New York City Hall
What to watch for this week in New York politics:
This week must be much quieter than last - the city budget is passed; the legislative session in Albany is over; the two escaped upstate prisoners were found (one killed; one shot and captured); and the United States Supreme Court has wrapped up its spring. It's also a holiday week as we head toward Saturday, July 4 - the official holiday is Friday, as you probably know. There is quite a bit happening in New York politics on Monday and Tuesday, as you'll see below. There's also sure to be plenty of examination this week of what happened last week, and with much to consider as people dig further into the city budget, Albany 'big ugly,' and more.
Before looking at what is upcoming, did you read our Week in Review looking at the key things to see and know from last week in New York politics? It's a new feature of ours, a quick end-of-week read to catch you up and also bring you fun items like photos of the week, numbers of the week, and more. Give it a look.
This week we're not only watching for new stories about things that happened last week, but there are also key meetings of the governor's fast food wage board; the city rent guidelines board; and the City Council public safety committee. See details of those events and more below. Also, by Tuesday, The Midtown East Steering Committee, co-chaired by Council Member Dan Garodnick and Borough President Gale Brewer, is set to send their re-zoning blueprint to city planners.
Weekend wrap: the LGBT Pride celebrations continued after Friday's Supreme Court decision dictating marriage equality nationwide (Mayor Bill de Blasio held a celebration at City Hall and performed two marriages Friday afternoon). On Sunday, Governor Andrew Cuomo officiated a wedding ceremony for the first time since being granted the authority to do so as part of the end-of-session deal in Albany. Cuomo presided over a marriage outside of the Stonewall Inn just before the annual Pride parade, which he, de Blasio, and many other city and state officials participated in.
On Saturday, "Mayor Bill de Blasio, Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP, and Council Member Jumaane Williams dedicated a plaque marking the site of the colonial-era Wall Street slave market. Standing in Manhattan Park, the plaque is the first official acknowledgement of this slave market."
Upcoming: on Monday, at 10: 15 at South Brooklyn Marine Terminal, "Mayor de Blasio and U.S. Representatives Nydia Velázquez and Jerrold Nadler will host a press conference to make an announcement," according to the mayor's public schedule. At 4 p.m. at City Hall, "the Mayor will hold public hearings for and sign Intro. 318-A, in relation to prohibiting discrimination based on a person's arrest record or criminal conviction; Intro. 125-B, in relation to licensing car wash businesses; and Intros 456-A, 723-A, 724-A, 725-A, 726-A, and 729-A, related to the City's outreach and accessibility efforts for small businesses."
Cuomo-De Blasio Detente?: One key item worth watching this week is how well things cool off between Mayor de Blasio and Governor Cuomo after a tense stretch leading to Albany's end of session and a deal not very favorable to de Blasio and many city-based lawmakers and their constituents. It's likely that this will be a fairly quiet week, though things could flare up again if either de Blasio or Cuomo (or their surrogates) were to criticize the other when talking with members of the media. Where the relationship between the two 'old friends' goes from here is unclear, as it may have been hit by irreparable damage over the past year-and-a-half, especially the past six months. Stay tuned.
Check out our day-by-day rundown below, and have a great week!
***Do you have events or topics for us to include in an upcoming Week Ahead in New York Politics?
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The run of the week in detail:
Monday
At 8 a.m. Monday morning, "City Council Parks Committee Chair Mark Levine and City Council Member Helen Rosenthal will be joined by DOT and Parks Department officials to kick-off the first day of car free Central Park north of 72nd Street. Last year, Council Members Rosenthal and Levine introduced legislation, Intro 499, which would ban cars in Central Park for a portion of the year and study banning them year-round...Central Park, West Drive and near 92nd Street Enter the Park at 93rd Street and Central Park West."
On Monday at the City Council: a 9:30 a.m. hearing of the public safety committee on a variety of police reform bills - expect this to be a long, intense hearing. Bills being heard deal with outlawing the use of chokeholds by the NYPD (they are currently banned by department policy); new reporting requirements for the NYPD of high-crime neighborhoods and CCRB complaints against specific officers; rules around officers identifyng themselves to suspects and notifying suspects of their rights to refuse a search that is not being requested due to reasonable suspicion; and more.
