Lawmakers furious at NYC Mayor Eric Adams’ crackdown on comms between Big Apple agencies, elected officials

Lawmakers are furious over Mayor Eric Adams’ crackdown on communications between city agencies and elected officials — including the NYPD — with some calling the new process “bureaucratic BS.”

“They treat the Council the same way they treat the press: with suspicion and disdain,” a source told the Post.

The city set up a two-page Google form asking elected officials 14 questions, including the subject of the request, their office address and their phone number.

Council members — who recently clashed with the Adams administration over legislation and the city’s budget — say they were left in the dark about the website, launched Friday, until this week.

“Six pages of BS. And there’s no communication about it either. Some people think it’s all about meeting your district commander or your local school principal. It’s beyond ridiculous, and it’s just more bureaucratic nonsense to deal with,” another source told the Post.

The source also raised concerns about the independence of the review process, raising the question: “Who is going to check and approve this?” »

Council member Gale Brewer (D-Manhattan) was furious with the decision and kept things simple when she told reporters at City Hall: “I don’t fill out any forms. »

“It’s totally unnecessary. Because that’s exactly what we needed: more bureaucracy while we’re just trying to fix something simple. Bad decision,” Councilmember Robert Holden (D-Queens) said on X.

Confusion about when to use the form has also increased.

“I got new trash cans and I was asking for a picture with the (sanitation) commissioner and they said, ‘You have to fill out this form,’” council member Rita Joseph told Politico.

The city emphasized that the page was intended for meetings and events rather than immediate issues.

“We need to ensure we have the right processes in place to streamline our services and maximize our resources,” a council spokesperson said.

“We are committed to implementing strategies that allow us to coordinate more effectively and maintain our responsiveness to all members of the public.”

Joseph replied: “To me, it just creates more red tape. »

An email obtained by THE CITY lists types of “engagement,” including: “meetings with commissioners or executive directors, meetings with senior agency staff, requests to visit districts, requests to participate in events, requests to participate in working group meetings, requests (to) participate in interagency meetings (more than one agency), official letter correspondence, requests for discussion on the application , any other requests outside the scope of daily operations involving constituent questions or problems.

All requests will go through the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, the email said.

For New Yorkers, raising an issue with lawmakers could be stalled and negotiations on legislation could be slowed.

“I’m sure the wisest commissioners will ignore it,” a source familiar with intergovernmental affairs told Politico.