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Transcript: Mayor de Blasio Appears Live on the Brian Lehrer Show

April 20, 2018

Brian Lehrer: We begin as usual on Fridays with our Friday Ask the Mayor call-in – my questions and yours for Mayor Bill de Blasio at 2-1-2-4-3-3-WNYC, 2-1-2-4-3-3-9-6-9-2 or you can tweet a question with the hashtag #AsktheMayor on Twitter.

Mr. Mayor, welcome back to WNYC.

Mayor Bill de Blasio: Thanks very much, Brian.

Lehrer: Let me touch on this national news first especially since it involves a former mayor and two former U.S. Attorneys here in New York. Giuliani and Comey both held that position. Have you paused from your work to read the Comey book or the Comey memos or have an opinion about any of this?

Mayor: I haven’t read the book, but I think Mr. Comey’s raising some really important points about that last vignette about laughter is very interesting and telling. But more important foundationally, he made clear that, you know, the President was in so many ways trying to subvert the normal process and I think that’s, you know – that that’s what Comey’s important role here has been, to give us that inside look.

Lehrer: And about Rudy Giuliani, one of your predecessors joining the Trump legal team in hopes of negotiating an end to the Mueller investigation as it’s been reported?

Mayor: I don’t know what it will do to fundamentally change things. You know, I think it comes down to the facts and I think there’s some analysis out there that Giuliani is mainly there for spin purposes. So, that wouldn’t shock me. But he’s not going to be able to change any fundamental facts here. I think that’s the most important reality.

Lehrer: A federal court yesterday said the Trump administration cannot impose funding cuts as punishment against sanctuary cities specifically they can’t make federal grants conditional on their request that federal immigration authorities be allowed access to local detention facilities and that cities provide the feds with 48 hours-notice before the release of an undocumented immigrant wanted by federal authorities.

The case, as you know, is about Chicago’s sanctuary cities program but it applies nationwide. So, my question is – does that ruling matter in New York and does the City of New York comply with those particular two federal requests?

Mayor: Look, we’ve said from the beginning that we are replying appropriately to the federal government. And we said the very first day that Trump put out the executive order on immigration – we said that any effort to hold back federal funding because of policy differences or political differences was unconstitutional, in fact, the key decision was written by Justice Roberts, no less, in 2012 and there’s a very [inaudible] line in it – the federal government cannot hold a gun to the head of states and localities because of these policy differences and withhold funding.

We’ve been confident from the beginning that this kind of court decision would follow. So I think it affirms very clearly that our funding for anti-terrorism efforts and public safety must continue, will continue. And we will also continue to respect immigrants in New York City.

I think, Brian, the bigger underlying point here – you see it very vividly – there is an ongoing effort by Trump and the right-wing to paint all immigrants with the same brush and suggest that all crime is coming from immigrants. They are obsessed with certain stories that try and paint immigrants as criminals when the fact is – and here we are the safest big city in America which has been achieved largely through cooperation between immigrant communities and NYPD because there’s an open line of communication.

There is not a threat of deportation. We do not ask documentation status. We have proven in real conditions that we can keep people safe because we have that dialogue. There’s very, very few immigrants who commit serious and violent crimes. And we have, I think, the best model in the country that you know very vividly says if someone is convicted of one of those crimes and they’re undocumented then they should be deported and we will cooperate with ICE.

But we will not cooperate in any deportation of someone law-abiding or someone who has only done a minor offense.

But what’s so fascinating is this political strategy, obviously looking to the midterm elections, to try and portray all immigrants as criminals and to try and get people hopped up all over the country in a furor and a nationalist furor against immigrants when there are no facts to back that up.

And I think this court ruling is important because it invalidates the entire notion that the federal government can tell localities what to do and what’s best for them especially when localities are proving all over the country that a respectful, healthy relationship with immigrants is what keeps everyone safe.

This is – so, it’s an important ruling for us.

Lehrer: So, you don’t routinely give on these two particular demands or requests from the federal government – you don’t routinely give 48 hours’ notice before the release of an undocumented immigrant wanted by federal authorities and you don’t allow access to local detention facilities?

Mayor: We have a very clear law, it’s been there for four years, that says here are the conditions with which – under which we cooperate with ICE. And if someone is convicted of any of the 170 violent, serious crimes we do coordinate, cooperate, provide information. We think it’s appropriate for those people to be turned over to ICE.

