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Today's Lead: City To Drop Stop-And-Frisk Appeal


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Mayor Bill de Blasio announced yesterday that the city would drop its appeal to the court ruling instituting reforms to the practice of stop-and-frisk. A court appointed monitor would oversee the police force for three years, and would stay longer if the city doesn't fulfil its obligations. The police would also be retrained and outfitted with cameras. The police unions—who were appealing the ruling—have a week to object to the agreement, and the city will have another week to reply to those objections. Commissioner Bill Bratton acknowledged that officers were being "pushed hard" to make the stops, and that it created a rift between police and community.

Other Stories We're Following

De Blasio To Weigh In On Council Mandated NYPD Monitor (NY Post)

Cuomo’s Talk Of A Surplus Leaves Out A Big Caveat (NY Times)

State Health Department Defers Action On Troubled Agency (NY Times)

New York’s Forgotten High-Speed Rail Study (Capital)

Bratton Tells Chiefs He’ll Stop Sending Rookies To High-Crime Areas (NY Times)

Legislators Back Lunar New Year School Closings (Associated Press)

MTA Boss Raises Issue Of Possible 12 Percent Fare Hike In 2015 (Daily News)

Democratic Pick Due To Fill State Board Of Elections Vacancy (Albany Times Union)

Chirlane McCray Cleared To Work For Mayor’s Fund (Capital)

City Workforce Looks To de Blasio For Raises And Reform (Gotham Gazette)

Council Members Pull No Punches On de Blasio Pick For Investigations Agency (Gotham Gazette)

Today's Lead: Fracking Decision Postponed Another Year


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Regulations allowing fracking will be put off for at least another year, according to state Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joe Martens. He told legislators yesterday that his agency has "absolutely no plans" to issue guidelines until at least next March. There's also no money for oversight in Gov. Andrew Cuomo's recent budget proposal. Martens went on to say the state wouldn't complete an environmental review of hydraulic fracturing until an analysis by the Health Department is finished, but there's no timetable for that. Cuomo may be biding his time deciding whether to lift a de facto moratorium on the controversial drilling process until after elections.

Other Stories We're Following

De Blasio’s Vision Versus Housing Authority's Finances (Capital)

De Blasio Drafts Business Execs To Push Pre-K Tax (Crain's)

State Recommends Expanding License Of Health Agency With Checkered Past (NY Times)

State Primary Date Is $50 Million Issue (Albany Times Union)

Education Commissioner Staffs Department With Educators (Capital)

Stringer To Unveil Changes For City’s Pension System (NY Times)

Bratton Orders NYPD To Take Over Animal Abuse Cases (NY Post)

De Blasio Swipes At Bloomberg Over Education (NY Post)

Rep. Grimm Apologizes To Reporter For On-Camera Threat (NY1)

Grimm's Outburst May Be ‘Part Of Pattern’ (Daily News)

Union Leaders Offer Tough Talk About Cuomo At Rally (Albany Times Union)

Brooklyn School Cutting Gifted Program To Boost Diversity (Daily News)

A Deeper Look At State Legislative Districts (Politicker)

Today's Lead: Education Chief Says Pre-k Would Cost A Lot More


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State Education Commissioner John King estimated yesterday that funding statewide pre-K would cost around $1.6 billion per year. The statement, made at a legislative hearing, put him at odds with Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who proposed spending $1.5 billion over five years. King later said $1.6 billion should be a goal for the state down the road and called Cuomo's plan a “significant investment.” In response to the statement, Cuomo said all the pre-K figures were "guesstimates." Mayor Bill de Blasio used the occasion to again call for more city funding paid for by a tax on wealthy city residents. In his testimony, King also said he would advocate for a $1.3 billion increase in education aid to help financially strapped schools.

Other Stories We're Following

Staten Island Rep. Michael Grimm Physically Threatens Reporter (NY1)

Judge Finds Gay Marriage Law Negates Need For Adoption (NY Times)

Port Chief May Be In More Ethical Hot Water (WNYC)

State Workers Set Overtime Record At $611 Million (Albany Times Union)

State Tweaks Affordable Housing Incentive (Crain's)

NYPD Targets Drivers In Pedestrian Safety Sting (NY Post)

Port Authority Demands Airlines Raise Worker Wages (Daily News)

Ethics Commission Reverses Stance On Donor Privacy For Some Groups (Albany Times Union)

Borough Presidents Lay Out Development Plans (Crain's)

Councilman Lander’s Very Democratic Leadership Experiment (Capital)

Council’s New Transportation Chair Wants More Citi Bikes, Ferries (Politicker)

State Pension Fund Estimate Reaches $173 Billion (Associated Press)

City Comptroller Eyes Queens Library President’s Spendthrift Ways (Daily News)

Report: Long-List Of Post-Sandy Needs (The Brooklyn Bureau)

Former Manhattan Prison Could Be Tough Sell (Wall Street Journal)



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