NYC pols plot to abolish Jumaane Williams’ public advocate workplace

A pair of Metropolis Council members are pushing to abolish the general public advocate workplace as a result of they really feel it’s a waste of taxpayers’ cash.

Queens Councilman Robert Holden advised The Put up he plans to staff up with fellow average Democratic Councilman Kalman Yeger of Brooklyn and introduce laws within the coming months that may drive Democratic socialist Jumaane Williams to discover a new job.

The general public advocate’s $5 million-plus workplace price range may go to “extra important providers” like funding cops and firefighters, added Holden, who’s butted heads politically with “defund the police” supporter Williams for years.

“Now we have to tighten our belts as a metropolis – particularly with this migrant disaster – in order that workplace needs to be the primary to go,” mentioned Holden. “The workplace does nothing anyway, and nobody is ever round to select up the cellphone while you name as a result of Jumaane has so many of them working remotely.”

The general public advocate oversees 63 staffers and is generally seen as a watchdog for metropolis authorities.

Workplace holders additionally get their very own taxpayer-funded NYPD safety element with a personal driver.

Beneath Williams, the workplace has been primarily used as a bully pulpit, including when he infamously stoked Black Lives Matter protests in 2020 by pushing anti-cop rhetoric, critics say.

Holden mentioned the Metropolis Council “already has oversight over the mayor,” making the general public advocate workplace duplicative.

In November 2018, Yeger introduced similar legislation that stalled.

If such laws will get accredited, voters would nonetheless have the ultimate say by legislation in a referendum.

Some Council sources mentioned Williams shouldn’t be too involved about shedding his $184,800-a-year job as a result of the general public advocate’s workplace has lengthy been seen as a soft touchdown spot for term-limited pols.

Holden received right into a social media conflict with Williams final Sunday after Williams claimed Holden “chickened out” of attending an Instagram discussion board the general public advocate hosted on public security.

Holden then ripped Williams as “the biggest coward in government” for giving a mere two-hour discover on an off-day he was spending along with his grandkids.

The general public advocate workplace was created in 1993, following a authorities overhaul 4 years earlier that did away with the Metropolis Council president put up.

Even again then, questions have been raised on whether or not the workplace duplicated the providers of the town’s 59 group boards.

Then-Councilman John Fusco (D-Staten Island) pushed a invoice to do away with the workplace the identical 12 months it was created, nevertheless it went nowhere.

A spokesman for Williams declined to deal with the most recent bid to get rid of the put up however mentioned: “our workplace will proceed to work arduous for the town of New York.”

Yeger couldn’t be reached for remark.