>> ITS NICE TO BE BACK.
ITS BEEN FUN SEEING EVERYONE.
JUST NICE TO BE BACK IN THE
STUDIO.
WITH LESS THAN THREE WEEKS TO
THE NEW YORK CITY DEMOCRATIC
PRIMARY FOR MAYOR, THE TOP
CANDIDATES WILL DEBATE IN PERSON
TONIGHT.
THIS FACE-OFF WILL BE THE FIRST
SINCE A PIX 11 EMERSON COLLEGE
POLL SHOWED FORMER CITY
SANITATION COMMISSIONER KATHRYN
GARCIA STORMING TO THE FRONT OF
THE PACK.
AND SHE JOINS US NOW.
GREAT TO HAVE YOU ON THE SHOW,
IN STUDIO.
WERE ALL A LITTLE GIDDY.
>> IM NOT REALLY GOOD AT THIS
POLITICS THING, BUT WHEN SOMEONE
SAYS STORMING TO THE FRONT.
>> IM WORRIED ABOUT IT.
>> THATS PRETTY GOOD.
SOUNDS LIKE A SOFTBALL QUESTION
BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE WANT TO
KNOW, WHAT HAPPENED?
WHY DID YOU CATCH THE ATTENTION
OF EVERYBODY IN SUCH A WAY WHEN
THIS WAS SUCH AN ILL-DEFINED
FIELD AT THE BEGINNING WHEN YOU
LOOKED AT THE POLLS?
>> I THINK ITS A NUMBER OF
FACTORS.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, "THE NEW
YORK TIMES" ENDORSEMENT, THE
DAILY NEWS ENDORSEMENT REALLY
STARTED TO GENERATE SOME ENERGY
BUT WE FINALLY ALSO GOT OFF ZOOM
AND ENDED UP BEING IN PERSON.
>> THAT WILL DO IT, RIGHT?
>> THAT, I THINK, DID MAKE A
DIFFERENCE.
>> I WAS WONDERING HOW IN THE
WORLD, AS A GUY -- I GOT ELECTED
KNOCKING ON DOORS, PLANTING YARD
SIGNS.
THATS THE ONLY WAY I GOT
ELECTED.
HOW DO PEOPLE CAMPAIGN WITHOUT
BEING ABLE TO SHAKE HANDS, YOU
KNOW, HUG PEOPLE, AND JUST KIND
OF GET TO KNOW THE PERSON BY
LOOKING AT THEM AND TALKING TO
THEM?
>> THATS WHY WEVE SEEN SO MANY
UNDECIDEDS FOR SO LONG IN THIS
RACE, BECAUSE PEOPLE REALLY WANT
YOU TO KNOCK ON THEIR DOOR AND
ASK FOR THEIR VOTE.
THEY FEEL ITS VERY IMPORTANT
FOR YOU TO BE SOMEONE TELLING
THEM WHAT YOURE GOING TO DO FOR
THE CITY, HOW YOURE GOING TO
MAKE IT A MORE LIVEABLE CITY,
HOW YOURE GOING TO GET KIDS
BACK IN SCHOOL.
>> SO HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DO
ALL OF THAT?
>> YES.
>> YOU ASKED THE NEXT THREE
QUESTIONS.
>> I ASKED THE NEXT THREE
QUESTIONS.
THIS SAY MOMENT WHEN WE ARE
REALLY FACING SERIOUS
CHALLENGES.
WE KNOW THAT WE NEED OUR ECONOMY
REOPENED.
WE HAVE TO BE SUPPORTING OUR
CULTURE, RESTAURANTS, AND
EVERYTHING THAT MAKES US
DIFFERENT THAN EVERY OTHER CITY
IN THE ENTIRE NATION, BUT THAT
MEANS KIDS HAVE GOT TO GO BACK
TO SCHOOL.
THATS WHY IM GOING TO MOVE
$130 MILLION OUT OF HEADQUARTERS
AND INTO CLASSROOMS WITH
TEACHERS.
WE HAVE TO BE SAFE ON OUR
STREETS.
WE NEED TO BE FIGHTING GUN
VIOLENCE, THE RISE IN ANTI-ASIAN
HATE CRIME AND CRIME ON OUR
SUBWAYS.
PEOPLE DONT FEEL SAFE ON OUR
SUBWAYS, THEY DONT RIDE THEM,
WE CANT MAKE THIS WORK.
THATS WHY I BELIEVE WE SHOULD
EMBED MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL
S WITH OUR POLICE OFFICERS TO
GET THAT DONE.
