| | | | |  | | By Erin Durkin, Anna Gronewold and Deanna Garcia | After several hours of will-they, won't-they last night, there still is no announced budget deal for the fiscal year that was supposed to begin April 1. Top lawmakers on Tuesday did say they were close to agreement with Gov. Kathy Hochul on several points, and felt confident in the consensus they reached on criminal justice issues, one of the major holdups. The deal will likely include allowing judges to set bail for more kinds of offenses and make it easier to hold repeat offenders. It will also include some changes to discovery law, which lawmakers say are aimed at preventing cases from being thrown out on technicalities. "I think, on the issue related to criminal laws, it's as close as you can get to agreement without the bills being printed," Senate Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris (D-Queens) said Tuesday. "So I think we're moving on from those issues on to the rest of the budget." Yet as public safety issues have been prioritized over the past several weeks — particularly due to a haphazard leak of a last-minute proposal from Hochul — other spending initiatives have received less attention. Advocates and lobbyists from child care to education sectors complained that some proposals — even those with both momentum and money — have fallen off the table or been pared down as a result. This year's budget process has revealed an at-times awkward Hochul administration as the new governor and staff negotiate with a Legislature steeped in tradition. Hochul has insisted she is focused on private collaboration with leaders and will avoid the habits of her predecessor, who often wielded the budget process as a political weapon and viewed its timeliness as a metric of success. But Hochul has so far offered few new alternative ways of operating, leaving instead a void in messaging, communication and style that's caused some confusion in the Capitol. When she emerged from her offices earlier this week to get a booster shot and take a few questions, she assured New Yorkers the late budget and recent proceedings were "very normal." But the 10 days she took to take public questions on the negotiations about how taxpayer money is being spent in the $200 billion-plus state spending plan was not. It was the second-longest such silence on a late New York budget since the 1920s, according to a review by POLITICO's Bill Mahoney. The longer stretch was last year when Hochul's predecessor was dodging reporters amid sexual harassment accusations. 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 KATHY? In Albany with no public events scheduled. WHERE'S ERIC? Appearing on CBS News, speaking at the National Action Network's convention, making an economic development announcement, and speaking to students at a performance of Hamilton.
| | | | DON'T MISS ANYTHING FROM THE 2022 MILKEN INSTITUTE GLOBAL CONFERENCE: POLITICO is excited to partner with the Milken Institute to produce a special edition "Global Insider" newsletter featuring exclusive coverage and insights from the 25th annual Global Conference. This year's event, May 1-4, brings together more than 3,000 of the world's most influential leaders, including 700+ speakers representing more than 80 countries. "Celebrating the Power of Connection" is this year's theme, setting the stage to connect influencers with the resources to change the world with leading experts and thinkers whose insight and creativity can implement that change. Whether you're attending in person or following along from somewhere else in the world, keep up with this year's conference with POLITICO's special edition "Global Insider" so you don't miss a beat. Subscribe today. | | | | | |  | What City Hall's reading | | "Health System Readies 'Surge' COVID Testing Operation While Shutting Down Outreach," by The City's Claudia Irizarry Aponte: "Seeking to secure testing capacity in the event of a future COVID case spike, the city's public hospital system is moving to line up private 'surge response' teams — even as it's shutting down contact tracing and laying off nearly 900 government-employed, union workers. The Health and Hospitals Corporation put out a call last week for project managers and up to 10 firms that would provide fixed-location and mobile testing sites. Those teams would only be deployed if and when city health officials decide their services are needed. The new request for proposals states that vendors should be able to deploy at least 10 community testing teams a day, five days a week for eight hours a day — with as little as five days' notice." "NYC Council majority calls on Mayor Adams to end 'cruel' homeless encampment sweeps," by New York Daily News' Chris Sommerfeldt: "A majority of the City Council's members called on Mayor Adams Tuesday to immediately halt his administration's 'cruel' homeless encampment crackdown and instead focus on expanding social services. The Council's Progressive Caucus, which comprises 34 of the chamber's 51 members and includes Speaker Adrienne Adams (D-Queens), issued the demand in a lengthy statement that comes as budget negotiations are underway between the mayor's team and the Council. The missive contended it doesn't make sense for the mayor to order the dismantling of homeless street encampments while at the same time calling for a 20% spending cut at the Department of Social Services as part of his preliminary budget proposal." — City workers have been throwing out homeless people's personal belongings during sweeps of homeless encampments, despite Mayor Eric Adams' assurances that wouldn't happen. " Here's How Slowly New York City Is Moving on Electric Vehicles," by The New York Times' Winnie Hu, Nadav Gavrielov and Jack Ewing: "There are just 15 electric public buses on the streets of New York, out of a fleet of more than 5,900 buses. There is just a single electric police patrol car, a Tesla, and only one electric garbage truck. And in a city with nearly 1.9 million registered passenger vehicles, zero-emission vehicles make up less than one percent. Despite the urgent need to move away from burning fossil fuels that accelerate climate change, the nation's largest city is embracing electric vehicles at a tortoise-like pace and lagging behind other major American cities, including San Francisco, Los Angeles and Seattle." "Meet NYC's new 'Train Daddy': Richard Davey hopes to last longer at MTA than Andy Byford," by New York Post's David Meyer: "The MTA's new permanent head of subways and buses hopes to hold the gig longer than his most recent predecessor, Andy Byford — but said Tuesday that he has not spoken with the Brit whose jovial approach earned him the adoration of New York and the nickname 'Train Daddy.' 