The last few weeks have put in full display the level of chaos and dysfunction of the Eric Adams’ administration. So it is quite rich that this mayor, indicted for corruption and already deeply unpopular because of the many rounds of budget cuts to schools and other essential services, would have the audacity to ask the voters to give him, and future mayors, more power and less oversight. But that is exactly what he has done by rushing a revision to the New York City Charter and putting Proposals 2 through 6 on the ballot this November. New Yorkers should deny him this naked power grab and vote NO. Just over the last month, federal agents searched the homes and seized the phones of almost everyone in the mayor’s inner circle, including the former first deputy mayor; our former public schools chancellor; the former deputy mayor for public safety, a job that didn’t exist before Adams created it; the former NYPD police commissioner; the interim police commissioner they hired to replace him, as well as the NYPD chief of staff; and the mayor’s former senior advisor. Now, on top of all of that, Adams himself was indicted over allegations of bribery and fraud involving Turkey. No wonder we’ve seen a steady stream of resignations from City Hall all October long. While these may seem like salacious, distant stories of palace intrigue, they have real consequences for the way our city works — and the lives of the people who call New York home. For example, if you are the parent of a small child, you might still be reeling from the mayor’s $170 million cuts to early childhood programs. You wouldn’t be wrong to ask why the city didn’t have money for these programs, but found money for a $154 million emergency contract with a security firm previously owned by the ex-Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Phil Banks, brother of the ex-Schools Chancellor David Banks, and brother-in-law of the ex-First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright. If you take the train, you wouldn’t be wrong to want to make sure that police officers are held accountable when they put the lives of random passengers in danger, as they did just a few weeks ago when two police officers staged a shootout on a subway platform and left an innocent passenger with brain damage. Unfortunately, one of the last official acts of the former Police Commissioner Eddie Caban before he resigned was to lower the disciplinary measures for police officers, instead of holding officers to a higher standard. And if you have been frustrated by how our city has managed the influx of migrants, then you should know that Adams’ close friend and ex-senior advisor Tim Pearson held up a multi-million dollar contract to provide caseworkers at migrant shelters. By dragging his feet, he ultimately prevented migrant families from applying for the asylum and work permits necessary to get on their feet. But despite the state of our government, we are not powerless. We can change the course of our future by voting on every ballot initiative presented to us in this election. First, we will see Proposal 1, which will enshrine into our state Constitution protections for abortion and against discrimination. This is a rare opportunity to improve our state Constitution and make sure that every single person, no matter who they are, has basic protections in the law. We enthusiastically encourage all New Yorkers to vote YES on Proposal 1. As for Proposals 2-6, New Yorkers want a mayor, not a king. Added to the ballot by a Charter Revision Commission conveniently composed of Adams loyalists, these proposals give the mayor unprecedented power and control over the lawmaking process, and over budgetary tools that could hamstring city legislation. Proposals 2 to 6 are designed to weaken the City Council’s ability to provide oversight and prevent abuses by the current and future mayors, making city government more undemocratic and unaccountable to the people. We want a city where our leaders protect everyday people, not their friends. We deserve a city where public servants operate with integrity and hold each other to the highest standards. So we encourage everyone to vote NO on Proposals 2 to 6. The Working Families Party has always sided with everyday people, not the rich and well connected. Together we have the power to build a New York where working families can live and thrive. Let’s use it, and deliver a New York for everyone. Archila and Gripper are the co-directors of the New York Working Families Party.