>> LETS BE MORE SPECIFIC ABOUT
THAT.
AS YOU KNOW, QUALITY OF LIFE
ISSUES ARE THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE
IN ANY POLL YOU LOOK AT.
THE SAME POLL THAT HAS YOU AT
THE TOP OF THIS GROUP.
IN TERMS OF POLICE, THERE HAS
BEEN IN MOVEMENT OVER THE LAST
YEAR.
THERES BEEN TALK OF DEFUNDING
THE POLICE.
PLAIN CLOTHES UNIT OF NEW YORK
COPS WAS TAKEN OFF AND SORT OF
GIVEN NEW JOBS, DIFFERENT JOBS
ANYWAY.
HOW DO YOU LOOK AT POLICING?
DO YOU THINK WE NEEDLESS MONEY
GIVEN TO POLICE?
OR DO YOU THINK WE NEED MORE AND
DISTRIBUTE IT MORE
INTELLIGENTLY?
>> WE NEED EFFICIENT AND
EFFECTIVE POLICING.
SO I AM NOT SAYING WE TAKE MONEY
AWAY FROM PD.
I BELIEVE THAT THEY CAN BE
GUARDIAN S
GUARDIANS OF THEIR COMMUNITIES
RATHER THAN WARRIORS AGAINST
THEM, WHICH IS WHY THEY SHOULD
LIVE IN THE CITY.
THEY SHOULD BE A LITTLE BIT
OLDER.
BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE ZERO
TOLERANCE.
AND I UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT
MEANS, BECAUSE IVE RUN A
UNIFORM AGENCY.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT DISCIPLINE
MEANS.
THATS TOUGH BUT FAIR.
>> WHATS BEHIND, DO YOU THINK,
THE RISE IN CRIMES, THE THINGS
YOU TALK ABOUT, ATTACKS ON ASIAN
AMERICANS?
WE HAD ANOTHER VICIOUS ASSAULT A
COUPLE OF DAYS AGO IN CHINATOWN.
THE QUALITY OF LIFE AGAIN THAT
NEW YORKERS ARE DEEPLY CONCERNED
ABOUT.
WHATS GOING ON THERE?
>> THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS
GOING ON HERE.
ONE, IT HAS BEEN AN INCREDIBLY
TRAUMATIC YEAR FOR EVERYONE.
WE HAVE NOT BEEN HAVING THE
SERVICES THAT WE NEED FOR PEOPLE
WHO ARE SUFFERING FROM SERIOUS
MENTAL ILLNESS ON OUR STREETS,
IN OUR SUBWAYS.
THAT IS WHY WE NEED TO BE USING
THE TOOLS WE HAVE, LIKE KENDRAS
LAW, TO MAKE IT SURE THAT THEY
ARE GETTING THE SUPPORT THAT
THEY NEED.
BUT YOU ALSO HAVE SEEN THAT WE
NEED PEOPLE TO GET BACK TO WORK.
>> YEAH.
>> VERY HARD TO COMMIT CRIMES IF
YOURE GETTING UP EARLY TO GO TO
WORK.
>> WHEN YOU SAY EMBED MENTAL
HEALTH PROFESSIONALS WITH
POLICE, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK
LIKE?
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CALL COMES IN.
THE OFFICERS SHOW UP.
DO THEY HAVE IN THEIR SQUAD CAR
WITH THEM A MENTAL HEALTH
PROFESSION
PROFESSIONAL?
>> THEY HAVE WITH THEM A MENTAL
HEALTH PROFESSIONAL.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT
IS THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE,
THAT THEY ARE DE-ESCALATING.
BUT IF THINGS DO NOT WORK OUT
THAT THERE ARE POLICE TO BACK UP
THOSE SOCIAL WORKERS OR
PSYCHIATRISTS.
>> YOU KNOW, THE PROBLEM THAT WE
FACE, OBVIOUSLY, THERES A
PROBLEM WITH THE ESCALATION OF
CRIME AND GUN VIOLENCE.
AND THEN THERES ALSO THE
PROBLEM OF DEALING WITH POLICING
AND POLICE ABUSE.
>> UH-HUH.
>> AND WE ARE STILL DEALING WITH
WHETHER POLICE USE EXCESSIVE
FORCE AND EVEN WORSE AS IN ERIC
GARDNER.
HOW DO YOU DRAW THE LINE?
I HEAR YOU SAY RESIDENCY
REQUIREMENT, WHICH CERTAINLY
MANY OF US AGREE.
AND OLDER.
