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Q&A
Communication between city officials about the childcare voucher issue
4:05:27
ยท
95 sec
Council Member Restler questions Commissioner Dannhauser about communication between various city officials regarding the childcare voucher issue. The discussion reveals limited direct communication at the highest levels of city government.
- Commissioner has not spoken directly to Mayor Eric Adams about the issue
- Confirms conversations with Jacques Jeeha (likely referring to Jacques Jiha, Director of the Office of Management and Budget)
- Discussion of deputy mayors' involvement, including Ann Williams-Isom and Sheena Wright
- Restler expresses frustration at the apparent lack of high-level engagement on the issue
Jess Dannhauser
4:05:27
I'm not privy to what those conversations look like, but I
Lincoln Restler
4:05:30
Have you spoken to the mayor about this issue?
Jess Dannhauser
4:05:32
I've the deputy mayors Have you spoken to
Lincoln Restler
4:05:34
Eric Adams about this issue?
4:05:36
No.
4:05:36
Have you spoken to Jacques Jeeha about this issue?
Jess Dannhauser
4:05:38
Yes.
Lincoln Restler
4:05:38
How many times?
4:05:40
Several.
4:05:40
Has he what is the position of the administration?
Jess Dannhauser
4:05:43
They want to make sure that the money is there to maintain the gains that we have made.
Lincoln Restler
4:05:48
Then why wouldn't they advocate for it?
4:05:50
Is this is this
Jess Dannhauser
4:05:51
They they are advocating for it.
4:05:52
The deputy mayor spoke directly to governor's Which deputy mayor?
Lincoln Restler
4:05:54
Who's the deputy mayor?
Jess Dannhauser
4:05:57
It was top priority for
Lincoln Restler
4:05:58
For Ann Lindsay?
4:05:59
Yes.
Jess Dannhauser
4:06:00
And then it's a top priority for D.
4:06:02
M.
4:06:02
Suzanne as well.
Lincoln Restler
4:06:03
What has she done to advocate for the issue?
4:06:06
I I just I mean, I you're saying
Althea V. Stevens
4:06:07
we stay on focus because I don't think the commissioner can speak for what other people are doing, and so let's just ask what advocacy they've done and then we can move on because I don't want him to be having to speak for his boss technically, so
Lincoln Restler
4:06:20
I I appreciate that.
4:06:22
But if you can cite any examples of meetings that have taken place, you claim it's a priority for the administration, but from what I can tell, the only people that are making a push for this at all are you and your staff.
4:06:31
And I value you, and I think you do a great job.
4:06:33
I'm screaming at you because you're the only person I have to scream at about this.
4:06:36
Your staff does great work under your leadership.
4:06:39
You care about this.
4:06:40
You've been pushing for this, but ACS to OCFS is not going to solve for a $900,000,000 gap in the state budget.
4:06:46
That is not how we solve massive problems like this.
4:06:49
It requires leadership from city hall, and it's squarely lacking.
4:06:52
So I'm just asking, can you cite any examples, specific meetings that have been held that the mayor's office has engaged in to push for funding for this issue and what their request has been?