At noon outside that City Council hearing, according to police reform groups, "there will be a press conference "to call for New York City Council to pass Right to Know Act" featuring Council Members Brad Lander, Ritchie Torres, Jumaane Williams, and Antonio Reynoso, along with representatives from Communities United for Police Reform, Make the Road New York, VOCAL-NY, New York Civil Liberties Union, NYC Anti-Violence Project, Legal Aid Society, Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, Streetwise & Safe, Picture the Homeless, Arab American Association of New York, Brooklyn Movement Center, and Audre Lorde Project.
At 10 a.m. the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies is hosting the ribbon cutting for their new office and conference center. Bill Chong, Commissioner of the Department of Youth and Community Development; Steve Banks, Commissioner of the Human Resources Administration; Gilbert Taylor, Commissioner of the Department of Homeless Services; Council Member Helen Rosenthal and Council Member Dan Garodnick will be among those attending.
On Monday at 10 a.m., City Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña will deliver remarks at Broome Street Academy's graduation ceremony at the American Museum of Natural History.
After a month of testimony, the final public deliberations for the fast food Wage Board will be on Monday at 11 a.m. at the New York State Department of Labor. As has been the case with its other hearings, fast food workers and their allies, those fighting for a higher minimum wage, with the goal of $15/hour, will rally beforehand.
At noon on Monday at the Queens Library, City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, Council Finance Committee Chair Julissa Ferreras-Copeland and Council Majority Leader Jimmy Van Bramer will hold a "press conference to celebrate six day service at all New York City libraries."
Also at noon, "Street vendors and the Street Vendor Project of the Urban Justice Center call for lifting the cap on street vendor permits with the premiere of new video, plaza in front of City Hall," according to City & State NY.
At 1 p.m. Monday at City Hall, Harlem Interfaith Commission for Housing Equality will hold a press conference, attended by Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer.
Also at 1 p.m. Monday, "New York City Councilman Mark Treyger joins elected officials, community leaders, clergy members and residents to denounce the recent incidents of gun violence and call on the city to improve safety in Coney Island's residential areas, Surf Avenue and West 30th Street, Coney Island," according to City & State NY.
At 4 p.m. de Blasio and other city leaders will hold a bill-signing ceremony at City Hall.
On Monday at 6 p.m. the Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) will hold its final vote after 4 public meetings with testimony. The meeting was originally scheduled for Tuesday, June 23.
Prior to the RGB meeting and vote, there will be a rally outside of Cooper Union, "After tenants were denied important rent protections by the governor, tenants are turning to the Rent Guidelines Board as their final hope for housing stability. Elected officials and the Rent Justice Coalition are rallying before the final Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) vote to demand rent relief for New York's working families. The RGB vote will impact the city's long term financial stability and the immediate welfare of 2.5 million tenants. The final vote comes after four hearings, where thousands of tenants and dozens of elected officials testified about the need for a rent rollback and the dire consequences of a rent increase." Attendees will include "The Rent Justice Coalition, rent stabilized tenants, elected officials including Council Member Jumaane Williams, Council Member Corey Johnson, Council Member Ben Kallos, Council Member Helen Rosenthal, Council Member Rosie Mendez, Council Member Dan Garodnick, Council Member Mark Levine, Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal, Assembly Member, Assembly Member Herman Farrell, Assembly Member Richard Gottfried, Senator Bill Perkins, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer and others."
At 6 p.m. Queens Borough President Melinda Katz will host that borough's feedback session as First Lady Chirlane McCray and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene put together a "Roadmap for Mental Health."
Monday evening's Inside City Hall on NY1 will feature an interview with Council Speaker Mark-Viverito.
Tuesday
As mentioned, the Midtown East Steering Committee is due to submit its rezoning plans to city hall by Tuesday.
Tuesday morning at 10 a.m. there will be a Google Hangout, "#LatinasRepresent Hangout with NYC's Leading Latinas," with Council Member Julissa Ferreras-Copeland and Executive Director of the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas. This will be broadcast live.
Also at 10 a.m. Tuesday, and hearing of the City Council's transportation committee to examine two bills related to the taxicab and for-hire vehicle industry.
The Midtown East steering committee is aiming to send their re-zoning blueprint to city planners by June 30. The area covers stretches from East 39th to East 57th street between Fifth and Third Avenue and will be the culmination of nine months of talks.
On Tuesday at 5 p.m. there will be an immigration consultation and legal help provided by the Immigrant Justice Corps Community at the Brooklyn Public Library.
