| | | | | |  | | By Erin Durkin and Anna Gronewold with Jonathan Custodio | Presented by Uber Driver Stories | Peaceful marches across the city Tuesday night greeted the guilty verdict of former police officer Derek Chauvin, now convicted of murdering George Floyd in Minneapolis last year. New York elected officials hailed the verdict, as did mayoral candidates who took the occasion to double down on their promises of police reform. The mass protests that swept the city after Floyd's killing last year have had repercussions for New York. The state repealed the law that had long kept police disciplinary records secret, and those records, after months of litigation, are now finally becoming public. The city voted to make it a crime for cops to use a chokehold or pin someone's neck under their knee, among a raft of other legislation. Most recently, the city moved to limit the use of the qualified immunity doctrine, which has long shielded police officers from lawsuits. Still on the table: a push to strip the NYPD commissioner of their authority over officer disciplinary decisions, which requires state approval. And the NYPD's aggressive response to protests has prompted a blizzard of litigation that could take years to play out: a federal lawsuit against the NYPD by state Attorney General Tish James, a civil rights suit by protesters and civil liberties groups, and that's just the beginning. A damning Department of Investigation probe called for an overhaul of how the police handle protests. But while New York officials almost unanimously agreed the guilty verdicts were the right outcome, Tuesday also brought a reminder of the complicated politics and divisions the movement has wrought locally. Under pressure from protesters, Mayor Bill de Blasio and the City Council agreed to slash the NYPD's budget last June -- yet many of the cuts have failed to materialize. And one big cut, the elimination of a planned new police precinct in southeast Queens, generated a backlash in the mostly Black neighborhood where residents had for decades pushed for better police protection. So, flush with cash from the federal stimulus, de Blasio reversed course: the city will be spending $105 million to build the new precinct after all. IT'S WEDNESDAY. Got tips, suggestions or thoughts? Let us know ... By email: EDurkin@politico.com and agronewold@politico.com, or on Twitter: @erinmdurkin and @annagronewold WHERE'S ANDREW? No public schedule yet. WHERE'S BILL? Holding a media availability and speaking at a virtual press conference with NYC & Co. | | A message from Uber Driver Stories: Meet Fallon. Delivering with Uber Eats helps her pay for college while allowing her the flexibility to fit her schedule around studies. Fallon chooses Uber because, unlike most other gigs, she can control her hours and spend more time focusing on her future. Watch her story in her own words below. | | |
|  | WHAT CITY HALL'S READING | | DIANNE MORALES has sought to position herself as the first choice for progressives in the New York City mayor's race. But as she gains momentum in the left wing of the party that has swept through city politics in recent years, her career as an executive at a nonprofit developer with a less-than-sterling reputation has raised misgivings among the groups Morales hopes to court. Until recently, the candidate has declined to publicly address the developer's shortcomings. Phipps Neighborhoods, where Morales spent roughly the last 10 years as CEO, is the social services arm of Phipps Houses, one of the city's largest affordable housing developers. The development side of the nonprofit makes regular appearances on an annual "worst evictors" list put out by tenant groups. It's come under fire from activists and politicians over poor conditions in its buildings and it's clashed with unions over its labor practices. POLITICO's Janaki Chadha "LIKE THE TULIPS blooming on Park Avenue, tourists are finally returning to New York City's once desolate streets . Tatiana Montalvo, a first grade teacher on her spring break, drove from Washington, D.C., where the museums are still closed. She wandered the galleries of the Museum of Modern Art, strolled through Central Park, trekked across the Brooklyn Bridge, took the subway and ate lots of Italian food. Such visitors mark a welcome shift after the pandemic dealt a blow to New York's tourism industry, which supports 400,000 jobs and $70 billion in annual economic activity. Tourists like Montalvo and her boyfriend, Raymond Selden are enjoying a quieter city without crowds, as well as hotel rooms that can cost half or a third as much as before Covid-19." Bloomberg's Henry Goldman and Skylar Woodhouse "JUST 1% OF marijuana dispensaries in the country are Black-owned, according to city Comptroller Scott Stringer who promised Tuesday