ERIC: SHOW TAXES?
Iffy on his returns
Mayor Adams on Friday pointedly refused to guarantee that he would release his tax returns, potentially denying the public a look at his finances and breaking decades of transparency precedent.
The forms could provide a view of Adams’ earnings after they were scrutinized during the 2021 mayoral campaign in light of revelations that he failed to properly report income from rental properties.
“I will comply with whatever rules are in place,” Adams told reporters at an unrelated press conference.
When asked point-blank if he would commit to providing his taxes, he said “no.”
Adams did say that he would complete the annual city-required conflict-of-interest disclosures, which are often less detailed.
Long precedent
Elected officials are not required to release their filings — but every mayor since at least Ed Koch has provided at least some income tax info, according to contemporaneous accounts and ethics experts.
Hizzoner’s remarks came on the same day that Gov. Hochul released her family’s state and federal filings.
“Common Cause/NY uniformly demands that candidates and elected officials from the executive on down disclose their taxes,” said Susan Lerner, who heads the government reform group. “This is about transparency, plain and simple.”
If Adams refuses, he would be the first mayor in at least 44 years not to provide the press and public with the information.
Records show that Mayor Koch released them at least four times, in 1978, 1979, 1984 and 1988. His successor, David Dinkins, released his, too, as did his successor, Rudy Giuliani.
Michael Bloomberg, a billionaire media mogul, was criticized for providing only partial returns.
The Big Apple’s most recently departed chief executive, Bill de Blasio, returned to the practice of providing the entire reports, including key details like the amount he earned from renting his two properties in Park Slope.
“There’s a reason why mayors release their taxes, and it’s to reassure the public that they’re handling conflicts of interests appropriately,” said Blair Horner of the New York Public Interest Research Group.