Mayor Eric Adams announced changes to the city’s budget, including funding for 1,600 new police officers and rental vouchers. He introduced Jessica Tisch as the new police commissioner. The budget now totals $115 billion, with increased spending on police and social programs. The decision was made due to higher tax revenue and savings. Tisch, previously with the Department of Sanitation, will now lead the NYPD. The previous interim police commissioner had his home raided by the FBI, leading to his replacement. Tisch will be the city’s second female police commissioner.
Mayor Eric Adams recently disclosed adjustments to the city’s budget, including provisions for 1,600 new police officers and funding for rental vouchers. Additionally, he introduced Jessica Tisch as the new police commissioner. This alteration to the fiscal year 2025 budget involves an increase of $3 billion from the initial $112 billion. The additional resources will go towards hiring more NYPD officers, raising the total count to nearly 34,000. Furthermore, there will be an injection of $467 million into a cash-assistance program for low-income individuals and $115 million into the city’s rental-assistance initiative. These enhancements were made feasible due to heightened tax revenue and savings resulting from lower than anticipated migration into the city since July.
Adams emphasized the shift from emergency measures to cost-saving strategies for taxpayers. Jacques Jiha, the city’s budget director, highlighted that previous conservative tax assessments and essential cuts played a part in managing the budget effectively. The revised budget does not include significant restorations to other areas despite appeals for critical funding reinstatements in parks and recreation centers. The Parks Department’s sole augmentation is the introduction of 9,000 new lockable steel bins.
During the budget briefing, Mayor Adams surprised many by appointing Jessica Tisch, the current head of the Department of Sanitation, as the new police commissioner. Tisch’s previous roles include leading the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications and serving as the NYPD’s deputy commissioner for information technology. Interim Police Commissioner Tom Donlon, appointed after Edward Caban’s resignation, will now report to the deputy mayor for public safety.
Tisch, from a family with ties to the Loews Corporation, will be the fourth police commissioner under Adams’ administration and the city’s second female commissioner. Her appointment follows Keechant Sewell’s resignation in June 2023, after reported conflicts with Mayor Adams over disciplinary actions within the NYPD. Caban, who succeeded Sewell, resigned amid a federal investigation involving several NYPD members. During his tenure, there was a spike in NYPD car chases and a decline in disciplinary actions against officers convicted by the Civilian Complaint Review Board.
Tisch did not take questions during her announcement but is set to be sworn in next week. Meanwhile, DSNY First Deputy Commissioner Javier Lojan will serve as acting interim commissioner. The Department of Sanitation recently acquired expanded responsibilities following a contentious ballot proposition.
In her statement, Tisch expressed eagerness to return to the NYPD and praised the dedication of the department’s personnel. Her tenure as police commissioner begins amidst ongoing efforts to enhance public safety and address policing challenges in the city.
Source: TheCity.NYC