to end the inequity in New York City if he's elected mayor. With recreational cannabis now legal for adults in New York, Stringer said he would provide city-funded grants to help pot entrepreneurs get licenses and set up a 'shared manufacturing space,' among other steps. He also envisions job training programs, technical assistance and legal counseling from the city. All of the measures would be geared toward those who have been targeted in the 'War on Drugs,' which include mostly Black and Latino people... Other candidates in the packed mayoral race talked pot on Tuesday — the unofficial '4/20' holiday marked by cannabis aficionados worldwide. Former Citigroup vice chairman Ray McGuire touted his plans including new grants to help cannabis entrepreneurs, with the funds to come from the city or philanthropists." New York Daily News' Shant Shahrigian "NEW YORK CITY health officials estimate that nearly a quarter of adult New Yorkers were infected with the coronavirus during the catastrophic wave of last spring, and that the toll was even higher among Black and Hispanic residents. The estimates, based on antibody test results for more than 45,000 city residents last year, suggest that Black and Hispanic New Yorkers were twice as likely as white New Yorkers to have had antibodies to the coronavirus — evidence of prior infection. Hispanic New Yorkers had the highest rate, with about 35 percent testing positive for antibodies, according to the study, whose authors include officials and researchers at the city Health Department and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Among Black New Yorkers, 33.5 percent had antibodies. Among Asian New Yorkers, the rate was about 20 percent. For white New Yorkers, the rate was 16 percent." The New York Times' Joseph Goldstein and Bryan Pietsch "NEW YORK CITY's human service nonprofits stepped in to fill a myriad of gaps during the pandemic , from feeding the hungry to getting cash assistance to undocumented immigrants who didn't qualify for federal stimulus payments. But a new survey by the Center for an Urban Future finds many of these same organizations are now 'on the precipice of financial catastrophe' because they spent so much additional money. The think tank surveyed two dozen of these nonprofits and found most are now experiencing a yearly budget deficit between 15 and 50%. These include the YMCA of Greater New York, which lost more than $100 million in revenue (half of its operating budget), and Citymeals on Wheels, which spent $3.5 million more than it budgeted last year because it delivered 26% more meals than during the previous year, due to COVID-19." Gothamist's Beth Fertig FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union is endorsing Alvin Bragg in the Manhattan district attorney's race. "Throughout his career, he has prioritized the needs of workers, tenants and other vulnerable communities to make sure their rights are protected," RWDSU president Stuart Appelbaum said of Bragg, a former chief deputy state attorney general and federal prosecutor. ON THE TRAIL — Maya Wiley and Dianne Morales scored the endorsement of the Higher Heights for America Political Action Committee Tuesday. Wiley was the group's first pick and, in a nod to ranked-choice voting, Morales was its second. "This mayoral race has a diverse field and we are proud to endorse two Black women candidates that are ready to lead the city of New York," Chief Executive Glynda Carr said in a statement. The organization's mission is to elect more progressive Black women to government. But two of its leaders are working for a competitor. The PAC committee chair, L. Joy Williams, is senior adviser to former Wall Street executive Ray McGuire's mayoral campaign. And co-chair Kimberly Peeler-Allen is heading up a pro-McGuire PAC that has already dropped north of $1 million on television ads. — Joe Anuta — Left-wing City Council Member and mayoral dropout Carlos Menchaca is endorsing Andrew Yang for mayor. | | | | JOIN TODAY – A PLAYBOOK INTERVIEW WITH COMMERCE SECRETARY GINA RAIMONDO: A day after testifying before the Senate about the Biden administration's $2 trillion infrastructure and climate plan, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo will join Playbook co-authors Ryan Lizza and Eugene Daniels to discuss the prospects of the plan's passage. They will also cover Biden's relationship with corporate America, the administration's milestones as it approaches the 100-day mark and what to expect from Biden's address to Congress. REGISTER HERE. | | | | |
