Mayor Eric Adams begged state lawmakers on Tuesday to fork over another $1.1 billion to deal with the migrant crisis ASAP — even though the governor isn’t budging.
Hizzoner said the Big Apple needs the dough in 12 weeks as Adams’ opponents quickly questioned how City Hall cooked up the massive number on its wish list.
But Adams was adamant that the city — which he said spent more than $6.9 billion during the years-long migrant crisis — relied on the money, despite him also crowing about his administration’s “savings” and steps to reduce the number of migrants in the city’s care.
“Without your help, we will have to close a $1.1 billion budget shortfall for this program within 12 weeks and ask for the state’s assistance to do so,” he said.
Adams’ request was made during “Tin Cup Day,” the annual ritual when pols across New York rattle their cups in Albany for funds as lawmakers craft the state budget. The big ask comes even as the influx of asylum seekers into the five boroughs slows.
The mayor made three other major asks — permission to lower income taxes for some New Yorkers, strengthening the parameters needed to involuntarily commit mentally ill people and for changes to discovery laws — that Gov. Kathy Hochul has largely pushed for in her budget plan.
But Hochul’s mammoth $252 billion proposed budget — which was stuffed with handouts, including a $1 billion income tax cut — didn’t include fresh funding for the migrant crisis.
And it doesn’t appear the governor is willing to pony up more for New York City.
“The FY26 Executive Budget does not include any new funding for the migrant crisis, and our position has not changed,” a spokesperson for the governor said in a statement.
Throughout the border crisis, the state has been chipping in a third of the costs to house migrants, as well as working to help ensure they receive vaccines and health services.
Last year, Hochul and Albany lawmakers agreed to bring the state’s share of funding toward the migrant crisis to $4.3 billion.
City Hall officials told The Post that the $1.1 billion is broadly for feeding, sheltering and caring for the roughly 46,000 migrants still in the Big Apple’s care — and under the assumption that the state would give the same money as previous years.
The 12-week deadline is for when Adams will present his executive budget, officials said.
Without the money, City Hall spokeswoman Kayla Mamelak left the door open for potential cuts.
“We’re going to have to backfill it in other ways,” she said.
Complicating matters is widespread distrust by city and state officials over the Adams administration’s budget math amid the migrant crisis — a position reinforced by the city’s nonpartisan Independent Budget Office.
An IBO report from January found Adams’ administration continuously increased its cost estimates for the crisis, even as the flow of migrants into the city slowed.
“In looking back at the past two years, IBO found that the City did not accurately adjust the budget for new arrivals services since the initial surge in the summer of 2023, and that the share that New York State has covered has been in line with historical averages,” the report states.
Many Democrats and Republicans told The Post they support ensuring funding is in place for the city to care for migrants, but they were very skeptical of the accuracy of City Hall’s budgeting.
City Comptroller and mayoral candidate Brad Lander bluntly told The Post in Albany Tuesday he believes that the mayor’s numbers are bogus, even as he pushed the state to step up its support for migrants, especially if President Trump’s administration cuts funding.
“I sure do not blame the legislature for thinking that Eric Adams has lied about the numbers and been totally ineffective at spending the money that they’ve sent, because he has lied about the numbers,” he said.
Michael Kink, executive director of the left-leaning Strong Economy For All Coalition, agreed that the Adams administration’s budget numbers don’t always add up.
“It’s right to press the state to fund the public goods and services that New Yorkers need, but the mayor usually seems more interested in budget cuts and austerity than in funding basic needs,” he said.
Assemblyman Chris Tague (R-Schoharie) said he doesn’t want to leave the people of New York City to suffer, but he’s also skeptical of Adams and city leaders for keeping the Big Apple’s sanctuary status during the supposed migrant crisis.
“We warned them all when they decided to turn all these cities into safe havens for these folks,” he said.
Assemblyman David Weprin (D-Queens), a former City Council finance committee chair, criticized Adams for making assumptions on whether the state would provide money.
“It’s dangerous to rely on a budgeted item on money that may or may not be coming from Albany,” he said. “I think there should be more money for the migrants, but a billion dollars sounds like a lot.”
