Transcript: Mayor Adams Appears Live on PIX11's "PIX11 Morning News"

April 4, 2025

Dan Mannarino: Recent NYPD numbers showing major crimes down double digits compared to this time last year. Mayor Eric Adams and Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch joining us now from Gracie Mansion to discuss some of these issues and good morning to both of you. 

Thank you for being here this morning. And I want to begin with those numbers. You've seen a dramatic drop in crime in the first quarter of 2025 touting subway crime on the decline, right? With zero murders since 2018 in the first quarter. That's big. So let me get with you, Commissioner Tisch, do you attribute that to more police and how long do you see additional officers staying in the subway system?

Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch: Well, we've seen crime declines, historic crime declines, not just in our subway system, above ground, below ground, in our housing developments, double digit declines. We had the lowest number of shootings ever in the first quarter of this year. Murder was down 34 percent. I really attribute it to smart policing. We are identifying where the crime is occurring and we are putting our cops in those locations.

Mannarino: And how do you feel, Mr. Mayor, about the perception issue? I've heard you talk about that quite often, about perception underground and above ground and just feeling safe. Do you feel like the tide is shifting, you know, from your town halls and hearing from New Yorkers?

Mayor Eric Adams: Well, I think that part of the perception is the omnipresence that the commissioner has been talking about. And you know, those headlines that show, hey, record levels of crime decrease, that's important. But the omnipresence is crucial. When you look at the fact that for five straight quarters, five straight quarters, we have witnessed decrease in crime in the city. And then when you reach a level where the shootings are at the lowest level in history, people start hearing that more, seeing the police, and that's how you go after the perception issue. 

Mannarino: Commissioner, I've heard you talk a lot about additional police officers and the omnipresence and everything else and smart policing, but I've also heard you talk about the bail and discovery laws needing to change in Albany. I know you're fighting for those changes, you even went up to Albany. Any movement right now that it's being discussed and negotiated in the budget on getting what you want?

Police Commissioner Tisch: I certainly hope we make progress in this budget, because although we've announced incredible historic crime declines, our crime still remains above 2018 levels, and 2018 was the year before those criminal justice reforms passed. In New York City, we do not have a surging crime problem, but we do have a surging recidivism problem, and the mayor has been very clear that we need Albany to act.

Mannarino: Have you spoken to Carl Heastie?

Mayor Adams: It's not about turning back progress on all of those reforms. It's about looking at the unintended consequences, and that is why we are constantly talking to the lawmakers because we're seeing what's playing out on the ground.

Mannarino: Alright, I want to zero in right now, Mr. Mayor, on you specifically, and obviously the news of the week, and the decision to run specifically as an independent. And there's a lot of discussion right now about when exactly you made that decision. Was it this week that you made that decision? Was it before? Was it seeing the polling that Andrew Cuomo was ahead by a lot, low fundraising dollars? What was the timeline and the deciding factor for you to make that decision?

Mayor Adams: It was a difficult one, and it was days away from the judge's decision. We did not think it was going to take that long, and I was clear. I wanted to have some final decision to the voters. And once we became so close to the primary, we knew we had to shift. 

I'm still a Democrat. I will be running on an independent line, and no, it had nothing to do with polling. I was behind Andrew Yang by double digits in February of 2021. It is about getting my message out and continuing the work that we have accomplished, the record level of things we've done in the city, from crime to housing, to bringing back all of our businesses, more jobs in the city, the city history. Those are the things that we want to continue doing the job.

Mannarino: So do you, now that you actually have a plan, do you have a campaign staff, Mr. Mayor? Who is your campaign manager and running the day-to-day operation?

Mayor Adams: Well, it was never that I did not have a plan. I keep telling people all the time, the only person in the race that has ever won for mayor is Eric Adams. So I have a plan, and we are convening this weekend with the entire team. 

We're going to roll out all of our staffers in the next few days. But remember, there's a difference from running as an incumbent than an insurgent. I had to introduce myself to voters as an insurgent. Voters know me. Now I have to show the record of success that we've had in the city.

Mannarino: So do you have a campaign manager? Is there a name?

Mayor Adams: As I always say, Dan, you know I tell you all the time that when it's time to announce the team, we will announce the team. The one person that the voters need to know, and that's Eric Adams and Eric Adams' record.

Mannarino: Yeah, I mean, well, we're just saying, I don't want to say we're in it. I mean, we're in the campaign. But I've heard you repeatedly talk about how the Democratic Party left you, and you criticized the previous administration so much so that you even considered at one point suing the Biden administration. So what is it about the Democratic Party of today that you feel so aligned with to still call yourself one?

Mayor Adams: When you say, what did I feel aligned with, I'm aligned with fighting for working class people. Yes, my message has always been working class people, public safety. Dan, go back 35, 40 years and see what I was saying. And it's the same thing I'm saying now. 

