QUESTION
What are the concerns about the NYC administration's engagement with the council on debt limit and infrastructure, and how does the administration respond?
3:33:57
·
3 min
Council Member Restler criticizes the administration's lack of engagement and decision-making regarding the debt limit and infrastructure, while Budget Director Jiha explains the reasons behind debt capacity issues.
- Restler criticizes the administration's lack of engagement with the council on updates or modifications to plans, specifically mentioning the BQE project.
- Restler presents an alternative, cost-effective plan for the BQE that the administration overlooked.
- Restler expresses frustration over the administration's lack of dialogue and decision-making without council input.
- Jiha attributes the debt capacity issues to declining property values and commercial property vacancies in NYC post-COVID.
- Jiha expresses a willingness to discuss and adjust timelines with the council.
Lincoln Restler
3:33:57
Well, let's talk about the debt limit because you've been keep saying the same thing all day, and I have to say, I really don't I don't think it's fair.
3:34:03
And the reason I don't think it's fair the reason I don't think it's fair is as follows.
3:34:08
The administration has not engaged the council in any substantive way about updates or modifications to the close records plan.
3:34:14
If you want to have a conversation about how we can make reasonable alterations and modifications, then let's have that conversation.
3:34:21
But that hasn't happened at all.
3:34:23
And so to say that your hands are tied, but you're refusing to engage at the same time is disingenuous.
3:34:28
And furthermore, there was a viable plan on the table to preserve the structure of the BQE and the triple cantilever, which is in my district.
3:34:36
The administration chose to take an alternative approach that's gonna cost at least $5,000,000,000 and probably much more.
3:34:41
You could have done something at 10% of that cost and preserve the structure for a 20 to 30 year time frame, provided greater optionality for the city and avoided the challenges that you're facing around that capacity.
3:34:52
Those were decisions that this administration made that is tying your hands.
3:34:56
So to claim that it's our fault or that it's anyone else responsibility is I think misleading.
3:35:01
The administration, if you want to engage in a conversation by close riders, talk to us.
3:35:05
Nobody responds from deputy mayor banks to shop.
3:35:08
From Lisa's Hornberg shop to engage us in a serious conversation about how we're gonna get close writers back on track.
3:35:14
We hear radio silence, crickets.
3:35:16
I have the Brooklyn jail in my district.
3:35:18
I work closely with the Department of Design And Construction to try to make this project viable and to support the closure of Rykers.
3:35:24
But this administration has not engaged us in a serious or rigorous way.
3:35:28
And if you wanna do so, let's have the conversation.
Jacques Jiha
3:35:31
We're not blaming the counsel for the debt capacity problem.
3:35:35
That capacity requirements to do with the property values in New York, okay, because that capacity is tied to value of properties in New York City.
3:35:46
The value of property in New York City has a bit of COVID dropped.
3:35:49
Okay?
3:35:49
So therefore, at that capacity also dropped.
3:35:52
Okay?
3:35:52
So yes, not recoup as it should have been, as it should be.
3:35:55
Okay.
3:35:56
So because we have all issues with the 20% vacancies that we have in commercial properties.
3:36:04
So values have not recouped, have not come back.
3:36:07
So therefore, at that capacity remains more or less where it is.
3:36:11
And we're trying to work with the state to get additional capacity from the state in terms of expanding our TFA, so we could deal with this.
3:36:19
What I said with respect to the records.
3:36:23
And I'm very happy to hear for many council members that you are open.
3:36:28
Okay?
3:36:29
Because from our perspective, we all put out those closed in term of the timeline.
3:36:34
If the timeline if there is if there is an appetite to discuss the timeline, and then so we could do that then.
Lincoln Restler
3:36:40
We should talk about the timeline because we need to have a realistic conversation.
3:36:43
But with
Jacques Jiha
3:36:44
we'd be What's
Lincoln Restler
3:36:44
not gonna work is to try and cram more people into jails like the mayor has done, increase the Brooklyn jail by 70% to slash the number of therapeutic beds by half despite us having a record number of people with serious mental illness on Rutgers Island today.
3:36:57
The the mayor unilaterally making bad policy decisions and not engaging the council, that's what doesn't work.