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Today's Lead: Council Passes Extended Sick Pay Bill


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The City Council overwhelmingly passed an extended paid sick leave bill yesterday in a 46-5 vote. Businesses with five or more employees will be required to provide up to five days of paid sick leave. The law passed last year only covered those with 20 or more workers. The new version will also allow workers to take time off to care for grandparents, grandchildren, and siblings. It further adds the manufacturing sector to the list of businesses covered. The bill will go into effect on April 1, but businesses with 19 or fewer employees receive a six-month grace period. Some members expressed concern over the effects of the bill, even among those who voted yes. Mayor Bill de Blasio, who said the new law will extend paid sick leave to 500,000 more workers, is expected to sign it.

Other Stories We're Following

Suit: City Property Tax Unfair To Blacks, Hispanics (Wall Street Journal)

Cuomo Tries To Steer GOP As It Picks His Rival (NY Times)

Avella's Defection Strengthens Senate Coalition (Albany Times Union)

Double-Parked Trucks In Bike Lane Hit By Ticket Blitz (NY Post)

Espaillat To Challenge Rangel For Harlem Congressional Seat (NY Post)

Ravitch: Lowering Verrazano Tolls Defies 'Common Sense' (Daily News)

What Is Bill de Blasio Communicating? (Capital)

Bicycling Up 133 Percent In Gentrifying Bed-Stuy (Crain's)

Potholes Costing New York Drivers $2,300 A Year (Daily News)

Doormen, Landlords Set To Bargain (Wall Street Journal)

Today's Lead: Mayor Says 29,000 New Pre-K Seats Ready


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The city is prepared to have 29,000 new full time pre-K seats ready for the next school year, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced yesterday. All that's needed is funding, he added. The Department of Education has received proposals from 650 sites at community-based organizations, making up about 20,000 potential seats, and 280 public schools submitted applications for the additional 9,000 seats, officials said. Meanwhile, Harold Levy, the former schools chancellor, came out in support of de Blasio's pre-K plan. And Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said the proposal isn't off the table in budget negotiations. The mayor also responded to reports that many current pre-K centers repeatedly violated health and safety laws. He called for closer oversight of the programs and additional funding for more health inspectors.


Other Stories We're Following

Council Boycotts Formal Presence At St. Patrick’s Day Parade (Politicker)

Queens Sen. Tony Avella Joins Rebel Democrats (Daily News)

Silver: Corruption Commission Exceeded Mandate (Wall Street Journal)

Implementing Municipal IDs Can Be A Challenge (Wall Street Journal)

More Arrested In FDNY, NYPD 9/11 Pension Scam (NY Post)

Mayor Digs At Media For Focusing On ‘Sideshows’ (Politicker)

NY Dream Act Passes Assembly, Heads To Senate (Associated Press)

Coalition Pans Cuomo Tax Cut Plan (Albany Times Union)

Mayor: Focus On ‘95 Percent’ Who Are Not Charter Students (Capital)

DiNapoli Wants Details On Future Spending (Albany Times Union)

When Students Don't Return From School Break (WNYC)

Lawmaker’s Personal Mission: More LGBT-Friendly Schools (WNYC)

Cuomo’s Marijuana Project Lacks Dedicated Budget (Capital)

World Trade Center PATH Station Reopens (NY Post)

Today’s Lead: City’s Sandy Response Under Scrutiny


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It's been a year and a half since Superstorm Sandy struck, yet none of the nearly 20,000 homeowners registered under the city's Build it Back program has seen construction begin on their property. Only 100 or so of those homeowners had signed a deal for how much assistance they would get to rebuild, according to a recent report by Alliance For a Just Rebuilding. The program has managed to go through $10 million since it began in June. Mayor Bill de Blasio promised during his election campaign to keep the city's Sandy rebuilding efforts on track, but some homeowners are skeptical. De Blasio promised a review of his predecessors' work in the coming weeks and would reveal his own plan. The city council plans to hold a hearing on the Build It Back program in March

 


Other Stories We're Following

Assemblyman Allegedly Used Nonprofit Funds to Buy Turkeys For His Political Club (Daily News)

What is a Majority Vote in the State Senate? (NY Times)

Pre-K Operators Have Record of Health, Safety Violations and Corruption(Daily News)

De Blasio Addresses Speeding Controversy (Wall Street Journal)

City Landlords Sue Over Tenant Protections (Wall Street Journal)

Mayor Has Private Sit-Down With Republican Lawmaker (Politicker)

More Questions Than Answers at Vision Zero Hearing (Capital)

Embattled Assemblyman Will Not Seek Re-Election (DNAinfo)

De Blasio Faces Growing Public Hospitals Deficit (Crain's)



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