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The Week Ahead in New York Politics, July 27


New York City Hall

New York City Hall


What to watch for this week in New York politics:

BIDEN IN NY: Monday starts off with a bang as Vice President Joe Biden is in New York, first events with Governor Andrew Cuomo in Rochester, then New York City. According to Cuomo's office,  Biden and Cuomo will appear at 11 a.m. at SUNY Polytechnic Canal Ponds in Rochester, where they "will deliver remarks on the economy" and then at 2:45 at the Sheraton New York on 7th Avenue, Biden and Cuomo will make a "major infrastructure announcement." The latter is at an event being held by the Association for a Better New York, a business group. Cuomo was long-planned to speak at ABNY's luncheon, but it appears the specific agenda changed as things came through for Biden to join him and announce new plans for LaGuardia Airport. For the former, the Democrat and Chronicle is reporting that Biden will be announcing a $110 million grant from the Department of Defense to bolster the work being done at the Integrated Photonics Institute for Manufacturing Innovation.

TRACKING DE BLASIO: The mayor will not be with Biden and Cuomo for the LaGuardia announcement, it appears. De Blasio starts his week with a noon "press conference to make an announcement at the American Museum of Natural History" which will be in collaboration with City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, according to her public schedule. "Later, the Mayor will host a meeting with M/WBE developers at City Hall," according to his public schedule. Meanwhile, over the weekend de Blasio marched in the Dominican Day Parade on Sunday and, on Saturday, he attended and spoke at "the Northern Caribbean University Alumni Association Homecoming" in Brooklyn and made "remarks at the Staten Island Democratic Party Boardwalk Bash."

Other things we're watching for include the latest crime stats from the NYPD; any sign of news from the Department of Justice or NYPD on the investigations into the conduct of officers involved in Eric Garner's death; further developments in the saga over how the MTA capital program will be funded; and the latest in the special elections set to take place for two City Council seats vacated by members taking new jobs and several seats in the state Legislature vacated due to corruption.

As always, there's a good deal happening all over the city this week, though the City Council has no public hearings or meetings scheduled this week after last week's lone July Stated Meeting and all of the Uber drama that led up to it. Regardless, 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
At 8 a.m. the Division of Local Government and School Accountability from New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli’s Office is hosting a seminar for municipal and school district officials.

At 9:45 a.m. Monday U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer will join AT&T and NYU to announce nine winning tech solutions from the ‘Connect Ability’ Challenge and present over $100,000 in prizes for the winning recipients. Victor Calise, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities, and Marissa Shorenstein, New York State President of AT&T, will attend.

On Monday morning in Lake Buena Vista, FL, New York City schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña will deliver "remarks at GE Foundation's 2015 Summer STEM Conference," according to her public schedule.

At noon, Mayor de Blasio, Speaker Mark-Viverito and others - including Manhattan BP Gale Brewer - will make an announcement at the Museum of Natural History. Brewer is also set to join Cuomo and others for their 2:30 announcement...

At 2:30 p.m. the Association for a Better New York is hosting a lunch event with Vice President Joe Biden and Governor Andrew Cuomo, who will be making a “major infrastructure announcement” together. A live stream will be available via the governor's website. Governor Cuomo and Vice President Biden will also be in Rochester Monday to announce that “the region won a nationwide competition as the site for an Institute for Manufacturing Innovation.” City Comptroller Scott Stringer, Public Advocate Tish James, and Council Speaker Mark-Viverito are scheduled to attend the Biden-Cuomo announcement in New York City. According to the Daily News, "it will focus on the rebuilding of LaGuardia's central terminal building. It's expected Cuomo will announce the winner of a design competition. Cuomo is also expected to touch on initiatives, including the construction of an Air Train to LaGuardia, a high speed ferry connecting the airport to Manhattan, and a new airport hotel and business center."

Earlier Monday, Public Advocate James will speak at a Queens press conference with Congressman Steve Israel calling for a "review of security measures at reserve bases."

At 5:30 p.m. there will be a public meeting of the Contracts Committee of the panel for educational policy at Tweed Courthouse.

At 6 p.m. Monday City Council Member Corey Johnson and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene are hosting “Rat Academy...a free training on safe and effective methods for rat prevention in your building and neighborhood,” at Hudson Guild's Elliot Center.

