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	<title>The Wonkster &#187; Community Development</title>
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	<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster</link>
	<description>Gotham Gazette&#039;s blog about New York policy and politics</description>
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		<title>East River Ferry Ridership Reaches 1 Million</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/07/16/east-river-ferry-ridership-reaches-1-million/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/07/16/east-river-ferry-ridership-reaches-1-million/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 16 Jul 2012 15:22:29 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Nina Goldman</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Community Development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gotham City]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Transportation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Waterfront]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[BillyBey]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[east river]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[east river ferry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ferry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mayor Michael Bloomberg]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[speaker quinn]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=11010</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Since its launch early last summer, the East River Ferry has carried one million passengers, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn announced today.
That&#8217;s more than double the predicted 409,000 riders a year, which the BillyBey Ferry Company cites as evidence of the program&#8217;s success.
“Surpassing  the one-million milestone is a testament to [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Since its <a href="http://old.gothamgazette.com/article/transportation/20110228/16/3474">launch</a> early last summer, the <a href="http://www.nywaterway.com/ERF-Home.aspx">East River Ferry</a> has carried one million passengers, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn announced today.</p>
<p>That&#8217;s more than double the predicted 409,000 riders a year, which the BillyBey Ferry Company cites as evidence of the program&#8217;s success.</p>
<p>“Surpassing  the one-million milestone is a testament to how popular our service has  been with commuters, tourists and leisure travelers in the first year,”  BilleyBey CEO Paul Goodman said in a press release today.</p>
<p>After unexpected levels of ridership beginning last summer, the <a href="http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/34/6/dtg_ferryservice_2011_2_4_bk.html">$9.3 million project</a> now has larger ferries on weekends and concession stands on every ride.</p>
<p>To continue expanding and improving service for the remainder of the ferry&#8217;s three-year pilot program and beyond, Bloomberg announced a survey that will be available for riders to take online, on the ferry and by phone.</p>
<p>&#8220;Ferry service is only going to get better for the next million passengers,&#8221; he said in the release.</p>
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		<title>High school entrepreneur wannabes sought for city tech program</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/07/11/high-school-entreprenuer-wannabes-sought-for-city-tech-program/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/07/11/high-school-entreprenuer-wannabes-sought-for-city-tech-program/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 11 Jul 2012 18:18:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Nina Goldman</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Community Development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tech]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[apps]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[EDC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[entrepreneur]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nfte]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nycedc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nyedc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[students]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[technology]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=10966</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A new program aims to expose high school students to the city&#8217;s growing Internet technology sector by teaming them up with industry experts to create Android phone apps and business plans.
The New York Economic Development Corp. and the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship are sponsoring the bootcamp for teenagers, which starts in August. Thirty high school [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>A new program aims to expose high school students to the city&#8217;s growing Internet technology sector by teaming them up with industry experts to create Android phone apps and business plans.</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.nycedc.com/">New York Economic Development Corp.</a> and the <a href="http://www.nfte.com/">Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship </a>are sponsoring the bootcamp for teenagers, which starts in August. Thirty high school students will be picked to participate in the program, called NYC Generation Tech. <a href="http://nycgenerationtech.com/">Applications are being accepted until July 20. </a></p>
<p>&#8220;This is another initiative to foster talent in [the technology]  sector,  which is going to be critical to our economy going forward,&#8221; said Patrick Muncie, a spokesman for the EDC.</p>
<p>To be eligible for NYC Generation Tech, students should be rising 10th or 11th graders who are either from a school where 50 percent or more of students qualify for free or reduced price school lunches or who qualify for the food assistance programs themselves.</p>
<p>The primary $100,000 of funding for NYC Generation Tech came from the city.</p>
<p>Terry Bowman, executive director for NFTE New York Metro Area, said the organization is looking to raise more money to provide scholarships and ongoing support for students after they complete the program.</p>
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		<title>Developers Chosen for Brooklyn Bridge Park Hotel Complex</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/06/19/developers-chosen-for-brooklyn-bridge-park-hotel-complex/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/06/19/developers-chosen-for-brooklyn-bridge-park-hotel-complex/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 19 Jun 2012 20:25:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Nina Goldman</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Community Development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gotham City]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Housing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Land Use]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Parks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Waterfront]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[brooklyn bridge park]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hotel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mayor Michael Bloomberg]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[new york city]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pier 1]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=10839</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The board of Brooklyn Bridge Park announced today the final plan for construction of a hotel and residency complex by the park&#8217;s Pier 1.
Toll Brothers City Living and Starwood Capital Group will collaborate on the approximately 550,000-square-foot complex, slated for completion in the fall of 2015, according to a press release from the mayor&#8217;s office.
“Brooklyn [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The board of <a href="www.brooklynbridgepark.org">Brooklyn Bridge Park</a> announced today the final plan for construction of a hotel and residency complex by the park&#8217;s Pier 1.</p>
<p>Toll Brothers City Living and Starwood Capital Group will collaborate on the approximately 550,000-square-foot complex, slated for completion in the fall of 2015, according to a press release from the mayor&#8217;s office.</p>
<p>“Brooklyn  Bridge Park has quickly become one of the most loved public spaces  along our city’s waterfront,” Mayor Bloomberg said in the release. “The major private investment is a vote of  confidence in Brooklyn and its future as a great place to live, work and  visit.”</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/15/nyregion/brooklyn-bridge-park-expected-to-announce-developers-of-a-new-hotel-complex.html">$295 million project</a> is set to break ground next summer, generating as many as 510 jobs, both permanent and temporary. The board&#8217;s aim is to keep the park financially sustainable with a series of hotels along the piers – when completed, it will cost $16 million a year to run the park. They expect to take in $3.3 million yearly in rent and other payments, adding up to an expected $119.7 million net revenue by the end of the 97-year ground leases on the hotel and residential sites.</p>
<p>The mayor&#8217;s office also released <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nycmayorsoffice/7401572662/in/photostream">four renderings of the proposed  complex</a>, showing its stone-and-glass facade and surrounding green space. Rogers Marvel Architects designed the 10-story hotel, called 1 Hotel, which will include 200 rooms, 18,000 square feet of banquet, meeting and retail space and a 6,000 square foot spa. There will also be a five-story building with 159 residential units.</p>
<p>“Today’s vote helps to ensure Brooklyn Bridge Park’s future,” NYC Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe said in the press release.</p>
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		<title>NYC Council wants banks to detail efforts in communities</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/05/15/nyc-council-wants-banks-to-document-efforts-in-communities/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2012/05/15/nyc-council-wants-banks-to-document-efforts-in-communities/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 15 May 2012 16:08:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Cristian Salazar</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[City Hall]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Community Development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gotham City]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=10676</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The City Council plans to vote on legislation that would require banks that receive billions in municipal funds to release information on their lending practices in struggling neighborhoods.
