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The Week Ahead in New York Politics, October 3


New York City Hall

New York City Hall


What to watch for this week in New York politics:

As the week begins the country is anticipating the lone Vice Presidential debate of the 2016 race to the White House, which will take place between Democrat Tim Kaine and Republican Mike Pence on Tuesday evening. And, the second of three Presidential debates scheduled is set for Sunday evening.

In New York, the week begins fairly quietly due to the Rosh Hashanah holiday, though at noon at 1 Police Plaza Mayor Bill de Blasio and Police Commissioner O’Neill will host a press conference to discuss crime statistics.

A new advocacy walk from New York City to Albany continues as the week begins - per Alliance for Quality Education, which is organizing the effort: "Students, parents, educators, elected officials and advocates from across the state gathered at Tweed [on Sunday] to kick-off a 150 mile walk from New York City to Albany. The “Ed Walk for CFE” is supported by 85 organizations and commemorates the historic school funding case with a simple demand: the time is now for the New York governor and legislature to finally pay up. This October marks the 10-year anniversary of the final Campaign for Fiscal Equity (CFE) trial that decided that New York State was violating the constitutional rights of millions of NY students by deliberately underfunding public schools in Black, Latino, and low-income communities. Yet a decade has passed and these communities are still owed nearly $4 billion in funding, so communities from across the state are walking. Walkers and supporters are demanding Governor Cuomo and the NYS legislature make a commitment to a 2-year full phase-in of CFE funds during Cuomo’s last 2 years of this term. Recent reports show widespread inequity within New York State, as 71% of senate districts are owed more than $50 million."

As always, there's a great deal happening all over the city, with many events to be aware of - see our day-by-day rundown below.

***Do you have events or topics for us to include in an upcoming Week Ahead in New York Politics?
e-mail Gotham Gazette editor Ben Max: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.***

The run of the week in detail:

Monday
Monday Rosh Hashanah continues and there are relatively few political events scheduled.

Mayor de Blasio is holding the aforementioned noon press conference on crime stats.

On Monday Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul will lead two events in Buffalo, at 10 a.m. she will convene a forum to discuss implementation of laws to combat heroin and opioid abuse and addiction in Western New York. At 1 p.m., she will host a "women's leadership roundtable with members of the Amherst Chamber of Commerce and National Association of Women's Business Owners."

On Monday at 11 a.m. in Sunnyside, Queens, "Majority Leader Jimmy Van Bramer, Queens Parks Commissioner Dorothy Lewandowski, Community Board 2, and residents will hold a press conference to announce that the City Council has secured funding to purchase and renovate the former Phipps playground in Sunnyside, and turn it into a public park."

On Monday at 6:30 p.m., Public Advocate Letitia James will speak at the Consulate General of India New York's International Day of Non-Violence. 

Tuesday
On Tuesday at 10 a.m., Breast Cancer Awareness Month will be kicked off by Staten Island Borough President James Oddo and Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, at an event on Staten Island with breast cancer screenings and “announcements about efforts to raise awareness and increase screening.”

At 11 a.m. Tuesday, "Tired of Waiting, Community to Rally for Safety Improvements on 111th Street" at City Hall, led by City Council Member Julissa Ferreras-Copeland, who will be joined by "concerned mothers and families of Corona and Jackson Heights; Community Board 4 members and transportation safety advocates."

The City Planning Commission will hold its next review session at 1 p.m. on Tuesday.

On Tuesday at 1 p.m. in the Bronx, "Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. will join the American Planning Association (APA) as the organization names The Bronx’s Arthur Avenue as one of the Great Streets of America, as part of the organization’s annual list of Great Places in America in celebration of National Planning Month."

The Vice Presidential Debate will be held at 9 p.m. Tuesday at Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia and moderated by Elaine Quijano of CBS News.

Wednesday
The Sixth Annual MWBE Forum will be held on Wednesday and Thursday by New York state government at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany.

At 8 a.m. Wednesday, “City & State’s new Borough 50 Series will recognize Manhattan’s top 50 community leaders at a breakfast.” This event will focus on community leaders and not government officials.

At 8 a.m. Wednesday, the NYC Charter School Center will hold “Recent National Labor Relations Board Decision: What Does it Mean for NYC Charter Schools?” Participants will discuss the impact of the NLRB deciding “that charter school labor disputes with their employees’ unions fell under federal labor law and NLRB jurisdiction and were not subject to the state labor law and the New York State’s Public Employment Relations Board (PERB).”

At 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, the New York City Food Policy Center will hold a “Food as Medicine Breakfast Seminar.”