Tuesday
At 10 a.m. the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs is hosting an information session on the borough-specific processes of applying for and securing City funding for arts and cultural nonprofits in the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island. On Tuesday, August 4 at 12pm the Brooklyn and Queens borough-specific processes will be covered. 

At 6 p.m. the NYC Veterans Alliance is holding a forum on NYC Veterans Policy. John Oliver, host of HBO’s Last Week Tonight, is set to make opening remarks. A panel discussion will include panelists Phoebe Gavin, U.S. Army Veteran, Freelance writer; Lee Covino, U.S. Army Veteran, Former Vice-Chairman of the NYC Veterans Advisory Board; Brett Morash, U.S. Navy Veteran, Vice President of Veterans Services for Services for the UnderServed; Tireak Tulloch, U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, Veteran Advocate; Julienne Williams, U.S. Air Force Veteran, Veteran Transition Manager for New York at IAVA's Rapid Response Referral Program; and Coco Culhane, Founder and Director of the Veteran Advocacy Project at the Urban Justice Center.

At 6 p.m. there will be a “Red Tape Commission” meeting hosted by Comptroller Scott Stringer, with commission co-chairs Jessica Lappin and Michael Lambert, and Red Tape Commission Members. The Commission is “dedicated to helping success in business by finding ways to help you cut through the red tape.”

At 7 p.m. there will be a “Queens: Contracts for Excellence” public hearing hosted by the Department of Education.

Wednesday
At 8 a.m. City & State will hold an awards breakfast for “Technology, Telecommunications & New Media.” There will be a panel discussion with keynote speaker Minerva Tantoco, Chief Technology Officer of NYC; featured speaker Jay Hershenson, Senior Vice Chancellor at CUNY; and emcee Andrew Rasiej, founder of Personal Democracy Forum. There will be a "Thought Leader Discussion: City & State and partners convene leaders in technology and new media to discuss best practices and trends in corporate social responsibility" moderated by Rasiej, with George Fontas, Capalino and Co.; Manhattan BP Gale Brewer, Neil Giacobbi, AT&T; Guy Franklin, Israeli Mapped in NY; and possibly others.

At 8 a.m. there will be “Uncovering the Code: An Update on NYC’s New Energy Code,” an event on the 2015 New York City Energy Conservation Code. Gina Bocra, Chief Sustainability Officer of the Department of Buildings, will be attending.

At 10 a.m. Wednesday the New York City Housing Authority is holding a board meeting.

The New York City Campaign Finance Board is offering a Compliance & C-SMART training session for the 2017 election cycle at 1 p.m. Wednesday. “Compliance trainings cover campaign finance laws and CFB rules. C-SMART trainings provide an overview of the CFB’s web-based application, which campaigns must use to manage and disclose financial activity. 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 2 p.m. there will be a public meeting for the Department of Transportation on revocable consents.

At 6 p.m. Wednesday, the Department of Education is holding a panel for educational policy meeting at Taft Educational Complex in the Bronx.

At 7 p.m. BetaNYC and Coalition for Queens are hosting a civic hacknight.

Thursday
At 9 a.m. the Equal Employment Practices Commission is holding its July public meeting.

At 10:30 a.m. Queens Borough President Melinda Katz is holding a land use hearing.

At 2 p.m. Thursday, ten of City & State’s veteran and military honorees will be celebrated for going “Above & Beyond.” Loree Sutton, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Veteran Affairs, will make the keynote remarks. Honorees include Welby Alcantara, USMC, Military & Veteran Services Coordinator, John Jay College; Joseph A. Bello, Founder, NY Metro Vets; Walter Bridgers, Team Leader, Harlem Veterans Center; Kenneth Curley , President & CEO, Raymond Associates LLC; Tom Gray, Senior Vice President, Capalino & Company; Aaron Leonard, Executive Director, Project Rebirth; Dan McSweeney, Incoming President, United War Veterans Council; Regina Marengo, President, Ensign Engineering; and Kelly Saeli, Director of Operations, NYC Helmets to Hardhats.

Friday and the weekend
Nothing on our radar yet for Friday or this weekend, but stay alert!

***
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 Erika Wang and Ben Max
@GothamGazette



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