HOW DO YOU DO THAT WHERE YOU
DEAL WITH THE UNIONS THAT YOU
WANT TO DEAL WITH RESIDENCY
REQUIREMENT, WHERE YOU LIVE IN
THE CITY, WHICH THEY DONT WANT,
AND HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH PUTTING
THE AGE GAP HIGHER AND THEN HAVING THIS BALANCE WHERE POLICE
HAVING THIS BALANCE WHERE POLICE
CAN DEAL WITH GUN VIOLENCE WHERE
THEY CAN BE NOT ABUSIVE OR
MURDEROUS?
>> YOU GET WHAT YOU MEASURE WHEN
YOU ARE FOCUSED ON THE DATA AND
MEASURE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
AND YOU PROMOTE OFF COMMUNITY
INVOLVEMENT, THAT CHANGES THE
CULTURE OF AN ORGANIZATION.
AND ILL TELL YOU, I HAVE WORKED
WITH UNIONS OVER MY ENTIRE
CAREER WITH THE CITY.
THATS WHY THE SANITATION
WORKERS ASSOCIATION ENDORSED ME,
AS DID EVERYONE ELSE WHO HAS
EVER WORKED FOR ME.
I UNDERSTAND HOW TO GET TO THE
TABLE AND MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.
>> LET ME ASK YOU THIS.
WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IT IN THE
SEGMENT BEFORE YOU CAME ON.
WE HAVE PLACE EDD A LOT OF HOMEL
IN MOTELS AND OTHER PLACES
DURING THE PANDEMIC THAT NOW HAS
TO TRANSITION OUT.
AND PROBABLY GO BACK TO
SHELTERS, MANY OF THEM GOING
INTO THE STREETS BECAUSE THE
HOTEL/MOTEL OWNERS WANT TO BE
ABLE TO RENT TO TOURISTS.
HOW DO YOU DO THAT?
WHERE MANY OF THE HOMELESS ARE
NOT GOING TO BANT WANT TO GO.
YOURE GOING TO HAVE AN
INTERACTION WITH POLICE.
HOW DO YOU MANAGE THAT?
YOURE THE ONE WHO SAYS IN THIS
RATIO, THE MANAGING.
HOW DO YOU MANAGE THE TRANSITION
OF THOUSAND SS OF PEOPLE IN A
PEACEFUL AND I THINK FLAWLESS
MANNER?
I DONT KNOW IF YOU CAN DO IT
FLAWLESS.
>> BY THE WAY, ALSO BALANCING
THE PROPERTY OWNERS WHO
DESPERATELY IMMEDIATE TO START
MAKING MONEY AGAIN BECAUSE
THEYRE A YEAR BEHIND ON RENT.
>> SO, THIS IS WHERE WE HAVE HAD
A SHELTER FIRST STRATEGY RATHER
THAN A HOUSING FIRST STRATEGY.
AND THAT GETTING PEOPLE WHO ARE
HOMELESS INTO A PERMANENT HOME
WITH SUPPORTIVE SERVICES SO THAT
THEY CAN DEAL WITH MENTAL HEALTH
OR SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUES IS
CRITICAL BECAUSE THE CONGREGATE
SHELTERS DONT WORK FOR
COMMUNITIES AND THEY DONT WORK
FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS
I TALKED TO SOMEONE WHO WAS
HOMELESS OR FORMERLY HOMELESS AT
THIS POINT AND SHE SAID IF YOU
GAVE ME 20 CHOICES AND I SAID NO
EVERY TIME MAYBE YOURE OFFERING
THE WRONG THING.
>> JONATHAN LEMIRE IS WITH US IN
THE FLASH CAM.
>> IVE BEEN BANISHED DOWN THE
HALL.
>> BY THE WAY, HES A NEW YORK
VOTER AND A PARENT.
AND WHEN YOU SAY GET THE KIDS
BACK TO SCHOOL, HE LOVES HIS
KIDS.
>> YEAH.
>> BUT THAT STILL IS MUSIC TO
HIS EARS.
GO AHEAD, JONATHAN.
>> NO OBJECTION THERE.
I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT
SOMETHING ELSE, THOUGH.
AS YOU WELL KNOW, NEW YORK
STATE, ALBANY, HAS AN INCREDIBLE
AMOUNT OF POWER OVER NEW YORK
CITY, AND THE RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN GOVERNOR CUOMO AND MAYOR
DEBLASIO, SHALL WE SAY,
STRAINED.
YOU, MARCH 1st, AFTER
ACCUSATIONS OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT
ALLEGATIONS AGAINST THE
GOVERNOR, CALLED FOR HIM TO
RESIGN.
