| | | | |  | | By Erin Durkin, Anna Gronewold and Julian Shen-Berro | As students headed back for the first day of school, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a hotly debated bill to force New York City to cut class sizes at its public schools. One catch: It won't take effect this school year after a deal was reached to delay it. Mayor Eric Adams has resisted the legislation, which state lawmakers passed in June when they also renewed mayoral control over city schools. The bill will ultimately cut class sizes down to 20 students for third grade and below, 23 up through eighth grade and 25 for high school. That would have happened by 2027 under the original bill, but will now be 2028, with the first requirements kicking in next September. State legislators and the teachers union hailed the governor's decision to defy the mayor and sign the bill. "For decades, New York City parents and teachers have been fighting for lower class sizes. We now have something to celebrate," United Federation of Teachers president Michael Mulgrew said. Adams' big objection to the class size legislation was that it cost too much, which brings us back to that other fight over school funding, the hundreds of millions of dollars slashed from individual schools' budgets due to declining enrollment. On Thursday, as he welcomed kids back for the first day of class, Adams defended his belt-tightening approach , which has come under attack from the City Council and in court. He cited the $10 billion deficit the city could face in future years, and said federal stimulus cash used to avoid the budget cuts is dwindling. "The money is running out, and every dollar that we have is accounted for already," Adams said. Money isn't the only issue looming large over the new school year. Schools will be focused on recovering from learning loss suffered due to pandemic disruptions and improving literacy instruction, a key priority for the Adams administration. And more than 1,400 migrant children freshly arrived from the southern border — some of them bused this way by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in his feud with Adams — will be entering city classrooms for the first time. IT'S FRIDAY. 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? Delivering remarks at the annual Labor Day Parade Breakfast, touring the Rangel Infrastructure Workforce Development Initiative and traveling to Washington, D.C., to promote New York City's 2024 DNC bid. WHERE'S ERIC? Visiting the British Consulate General and signing a condolence book for Queen Elizabeth, delivering remarks at the annual Labor Day Parade Breakfast, the U.S. Department of Labor's launch of Job Corps 2.0 and the 150th anniversary celebration of Bloomingdale's, hosting a Mid-Autumn Moon Festival celebration and traveling to Washington, D.C., to promote the city's DNC bid.
| | | | A WOMEN RULE CONVERSATION ON LEADING FROM THE GROUND UP: Join POLITICO's Women Rule on Sept. 15 for conversations focused on creating and leading sustainable, healthy and inclusive communities. The program will feature a Member Exchange panel followed by a keynote discussion exploring the most pressing issues facing women in their communities and women in leadership roles who are best positioned to solve these problems. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | |  | What City Hall's reading | | "City and State Officials to New Yorkers: Figure Out New COVID Boosters Yourselves, Thanks," by Hell Gate's Christopher Robbins: "If you're wondering whether you should get the new COVID-19 booster for the most transmissible Omicron strains, or if you've already made up your mind and want the shot, New York state and New York City aren't offering you much assistance. The websites for both the NYC Department of Health and the City's public hospital system lack any information on the new bivalent booster shot, which was approved by the FDA and recommended by the CDC a week ago. The City has not made a noticeable push to educate New Yorkers on them, though the City's health commissioner, Dr. Ashwin Vasan, went on TV a week ago to discuss them, and the DOH made a tweet on Thursday morning." "Arsenic-Free NYCHA Water Test Results Came After Taps Flushed for Hours," by The City's Greg B. Smith: "Mayor Eric Adams is now claiming tests show there's no arsenic in the water at a Lower East Side public housing development — but the New York City Housing Authority has been flushing out the taps before administering the updated tests. Mayor Adams and NYCHA first let the public and tenants of the Jacob Riis Houses know about the arsenic test results shortly before midnight on Sept. 2, three days after an environmental firm hired by NYCHA found levels of arsenic in the water there that made the water undrinkable. Since then, the Adams administration has repeatedly issued statements declaring that subsequent tests show no trace of arsenic in the water at Riis. But the statements do not reveal that NYCHA is first flushing out the taps before taking samples — turning on faucets and letting the water first flow for three to four hours first." — "East Village public housing tenants mystified as city claims no arsenic in water — but maybe Legionella, " by WNYC's Gwynne Hogan — Congressional nominee Dan Goldman called for the city to provide residents with free hot meals since they are unable to cook with the water. " Adams and Unions Strike Deal on Shift to Cost-Cutting Medicare Plan," by New York Focus's Sam Mellins: "At a meeting Thursday morning, the administration of Mayor Eric Adams and major unions representing municipal employees agreed on a proposal to clear the way for their long-held goal of switching retired city workers to cost-saving private Medicare Advantage plans. The insurance shift, first reported by New York Focus more than a year ago, would likely save the city hundreds of millions of dollars a year and help pay for current workers' benefits — but many retirees fear that it could decrease their access to health care."