The bill is expected to pass today at the council&#8217;s stated meeting. Its supporters, including the Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development, say it will help policymakers make better [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The City Council plans to vote on <a title="Responsible Banking Act (text)" href="http://legistar.council.nyc.gov/View.ashx?M=F&amp;ID=1888141&amp;GUID=E7CFBB87-724C-432C-B889-22811DA79804" target="_blank">legislation</a> that would require banks that receive billions in municipal funds <a href="http://www.wnyc.org/blogs/wnyc-news-blog/2012/may/15/council-pass-legislation-aimed-pressuring-banks-invest-more-local-neighborhoods/">to release information on their lending practices</a> in struggling neighborhoods.</p>
<p>The bill is expected to pass today at the council&#8217;s stated meeting. Its supporters, including the Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development, say it will help policymakers make better decisions about where the city&#8217;s money is deposited and encourage banks to invest in communities.</p>
<p>&#8220;This bill will make the banking capital of the world the responsible banking capital of the world,&#8221; Council Speaker Christine Quinn said during the meeting.</p>
<p>Other cities <a href="http://www.governing.com/blogs/view/responsible-banking-ordinances-2012.html">are considering or have passed similar ordinances</a> after a punishing financial crisis. Los Angeles was expected to pass its own today.</p>
<p>Mayor Michael Bloomberg told The New York Times <a title="NYT story on banking bill" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/15/nyregion/council-wants-banks-to-describe-efforts-made-in-poor-areas.html?ref=nyregion" target="_blank">he was wary of putting restrictions on where city money could be deposited</a>. &#8220;You would think, between the federal government and the state government, we&#8217;d have enough bank regulations,&#8221; Bloomberg told the newspaper.</p>
<p>The city currently banks with over 30 major financial institutions, including JPMorganChase, Bank of America, New York Community Bank and Citibank.</p>
<p>At a <a title="3/2011 transcript" href="http://legistar.council.nyc.gov/View.ashx?M=F&amp;ID=1197470&amp;GUID=213711F1-14A9-4246-90A4-88D4D58B2D80" target="_blank">council hearing</a> in March 2011, the city Department of Finance said it was opposed to the bill, saying it was overly broad and could mislead consumers and businesses into believing it regulates banks.</p>
<p>&#8220;When procuring banking services, the city focuses and should continue to focus solely on the financial safety and soundness of each bank, its banking capabilities and its pricing,&#8221; said Elaine A. Kloss, in testimony before the committees on finance and community development.</p>
<p>The Department of Finance oversees the city&#8217;s money, in conjunction with the city comptroller and the Banking Commission. The commission approves or denies applications from financial institutions seeking to do business with the city.</p>
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		<title>Judge Orders Another Look at Atlantic Yards</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/07/13/judge-orders-another-look-at-atlantic-yards/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/07/13/judge-orders-another-look-at-atlantic-yards/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 13 Jul 2011 20:49:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gail Robinson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Community Development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Land Use]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Law]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=9873</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Opponents of the massive Atlantic Yards project in downtown Brooklyn have filed suit after suit to try to block the arena and residential complex -– largely without much success. Meanwhile Bruce Ratner has moved ahead on his project, reaping government help, razing buildings and building much of a basketball arena for the still New Jersey [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Opponents of the massive Atlantic Yards project in downtown Brooklyn have filed suit after suit to try to block the arena and residential complex -– largely without much success. Meanwhile Bruce Ratner has moved ahead on his project, reaping government help, razing buildings and building much of a basketball arena for the still New Jersey Nets.</p>
<p>Now, though, Ratner&#8217;s rivals have won a victory. Today Develop Don&#8217;t Destroy Brooklyn announced that state Supreme Court Judge Marcy Friedman has ordered the Empire State Development Corp. to conduct additional environmental review of the project, including a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement. (The ruling is available <a href=http://www.dddb.net/AYremand.pdf>here</a>.)<br />
<span id="more-9873"></span></p>
<p>In her decision, the judge found that the state development corporation was &#8220;arbitrary and capricious&#8221; when it based its approval of plans on a 10-year construction timetable. That timetable – probably never realistic – was smashed by Ratner&#8217;s various woes and the recession. But the judge said, the state made no effort to evaluate what effect lengthy delays – and perhaps 25 years of construction – could have. Opponents have said this extended schedule could litter the heart of Brooklyn with vacant spaces, construction sites and parking lots for decades. Ratner has repeatedly altered the project but the state has not subjected his changes to any evaluation.</p>
<p>The judge did not halt construction of the arena – although that has morphed too &#8212; from a Frank Gehry landmark to a generic box. And  Norman Oder <a href="http://atlanticyardsreport.blogspot.com/">writes</a> in Atlantic Yards report, the judge did give the state and the developer, &#8220;significant breathing room&#8221; by not issuing a stay to top Phase II. </p>
<p>But the ruling – if it stands up on appeal &#8212; does require more hearings, inquiry and study, and opponents hope, could open the way for a re-evaluation of Atlantic Yards by the Cuomo administration.</p>
<p>&#8220;Now, because of a Supreme Court ruling, there is a way out of this debacle and a golden opportunity for Gov. Cuomo and his Empire State Development Corp. (ESDC) to fix the big Atlantic Yards mess,&#8221; Develop don’t Destroy said in a <a href=" http://www.dddb.net/php/latestnews_Linked.php?id=2910">press release</a>.</p>
<p>In a <a href=" http://www.nolandgrab.org/archives/2011/07/atlantic_yards_747.html">statement</a> issued by BrooklynSpeaks, local Democratic Party leader JoAnn Simon assailed the state agency for violating the law. &#8221; “We expect an investigation into how this was allowed and call on Gov. Cuomo to now take decisive action in reforming oversight of Atlantic Yards, ESDC’s largest project.”</p>
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		<title>New York Exits Secure Communities Program</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/06/01/new-york-exits-secure-communities-program/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/06/01/new-york-exits-secure-communities-program/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Jun 2011 16:38:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Courtney Gross</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Community Development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[andrew cuomo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[governor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ICE]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[immigration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[new york city]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[secure communities]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=9580</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[NY1 is reporting that Gov. Andrew Cuomo is expected to announce this week New York&#8217;s exit from the secure communities program.
The exit may be temporary. Gotham Gazette reported last week that Cuomo was expected to make the announcement soon.
For that story, go here. 
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>NY1 is <a href="http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stories/140092/cuomo-to-pull-new-york-out-of-secure-communities-program">reporting</a> that Gov. Andrew Cuomo is expected to announce this week New York&#8217;s exit from the secure communities program.</p>
<p>The exit may be temporary. Gotham Gazette <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/albany/20110523/204/3531">reported</a> last week that Cuomo was expected to make the announcement soon.</p>
<p>For that story, go <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/albany/20110523/204/3531">here</a>. </p>
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		<title>Living Wage Gets Its Hearing</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/05/12/living-wage-gets-its-hearing/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/05/12/living-wage-gets-its-hearing/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 12 May 2011 22:37:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Courtney Gross</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[City Hall]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Community Development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Electoral Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eye Opener]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gotham City]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Governing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Law]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Measuring UP]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Public Finance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Work and Labor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nextNY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Christine Quinn]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[City Council]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[economic development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[economic development corp]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[living wage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mayor Michael Bloomberg]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mayor michael bloomberh]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[new york city]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Oliver Koppell]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tokumbo shobowale]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=9524</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Labor and city leadership collided this afternoon at a packed and feisty hearing on legislation to require city subsidized developers pay a living wage.

Under a bill introduced nearly a year ago, recipients of more than $100,000 in financial assistance would have to pay all of their employees either $11.50 or $10 an hour plus benefits. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Labor and city leadership collided this afternoon at a packed and feisty hearing on <a href="http://legistar.council.nyc.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=664291&#038;GUID=A83A5A5B-9589-4589-AAD7-5B2C6884610F&#038;Options=&#038;Search=">legislation</a> to require city <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/searchlight/20100413/203/3240">subsidized developers pay a living wage.<br />
</a><br />
Under a bill introduced <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/05/11/koppell-would-consider-motion-to-discharge-for-living-wage/">nearly a year ago,</a> recipients of more than $100,000 in financial assistance would have to pay all of their employees either $11.50 or $10 an hour plus benefits. The <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/05/10/clash-at-ida-board-over-study/">controversial</a> bill has garnered 30 sponsors at the council, but it does not have the Bloomberg administration&#8217;s support. Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who controls the council&#8217;s agenda, has yet to <a href="http://legistar.council.nyc.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=664291&#038;GUID=A83A5A5B-9589-4589-AAD7-5B2C6884610F&#038;Options=&#038;Search=">take a position on the measure</a>. </p>
<p>At today&#8217;s hearing, the chief of staff to the deputy mayor for economic development, Tokumbo Shobowale, endured two and half hours of back and forth with council members &#8212; the vast majority of those in attendance support the proposal. Shobowale attempted to convince the council that the adminsitration agrees with the premise of raising the standard of living for the working poor. It questions, Shobowale argued, whether a wage mandate is the way to do it. </p>
<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s not a philosophical difference,&#8221; Shobowale said. &#8220;It&#8217;s looking at the data.&#8221;</p>
<p>The hearing followed the <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/05/09/living-wage-study-says-policy-costs-jobs/">release of a study</a> on Monday by the Economic Development Corp., which argued the living wage proposal would result in between 33,000 and 100,000 job losses for the city. The study&#8217;s methodology and findings drew ire from supporters of the bill today. </p>
<p>&#8220;The administration is so full of it, you might want to consider a high-fiber diet,&#8221; said Councilmember Jumaane Williams. &#8220;It might help with that situation.&#8221;</p>
<p>The hearing amounted to a clash of academics and methodology &#8212; with supporters citing studies that supported living wage mandates, and the adminsitration calling its recently released analysis solid, current and comprehensive.  </p>
<p>Just this morning, supporters of the bill <a href="http://www.nelp.org/page/-/Justice/2011/AssessmentEDCStudyMay2011.pdf?nocdn=1">released a counter analysis</a> of the city&#8217;s living wage study, which argued its modeling did not rule out other factors that could affect job growth (like an economic downturn). Supporters also claim the city-sponsored study examines the wrong population of projects &#8212; it includes an as-of-right subsidy for industrial and commercial properties the bill is not meant to capture.<br />
<span id="more-9524"></span><br />
“Our current assessment, based on the executive summary, is that the study is an inaccurate and unreliable guide for policymakers. It contains a series of fundamental errors in methodology and analysis that simply render the study invalid,” said Paul Sonn of the National Employment Law Project.</p>
<p>On the other hand, the Bloomberg adminsitration questions whether the City Council would even have the authority to legislate wage standards at economic development projects. Shobowale said legitimate legal concerns have been raised over whether the bill amounted to a minimum wage for a small segment of the economy. That power, his testimony says, is reserved for the State Legislature. </p>
<p>Beyond the legal ramifications, said Shobowale, the numbers don&#8217;t lie. Data showed 39 cities with wage standards of $10 had a 2.2 percent dip in employment of low-skilled workers, according to Shobowale&#8217;s testimony. </p>
<p>Immediately following the administration&#8217;s testimony, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., who initially pushed the living wage proposal, delivered his own figures. He cited the research of <a href="http://www.peri.umass.edu/staff/">Robert Pollin of the University of Massachusetts.<br />
</a><br />
The living wage debate first came to the fore when the City Council rejected a proposal to redevelop the Kingsbridge Armory in the Bronx, because the developer refused to sign onto a living wage mandate. At today&#8217;s hearing, Diaz contended it was the Bloomberg administration who walked away from the deal for fear of &#8220;starting a precedent.&#8221;</p>
<p>Regardless, the decision whether to act on the mandate &#8212; at least for now &#8212; rests with Quinn. In what could be a sign of her feelings about the proposal, today&#8217;s hearing was relegated to a small hearing room in the council&#8217;s office building instead of the larger hearing space at the Emigrant Savings Bank. Supporters of the bill said they requested to use the larger space.</p>
<p>&#8220;I guess the speaker&#8217;s office was unable to arrange it,&#8221; said <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/05/11/koppell-would-consider-motion-to-discharge-for-living-wage/">Councilmember Oliver Koppell,</a> one of the bill&#8217;s primary sponsors. </p>
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		<title>Clash at IDA Board Over Study</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/05/10/clash-at-ida-board-over-study/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/05/10/clash-at-ida-board-over-study/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 May 2011 16:26:43 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Courtney Gross</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[City Hall]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Community Development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Electoral Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eye Opener]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gotham City]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[nextNY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bloomberg]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bloomberg adminsitration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[City Council]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Council Speaker Christine Quinn]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[economic development corp]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mayor Michael Bloomberg]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[new york city]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[seth pinsky]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=9475</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A small spat erupted at this morning&#8217;s Industrial Development Agency board meeting, when Bronx borough president appointee Albert Rodriguez questioned the legitimacy and release of the city&#8217;s living wage study. 