We do not feel it’s the case if someone has not been convicted of anything and we do not feel it’s the case of someone has been found guilty of a minor crime.

Lehrer: Okay, today is the wake for Saheed Vassell, as you no doubt know, shot dead by police who thought the mentally ill Brooklyn man was brandishing a gun and I see you’re announcing a new task force regarding people in mental health crises. Is this a response to Mr. Vassell’s death?

Mayor: It – look, it’s a response to a number of things that have happened and none of them we ever want to see happen. What happened with Mr. Vassell, what happened with Deborah Danner, and a number of other incidents. But it goes far beyond these horrible tragedies that, thank God, are very, very unusual. It goes to something much more fundamental.

And my wife, Chirlane, talked about this the other day that we are losing lives not just in these very rare encounters with police but to suicide and to all sorts of other situations because people have untreated mental illness problems. And this is just – epidemic in this country. The amazing fact is that in America the timeline between someone being – manifesting a mental health problem and getting treatment is typically about a decade.

And so that, in the case of someone with severe problems – and obviously we don’t have all the facts but it looked like Mr. Vassell had some very big challenges – if it goes untreated there’s all sorts of horrible outcomes that could occur including homelessness, including incarceration, and, God forbid, suicide.

And so, we’ve got to change the entire paradigm. This task force is one piece of it to try and deeply improve how police coordinate with all the other agencies and all the other health facilities to try to do better to get the information to help people in time.

But you have to say, we also – every one of us including in our own families has to come forward and call that number that we try and publicize all the time. 888-NYC-WELL because when you call 888-NYC-WELL you get a trained counselor who not only provides immediate assistance but connects people to ongoing treatment whether it’s opioid addiction or a mental health challenge.

And that’s – if we could just get people in the city to feel no stigma, no shame, pick up that phone, connect their loved one to treatment a lot of these tragedies would never happen.

Lehrer: Is the task force a response to those who have criticized the Thrive NYC initiative as too focused on people with not the most severe mental illness?

Mayor: Not in the least. I reject that criticism out of hand. We have an entire big effort that’s been going on for years – NYC Safe, that is very much focused on what is typically a few hundred people at any given point in time in a city of 8.6 million who manifest documented mental health problems and have a history of violence. Those folks, once identified, are being monitored and focused on getting the treatment they need and there’s follow-up to make sure they get it – or if they’re in the criminal justice system, they may be incarcerated. But the fact is that at any given point typically we’re talking about hundreds of people who do need that monitoring.

It never existed before. I want to be very clear. Before this administration nothing like that ever happened. We use Kendra’s Law where appropriate if there needs to be a more forceful response. That piece I think has been strong and is getting stronger.

This is about the other 8.6 million people basically who need all sorts of mental health help. The typical figure in America is one in five Americans at any given point in time is suffering from some kind of mental health condition. It could be just anxiety or low-level depression. It could be something much more serious.

We are not even scratching the surface as a society of getting those folks the help they need. So what the main body of Thrive is doing is trying to connect people to care. That can include someone who for example in some of these incidents with police we now know people were schizophrenic or bipolar and needed very serious ongoing treatment but never got it. The Thrive initiative seeks to get those individuals, and there are many, into treatment, on medication on a regular basis so they never get to the point where they ever commit any violence or there’s any larger tragedy.

Lehrer: And one more thing on this – I believe the City still hasn’t released the names of the officers in the Vassell case. If that’s right, what’s the delay?

Mayor: It’s a – at this this point, let me just give people a clear picture of this. It is not our practice to release the names up front and I think that’s out of a sense of wanting to protect everyone involved.

There is obviously an ongoing investigation by the NYPD and an independent ongoing investigation by the Attorney General. If the Attorney General’s investigation results in some kind of charge, of course there would be a trial. Names would be public at that point. The NYPD has a different procedure.

But at this moment, and this has been our practice, we don’t think it’s appropriate to name the names up front. We think that letting the investigatory process play out and letting the independent process play out is the right way to handle it.

Lehrer: Mary in Brooklyn, you’re on WNYC with Mayor de Blasio. Hi, Mary.

Question: Hi, thank you for taking my call. My name is Mary Haviland and I’m the executive director of the New York City Alliance against Sexual Assault. I’m calling because there was a very important report issued by the Department of Investigation on the NYPD’s Special Victims Division which investigates sex crimes. And the report found that there was a nine-year lack of resources dedicated to the Special Victims Division. And I wanted to know what the Mayor was planning to do about that.

