Mayor Eric Adams’ Reckless Budget Proposals Harms New Yorkers

By Communities United For Police Reform Photos: YouTube Screenshots Wednesday, marked the New York City Council FY25 Preliminary Budget Hearing on Public Safety. As part of their campaign for budget justice, Communities United for Police Reform (CPR) members and partners offered testimony calling for specific cuts to the NYPD budget to improve the safety and health of all New Yorkers. Those testifying in-person or in writing included: Divad Durant and Merope Peponides from the Justice Committee, Obi Afriye from Legal Defense Fund, Isabelle Leyva from New York Civil Liberties Union, and CPR’s Program Director Ileana Mendez-Peñate.  Following the  hearing, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from Divad Durant, CPR spokesperson and member leader of the Justice Committee: “Under Mayor Adams, the NYPD routinely and egregiously overspends their already bloated budget to wield immense and illegitimate power that ultimately makes New Yorkers less safe. The Adams administration continues to bankroll NYPD’s violence, obstruction, misinformation, overspending, and lack of accountability with no checks or balances. The NYPD’s public relations budget alone was at least $3.4 million in the past year – and is used to run misinformation campaigns, spread lies, attack judges and other civil servants on social media,...