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Today's Lead: De Blasio's Preliminary Budget


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Although the preliminary $73.7 billion budget Mayor Bill de Blasio unveiled yesterday doesn't set money aside to pay for billions in back pay for expired union contracts, there are some funds he could tap. That includes $1 billion placed in a rainy day fund, and another $600 million in a general reserve fund. The unions, gearing up for contract negotiations with the new mayor, are indeed eyeing the money. De Blasio said he has no plans to raise taxes to pay for the wages backlog. His spending plan also contains education funds that may not materialize, including $530 million for pre-K from a tax on the wealthy which Albany may not pass, and another $500 million from the state that the mayor believes is owed as part of a settlement in a dispute over school aid. De Blasio's proposed budget also would pay $52.5 million that the housing authority owes for the policing of its projects, and includes around $10 million in extra money for homeless programs.

Other Stories We're Following

Arrest Inquiry By de Blasio Stirs Some Debate (NY Times)

Review Finds Police Failure To Report Driver Friskings (NY Times)

Judge Tosses Gun Charge In Stop-And-Frisk Case (NY Post)

Stop Putting Kids In Solitary: Report (WNYC)

UWS Leaders Demand Stricter Penalties For Drivers Who Hit Pedestrians (DNAinfo)

Cuomo Dodges Questions About Christie Bridge Scandal (WNYC)

Puerto Rican Day Parade Leadership Will Be Axed After Probe Into Finances (Daily News)

De Blasio Compares Pre-K Poll Question To ‘Bowl Of Free Candy’ (Politicker)

Activists Urge Mayor To Trash Solid-Waste Plan (Crain's)

Storm Will Dump Up To 14 Inches Of Snow (Daily News)

Today's Lead: Cuomo Opposes Local Control Of Minimum Wage


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Hours after Mayor Bill de Blasio said he'd lobby the state for the right to set the city's minimum wage, Gov. Andrew Cuomo rebuffed the idea. Advocates also rallied yesterday in Albany for legislation giving communities statewide the right to set baseline wages, and not just New York City.  Cuomo said in a radio interview that allowing municipalities to set their own tax rates and wage limits would create a "chaotic situation" where communities would "cannibalize" each other in a competition for economic growth. Legislative leaders will likely be no help either, as they recently worked with the governor to raise the minimum wage statewide to $9 by 2015. Democratic Sen. Jeffrey Klein, the Senate co-leader, said he'd like to "move on." Advocates point out that the data do support the governor's argument, and that he already sets different tax rates and incentives for different areas.

Other Stories We're Following

De Blasio Called Police Over Pastor's Arrest (Wall Street Journal)

Klein Backtracks On Blocking Budget For Pre-K Tax (Capital)

Cuomo: Education Funding Lawsuit ‘Ain’t About the Money’ (Wall Street Journal)

What To Do With A Surplus That May Top $3 Billion (NY Times)

De Blasio’s Complicated Budget Options (Capital)

De Blasio Says Universal Pre-K Funding A Civil Rights Issue (Daily News)

Jousting Over Scaffold Law Fate (Albany Times Union)

Board Of Regents Sets Aside Proposal (Albany Times Union)

What de Blasio's ID Cards Could Accomplish (WNYC)

Feds Pushing State To Refund $10 Billion In Medicaid Overpayments (NY Post)

Poll: Pre-K Tax Hike Not As Popular As State Funds (Associated Press)

Deadline Set For Housing Plan, Policy Details Remain Vague (NY Observer)

Food Co-ops In Gentrifying Areas Not To Every Taste (NY Times)

Storm To Bring 6 to 10 Inches Of Snow Tonight (NY Post)

Today’s Lead: Republican Leader Pledges to Block Vote on De Blasio Pre-K Tax


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Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos said yesterday that he will block a vote on Mayor Bill de Blasio's plan to tax the wealthy to pay for universal pre-kindergarten in the city. Skelos argued the tax would hurt the entire state by driving away the wealthy. “The last thing we need is to see high earners leave New York state because then we lose their tax dollars,” said Skelos, who mentioned Gov. Andrew Cuomo's plan to fund pre-k without raising taxes. Cuomo is aggressivley purusing an alternative plan to establish universal pre-k statewideSkelos' comment was met with outrage from de Blasio, major labor groups, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Sen. Jeff Klein who heads the independent Democratic Conference. "I will not approve a budget that fails to realize the vision Mayor de Blasio and I share of providing high-quality, universal pre-k to the 50,000 four year olds who need it," Klein said in a statement. However, Klein has indicated he would be open to some sort of middle ground

 


Other Stories We're Following

Cuomo Rips Regents For Watering Down Common Core (NY Post)

Suit Will Seek State Money Promised to Schools in 2007 (NY Times)

Buyers Have Advantage in Brooklyn Housing Market (NY Times)

Cuomo Rips Regents For Watering Down Common Core (NY Post)

State Senator to Introduce Legislation to Make Port Authority More Transparent (Daily News)

Coalition of Union to Push For City Minimum Wage (Daily News)

Tax Chief Fuzzy on Cuomo’s Tax Rebate Plan (Albany Times Union)

Puerto Rican Day Parade Could Be in Jeopardy Amid Sponsorship Deal Investigation (NY 1)

More George Washington Bridge Subpoenas Expected (Wall Street Journal)

Boyland Told FBI Agent of Plan to Run For Governor (Wall Street Journal)

De Blasio Vows Government “With a Soul” In First Major Speech(DNAinfo)

De Blasio Vows Higher Wage, Business Mandates (Crain's)



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