Mayor: Well, I want to say up front, we are exceedingly focused on the question of sexual assault and obviously it’s not always crimes against women but it is so often tragically crimes against women. This is a major, major area of focus. It’s one of the areas where we’ve seen increased problems although we do believe, without perfect information, we do believe a lot of that is because thank God people are coming forward and reporting it. And we need anyone who is a victim of sexual assault or rape to come forward and report so we can get the perpetrators and save other people and bring those who are guilty to justice.

But point one – this is an area I’m tremendously concerned about and an area where I will make sure the resources that are needed are there.

Point two – there actually has been a consistent investment and increased investment over time.

Point three – the DOI report, the NYPD has been very clear they contest major sections of that report and a lot of the way the facts are presented and believe that some of those were not accurate.

And the last point would be – Commissioner O’Neill said a week or two ago the entire Special Victims Unit will be re-evaluated because now there is a new supervisor above that unit, a new Chief of Detectives, Dermot Shea, who’s someone I work with very, very closely. He’s an extraordinary public servant.

He is going to re-evaluate everything under his domain and determine if changes are needed in the approach and the resources. And I can tell you straight up that whatever resources are needed for that unit will be provided.

Lehrer: Let’s go next to Meghan in Brooklyn. Meghan, you’re on WNYC. Thank you for call.

Question: Hi, thanks for having me, Brian, and good morning, Mr. Mayor. I’m a parent as well as a testing task force co-chair at P.S. 321 and our school was mentioned during the segment last week. Brian, you asked the Mayor is our opt-out is class thing but it’s actually an educational thing. And if the Mayor and the media don’t understand that by now we’re feeling at a bit of a loss. Our teachers have said that these tests are developmentally inappropriate, devastating, an insult to the profession of teaching. We have made this information available multiple times.

We have met with the Mayor himself, with former Chancellor Farina, and for the Mayor to characterize our opt-out as mostly politics at this point, I would say teachers and parents talking about developmentally inappropriate tests are not political but silencing them is political.

I’m wondering why New York City is not making all parents aware of their rights to waive the way parents at 321 are able to be.

Mayor: Well, Meghan, I know the question is asked with a whole heart and with integrity but I just disagree with your characterization. The parents’ rights are perfectly clear. No one contests it. What I said was not – I did not characterize the folks who are in the opt-out movement as “political.” What I said is that I think they have different views in including political views than in some cases I have because my view is what we all started – a lot of us started from a very common route here. It’s that we do not believe in an over-reliance on high-stakes testing.

And as I said last week, we’ve removed that focus on high-stakes testing and in many, many elements of the DOE whether it’s the grading of schools which no long exists, whether it’s admissions, whether it’s teacher evaluations. Some of this of course happened at the State level as well.

Tests now are not timed, they’ve been changed in a variety of ways to make them more conducive to what kids need to be able to just literally portray their status at that moment in terms of their academic achievement because what I believe and I know our new Chancellor, Richard Carranza, believes is that we want to know where each is at so we can better serve them.

It’s one measure. I’ve used the phrase multiple measures more times than I can possible count –

Question: Well, the thing is you hold press conferences to tout this one measure. I haven’t seen any press conferences touting increases in report grades. There’s something different about these tests and I’m wondering where this pressure is coming from. One thing, New York City’s DOE removed language that had been long-standing instructing principals to respect parents’ decisions to opt-out. And we have reports from across the city not only of principals pressuring parents but even pulling out kids and pressuring them to opt back into the tests. And there’s also test prep [inaudible] the curriculum at many schools in the city. So, I’m really curious about whether you are out of touch on this, if you really don’t understand it or whether there’s some other great pressure that’s just making you push these tests. These are –

Lehrer: Alright, now let’s get a response. Mr. Mayor, go ahead.

Mayor: Meghan, I didn’t in any way suggest that anything you were saying lacked integrity or intelligence. I don’t think it’s fair. I’ve been deeply in touch with this school system for four years because I’m in charge of it under mayoral control. We do not believe in a focus on test prep.

If someone provides evidence that there is a school that’s still inappropriately focusing on test prep, we want to go fix that. I do not accept the notion that principals across the board are pressuring parents or students.

