firefighters worked with me in storms. [1:23:19] The utility workers endorsed me because I was in Puerto Rico [1:23:23] putting the power back together after the storms. Every major union that has endorsed [1:23:31] has endorsed me greater than any candidate on the stage. You get the final question, [1:23:37] Mr. Cuomo. You get the final question to anyone on the stage. [1:23:41] Yes. My question is to Mr. Tilson. We learned today that shockingly, Mr. Mondani is not part of the DSA, [1:23:52] but we've heard his plans over and over and over. You're a financial man. You're not a politician, [1:23:58] Mr. Tilson. Probably smarter than the rest of us in that regard. But you've heard his plans for how [1:24:06] to build housing, how he's going to finance the housing, free buses, how he's going to build grocery [1:24:12] stores. And he said he can do all of this and our taxes will not be any higher than New Jersey's taxes. [1:24:21] You're a financial expert. You've heard this 157 times. Is it feasible and financially possible [1:24:32] that he is telling the truth? The biggest piece of his, he says he will raise the revenue [1:24:49] to pay for all the things that I can't even keep track of, all the spending promises he's making, [1:24:54] by raising the corporate tax rate to New Jersey's level. What he is failing to acknowledge is that [1:25:01] there are already many other city and state taxes that, in fact, if his plan were implemented, [1:25:06] would result in New York City businesses paying double the tax rate of New Jersey, [1:25:10] triple that of Connecticut, five times that of Florida, which would lead to an exodus of businesses [1:25:14] and jobs and crush our city. But even more preposterous is that this all has to go through Albany. [1:25:22] There is no appetite for what he is calling for. And even if it were to pass the corporate tax rate [1:25:29] tax increase statewide, he's assuming that all the taxes all around the state, [1:25:34] that the legislature would just hand it to New York City. That's truly delusional. [1:25:38] So I want to double taxes in New York City. I want to double spending in New York City, [1:25:43] but I want to do it the way Mike Bloomberg did it by doubling the size of the economy, [1:25:47] which he did over 12 years. It's economic growth that we need, not destructive policies that would [1:25:53] crush growth. Okay. Thank you. Thank you, candidates. We're going to move on to a new topic, [1:25:58] and I'm going to ask you as we come down the homestretch, we're in our final half hour. We're [1:26:01] going to keep everything a little tighter, and I'll thank you in advance for your cooperation. [1:26:05] Let's talk about the fact that even before the war between Israel and Hamas, [1:26:10] an unofficial but important task of every New York City mayor has been to bring New Yorkers together, [1:26:16] even on issues of passionate concern where finding common ground is difficult. So let's talk for a few [1:26:21] minutes about what kind of job you would do in this area. And Mr. Mamdani, what is your message to [1:26:27] Jewish New Yorkers who are supportive of Israel and fear for their safety in this current political [1:26:33] climate? That I hear them and that I have heard them over the course of this campaign and before that, [1:26:39] after the days of the horrific war crime of October 7th, a friend of mine told me about how he felt [1:26:44] sitting in his synagogue for Shabbat services when he heard the door open and a chill went up his spine [1:26:48] as he turned around, not knowing who would be there. And I heard that even just recently from a Jewish [1:26:53] man in Williamsburg who told me how he locks the very door that used to be unlocked for so many years [1:26:58] out of a concern for his safety. I will protect Jewish New Yorkers and deliver them that safety. I will do [1:27:04] so as the next mayor of the city. And ultimately, what I will also say is to New Yorkers who have a [1:27:09] disagreement with me on any issue, but also on the question of the Israeli government's policies, [1:27:14] that that disagreement I know is rooted in a shared sense of humanity. And in the words of Ed Koch, [1:27:20] if you agree with me on 9 out of 12 issues, vote for me. 12 out of 12, see a psychiatrist. [1:27:25] And just as a follow-up, Mr. Mondani, when it comes to the boycott and divestment movement aimed at Israel, [1:27:33] which you have supported even before this campaign, what would you say to people who feel that that is [1:27:39] an existential threat and that despite your position of wanting to keep people safe, they feel like you [1:27:47] actually either have a different agenda or are in league with people who have an agenda that makes them feel [1:27:53] fundamentally unsafe. I've been very clear and I will continue to be so, which is that at the core of my [1:27:59] politics is a belief in nonviolence and that my support for compliance with international law is support for [1:28:05] nonviolent movements that seek to do so and build on the example that we saw with South Africa. And ultimately, what my [1:28:11] focus, what my focus will be, however, is not on what is happening outside of the city. It is going to be on making [1:28:17] sure this is a city that is affordable for each and every New Yorker. What is currently the most expensive city in the [1:28:22] country finally be one that the working class New Yorkers who built it can afford to live in and to [1:28:27] ensure that each and every New Yorker feels represented by me as their mayor because you can win an election [1:28:32] with a majority, but it is your job to represent every single person across the city. Okay. Mr. Cuomo, [1:28:39] according to Muslim American organizations, you never made a public visit to a mosque during your 10 plus [1:28:45] years as governor. Why the reluctance? Yeah, I believe I have. I would have to check the record, [1:28:51] but let me just let me correct the record here if I might. The Mr. Mondani is dangerously. Wait, [1:28:58] wait, wait, let me let me let me let me ask you about this because this was an issue in the 2018 [1:29:03] campaign when you were running for reelection when they said that in seven years you had never visited a [1:29:09] mosque. Did something happen in the several years beyond that? I believe I have. I know I've participated in [1:29:16] many four forums with Imams. I am not off the top of my head. I can't tell you where I went, [1:29:24] but I'll check the record and I will. So so let me let me just get to the point then. I mean, [1:29:29] what would you say to more than 760,000 Muslims here in the city about whether or not you would reach [1:29:36] out to them, make them feel welcome, make them feel protected at a time when I would say I would say [1:29:43] we are a city of immigrants. I welcome them. I love them. I'm not Mr. Mondani. I'm not anti-semitic. [1:29:51] I'm not divisive. I didn't say I would boycott Israel. I didn't say I would divest from Israel. I [1:29:57] didn't say I would sanction Israel. I don't give forums to anti-semites. I don't give forums to [1:30:05] extremists to blame America for 9-11. I didn't say that I would boycott Cornell Technion because [1:30:13] they're pro-Israel. He is the flip side of the coin of Trump. Trump says he'll boycott Cornell because [1:30:21] they're anti-Israel. He says I'll boycott Cornell because they're pro-Israel. The vision is our death [1:30:32] in this city, this state, in this nation, and the vision is what Trump sells. We should be selling [1:30:40] unity, not the division that this man is spreading. Mr. Mondani, you you it is it is ridiculous [1:30:51] to hear Mr. Cuomo talk about himself as a man of unity when just yesterday we found out that his [1:30:59] super pack was sending mail that artificially darkened and lengthened my beard to stoke the [1:31:06] very fears of that division in this city. The reason he doesn't have a message for Muslim New Yorkers [1:31:12] is because he has nothing to say to us because he doesn't see us as if we are every other New Yorker. [1:31:18] And ultimately the campaign the campaign that I am running is a campaign that seeks to go beyond [1:31:25] the politics of the Trump era where candidates on the stage describe me as a monster describe me at the [1:31:30] gates where they say that I am in fact the other. This is a campaign to bring people together. It's why [1:31:37] we have the support of Jewish and Muslim New Yorkers. It's why we have the support of people across the [1:31:42] five boroughs. Real quick. Yeah. You don't bring New Yorkers together by saying President Obama is evil [1:31:49] and President Obama is a liar. You don't bring them together by saying Hakeem Jeffries is like George [1:31:56] Wallace and the D.A.S. sending ads to Hakeem Jeffries with watermelons. Koch didn't say [1:32:03] what you said he said. He said anyone who threatens Israel I would never support. Okay. That's what [1:32:10] Koch says and that's you. We're going to bring in the other candidates. I want you to tell me [1:32:15] and we'll do this 60 seconds and keep it a real 60 seconds. What would you do as far as bringing [1:32:20] people together around this particular issue which has brought people into the streets and caused so [1:32:24] much controversy in New York. Errol, all New Yorkers deserve to feel safe no matter who they are. [1:32:29] As City Council Speaker, I have allocated millions of dollars to combat anti-Semitism. As mayor, [1:32:37] I will fully fund to protect all New Yorkers, something that our current mayor has not done. [1:32:43] We're going to fully fund the Commission on Human Rights to make sure that we are taking care of all [1:32:49] of the citizens of the city of New York. Right now, that commission is significantly [1:32:54] understaffed. 