Transcript: Mayor Eric Adams Holds Public Hearing and Signs Intros. 47, 73, and 134

May 12, 2022

Mayor Eric Adams: Thank you. Good morning or afternoon, whichever it is. I live in dog years as mayor, so it goes rather quickly. So, today, I'm holding a hearing and bill signings that support our small businesses that fulfill the commitment and promise that I made on the campaign trail, we're actualizing it today with these important signings. Small businesses, we hear over and over again, they are the heartbeat of our community, and for far too long, they have been overlooked. We are here to really change that conversation and lift up our small businesses by these important pieces of legislation, or bills, that we're signing. A few months ago, I outlined my blueprint for economic recovery and I spoke about restarting our small businesses and our large corporations. They go hand-in-hand to improve our economy. I laid out a plan to strengthen our commercial corridors across the five boroughs.

Mayor Adams: It is so important that what our BIDs are doing on our local communities, particularly as you see more and more businesses are moving into neighborhoods, those neighborhoods were often overlooked. We are pleased with the plans that we're doing to really strengthening these small businesses and all of our agencies where that we're zeroing in on how do we keep doors open. Historically, you got agita every time an agency walked into your business or small business in our city, those days are going to end. We must figure out how we keep the doors open, and that's my commitment and promise. And I promise that I would expedite the creation of business improvement districts in the city. You heard this saying over and over again: promise made, promise kept. Today, we are signing one of those promises into existence. Int. 0047 creates the Castle Hill Business Improvement District in the borough of the Bronx, and so if you are from the Bronx, you'll understand when I put up the X. Int. 73 establishes the West Village Business Improvement District in the borough of Manhattan. It's so important to do so.

[Laughter] 

Mayor Adams: We are ensuring that the BIDs are launched this July in time for the start of the fiscal year, so businesses in Castle Hill and the West Village can thrive. We cannot have an economic recovery unless our neighborhoods recover at the same time. It must be the equity that we have been looking for for far too many years. And this is a huge win. And for all those who have advocated for this, we heard you, we're responding, and that is how government should work when you get stuff done. The law will reinvent our city and our economy today, tomorrow, and generations to come.

Mayor Adams: And turning to, which is an important bill, many of the advocates have pushed for for a long time, and I want to thank the commissioner for your advocacy on this issue. Int. 134, which will strengthen our paid transparency laws and clarifies the law applies to employees who are paid hourly or through an annual salary. We heard far too often how this law was not clear. And as Justin Brannan walks in, I know this was something he pushed for a long time. Congratulations to you, the finance chair. This means that every listing for a job that is paid an hourly wage or an annual salary must disclose what the minimum and maximum salary wage is. This is an important bill, and advocates have pushed for and assemblyman, what you doing sitting there? Why aren't you up here with us, man? 

[Laughter] 

Mayor Adams: Come on and join us. Come and join us up here. And what you got, two earrings or one? I got to get my other earring, man.

[Laughter] 

Mayor Adams: This is an important meeting for the advocates who have pushed for this. Employers who promptly submit. This was the piece that was important. We were not trying to be punitive. We were trying to change the mindset of those who were not listing the minimum and maximum salaries. So, the important part that we were able to come to and resolve, employees who promptly submit proof of curing their first violation will not be subject to civil penalties, but we're not going to play the game that you could keep saying, "Oops, I forgot to do so." No. But we're going to use that to state, if you do it again, then we would take those actions to send the right message for any future violations. This clarification makes sure that the law works for both workers and employers.

Mayor Adams: And so, I want to thank all who are part of bringing these bills to the signing: Council Member Williams, Council Member Brannan, Council Member and Chair of the Economic Development Committee, Councilwoman Farias, Council Member Farah Louis, Council Member Erik Bottcher, Tony DeRosa, and Brooke Schooley, chair of the West Village BID Steering Committee and the Castle Hill BID Steering Committee, as well. And so, now, I would like to turn it over to Councilwoman Williams, the sponsor of 134, to say a few words.

[Applause] 

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[Applause] 

Mayor Adams: Thank you. Well said. Thank you for that. We needed that. And want to also bring on Councilman Erik Bottcher.

[Applause] 

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Mayor Adams: Thank you.

[Applause] 

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[Applause] 

Mayor Adams: Thank you. Well said. We have a different model here from it can't be done to it will be done. That's the way we have to look at it. Want to bring up Council member, the chair of the Economic Development Committee, Council member, one of my favorite people, Councilwoman Amanda Farias.

[...]

[Applause] 

Mayor Adams: Councilwoman Farias is all over the place with us. Is this your second bill with us? I thought you had one earlier. Okay. We'll make sure we'll notch them up. I know Councilman Justin Brannan. Please say a few words, councilman.

[...]

[Applause] 

Mayor Adams: Good Stuff. Good stuff. And talking about fixing things, no one does it better in Brooklyn than our Councilwoman Farah Louis.

[Applause] 

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[Applause] 

Mayor Adams: Appreciate You. Assemblyman please come say a few words. Don't be sneaking up in the house without.

[Applause]

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[Applause]

Mayor Adams: Love it. Love it. Love it. Love it. So, we want to now open and invite the public for comment. Okay. So, I'll need to do that. Okay. So, I guess I'm going to get... I got a couple of pins here, so you're going to [inaudible].

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