Rodriguez chastised the Economic Development Corp., which is the parent agency to the Industrial Development Agency, for hastily releasing the study&#8217;s executive summary to the [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>A small spat erupted at this morning&#8217;s <a href="http://www.nycedc.com/FinancingIncentives/NYCIDA/Pages/NYCIDA.aspx">Industrial Development Agency board meeting</a>, when <a href="http://www.nycedc.com/AboutUs/WhoWeAre/BoardOfDirectors/Pages/NYCIDAandNYCCRCDirectorBiographies.aspx">Bronx borough president appointee Albert Rodriguez</a> questioned the legitimacy and release of the city&#8217;s living wage study. </p>
<p>Rodriguez chastised the Economic Development Corp., which is the parent agency to the Industrial Development Agency, for hastily releasing the study&#8217;s executive summary to the press before giving a copy to the board on Monday. He also seriously questioned the report&#8217;s findings, which suggest a living wage mandate for city subsidized developments would result in job losses. <a href="http://legistar.council.nyc.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=664291&#038;GUID=A83A5A5B-9589-4589-AAD7-5B2C6884610F&#038;Options=&#038;Search=">Legislation</a> to require similar wage standards is currently ruminating at the City Council. </p>
<p>Rodriguez called the study &#8220;political football for the interest of the Bloomberg adminsitration&#8221; and &#8220;very flawed.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;This was a waste of money,&#8221; Rodriguez said. &#8220;We could have hired nine more teachers.&#8221; </p>
<p>The IDA board authorized the agency to spend $1 million on the study, which was conducted by Boston-based consulting firm, <a href="http://www.crai.com/">Charles River Associates</a>. </p>
<p>The study&#8217;s executive summary was released yesterday afternoon in anticipation of a City Council hearing scheduled for Thursday, said <a href="http://www.nycedc.com/AboutUs/WhoWeAre/PresidentBio/Pages/PresidentsBio.aspx">EDC President Seth Pinsky</a>. The City Council had asked the agency to accelerate the study&#8217;s release so it could discuss the findings at the hearing. The full report will be released in the &#8220;coming weeks,&#8221; Pinsky said. </p>
<p>In defense of the study, Pinsky said it was &#8220;disappointing&#8221; officials would allege the agency was playing politics. </p>
<p>&#8220;I think [the study] is very similar, in fact, to the approach that&#8217;s been taken on many of the studies that have been cited by proponents of wage mandates,&#8221; Pinsky said. &#8220;What the study found was the legislation that has been proposed in the City Council here in New York is dramatically different from wage mandate legislation that has been proposed across the country. The additional requirements that are put into this particular legislation&#8230; they would make it extremely difficult and unlikely that people would continue to take the benefits.&#8221; </p>
<p>Pinsky said there are other ways to create better &#8220;living standards,&#8221; including expanding the benefits of the <a href="http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=96406,00.html">earned income tax credit.</a> Any change in that tax credit would need federal, state and city approval. Pinsky also said the agency is conducting an internal study on how it can expand jobs in various middle income sectors, like construction or health care. </p>
<p>&#8220;There is nobody on either side of this debate who doesn&#8217;t want to figure out a way to raise the living standards of the least fortunate members of society,&#8221; Pinsky said. &#8220;The question is: Is this the right way to do it?&#8221;</p>
<p>The study found living wage policies would increase the standard wage at city subsidized developments, but could result in substantial job losses &#8212; anywhere from 33,000 to 100,000. Immediately after the executive summary was released, a Bloomberg spokesperson reiterated the <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/05/09/living-wage-study-says-policy-costs-jobs/">administration&#8217;s opposition to the bill</a>. </p>
<p>Rodriguez too is not without political motives. His boss, <a href="http://bronxboropres.nyc.gov/">Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.</a>, proposed the living wage legislation after the City Council <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/searchlight/20091215/203/3126">rejected a proposal to develop</a> the Kingsbridge Armory in the borough. The proposal was defeated because the developer would not promise to force tenants to pay a living wage.<br />
<span id="more-9475"></span><br />
When asked whether the study would hurt the bill&#8217;s chances, Rodriguez told Gotham Gazette this morning: &#8220;It&#8217;s the council that will make this decision&#8230; We&#8217;re hopeful that the legislation will get passed and it will go to the floor. And if the mayor wants to veto it, we&#8217;ll have enough votes.&#8221;</p>
<p>Currently, the bill has 30 sponsors, but Council Speaker Christine Quinn has yet to take a position. Quinn controls the council&#8217;s agenda. </p>
<p>Both Quinn and Diaz are prospective mayoral candidates in 2013. You can bet that race will factor into Quinn&#8217;s decision to support or oppose the bill. </p>
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		<title>Living Wage Study Says Policy Costs Jobs</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/05/09/living-wage-study-says-policy-costs-jobs/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/05/09/living-wage-study-says-policy-costs-jobs/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 09 May 2011 22:11:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Courtney Gross</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[City Hall]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Community Development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Electoral Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eye Opener]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gotham City]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Governing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Land Use]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Law]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Measuring UP]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Work and Labor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nextNY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[City Council]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[living wage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mayor Michael Bloomberg]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[national employment law projec]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[new york city]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nycedc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[paul sonn]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=9471</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[After much anticipation, the city Economic Development Corp. released a $1 million study on living wage policy today, which finds implementing higher pay standards at city subsidized developments would cost jobs. 
