NYC Council Holds Hearing on Department of Community Safety Bill; Sponsor Claims 34 Co-Sponsors, a Veto-Proof Majority
The New York City Council held a hearing on October 30 on a bill to establish a Department of Community Safety, an expanded version of Mayor Zohran Mamdani's campaign pledge. Mamdani originally envisioned a full department funded at $1 billion a year; in March he signed an executive order creating an Office of Community Safety as a first step, with $40 million set aside in the fiscal 2027 budget.
The bill's primary sponsor, Councilmember Lincoln Restler, said he has lined up 34 co-sponsors — enough for a veto-proof majority. Restler wants the new department to coordinate homeless and mental health services, de-escalate emergencies and expand violence-interruption and public safety work.
By contrast, the Minneapolis City Council voted on October 29 to eliminate that city's Office of Community Safety, created in 2022. New York's office is still new and its effectiveness hard to judge, making the hearing a key window into the direction of the city's public safety model.
Source: GSM News, America
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
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