Public safety is a prerequisite to prosperity. We've got to fight for working class people. I have seen it on the ground as a police officer when you abandon working class people. And I don't think the party is clearly fighting on behalf of those items that are crucial to working class people—affordability, public safety, housing. These are all kitchen table issues that we should be zeroing in on. And that is what my focus would be, as I have been for over 40 years.

Mannarino: Will you be voting in the Democratic primary?

Mayor Adams: Yes, I always will exercise my right to vote.

Mannarino: So you will be doing the ranked choice system and voting for somebody in June. Do you want to say who?

Mayor Adams: No, I'm not going to vote for the position of mayor, because the position of mayor, there's only one candidate that I'm going to be voting for, and that's Eric Adams. I'll vote for my City Council and whatever other positions, like judges, that's on the ballot. But I'm a bullet voter. There's one person that should take this city [through] the next four years, and that's Mayor Eric Adams.

Mannarino: And speaking of that, Mr. Mayor, I heard you on your video announcing your independent run, saying as a Democrat, it's the first time I really heard you acknowledge something. And you and I have spoken many times, and I heard you say that you trusted people you should not have, and you regret it. Do you want to talk about who those people are?

Mayor Adams: No, I don't. I don't think looking backwards is going to answer the questions that we have looking forward. I believe that—one thing you heard me say also over and over again, I'm perfectly imperfect. I am not among the rank and file of perfection. 

You make mistakes, and when you make those mistakes, you learn from them, and you adjust. And yes, there were people in my life over the last three years that I trusted and I should not have, and I apologize to New Yorkers for that. But everyday New Yorkers can tell you that they've made mistakes in life, and this is a city of imperfect people trying to move towards perfection. That is how you run a city.

Mannarino: I heard you talk about the affordability just a few moments ago, and that's where you feel the Democratic Party may be having some issues. But I want to talk about news of the day, and that's that the markets are very volatile right now with the news of these tariffs, China retaliating with tariffs of their own. 

You said that Democrats don't address affordability, but do you expect the cost of goods in New York with the tariffs to go up? What's your message to New Yorkers right now about what's playing out in real time with the Trump administration surrounding affordability?

Mayor Adams: Well, I think that there's been some unfair tariffs that were hit on the country, and that is the job of the president. I do not control tariffs. What I must do is continue to put the money back in pockets of New Yorkers. 

We put $30 billion back in the pockets of New Yorkers. We decrease the cost of child care from $55 a week to less than $5 a week. We decrease unemployment in the city. We're paying off medical debt in the city. 

Mannarino: So you think the tariffs are okay? 

Mayor Adams: So you see what I'm doing here, based on the uncertainties of the economics of this country, I am adjusting here in this city. I'm the mayor of this city. Our national leaders must deal with national policies like they failed to do so with securing our borders and giving us 200,000 migrants and asylum seekers. I must adjust the turbulent winds of the national movement.

Mannarino: So you're okay with the tariffs right now that Trump is putting on other countries, and you're going to react accordingly to that?

Mayor Adams: I think our national leaders need to figure out how to ensure that America is not treated unfairly. That is the role of the national government. I cannot be hypocritical and talk about the national leadership. I’ve handled the migrants and asylum seekers, and then cherry-pick what I want to control as the mayor. I'm the mayor of the city of New York, and I moved this city forward. I turned around our economy, I decreased the crime, and I moved this city forward. And I did my job as mayor, and I'm looking forward to serving this city again as I continue to do my job.

Mannarino: I appreciate that. I'm up against the clock. Just real quick, you're meeting with Sean Duffy today, the Transportation Secretary. Obviously, congestion pricing is going to come up. I know you punted to it's the governor's job, but he's obviously going to ask your thoughts on it. Do you support it, or should it go away?

Mayor Adams: No, it's up to the governor to speak with the national leaders. She met with the president several times to talk about congestion pricing. You know, the two of us, we believe in the same thing. We've got to work with our national leaders. 

So I commend her for going to Washington, meeting with President Trump, talking to national leaders. I want the secretary to see everything from our BQE, some of the crumbling infrastructure that we have. I'm going to talk about even federal dollars for our public safety initiative. I want to meet with every secretary. I want them to see how this city is the economic engine of the country, and we need federal support to continue, because we send more tax dollars to the federal government than we give back.

Mannarino: Okay. Alright. Out of time on that. Mr. Mayor, I appreciate your time. We'll have you back officially as a candidate. When I know who to contact, to get you back here as a candidate. I appreciate your time, as always, and I'm sure you're going to go say, let's go Mets.

Mayor Adams: You can contact me, Dan. You have my cell phone. You know how to contact me. You don't need an intermediary. 

Mannarino: Alright. Alright. I'll call you directly, Mr. Mayor. Good to see you. And the police commissioner, thank you for your time. 

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