20% of their headcount is lacking. And as mayor, I'm going to make sure that that head [1:33:01] count is appropriate and that we are truly looking forward to unifying this city. [1:33:07] Anti-Semitism has grown and it is at its peak in New York City. That is unacceptable. It should be [1:33:12] unacceptable to everyone on this stage. And it is something that as mayor, we are going to unify [1:33:19] this city once and for all and treating everyone as equals. Mr. Lander. I am a proud Jewish New Yorker [1:33:26] and raising these two beautiful Jewish kids in this city is one of the great joys of my life. It's [1:33:32] remarkable what a haven New York City has been. And I'm going to fight like hell to keep it that way. [1:33:37] You can't have to look over your shoulder every time you go to a Jewish communal event like in DC and [1:33:43] Boulder. And I will keep Jews safe. And I will keep Muslims and everyone else safe. I was at a mosque [1:33:49] for Eid last week up in the Bronx of Ghanaian and Nigerians beautifully out in the street. That's the [1:33:57] New York City we want. Many Sundays, I go to Union Square for a vigil with Israelis for peace who are [1:34:03] calling for a return of the hostages for an end to the war in Gaza, a real ceasefire for the famine to [1:34:09] be ended by humanitarian aid. I believe passionately in the vision of Israel as a Jewish and democratic [1:34:15] state. But for that to be real, the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza has to end and Israelis [1:34:21] and Palestinians have to find a way to peace and mutual self-determination. That is not the job of [1:34:27] the mayor of New York City. But what a mayor can do is set a model for how you bring people together. [1:34:34] Mr. Mari. Part of the magic of our city, what makes our city so beautiful, the reason that people come [1:34:46] here from all over the world is that you can be your full self and be able to walk down the street [1:34:54] and not feel like you are threatened by violence. You can live out your entire being, pray to who you want [1:35:02] to pray to, go to whatever religious setting you want to, and you should have the protection of this city. [1:35:09] We have seen over the past few years an unequivocal rise in anti-Semitism, and we must deal with that [1:35:16] head on. We must be unequivocal about how we deal with it. But the role of the mayor is to keep everyone [1:35:22] safe. And that is what my plan is. I want to restore the funding for the office to prevent hate crime. [1:35:29] I want to ensure that our Commission on Human Rights has all the personnel that it needs to. [1:35:33] I want to extend education so that all of our New Yorkers understand the rich Jewish history. [1:35:38] But we also have to ensure that Muslims feel protected in this city as well, [1:35:43] that we have their back as well. That is what makes New York City New York City. [1:35:47] That's the kind of city that I'm going to lead. Okay. Mr. Stringer. [1:35:51] Well, let me let me be very clear. I am not confused about what I believe in or who I am. [1:36:00] I am a Zionist. I believe in the Jewish state of Israel. I'm against BDS. It's anti-Semitic. [1:36:07] And my wife works at the Jewish Museum, Jewish Heritage Museum, which is a living memorial to [1:36:13] the Holocaust. So when I found, as we all did the horror of what happened in Washington, [1:36:18] the Jewish Museum, I really thought about my wife going to work and coming home. And I thought about my [1:36:24] Jewish kids, two kids who won't just bar mitzvahed. And I worry about them. And as mayor, [1:36:31] I'm going to protect the Jewish community. But here's what a mayor really has to do. [1:36:36] We've got to go back to what I used to do when I was controller and borough president. [1:36:40] When the Muslim community called me and said, we've had people killed outside our mosque. We [1:36:45] need you to be there to support us. I was there. When people were slurred, being slurred Muslims [1:36:53] because of 9-11, and prejudice was happening all over the city, as one of the highest-ranking [1:36:57] Jewish officials, I was there. When we needed to bring halal food into the public school system, [1:37:04] I brought the Muslim community and the Jewish community together in the controller's office. [1:37:08] It was a U.N. moment. And we brought the city together. That's what a mayor has to do. [1:37:13] Okay. Mr. Tilson. Yeah. [1:37:17] I want to be the mayor who ends the chaos, not globalize the Intifada. I'm part of New York's [1:37:23] Jewish community through my wife and three daughters. We've been members of Central Synagogue [1:37:27] for 25 years. And I can tell you, New Yorkers, Jewish New Yorkers don't feel safe. In the audience [1:37:34] today are two Columbia University students, both Jewish, David and Maya. They have had their education [1:37:43] disrupted, have been harassed, cursed at. David's twin brother, also at Columbia, was punched in the [1:37:48] face by one of these mobs. And I hold the people inciting these mobs, the leaders, [1:37:55] yes, Zoran Mamdani, partly responsible for this. And when you use words like accusing the only, [1:38:04] when you use words referring to the only Jewish state in the world, like genocide and apartheid, [1:38:11] when you call for divestment at all, that is inciting these mobs. And he says shared sense [1:38:17] of humanity and all these nice sounding words. But he has a double standard because if you search [1:38:22] his Twitter feed, 15,000 tweets, Sudan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia don't appear. Yet the word Israel [1:38:29] appears more than 50 times. The word genocide appears more than 26 times. So that tells you where his heart [1:38:34] is. Okay, briefly. I am being smeared for echoing the same words as Israeli historians Amos Goldberg and [1:38:45] Daniel Blattman. I am being mischaracterized on the stage for echoing the same words of a former [1:38:51] Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmer, who said recently, what we are doing in Gaza is a war of [1:38:57] devastation. It is indiscriminate, limitless, cruel and criminal killing of civilians. I say these [1:39:04] things because far too often we take what can be a place of disagreement and instead start to broach [1:39:10] beyond that. And these kinds of characterizations, they are part and parcel of what leads the [1:39:15] dehumanization our city, which is why an elected official in our own city has called for me to be [1:39:20] deported. It cannot be disentangled from what's going on right now. Okay. Thank you, candidate. [1:39:23] Thank you. This next question is about education. As mayor, you would be leading the largest public [1:39:31] school system in the country with more than 900,000 students, all with differing needs. Mr. Tilson, [1:39:36] you've made education your campaign's focus, one of its focuses, and have been critical of the current [1:39:41] performance of the city's public school system. One of the new challenges the next mayor will face [1:39:46] is a new requirement to limit the number of students in a class. How would your administration in this [1:39:50] class handle this class size bill? I oppose this class size mandate. It's going to balloon the [1:39:59] already 40 billion dollar budget