Mayor Adams must defeat City Council’s recent attempt to extend its power

City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and her progressive allies are making a bold move to increase their power without adding any accountability by proposing a council veto over top mayoral hires, as reported by New York Post.

An example of how this power might be used is evident in the attempt to block the confirmation of Randy Mastro as corporate counsel, a key position in the city Law Department, highlighted in New York Post’s opinion piece.

The mayor is elected to oversee the city and should have the autonomy to select individuals to lead city agencies.

The council already has oversight and investigative powers to prevent abuse, in addition to the mayor’s ability to dismiss agency heads who underperform.

In contrast, council members are elected only in their respective districts and may not be widely known among average New Yorkers.

Therefore, the limited role of the City Council in local government is established in the City Charter.

The move to grant the council the right to veto the nomination of the Law Department head was a result of a Charter amendment supported by then-Mayor Bill de Blasio in 2019.

A potential reform could involve reversing this 2019 change, as Randy Mastro, a qualified centrist Democrat, is well-suited for the role.

People opposing Mastro’s appointment may have their own agenda and are attempting to influence Mayor Adams’s decision.

Mandatory for Adams to reject this power grab decisively.

The Mayor has the authority to establish a Charter Reform Commission to propose amendments to the Charter for voter approval.

An examination of restructuring the City Council entirely could be considered by an Adams reform commission, as the Council is becoming increasingly dysfunctional in city governance.