The study examines legislation at the City Council to require any entity who recieves more than $100,000 in financial assistance from the city to [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>After much anticipation, the city Economic Development Corp. released a $1 million study on living wage policy today, which finds implementing higher pay standards at city subsidized developments would cost jobs. </p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/08/12/firm-selected-for-living-wage-study/">study</a> examines legislation at the City Council to require any entity who recieves more than $100,000 in financial assistance from the city to pay a living wage. Thirty council members have signed on in support of the measure. Council Speaker Christine Quinn has not revealed her position. Although the speaker has Ok&#8217;d a hearing on the bill, which is scheduled for Thursday. </p>
<p>The adminsitration <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/08/12/firm-selected-for-living-wage-study/">called for the study</a>, which was conducted by Boston-based consulting firm <a href="http://www.crai.com/">Charles River Associates</a>, last year after the City Council <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/work/20100115/22/3147">defeated a controversial development</a> at the Kingsbridge Armory. The developer refused to guarantee tenants of the proposal would pay a living wage. </p>
<p>The study found certain development projects would no longer be &#8220;financially feasible&#8221; if the city adopted a living wage mandate. As a result, it argues, the city would lose jobs. </p>
<p>In response to the study, Andrew Brent, a mayoral spokesperson, released the following statement: </p>
<blockquote><p>“The study is clear: the legislation would result in major job losses at all income levels and particularly among low-income New Yorkers. The biggest job losses would occur in the areas with the highest unemployment at a time when too many New Yorkers are without jobs as it is. The legislation would have a very harmful effect on growth opportunities of small businesses and the creation of affordable housing, and it would reduce overall private investment in New York City by an estimated $7 billion. Aggregate wages among low-skilled workers would not change because any gains among some workers would be more than offset by families losing employment opportunities entirely. The goal of increasing wages among New Yorkers of course is a good one, but this type of approach in other cities hasn’t just failed, it’s done so with severe consequences for job-seekers and businesses.”</p></blockquote>
<p>But not everyone was thrilled with the results. In response to the study, Comptroller John Liu (a frequent critic of the Economic Development Corp.) released the following statement: </p>
<blockquote><p>“The EDC’s claim that a living wage kills jobs shows just how distorted the agency’s operations have become.  The proposed living wage would be a requirement on new projects that are heavily subsidized by taxpayers.  It may curtail the number of new minimum wage jobs, with the hope that these new jobs would then pay a decent wage.  The claim of job losses is rhetoric at its worst.”</p></blockquote>
<p>Asked what he thinks the <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/06/08/living-wage-study-gets-approved-with-skepticism/">study means for the living wage legislation</a> currently under consideration at the City Council, <a href="http://www.nelp.org/site/about_us/legal_co_director2">Paul Sonn</a>, legal co-director of the National Employment Law Project, still seemed optimistic. </p>
<p>&#8220;The council I&#8217;m sure will give it careful consideration,&#8221; Sonn said. &#8220;We expect them to look at more rigorous research, which includes other studies and hearing the real world experiences of other cities.&#8221;</p>
<p>And for your reading pleasure: </p>
<p><a title="View Living Wage Exec Summary_2011 05 09 on Scribd" href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/55044056/Living-Wage-Exec-Summary-2011-05-09" style="margin: 12px auto 6px auto; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; -x-system-font: none; display: block; text-decoration: underline;">Living Wage Exec Summary_2011 05 09</a><iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" src="http://www.scribd.com/embeds/55044056/content?start_page=1&#038;view_mode=list&#038;access_key=key-10muu8v3360uh719kp8p" data-auto-height="true" data-aspect-ratio="0.772727272727273" scrolling="no" id="doc_52795" width="100%" height="400" frameborder="0"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">(function() { var scribd = document.createElement("script"); scribd.type = "text/javascript"; scribd.async = true; scribd.src = "http://www.scribd.com/javascripts/embed_code/inject.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(scribd, s); })();</script></p>
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		<title>Advocates Protest SWMP Delays (UPDATE)</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/04/12/advocates-protest-swmp-delays/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/04/12/advocates-protest-swmp-delays/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 12 Apr 2011 18:22:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Courtney Gross</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[City Hall]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Civil Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Community Development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Crime & Safety]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Environment]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Land Use]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Waterfront]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nextNY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[eddie bautista]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[eric goldstein]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fair share]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[laura haight]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[new york city]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solid waste management plan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[swmp]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[waste transfer stations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[waste-to-energy]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=9375</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Five years after the City Council and Mayor Michael Bloomberg agreed to a solid waste management plan for the five boroughs &#8211; one that spread out the city&#8217;s garbage burden &#8212; council members and environmental justice advocates say the adminsitration is backpedaling. 
In its preliminary capital budget, the adminsitration has delayed the construction of four [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Five years after the City Council and Mayor Michael Bloomberg <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/searchlight/20100504/203/3257">agreed to a solid waste management plan for the five boroughs </a>&#8211; one that spread out the city&#8217;s garbage burden &#8212; council members and environmental justice advocates say the adminsitration is backpedaling. </p>
<p>In its <a href="http://www.nyc.gov/html/omb/html/publications/finplan02_11.shtml">preliminary capital budget</a>, the adminsitration has delayed the construction of four waste transfer stations, three of which are in Manhattan. The cut, said <a href="http://www.nrdc.org/about/staff.asp">Eric Goldstein of the Natural Resources Defense Council</a>, could delay funding for these facilities between five and eight years. Advocates fear the stations will never occur. Five years from now, there will be a new occupant in City Hall &#8212; one perhaps with different priorities. </p>
<p>&#8220;We are very troubled,&#8221; said Goldstein. </p>
<p>The waste transfer stations are a crucial part of the <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/iotw/20071113/200/2343">2006 solid waste management plan</a>, which attempts to get garbage off of diesel-spewing trucks and onto rail cars and barges instead. The plan was also meant to spread stations throughout the five boroughs to ease the burden on communities inundated with city waste &#8212; like the South Bronx, Greenpoint and Williamsburg. The delayed stations in Manhattan are the only ones slated for the borough, which currently sends the vast majority of its trash to New Jersey. </p>
<p>We are waiting for a response from the Department of Sanitation. </p>
<p>Advocates also decried the administration&#8217;s recent exploration of <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/searchlight/20110323/203/3494">waste-to-energy</a> &#8212; a controversial technology that typically involves burning or heating trash to create electricity (We reported on it <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/searchlight/20110323/203/3494">here two weeks ago</a>). <a href="http://www.nypirg.org/enviro/bottlebill/">Laura Haight of the New York Public Interest Research Group</a> decried the move. </p>
<p>&#8220;The types of technology they want to pilot have not been proven successful commercially anywhere in the country,&#8221; said Haight. &#8220;We believe this is a waste of energy.&#8221;</p>
<p>A conversation on the equal distribution of these types of facilities is occurring right now at a hearing of the Landmarks, Public Siting and Maritime Uses Subcommittee. Councilmember Brad Lander, the committee&#8217;s chair, blasted the adminsitration for refusing to testify (his letter appears below). </p>
<p>&#8220;We&#8217;ve concentrated those facilities in low-income communities, in communities of color,&#8221; Lander said this afternoon on the City Hall steps. </p>
<p>A spokesperson for the Bloomberg adminsitration said they would not send a representative, because &#8220;fair share,&#8221; as it&#8217;s commonly referred to, is currently the subject of litigation. </p>
<p>UPDATE: We just got this response from City Hall spokesperson Jason Post: </p>
<blockquote><p>
Because of the economy, the City has been forced to reduce all of its expenditures, including its capital program.</p>
<p>The preliminary capital budget for the Sanitation Department includes deferred spending on four Marine Transfer Stations. </p>
<p>The Administration remains fully committed to SWMP’s principles of borough equity, using rail and barge to transfer solid waste, relieving the burden of waste receiving from certain communities, strengthening our recycling infrastructure and piloting new technologies to derive clean energy from waste.</p>
<p>We have made great progress on SWMP already—long term rail contracts are in place and two marine transfer stations are under construction, as is the City’s new recycling facility—and we are exploring cost-effective alternatives to expedite the construction schedule outlined in the preliminary capital plan. We will make a decision before the Mayor’s executive budget presentation.</p></blockquote>
<p><a title="View CM Lander Letter to Mayor Bloomberg Re Fair Share Hearing(2) on Scribd" href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/52792105/CM-Lander-Letter-to-Mayor-Bloomberg-Re-Fair-Share-Hearing-2" style="margin: 12px auto 6px auto; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; -x-system-font: none; display: block; text-decoration: underline;">CM Lander Letter to Mayor Bloomberg Re Fair Share Hearing(2)</a><iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" src="http://www.scribd.com/embeds/52792105/content?start_page=1&#038;view_mode=list&#038;access_key=key-1a4vvgiv5deufoyq40h4" data-auto-height="true" data-aspect-ratio="0.772727272727273" scrolling="no" id="doc_86211" width="100%" height="400" frameborder="0"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">(function() { var scribd = document.createElement("script"); scribd.type = "text/javascript"; scribd.async = true; scribd.src = "http://www.scribd.com/javascripts/embed_code/inject.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(scribd, s); })();</script></p>
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		<title>Replacing Indian Point</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/03/23/replacing-indian-point/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/03/23/replacing-indian-point/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 23 Mar 2011 15:32:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Courtney Gross</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[City Hall]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Community Development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Environment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eye Opener]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gotham City]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Governing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Land Use]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Public Finance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tech]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nextNY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mayor Michael Bloomberg]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[new york city]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[planyc 2030]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[planyc 2939]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[steven cohen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[waste-to-energy]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=9317</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Today we cover the Bloomberg administration&#8217;s renewed interest in developing waste-to-energy facilities &#8212; or plants that burn or heat garbage to create energy. 
The administration&#8217;s interests are even more timely since Gov. Andrew Cuomo, experts and advocates have called for the closure of Indian Point. 
