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De Blasio Suggests He Will Move Forward With Business Shutdowns But Later Acknowledges That He Can’t
By
Elizabeth Kim
Published Oct 5, 2020
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Mayor Bill de Blasio / Flickr
By
Elizabeth Kim
Published Oct 5, 2020
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In a confusing announcement, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday that New York City would more forward with his plan to close businesses in nine ZIP codes with coronavirus outbreaks, seemingly ignoring Governor Andrew Cuomo's earlier comments that the state wanted more time to drill down on the location of the clusters and perform a more strategic shutdown.
The shutdowns, which would apply to all non-essential businesses in the nine ZIP codes in parts of South Brooklyn and Queens, would take effect Wednesday.
"Until there is a different plan, we are prepared to implement this plan," de Blasio said at a City Hall press conference held shortly after Cuomo spoke at length about the proposed actions.
But any shutdown must be approved by the governor. When pressed by a reporter on how he could move forward on his plan without that approval, the mayor then said: “If the state does not authorize restrictions, we are not going to act.”
Needless to say, the mayor's response was a clear challenge to Cuomo, who has heavily criticized the city's enforcement of restrictions intended to slow the spread of the virus and at times undermined de Blasio's authority. Since the pandemic began, the two political rivals have consistently failed to work collaboratively, often to the confusion of New York City residents. In this case, thousands of business and restaurant owners as well as their employees in these nine neighborhoods now face uncertainty about whether they will open for business on Wednesday.
Cuomo, at one point, suggested that the mayor was at fault for not consulting with the state first, leaving him no choice but to react. But the governor himself has been accused by the mayor's staff of failing to keep City Hall apprised of his decisions involving the city.
De Blasio first proposed his partial shutdown plan, which included closing public and private schools in the targeted neighborhoods, on Sunday, saying he wanted to head off a possibly bigger outbreak that could envelop the rest of the city.
Cuomo on Monday said he agreed with the plan to close public and private schools in the ZIP codes, and ordered them closed starting on Tuesday. But he said he wanted state health officials to analyze the location of the clusters before going ahead with business closures.
"I believe we can draw better lines than a ZIP code," Cuomo said during his press conference in Midtown Manhattan.
The mayor's gambit seemed intended to pressure the governor to come up with a more limited business closure plan before Wednesday. A lack of action would potentially mean that the virus would continue to surge, and the mayor expressed confidence that the state would agree to more restrictions.
"We will continue to work with the state in the meantime to get to a resolution," he said.
New York City health officials are also monitoring 12 other neighborhoods that have seen alarming rises in virus cases. In those areas, de Blasio has proposed banning the gyms, indoor swimming pools and indoor dining. That plan is also still on the table.
A spokesman for Cuomo did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The city's public advocate, Jumaane Williams, later released a statement expressing dismay at the latest feud between Cuomo and de Blasio.
"The back and forth between the Mayor and Governor on the scope and method of enforcement for additional restrictions in specific zip codes as COVID-19 cases rise is an echo of what we saw in mid-March, when delays and power plays led to lives lost," he said. "Since then, the only thing that has been consistent between them is inconsistency."
Tagged
COVID-19
Governor Andrew Cuomo
coronavirus
mayor bill de blasio
outbreak
Elizabeth Kim
Elizabeth Kim is a reporter on the People and Power desk who covers mayoral power. She previously covered the pandemic, housing, redevelopment and public spaces. A native of Queens, she speaks fluent Mandarin. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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