Gotham Gazette

The Place for New York Policy and politics

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Labor activists, Democratic elected officials, nonprofit leaders, and political organizers met yesterday to discuss how they could make sure that Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio is able to deliver on his progressive campaign promises. “The administration needs our help,” John Mollenkopf, director of the Center for Urban Research at CUNY, said during opening remarks. But attendees agreed that de Blasio will have to keep the city running efficiently to build support for his vision. Part of that support may come from unions, which are calling for some $7 billion in retroactive pay raises for the city's 300,000 municipal workers. Meanwhile, after returning from Puerto Rico where he attended the Somos el Futuro political conference and took a couple days off, Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio evaded questions about who he would appoint as police commissioner and schools chancellor.

Other Stories We're Following

City Looks To Cut Emissions By Private Trash Haulers (NY Times)

A Grate Fix For Flooding (Wall Street Journal)

Con Ed’s 2012 Electricity Prices Were Among Nation’s Highest (Wall Street Journal)

Stop-And-Frisk Plaintiffs Protest To Appeals Court (Associated Press)

Layoffs For Those Who Fix City’s Bridges, Overpasses (Daily News)

Red Hook Community Court A Success For Defendants And Taxpayers (Daily News)

Mass Transit Tax Break Set To Expire (Crain's)

City Putting School Bus Routes Out For Bid (NY Times)

Is New York Now For Businessmen Only? (Salon.com)

Vallone Welcomes Oversight Of NYPD's Overseas Operations (Capital)

Today's Report

Spike In Heating Costs
A new national report by the AARP finds that the New York region could see heating bills spike upwards of 13 percent. The report also shows that the 30 percent of older individuals who have incomes under $20,000 will be hit the hardest, since this group spends the highest percentage of household income on heating bills. (read the full report)