New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin sends a message about cooperation with Mayor Zohran Mamdani, hinting at guardrails for collaboration.
Menin's first day as speaker was marked by historic moments, including being the city's first Jewish speaker. In her inaugural address, she emphasized the importance of interfaith leadership, urging New Yorkers to come together and bridge divides. This sentiment seemed to be at odds with some of Mamdani's recent actions.
Last week, Menin spoke directly with Mamdani about concerns raised by Jewish New Yorkers regarding his decision to rescind several executive orders signed by former Mayor Eric Adams. She called him after he revoked an order establishing the Office to Combat Antisemitism, and later, he reinstated it. Additionally, Mamdani directed the NYPD Commissioner to assess security around houses of worship.
Menin's boundaries with Mamdani became clear as she proposed legislation that would create a perimeter barrier around sensitive locations such as houses of worship, schools, and other areas. She believes this measure will protect these places regardless of who is in office. Menin also discussed her plan for affordable housing, which involves building more units on public land, including library branches and vacant lots.
Menin emphasized the importance of separating powers between the executive and legislative branches, stating that she wants to move away from the "tit for tat" relationship with previous administrations. She is focused on implementing policies within the Council's authority, such as achieving universal child care by identifying waste in the city budget.
While Menin has expressed support for some of Mamdani's priorities, such as fast free buses and a rent freeze on stabilized apartments, she left it to others to determine funding mechanisms. The new speaker seems determined to drive her own agenda, including affordable housing initiatives that will not be easily derailed by the executive branch.
Menin's first day as speaker was marked by historic moments, including being the city's first Jewish speaker. In her inaugural address, she emphasized the importance of interfaith leadership, urging New Yorkers to come together and bridge divides. This sentiment seemed to be at odds with some of Mamdani's recent actions.
Last week, Menin spoke directly with Mamdani about concerns raised by Jewish New Yorkers regarding his decision to rescind several executive orders signed by former Mayor Eric Adams. She called him after he revoked an order establishing the Office to Combat Antisemitism, and later, he reinstated it. Additionally, Mamdani directed the NYPD Commissioner to assess security around houses of worship.
Menin's boundaries with Mamdani became clear as she proposed legislation that would create a perimeter barrier around sensitive locations such as houses of worship, schools, and other areas. She believes this measure will protect these places regardless of who is in office. Menin also discussed her plan for affordable housing, which involves building more units on public land, including library branches and vacant lots.
Menin emphasized the importance of separating powers between the executive and legislative branches, stating that she wants to move away from the "tit for tat" relationship with previous administrations. She is focused on implementing policies within the Council's authority, such as achieving universal child care by identifying waste in the city budget.
While Menin has expressed support for some of Mamdani's priorities, such as fast free buses and a rent freeze on stabilized apartments, she left it to others to determine funding mechanisms. The new speaker seems determined to drive her own agenda, including affordable housing initiatives that will not be easily derailed by the executive branch.
. I mean, building more units on public land sounds like a great idea on paper, but have you seen the state of these libraries lately? They're basically just storage spaces with some seats thrown in 
. And what's to say that Mamdani won't just redirect funds from other essential services to build more affordable housing? It feels like another example of the city being forced to play catch-up on a problem that's been ignored for years 
.
I'm not saying Mamdani hasn't done anything good, but maybe Menin is just trying to keep things balanced around here. Let's see how it all plays out... 
. It's all about finding common ground and working together to tackle big issues like affordable housing 
. I mean, who wouldn't want universal child care?! 
And let's be real, it's time for a change from the "tit for tat" politics we've seen in the past 
It's like they're playing a game of "Who can be more politician-y?" and Menin is just over here like "Uh, nope, I got boundaries" 
. The guardrails for collaboration thingy sounds like code for "Don't mess with my affordable housing plans or I'll make you regret it, Mayor!" 
Meanwhile, Mamdani's all like "I'm still trying to figure out this whole 'not being a dictator' thing" 
. Universal child care is the real MVP, btw – can we get a NYC-wide nap time already?! 