The next City Planning Commission public meeting will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday.

At the City Council on Wednesday:

  • The Committee on Zoning and Franchises will meet at 9:30 a.m.
  • The Committee on Public Safety will meet at 10 a.m. for oversight of the Civilian Complaint Review Board. (Hearing was postponed)
  • The Committee on Public Housing will meet at 1 p.m. to discuss “HUD’s Proposed Rule on Small Area Fair Market Rents for the Section 8 Program” and a “resolution calling on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to exclude New York City, and other cities with a housing vacancy rate below 5%, from the Proposed Rule on Small Area Fair Market Rents.”
  • The Committee on Planning, Dispositions, and Concessions will meet at 1 p.m.

On Wednesday at 11 a.m. in Albany, "Supporters and experts will announce a new statewide campaign to Stop the Cuomo Tax and end his costly bailout of nuclear power. The campaign is led by Food and Water Watch and the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG)."

At 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, the Brooklyn Historical Society will hold “Block by Block: Exploring Brooklyn with Pat Kiernan and Bill Helmreich.”

At 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, BRIC will hold “Cops and Community: Innovations Around Policing.” This event is expected to “bring together community leaders, activists, police and scholars to create a new blueprint for finding solutions to the violence, tension and mistrust that exists between cops and the community.” Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams will deliver opening remarks, and BRIC TV Senior Correspondent Brian Vines will moderate the discussion. David Kennedy (Professor at John Jay Center for Criminal Justice), Samuel Sinyangwe (Data Scientist at Campaign Zero), Carmen Dixon (Police Reform Organizer at NAACP Legal Defense Fund), Mariame Kaba (Open Society Foundations Soros Justice Fellow), and Graham Weatherspoon (Retired NYPD Detective) will be the panelists for this discussion.

Thursday
At the City Council on Thursday:

  • The Committee on Mental Health, Developmental Disability, Alcoholism, Substance Abuse and Disability Services will meet at 10 a.m. for oversight on “Autism: Culturally Competent Care and Family Support in NYC.”
  • The Committee on Transportation will meet at 10 a.m. for oversight on New York City bus service.
  • The Committee on Land Use will meet at 11 a.m.
  • The Committees on Housing and Buildings and the Committee on General Welfare will hold a joint meeting at 1 p.m. for oversight on three-quarters housing, and for the discussion of several relevant proposed laws.
  • The Committee on Technology will meet at 1 p.m. to discuss “a Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the dissemination of electronic emergency notifications.”
  • The Committee on Contracts will meet at 1 p.m. to discuss oversight on the HHS Accelerator.

Thursday is “NYC Purple Day.” This is a day where “community advocates, city agencies, public officials and survivors will raise awareness about domestic violence and the resources and services available throughout the City of New York.” City Council Member Andy King and the Mayor’s Office to Combat Domestic Violence will participate in an annual outreach event for “NYC Purple Day” at 8 a.m. at the Baychester Avenue Station for the 5 Train.

At 5:30 p.m. Thursday, the College of Saint Rose in Albany will hold “Bribery or Just Access to Elected Officials: Tawdry Tales of Ferraris, Rolexes and Ball Gowns.” U.S. District Attorney Preet Bharara will speak.

At 6 p.m. Thursday, former City Council Speaker Christine Quinn will speak at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), discussing “the 2016 presidential race, the 2013 NYC mayor's race and her current work as President and CEO of Win, the largest nonprofit serving homeless women and their families in New York City.”

Friday and the weekend
Former NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton will speak at 8:15 a.m. Friday at New York Law School as the CityLaw Breakfast Series continues.

At the City Council on Friday, the Committee on Aging will meet at 1 p.m. to discuss “a Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to providing legal counsel for senior citizens subject to eviction, ejectment or foreclosure proceedings.”

On Sunday evening, The Indo-American Arts Council will host U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, who will speak at 6:30 p.m. at the closing night of the Third Annual IAAC Literary Festival. Bharara will speak on the question, “Is corruption endemic to politics?”

The second of three Presidential Debates will be held at 9 p.m. on Sunday. This debate will be hosted by Washington University in St. Louis, and it will be co-moderated by CNN’s Anderson Cooper and ABC’s Martha Raddatz.

And, Monday October 10 is Columbus Day. We will bring you our next Week Ahead that night instead of Sunday the 9th. 

***
Have events or topics for us to include in an upcoming Week Ahead in New York Politics? E-mail Gotham Gazette executive editor Ben Max any time: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (please use "For Week Ahead" as email subject).

***
by Brendan Birth and Ben Max
@GothamGazette



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