At 5:30 p.m. a Caribbean Heritage celebration will be hosted at City Hall. Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, Council Member Jumaane D. Williams, Council Member Mathieu Eugene and the Black, Latino and Asian Caucus co-chairs Andy King and Rosie Mendez will be attending, among others. RSVP by Monday June 29, 2015.
There will be an event on the "role of data in reporting on race" by The New York Times Company's African Heritage Network and ProPublica at 6 p.m. on Tuesday. Marcus Mabry, editor at large for The New York Times will be attending.
At 6 p.m. Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer will be hosting Manhattan's session on the "Roadmap for Mental Health" being put together by First Lady Chirlane McCray and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
Tuesday evening, beginning at 6 p.m. at New York Law School, good government group Citizens Union hosts "Effective Police Accountability; Building Public Trust and Ensuring Public Safety in Our Community...engaging dialogue on how New York can strengthen police accountability, improve public oversight, boost police-community relations, and ensure public safety." Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams will give opening remarks, which will be followed by a panel discussion featuring Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance, former Brooklyn Assistant District Attorney and NYPD Deputy Commissioner Arnold Kriss, Communities United for Police Reform's Joo-Hyun Kang, and Philip Eure, Inspector General for the NYPD; and moderated by Citizens Union Executive Director Dick Dadey.
There will be a tenants' forum in Greenpoint on Tuesday evening at 6:30 p.m. with the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development in partnership with Council Member Stephen Levin. "This is an opportunity for tenants to get information on issues such as rent stabilization protections, HPD code enforcement, housing court, rent protection for low-income seniors and displaced persons, anti-harassment protections, and much more."
Wednesday is July 1, and it looks like political events in the city are halting for the July 4th weekend.
Catch up on a few recent Gotham Gazette highlights:
Thank you for reading Gotham Gazette. Have a great start to July!
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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 Bernard Agrest, Erika Wang, and Ben Max
@GothamGazette
New York City Hall
What to watch for this week in New York politics:
ALBANY, ALBANY: Last week, Governor Andrew Cuomo, Republican Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan, and Democratic Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie agreed on a short, retroactive extension of rent regulations through Tuesday. As negotiations continue on the rent regulations and other top of the agenda priority issues like mayoral control of city schools, legislators are due back in Albany on Tuesday. By the time they get there, leaders could already have new deals in place. How long will the extended legislative session continue? Unclear. But, it probably won't be long, especially since Senate Republicans are in no rush to get anything else done. It is looking more and more likely that tenants and their Democratic allies will not be seeing a strengthening of the rent laws and are becoming resigned to the idea that a short-term extension of the current regulations might be the best they can do in the current climate. [Read our look at state lawmakers' blowing deadlines to no one's surprise]
Also: this weekend the manhunt for two prisoners who escaped June 6 from an upstate prison zeroed in on a southwestern New York area, Allegany County. The search continues and the situation is fluid.
TRACKING DE BLASIO: Mayor Bill de Blasio is no doubt uneasily watching Albany and in touch with key players in state government - he has said repeatedly of late that his staff is in consistent communication with the governor's office. The mayor is most concerned with the rent laws, mayoral control of city schools, the 421-a tax break, and perhaps a few other key issues related to the city (like the charter school cap and 'raise the age') that may get resolved as the extended session continues.
On Saturday de Blasio delivered remarks at the street renaming ceremony for Detective Rafael Ramos in Brooklyn and then attended and gave remarks at "the #IamAME Rally and Response hosted by the Greater Allen A.M.E. Cathedral of New York [in Queens] to address the unparalleled tragedy at Emanuel A.M.E. Church in Charleston, South Carolina this week." De Blasio spoke about racism, terrorism, and the need for stronger gun control laws. On Sunday, de Blasio hosted a press conference in Harlem "to discuss the humanitarian situation concerning Haitians and Dominicans of Haitian descent in the Dominican Republic."
On Sunday evening, city leaders including Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and Public Advocate Letitia James, and others were set to gather outside Brooklyn's Barclays Center for a vigil honoring the victims of the Charleston shooting.
On Monday, the mayor will appear on Hot 97 radio at about 7:30 a.m. (read this for some context) and, later in the day, he'll "attend the Department of Education's Renewal Schools Working Session" - all this while he and his team continue to negotiate a final city budget deal with City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and her budget negotiating team.