by about a billion six a year. And this has been tried around the [1:40:05] country, and it is one of the least effective ways. It does not move the needle on student achievement [1:40:10] because while, of course, all of us want smaller class sizes, everything being equal. In fact, [1:40:15] that is that benefit is offset by the requirement to suddenly hire thousands of teachers who are less [1:40:21] experienced and less qualified than existing teachers. And so the benefit from lower class size [1:40:27] is offset by less experienced, less qualified teachers. And guess who? Guess which students [1:40:34] get those teachers. It is disproportionately low income minority kids. This class size mandate would [1:40:40] not only hurt our budget, but hurt those children. So I've dedicated my adult life to trying to reduce the [1:40:47] educational inequalities in our system as one of the founders of Teach for America on the board of [1:40:51] KIPP charter schools for more than 20 years. And I will put the interest of kids first in a system [1:40:57] that by and large today runs for the benefit of adults. Great. Thank you. Ms. Adams, same question, [1:41:02] the class size bill. How you would handle as mayor the class size bill? Yeah, thank you very much. [1:41:08] No matter how we feel about the class size mandate, it is the mandate. So it is something that we have to [1:41:14] follow. I too believe that, you know, as one coming from Southeast Queens, I was education chairperson [1:41:20] of my community board, and I can tell you that I walked into many a classroom over the past 15 years [1:41:26] or so and have seen the effects of too many students crammed in one classroom. So that is a mandate. [1:41:33] It is a mandate for a reason. What we need to look at, though, is the allocation of funds within the DOE. [1:41:40] The DOE has the largest budget within the New York's within New York City of all agencies. And we need [1:41:46] to take a look at that money and we need to make sure that our children are the recipients of the [1:41:51] resources within the DOE. Sometimes there are contracts. There are other things going towards the DOE, [1:41:58] creating that inflated budget. But we have to make sure that our children are truly the recipients [1:42:04] of that massive DOE budget. Thank you. Mr. Myrie, same question. [1:42:10] So as many of you probably already know, I'm a proud public school kid. Went to PS 161 in Crown Heights. [1:42:16] They are the crown jewel of this city. I would not be here without it. I think it's really important [1:42:22] that we invest in our schools. The reduction of class sizes was something I was proud to vote for [1:42:28] in the state legislature because we know and the data tells us that smaller class sizes have better [1:42:33] outcomes for the students and for the teachers. But I'd also like to see some more investments in [1:42:38] our mental health for our students. We have not appreciated what has happened over COVID-19, [1:42:44] the learning loss that is going to have impacts for many years to come. We have to support our [1:42:50] students. We have to support our providers. And in addition to that, yeah, I know what I'm going to [1:42:55] say. One after school for all. Every kid in this city from kindergarten all the way through 12th grade. [1:43:02] We need it and we need it now. That is what I'm going to do as the next mayor. [1:43:06] Thank you. And this is another education issue. This question will be for you, Mr. Mamdani. [1:43:11] What's one thing you would do to improve education for students with significant [1:43:15] or complex abilities who can't be served by their neighborhood schools? [1:43:20] No, I think first and foremost, we need to ensure that they also have high quality tutoring, [1:43:24] which we've seen some steps towards. Part of this also comes back to the ability to attract and retain [1:43:30] teachers across the DOE. And currently what we're seeing is that on this discussion of class size [1:43:35] mandate, we would need to hire estimates, say, close to 10,000 teachers. When we're talking about [1:43:39] paraprofessionals, we have so many vacant positions because these positions simply do not pay enough. I [1:43:44] support legislation in the council 1261, which would create a recurring annual bonus so that [1:43:50] we can actually fill those positions because ultimately what every child and what every parent of [1:43:55] that child deserves is the same high quality, excellent public education. And we need to ensure [1:44:00] that every single dollar we spend is a dollar that goes towards that because as some of my fellow [1:44:04] candidates have said, there is too much money in the DOE that is currently being spent on consulting and [1:44:09] contracts that are duplicative that are not standardized and that could actually be redirected back into [1:44:14] the classroom to ensure that every single child is receiving that education. Thank you. Mrs. Stringer, [1:44:20] the same question. Well, look, I'm the candidate on this stage who has real skin in the game. I have [1:44:25] two kids in middle school right now, and I see what overcrowded classrooms mean to them and to their [1:44:32] friends. And so the bottom line is if you want quality education, you got to have smaller class sizes. [1:44:37] And I have to tell you, you go to parent teacher night and you talk to the teachers. They know [1:44:43] about every child. They know about our kids and all the kids. They do an amazing job. But you know [1:44:47] what? 40% of them are leaving after five years because we're not retaining them. We're not training [1:44:54] them. We're not uplifting them. Tier six that Andrew Cuomo did was the death knell for them leaving. [1:45:00] I was somebody who believed as controller that managing their pensions actually kept them in the system, [1:45:05] and I did that well. But in terms of what I ordered a DOE, it is accessible. Contracts, secret deals, [1:45:13] pay to play. We're going to upend that when I'm mayor. I know where the bodies are buried there. [1:45:17] I've been waiting to do this for a long time. But as your education is the lifeblood of this city, [1:45:23] and we need to give parents the resources they need because every kid has something. Every kid needs a [1:45:29] little extra. And the kids with parents who have resources, they get it. But the kids who don't, [1:45:35] struggle. And I want to stop that and end that. Thank you. Continuing on with education for Mr. Cuomo, [1:45:41] over the last decade, the expansion of free pre-K and 3K has been used by hundreds of thousands of [1:45:47] New York families. But there have been issues with implementation and even critics who say other [1:45:51] educational initiatives should be prioritized. What would be your administration's commitment to these [1:45:56] programs? Well, we pioneered pre-K on the state side, and we're very proud of it. The more we can do, [1:46:03] the better. But let's be realistic about education. We all agree, and you've heard many good ideas here. [1:46:11] We want more paraprofessionals, more teacher centers, more after-school care, smaller class size. [1:46:18] But we also have a terrible fiscal problem, and this is before the Trump tsunami. So if the state is [1:46:24] going to mandate a smaller class size, and we can say, let's agree it's a good idea, the state has to [1:46:32] pay for smaller class size. Otherwise, we're just going to be savaging other parts of the budget. [1:46:39] And part of the mayor's job is to advocate for New York City and to have state legislators say, [1:46:47] we think it's a great idea. Here's the mandate. You must do it. But we're not going to fund it is [1:46:54] disingenuous. There's an old expression, passing the buck without passing the bucks. Yes, smaller class [1:47:02] size. Please help us fund it so we don't savage other parts of education. Thank you. Mr. Lander. [1:47:09] My mom is here, who's a lifelong public elementary school guidance counselor. And both my kids are [1:47:16] pre-K to 12 New York City public school students. The New York Times opinion panel today specifically [1:47:22] praised my education track record. And what's needed is clarity that lower class size, that better [1:47:29] student-teacher ratios are good, and a way to get it done. Andrew is actually right that more money is [1:47:36] needed from the state. And I've documented how much as controller and said, here's how we're going [1:47:42] to go about doing it. We should start in those schools that are low income and highly