(It should be noted that Mayor Michael Bloomberg does not [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Today we cover the Bloomberg administration&#8217;s <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/searchlight/20110323/203/3494">renewed interest in developing</a> waste-to-energy facilities &#8212; or plants that burn or heat garbage to create energy. </p>
<p>The administration&#8217;s interests are even more timely since Gov. Andrew Cuomo, experts and advocates have <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/23/nyregion/23indian.html?partner=rss&#038;emc=rss">called for the closure</a> of Indian Point. </p>
<p>(It should be noted that Mayor Michael Bloomberg <a href="http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/03/18/skepticism-grows-about-safety-of-indian-point-nuclear-power-plant/">does not share their opinion</a>. He said last week: “We need energy in this city, and the first thing we have to do is take a very close look at what happened in Japan and see if there’s any lessons that we should learn from that and any improvements that we should learn and make at Indian Point.&#8221;)</p>
<p>Indian Point provides up to 30 percent of New York City&#8217;s electricity. Steven Cohen, the <a href="http://www.earth.columbia.edu/articles/view/2252">executive director of Columbia University&#8217;s Earth Institute</a>, estimates waste-to-energy could provide about 10 percent of the city&#8217;s <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/games/switch/games/index.php?game=switch">needed megawatt hours.  </a></p>
<p>&#8220;Particularly if you&#8217;d like to get rid of the Indian Point plant, generating 10 percent of the city&#8217;s energy from garbage would be feasible,&#8221; said Cohen. &#8220;What would you rather have? Would you rather have these trucks driving around the city polluting and a nuclear power plant, or would you rather close that down and have a bunch of waste to energy plants?&#8221;</p>
<p>Cohen supports the development of small-scale plants throughout the city. </p>
<p>For more on the debate, go <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/searchlight/20110323/203/3494">here</a>. </p>
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		<title>Regulation of Bus Companies Questioned</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/03/15/regulation-of-bus-companies-questioned/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/03/15/regulation-of-bus-companies-questioned/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 15 Mar 2011 18:07:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Courtney Gross</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[City Hall]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Community Development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Crime & Safety]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Electoral Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eye Opener]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gotham City]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Land Use]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Law]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Measuring UP]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Transportation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nextNY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bronx]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[chinatown]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[chrales schumer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chuck Schumer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[crash]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[discount buses]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[new york city]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Super Luxury Tours]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=9269</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Just hours after officials called for stricter safety regulations for discount buses departing from Chinatown yesterday, another fatal accident took the lives of two more passengers. 
A Super Luxury Tours bus headed for Philadelphia slammed into a guardrail on the New Jersey Turnpike, killing the driver and another passenger. The crash came just three days [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Just hours after officials called for <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqiSssIbyEw">stricter safety regulations</a> for discount buses departing from Chinatown yesterday, another fatal accident took the lives of two more passengers. </p>
<p>A Super Luxury Tours bus headed for Philadelphia <a href="http://www.wpix.com/news/wpix-breaking-major-bus-crash-on-nj-turnpike-20110314,0,1770630.story">slammed into a guardrail </a>on the New Jersey Turnpike, killing the driver and another passenger. The crash came just three days after a <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/mar/15/ny-bus-drivers-trail-fatal-crash-probed/">brutal accident in the Bronx</a>, which killed 15 people.</p>
<p>“Saturday morning’s crash was a heartbreaking tragedy and requires us to look closely at the safety regulations in place for the discount tour bus industry,” said <a href="http://schumer.senate.gov/">Sen. Charles Schumer</a> in a <a href="http://schumer.senate.gov/new_website/record.cfm?id=331866">prepared statement yesterday</a>. “While it’s vital we get to the bottom of what caused Saturday’s crash, we must make sure that the regulations that govern the overall safety of this industry are effective and being followed by operators.”</p>
<p>Schumer wants to see the National Transportation Safety Board <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2011/03/14/2011-03-14_sen_chuck_schumer_demands_ntsb_oversight_of_discount_buses_after_fatal_bronx_cra.html">investigate</a> the entire industry. </p>
<p>According to the release, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver <a href="http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?default_fld=&#038;bn=A04578&#038;Summary=Y&#038;Text=Y">introduced legislation</a> last month that would require these discount bus companies, many of which operate from the curbside in Chinatown, to get permits from the city. They are now <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/15/nyregion/15bus.html?_r=1">regulated</a> exclusively by the <a href="http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/">Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration</a>. His bill would also designate where they can drop off and pick up passengers. </p>
<p>According to a <a href="http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/transportation/td_chinatown_bus.shtml">study</a> from the Department of City Planning, these companies conduct 2,000 trips from Chinatown every week. </p>
<p>We covered the issue last year. For an in-depth look at the controversy, go <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/transportation/20100512/16/3265">here</a>. </p>
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		<title>Cuomo Appoints Towns (the Younger One)</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/02/10/cuomo-appoints-towns-the-younger-one/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/02/10/cuomo-appoints-towns-the-younger-one/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 10 Feb 2011 19:11:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gail Robinson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Community Development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Electoral Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eye on Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Housing]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=9090</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Gov. Andrew Cuomo has named Brooklyn Assemblymember Darryl Towns commissioner and CEO of the state&#8217;s Homes and Community Renewal, which includes the Division of Housing and Community Renewal, the state mortgage agency  and other housing agencies.
Towns, who has served in the legislature since 1992, is the son of U.S. Rep. Edolphus Towns and has [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Gov. Andrew Cuomo has named Brooklyn Assemblymember <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/campaigns/whosrunning.php?t=indiv&#038;id=225">Darryl Towns</a> commissioner and CEO of the state&#8217;s <a href=" http://www.nyshcr.org/">Homes and Community Renewal</a>, which includes the <a href=" http://www.nyshcr.org/">Division of Housing and Community Renewal</a>, the state <a href=" http://www.nyhomes.org/index.htm">mortgage agency</a>  and other housing agencies.</p>
<p>Towns, who has served in the legislature since 1992, is the son of U.S. Rep. <a href=" http://www.house.gov/towns/">Edolphus Towns</a> and has often been mentioned as a possible successor to him.</p>
<p>In the release from the governor&#8217;s office both Steven Spinola, president of the <a href=" http://www.rebny.com/">Real Estate Board of New York</a>, and Duncan MacKenzie, chief of the New York State <a href=" http://www.nysar.com/content/login_mem.aspx?site_id=1&#038;page_id=1&#038;url=/content/membersredirect.htm">Association of Realtors</a>, praised the appointment, as did  the New York State <a href="http://www.nysafah.org/">Association for Affordable Housing</a>, a trade group. The statement did not include comments from any tenant groups.</p>
<p>Towns currently chairs the Assembly&#8217;s Committee on Banks and the Black, Puerto Rican/Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus. During his time in the legislature, Towns, whose <a href=" http://www.gothamgazette.com/albany/district/assembly54">district</a> includes parts of Cypress Hills, Bushwick and East New York, helped win passage of the ANCHOR Program. He has  <a href="http://atlanticyardsreport.blogspot.com/2009/01/edolphus-towns-succession-darryl-towns.html">backed</a> the Atlantic Yards project and recently penned an <a href="http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/it_not_about_walmart_zhlpUq1nuRlXrVENwI0N4M">op-ed</a> for the Post, essentially supporting the idea of a Walmart in East New York. He was a <a href="http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/cops_furious_at_don_kill_bill_SkSRn51FKIeHqY85ZHJSYI">sponsor of a bill</a> that would have end the city police&#8217;s shoot to kill policy, instead requiring them to wound suspects if forced to fire.</p>
<p>Town&#8217;s appointment opens the way for a special elections to fill the seat from the 54th Assembly district. While that might come as a relief to political junkies going cold turkey in this non-election year, don&#8217;t expect too much excitement. For all intents and purposes, the party bosses <a href=" http://live.gothamgazette.com/article//20060217/999/1765">fill vacant legislative seats</a> mid-term, not the voters. We&#8217;ll keep you posted, though.</p>
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		<title>The Developer&#039;s Tax Break</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/02/09/the-developers-tax-break/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/02/09/the-developers-tax-break/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 10 Feb 2011 00:49:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gail Robinson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[City Hall]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Community Development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Housing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Public Finance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[421-a]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[421a]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Brad Lander]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[department of housing preservation and development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jumaane Williams]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[letitia james]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[real estate board of new york]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=9082</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This post was written by Alshawn Kelly Rushing.
As the city tries to rebuild its crumbling real estate industry, City Council members and community organizers gathered at the Department of Housing Preservation and Development&#8217;s headquarters today to protest an extension of a property tax reprieve.  
