Mayor Eric Adams defied a travel ban by flying to Missouri to meet with a tech contractor for New York City. The trip, which was considered essential, allowed Adams to visit World Wide Technology (WWT), a company with significant city contracts totaling nearly 0 million.
WWT, a women- and minority-owned business enterprise, plays a crucial role in providing computer system integration and IT purchasing services to municipal agencies in New York City. Adams’ visit included discussions on creating a more supportive environment for these businesses in the city.
Accompanied by Chief Technology Officer Matt Fraser, Adams’ trip also involved an overnight stay in St. Louis due to the lack of available flight connections back to New York. This visit coincides with budget cuts implemented by Adams, which include a hiring freeze and spending reductions, citing the need to address the costs associated with caring for newly arrived immigrants.
Despite announcing the cancellation of a 5% cut initially scheduled for April, Adams has ordered most agencies to reduce spending by 10%. While questions surrounding adherence to budget constraints and travel bans arise from this trip, it underscores the importance of technology contractors like WWT in supporting essential services for municipal agencies.