kids of color [1:47:49] and get class size done there. We should do collaborative team teaching, especially to make [1:47:54] sure we can provide extra services for students with special needs. There are some amazing models of [1:48:00] school mergers like Brooklyn 305 United. The next mayor can reduce class size and dramatically improve [1:48:08] schooling for all our kids. Thank you all so much. I want to ask a different kind of public safety [1:48:20] question. Mr. Stringer, you go first in this round. The city says there were 252 traffic deaths [1:48:26] last year. That's a far cry from zero as in the name Vision Zero that Mayor de Blasio gave to the [1:48:33] city's initiative on this. What would you do then? We'll go down the row to get us much closer to zero [1:48:40] traffic fatalities. Look, I think that we have to own up to the fact that Vision Zero needs a lot more [1:48:47] vision and a lot more safety protocols in place. We need to have dedicated bike lanes, but we also have to [1:48:54] have zero tolerance for people who are abusing this privilege and using bikes and e-bikes on the [1:49:00] sidewalks. You can be pro-transit, pro-bike lane, but also pro-safety. We put kids' lives in danger [1:49:06] and seniors. So I would certainly revisit education and making sure we have zero tolerance for that [1:49:12] interference reduced deaths. The other thing I want to just say as an elected official, you know, [1:49:17] we have a lot of elected officials. My friend Brad is one of them that goes to every Vision Zero [1:49:23] press conference and then talks about the tragedies that befall these kids, but yet racks up speeding [1:49:29] tickets and then says, I'm sorry. We have got to, as mayor, say to the politicians who get the [1:49:35] placards, I will pull those placards if you show up at a Vision Zero press conference and you violate [1:49:40] red lights. Mr. Lange, your response to that and your answer to the question. [1:49:43] Mr. Lange, yesterday I was proud to be endorsed by Streets Pack, which is the set of people who [1:49:49] have been fighting against traffic violence for decades. And, you know, I haven't gotten a speeding [1:49:57] ticket in four years. So Scott Stringer can talk all he wants. But what I will do, this is my time, [1:50:03] Scott. What I will do is re-implement, I passed as a city council member, the Reckless Driver [1:50:11] Accountability Act, which looked at those folks who are the most reckless drivers, the most speed [1:50:16] violations, the most red light violations, and would impound their car unless they actually started [1:50:23] to improve. Eric Adams let it expire, even though there's good evidence it was working. I'll expand [1:50:30] it to make sure it's in all of our traffic courts, get it back in place. Vision Zero we can have in New [1:50:37] York City. Zero traffic deaths. That's infrastructure improvements on our streets. And that's holding [1:50:43] reckless drivers accountable. Mr. Mamdani, I'll add another wrinkle from a listener to my show who [1:50:47] submitted this question on pedestrian safety. Mopeds, e-bikes, and scooters are out of control [1:50:53] and pose a danger. But what specifically can be done to get them to obey traffic laws? So what would your [1:50:59] response to the original question and that listener be? All in one minute. Yes, sir. Okay. Well, [1:51:05] first of all, thank you, Elizabeth, for the question, if you are listening right now. [1:51:09] I'll take that first. The key thing here is we have to understand that so many of the violations [1:51:14] of our laws as pertaining to our streetscape are also violations that are the natural result of an [1:51:21] economic model of these food delivery apps. When we're talking about so many of the delivery workers, [1:51:26] the orders that they have to deliver within a time frame, there is no way for them to be able to [1:51:31] obey the laws of the road. And one of those apps is DoorDash. DoorDash has given Andrew Cuomo's super [1:51:37] pack $1 million. That is why when you get those mailers that are lying about me, you see the top [1:51:42] three donors at the bottom. One of them is DoorDash. The reason they give that money is because they [1:51:47] want to influence labor and street safety regulations. They want to ensure they can continue to operate [1:51:53] with impunity. I'm going to ensure we come back to a streetscape that is actually one of coherence [1:51:59] and order. And we're going to do that by taking on those apps to your original question. What we need [1:52:04] to do is finally fulfill the streets master plan. We are so many miles behind the building of bus lanes [1:52:10] and protected bike lanes. Those are critical, not just for safety, but also to ensure that we are [1:52:17] finally following the law, which is something that Andrew Cuomo would find to be just guidance, [1:52:21] not a requirement. Mr. Cuomo, your turn. Yeah, um, the, uh, I think Mr. Madani starts with the [1:52:29] assumption that, uh, if you receive money from someone, then you will do what they want. That [1:52:36] may work for him, but I'm not for rent and I'm not for sale. Uh, so we wonder who's funding DSA and [1:52:43] who's funding his BDS movement on the specific question campaign finance board, and you can see [1:52:49] all the donations. Yeah, uh, on this specific question, uh, if I could do it again, I passed the law [1:52:57] on e-bikes, uh, in Albany. Legislature passed it also, but I signed it. We left it up to local [1:53:04] regulation. That was a mistake because here in New York City, the local register regulation has been [1:53:11] slow. Uh, the bikes are moving too quickly. It's mayhem too many people are getting hurt. I would have [1:53:19] the apps, uh, the apps responsible to license the bike and they have the responsibility for ticketed [1:53:31] tickets that are issued to that bike. It's their financial liability. Uh, they police it. I would [1:53:37] reduce the speed limit down to 15 miles per hour period because if you're riding a city bike, [1:53:44] you are as much, uh, a subject of, uh, the speeding e-bike as anybody else. Thank you. Ms. Adams. Yes. [1:53:56] The thing that, uh, no one is speaking about when you're looking at planning, there is a city agency [1:54:03] that is responsible for that. They are called the DOT. So, you know, as leader [1:54:09] of the city council, we have been in oversight with the DOT many, many, many times. And as one of my [1:54:15] colleagues mentioned, they are not in compliance with the streets master plan. The agency entrusted [1:54:22] by the mayor of the city of New York is not in compliance. And we have had hearing after hearing [1:54:27] after hearing. The bottom line is that DOT needs some tweaking in order for us to get this right. So, [1:54:35] my commissioner as mayor would be one that is able to handle the work put before him or her to do [1:54:42] the work that the Department of Transportation is mandated to do for the people of the city of New [1:54:47] York. They wanted the responsibility to keep New Yorkers safe. And as mayor, it would be my [1:54:51] responsibility to make sure that they are make that they are in compliance. We have Mr. Myrie and Mr. [1:54:58] Tilson yet to go in this round. Mr. Myrie. Thank you. Look, I am in relatively good shape. Uh, [1:55:04] I'm on my feet a lot. I'm a pedestrian, but I have had to dodge out of the way of an e-bike or a moped. [1:55:11] And if you are an older adult, that is a really scary prospect. So without question, there has to be [1:55:18] regulation, but the demand is created by us. And the apps that are making many, many, many times over [1:55:24] on that demand should have some responsibility and accountability to ensure that things are safe. [1:55:30] As you have heard, we are out of compliance with the law. There are new categories of vehicles on our [1:55:35] streets that need to be regulated and our streets master plan must be implemented. I want to ensure [1:55:41] that we have protected bike lanes and that we have more bus lanes, but I was proud in Albany to vote for [1:55:47] a super speeder bill because we have too many reckless drivers on the road who have done and [1:55:52] demonstrated that they don't belong on the road. Thank you. And because we're coming to the end of [1:55:55] the debate, Mr. Tilson briefly. Yes. Uh, I was almost, um, death number 253 last year. Uh, [1:56:02] I was hit on my bike, uh, crossing Park Avenue. And so I, I ride my bike, uh, almost every day in the city. [1:56:08] Uh, I, uh, agree