If someone has evidence of that, we want to address it. No one should be pressured. We do believe that taking the test is helpful for getting a sense of how the student is doing so we can address their needs.

We talk about the tests because it’s part of the law whether we agree with all that history or not. It is part of the law that these tests exists. And they are one version of a measure of how we are doing .We talk also about graduation rate. We talk about college readiness.

I would argue respectfully that you are not seeing the whole picture here. But I do believe if someone is inappropriately pressuring a parent or if a school is over-focused on test prep, we want to fix that. I would say that with total openness. I want that information. Chancellor Carranza wants that information so we can deal with it. We want to have a conversation with the school community to make people understand what we’re trying to achieve.

Now on the question whether the tests are developmentally inappropriate. I think that is a loaded concept and I would be very, very happy to have senior folks at DOE talk to you and others from the Opt Out movement to have that conversation. We obviously don’t create the state tests, but if we think that there is things wrong with that test that can be acted on, we would be happy to work on that with you. There have been major changes in the state test overtime. It’s not a fixed situation, that scenario where we could work together very productively if people can show us the things that they’re concerned about. And Meghan if you will your information with WNYC I will make sure there is a follow up on that.

Lehrer: Alright, Meghan hold on, we’ll get your contact information, and it seems like you’ll be in contact with the city and they with you. Carlos in Brooklyn, you’re on WNYC, hello Carlos.

Question: Hey, good morning, how are you doing Mr. Mayor, and Brian? Thank you for having me on the show.

Lehrer: Sure.

Mayor: Hey, Carlos.

Question: Hey, how are you doing Mr. Mayor? So, I have a very important question. A few weeks ago I went to visit a friend. And they asked if I could help with a summer youth application. And at some point we came across a question on the application that says that – it requested citizenship. It was a question in regards to citizenship in the application for high school students. Now, so what we’ve [inaudible] you know what let’s call the summer youth program, and see what would be the right way to answer this. And we spoke to a supervisor and in fact the supervisor confirmed that the summer youth program is only for legal citizens. So at that point, I was like “oh my god” alright. So we thought it was for all New Yorkers, all high school students. And then upon further this information that the 17-year-old boy was told, we sat down, we broke it down for him, he just started to cry, he started to cry and I never seen a child cry that bad that it really touched me. And I myself was holding my tears not to cry. And all he said was “I just want help” I want to give back to my community, I want to be part of this country, I want to help my parents. I’ve been here since six months, since I was born, this is where I’ve been.

Lehrer: Let me get you an answer from the Mayor. Is he right on the facts? The summer youth program that the city runs is only available to citizens?

Mayor: I need to check that Brian. Carlos, first of all I really appreciate the call, and I appreciate that you are standing up for these young people because as a matter of principal we should be passive into our conversation because we should have a comprehensive immigration reform and we should obviously have a clear law granting all DREAMers the opportunity to stay here and getting their path to citizenship. So this goes to a root cause problem. But I really appreciate the passion that you’re expressing on behalf of these young people. Brain on the question, I will come back when the specific question of summer youth. I do think it’s important all New Yorkers understand there are some services we offer that either because of legal restrictions or federal funding or other types of conditions where they can only be offered to U.S. Citizens, that’s a broad fact. There is a lot we offer, of course public education, you know health care at public hospitals and clinics. I mean there is a whole host – policing obviously, whole host of things we offer that have no stipulation what so ever about immigration status. But some pieces because again of law and very specific governing statutes do have a citizenship requirement.  I don’t know if that’s true with summer youth employment. But I can get an answer, and Carlos if you will also provide your information to WNYC, we’ll get you and answer directly. And Brian we can certainly talk about it on next week’s show.

Lehrer: Absolutely, Carlos hang on, we’ll get your contact information. Well, Sunday is Earth Day and I see you have an announcement about Central Park, and good news about the City’s air. You’re closing part of the park permanently to cars?

