| | | | |  | | By Emily Ngo, Jeff Coltin and Nick Reisman | Presented by Soloviev Group | With help from Irie Sentner
|  Mayor Eric Adams delivered his third State of the City address at Hostos Community College in the Bronx. | Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office | Mayor Eric Adams’ State of the City speech gave off plenty of reelection vibes. How’s “stay focused, no distractions and grind” for a (revived) campaign slogan? How’s “crime down, jobs up” as a call-and-response? And what about the politically potent coalition of elected officials and union leaders Adams showed off at the Bronx venue? If his third annual address was a preview of his 2025 approach, it portends a message of positivity — even as he faces a costly migrant crisis, a federal probe into his 2021 campaign and a record-low job approval number. “We got all this done for New York City,” Adams said in detailing his wins. “And we did it while marshaling our entire city government to respond to the asylum-seeker humanitarian crisis.” We asked some potential 2025 rivals for their thoughts. “I respectfully give him this day — he has a right to it — but at the end of the day, it doesn’t change the reality of what’s actually happening in our communities,” all-but-declared challenger Scott Stringer told Playbook. “Crime is up, affordable housing is down and education is at a crisis level. There is no plan put in place to meet these challenges and a slick election video ain’t gonna cut it.” Asked whether he would have vetoed City Council legislation requiring police to document low-level stops, as Adams did, Stringer said the bill wouldn’t have been necessary in the first place. “We certainly would have worked out something that meets the needs of police officers on the beat,” the former city comptroller said, “and also has the ability to acquire the data and the protections we need for communities of color.” Meanwhile, state Sen. Jessica Ramos referenced the limited focus on migrants in Adams’ speech. “What happened to the boogeyman?” she asked. “For a group of people that are supposedly going to ‘destroy the city,’ you would think that there would be a detailed plan, outline, some sort of idea that's thought through.” The Queens progressive was in Albany and told Playbook she thought Adams scheduling his speech during a legislative session day was bad politics since he should be ingratiating himself to legislators ahead of Tin Cup Day. Striking a similar note from the other side: Republican Curtis Sliwa, who plans to run again. “The issue he’s going to be most vulnerable on is the migrant issue,” he told Playbook. “There’s no doubt about it. It is what’s on everybody’s minds in the city. And he has not come up with any answers.” Public Advocate Jumaane Williams called Adams’ speech “aspirational,” but noted in a statement, “what was left unsaid was his attempt to pit the city against itself over a basic data reporting bill that strengthens public safety.” Notably quiet on the speech was City Comptroller Brad Lander, whom Adams has ironically derided as “the loudest person in the city.” Lander declined to release a statement and left the venue without speaking to reporters. — Emily Ngo and Jeff Coltin IT’S THURSDAY: Got news? Send it our way: Jeff Coltin, Emily Ngo and Nick Reisman.
| | | | A message from Soloviev Group: Optimally located on Manhattan’s east side, Freedom Plaza by Soloviev will emerge as an entertainment district with a first-class hotel, a casino by Mohegan, and the world’s first Democracy Museum. From improving overall quality of life by creating sustainable public green spaces to new affordable housing in a post-pandemic NYC suffering from a housing crisis, we envision innovative components that will introduce economic and social benefits to our East Side neighborhoods and New York City. | | | WHERE’S KATHY? In New York City making a public safety announcement and delivering remarks at the New York Building Congress Luncheon. WHERE’S ERIC? Making a gender equity-related announcement, hosting an International Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony and hosting an older adult town hall. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “We’re the spokesmen for the boroughs. If they did away with the job of borough president, there would be no one to fight for the borough as a whole.” — Former Brooklyn Borough president Howard Golden, who died Wednesday, in a 1996 interview with New York Times.
