Everything we know about Eric Adams, the next mayor of NYC

New York Metropolis residents have forged their votes for a brand new mayor – and Brooklyn Borough President and Democrat nominee Eric Adams is about to interchange outgoing mayor Bill de Blasio, in line with projections.

The 61-year-old former state legislator and retired New York Metropolis Police Division captain insists he’ll be making some notable adjustments within the metropolis.

When sworn in in January, he’ll develop into solely the second black mayor within the metropolis’s historical past, following within the footsteps of David N. Dinkins, who was elected again in 1989.

The popular vegan candidate headed to a polling place in Bedford-Stuyvesant to forged his poll on Tuesday morning earlier than delivering an emotional speech. Carrying an image of his late mom, Dorothy, he mentioned:

“That is is a tremendous day, to achieve this level.

“Again in 1977, my mother introduced me into that polling place. Each little boy or little lady who was ever advised they’ll by no means quantity to something – each little one with a studying incapacity, each inmate sitting in Rikers, each dishwasher, each little one in a homeless shelter – that is for all of you.

“I solely have three phrases: I’m you.”

Sign up to our new free Indy100 weekly e-newsletter

Who’s Eric Adams?

Adams is certainly one of six youngsters raised by a single mom in South Jamaica, a neighbourhood within the borough of Queens. He considers himself “the folks’s candidate” and a “reasonable” blue-collar New Yorker who’s well-connected to town’s working class.

At 15, Adams was arrested alongside his brother on prison trespass costs after reportedly stealing a TV and money from a prostitute he was as soon as working errands for. When Adams tried to test within the money, he was arrested by police and was allegedly assaulted so severely that he urinated blood for every week.

Later in life, he turned a cop himself to reform the division. He shaped 100 Blacks in Legislation Enforcement Who Care to marketing campaign in opposition to racial profiling.

After 20 years of cop responsibility, Adams retired from the NYPD in 2006 to make a run for a seat within the state Senate, the place he represented elements of central Brooklyn in Albany till 2013. He was then elected as the primary black President of Brooklyn Borough.

Whereas he was registered to vote as a Republican, he pursued a extra conventional Democratic platform as a state senator in Albany, the place he supported efforts in the direction of marriage equality in 2009 and 2011.

What does he stand for?

Training

Adams’ purpose is to reimagine the schooling system by adopting a “whole-child method”.

He guarantees to “provide a full continuum of help at each stage of a youngster’s life,” in line with his official website.

The promising NYC mayor claims he’ll obtain this by desegregating and increasing college choices, prioritizing common entry to on-line and bodily courses, placing wholesome meals selections first and specializing in the holistic development of scholars.

Healthcare

“Typically the very best coverage is just not one thing new and flashy, however slightly to double down on applications with confirmed monitor information and develop them,” Adams candidly said.

He goals to shut racial well being gaps all through New York after “Black New Yorkers’ life expectancy is a full 4 years decrease than the citywide common.” He suggests it is a results of “poor healthcare, lack of wholesome meals choices, and unhealthy dwelling situations”, which he subsequently needs to alter.

Adams needs to “create everlasting well being care facilities in underserved areas”, “enhance preventative care and educate wholesome habits”, and “add improved psychological well being and dependancy providers the place they are often most simply accessed.”

Security

Adams said he refuses to return to a metropolis that’s “unsafe for New Yorkers – particularly youngsters.”

In a bid to sort out gun violence, he believes that the trauma that festers in communities should be addressed and that the “anti-crime unit” needs to be reinvented as an “anti-gun unit.”

He additionally strives to diversify the police division by “including Black and Brown officers who will respect and shield New Yorkers”, “appointing town’s first lady police commissioner”, and “publicizing the checklist of cops being monitored for unhealthy conduct.”

Housing

The 61-year-old Democrat says the present New York housing market requires pressing consideration.

In a bid to make housing extra inexpensive for all, Adams needs to repurpose workplace buildings and inns, up-zone wealthier areas to construct inexpensive models and supply additional assist and help for homeless folks.

Financial system

Adams is optimistic about bouncing again “the proper means.”

He needs to spend money on “inexperienced jobs”, together with renewable power manufacturing and transmission, constructing retrofits, infrastructure enhancements, and a booming wind energy business.

He additionally goals to maintain smaller companies, provide sponsored/free childcare to any New Yorker who wants it and help bars and eating places with tax breaks.

indy100 has reached out to Eric Adams’ rep for remark.