'Hopefully it's at least two years, hopefully, I'll break some records,' Richard Davey, the former Massachusetts Secretary of Transportation from 2011 to 2014, said during his first NYC media appearance of how long he plans to hold onto the job, which he starts on May 2." " Get outta town: Why majority of New Yorkers would rather be anywhere else," by New York Post's Carl Campanile: "With violent crime on the rise and showing no signs of a let up, a majority of voters said their family would be better off if they fled New York City, a new survey reveals. The poll, released Wednesday by Fontas Advisors/Core Decision Analytics, presented voters with this statement: "My family would have a better future if we left New York City permanently." The poll found 59% of respondents strongly or somewhat agreed with the statement, while 41% somewhat or strongly disagreed. That's a 12 percentage point jump from voters who were asked the same question a year ago."
| | WHAT ALBANY'S READING | | "New York Reaches Deal to Pull Back on Bail Reform," by Wall Street Journal's Jimmy Vielkind: "New York state would allow judges to set bail for a greater number of offenses and make it easier to hold repeat offenders pending trial as part of a larger state budget agreement expected to be passed this week, lawmakers said. The state's 2019 bail law, which ended cash bail for most misdemeanors and nonviolent felonies, was one of many progressive criminal-justice initiatives that have come under attack amid a nationwide rise in violent crime. New York would become the largest jurisdiction to make changes amid pressure from law-enforcement officials and Republicans. Democrats who control the state Assembly and Senate were briefed Tuesday on a tentative agreement to broaden the instances in which a judge may set bail, according to lawmakers and their aides. "Judges also would be able to detain a defendant before trial for more hate crimes and crimes related to gun possession, the people said. For bail-eligible offenses, judges must still pick 'the least restrictive alternative' to ensure a defendant's return to court, but they can consider an expanded number of factors including criminal history and whether the alleged charge 'caused serious harm to an individual or group,' according to three people briefed on the proposal." — People are protesting on this issue outside Speaker Carl Heastie's office in the Bronx. "Taxpayer subsidies at issue in last-minute budget talks ," by Times Union's Chris Bragg: "Two proposals advanced by the state Legislature, creating greater oversight of New York's billions in economic development subsidies, are being actively considered as part of budget negotiations. In both instances, key points of contention have also emerged between lawmakers and Gov. Kathy Hochul's administration concerning the depth of oversight or who will conduct it. The budget was due April 1, and as the talks go into overtime, crucial but lesser-publicized issues are being folded into the negotiations. One of the matters under negotiation would create a so-called 'Database of Deals' that would provide much more information to the public about whether state government subsidies are creating promised economic development. The proposal was part of both the Assembly and state Senate's one-house budget resolutions." "Seneca Nation buys TV, radio ads criticizing Hochul for spending casino money on Buffalo Bills stadium," by Spectrum's Ryan Whalen: "The Seneca Nation is spending tens of thousands of dollars on television and radio ads criticizing Gov. Kathy Hochul for committing long-disputed Seneca casino revenue toward building a new stadium for the Buffalo Bills. A spokesperson for the Senecas said the television commercials are running only in the Buffalo media market while the radio spots are targeted at select areas of upstate New York. Federal Communications Commission filings show purchases in the Buffalo and Albany regions with the commercials already running this week. The current TV buys run for about a week while the radio spots will run until April 18. 'The state of New York just received hundreds of millions of dollars from the Seneca Nation,' the radio commercial begins. 'The additional funding gave Gov. Hochul a great opportunity to help repair our roads, build hospitals, fix our bridges and support our schools. What did she do instead? She gave away hundreds of millions of dollars to build a football stadium for the NFL.'" "In ad, Suozzi calls for cutting income taxes in New York ," by Spectrum's Nick Reisman: "Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Suozzi on Wednesday will release a TV ad backing a 10% cut in state income taxes in New York as well as efforts to reduce utility bills and gas taxes while also addressing crime. "You want to do something about sky-high taxes?" Suozzi says in the ad. "You cut state income taxes by 10% so people can afford to live here." The proposal, packaged with calls for addressing the state's 2019 law ending cash bail for many criminal charges, comes as state lawmakers are set to put the finishing touches on a state budget plan with a deal likely announced later on Wednesday. Lawmakers are set to include provisions meant to expand circumstances in which bail would be considered, such as for gun trafficking as well as alleged repeat offenses." #UpstateAmerica: The iron scow, a boat that has been lodged in the Niagara River above Horseshoe Falls for 104 years, appears to be breaking up.