|  | ABOVE THE FOLD | | | | 
Senate Labor Chair Jessica Ramos and Assemblymember Karines Reyes are set to introduce a proposal that would require businesses to conduct a risk assessment and provide a security training and prevention program to retail workers. | Stephanie Keith/Getty Images | RETAIL WORKER PROTECTIONS: State Senate Labor Chair Jessica Ramos and Assemblymember Karines Reyes are calling for more protections meant to aid retail workers who could be subject to both physical and verbal abuse while doing their jobs. The proposal, set to be unveiled today with the backing of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, would require businesses to conduct a risk assessment and provide a security training and prevention program to retail workers, such as de-escalation tactics and safe escape routes. Ramos, in an interview with Playbook, pointed to the racially motivated shooting of 10 people at a Buffalo supermarket in 2022. “Unfortunately these situations are becoming more common,” she said. “As long as we don’t have stronger gun laws in this country and as long as racism and xenophobia aren’t curtailed, retail workers are on the frontlines of this crisis.” Ramos’ bill is being pushed as Hochul wants a broad range of measures to address shoplifting and retail theft, including a tax credit to help businesses enhance security as well as increased criminal penalties for assaulting a retail worker. But labor leaders who represent retail workers believe a greater focus should be placed on workers in retail outlets. “We’ve talked a lot about shoplifting and loss of merchandise, but we haven’t talked about what’s happening to workers at these stores,” RWDSU president Stuart Appelbaum told Playbook. “We’ve called them essential workers before, it’s definitely time to do what we can to protect them.” — Nick Reisman
| | CITY HALL: THE LATEST | | | | 
Mayor Eric Adams announced in his State of the City speech that he is in talks with the City Council to create the country's first Department of Sustainable Delivery. | Alex Davidson/Getty Images | TAP THAT BRAKE: A new city agency could be on tap, one that would serve to regulate delivery workers while also ensuring their safety. The deliveristas finding their voices in the political debate aren’t on board quite yet. The mayor announced in his State of the City speech Wednesday that he is in talks with the City Council to create a first-in-the-nation Department of Sustainable Delivery. “New Yorkers welcome the future of transit and new electronic technologies,” Adams said. “But we cannot have mopeds speeding down our sidewalks and forcing people to jump out of the way. You must also protect the drivers and delivery workers who show up for New Yorkers at all times, day and night, in all kinds of weather.” Those drivers and delivery workers weren’t keen on the pitch. “Before enforcing new regulations on delivery workers, New York City should listen to us,” said Gustavo Ajche, founder of Los Deliveristas Unidos. “We are the ones who are on the streets every day doing an essential job for the city, and we stand ready to work together to make our city’s streets safer for all.” — Emily Ngo ASAP’S MILESTONE: A popular CUNY-run academic support program widely hailed as a national model for boosting graduation rates has now served more than 100,000 students. Accelerated Study in Associate Programs, also known as ASAP — a city- and state-funded program the university started in 2007 — offers free tuition, textbook stipends, transportation benefits and academic advisers to community college students from low-income families and other historically marginalized groups. “CUNY is proud that this transformative program continues to help tens of thousands of students earn degrees despite challenges, closing persistent equity gaps in graduation rates,” CUNY Chancellor Félix Matos Rodríguez said in a statement. “These students not only graduated, they were the top of their class, with many continuing to our four-year colleges and, in some cases, our Ivy League competitors.” Eleven states have either replicated the model or are looking to implement it. Last year, Colorado, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina and Washington announced plans to look into duplicating the university’s template. SUNY is also building a model based on ASAP and Accelerate, Complete, Engage (ACE), another academic support program run by CUNY, at 25 colleges this spring. — Madina Touré More from the city: — Pricier items like cookies, chicken dumplings and bean and cheese burritos are off public school menus after a $60 million November cut to the city’s school foods budget. (Chalkbeat) — The shift in “community preference” policy has people worrying it could create political headwinds for real estate projects and hamper development. (POLITICO Pro) — The embattled leader of the state body that controls Roosevelt Island, Shelton Haynes was placed on administrative leave last week over concerns about workplace management. (Crain’s)