| | WHAT ALBANY'S READING | | "SENATE Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said Tuesday that there is 'an appetite' in the Legislature for strengthening New York's ethics laws as Gov. Cuomo remains embroiled in multiple scandals. Lawmakers have long mulled changes to how the state handles ethics allegations and violations. An overhaul could become a reality as priorities are set for the remainder of the legislative session, according to Stewart-Cousins. 'You can be assured that we've already started to have those conversations, and we will continue to have those conversations,' she said during a remote briefing with reporters. The Yonkers Democrat is one of dozens of the governor's fellow Dems who have called on Cuomo to resign as several women, including current and former staffers, came forward in recent months with allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct." New York Daily News' Denis Slattery — "The Zoom-based conferences with Gov. Andrew Cuomo are likely to stay for a while , as the governor on Monday called the format an 'effective medium' for communicating with New Yorkers. But the arrangement of the governor's staff selecting the questioners in the press and the reporters themselves physically kept out of the room has drawn concerns from media organizations as the controversies facing Cuomo continue to mount. Cuomo, since the start of the year, has instituted the news conferences and briefings over Zoom as the COVID-19 case rate began to climb heading into the winter months. Concerns over access to Cuomo have grown, however, as he has faced allegations of sexual harassment and criticism over his handling of nursing home deaths during the pandemic. At the same time, Cuomo has held events in public, often in cavernous spaces like the Javits Center in New York City, with the press barred." Spectrum's Nick Reisman "THE NEW YORK Metropolitan Transportation Authority's $55 billion plan to modernize subways, buses and commuter rails is at risk because of revenue losses and increased borrowing caused by the coronavirus pandemic, according to a report issued Tuesday. New York state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, in an annual report on MTA debt, said the authority might need to cut several billion dollars from its five-year spending plan unless it can reduce expenses or find new sources of revenue. 'The MTA's mounting debts and devastated revenue make it unlikely that it can afford all the work it planned,' Mr. DiNapoli said. Mr. DiNapoli also said that the MTA's debt burden , which has tripled over the past 20 years, will reach almost $47 billion by 2023. Debt repayments are projected to consume 23% of operating revenues by 2024, Mr. DiNapoli said, compared with an average of about 16% over the past decade. A spokesman for the MTA, Aaron Donovan, said the authority will be able to complete capital projects faster and less expensively than before because of a recently-created division that oversees construction and development. The Wall Street Journal's Paul Berger "THE NUMBER of COVID-19 cases has spiked in recent weeks at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility , a women's prison that houses inmates who are pregnant as well as a nursery program for newborns. As of April 16th, 108 inmates at the facility had COVID-19—about one in five of the 529 women currently residing there. That's up 23% from April 7th, when there were 88 inmates with COVID-19. "What we were hearing from people there is they were just terrified because there was such an uptick in cases," said Serena Liguori, executive director for New Hour for Women and Children — Long Island, a group that supports women and families impacted by incarceration. Five mothers and five infants are currently in the nursery program at Bedford Hills. One mother and two of the babies have COVID-19, but all are asymptomatic, according to the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS). Another mother and child recently had the virus and recovered. The agency added that only one pregnant woman is incarcerated at Bedford Hills right now, but is COVID-negative as of April 19th." The Gothamist's Caroline Lewis THE NEW YORK Restaurant Association says that new unemployment insurance rates are sinking their bottom lines with coronavirus restrictions still in place. The state Department of Labor began raising rates after the Legislature acted in January to stop employers from getting hit with penalties for employees going on unemployment during the pandemic. The development comes at a critical juncture for the industry, which remains heavily restricted even as vaccines are increasing nationwide. Under normal circumstances, businesses would have been dinged on their "experience rating" for having employees claim unemployment. Legislation to stop businesses from being hit with penalties was praised by the restaurant industry at the time but it did not prevent the DOL from hiking standard rates. When the DOL sent out annual notices in last month, some restaurants were on the hook for double their previous rate. POLITICO's Garrett Downs #UpstateAmerica: The Binghamton Devils, affiliated with the NHL's New Jersey Devils, are not long for this world. The franchise seems destined for Utica. | | | |   | | |