completely, completely, uh, with Zelnor about these super speeders. As far as I'm concerned, [1:56:15] there cannot be enough of these cameras that, uh, automatically catch and ticket people who run red lights and who are [1:56:20] speeders. And I think we can use technology both for e-bikes and for cars that, uh, speed gate. Um, [1:56:27] uh, so I actually am glad to see that mayor Adams recently adopted something I've been calling for [1:56:32] for months that e-bikes cannot go faster. It has to be built into the bike cannot go faster than 15 [1:56:37] miles an hour. And anyone who's a chronic speeder as you can revoke their license, of course. But an, [1:56:43] uh, an alternative middle path is you can install technology in the car that does not allow them, uh, [1:56:48] to break the speed limit. Thank you very much. Okay candidates, we are just about done. We're [1:56:52] gonna have time for just a couple of lightning round questions because we've got literally [1:56:56] something like a minute left. So, uh, let's go with a show of hands. Should the city increase the [1:57:01] number of permits for street vendors? Uh, hands up are, uh, Mr. Tilson and Mr. Stringer and everybody. [1:57:09] Okay, across the board. Um, from what you know, and there's no room for discussion here, [1:57:14] legal cannabis shops. Are they good for the city on balance? Uh, and Mr. Cuomo says yes. Nobody else. [1:57:23] If they're properly regulated. Mr. Mondani, yes. Okay. Um, oh boy. You got one of those? [1:57:30] One lightning round question everybody probably wants to know the answer with, uh, of raise your hand [1:57:36] if you know who you're ranking second on your ballot. There you go. Mr. Tilson, who is it? Uh, [1:57:43] Andrew Cuomo. It's not me. Nobody else. I am devastated. [1:57:49] Nobody else gonna say who you're ranking second. All right. Should penalties be increased for fair [1:57:54] beating in the subways? No? No hands? They're not enforced. Okay. And then I guess, uh, who still, [1:58:04] who here still reads actual printed newspapers? Everybody. Hand raised questions and I'll start [1:58:12] with you, Ms. Adams. Other than rent or mortgage, name one expensive thing in New York you wish was [1:58:17] cheaper, very fast. What? Other than rent or mortgage? Groceries. Groceries. Mr. Cuomo. [1:58:23] No food. Food. Mr. Lander. Childcare. Childcare. Childcare. Mr. Mondani. Childcare. Mr. Myrie. [1:58:28] Childcare. Mr. Stringer. 100% childcare. Mr. Tilson. Groceries. And starting with Mr. Tilson, [1:58:33] name a politician you have a good relationship with. Quickly. Cory Booker. Cory Booker. Mr. Stringer. [1:58:38] Mostly everyone on stage. Mr. Myrie. Majority leader, Andrea Stewart-Cousins. Mr. Mondani. [1:58:43] Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, I'm proud to be endorsed by. Mr. Lander. [1:58:50] State Senator Liz Krueger. Mr. Cuomo. Yep. Mike Bloomberg, [1:58:53] David Patterson. Thank you for the endorsement. Ms. Adams. Attorney General Tish Jakes. Okay. [1:59:00] That is going to do it for this debate. I want to thank the candidates and our partners and all of [1:59:04] you at home for watching. If you missed any part of this debate, you can see it in its entirety at [1:59:09] ny1.com and the Spectrum News YouTube account. That's where you can also find our other primary [1:59:14] debates. Remember, early voting begins this Saturday. Primary day is on June 24th. [1:59:19] Thank you for watching and listening and have a great evening. [1:59:22] Good evening and welcome to our post debate special. I'm Bobby Cousa. You just finished watching [1:59:52] the final official Democratic primary debate for mayor between the seven leading contenders. [1:59:58] Here is a look at the debate stage as they wrap things up there at John Jay College. I'm joined [2:00:05] now once again by New York One political reporter Courtney Gross, Bridget Bergen, senior reporter for [2:00:10] WNYC Gothamist, Greg Smith, investigative reporter at the news organization The City, [2:00:15] and Ben Max of the Center for New York City Law at the New York Law School and the host of the Max [2:00:20] Politics podcast. We're going to go around the horn. Greg, let me start with you. Highlights, [2:00:26] impressions. What's your take on the debate? I thought it was very personal. I thought, [2:00:32] and particularly with Brad Lander, like really getting in Cuomo's grill, like in a very, I think, [2:00:38] in a very personal way, not just you're a politician, you lie, blah, blah, blah. It's like you're a sexual [2:00:47] harasser, but like right in his face. And then also the same thing with Mamdani and Cuomo. It was very [2:00:54] personal. And whether it separates people and lets them rise to the top and get above Andrew Cuomo, [2:01:04] that remains to be seen. But that was my kind of gut on the whole thing. [2:01:09] I mean, I think similarly we talked about before the debate, Brad Lander picked up this [2:01:15] unconventional New York Times endorsement today. I think he was emboldened. I think he came onto [2:01:21] that debate stage ready to remind viewers that he had been endorsed by the New York Times, even if [2:01:27] it was slightly different than it has been in the past. At least three times we counted that he mentioned [2:01:31] that. Yeah. And well, he should if he thinks that will help his campaign. But to Greg's point, [2:01:38] he was also much more on the attack in a more direct way than I think we saw in the first debate. [2:01:43] I remember in the first debate, his line that stuck in my head was, I have a plan for that. I have a [2:01:49] detailed plan for that. And while I think that resonated with Cuomo, because you heard Cuomo sort of [2:01:55] jab back. We know a lot of people have plans, but it's about execution. Lander was not pulling any [2:02:02] punches. He went after him on sexual harassment. He went after him on the MTA workers. And I think [2:02:09] it was rattling. I think we saw some flubs from Cuomo that we didn't see in the first debate. So [2:02:15] that's my first take on it. I think this was largely a three-person debate with Cuomo, [2:02:21] Lander, and Momdani. Some of that was the stagecraft. They were sort of in the middle. [2:02:24] Um, Adrian Adams had a couple moments trying to get in there, but the others were a little bit [2:02:28] quiet. I was surprised that people didn't jump in a little bit more to try to get some more of [2:02:33] their moments and especially going at either a Cuomo or a Momdani. I didn't think it was notable, [2:02:38] which we've sort of seen signs coming that Adrian Adams did use her question to question Momdani's [2:02:43] qualifications and juxtapose it to herself. Very interesting moment. He handled it well. Of course, [2:02:48] he's very good at going back with people, as we saw throughout the debate. And I really think [2:02:53] it continues to be one of the fascinating takeaways of this, that you have Zoran Momdani [2:02:58] standing up on this stage and saying, I do not want to defund the police. When this was very central [2:03:03] to his political identity for a long time, Brad Lander has also moved away from that position. I [2:03:07] mean, he's not alone in that. But that was a striking moment to me from this debate for him to [2:03:12] really get up there and say that so clearly. I think I'm going to agree with the rest of the panel. [2:03:16] And I love how we didn't check with each other before we went on live television. And we all [2:03:20] have the same assessment is I think that Brad Lander had a pretty good night, [2:03:23] whether it was the New York Times endorsement, whether he decided to have a different tactic [2:03:26] this time around, or I should say the New York Times opinion pages panel endorsement, [2:03:30] whatever that is. I think he came out knowing what he had to do. He was much more on the attack, [2:03:37] like Bridget said, and it was effective. So much of this is whether it's fortunate or unfortunate, [2:03:44] it's television. It's about FaceTime. It's about how much camera, how much is the camera actually [2:03:48] going to be on you. And just as a result of going on the attack like that, he gets to be on television [2:03:53] more. People get to hear more about him. And I think we'll have to wait and see if we get a poll, [2:03:58] which I believe we will at some point next week, a public poll that's legitimate that we can actually [2:04:03] turn to. But I think it did some damage. Andrew Cuomo at the end of the night looked a bit tired to me, [2:04:09] looked exhausted, looked like he was