Mayor Eric Adams’ days are numbered, but that doesn’t mean he can’t still make an impact. 

In his waning time in office, Adams could make lasting decisions, such as adding 5,000 cops to the police department. 

What You Need To Know

  • Mayor Eric Adams’ days are numbered, but that doesn’t mean he can’t still make an impact

  • In his waning time in office, Adams could make lasting decisions, such as adding 5,000 cops to the police department

  • The plan doesn’t start until next year, leaving it up to Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani to decide its fate — to cut or to save

“The way it was announced appropriately was that it would phase in over five years and he would add police and add money over five years. But the reality is that it starts next fiscal year, in July 2026,” Andrew Rein, the head of Citizens Budget Commission, said.

He added the plan doesn’t start until next year, leaving it up to Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani to decide its fate — to cut or to save.  

“He has to propose a balanced budget, and then will be his to modify and make all the changes he needs to. To close the budget gap, to deal with federal cuts and to fund his priorities,” he said.

Mamdani has already said he is going to keep the police at its current level of 35,000 cops. But he also wants to start a new community safety unit. 

Adams is also considering making big changes to the city’s Rent Guidelines Board — a panel of appointees that controls rents on stabilized apartments.

“We’re going to make sure that people who are on the board are going to follow the law, not follow the politics. The law is you do an assessment to determine if rents should increase or remain without an increase, and that’s what we’re going to do,” Adams said in an interview on Fox on Wednesday.  

Currently, there are six members of the nine-member board serving on expired terms. 

If Adams replaces them, they would pose a significant threat to Mamdani’s promise to freeze rents. 

“The mayor is seemingly unsatisfied with the record of raising rents by more than 12% on 2 million New Yorkers,” Mamdani said on Wednesday. “I continue to believe in the importance of delivering relief for the 8.5 million people who love this city, who live in this city but cannot afford to continue to be here.”  

And then there are the surprises the 110th mayor could leave behind.

“Well, the first thing is what you will not see. How the administration goes about hiding some of [its] loyalists,” George Arzt, who served as the press secretary for former Mayor Ed Koch, said.

He said it’s not just about preserving policies but people in these final days. 

“You want to make sure that they are OK. You might talk to the new mayor about certain people who might need a position and who have been very good.”