CITY BUDGET WATCH: A fiscal year 2016 deal between the de Blasio administration and the City Council is due before July 1, when the fiscal year begins. Last year, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito announced they had reached a deal on June 19, and there's good reason to think they could again reach a deal a before the deadline this year - which could mean an announcement this week. Stay tuned!
The big issues still being negotiated include Council requests for additional funding for an additional 1,000 NYPD officers, senior citizen services, libraries, and more.
RIKERS DEAL?: The City and the US Attorney's Office appear close on a deal of reforms at Rikers Island jail complex, incuding a federal monitor to track changes in prisoner treatment and more. There has been more and more scrutiny on both Rikers and related criminal justice issues, like how the bail system works, or doesn't, leading to thousands of people locked up on Rikers who are accused of low-level, non-violent crimes but can't afford the bail set for them.
As always, there's a great deal happening all over the city, with many events to be aware of - read 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
The fourth and final public meeting of the Fast Food Wage Board called by Gov. Cuomo, through his labor department, will be at 10 a.m. Monday in the Legislative Office Building at Albany (and webcast live). "The Wage Board's recommendations are expected by July, and the commissioner will then have 45 days from its receipt to issue an order."
Opposing views: The Business Council of New York State will "submit formal comments, and testify in person, at the June 22 meeting in Albany, NY." The Business Council first announced its objections to the fast food Wage Board on June 5. Meanwhile, hundreds of $15 per hour supporters, including fast food workers and their families, elected officials including State Senator Neil Breslin, and others will hold a 9:30 a.m. press conference at the Legislative Office Building in Albany.
At 10 a.m. Monday, City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito will be one of the commencement speakers at the Young Women's Leadership School of Brooklyn's first graduating class' commencement.
At 10:30 a.m. Monday in Garden City, New York, "Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman will announce the start of a statewide advertising campaign to educate consumers about how to protect themselves against mortgage rescue scams."
Monday morning Council Member Costa Constantinides, Public Advocate Letitia James, and others will be holding a press conference urging a management company to make repairs on the lack of gas and hot water at a co-op complex in Astoria.
Monday at the City Council:
On Monday, City Comptroller Scott Stringer will deliver remarks at a 5th grade graduation ceremony at 9:30 a.m. and in the evening, at 7:30 p.m., he'll accept an award at the Council of Jewish Organizations of Staten Island 48th Annual Dinner and Awards Reception.
At 5:30 p.m. Monday there will be a public meeting of the Contracts Committee of the Panel for Educational Policy. The Contracts Committee meets before the Panel for Educational Policy meetings to "review specific contract items that are presented for review and approval."
Monday evening, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer "speaks at the LGBT Community Center's 32nd annual garden party kick-off for Pride Week."
On Monday a "Town Hall for Immigrant Businesses" will be held in Flushing, Queens by the Mayor's Community Affairs Unit starting at 6 p.m. Speakers will include Commissioner of the Department of Small Business Services, Maria Torres-Springer; Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Consumer Affairs, Amit Bagga; and Magda Desdunes from the Department of Health.
At 8 p.m. Monday in front of the Queens Museum, "Borough President Melinda Katz, District Attorney Richard A. Brown, elected officials, community leaders and advocates will host a borough-wide interfaith prayer vigil for the victims of the Charleston massacre and a lighting ceremony in solidarity with New York State gun violence awareness efforts. The ceremony will include a reading of names of New Yorkers in Queens lost to gun violence. Every night from June 22 through June 30 in "The World's Borough", the front exterior of the Queens Museum will be illuminated in orange, the official color of Gun Violence Awareness Month, and will be visible by all motorists along the stretch of the Grand Central Parkway in front of the Museum (approximately 168,000 motorists daily on average)."
Tuesday
The state Legislature is due back in Albany on Tuesday, which is when the brief retroactive rent laws extender will expire. Will there be deals in place by Tuesday whereby votes are a formality or will there still much negotiating to do?
On Tuesday at 10 a.m., the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission will be holding a public hearing and might vote on designation of the Stonewall Inn at 51-53 Christopher Street. It would be the first "LGBT landmark" in New York City.
