Transcript: Mayor Adams Calls in to 94.7 the Block's 'Jonesy in the Morning'

November 15, 2024

Wayne Mayo: The 53rd mayor of New York City, Eric Leroy Adams, is on the phone.

Tarsha Jones: Did you really give the full government name?

Mayor Eric Adams: How are you?

Jones: I'm good. How are you? I miss you.

Mayor Adams: Yeah, I miss you too. It's just me speaking with you.

Jones: I know you're busy, so I'm going to get right to it. Governor Hochul is now trying to swoop down real quick and pass through the congestion pricing bill, but lower it to $9.

Mayor Adams: Yes. And I am strongly in support of the decision that she's making. We have to deal with the congestion in our central business district. Not only is it causing a real environmental issue, but it's also dealing with the economics. She found the middle ground for her voters and her with $15 was just far too much, and she want to start with this lower price and I think we need to move forward as she suggested.

Jones: Okay so I don't know that nine dollars is going to deter me and my friends from coming in and out of the city so I personally don't know if that's going to make the difference but also why don't we get rid of these bike lanes and these where they have the chairs and stuff in the middle of the streets that's what's causing the congestion.

Mayor Adams: Well I think that the city is trying to move towards you know what's called like micro mobility to get people on our subways. It's just not sustainable when you look at the amount of cars we have on our roads in our central business district and you're finding that many cities that are doing similar allowing safer ways to use bikes and other alternate forms of transportation that they're able to deal with the congestion problem that they're seeing. And so she took all of this into account. That's why she hit a pause, and she's now coming back and moving what I believe is a more, a less costly way for everyday driving.

Jones: I don't know. I think this is gonna cost her her position. What do you think?

Mayor Adams: I think she's, hold on, there's so many issues that New Yorkers in the state think are important. You had to make some of the tough ones, but she's made some great ones, you know, even around our subway safety investment and what she's doing with those on the system that are dealing with mental health issues. But she's just making some good calls to move the state in the right direction.

Jones: I guess she thinks so, but I think when you're that far upstate, you're out of touch with what's really going on with the people and y'all, officials, if we didn't learn anything from this last election, we have to start listening to the people and what the people want and not necessarily being so out of touch. And she's like, upstate New York ain't nothing like New York City, you know that.

Mayor Adams: Yeah, different places in the city, believe it or not. You can even leave the five boroughs and you'll get a different feel based on what the community is. And so, but I think you're right. It is clear that we must start listening to everyday people.

And some of these issues I've been talking about, that's what you hear working class people talking about all the time.

Jones: Yeah. Moving on to the wildfires, any progress and slowing it down. I walked out this morning and I never smelled it stronger than today, which tells me it's not getting better. What are we gonna do there?

Mayor Adams: You know, and think about that for a moment. You know, Mother Nature is still in charge. We are dealing with a drought issue. People probably have not noticed it. We have not been getting rain, and when the ground is so dry, you know, it was called brush fires. These brush fires could happen in any of our wooded areas, where we have leaves on the ground. That's why we are telling people, no barbecuing in parks, and we're going to be putting in place other methods of saving, of conservation of water, and just really telling New Yorkers we have to be very conscious because we're not getting the water up in our reservoir. It's almost hard to believe we're talking about brush fires in New York City, but it's a very real issue.

Jones: Right. That means climate control is a real thing. And when we come back, we're talking to Mayor Eric Adams, for those who just joined us. When you come back, I'm going to ask you, if you think being cool, like I'm seeing you play it cool with Trump and his mans and them, if maybe they will listen to you when you tell them that climate change is a real thing. All when we return to 94.7 The Block.

[Music Break.]

Jones: We're back with Mayor Eric Adams on the phone, and I was telling him that I hope that the Trump administration listens to him, because you're cool with them. I've noticed you're like, not necessarily going at him and his people like a lot of New Yorkers are. So perhaps he'll listen to you when you tell him climate change is a real thing, you think?

Mayor Adams: Well, what I believe is important, we need to be working with national leaders, not warring with national leaders. The election is over. This is what we do in America after the election, and it's time to sit down and deliver for New York.
We could spend the next four years pouting, or next four years fighting, but what does that do for New York City? I have to deal with these real issues we're facing as a city, and communication with this administration is, I think, is important as we deal with the infrastructure issues, as we deal with issues around housing, all those things that you stated that New Yorkers heard and New Yorkers and other Americans fought for, these are really teaching table-type issues. And that's what my goal is, the climate change is one of them.

Jones: Gotcha. Should we be concerned at all? Because New York stood up really loud and proud against Donald Trump this past election. Should we be afraid or concerned about any retaliation? And how do you plan to protect New Yorkers?

Mayor Adams: Well, as the governor stated, and I'm going to continue to say, when you communicate with all the various agencies that are responsible for bringing federal dollars and federal policies. My goal is to communicate with the administration and show how important New York is. We're the economic engine of not only for the state, but for the entire country. And we must continue to collaborate and bring the resources here back to our state and our city.

Jones: Okay, you sound better because last week when we spoke to you a week before you sounded really tense it was a lot going on I understand but my people my eyes in the street said you was up in Dyckman or up in some club in the streets with hookah [and] hot wings.

Mayor Adams: We had a fundraiser up there a good real good guy he had a fundraiser for Glory and I wanted to give him the support last night in the [inaudible] fundraiser with the other elected, you know, you need good people on the ground and he's one of them and I stopped up to see him and to say hi. It was a birthday fundraiser for him.

Jones: Listen, I have no qualms. My only issue is I need that same energy at my 90s girl event in Queens.

Mayor Adams: When is it?

Jones: It's on November 30th. You got to pull up because you missed my birthday party. I need the hookah, the hot wings and the five [...] from Dyckman too. Come on Eric. Come on.

Mayor Adams: I'm up in the place. I will be there to see you and your 90s girls. Are we dressing in 90s style?

Jones: Bruh, you can. But you know, it's me, [Ivette, Michelle, Monifa, Allure, Jade, Kofi Brown.] We're like the 90s girls doing a concert. I need your energy. Please.

Mayor Adams: I'm there. I'm in the house.

Jones: Alright. We appreciate you man.

Mayor Adams: Alright. Have a good one. Stay safe.

Jones: You too. Take care.

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