kind of done with hearing all the other people that were on the [2:04:13] stage to the left and the right of him. In addition, in a way that it didn't happen in the first debate, [2:04:20] but the sexual harassment claims and the resignation and the nursing homes came up and landed, [2:04:26] and this attacks landed, I think, a lot more forcefully than they did in the first debate, [2:04:31] particularly on the sexual harassment issue and the fact that Brad Lander was able to specifically [2:04:38] say, referring to, I believe, Charlotte Bennett in this case, that a 25-year-old was in an office [2:04:44] alone with Andrew Cuomo, and Andrew Cuomo was questioning her about her sex life. And that [2:04:49] has been in depositions and court papers. And most people believe that that is fact. [2:04:54] All right. We're actually going to go now up to John Jay College, where our Ayana [2:04:58] Harry has been standing by as the live debate audience exits John Jay College. You're going to [2:05:04] get a little bit of the color from up there. Good evening, Ayana. [2:05:08] Good evening to you, Bobby. This is certainly a critical moment in the race for New York City [2:05:14] Mayor, as we are now 36 hours away from the start of early voting in the Democratic primary. And yes, [2:05:21] tonight, seven candidates, as you just saw, right here on New York One, they stood on the stage [2:05:26] here at John Jay College, debating topics and issues for two hours in front of an audience of 300 [2:05:34] people. And there were several fiery moments during this debate. In fact, some of the most heated [2:05:39] moments were exchanges between three of the candidates who have continued to be at the top of the [2:05:45] polling. I'm talking about former Governor Andrew Cuomo, State Assembly Member Zoran Mamdani, [2:05:51] and City Comptroller Brad Lander. At the start of the night, the candidates were all asked a pressing [2:05:57] question. How, as mayor, would you handle protests over immigration policy similar to what's unfolding [2:06:03] in Los Angeles? The conversation shifted to discuss migrants living and working in New York City, [2:06:09] and then Brad Lander went after Andrew Cuomo. The MTA goes through a rigorous contracting [2:06:17] process. They should never have hired illegal immigrants if it is true. But obviously, I [2:06:25] obviously, I had nothing to do with them hiring. I'm sorry, is that what you said? What did you call [2:06:30] them? If anyone was undocumented or they didn't pay the proper wages, I had nothing to do with it. [2:06:37] It would have been done with the MTA. You didn't pay them the proper wages. You cheated them out of the [2:06:40] prevailing wages they were due and the health care they were due. I didn't contract with them at all. [2:06:45] The MTA contracted with them. Who appoints the chair of the MTA? Oh, I see. So every contract [2:06:52] of the MTA contracts, you want me to be held responsible? This one, yes, because a couple [2:06:57] hundred immigrant workers got cheated out of two and a half million dollars and their health care, [2:07:02] and the orders came from on high. Yeah, so you say. So that exchange started when Brad Lander [2:07:11] pressed Andrew Cuomo about subway cleaners that were hired by the MTA when Andrew Cuomo was governor, [2:07:17] and Brad Lander. He also had several questions about Andrew Cuomo and his leadership during the COVID-19 [2:07:23] pandemic. In fact, Brad Lander even invited someone to the debate to help make his point. [2:07:31] Andrew, this is Peter Arbini. He's been trying to ask you a question for five years. [2:07:36] His father Norman, his father Norman died because of your disastrous order, sending people with COVID [2:07:47] into nursing homes. Then as you admitted this week, you personally altered the state health department [2:07:52] report to undercount the death total, to hide the death total, and then evaded and lied to these [2:07:59] families for five years. So tonight, will you finally apologize to Peter and other grieving New Yorkers, [2:08:07] or will you just keep gaslighting them with blather about what a great job you claim you did? [2:08:16] Mr Arbini lost the father. I am very, very sorry for that. He brought a legal case [2:08:24] against the state. The legal case was dismissed. When you look at the papers on the case, [2:08:30] there was no COVID positive person sent from a hospital to the nursing home while Mr Arbini was in [2:08:44] the nursing home. So it is factually impossible, Brad, that he got COVID from someone coming from a [2:08:55] hospital. Okay. So many tough moments between Andrew Cuomo and Brad Lander. Zelnor Myrie, he defended [2:09:04] his plan to build or preserve one million units of housing over the next 10 years. Zelnor Myrie said [2:09:11] as mayor, he would be able to fulfill this promise, saying that it is necessary and needed. And all of [2:09:17] the candidates on the stage, they were asked where they stand on a rent freeze for the city's [2:09:22] approximately 1 million residents currently living in rent-stabilized apartments. Take a listen. [2:09:28] How many of you would support a rent-stabilized rent freeze this year? Hands up if you do. [2:09:36] Okay. The ones whose hands are up are Stringer, Myrie, Mamgani, and Lander, not up. [2:09:45] Can I state the question, please? Would you support a rent freeze? [2:09:48] It's your donors who gave you $2.5 million to freeze the rent. [2:09:51] In the rent-stabilization system this year, a rent freeze this year? Yes or no, Mr. Cuomo? [2:09:57] Would I vote for a rent freeze this year? Yes. [2:09:59] Yes. I'd leave it to the rent guidelines board. [2:10:01] And who controls them? The mayor. [2:10:03] We appoint them the law. And, Bobby, there were so... [2:10:08] There are a few other moments that I do want to touch on as well. On public safety, Zoran Mamdani [2:10:14] said that, in fact, he does not want to defund the NYPD. And you could hear gasps from the audience [2:10:21] when Whitney Tilson was asked what city agency would he cut funding from, and he mentioned [2:10:26] the Department of Education. We also heard another reaction from the audience when Adrian [2:10:31] Adams spoke about bloated budgets of city agencies, saying it was due in part to cronyism from Mayor [2:10:37] Eric Adams. And there was a moment where we actually saw all of the candidates agree [2:10:42] and have the same answer to one question. Every single candidate said they did not see a way [2:10:48] in which the Rikers Island jail complex could logistically be closed by 2027, Bobby. [2:10:55] All right, Iyana Harry standing by outside of John Jay College. We're now going to go [2:10:59] inside of John Jay College. We have our very own anchor Errol Lewis standing by. Errol, we all have our own [2:11:06] takeaways from the debate. We were watching from the comfort of the New York One studios, but you were there on [2:11:11] stage just a few feet away from the candidates. How did it feel out there? What were your impressions [2:11:17] from the two hour long debate? Hey, Bobby, the debate itself was somewhat contentious. We knew it was [2:11:26] going to get that way. I was a little surprised that it took as long as it did, frankly. So we got through [2:11:31] a couple of questions and then they sort of started sniping at each other a little bit and then, you know, [2:11:36] kind of sniping a little bit more. There were a number of candidates who had these kind of set pieces [2:11:42] referring to people in the audience and otherwise, you know, sort of trying to really hammer home their [2:11:47] points in an unusual way. Strictly speaking within the rules, but certainly not within the spirit of the rules where [2:11:54] we wanted them to talk to each other and not start bringing in a lot of extraneous stuff. But I thought it went fine. [2:12:00] The audience got into it a little bit. I think just about the right amount. There was a little bit of [2:12:04] excess, but nothing that could stop the flow of the debate. So we got through most of the questions [2:12:10] that we thought we really needed to ask. And, you know, before any viewers start sounding off, [2:12:15] we have, of course, made some choices about what we were not going to talk about. And there were, [2:12:19] of course, a lot of important issues. Congestion pricing comes to mind that we didn't spend a whole [2:12:24] lot of time on. You have to make choices. And I thought the choices we made really matched what the [2:12:31] candidates wanted to talk about. So to that extent, I thought