| | | | INTRODUCING DIGITAL FUTURE DAILY - OUR MORNING TECHNOLOGY NEWSLETTER, RE-IMAGINED: Technology is always evolving, and our new tech-obsessed newsletter is too! Digital Future Daily unlocks the most important stories determining the future of technology, from Washington to Silicon Valley and innovation power centers around the world. Readers get an in-depth look at how the next wave of tech will reshape civic and political life, including activism, fundraising, lobbying and legislating. Go inside the minds of the biggest tech players, policymakers and regulators to learn how their decisions affect our lives. Don't miss out, subscribe today. | | | | | | | AROUND NEW YORK | | — AG Tish James' office confirmed its criminal probe into Andrew Cuomo's $5 million book deal is still active. — A coalition of Asian American civic organizations rallied to push the city's redistricting commission to draw City Council districts that will increase the community's representation. — Two Rikers Island correction officers were charged with accepting bribes in exchange for smuggling contraband. — A man was charged with hate crimes for assaults on seven Asian women. — The Niagara Aquarium euthanized Sandy, a beloved harbor seal, after a period of ill health. She was 41. — Thousands of MTA workers failed to complete the state's sexual harassment training. — Climate change is making maple syrup taste less sweet in New York and New Jersey sapping production. — A New York State judge killed himself after law enforcement searched his home. — A Brooklyn-based company is heading to a $5 million headquarters in Ulster.
| | SOCIAL DATA BY DANIEL LIPPMAN | | HAPPY BIRTHDAY: WSJ's Keach Hagey … Ron Brownstein … CNN's Sunlen Serfaty … Lucy Westcott … NYT's Glenn Thrush … Cindy Terrell … Business Roundtable's Rayna Farrell … the City's Richard Kim … Lawrence Gay … Scott Reed MAKING MOVES — Tai Johnson and Terence Cullen are joining Actum LLC as vice presidents. Johnson was formerly special adviser to the state attorney general and Cullen was communications director for the New York Building Congress. Kimberly Bernard, a writer and Harlem-based community organizer, is joining Actum as an associate. MEDIAWATCH — A former editor announced a planned lawsuit charging race and gender discrimination at WNYC a day after stepping down over alleged plagiarism. SPOTTED at an advance screening on Tuesday night of "61St Street" hosted by AMC Networks at the National Museum of African American History and Culture ( trailer): Courtney B. Vance, Tosin Cole and Andrene Ward-Hammond, Peter Moffat, J. David Shanks, Alana Mayo, Marta Cunningham, Matt Blank, Chris Spade, Dan McDermott, Aisha Thomas-Petit, Reps. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.), Mondaire Jones (D-N.Y.), Antonio Delgado (D-N.Y.) and Robin Kelly (D-Ill.) and Ambassador Frederic Edem Hegbe from the Republic of Togo.
| | Real Estate | | "Adams Open to Mets Owner Steve Cohen's Pitch for Citi Field Casino and Willets Point Makeover," by The City's Katie Honan: "The New York Mets' billionaire owner has been pushing City Hall for development around his Queens ballpark, possibly including a casino as the state mulls expanding licenses, according to city and state lobbying records. Steve Cohen, who bought the team for $2.4 billion in the fall of 2020, hosted Mayor Eric Adams and other top City Hall officials at Citi Field this January, where he and others presented ideas for Willets Point, the 61-acre piece of land across the street, THE CITY has learned. Portions of the neighborhood — known for its hamlet of auto-body shops and junkyards and decades of failed redevelopment plans — are currently getting an environmental clean-up as part of a plan from 2013." "NYC landlords filing so many eviction cases that firms for low-income tenants have run out of lawyers," by New York Daily News' Molly Crane-Newman: "A long-dreaded wave of eviction cases has arrived as the city eases out of the pandemic — and public defender groups say they've run out of lawyers to represent low-income tenants. After the state's eviction ban ended on Jan. 15, thousands of landlords' lawsuits flooded the dockets. More than 6,000 eviction lawsuits were filed in the city in February and 7,000 in March, according to the state Office of Court Administration. That's in addition to more than 200,000 eviction lawsuits filed during the pandemic, most of which were on pause until the eviction moratorium was lifted. A stunning 685,000 of renters collectively owe an estimated $3.3 billion in back rent, according to the Community Service Society of New York." | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
No comments:
Post a Comment