11 Questions to Andrew Cuomo and His Big Regret

By Mica Soffer – COLlive

Andrew Cuomo is itching to return.

He grew up running his father Mario Cuomo‘s campaign to become governor of New York in 1982. He was then elected to the same role in 2011 until his resignation in 2021 amid a scandal.

Public service is in his blood, and he is eager to serve again. He is even willing to express a regret or two as part of his charm offensive to become the next mayor of New York City.

To reach Gracie Mansion, he first has to win the 2025 New York City Democratic mayoral primary on June 24 (early voting begins on June 14. If he wins the ranked-choice voting, he will face the now-independent incumbent Eric Adams and Republican crime fighter Curtis Sliwa in the general election.

In order to do that, he will have to secure the Orthodox Jewish vote, and has some explaining to do to regain their trust. And explain is what he was more than willing to do in an exclusive interview with COLlive.com following his visit to the Crown Heights neighborhood.

Here are the 11 questions we asked him and his answers:

You already served as governor of New York. What is motivating you to run for mayor now?
The city is in a crisis. Homelessness is out of control and as a result, there’s a sense that the city is not being managed. I chose to run because I was born here and my family has a deep connection to Queens and to New York City. I believe we were put here to serve a greater good and to leave the world a better place for our children.

What are some of the most serious issues facing New York today, and how do you plan to address them?
As a lifelong New Yorker running for mayor, I understand that our city is facing extreme challenges. We have skyrocketing costs, concerns over safety, and a mental health and homelessness crisis that demands action and empathy. My top priorities are to make New York safer, more affordable, and to solve these crises head-on. To tackle affordability, my administration will fully fund 3-K and expand free and affordable childcare, provide targeted tax relief to small homeowners and lower-income workers, and build and preserve 500,000 new units of housing.

On safety, I will increase the police force by 5,000 officers, while focusing on compassionate responses to homelessness, mental illness, and substance abuse. My $2.6 billion five-year plan will expand supportive housing, mental health services, and crisis response, as well as establish a centralized Street Population Management Unit to improve outreach to those in need.

We must also confront the rising tide of antisemitism, which threatens the safety and dignity of New York’s Jewish community. My administration will take a zero-tolerance approach to hate crimes and will ensure that law enforcement and community organizations work together to protect all New Yorkers. There is too much chaos and not enough leadership in our city right now, but together we can turn it around by restoring order, expanding opportunity, and standing united against hate.

What were a few achievements you accomplished as governor that benefited the Jewish community?
During my tenure as Governor, we achieved a great deal for the Jewish community, and I am extremely proud of our accomplishments and the long-standing relationship, beginning with my father’s close relationship with the Jewish community and continuing with my strong ties. I have worked and will continue to work closely with the Orthodox community. When the anti-Israel BDS movement was gaining momentum, I signed an Executive Order to make New York the first state in the nation to pass an anti-BDS law.

In addition, in the wake of the horrible Hanukkah attack in Monsey, I passed a new law to once and for all classify mass hate crimes as domestic terrorism. The law was named the “Josef Neumann Hate Crimes Domestic Terrorism Act.” In the wake of Monsey, I also secured $25 million for additional security for houses of worship. I have, and I always will, call out the Democratic Socialists of America for their hateful approach to the US-Israel relationship and for the language in their charter and questionnaire that specifically requires candidates to be pro-BDS and refuse to travel to Israel.

The Jewish community in NYC has been the target of many antisemitic attacks. Would you handle that differently than Mayor Eric Adams?
As Mayor, I am going to walk the walk, not just talk the talk. Antisemitic hate crimes are up in the last four years. College kids don’t feel safe going to class. People in Crown Heights have been attacked. It must stop. When I’m Mayor, I’ll work with my police commissioner and we will meet regularly with the five DAs and will make it crystal clear that New York City will not tolerate antisemitism of any kind. The NYPD will respond to crime and ensure that there is no tolerance for breaking the law.

The contrast between you and Zohran Mamdani in this race is glaring, especially regarding views on the Jewish community and Israel. What would a possible win for him mean for the Jewish community?
This is a man who is pro-BDS, who does not acknowledge the state of Israel as a Jewish state, who said picking up a Hezbollah pager was an act of love, and who took his name off the Holocaust Remembrance Day bill in Albany. A Mamdani win would send the message that it’s okay to be anti-Israel and anti-Jewish in New York City. It’s unfathomable in my lifetime. If you had told my father, who fought for this community every day, he would roll in his grave. We can’t let that happen.

Can you share your long-standing history with Crown Heights, beginning with your dear father and the Rebbe?
I’ve always considered Crown Heights a special place. I remember coming on Rabbi JJ Hecht’s radio show as one of my first public appearances. My father loved the Rebbe and I remember my first time in Crown Heights and the bonds that we formed. When they took away the Rebbe’s police protection, my father personally intervened to restore it. For those who don’t know what a special community it is, they are missing out. This is a community with unique cultural needs, and I’ve fought for the Orthodox community my entire life. I will do the same as Mayor.

Do you have any regrets about how you handled COVID? Is there anything you would have done differently?
Yes, COVID was a once-in-a-lifetime event. We had some of the best medical experts in the world advising us, and even they couldn’t agree on the best way to keep people safe. We were cautious and preparing for the worst-case scenario, and in doing so, we kept restrictions in place longer than we could have. Looking back, there should have been more communication with community leaders and the broader community. That’s on me. I could have done more, and I take responsibility for that. It’s on me. I now understand that the designation of red zones may have contributed to a stigma against the Orthodox community, and obviously, no one ever intended that. I’m deeply saddened by that. If anything like this ever happens again, I will make it a priority to engage more directly with community leaders and ensure we get it right.

During the pandemic, synagogues and Yeshivas were not deemed essential and were ordered to close. Do you still believe that?
I absolutely believe that synagogues and Yeshivas are critical and essential to the Orthodox way of life. The pandemic was a scary time. There are things I’d do differently next time, G-d forbid. I would do everything possible to keep religious institutions open.

Speaking of Yeshivas, you recently visited Crown Heights and expressed your support for protecting Yeshiva education. Can you elaborate on what you would do as mayor to further that?
We need a mayor that can talk to his school chancellor and make sure that policy is carried out. I’ve visited some wonderful Yeshivas with incredibly strong equivalent education programs. We need to make sure that all of the Yeshivas are doing that and that we aren’t targeting this community which has a unique culture and identity that must be protected.

Do you have a favorite kosher restaurant?
Jerusalem Cafe lately (on West 36th Street) but always looking for more.

Finally, what’s the best piece of advice you’ve learned?
Learn from your past and use your experience to always do better. And be true to your beliefs. I’ve been a friend to this community my whole life, and I’ll continue to be as Mayor. When my father came to visit the Rebbe, the Rebbe told him that double effort leads to double success. And I will certainly put in the double effort.