The Abundance New Yorker’s Serenity Prayer
Focusing on the things we can control as the federal government goes wild
National politics are bearing down on New York, and it’s easy to feel powerless.
Our doctors are being indicted for providing abortion care while ill New Yorkers are avoiding medical treatment out of fear of deportation. The president promises to pull the plug on congestion pricing—with bike lanes also in his sights—after already stalling deployment of offshore wind.
Many city residents would like to see their mayor pushing back on encroachment from Washington, especially given relative quiet from two other New Yorkers—the House and Senate minority leaders. Adams is instead directing his team to stay out of the feds’ way.
On Monday, the Justice Department moved to dismiss corruption charges against Adams, making him increasingly beholden to an administration punishing less collaborative state and city electeds. That isn’t sitting well with his rivals in his race for reelection.
In June, we’ll get to pass judgment at the ballot box, but what to do till then? Thankfully, there are discrete actions we can all take—including some over the next few days—to make our voices heard in informing the future of New York.
1. Update registration for June’s party primaries
In 2021, only about 25% of registered Democrats in New York chose our current mayor. Indeed, Kathryn Garcia ultimately lost to Eric Adams by just over 7,000 votes. We all have tremendous power to influence the mayor’s race—if we choose to use it.
If you’re new to voting in New York, you have until June to get on the rolls. However, if you’re currently registered as a voter unaffiliated with a party, or if you want to switch parties to vote in the all-important Democratic primary, the party-switch deadline is this Friday, 2/14. Check your registration here to see if you need to switch.
2. Apply for a Community Board
About 7,000 New Yorkers decided the margin in the last mayor’s race, but every day fewer than 3,000 dictate what is politically possible here—especially when it comes to decisions about new housing and street usage. They’re the members of the city’s 59 Community Boards, and now’s the time to join yours.
Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and the Bronx welcome applications just once a year, and the deadlines are fast approaching; Brooklyn and Queens are this Friday, 2/14! If you want to apply and haven’t yet been in touch with us about it, reply to this email and we’ll help guide you through the process.
3. Testify at a Charter Revision Commission hearing
The role that Community Boards play in allowing new housing—and otherwise weighing in on whether, how, and how fast New York will adapt to changing times—is dictated by the City Charter, our city constitution. A commission is currently discussing potential amendments to the charter, and right now they’re asking for our ideas.
Yesterday, 100 New Yorkers packed a room in Brooklyn to testify, reflecting a range of voices. Some sought adjustments of city protocols to speed up action in response to our affordability and climate crises, but many others pushed back on potential changes. Take the opportunity to share your perspective at an upcoming hearing. (The next one is Monday, 2/24, in Queens.) If you can’t testify in person, submit written testimony! Let us know if you want to do either, and we can provide support.
Should we be making calls to the mayor’s office and governor’s office and any other of our leaders to affirm that congestion pricing is working? We do not want them to undue what took years to put in place.