City Hall staffers attend Puerto Rican conference on taxpayer dime

New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul attend the SOMOS Puerto Rico conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025. Photo: Alejandro Granadillo/AP

CITYWIDE — NEARLY A DOZEN senior City Hall officials are attending the annual SOMOS political conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on public funds, according to THE CITY.

Attendees include deputy mayors Camille Joseph Varlack, Ana Almanzar, Suzanne Miles-Gustave and Adolfo Carrión Jr., as well as DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, whose travel request totaled over $6,600 for two staffers.

The five-day trip, approved by the Mayor’s Office of Administrative Services, coincides with Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s arrival at the conference less than 48 hours after his election victory. Current staffers are reportedly networking amid the administration’s impending transition.

The conference was set to run through Sunday and feature a slate of panels and sponsor events, including a beachside concert.

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