NEW YORK — Maria Torres-Springer has worked for three New York City mayors, but her new position as Eric Adams’ first deputy mayor may be the toughest job of all.
Torres-Springer’s predecessor Sheena Wright resigned among a handful of notable ones deviations from the Adams administration recently.
She is tasked with restoring confidence in city government, as indicted Mayor Adams faces increasing legal problems.
Torres-Springer becomes first deputy mayor in ‘complicated times’
Torres-Springer, who served as deputy mayor for housing, economic development and workforce before rising through the ranks, said she is taking the job at a “complicated time.” But the Yale and Harvard graduate believes she is up to the task.
“My first priority is to make sure we stay hyper-focused on the work,” Torres-Springer said in an appearance on CBS News New York’s “The Point with Marcia Kramer.”
‘So what does that mean? To me, Marcia, it means continuing to provide quality services to New Yorkers, advancing this administration’s most important initiatives, and caring for and supporting the people, the 300,000 public servants who wake up in the morning and working tirelessly to improve the lives of New Yorkers across the five boroughs,” she added.
Torres-Springer expects to overhaul the city’s hiring practices
Torres-Springer wants the city’s public workforce to return to its normal duties. However, she expects to review hiring practices and make recommendations to the mayor.
“The Mayor, when my appointment was announcedhe also announced that we were going to do a full review. A review of programs, of processes, of personnel, to ensure that we as a government maintain the strength necessary to reach New Yorkers,” Torres-Springer said. ‘It will be comprehensive, and of course we have to make sure that we are triaging. So we will make recommendations to the mayor that are timely and that are the most pressing issues, again, to ensure that the 300,000 public servants can continue to do their jobs, that New Yorkers see the fruits of that kind of labor and that we’re not just trying to provide basic services, we’re actually trying to move the city forward.”
Controversy over the eviction of Elizabeth Street Garden
Torres-Springer sees housing as the most pressing issue at the moment and has spoken out about the controversial plan to do so evacuate the Elizabeth Street Garden in favor of new affordable apartments.
“We are not disputing the beauty of the Elizabeth Street Garden, but we must also consider the beauty we create when we provide low-income seniors with the type of housing they need,” the first deputy mayor said. “By delaying this project, and we are about to take the first step, filing more years of lawsuits or looking at alternative locations that, again, would take years and years and years, I am betraying the many seniors who do. looking for an affordable home.”
Recently a judge halted the deportation order.
To watch the full interview with Torres-Springer, click here.
Mark Prussia contributed to this report.
Marcia Kramer
