Albany Times Union (Sunday)

Officials, listen to Adams

- FRED LEBRUN

I’d like to say Eric Adams is a political wonder who came out of nowhere. Except he’s 61 and the sole survivor of running a very public and prolonged election gauntlet with a host of others to get where he is.

But what can be said is that the 110th mayor of the City of New York has emerged as a formidable political force in both his city and our state. He’s done so by crafting an impressive action plan to restore flagging confidence in public safety, the premier public policy issue of our times, even as our state leadership can’t get out of its own way on the subject.

What isn’t so obvious is that he’s proving to be an agile politician in the process, and whoever is advising him on his daring tactics deserves a big bonus and a weekend in the Poconos.

Adams is taking his case directly to the people, advocating tweaks to the state’s controvers­ial bail reform law, and promoting an important change to a less controvers­ial law raising the age for criminal responsibi­lity to 18. There’s a lot more. It’s all online and worth studying. His ratings are soaring, and his constituen­ts love his plan, with approval ratings around 70 percent.

Why these are great tactics. Well, traditiona­lly, for a thorny issue like bail reform Adams would venture up to Albany with appropriat­e gunbearers and pitch the state Legislatur­e to make changes. Except the leadership, Carl Heastie in the Assembly and Andrea StewartCou­sins in the Senate, have bluntly and rather arrogantly rejected even the need for changes. Not surprising since they are the architects of the laws that need work and haven’t felt significan­t pressure to do so. But here comes the mayor.

In a virtual appearance before the Legislatur­e last week, Adams reiterated his plan and got a glowing personal reception and mixed, though mostly positive, reviews of his proposed changes. He also promised to come up and lobby these needed tweaks soon in person. Although presumably only after more beating of the drums for his already popular plan, which will get him more accolades and, probably another poll or two to stick in his pocket.

Then Adams will come up to Albany to lobby legislator­s. Several key members share constituen­cies with the mayor, oddly enough. His voters are their voters. In an election year, the pressure will be palpable since every poll I’ve seen tells us this is the issue the public really cares about.

Before I go any further down this road, I want to be clear that I find every aspect of the plan Eric Adams has laid out sensible, from more funding for mental health services, to considerin­g criminal court for those younger than 18 when a gun is involved, to bringing back more

broadly judicial discretion, to at long last allowing dangerousn­ess to be a considerat­ion in the bail/release process, and much more. But they are tweaks, and only that. The laws themselves, bail reform and change the age primarily, are much needed advances. It’s not unusual for such laws to play differentl­y in the streets than they first read in the abstract. Making changes to balance legitimate competing agendas like individual rights and public safety, whether in fact or in appearance, are signs of strength and it’s what the Legislatur­e is in business to do. Not to ignore.

Agreeing to reform bail reform is just the first round. Where all the energy on this issue should go is in refining those actual tweaks to satisfy most stakeholde­rs. That’s for another day. It’s hard enough at the moment just getting a considerat­ion for change, and even this baby step has not brought out the best in top state leaders. I find the ruling Democrats and pathetic Republican­s equally repugnant. The Republican­s for fear mongering and trying to exaggerate and exploit those fears. Although, of course, politics are all about exploiting the weakness of your enemy, and Democrats have laid themselves open to that. Democratic leadership has repeatedly claimed that there is flat out no connection between increases in crime and bail reform. Please. The turnstile release system reform has

The public has a right to be safe, but there is also a widespread demand to feel safe. Optics, perception rule.

brought has yielded thousands of rearrests before trial, so there is certainly some connection to rising crime rates. So Republican­s overstate and Dems understate, neither of which does much for the public’s confidence government has it right.

And that really is the issue at hand for reforming the existing bail reform law. Statistica­lly, New York state and city are safe places to live. We have had far worse times than the present, statistica­lly speaking. However, for a variety of reasons, the public has let us know it doesn’t feel safe, from Plattsburg­h to Staten Island. And I am not saying they are wrong. Statistics alone are a weak argument, and a single random bullet can change a lot of minds.

The public has a right to be safe, but there is also a widespread demand to feel safe. Optics, perception rule.

Woe to the politician who doesn’t get that. Eric Adams does. The Legislatur­e should listen.

 ?? ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United States