New York Mayor Candidates Say Their Spouses Won't Help Run the City
Most people running for mayor want to change how the current mayor involves his wife in city business.
New York City's current mayor, Bill de Blasio, has made his wife Chirlane McCray a big part of running the city. She helps make important decisions and has her own city staff. But most people who want to be the next mayor say they will do things differently. They don't plan to give their spouses important jobs in city government.
Maya Wiley used to work as a lawyer for the mayor and now talks about politics on TV. She said her partner will not work in city government at all. Eric Adams, who leads Brooklyn Borough, agreed with this idea. He said his partner would not have any job in city government either.
The only candidate who thinks differently is Andrew Yang. Yang is leading in early polls for the election. He wants his wife Evelyn Yang to keep doing her important work helping people who have been hurt by crimes. Yang calls his wife his most trusted helper and partner in everything he does.
Many people have criticized McCray's role in city government. They especially don't like how she handled a program that was supposed to help people with mental health problems. The program cost $1 billion but many say it was not managed well. These problems have made some people think the mayor's spouse should not have such a big role in running the city.
My partner will not have a role in my administration, nor will he have program staff.
Comprehension quiz preview
1. Who is the current mayor of New York City?
2. When is the Democratic primary election scheduled?
3. How much money did McCray's mental health program cost?