Mayor: No, we’re closing all of the park permanently to cars. This is a big moment for this city. And I want to say, I mean it’s so appropriate to Earth Day Brian, because let’s face it, there is a problem in this city, and there is a problem in this country that so much was built to serve the automobile that was supposed to be to serve people. And obviously we have to get away from fossil fuels, and that’s why this city, I am proud to say is divesting our pension assets from fossil fuel holding companies, and from – and we’re obviously challenging some of the biggest petroleum companies in court and suing them to get damages from what they have done to this city because of global warming. Earth Day is a time to really rethink the next steps at what we’ve got to do and we looked at Central Park. This is some place that was never meant to have cars in it. And the traverse will still be open, I want to just emphasize that to everyone the traverse doesn’t actually go where pedestrians and bike riders are going through the park, it goes you know –

Lehrer: The – in other words if you’re going under 86th Street or 96th Street or the other ones to get from –

Mayor: Right, those are isolated from the main body of the park–

Lehrer: East to West –

Mayor: Those will still be going obviously.

Lehrer: Yes.

Mayor: But, no, in terms of the actual interior of the park, this is a permanent announcement. This is a sea change, this has never happened before since the advent of the auto mobile. For the first time in history since we’ve had automobiles, Central Park will be closed to vehicles permanently. The only exceptions will be for emergency vehicles, and official vehicles in the middle of their work.

Lehrer: So the lower part of the park – I think it’s accurate to say, but below 72nd Street on each side was kept open to cars originally because it was adjacent to Midtown and was seen as needed to get cars out of the business district. Of course that loops around down there, around 59th Street before they got funneled onto the streets for the rest of their commute up. What are the traffic implications of this move?

Mayor: We think they are manageable. I mean look, very different situation is Prospect Park, which went car free back in January. But we did careful studies before that, we have seen a wonderful result there where Prospect Park has been, you know a much better environment for all the people who use it, especially thinking of our children here and their safety, and their ability to really enjoy the park and we’ve had very little problem. So the traffic study there proved to be quite accurate. There has been a study here; we believe we have to make a few adjustments, some more traffic agents in the surrounding area and some changing in traffic signals, but nothing outlandish. We think the impact will be very small. The traffic volume in the park in the hours that is allowed, and you’re right its south of 72nd only. It’s a pretty minimal amount of traffic in the scheme of things. And it just – it’s time to focus this park on the people, it really. You know, the estimate is 42 million people visit Central Park every year. All of them deserve a car free park.

Lehrer: Question from a listener via Twitter. The question is – I am seeing more dogs on the subway that do not seem to be service dogs, larger dogs on leashes but no obvious service needs. What is the city doing about this? And what can we as riders do?  So, I know the city doesn’t run the MTA, but do you know the policy? And do you have an opinion about this?

Mayor: That’s a really good question. Yes, I will always help all New Yorkers to know that the State of New York runs the MTA. But, we do police the MTA, and we put a huge amount, it’s about half a billion dollars a year into policing the MTA with the NYPD – by the way, important [inaudible] very, very exciting announcement also week about bringing neighborhood policing into the subways and now it is pertinent to this question. New Yorkers will literally see the name of the – and the pictures and the email address for the officers who are patrolling their specific subway line, and be able to contact those officers on any kind of concern like this and get direct personal response. I don’t know what the rule is for dogs that are not service dogs. I think it’s a valid concern. I can get an answer back from both the MTA and the NYPD on that and update you next week. But I think the question is a good one.

Lehrer: And another question via Twitter. Thank you, Mayor for endorsing the New York Health Act this week. Will you encourage the New York City Council to do the same? Is that the universal state, as universal single payer for all health insurance in New York State?

Mayor: Well, I always try and be accurate. I am not sure of the term of art for what’s being called. I believe you’re right. I certainly believe in a single payer system, for this whole country. But states need to act first. We know it’s not going to happen right now in Washington, and as would say many other changes that are happening in this country, they are starting at the local level. And we proved it here, you know with increasing minimum wage, and providing paid parental leave, and a whole host of other things – obviously pre-K, and now 3-K. These are things that New York City has done but a lot of other localities are doing things that are pushing the spectrum and making a change. So single payer is approach whose time has come once and for all, I think it’s really the right moment to get there in this country. The State of New York should lead the way.

Lehrer: So everybody who has private health insurance through their employee in New York State or through their union, they would be taken off and put into a single state system?

Mayor: I don’t want to speak for the sponsors of the state legislation on the details. I am offering a statement of principal that I believe in a single payer approach. Obviously, if could get there a lot of negotiation would happen on how to best construct it and how to work with current reality. Another very, very important Brian – I mean we’ve finally seen some progress towards actual democratic state senate in this state. It’s not over yet. But I say that because that is a pre-requisite to getting a single payer system in this state.

