New York City Council
News & Politics
Council members want answers about last month’s courtroom birth
In a letter to the mayor and district attorneys, 29 council members called the incident “horrific and degrading” and demanded an investigation.
Budget
Menin wants to boost funding for food pantries – but quiet on city-owned grocery stores
The New York City Council speaker addressed City & State’s Food Access and Affordability Event, weeks before the city budget is due.
New York City Council
Every borough is represented in the City Council’s queer caucus
With a new executive director and a citywide mandate, the bipartisan (!) group is getting to work.
Budget
Mamdani has placed DCWP front and center. Menin wants him to give it $32M more
The City Council will call for a big increase in the consumer and worker protection department’s budget at a hearing on Friday.
News & Politics
NYC Council will not override Mamdani’s first veto
The council doesn’t have the votes to pass the bill over Mamdani’s objections, but they plan to introduce a new version with tweaks.
Interviews & Profiles
The council’s newest member Carl Wilson says it’s all ‘a little surreal’
The staffer-to-principal pipeline lives on as Erik Bottcher’s former chief of staff succeeds him in the council.
New York City Council
Exclusive
Unions urge City Council not to override Mamdani’s ‘buffer zone’ veto
UAW, 1199SEIU and NYSNA are among the signees to a letter reiterating their opposition to the vetoed bill establishing “security perimeters” outside educational facilities.
News & Politics
Paladino, NYC Council settle ethics dispute over Islamophobic tweets
The Republican council member will be required to delete the tweets, make a public statement and the City Council will withdraw the disciplinary charge against her.
Personality
Who’s going to be the next New York City Council speaker?
There will be just 15 returning members in 2029. The jockeying starts now.
Transportation
No, WE want free buses
The City Council is pushing to expand the Fair Fares program for low-income New Yorkers through automatic access and by covering all transit costs. The Mamdani administration is not enthused.
Heard Around Town
Hello from the other side: CM Lincoln Restler’s wife Anna Poe-Kest works at OMB
COIB is cool with it, but a political power couple across the table of a contentious budget process has raised some eyebrows.
Heard Around Town
How Mamdani was convinced to back Boylan
The mayor’s closest political adviser Morris Katz was a proponent of getting involved with the tricky special election.
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New York City Council
Carl Wilson wins NYC Council special election, in a blow to Mamdani
The Manhattan race to succeed Erik Bottcher became a Mamdani-Menin proxy battle after the mayor endorsed second-place finisher Lindsey Boylan.
Heard Around Town
Boylan apologizes if coworkers ‘had a bad experience with me’
Lindsey Boylan is a leading candidate in Tuesday’s New York City Council special election, endorsed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
Budget
Mamdani and Menin join forces to call for Hochul to send more $$$ to NYC
And Gov. Kathy Hochul is not having it.
Campaigns & Elections
We might not know who won the Manhattan City Council special election till next week
Boylan versus Wilson is a Mamdani versus Menin proxy war – but ranked-choice voting may keep us waiting.
Housing
Progressive NYC Council Members call for action on deed theft
After Council Member Chi Ossé was arrested protesting last week, his colleagues are joining his call to Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Editor's Note
Editor’s note: When an arrest can help
Council Member Chi Ossé got roughed up by the cops this week, boosting awareness of deed theft – and his own profile.
New York City Council
Farah Louis kicked off secretive NYC Council Budget Negotiating Team
The task force is made up of 20 members who negotiate with the mayoral administration over the city budget.
New York City Council
A not-so-easy first 100 days for NYC Council Speaker Julie Menin
One member got raided, another is suing, a staffer got nabbed by ICE and budget negotiations are anything but smooth. Welcome to council leadership in 2026.
