Inquiring Photographer: Thoughts on How to Spend “The People’s Money”

By DAVID GREENE

As the Adams administration launches the “The People’s Money” initiative, as reported, whereby mayoral officials are seeking citywide input from all New Yorkers on how to spend funding of $5 million in funding made available by the Mayor’s office, we asked readers how these funds could best be spent on programs, events and services for the community. “Oh, well, I believe there should be more youth programs in the area, and also self-defense programs for the youth and for women, so they’re able to defend themselves, a community center, and you could have retired NYPD officers or FDNY

By JOSÉ A. GIRALT

When Sonya Ferguson started to do the math on how much it was costing her to fill up her pre-paid debit card, she wondered if there was a better way. Her main method of banking consisted of check cashing outlets and pawn shops. Recalling a recent experience, she said, “I asked for a pre-pay card, and they said ‘$10.’ I said ‘Ok, I want to put $100 on it.’ They said ‘$5, you have to pay to put $100 on your pre-pay card.’ I said, ‘But it’s my card!’” Ferguson said she realized she didn’t have enough money for

By DAVID GREENE

About two weeks before Election Day, Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams announced the NYPD was adding an extra 1,200 overtime shifts to its department roster each day. This constitutes about 10,000 additional patrol hours, with officers deployed to over 300 subway stations across the City during peak hours. During the announcement of the new program called, “Cops, Cameras, Care,” on Saturday, Oct. 22, at Grand Central Station in Manhattan, officials laid out a plan that included “Safe Operations Support Units,” units dedicated to providing assistance to people experiencing homelessness on the streets and subway. The units

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Following the resignation of NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) commissioner, Eric Ulrich, on Thursday, Nov. 3, after it was reported that he is under investigation over alleged illegal gambling, the mayor’s office released the following statement. “This morning, Eric Ulrich tendered his resignation as DOB commissioner in an effort to, in his words, avoid ‘unnecessary distraction for the Adams administration.’ We have accepted his resignation, appreciate him taking this step, and wish him well. We have no further knowledge of any investigation and, out of respect for his and his family’s privacy, have nothing further to add.” The

By JOSÉ A. GIRALT

In the upcoming general election on Nov. 8, voters of Assembly District 80 will decide who best represents their interests in Albany. Running for the seat on behalf of the Democratic Party is a former A.D. 80 male district leader, John Zaccaro Jr., who served in the latter role from 2018 to 2020. If elected to the assembly, he will replace incumbent assembly member, Nathalia Fernandez, who is running as the Democratic nominee in the State Senate District 34 race. Zaccaro Jr. was selected on Sept. 7 by a Bronx Democratic Party committee as the Democratic nominee for

By SÍLE MOLONEY

New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced the launch, on Sept. 14, of The People’s Money initiative, a citywide participatory budgeting process, whereby New Yorkers decide how to spend allotted funds to improve their local communities. Now, the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA), NYC Civic Engagement Commission (CEC) are highlighting an upcoming series of boroughwide, idea generation sessions on “The People’s Money.” At these five borough-based, idea generation sessions, CEC and local partners will invite residents to represent their neighborhood in the participatory budgeting (PB) process and decide how to spend specific mayoral expense funding of $5 million

By ERIC ADAMS

Tuesday, Nov. 8, is Election Day in New York City – your last chance to join millions of New Yorkers in making your voices heard and casting your ballots in these critical elections. The polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. If you can’t vote on Tuesday, you can also vote early in person! Early voting polls will be open through Sunday, Nov. 6. Your poll site may have changed, so it’s important to check your poll site location and its hours [of opening] before you vote at nycvotes.org. This year, voting is more important than

By SÍLE MOLONEY

New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams sent a letter on behalf of the council to New York City Districting Commission chair, Dennis Walcott, on Thursday, Oct. 27, notifying the commission of the council’s acceptance of the proposed district maps [dated Oct. 6] without objection. The proposed maps will now go to the city clerk for certification. Adams wrote in the letter, in part, “The Council accepts the Plan without objection, noting that it was passed by 13 members of the Commission after extensive deliberation over legal considerations including the Voting Rights Act of 1965, population deviation limitations and

By SÍLE MOLONEY

The Benjamin Franklin Reform Democratic Club (BFRDC) has announced that it will “discuss and decide whether to endorse a candidate for the 2023 11th district City Council [Democratic] primary election.” A representative for the Kingsbridge-based club said that if the club decides to go ahead with this proposal, club members will vote on any such endorsement for the council position, which is currently held by incumbent City Councilman Eric Dinowitz. As reported, the club had been criticized by some during the 2020/2021 election cycle for the manner in which the club endorsed Dinowitz, then a candidate for the