Lehrer: Last question, as we’re almost out of time and there is a little breaking news attached to this question that just happened this morning. The premise is that today is 4/20, a day that has become a symbolic celebration for marijuana users and people who advocate legalization. Cynthia Nixon as you know is now there for legalization as a racial justice issue and seems to be pushing Governor Cuomo toward it. And now of all people John Boehner is there, who as Republican Speaker of the House in 2011 said he would never be for legalization – and I don’t know if you’ve seen this yet. I only saw it while were talking. Chuck Schumer, Senator Schumer tweeted in the eight o’clock hour today. He wrote, “It’s official. Today, I am formally announcing my plan to decriminalize marijuana at the federal level. It’s time we allow states, once and for all, to have the power to decide what works best for them.” So, for New York City, are you there yet?

Mayor: No, I am not, I very much respect what Senator Schumer is doing, because I think it’s important to allow each state and locality to determine what’s right for them on this issue. But I am still grappling with a series of issues, and I want to do that sooner rather than later. We, look, there is massive ramifications, in terms of criminal justice that we have to work through. There is a massive ramification in terms of what my wife Chirlane has talked about, protecting young people from some of the challenges that may come from yet another drug being available in our society, and we’re unfortunately you know, we’ve spent a lot of time focusing on the opioids crisis – very, very different drug obviously. But let’s just be clear, the opioid crisis started with corporate profiteering around opioids, and unfortunately  help to hook too many people in this country just like tobacco, the tobacco industry very purposely for profit hooked generations of Americans on tobacco.

You know, let’s be clear, if marijuana is legalized you will have a vibrant corporate sector trying to get as many people as possible to use their drug. Those are the real concerns. There is obvious issues around revenue, there is a lot to work through. But I think what’s powerful is we do have a kind of critical mass moment where more and more people are looking at this issue and are coming to a conclusion. I want to work it through quickly. Certainly I want to look at what happened in the other states, and cities, that’s very important. Because as steward of this city, I need to know what happened in Denver because of Colorado’s law, what happened in Seattle, so we can to some extent compare ourselves with. So I’ll have more to say on it after we’ve done more analysis, but again I commend Senator Schumer, because at minimum that gives us a clearer message to states, and localities that they can make their own choice.

Lehrer: You just said you want to work it through quickly. Do you anticipate a time where you’re going to either announce that you’re sticking with your position or changing it?

Mayor: Yeah, I’d like to – I mean the question keeps coming up, and I think it’s fair that we need to do a deeper analysis and come up with an updated response. I want to do that. I think to be clear, I’ll come up with an updated response, that doesn’t mean in the future positions couldn’t change further, because we have live experiments in certain parts of this country that are going to keep telling us things. But I think it’s a good moment to –

Lehrer: When, when?

Mayor: To look at the city’s stance.

Lehrer: When roughly?

Mayor: When I say quickly, I have a pretty good batting average. At some point this year, but I don’t want to give you a date yet.

Lehrer: Alright, you know, I’ll throw in one more. That you’ll probably be glad to announce as a segue to our next guest who is Melissa Mark-Viverito, the former City-Council Speaker talking about conditions in Puerto Rico and there is that deadline tomorrow for some families in New York in temporary housing to get out or they’re going to lose their funding for that temporary housing from the federal government. Am I right, you’re taking care of that?

Mayor: Yes, and let me just say, Melissa Mark-Viverito is doing amazing work and did so as Speaker defending the people of Puerto Rico. I mean they’re just getting the rawest deal possible. They are not being treated like other Americans, let’s be clear. And it’s heartless to think that the federal government – you know, we just had all of the power go out in Puerto Rico this week, literally. That job is so far from done, it’s really obscene and the federal government is simply not minding the store. You think at least they would think for folks who have taken refuge in different parts of the country, continue to support for them. It’s very cruel, what’s happening here. So, we are all fighting to get that support reaffirmed. In the meantime, look, for the families here, I believe it’s 83 families that we are – we have them in temporary housing in this city. We will continue to support them; we will make sure they can stay in that housing for the foreseeable future.  But we need to not let the federal government off the hook. We need to keep fighting for them to do what they should be doing and protecting these people.

Lehrer: Mr. Mayor, thanks as always, talk to you next week.

Mayor: Thank you, Brian.

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