Tuesday at the City Council:
On Tuesday at 1 p.m. the New York City Bar and Public Advocate Letitia James will host a program, "Policing Technology in New York City: Privacy, Law, and the Future," to discuss the technological advancements made available to New York City law enforcement and the importance of oversight and safety. Speakers will include Lawrence Byrne, Deputy Commissioner of Legal Affairs at the NYPD and Ben Rosenberg, General Counsel to Manhattan DA Cy Vance with Asim Rehman, General Counsel to the Office of the Inspector General for the NYPD as moderator.
The New York City Campaign Finance Board is offering a "Compliance only" training session, which covers campaign finance laws and CFB rules for the 2017 election cycle, at 5:30 p.m on Tuesday. "The candidate, treasurer, campaign manager or other individual with significant managerial control over the campaign is legally required to attend both a Compliance and a C-SMART training."
On Tuesday at 6 p.m. the Department of Education will hold a public meeting of the Panel for Educational Policy at Long Island City High School. The 2015-2019 five year capital plan amendment, the annual estimate and the list of contracts will be voted on.
Also at 6 p.m. Comptroller Scott Stringer will host an "LGBTQ Pride Celebration and Changemakers Award Ceremony...honoring individuals for their outstanding contributions to the LGBTQ community" in Manhattan on Tuesday night.
Wednesday
The University Neighborhood Housing Program will host its annual forum at 8:30 a.m. on "The Cost of Water: Balancing Fairness, Housing Affordability and Conservation." UNHP's report "Affordable Water for Affordable Housing" will be discussed by panelists including Jim Buckley of UNHP, Laurie Schoeman of Enterprise Community Partners and Jamie Stein of Stormwater Infrastructure Matters Coalition.
On Wednesday morning at Baruch College the AARP will be releasing a "groundbreaking NYC survey on the financial security and retirement savings crisis facing the city's Gen X and Baby Boomer generations," with City & State NY. Speakers include: Joyce Rogers, Senior Vice President and AARP National Representative and John Adler, Director of Mayor's Office of Pensions.
10 a.m. Wednesday morning, the New York City Campaign Finance Board will be having their next public meeting. An agenda will be made available on Tuesday and posted to its Twitter feed, @NYCCFB.
On Wednesday at the City Council:
The New York City Campaign Finance Board is offering a "C-SMART only" training session, which will provide "an overview of the CFB's web-based application which campaigns must use to manage and disclose financial activity" for the 2017 election cycle, at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday. "The candidate, treasurer, campaign manager or other individual with significant managerial control over the campaign is legally required to attend both a Compliance and a C-SMART training."
At 6 p.m. on Wednesday, the New York City Rent Guidelines Board will be at Cooper Union for its last public meeting this cycle. After four previous meetings with public testimony a final vote on rent guidelines for October 1, 2015 through September 30, 2016 will be taken at this public meeting.
Thursday
On Thursday at the City Council: At 1 p.m. the Committee on Environmental Protection will meet to discuss a bill that would mandate construction sites within 75 feet of any school (public, private, preschool primary or secondary) should not exceed 45 dB during normal school operating hours and that noise levels at school sites shall be continuously monitored during those hours.
Empire State Pride Agenda will host "Equality @Work Awards" on Thursday at 6 p.m. "Through its Pride in My Workplace program, the Empire State Pride Agenda has been helping New York businesses establish policies and practices that support the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) employees."
Thursday evening in Brooklyn, it is the 2015 Working Families Party Gala, celebrating "17 years of fighting inequality in New York and honor a rising generation of progressive leaders.
Friday and the weekend
Friday is the last day for the Fast Food Wage Board to receive oral or written testimony. Written testimony can be mailed or emailed.
There will be a Manhattan Borough Service cabinet meeting on Friday at 9:30 a.m. The Borough Service Cabinet meetings focus "on city service delivery and agency responsiveness across the borough."
On Saturday morning at 11 a.m. Citizenship Now! and the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs will assist permanent residents with their citizenship applications. If all naturalization requirements are met then an experienced lawyer and other immigration professionals will provide assistance with filling out the forms.
The New York City Pride parade will be Sunday at 11 a.m.
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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 Bernard Agrest, Erika Wang, and Ben Max
@GothamGazette
New York City Hall
What to watch for this week in New York politics:
This week will be
As always, there's a great deal happening all over the city, with many events to be aware of - read 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
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Tuesday
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Wednesday
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Thursday
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Friday and the weekend
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***
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 Bernard Agrest, Ben Max, and Erika Wang
@GothamGazette