Heard Around Town
Politics
6 in 10 NYC residents say life would be better outside the city
A new Fontas Advisors and Core Decision Analytics poll also suggests Mayor Eric Adams’ crime policies have widespread support.
New York State
Politics
NY Dems’ party chair wants to create … a new party
Jay Jacobs says Hochul should have two lines on the ballot – and he doesn’t seem to be counting on the WFP.
New York State
Politics
Brian Benjamin’s ethics problems are the last thing Hochul 2022 needs
The lieutenant governor is attracting controversy just as things start to get serious in the gubernatorial primary.
New York City
Politics
Eric Adams’ press controls raise questions about constitutionality, practicality
The mayor reportedly told all city agencies that every public message must be vetted by his office before they’re released to the press.
Homelessness
Politics
New York City workers keep throwing out homeless people’s belongings
The Sanitation Department said ‘one man’s trash is another man’s treasure,’ but homeless advocates called the policy garbage.
New York City
Politics
As Eric Adams looks to reduce waste, council points to city offices in need of staffing
The City Council is pushing back against vacancy reductions at Sanitation, the Department of Buildings and more.
New York City
Politics
NYC fires back at Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill with billboard counter attack
Mayor Eric Adams said the city was running billboards across the Sunshine State denouncing the controversial bill signed into law last week by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
New York State
Politics
COVID-19 is back in City Hall and the Capitol, but that hasn’t changed the public health strategy
Elected leaders continue to tout the vaccine and boosters as New York’s primary COVID-19 strategy, resisting new restrictions.
New York State
Politics
Democrats granted temporary pause of lawsuit against New York’s redistricting maps
Petitioning for the upcoming June primaries can continue as planned, despite a judge’s ruling that the maps were blatantly gerrymandered.
Nonprofits
Politics
Nonprofit human services workers may finally get a raise through the state budget
Their cost-of-living increases were routinely cut out of the annual final agreement under then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Politics
Politics
With Buffalo Bills proposal, Hochul sets the tone for a rocky relationship with the Seneca Nation
After a yearslong dispute, the Hochul administration forced the hand of the Seneca Nation to pay hundreds of millions in casino revenue, only to announce the funds should go to an NFL stadium in her hometown.
New York City
Politics
Adams plans to fight court ruling allowing toddlers to shed masks
The mayor said on Friday the city would appeal the decision due to an uptick in cases caused by the COVID-19 BA.2 variant.
Politics
Amazon workers on Staten Island vote to join first union
Self-organized workers at a large Amazon facility on Staten Island made history by voting to become the company’s first labor union.
Campaigns & Elections
Politics
Elections officials say keep on petitioning, despite ruling tossing the maps
Petitions are still due next week, pending appeal to keep the new district maps.
New York State
Politics
State Supreme Court judge rules NY’s district maps unconstitutional
Justice Patrick McAllister said political bias was clear in the maps “beyond a reasonable doubt.”
New York City
Politics
NYPD reveals training details and demographics of neighborhood safety teams
The NYPD argues that its new neighborhood safety teams are “not the anti-crime units of old,” but some council members remain unconvinced.
New York City
Politics
Assembly votes to let Brad Lander stay in office
The New York City comptroller incorrectly filed a surety bond after being sworn into office, making him technically ineligible to serve without state legislative action.
New York State
Politics
Why economists called Kathy Hochul’s $850 million Buffalo Bills deal a ‘boondoggle’
The agreement would be the largest public funding of a sports stadium in U.S. history.
News & Politics
Politics