Could deputy mayor resignations cost NYC a seat at the table?

Assembly Cities Committee Chair Patrick Burke sent a letter to New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Wednesday urging him to promptly fill the upcoming vacancies in his administration after four deputy mayors announced their resignation. Burke is concerned that his and his colleagues’ ability to collaborate with the city on policy will be hindered by the drain on personnel and talent caused by Adams’ political and legal troubles. 

First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer, Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom, Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi and Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Chauncey Parker all announced their intention to resign, with Adams pleading for them to stay at least through March. 

Burke wrote that he had previously had discussions with Torres-Springer and Joshi about legislation to renew joint bidding authorization for the city and a Design-Build, a project delivery method that would consolidate design and construction under a single contract, to streamline efficiency and increase savings. The pair had expressed to Burke that the projects were key priorities for New York City, and he said the city now risked losing its voice as budget negotiations progress in their absence. 

“I just really want to know, how much chaos is going on in the mayor's office? Are they going to no longer have a fully functioning seat at the table?” Burke asked City & State. “I need to express that concern to the mayor, because a function of my job is dealing with this and if that's going to be challenged even further, I at least want to express my concern about it to the mayor directly.”

The Adams administration said that it’s actively looking for replacements for the quartet of departing deputy mayors, and they are remaining in their roles for the time being to ensure a smooth transition. “Just like it does every day, our city continues to move forward,” Adams spokesperson Kayla Mamelak told City and State in an email. “We will respond to the letter.”

Hochul, the state Legislature and the New York City Council are considering passing legislation that would place guardrails around the New York City mayor. Spurred by the fear that Adams’ position may be compromised after a suspected quid pro quo with the Trump administration over his legal troubles, lawmakers want to ensure that Adams cannot hinder New Yorkers’ attempts to fight back against federal policies.

There is a middling appetite for the guardrails in the Legislature, primarily because the change to administrative code is viewed as rather permanent for a mayor who will likely be out of office by this time next year. And those lawmakers who are particularly frustrated with Adams would prefer that Hochul just remove him from office. 

Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie told reporters on Wednesday that while he understands the concerns of his members and the governor, it’s a moot point until the City Council passes a home rule message. But that still leaves the matter of how the state Legislature will actually collaborate with city government while Adams’ future plays out. 

“I need real clarity on how we're going to be able to work through these things,” Burke said. “That's all.”