Statement on Home Rule Remarks in Mayor Adams’ State Budget Testimony

Adams: I would urge the state to transfer home rule to New York City to manage the city’s camera enforcement programs…Doing so will allow us to rapidly respond to public safety crises on our roadways, reduce reckless driving. 

In 2020, almost 40 percent of traffic fatalities occurred in school zones with cameras, but at times or days when Albany forces the cameras to be off.

ALBANY, NY — After New York City Mayor Eric Adams submitted testimony on the 2022 Executive Budget Proposal, in which he said, “I would urge the state to transfer home rule to New York City to manage the city’s camera enforcement programs,” Danny Harris, Executive Director of Transportation Alternatives, released the following statement:

“We cannot let the safety of our children and neighbors in New York City become a debate in Albany year after year. It is time for state legislators to give New York City control over our streets, and this includes control over the life-saving speed safety camera program and red light camera program. At a minimum, Albany must end the deadly restrictions on the hours that speed safety cameras are allowed to operate in the city of New York. In 2020, almost 40 percent of traffic fatalities occurred in school zones with cameras, but at times or days when Albany forces the cameras to be off. We thank Mayor Adams for acknowledging the public safety crisis of traffic violence and we will work with his administration to ensure we have all the tools available to get Vision Zero back on track and save lives on our streets.”

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