it was a good, successful debate. [2:12:35] Yeah. And I mean, even spots where candidates kind of went off script or pivoted from the question that [2:12:42] you guys asked in order to attack one of their opponents, I thought were very revealing exchanges. [2:12:47] Like you asked Andrew Cuomo about his age and his ability to do the job. And then he kind of turned that into an [2:12:54] argument for his own experience and a lack of experience of Zoran Mamdani. And then, similarly, [2:13:00] when you guys asked Zoran Mamdani about Israel, then it became a back and forth between him and Cuomo [2:13:06] about whether Mamdani was anti-Semitic and whether Cuomo is an Islamophobe. And I thought, you know, [2:13:12] we learned a lot from those exchanges, which you guys kind of allowed to play out a little bit. [2:13:20] Yeah. You know, that was one, actually, it was one of the few, the few questions that, [2:13:24] you know, as you know, Bobby, you've done this enough. You try not to ask too many questions [2:13:27] that you don't really know the answer to. But I was genuinely curious to hear what the former [2:13:33] governor had to say about serving, you know, 11 years as governor of the state and never going to [2:13:38] a mosque. I mean, you know, there's 1.4 million or so, I think is the number of Muslims living in New [2:13:44] York state, 760,000 here in the city. I was, you know, I was a little surprised to tell you the [2:13:52] truth. All right. And Errol, when we went to the lightning round at the end, we got a lot of [2:13:58] agreement on some of those questions you guys asked, including the borough they had spent the least [2:14:04] amount of time in, which was Staten Island almost across the board. What did you think of those [2:14:10] responses? And I'm guessing you probably had some good lightning round questions that you had to [2:14:15] leave on the cutting room floor. Oh, I'm glad you mentioned that because I had some waiting here, [2:14:21] and I was just waiting. I was waiting for a chance to ask you. Staten Island, it didn't surprise me. [2:14:26] Look, it's a Democratic primary. Let's keep that in mind. It would be different if it was October and [2:14:32] they had said, hey, we're all skipping Staten Island. It's the least Democratic, I should say, [2:14:37] it is the most Republican of the boroughs percentage-wise, and you're just not going [2:14:44] to find a lot of Democratic votes there, so it's not a good use of time, even if you factor, [2:14:49] even if you don't factor in taking the boat or taking the bridge. Here are some questions I did not [2:14:54] get a chance to ask. Who is your personal favorite New York City mayor? Here's one. I'm genuinely curious [2:15:02] about this one. How much sleep do you get on an average night? A very revealing kind of a question, [2:15:08] right? I mean, if somebody says four hours, that tells you something about them. If somebody says [2:15:12] eight hours, that tells you something, too. And hopefully most people would be somewhere in [2:15:16] between. But yeah, we had some good ones. I would tell you more, but I think we're going to need them [2:15:21] for some other debates. That's right. All right, Errol, excellent job tonight. We are going to leave you [2:15:26] now to go to our own Bernadette Hogan, who is in the spin room at John Jay College. She has some live [2:15:31] reaction from the candidates themselves, who just got off the stage a minute ago. I believe Zoran [2:15:37] Mamdani is with Bernadette now. Hey, Bernadette. Hey there, Bobby. And that's right. The candidates [2:15:43] just walked off the stage. And I have with me now Zoran Mamdani, the 33-year-old youngest candidate [2:15:49] in this Democratic primary. And Mamdani, I want to talk to you first about that question. [2:15:55] The inexperienced criticism is something that both Andrew Cuomo and a couple other candidates [2:16:00] were trying to poke a hole in a lot of your messaging tonight. What did you make of that? [2:16:04] And do you think that they were successful? I think that Andrew Cuomo would rather talk about [2:16:09] my record than his, because his is a record of cutting Medicaid. It's a record of stealing hundreds [2:16:14] of millions of dollars from the MTA. It's a record of hounding the more than 13 women who have come [2:16:18] forward to credibly accuse him of sexual harassment. And my record is one that I'm proud of. It's a record [2:16:23] where I have fought and won for working class New Yorkers across the five boroughs. And the crowd today [2:16:27] was Richard Chow, who was a taxi driver that I organized with over many, many months, [2:16:32] who lost his brother to suicide because of the level of debt in that crisis. And together, [2:16:37] we won $450 million in debt relief. And tonight was an example of that track record and the willingness [2:16:43] of New Yorkers and the desire to turn the page on the experience we've already seen. [2:16:46] Now, another point that came up that you continued to correct Andrew Cuomo about is the pronunciation [2:16:52] of your name. Now, this also came into multiple questions about his inability or his refusal to [2:16:59] visit mosques in his previous years as governor. And then since then, what do you make of all this? [2:17:04] And do you think that that was a pointed attack against you? And do you see something beyond that, [2:17:09] perhaps? It's frankly troubling. You know, New Yorkers deserve a mayor who sees in each of them the [2:17:14] humanity that they have. And that is the mayor that I'm seeking to be. But to see a candidate for this [2:17:20] same position, be either unable or unwilling to say my name correctly. It's not that difficult. [2:17:24] It's M-A-M-D-A-N-I, Mamdani. And to even name a single mosque that he would have visited [2:17:30] over 10 years in leadership. I mean, we have a million Muslims living in New York City. [2:17:34] You have to ensure that Muslims, like every other New Yorkers, actually have their safety and their [2:17:39] equality and their respect be recognized by the leader of the state. We did not see that from Andrew [2:17:45] Cuomo tonight. Now, another point that Andrew Cuomo, again, he used his Q&A [2:17:49] portion to ask Whitney Tilson, someone that is polling at the bottom of this group, [2:17:54] to ask him to talk about your own fiscal policies and how you'd be able to pay for it. Talk to me [2:18:00] about that. How would you convince Albany to pass a tax on the wealthy when the governor has blatantly [2:18:07] said, I do not support that? You know, I think it was telling that Andrew Cuomo would rather ask [2:18:13] Whitney Tilson a question than me. And ultimately, it's a illustration of the fact that he's scared. [2:18:18] He's scared of the fact that where he once had a 40 point lead in the final round, [2:18:22] that we have now brought that down to two points. And ultimately, this is the same governor who found [2:18:28] $959 million to give Elon Musk in tax breaks for his Buffalo Billion Pet Project, a project that Cuomo [2:18:35] promised New Yorkers would yield $30 of economic benefit for every dollar invested. And what we got in [2:18:40] return was $0.54. He has always been able to find money for the wealthiest in this state and in this [2:18:47] country. What he has been unwilling to do, however, is to tax those same wealthy to fund the very kind [2:18:52] of public schools that he starved for so long. Now, what will you focus on now as early voting [2:18:57] is about to start? We have a couple of days, a couple of weeks left until election day. What's your plan? [2:19:03] And what more do you need to do to build out your base, right? I know you poll very well with young [2:19:07] people, very well with those in hippie Brooklyn. How are you going to continue your outreach to [2:19:13] black New Yorkers, to Latino New Yorkers? You know, I think you can see in our polling [2:19:17] that our support is rising across the board. We're proud to be the only campaign other than Andrew [2:19:22] Cuomo to have cleared double digits with every single ethnic group in the city. And ultimately, [2:19:26] what we're seeing is that the work we need to do is the work that we've already done. We just have to [2:19:30] keep doing it. That means building our 36,000 volunteer team, knocking on nearly a million [2:19:36] doors and making clear that the most expensive city in the United States has to become affordable. [2:19:40] We're the campaign that's going to do so. All right. Thank you so much. We'll leave it at that. [2:19:44] And