| | WHAT ALBANY'S READING | | "How a Hochul donor received $637M in state payments," by Times Union's Chris Bragg: "Last December, Gov. Kathy Hochul's administration received an offer to buy 26 million at-home coronavirus tests from a New Jersey-based distributor that happened to be a major campaign donor to the governor. The price offered by Digital Gadgets founder and CEO Charlie Tebele was $13 per test, far steeper than what other companies were proposing for similar rapid antigen tests. Hochul's administration had just approved a deal with another firm to buy 5 million tests for just $5 each. Still, the Hochul administration quickly agreed to pay $338 million to Digital Gadgets at the higher per-test price. The state Division of Budget and Hochul's office signed off on the deal on Dec. 20, the same day Tebele made the proposition." FLORIDA FEUD, cont.: "Ron DeSantis takes jab at Kathy Hochul for Lee Zeldin in latest round," by New York Post's Zach Williams: "'The corrupt, far-left, pro-criminal Andrew Cuomo 2.0, aka Kathy Hochul – recently declared that Lee was no longer a New Yorker, because he disagrees with her radical policies. Hochul demanded that Lee get on a bus and move to Florida,' reads the Republican governor's Thursday afternoon fundraising pitch ahead of the Nov. 8 election. 'Folks are fleeing a place where politicians like Hochul attack the wallets, safety, freedom, and kids' education of the very people she is supposed to represent,' DeSantis adds in the message." " Judge: State can't close Syracuse adoption agency turning away gay couples over Christian beliefs," by Syracuse.com's Douglass Dowty: "A longtime Syracuse adoption agency can remain open after fending off New York State's demand it close over a religious ban on accepting homosexual or unmarried couples as potential parents. A federal judge in Albany on Wednesday ruled in favor of Eastwood-based New Hope Family Services, saying that the state had no compelling interest to deny the agency its First Amendment right to abide by its Christian beliefs in picking potential adoptive parents." " Watchdog groups want New York ethics panel to start work," by Spectrum's Nick Reisman: "'It has been over a month since JCOPE dissolved; New Yorkers are paying for an ethics commission and they deserve one that is hard at work,' the good-government groups, led by Reinvent Albany, wrote in a statement. 'More so, New York institutions should not go another month without an internal ethics watchdog overseeing, and advising on, the conduct of the state's elected and appointed officials.' Not having an ethics cop on the beat means no new investigations are being approved and existing cases remain in limbo, the groups said." New York looks to build on record-breaking mobile sports betting as NFL returns, by POLITICO's Joseph Spector: New York officials anticipate a massive boost to the state's coffers after already hitting a national record of $10.1 billion wagered by residents since bets could first be made last January. New York has well exceeded state revenue forecasts as it enjoys being the largest state in the nation that allows residents to bet on games with their phones. California, Texas and Florida have yet to do so, and New York passed New Jersey and Nevada last winter as the sports betting capital of the U.S. … And gambling companies expect more sports betting nationwide as more states come online and football season kicks off in earnest this weekend. A record 46.6 million American adults, or 18 percent overall, plan to bet on the NFL season — a 3 percent increase from last year, according to a poll from the American Gaming Association. #UpstateAmerica: 'He jumped right at me and started gnawing on my ankle.' Delmar man was attacked by a skunk while drinking his morning coffee
| | TRUMP'S NEW YORK | | "Bannon pleads not guilty in 'We Build the Wall' scheme," by The Associated Press's Michael R. Sisak: "Former President Donald Trump's longtime ally Steve Bannon pleaded not guilty Thursday to duping donors who gave money to build a wall on the U.S. southern border. The case, brought by New York prosecutors, is a state-level reboot of a federal case cut short last year by a presidential pardon. Bannon, 68, was released after his arraignment on money laundering, conspiracy, fraud and other charges related to the 'We Build the Wall' campaign. He is the second person pardoned by Trump and later charged by the Manhattan district attorney's office for the same alleged conduct. 'It's all nonsense. They will never shut me up,' Bannon said as he left court." "Saudi-Tied Tournament Causes Push to Void Trump's N.Y.C. Golf Contract," by The New York Times' Emma G. Fitzsimmons and Alan Blinder: "It sounded like the type of event that Mayor Eric Adams would want to bring to New York City to boost the economy: an elite international golf tournament that would draw visitors and their wallets. But because the tournament has ties to the government of Saudi Arabia and will be played at a city-owned course run by former President Donald J. Trump's family business, it has prompted widespread criticism, especially from family members of victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Mr. Adams, whose administration allowed the tournament to move forward, is now facing pressure from the City Council to revisit his stance."