The 421-a tax benefit program exempts developers from paying increases [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><b><i>This post was written by Alshawn Kelly Rushing.</i></b></p>
<p>As the city tries to rebuild its crumbling real estate industry, City Council members and community organizers gathered at the <a href=" http://www.nyc.gov/html/hpd/html/home/home.shtml">Department of Housing Preservation and Development</a>&#8217;s headquarters today to protest an extension of a property tax reprieve.  </p>
<p>The <a href=" http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/communitydevelopment/20061218/20/2062">421-a tax benefit program</a> exempts developers from paying increases in property taxes on new multifamily buildings for up to 25 years. Originally created in the 1970s to encourage development in the city, the program was changed in 2008 to focus more on affordable housing.  </p>
<p>For a new residential development to be eligible for the tax exemption, 20 percent of the units in it must be affordable.  Any project that received a permit by June 2008 was exempt from the stricter rules, as long as it was complete or near completion by June 2011.  </p>
<p>The Bloomberg administration has proposed extending the deadline in the hopes of reenergizing the real estate market in the city that took a huge hit during the financial crisis. If passed, the new deadline for developers would be June 2014. The break would apply to 7,000 to 10,000 new units currently under development.  </p>
<p>The extensions drew criticism from supporters of affordable housing.   Outside the Housing Preservation and Development headquarters, protesters held up banners and chanted &#8220;no more bailouts.&#8221; </p>
<p>&#8220;We simply cannot afford to extend hundreds of millions in tax breaks to bail out luxury housing development,&#8221; said Councilmember <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/campaigns/whosrunning.php?t=office&#038;office=112">Brad Lander</a>.  &#8220;These developers should follow the rules, just like everyone else: include affordable units or pay your taxes.&#8221;<br />
<span id="more-9082"></span><br />
Councilmembers <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/campaigns/whosrunning.php?t=office&#038;office=118">Jumaane Williams</a> and <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/campaigns/whosrunning.php?t=office&#038;office=108">Letitia James</a> joined Lander, along with community organizers and advocates for affordable housing. </p>
<p>&#8220;Instead of strengthening rent laws, [Mayor Michael Bloomberg is] giving $420 million to the biggest, baddest real-estate developers in New York City,&#8221; said Judith Goldinger, supervising attorney for the <a href=http://www.legal-aid.org/en/home.aspx>Legal Aid Society</a>.  &#8220;The city should propose a solution that strengthens rather than undermining the 421-a program&#8217;s affordability goal.&#8221;</p>
<p>Dave Hanzel, policy director for the <a href="http://www.anhd.org/">Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development</a>, said, &#8220;Real estate speculators didn&#8217;t make the money they thought they would.  It is not the taxpayers&#8217; job to bail them out. The owners who failed in their gamble have two options: Pay property taxes or build affordable housing!&#8221;</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.rebny.com/">Real Estate Board of New York</a> advocated for the changes.  Michael Slattery, senior vice president of the board, called the proposed extension &#8220;prudent&#8221; on the city&#8217;s part.  </p>
<p>&#8220;We haven&#8217;t been doing well in constructing housing in the last few years. … There was virtually no private sector development going on in the city for two years,&#8221; Slattery said. &#8220;I think we need to recognize that our city has been somewhat devastated by a lack of financing. New housing production is down 80 percent from the peak in 2008 from 30,000 units a year.&#8221;</p>
<p>According to a calculation from Lander, the extension could cost the city $420 million, a figure Slattery contests.  &#8220;The costs were already factored in,&#8221; he said. &#8220;It shouldn&#8217;t cost the city anything.&#8221; According to Slattery, only a small portion of the 7,000 to 10,000 units would actually benefit from the extension.</p>
<p>The mayor&#8217;s office has not released a figure on how much the extension will cost, irking some council members.  </p>
<p>&#8220;It is inexcusable that the City of New York has not even disclosed what this tax giveaway will cost,&#8221; said James. &#8220;It would cost half a billion dollars or more, while at the same time the mayor is proposing to lay off teachers, cut back on roads and bridges, and reduce spending on affordable housing.&#8221;</p>
<p>James and Lander have proposed increasing the amount of affordable units a development would need to get a 421-a exemption to 30 percent and above.  James cites the lack of affordable housing in her district as a reason for this. &#8220;Despite the expansion and explosion of development, only 10 percent of housing in Downtown Brooklyn is affordable,&#8221; she said.</p>
<p><i>Correction: The post originally attributed the $420 million to the Independent Budget Office. The figure actually came from Brad Lander. The post has been corrected to reflect this</i>.</p>
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		<title>Sparks Fly at Walmart Hearing</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/02/03/sparks-fly-at-walmart-hearing/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/02/03/sparks-fly-at-walmart-hearing/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 03 Feb 2011 23:53:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Courtney Gross</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[City Hall]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Civil Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Community Development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Crime & Safety]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Electoral Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gotham City]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Land Use]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Measuring UP]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Public Finance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Work and Labor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[charles barron]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[City Council]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Council Speaker Christine Quinn]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[east new york]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[new york city]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[walmart]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=9060</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[If today&#8217;s hearing is any indication, Walmart will have a next to impossible chance of getting a New York City store approved by the City Council. 
Several dozen council members and a standing room only crowd gathered in Lower Manhattan this afternoon to debate how a Walmart store would affect small businesses and communities in [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>If today&#8217;s hearing is any indication, Walmart will have a next to impossible chance of<a href="http://www.walmartnyc.com/"> getting a New York City store</a> approved by the City Council. </p>
<p>Several dozen council members and a standing room only crowd gathered in Lower Manhattan this afternoon to debate how a Walmart store would affect small businesses and communities in the Big Apple. Last month, Walmart kicked off a <a href="http://www.observer.com/2011/politics/cusp-council-hearing-wal-mart-pushes-back?utm_medium=partial-text&#038;utm_campaign=politics">vigorous marketing campaign</a> to court New Yorkers and convince them to support a New York City store. </p>
<p>Officials from Walmart <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/02/01/walmart-declines-hearing-invitation-again/">refused to attend today&#8217;s council hearing</a>, arguing they were being unfairly targeted. </p>
<p>Council Speaker Christine Quinn blasted the corporation for not testifying. Their absence, she said, &#8220;sadly only leads me to be further skeptical.&#8221;</p>
<p>For more than four hours, council members tore into Walmart&#8217;s policies, including its <a href="http://www.pbs.org/itvs/storewars/stores3.html">labor practices</a>, which have been the subject of several <a href="http://consumerist.com/2010/12/supreme-court-to-hear-walmart-gender-discrimination-suit.html">lawsuits</a>. They heard from experts across the country who had <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&#038;source=web&#038;cd=4&#038;ved=0CC0QFjAD&#038;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.luc.edu%2Fcurl%2Fpdfs%2FProjects%2FWalMartReport2009122.doc&#038;rct=j&#038;q=univeristy%20o%20f%20illinois%20at%20chicago%20study%20on%20walmart&#038;ei=YT5LTZa4JJO_gQej4MXbDw&#038;usg=AFQjCNGiOxfMTdw-1EkirAhYOOqg-U51Yg&#038;sig2=eNMHFx3WRFZX4OxiC6uW1Q&#038;cad=rja">studies in hand</a> that argued Walmart would lead to small businesses boarding up.  </p>
<p>Not one council member voiced support for a New York City Walmart. </p>
<p>The Walmart issue encapsulates a <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/work/20100115/22/3147">familiar debate at the City Council </a>&#8211; one that last reared its head when the body <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/searchlight/20091215/203/3126">rejected the development of the Kingsbridge Armory</a>. As Walmart argues it will bring jobs to New York City, advocates and officials question the quality of those jobs, whether they will provide health insurance and whether they will pay a <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/searchlight/20100413/203/3240">living wage.</a>  </p>
<p>For some, the prospect of jobs is good enough. </p>
<p>&#8220;Everyone is waving this boogeyman around about how this corporation is going to come in,&#8221; said Tony Herbert, a community activist and Walmart supporter. &#8220;I will say to you directly, we need jobs for our community.&#8221;<br />
<span id="more-9060"></span><br />
Others think a store would end up with a net loss of retail positions. </p>
<p>&#8220;Wal-monster will drive the small businesses out of business,&#8221; said Mark Tanis, the general manager of Shoppers World in Brownsville, Brooklyn. </p>
<p>In the end, it&#8217;s unclear whether the council will even have any decision over whether Walmart comes to the Big Apple. The mega-store is rumored to be eying sites they could build &#8220;as-of-right,&#8221; including <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/money/2010/05/21/2010-05-21_residents_furious_as_walmart_eyes_east_new_yorks_gateway_ii_mall_for_first_store.html">one area in East New York in Brooklyn</a>. Nonetheless, you can bet the council will be out in full force to try to put a stop to it. </p>
<p>&#8220;Don&#8217;t even think about coming to East New York,&#8221; said Councilmember Charles Barron, who represents the neighborhood. &#8220;We will not be your slave workers on your plantation.&#8221;</p>
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		<title>Walmart Declines Hearing Invitation... Again</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/02/01/walmart-declines-hearing-invitation-again/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/02/01/walmart-declines-hearing-invitation-again/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 01 Feb 2011 22:54:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Courtney Gross</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Civil Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Community Development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Crime & Safety]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Electoral Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eye Opener]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gotham City]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Governing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Land Use]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Law]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Measuring UP]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Public Finance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Work and Labor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nextNY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[City Council]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Council Speaker Christine Quinn]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[new york city]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[small business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[walmart]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=9053</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This should come as no surprise, but Walmart once again will pass on testifying at a City Council hearing on Thursday.