ONE, DO YOU STILL STAND BY THAT?
AND SECONDLY, IF HE IS STILL IN
OFFICE AND YOURE ELECTED MAYOR,
HOW DO YOU WORK WITH HIM?
>> BY THE WAY, JONATHAN WORKS
FOR THE AP, BUT YOU CAN TELL
HES A "DAILY NEWS" REPORTER AT
HEART BECAUSE WHEN MAYOR
DEBLASIO IS HERE, HE IS ALWAYS
ASKING WHY DO YOU TAKE AN SUV TO
WORK OUT?
YOU CAN TAKE THE BOY OUT OF "THE
DAILY NEWS."
YOU CANT TAKE "THE DAILY NEWS"
OUT OF THE BOY.
>> NOBODY EVER LETS GO OF THEIR
ROOM NINE EXPERIENCES.
>> RIGHT.
>> I STILL HAVE CALLED ON THE
GOVERNOR TO RESIGN.
IM PRACTICAL.
HE IS DISINCLINED TO DO WHAT I
HAD RECOMMENDED.
BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT I CAN WORK
WITH PEOPLE BECAUSE THATS THE
JOB.
AND ITS NOT JUST ABOUT THE
GOVERNOR.
IT IS ALSO ABOUT THE SENATE AND
THE ASSEMBLY.
WE NEED TO HAVE A STRATEGY,
BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE IS A
LOT OF POWER IN ALBANY.
AND IN ORDER TO GET THINGS DONE
FOR THE CITY YOU HAVE TO SIT
DOWN AND MAKE THE DEAL.
>> VERY GOOD.
I LIKE IT.
SO, IN TERMS OF THE PANDEMIC AND
BRINGING THE CITY BACK, WERE
THE FIRST IN TOWN AFTER A YEAR
AWAY, AND SEE A LOT OF SHUTTERED
BUSINESSES, A LOT OF WOMEN HAVE
SUFFERED IN A BIG WAY, HAVING TO
LEAVE WORK, AND MANY HAVE NOT
BEEN ABLE TO COME BACK.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON, FIRST
OF ALL, HOW THE GOVERNMENT HAS
RESPONDED TO THIS AND HOW YOU
SPECIFICALLY COULD HELP NEW
YORKERS GET BACK ON THEIR FEET
BECAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE --
WERE TALKING ABOUT A COMEBACK.
BAY LOT OF IT IS NEW PEOPLE,
PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN SOMEHOW
ABLE TO SURVIVE THIS.
THERE ARE FAR TOO MANY PEOPLE
WHO ARE STILL SUFFERING OR HAVE
NO WAY BACK SFWLT CITY HAS TAKEN
AN ENORMOUS HIT IN COVID, BOTH
IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WE LOST,
OVER 30,000 NEW YORKERS WHO
PASSED AWAY, BUT WE LOST OVER
600,000 JOBS IN THE CITY OF NEW
YORK.
AND SO -- WE STILL ARE OVER
500,000 PEOPLE UNEMPLOYED IN THE
CITY.
AND WOMEN HAVE TAKEN SOME OF THE
HARDEST HITS.
AND THAT IS WHY WE NEED FREE
CHILD CARE FOR PEOPLE MAKING
LESS THAN $70,000.
BECAUSE CHILD CARE IS LIKE
INFRASTRUCTURE.
YOU CANT GO TO WORK IF YOU
CANT GET ON A SUBWAY.
YOU CANT GO TO WORK --
>> HOW ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE
THAT HAPPEN?
>> THAT IS ABOUT FINDING THE
MONEY, WHICH I HAVE IDENTIFIED
IN MY PLANS, TO FUND BOTH NEW
CHILD CARE CENTERS AS WELL AS
OUR NONPROFITS, TO MAKE IT SO
THAT YOU HAVE A SAFE PLACE FOR
WHERE YOU CAN HAVE YOUR KID ALL
DAY.
AND THEYRE READY FOR SCHOOL.
IT MAKES IT BETTER ALL AROUND,
AND IS AN INVESTMENT WORTH
MAKING.
BUT WE ALSO NEED TO BE
SUPPORTING OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.
50% OF OUR PRIVATE SECTOR
EMPLOYMENT.
THEY NEED ZERO INTEREST LOANS.
THEY NEED TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE
PUBLIC REALM AS WELL AS HAVING A
ONE-CITY PERMIT.
IT LITERALLY REQUIRES YOU TO GO
TO SEVEN DIFFERENT AGENCIES FROM