NYC Mayor Adams justifies L.A. visit, fundraiser on business trip

Amid conflicting poll numbers, rising crime and higher COVID stats, Mayor Adams justified his recent Los Angeles fundraising jaunt with the argument that he needs to keep the Big Apple competitive.

Adams, who fielded questions in Times Square during an unrelated press conference Friday, said he “must do what other mayors are doing” when it comes to attracting business here.

“They’re coming to my city, in our city, encouraging businesses to go to their city,” he told reporters. “They’re learning from our ideas. And if I’m going to sit home while other people are coming and taking our businesses, that’s a big mistake.”

Friday’s appearance was to announce the redevelopment of the old NY Times building in Times Square. It marked the first time Adams has taken questions from the city’s press corps since his LA sojourn.

The mayor left town Tuesday for a campaign fundraiser in the City of Angels and to participate in a panel discussion on technology at the Milken Institute. His return was pushed back to Thursday afternoon after his flight back was delayed, causing him to cancel several public events in New York.

While Hizzoner was away, a new Quinnipiac University poll revealed his approval rating now stands at 43% — down from 46% in February. April NYPD stats show a 34% increase in major crimes when compared to April of last year. And over the past month, the number of new COVID cases in New York City has nearly doubled, jumping from 1,537 on April 3 to 2,885 on May 3.

When asked to explain his trip to California considering some of those facts, Adams made no mention of his fundraiser, but said that he plans to “crisscross the globe” to show people “our product.”

“I need businesses here. We want to be the center of life sciences, cybersecurity, Bitcoin, blockchain — and then we must learn what other city’s are doing,” he said.

Adams fielded questions about COVID on Thursday as well. Asked why he isn’t doing more to “sound the alarm” over the recent spike in COVID cases, he suggested that the city has been a beneficiary of its own recent successes when it comes to fighting the virus.

“The reason we are here and we’re not seeing drastic actions is because we’ve done an amazing job of telling people: vaccines, boosters. When I was hit with COVID, it was just a tickle in my throat,” Adams said. “The reason we are able to manage this — hospitalizations, deaths — people are diagnosing themselves because of the millions of tests we’re giving people at home. They’re diagnosing themselves, and they’re staying home when they find that they’re positive.”

The increase in COVID cases does not “yet” merit a return to masking for public school students, said Adams, who added that his administration also has not determined whether it will mandate school students be vaccinated before the next school year begins.

The mayor also made sure point out another poll released Friday by the Regional Plan Association and Global Strategy Group. That one portrays him in a better light than the Quinnipiac poll and gave him a 59% approval rating. The survey also found that 61% of people responding approved of Adams’ plan to tackle gun violence.

“Polls go up and down. Those of you who followed me on the campaign, you heard three things: ‘stay focused, no distractions and grind,’” he said, repurposing a well-worn saw from last year’s mayoral contest. “I am less than six months into my administration. So throughout this six months, it’s going to be a roller coaster, but at the end of it, we’re going to turn this city around.”