In a letter dated today, Walmart&#8217;s Philip H. Serghini attempts to strike down anti-Walmart sentiments wafting through the City Council, arguing the retail giant is committed to healthy foods, diversity and jobs. But Serghini says [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>This should come as no surprise, but Walmart <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/11/nyregion/11walmart.html">once again</a> will pass on testifying at a City Council <a href="http://legistar.council.nyc.gov/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=133139&#038;GUID=FCE986EB-29A9-46CF-85C1-9B458C7F89B8&#038;Search=">hearing on Thursday.<br />
</a><br />
In a letter dated today, <a href="http://www.walmart.com/">Walmart</a>&#8217;s Philip H. Serghini attempts to strike down anti-Walmart sentiments wafting through the City Council, arguing the retail giant is committed to <a href="http://www.wnyc.org/articles/wnyc-news/2011/jan/19/wal-mart-donates-nyc-food-bank-critics-throw-tomatoes/">healthy foods</a>, diversity and jobs. But Serghini says he could not commit to attending the hearing, because the council is only focused on Walmart and ignores the impact of other big-box stores in the city. You can see his explanation below. </p>
<blockquote><p>The joint hearing, however, does not appear to consider the impact of the hundreds of NYC stores operated by these companies; rather it focuses solely on Walmart.  Since we have not announced a store for New York City, I respectfully suggest the committee first conduct a thoughtful examination of the existing impact of large grocers and retailers on small businesses in New York City before embarking on a hypothetical exercise.</p>
<p>For these reasons and more, we respectfully decline participation in the February 3rd hearing.  </p>
<p>Should the committee decide to conduct the hearing in a more comprehensive manner, we would be happy to revisit our decision.  In the interim, we do feel a responsibility to better inform the planned discussion and share some facts about the company that the committee can share with participants.</p></blockquote>
<p>Earlier this year, Walmart kicked off a major marketing campaign to persuade New Yorkers to support a store within the five boroughs. They are sending out mailers, taking out radio ads and have launched a <a href="http://www.walmartnyc.com/">NYC-centric Web site</a> to corral support. </p>
<p>So far, no one at the <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2010/12/14/2010-12-14_quinn_stands_firm_against_walmart.html">council is budgeting.</a> </p>
<p>The full explanation from Walmart is below. </p>
<p><a title="View Final City Council Letter on Scribd" href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/47997683/Final-City-Council-Letter" style="margin: 12px auto 6px auto; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; -x-system-font: none; display: block; text-decoration: underline;">Final City Council Letter</a> <object id="doc_851471996685034" name="doc_851471996685034" height="600" width="100%" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://d1.scribdassets.com/ScribdViewer.swf" style="outline:none;" ><param name="movie" value="http://d1.scribdassets.com/ScribdViewer.swf"></param><param name="wmode" value="opaque"></param><param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><param name="FlashVars" value="document_id=47997683&#038;access_key=key-23d80pcci1c34bnga7is&#038;page=1&#038;viewMode=list"><embed id="doc_851471996685034" name="doc_851471996685034" src="http://d1.scribdassets.com/ScribdViewer.swf?document_id=47997683&#038;access_key=key-23d80pcci1c34bnga7is&#038;page=1&#038;viewMode=list" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="600" width="100%" wmode="opaque" bgcolor="#ffffff"></embed></param></object></p>
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		<title>Lobbying Commission Delay Explained</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/01/18/lobbying-commission-delay/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/01/18/lobbying-commission-delay/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 18 Jan 2011 20:29:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Courtney Gross</dc:creator>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=9015</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Right as we speak, the City Council is voting to approve four of the five members to sit on a lobbying commission charged with examining the effects of the city&#8217;s lobbying law overhaul in 2006. 
The panel, however, is nearly three years late. 
Chaired by former council member Herbert Berman, the panel was supposed to [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Right as we speak, the City Council is voting to approve <a href="http://legistar.council.nyc.gov/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=133146&#038;GUID=97E3CF6C-A248-412A-88D3-EDBCE5273103&#038;Search=">four of the five members to sit on a lobbying commission</a> charged with examining the effects of the city&#8217;s lobbying law overhaul in 2006. </p>
<p>The panel, however, is <a href="http://www.cityhallnews.com/newyork/article-1744-three-years-delayed-city-lobbying-commission-will-be-appointed-with-complaints-already.html">nearly three years late. </a></p>
<p>Chaired by former council member <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_Berman">Herbert Berman</a>, the panel was supposed to be called in 2008. When we <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/searchlight/20100708/203/3307">wrote about it in August, </a>adminsitration officials said the approval of the city&#8217;s <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/fea/20070611/202/2204">subsequent pay to play law in 2007</a>, which restricted contributions by lobbyists, delayed its implementation. </p>
<p>Today, Council Speaker Christine Quinn said the delay was attributed to finding the right people. </p>
<p>&#8220;We wanted to find a diverse group of commissioners,&#8221; said Quinn. </p>
<p>Both the mayor and the council select the commission&#8217;s members. Those commissioners include, Berman, Jamila Ponton Bragg, Lesley Horton and Margaret Morton. The final commissioner should be appointed soon. </p>
<p>The commission will likely examine how the lobbying law affects small nonprofits, who have struggled to comply with all of the city&#8217;s robust reporting requirements. </p>
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		<title>Council and Mayor Reach Budget Agreement</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/01/06/council-and-mayor-reach-budget-agreement/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/01/06/council-and-mayor-reach-budget-agreement/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 06 Jan 2011 16:26:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Courtney Gross</dc:creator>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=8955</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[After nearly two months of negotiations, the City Council and the Bloomberg adminsitration have reached a deal on $585 million in mid-year budget cuts, which will stave off nighttime closures at 20 fire companies and save nearly 200 positions at the Administration for Children&#8217;s Services.

While it&#8217;s good news for some city agencies (the Department for [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>After nearly <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/searchlight/20101119/203/3416">two months of negotiations</a>, the City Council and the Bloomberg adminsitration have reached a deal on $585 million in <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/12/06/council-kicks-off-budget-battle/">mid-year budget cuts,</a> which will stave off nighttime closures at 20 fire companies and save nearly 200 positions at the <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/searchlight/20101222/203/3438">Administration for Children&#8217;s Services.<br />
</a><br />
While it&#8217;s good news for some city agencies (the Department for the Aging and Department of Youth and Community Development included), the council could not save everything &#8212; including <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/searchlight/20101206/203/3424">adult homeless services</a> and a 5.4 percent cut to libraries. </p>
<p>“We recognize the difficult times we face and the council has worked incredibly hard to ensure that any cuts that are made are done in the most thoughtful and responsible manner,” said Speaker Christine C. Quinn in a press release. “We worked to secure funding for programs that serve the most vulnerable New Yorkers and to find alternative savings in order to reach a fiscally responsible budget that meets the needs of all New Yorkers.”</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.nyc.gov/html/omb/downloads/pdf/peg11_10.pdf">agreement</a> only addresses proposed cuts in this fiscal year. In the <a href="http://www.nyc.gov/html/omb/downloads/pdf/peg11_10.pdf">November plan</a>, next year&#8217;s budget is already set to see a $1 billion cut.</p>
<p>Later this month, Mayor Michael Bloomberg will release his preliminary budget, which is sure to slash spending even more. </p>
<p>Here the full press release from the council:<br />
<span id="more-8955"></span><br />
As a result of extensive negotiations over the past six weeks, City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn and Finance Committee Chair Domenic M. Recchia Jr. today announced that the Council and Administration have reached a budgetary agreement on the Fiscal Year 2011 financial plan. The agreement will achieve the same level of spending reductions proposed by Mayor Bloomberg in the November financial plan, but will restore certain cuts that the Council believed would be particularly harmful.</p>
<p>The Council proposed alternative cuts and sources of savings in order to pay for its proposed restorations. Together, the alternative cuts and identified savings achieve the Council’s goal of reducing spending while preventing cuts to programs that serve New York City’s most vulnerable groups.</p>
<p>“We recognize the difficult times we face and the Council has worked incredibly hard to ensure that any cuts that are made are done in the most thoughtful and responsible manner,” said Speaker Christine C. Quinn. “We worked to secure funding for programs that serve the most vulnerable New Yorkers and to find alternative savings in order to reach a fiscally responsible budget that meets the needs of all New Yorkers.”</p>
<p>“Under the leadership of Speaker Christine Quinn, and thanks to the passionate advocacy of my colleagues in the City Council, I’m proud to say that this deal protects vulnerable New Yorkers from devastating service cuts, while still implementing $585 million in smart, targeted spending reductions for this year,” said Council Member Domenic M. Recchia, Jr., Chair of the Finance Committee. “We have a budget to balance, and we can’t do that without making tough decisions, but the challenge of this economic climate is to tackle our deficit with new ideas and innovative thinking, without harming vulnerable populations.  This deal achieves that goal.  I would like to thank the Bloomberg administration for coming to the table and working with the City Council so we can maintain important protections for our seniors, our children, and for all New Yorkers.”</p>
<p>The Council’s efforts were successful in preventing proposed budget cuts including:</p>
<p> • Fire Companies – proposed nighttime company closures have been deferred in the November Plan but this and other savings options will be further evaluated for FY 2012. The Council recognizes that additional cuts, including to the Fire Department and other uniformed services, may be necessary and will work to ensure that any further cuts have the least possible effect on public safety.</p>
<p>• The Administration for Children’s Services – the Council restored funding for nearly 200 ACS staff positions in the areas of child welfare and child protective services. These workers serve on the frontlines of protecting New York’s vulnerable children.</p>