so, Bobby, just going back to you in-house, talking to Zora Mamdani, someone that has polled [2:19:49] consistently in second place behind Andrew Cuomo, and he's going to continue to do outreach. Again, [2:19:55] we heard from other candidates tonight. I'm going to send it back to you. [2:19:58] All right. Bernadette Hogan at John Jay College. Thank you for that report. We are now going to go [2:20:04] out to Brooklyn. Our Kelly Mena has been standing by in Flatbush at a watch party hosted by the [2:20:10] Campaign Finance Board. Kelly, I think you were able to find some undecided voters earlier in the night. [2:20:16] Were you able to get back with them and see whether they had any change of opinion by the end of the night? [2:20:21] Bobby, I was able to find them again and get another one who actually switched their final [2:20:28] decision. I have them standing right next to me right now. You spoke to Kayla earlier, and this is [2:20:33] Andre standing next to her. Kayla, you told us earlier today that you didn't know who you were voting for. [2:20:39] After watching that two-hour debate, what are your thoughts and what will your slate look like? [2:20:43] Well, Kelly, I have a lot of thoughts right now. I definitely have a better idea of what I'm looking [2:20:50] for. I will say Adrian, she impressed me a lot as a black woman who was poised, confident. Many times [2:20:58] she said that she was already doing many of the things that they were asking, and that impressed me a lot. [2:21:03] As I mentioned also, I follow AOC. She did talk about Memdani a lot, and so that is also someone [2:21:12] who I have my eyes on, but definitely this has inspired me to research a little bit more, but [2:21:17] Adrian impressed me a lot. And you mentioned AOC has endorsed Zoran Mamdani. Does that naturally [2:21:24] want you to put him on your slate and vote for him? It makes me interested, intrigued, but I will say [2:21:32] that I'm the kind of person that likes to research a lot more before making a final decision. So that [2:21:37] does put him on my radar, but I still want to research a lot more. And what did you think [2:21:43] about Cuomo's performance tonight? Would you rank him at all? No, I wouldn't. I was amused by the way [2:21:51] that it went. I was amused because a lot of them, a lot of the candidates had a lot to say about him [2:21:57] and to bring out about him. And his responses really and truly just proved more to me that [2:22:03] he's not someone I would look for. Okay, and Andre, we spoke to you earlier. You said that you're [2:22:07] switching what your slate looks like. You're now putting Zoran Mamdani first instead of Zoran Mamdani [2:22:12] and putting Zoran Mamdani second. Tell us why you came to that decision after watching the debate. [2:22:16] Um, I still like Zoran Mamdani is like top, he's a great progressive, but I think the answer is that, [2:22:22] um, Myri Zellnor said today was very specific about black people in particular that, like, [2:22:29] I took to heart because I feel like black people have not been pushing the forefront in New York City, [2:22:34] and we are the heart of New York City as a majority, especially in Brooklyn. So I just rank him a little [2:22:38] bit above, um, Madani right now. Was there any specific answer that stood out for you when it came to [2:22:44] Zellnor Myri that you think is the top issue for you going to the voting booth? Um, I think he [2:22:50] mentioned child care a lot, but also he brought up a lot about Prospect Park, which is like one of [2:22:54] the best sports out here. And that's like, he's a Caribbean local guy from Flatbush too. So I've [2:22:59] always ranked him, but I always thought that as a progressive, Madani was better. But I like, [2:23:04] he spoke to my heart today, Mr. Zellnor, you know, Myri. Would you ever rate Cuomo on your slate? He's [2:23:10] number five. He's the last one, dead last. Thank you so much. So you heard it right there. Not big [2:23:14] fans of Cuomo here, but of Adrian Adams and of Zellnor Myri. Early voting starts on Saturday. So [2:23:20] we'll see if tonight's debate performance makes a difference for many of those candidates. Back to [2:23:24] you, Bobby. All right, Kelly. Thank you so much. I'm gonna go back to my panel. Uh, it seemed like for [2:23:29] the first good chunk of the debate, the sort of central, uh, contrast was Cuomo talking about his [2:23:36] experience and portraying Mamdani, not just as inexperienced, but as dangerously inexperienced. [2:23:42] And he kept bringing up this example of Donald Trump in 2020 during the George Floyd protest, [2:23:47] wanting to send federal troops into cities across the country. And, you know, the way Cuomo tells the [2:23:53] story, Trump backed down from sending troops to New York because, you know, he was tough in the face, [2:24:00] uh, you know, of Trump's threats, which I don't know, you know, how much truth there is to the way [2:24:04] that Cuomo's telling the story. But I mean, uh, that is sort of the central tension. I'll go to you [2:24:08] first, Greg, between Mamdani and Cuomo. Uh, is it experience or is it youth? And, you know, [2:24:15] what are the virtues of each? I mean, I think we all know what the deal is with that. Andrew was the [2:24:22] governor. He was the attorney general. He was the HUD secretary. So I don't see how anybody can say he [2:24:29] doesn't have experience. Mamdani has very little experience. This is all true. But I don't think [2:24:34] that this is how people are going to vote because I think it's more about personality. And the one [2:24:40] thing that I got a huge kick out of is you have Mamdani going at Cuomo about he's got Trump billionaires [2:24:49] giving him money, right? So what does Cuomo say about that? He immediately says, I have more unions [2:24:56] than you do than anybody else does. And then he goes at him about DoorDash. That was a good one. [2:25:02] So DoorDash, this is, you know, a million dollars was given, which is by far the biggest donation in [2:25:10] any of this to Andrew Cuomo's independent expenditure committee, which is supporting Andrew Cuomo. Cuomo [2:25:19] doesn't have any direct or is not supposed to have any direct connection to it. So DoorDash gives all this [2:25:24] money. And Mamdani's take take on that is that that Cuomo's in DoorDash's pocket. And so what does [2:25:32] he say when they start asking about the, you know, out of control e-bikes? He says, Cuomo says, we need [2:25:39] to hold the apps responsible for the tickets and to have them license the drivers. So I think that what's [2:25:48] happening here is that that's just a pure class argument that they were trying to like go at each [2:25:54] other. And it wasn't as simple as it wasn't as simple as Mamdani wanted it to be. But Cuomo also [2:26:00] has to explain to people why he got a million dollars from DoorDash. So we're running short on [2:26:06] time. I'm going to go around with the three of you and just get maybe tell me what moment from the [2:26:12] debate you think is going to leave a lasting impression. Like what was the most memorable moment [2:26:17] that you think people are going to be talking about as we head into Election Day? I think there [2:26:22] were some pretty spicy exchanges throughout. But, you know, I'm thinking, listening to Greg, [2:26:28] about how Mamdani responded to that attack from Cuomo. You know, if Cuomo wants to play up his [2:26:33] experience, then Mamdani is trying to characterize it as baggage and then went on that list of, yeah, [2:26:39] I never respond in disgrace. You know, I think it was a pretty effective back and forth between the two [2:26:47] of them. But, you know, I do think it's clear that Cuomo brings a whole decades of experience [2:26:53] to the table. Ben and Courtney, I was going to give you guys a chance, but we are actually running so [2:26:57] short on time. We're going to have to cut off the panel as we head to our next half hour of [2:27:02] programming. That's going to do it for tonight's post show. Thank you everybody at home for joining us [2:27:07] for our coverage of the final Democratic primary debate for mayor. And if you missed any of it, [2:27:12] you can watch the debate in full on nyone.com or on the Spectrum News app. And of course, [2:27:18] early voting kicks off on Saturday, just about 36 hours from now. It goes through to the following [2:27:24] Sunday, June 22nd, and primary day itself is on June 24th. The New York One anchor Chris Welch [2:27:31] is up next with more news. Have a good night, everybody.