| | | | A message from Soloviev Group:   | | | | | NEW FROM PLANET ALBANY | | |  The government-reform organization Reinvent Albany fully supports a robust congestion pricing plan, in stark contrast to the concerns raised by some Democratic officials. | Charly Triballeau/AFP/Getty Images | PRICING WARS: Count the government-reform organization Reinvent Albany among those who want a robust congestion pricing plan without new exemptions. The group in testimony to a joint legislative budget panel on transportation urged lawmakers to monitor how the program, once fully online, is taking in revenue and reducing traffic. “Reinvent Albany strongly supports congestion pricing because it’s the law, and has been shown globally to reduce motor vehicle congestion, air pollution, and travel times, and will raise $15 billion to restore and improve transit,” the group wrote in its submitted testimony. This is in stark contrast to the concerns raised by some Democratic officials, including Rep. Pat Ryan. The Hudson Valley representative in a letter earlier this month urged MTA officials to soften the impact tolls below 60th Street in Manhattan would have on his constituents, including health care workers, teachers and farmers. — Nick Reisman More from Albany: — As book banning sparks outrage in schools and libraries, the censorship of classics like Native Son persists in New York prisons. (NYS Focus) — The MTA's fancy new ‘open gangway’ subway trains can’t run on express tracks because the design inhibits safety inspections. (Gothamist) — The jaw-dropping fundraising numbers from Assembly candidate Yi Andy Chen may be too good to be true. (City & State)
| | KEEPING UP WITH THE DELEGATION | | | 
Democrats are funneling more than $8 million into ads in hopes that Tom Suozzi recaptures the NY-3 seat. | Cheriss May/Getty Images | DEMS’ AD ADVANTAGE: The Feb. 13 special election in Nassau County and Queens is crucial to buoying House Republicans’ hopes of keeping their narrow majority. But they aren’t acting like it when it comes to television ads, POLITICO reports today. Democrats are funneling more than $8 million into the airwaves to recapture the NY-3 seat they lost to the since-ousted George Santos, according to AdImpact, a media tracking service. Republicans have so far reserved a mere $3 million. The GOP is waging a serious campaign — including a robust field program — and its candidate, Mazi Melesa Pilip, is fundraising furiously. But with Democratic contender Tom Suozzi better known in the district, TV ads could boost Pilip’s profile fast, reaching far more people than door-knocking. “Every dollar spent is a dollar that is going to be spent well on this,” Rep. Nick LaLota said. “We don’t need to spend dollar for dollar in order to win this. We can just come close.”
| | NEW YORK STATE OF MIND | | — Despite its “right to shelter,” New York City could only offer a spot on the floor or a chair at waiting centers for some migrants who must wait days or longer for a bed. (New York Times) — Officials in Rensselaer County created a drug dealer registry to combat overdoses. (Times Union) — Nightmare blunt rotations for New York politicians. (City & State)
| | | | A message from Soloviev Group: Each year, 2% of net profits generated from the proposed gaming component of Freedom Plaza will be directly reinvested into the community through a contribution to a 501(c)3 that is registered to and solely operated by the community. The guiding mission of this project is a commitment to finding out what our neighbors need, listening to concerns, and encouraging our community to consider the many benefits a truly collaborative plan can deliver. Our goal is a win-win development that enhances the community and contributes positively to the economic and cultural life of New York City. | | | | | SOCIAL DATA | | Edited by Daniel Lippman OUT AND ABOUT: Eric Adams and his top aides hit Zona de Cuba for an after-party to the State of the City address. The South Bronx rooftop spot is owned by former Republican mayoral candidate Fernando Mateo, who had happy hour going from noon until 8, according to an invite. Protesters advocating to close Rikers were thrown out, per the People’s Plan. More pic and video, via Katie Honan. WHAT BILL ACKMAN IS READING — “Is Cornell Next? School’s Wealthy Donors Call for President’s Ouster,” by WSJ’s Douglas Belkin MEDIAWATCH — “Jon Stewart Returns to ‘Daily Show’ as Monday Host, Executive Producer,” by Variety’s Brian Steinberg — “Brad Stone Named Editor of Bloomberg Businessweek,” by NYT’s Katie Robertson — Jamie Weinstein and Michelle Fields’ production company JMW Productions has released the first episode of its new iHeart podcast “Finding Matt Drudge” hosted by Chris Moody. MAKING MOVES: Former New York City Council Member Mark Treyger is leaving his role as senior adviser on education to Mayor Eric Adams to join the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York as CEO … Lisa Hofflich, former senior adviser to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, is joining Actum as senior vice president. … Elisa Campbell, who did media strategy at Assembly Global, has joined Fenton as associate vice president of advertising. … … Jennifer Sacco is joining the law and government relations firm Hinman Straub as a principal attorney. She most recently was deputy counsel at the N.Y. State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. … Elie Jacobs and Frank De Maria have rebranded their NY-based public affairs firm Purposeful Communications to a new name, Purposeful Advisors. WELCOME TO THE WORLD – Aja Johnson, manager of events and special projects at the New York State Office of Cannabis Management, and James Johnson, executive director of the GatewayJFK Business Improvement District, welcomed future mayor Journey Jolie Johnson. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: NYT’s Jeremy Peters … Michael Scherer … Jim Axelrod … Nancy Gibbs … Evan Lukaske of Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand’s (D-N.Y.) office … Emily Passer … Meaghan Lynch … Brunswick Group’s Kevin Helliker ... Dae Lim … Millicent Hennessey … Heather (Marrison) Purcell … (WAS WEDNESDAY): Rick Leventhal … Michael Krasna ... Marion Kaplan
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