<p>• Senior Services – case management services will be fully restored. Case management services are a vital resource seniors depend on, the gateway to services that they turn to when they are in need of any assistance from finding food programs and delivery to health benefit programs.</p>
<p>• Youth Programs – runaway and homeless youth programs, serving youth who often have nowhere to turn for help, will be fully restored. Additionally, the number of available slots in other afterschool programs will be preserved.</p>
<p>• Parking Meters – increases to parking meter rates outside of Manhattan and above 86th Street in Manhattan have been deferred.</p>
<p>• Recreation Centers – membership fees will remain at their current rates this year, and will not double as was proposed.</p>
<p> “Case managers link homebound seniors with all city services, including Meals on Wheels, homecare, and food stamps,” said Council Member Jessica Lappin, Chair of the Committee on the Aging. “These workers provide access to the hot meals and help that literally keep frail seniors alive and in their own homes. Without this help, thousands of seniors could end up in nursing homes, hospitals, or worse. I am pleased we were able to restore these funds to the Department for the Aging and protect some of our most vulnerable seniors.”</p>
<p>“The jobs, services, and programs saved under this budgetary agreement will have a direct and positive impact on the welfare of children in the care of the Administration for Children’s  Services  including the most vulnerable and at-risk,” said Council Member Annabel Palma, Chair of the General Welfare Committee.  &#8220;Thanks to the leadership of Speaker Quinn and Council Member Recchia, and the hard work of the finance staff of both the Council and the Administration, we have lessened the impact of some of the more draconian cuts proposed in the mid-year budget.” </p>
<p>&#8220;On behalf of the 3,800 runaway and homeless youth who sleep on our City streets every night, I say thank you. Restoring the cuts to shelter services for these kids, the most vulnerable of the vulnerable, is a huge win for those who care about children. Our ability to restore some measure of the cuts to after-school services reflects the Council&#8217;s priority supporting the care and education of our children and the importance of these programs for our future,&#8221; said Council Member Lewis Fidler, Chair of the Council&#8217;s Youth Services Committee. &#8220;Special thanks to Speaker Quinn, Finance Chairman Recchia and the Council staff for banging out this deal in a fiscally responsible way.&#8221;</p>
<p> “Last year was the busiest in the FDNY&#8217;s history and no matter how bad the budget is, we cannot afford to cut our emergency response services.  I&#8217;m pleased that the Administration has put public safety first by agreeing to keep our fire companies open,” said Council Member Elizabeth Crowley, Chair of the Fire &#038; Criminal Justice Committee.</p>
<p> The Council, fully recognizing the need for budget reductions, identified responsible means of funding the programs and services that were protected. Over the past several weeks, the Council has examined each agency’s spending and proposed alternative cuts or sources of savings in the City budget. After weeks of negotiations between the Council and Administration, the two sides agreed on a package of alternative cuts and identified savings to fund the restored services. Included in the Council’s budget reductions are:</p>
<p> •  $4.5 million reduction in Department of Education contractual services, including IT consultant contracts and professional development services contracts</p>
<p>•  $200,000 reduction in spending on evaluation of Center for Economic Opportunity programs</p>
<p>•  $16 million in underspending; including tuition payments for City students enrolled in upstate community colleges; worker’s compensation payments; and mental health hearings to determine competency to stand trial, among others</p>
<p>•  $4.5 million in additional agency personal services budget savings.</p>
<p>The FY11 Financial Plan was released on November 18th. The Council held hearings on the cuts presented in the plan, totaling 13.5 hours of public testimony and questioning. Negotiations with the Administration continued throughout the following weeks, resulting in the agreement announced today.</p>
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		<title>Quinn Denies Member Item Unequal Distribution</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/01/05/quinn-denies-member-item-unequal-distribution/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/01/05/quinn-denies-member-item-unequal-distribution/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 05 Jan 2011 20:11:45 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Courtney Gross</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[City Hall]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=8949</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Are member items distributed equally at the City Council?
Council Speaker Christine Quinn says so.  
Refuting a report in the New York Times this week, Quinn said all of the council&#8217;s discretionary dollars, which come in the form of individual member items, capital funding and more, are spread throughout the five boroughs sans favoritism. 
&#8220;The [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Are member items <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/searchlight/20070625/203/2214">distributed equally</a> at the City Council?</p>
<p>Council Speaker Christine Quinn says so.  </p>
<p>Refuting a <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/01/nyregion/01council.html?scp=2&#038;sq=new%20york%20city%20council%20christine%20quinn&#038;st=cse">report</a> in the New York Times this week, Quinn said all of the council&#8217;s <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/searchlight/20100630/203/3301">discretionary dollars</a>, which come in the form of individual member items, capital funding and more, are spread throughout the five boroughs sans favoritism. </p>
<p>&#8220;The report looked at one of the funding sources the council allocated in the budget,&#8221; Quinn said before today&#8217;s meeting. &#8220;There are numerous different funding sources: initiatives, member items, the speaker&#8217;s list.&#8221;</p>
<p>She continued: &#8220;If you looked at all of those collectively, I think you see a set of data that shows a diverse distribution through out the city.&#8221;</p>
<p>We started examining those <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/searchlight/20070625/203/2214">lists back in 2007 </a>(and have done it every year since). In other funding areas, <a href="http://live.gothamgazette.com/article/issueoftheweek/20080628/200/2573">take capital funding</a>, we have seen a similar pattern: those in <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/searchlight/20100630/203/3301">leadership get more cash.</a> </p>
<p>For our past coverage, go <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/searchlight/20100630/203/3301">here</a> and <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/iotw/20080616/200/2555">here</a> and <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/iotw/20090625/200/2951">here</a> and <a href="http://live.gothamgazette.com/article/issueoftheweek/20080628/200/2573">here</a> and <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/searchlight/20070625/203/2214">here</a>.  </p>
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		<title>Bloomberg Mulls Over ATM Bill</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/12/20/bloomberg-mulls-over-atm-bill/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/12/20/bloomberg-mulls-over-atm-bill/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 20 Dec 2010 19:49:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Courtney Gross</dc:creator>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=8911</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Mayor Michael Bloomberg is mulling over whether to sign a bill that would drastically increase fines for property owners with illegal sidewalk ATMs after small business owners expressed concern over the bill&#8217;s impact this afternoon. 
According to a spokesperson, the mayor will take the next couple of days to consider the bill and announce his [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Mayor Michael Bloomberg is mulling over whether to sign a <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/searchlight/20101209/203/3426">bill that would drastically increase fines</a> for property owners with illegal sidewalk ATMs after small business owners expressed concern over the bill&#8217;s impact this afternoon. </p>
<p>According to a spokesperson, the mayor will take the next couple of days to consider the bill and announce his decision after Christmas. </p>
<p>&#8220;I don’t want to be the Grinch that stole Christmas,&#8221; the mayor said today. &#8220;On the other hand the city has requirements, where one of the issues here is the ability to pass on the sidewalk.&#8221;</p>
<p>Up until this morning, the mayor was expected to sign the measure, which the council <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/searchlight/20101209/203/3426">approved earlier this month</a>. At today&#8217;s bill signing, small business owners reportedly said the legislation would limit access to cash for neighborhoods without banks and hurt small businesses. </p>
<p>Under the current version of the bill, fines could increase from $250 to $5,000. These ATMs are already illegal, but there is barely any enforcement or regulation of them, council officials said. </p>
<p>If the mayor vetoes the measure, Council Speaker Christine Quinn said the council would move to override it. </p>
<p>&#8220;This will give the power for them to be taken off the street,&#8221; said Quinn. &#8220;It actually gives the city the power and the tools to make this illegal behavior end. That&#8217;s a good thing.&#8221; </p>
<p>Here is the mayor&#8217;s statement this morning courtesy of the City Hall press office:<br />
<span id="more-8911"></span></p>
<blockquote><p>I have enormous respect for both Councilwoman Reyna and Fernando Mateo, who I’ve known for a long time. I’m not sure that I’ve been convinced to go one way or another, but I will tell you I will take a few days to talk to some people. I had discussed this bill last week, and I’m not so sure that I got as comprehensive a review, although I’m not so sure that I didn’t. There are two sides to everything. But I will take a few days to think about it. I don’t want to be the Grinch that stole Christmas. On the other hand the City has requirements, where one of the issues here is the ability to pass on the sidewalk. These units tend to be right in the middle of the sidewalk, and there are plenty of people who don’t like them the same way there are plenty of people that do like them. I am particularly concerned about jobs in this city, particularly with small businesses. This country does not have enough jobs. New York City has created a disproportionate share of the private sector jobs, yet we still have plenty of people who are unemployed. And some of the things we have to do don’t encourage employment. In fact, they may be detrimental to employment, but the City needs to do to them regardless. So let me leave this, and I will probably by the beginning of next week after Christmas -– not an accident -– I will make a decision one way or another. But I wouldn’t want either side to get their hopes up. I really am, at this point, torn in two different directions. Maybe we can negotiate something that better addresses the concerns. On the other hand, as I will say, that I have enormous respect for the Councilwoman and her judgment, as well as for Fernando. The other speakers, other than Joseph, I don’t know.</p></blockquote>
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