| | TRUMP'S NEW YORK | | "NUMEROUS POTENTIAL JURORS were questioned at length by a Brooklyn Federal Court judge and defense attorneys Monday about their negative feelings toward the former president and whether or not it would bias them in the trial of a Queens man accused of threatening to slaughter prominent Democrats and espousing racist and anti-Semitic views. While Brendan Hunt, 37, is on trial for threatening remarks he allegedly made toward Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, none of the jurors expressed strong feelings about the Democratic trio on the first day of jury selection. Instead juror after juror raised their hand to say they had some thoughts about the Trump administration — and they weren't positive. 'I'm not a fan of Donald Trump. I can't stand him,' one potential juror said." New York Daily News' Noah Goldberg | | | | Did you know that POLITICO Pro has coverage and tools at the state level? All the state legislative and regulatory tracking, budget documents, state agency contact information, and everything else you need to stay ahead of state policy movement integrate into our smart and customizable platform. Learn more and become a Pro today. | | | | |
| | AROUND NEW YORK | | — The Buffalo Police Department has been sued over its failure to release disciplinary records. — More tax changes could be on the horizon in Albany. — The Erie County executive defended his health commissioner against criticism of her Covid-19 prevention measures. — One person died and two others were injured in a shooting at a Long Island grocery store. The suspect is in custody. — NYU will require students to get a Covid-19 vaccine before returning to campus in the fall. — The man who stole barricades from Open Streets in Greenpoint apparently threw them into Newtown Creek. — Sheep have arrived on Governors Island to help eat some invasive plants. — The guy behind TurboVax is also a big advocate for bike lanes. — City libraries are eyeing reopening more services in May. — Towns in the Hamptons are undecided on whether to opt out of legal marijuana sales. | | SOCIAL DATA BY DANIEL LIPPMAN | | HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Craig Johnson, former state senator and CEO of Long Point Advisors, is 5-0 … NYT's Jodi Kantor … Felix Salmon of Axios and the "Slate Money" podcast … Mercury's Jon Reinish … WSJ's Katherine Finnerty … Matt Rivera … POLITICO's Amanda Hayes … Google's Brian Tschoepe … Lauren Weber of Kaiser Health News is 3-0 | | A message from Uber Driver Stories: As a woman of color, Fallon's number one priority is to better herself through her education. And that means finishing her bachelor's degree in business.
At first, Fallon tried to go down the traditional route of working part-time. But she says it didn't offer the flexible schedule that she needed.
"I like the flexibility of driving with Uber," she says. "I can drive when I want to."
With Uber, Fallon can choose when, where, and how long she wants to drive. If she has an exam that needs her attention, she doesn't have to worry about asking her boss or requesting time off—she can take the time she needs on her terms.
To see more stories like Fallon's, click here.
*Driver earnings may vary depending on location, demand, hours, drivers, and other variables. | | |
| | REAL ESTATE | | "LAST YEAR, as the pandemic crushed the economy and public life, annual new housing construction in New York City dropped by 4,600 units to 20,200, the lowest since 2015, according to the city Department of City Planning. While new affordable housing kept pace with previous years and overall housing production picked up in the latter half of 2020, building permits remain relatively low in the first several months of this year, portending an uncertain future for the city's housing stock." Gotham Gazette's Ethan Geringer-Sameth "IN THE SECOND half of 2019, fewer than 30,000 apartment listings across the five boroughs of New York City were accessible to households that used federal housing vouchers for assistance. One year later, as affluent New Yorkers beat a hasty retreat and asking rents in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens cratered, the number of voucher-affordable offerings jumped to nearly 72,000 units — a year-over-year increase of 142%. That's according to a new report from StreetEasy, which explores how Covid-19 has reshaped the universe of housing options for low-income New York households that rely on Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers." Bloomberg's Kriston Capps
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