Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Darren Mack, Co-Director of Freedom Agenda, on NYC Budget and Closing Rikers Island
5:37:59
ยท
149 sec
Darren Mack, Co-Director of Freedom Agenda, testified on the NYC budget, urging the city council to prioritize closing Rikers Island and investing in community-based services over increasing the Department of Correction's budget. He criticized Mayor Adams' proposed budget for potentially expanding the pipeline to Rikers instead of closing it.
- Mack called for $39.8 million for mental health and housing needs, $11.8 million for alternatives to incarceration and reentry programs, increased funding for the Board of Correction, and $3 million for planning the renewable Rikers vision.
- He argued against the proposed $150 million to hire 1,100 more correction officers, stating that existing vacancies are not being filled.
- Mack emphasized that the city's budget priorities should focus on preventing harm and incarceration rather than expanding it.
Darren Mack
5:37:59
Thank you deputy speaker Ayala and council members for the opportunity to testify today.
5:38:03
My name is Darren Mack, and I'm a co director of Freedom Agenda, and we're one of the organizations leading the campaign to close Rikers.
5:38:09
Our members have both experienced Rikers and been impacted by crime, and they know what works to create real public safety.
5:38:16
It's things like housing, health care, work opportunities, mentorship, and safe community spaces.
5:38:21
While mayor Adams has said he wants to close the pipeline that feed Rikers, his proposed budget would do the opposite.
5:38:27
We're calling on the city council to ensure that the adopted budget paves the way for New York City to deliver on the legal and moral obligation to close Rikers.
5:38:36
Instead of allocating 150,000,000 to hire 1,100 more correctional officers, the city should invest in helping New Yorkers thrive including allocating additional 39,800,000.0 to meet critical mental health and housing needs, restoring 11,800,000.0 in planned cuts to the office of criminal justice for alternatives to incarceration and reentry programs, restoring proposed cuts to the board of correction for jail oversight and increasing their headcount, allocating 3,000,000 for DEP to begin a master plan for the implementation of the renewable Rikers vision.
5:39:10
We know our city can afford these investments because the mayor plans to spend nearly 150,000,000 to hire 11 or 1,100 more correction officers this year, increasing DLC uniform headcount from approximately 5,900 to 7,060.
5:39:27
For the past three years, vacancies have been growing, millions of more money has been growing in DLC budget, and they would not be filled.
5:39:34
These vacancies will not be filled.
5:39:36
The administration has tried to justify the out of control spending at DLC by saying that they expect the jail population to rise, but it's rising because of their warp budget and policy priorities.
5:39:47
DLC recently added beds to an already crowded dorms at Rikers out of concern they would exceed capacity.
5:39:54
Both advocates and uniform staff spoke out against this.
5:39:57
What if the city treated preventive investments with the same urgency?
5:40:03
This administration is choosing to budget for more harm and incarceration instead of making the investments that could prevent it.
5:40:09
This city council has reaffirmed its commitment to closing records, and that commitment must be back up by this year's budget.
5:40:16
We will submit along with this testimony a full budget analysis that outlines the amendments needed in fiscal year twenty six budget to pave the way to closing Rikers and passing at people's budget.
5:40:26
Thank you for your participation.