New Yorkers, COVID-19 threw New York City into a virtually remote age faster than a stone sinking in the Hudson. Now, moving New York City forward to not only secure family budgets, but to shape the future of teaching, the future of jobs, the continuity of small businesses and the future of how we police the city, I see as duly necessary and just.  

Our teachers are our best moral reporters. Pandemic to them means a shift from a teaching culture that is struggling with over-crowded classrooms, to a culture that’s been made to adopt and adapt to learning by virtual means.  They are now faced with problems of equity, student performance, internet, computer access and post COVID issues of child abuse, assault, online bullying, drunkenness, dysfunctional families and homeless students.  

As Mayor, it is my responsibility to help them during this transformation period. And if possible provide new guides and new standards so our school system and these committed professionals could squared up to the new. And since we really want to reduce crime on our streets, reform the NYPD as well as reform our criminal justice system, I promise to be that Mayor that not only bring civic studies back into our classrooms, but moves the city forward from where we are today.

Lets not forget, keeping pace with new technology, new buildings, green materials, and the state of our current road network system is not the only problem the next Mayor have in common with our fire department, landlords and developers alike.  

There is also the issue of tackling the ever rising cost of keeping our private and public sectors sustainable, attainable and affordable for all New Yorkers.  Failure for the next Mayor to tackle this will not only wipe out the middle class from the city, it will keep driving the cost of living in the city way beyond the reach of working families.  

Well, I hate to see lifetime gains wiped off the back of our retirees. I hate to see the future of the next generation of new Yorkers made less certain. And since my goal is to help secure family budgets, you bet I’ll waste no time tackling an issue of this magnitude! 

To avoid raising taxes on landlords, renters and business owners, I will float a public bond as a way to raise capital for the construction of community “rail car” transportation system. This will be made to service areas where the subway and the buses left off in Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx and all areas to the north of Central Park.  A public funded debt security with predictable income for all will not only provide adequate transportation for working families in the areas listed, it will improve living standards and public commitment to other citywide communal projects.

As for energy conservation, the environment, water management, public space management, quality of food supply and waste disposal, part of my sustainable plan is to work with borough Presidents, work with local community boards, and if possible set up a bicameral assembly to address these needs – all in the light of changes brought about by adaptive technology, the pandemic and the call to reform the NYPD. 

Building new affordable homes, protecting rents, providing universal healthcare, universal health insurance system that comes with ma and pa holidays to match is a much needed thing to do for a metropolis like ours. COVID, I must say, provides an opportunity to rebuild for the common good of all. And with my proposed bicameral assembly working hand in hand – at grassroots level with community boards, I will embark on a localized but thorough post-COVID urban regeneration program like never before. I will rebuild New York city into a city that is secure, adaptive, livable, affordable, promising and sustainable for the common good of all.

As for our Police department – the same NYPD, that a large group of people would so much like to see defunded today, well, a little but of history here for those who knew next to nothing about the history of New York city.  One key historical fact that many have forgotten is that, there was a time in the history of this city when the Police department shared the same amount of reverence with Abraham Lincoln in most African American minds.  And that was because of their selfless deed, sacrifice and commitment to saving humanity as a service oriented organization back then.        

They were not only instrumental to the survival and the existence of black Americans, small businesses and their communities before, during and after the Civil war, they were – invariably speaking, the key to our continued presence in New York city of today.  They made sure our footprint was never removed nor permanently erased from the history of this city at a time when Copperheads were out and about with the intent on doing just that. 

As Mayor, I’ll do my best to return the department back to the days when the Police department was a service, not a force.  I will reform the department, but not defund them. 

I need your help New Yorkers. I need your backing all the way.

My name is Abbey Samuel Laurel-Smith. I am campaigning as SmithieForMayor NYC 2021. I promise to be the Mayor that moves New York City out of recession and out of chaos brought upon us by this pandemic.  As said in my leaflet, “I will be with you through tough times, and I will act on family budgets” so we all can do more than feed our families. 

Thank you.