. Menin's all about setting boundaries with Mamdani, but let's be real, this is gonna end up like every other power play in NYC – drama, compromise, and ultimately, nothing getting done 
. She wants her way on affordable housing, but good luck getting that through when the mayor has to sign the checks 
". I've got a feeling this whole thing is just a show until someone gets hurt... 
What's next? He starts making decisions without even consulting the Council? Menin's trying to set boundaries, but I'm not sure if she's being too cautious. Like, what if they're working together for the city's good? But on the other hand... have you seen the plans for those affordable housing initiatives? 
It sounds like a lot of money and resources are going into building new units on public land. I don't know, man... it all just seems kinda... ambitious to me 
I can feel the tension between Menin and Mamdani... like they're both trying to find a way forward for NYC without hurting each other's feelings 
. Menin's proposal about creating perimeter barriers around sensitive locations is super thoughtful, but I worry it might come across as too restrictive 
... we've all been struggling to make ends meet in this city! It's awesome that she's taking charge and trying to drive her own agenda 
. Like, we've seen what happens when politics gets too heated and it's good she's taking proactive steps to protect people's rights. I can see why some Jewish New Yorkers were worried about Mamdani's decision to rescind the antisemitism office - that kinda stuff should be a no-brainer 
. Menin seems like someone who really gets what's at stake, especially when it comes to affordable housing and universal childcare 
. I'm also loving her emphasis on separating powers between the executive and legislative branches - that "tit for tat" approach is so last season 
. It'll be interesting to see how this all plays out and if Menin's initiatives actually get done 
. it's all about findin' that balance between power and cooperation. Menin wants to move away from this back-and-forth approach, but Mamdani's still tryin' to assert his own authority. what does that say about our society? are we really tryin' to break down those divides or just find ways to maintain the status quo? 
, but a perimeter barrier sounds like a pretty heavy-handed move. And what about free buses and rent freezes? Is it too much to ask for the mayor to have some input on funding? 
I think Menin is showing us what's at stake with this NYC Council - we need more civility & common sense in politics! 
! She's all about working with Mamdani, but also setting clear boundaries and doing what's best for the city, even if it means going against the mayor's decisions sometimes 
. I mean, who doesn't want universal child care? 
. Can't we find ways to work together and make progress on these important issues without it getting so partisan? 
by Menin's bold move towards setting boundaries with Mamdani! It's like she's drawing a line in the sand and saying "we're not gonna play games anymore". I gotta respect her for standing up for what she believes in, especially when it comes to protecting our vulnerable communities. The perimeter barrier idea might seem extreme, but if it means keeping our houses of worship safe, I'm all for it 
. And on the affordable housing front, I'm so down for more units being built – we need those options ASAP! It's like Menin is saying "we're gonna drive this agenda, regardless of what others think" 
SHE SEEMS LIKE A REAL LEADER WHO KNOWS WHAT SHE WANTS TO ACCOMPLISH AND ISN'T AFRAID TO STAND UP FOR IT, EVEN IF IT MEANS DIFFERING OPINIONS WITH THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH. I ALSO LOVE THAT SHE'S FOCUSED ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING INITIATIVES AND WANTING TO CREATE MORE UNITS ON PUBLIC LAND 
HER PROPOSAL FOR SEPARATING POWERS BETWEEN THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE BRANCHES IS A GREAT IDEA TOO, IT WOULD HELP PREVENT TIT FOR TAT RELATIONSHIPS IN THE FUTURE!
. It sounds like a win-win situation - more units on public land means more people with a place to live and less strain on individual budgets 
. Her focus on affordable housing and waste reduction is exactly what NYC needs – a fresh perspective that puts people over politics 
. By not getting bogged down in tit-for-tat relationships, Menin can drive meaningful change without relying on the executive branch for support 
.
. Will they be able to work together effectively, or will it lead to more gridlock? Only time will tell 