| | | | INTRODUCING POWER SWITCH: The energy landscape is profoundly transforming. Power Switch is a daily newsletter that unlocks the most important stories driving the energy sector and the political forces shaping critical decisions about your energy future, from production to storage, distribution to consumption. Don't miss out on Power Switch, your guide to the politics of energy transformation in America and around the world. SUBSCRIBE TODAY. | | | | | | | FROM THE DELEGATION | | "Molinaro looks for a second chance in a new NY-19, with a new opponent," by Jewish Insider's Marc Rod: "Voters in New York's 19th Congressional District stunned much of the political world in late August by delivering an unexpected victory to Democratic Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan, who defeated Republican Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro in a special election to replace now-Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado in the Hudson Valley district. Molinaro has shrugged off the loss and has trained his eyes on November, when he will again appear on the ballot — but against a different Democrat and in a newly drawn district, following the state's redistricting earlier this year." "New York House Republicans want to block farm overtime change," by Spectrum's Nick Reisman: "New York congressional Republicans on Thursday announced federal legislation that would block the enactment of a lower overtime threshold for agriculture workers. The measure, backed by U.S. Reps. Elise Stefanik and Chris Jacobs, was proposed after a wage board at the state Department of Labor this week formally endorsed lowering the threshold from 60 hours a week to 40 over the next decade. Lowering the threshold, which will be offset by a state subsidy to farmers, has been embraced by labor unions and progressive advocates. But the agriculture sector has protested the decision."
| | AROUND NEW YORK | | — Larry Sharpe and the state's Libertarian Party are waging a last-ditch effort to make their way onto the ballot for the governor's race. — Lawmakers and an Albany County Supreme Court justice are waiting on the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision to justify the new package ban. — Abandoned guinea pigs were rescued from Hudson River Park. — New Jersey Rep. Josh Gottheimer said nearly 75 percent of commenters at public hearings opposed congestion pricing. — Rudy Giuliani admitted at court proceedings to owing his ex-wife money but said her lawsuit claiming he owes her $260,000 is a "gross exaggeration." — Harvard students have mixed feelings about former Mayor Bill de Blasio doing a fellowship there. — A 15-year-old boy was fatally shot at a downtown Brooklyn park. — Mourners gathered at a park in the Financial District named after Queen Elizabeth II. — "Elizabeth visited WNY as a princess but never as queen" — Staten Island police say fatal overdoses are up 13 percent this year.
| | SOCIAL DATA BY DANIEL LIPPMAN | | HAPPY BIRTHDAY: WaPo's Matt Bai … HuffPost's Jonathan Cohn … David Freedlander … Ken Lieberthal … AP's Matt Lee … Rolling Stone's Kara Voght ... Lauren Hackett … Augusta (Mellon) Rhoades is 35 MEDIAWATCH — Shantel Destra is now a state politics reporter at City & State. She was previously an intern at the publication and at The City, and a participant in the POLITICO Journalism Institute. … Jeff Kepnes has been promoted to be the managing editor of MSNBC's "Morning Joe." MAKING MOVES — Samantha Slater is now director of media relations at Columbia University. She most recently was comms director for Columbia World Projects. … Nick Iacono is now an associate at Skadden Arps. He is a graduate of Georgetown law. … Michael S. Rosenberg will be the president and CEO of New York City Center. He has been managing director of the McCarter Theater Center in New Jersey. WEDDING — Justin Sullivan, a staff photojournalist with Getty Images, married Liz Kreutz, a television journalist and an ABC News alum. The couple, who met on the Hillary Clinton campaign trail with their first date facilitated by Washington Post photojournalist Melina Mara, married at Acre Resort in San José del Cabo, Mexico. Pics by Lukas Piatek ... Another pic WELCOME TO THE WORLD — Bari Weiss, the editor of Common Sense, the host of the "Honestly" podcast and who is building a new media company with her fellow NYT alum wife, and Nellie Bowles, who writes the Friday column TGIF for Common Sense and is also working on a book, on Sept. 2 welcomed a daughter.
| | Real Estate | | "Harlem Clergy Took Secret Cash As They Sold Churches To Developer: AG," by Patch's Nick Garber: "Senior religious leaders conspired with a developer to sell seven churches in Harlem and Brooklyn in exchange for secret payments — only for the developer to waver from his promise to build new homes for the churches, in some cases demolishing them and letting the sites sit empty for years, according to state prosecutors. The deals, which netted the three church leaders nearly $2 million combined, were uncovered through an investigation launched by New York Attorney General Letitia James's office into the developer, Moujan Vahdat, prosecutors said." | | | | 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 | | | | |
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