Friday Morning Brief June 7, 2023

Jul 6

NYC Budget Agreement Amidst Primaries and Asylum-Seeker Crisis

After a handshake agreement between Mayor Eric Adams and City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, the NYC Council voted to agree to Mayor Adams’ $107 billion city Budget last Friday. The Budget would restore funding for several priorities that Mayor Adams initially sought to cut. “A bittersweet” budget, Speaker Adams explained, as some funding for services was restored while others were cut. Nevertheless, Mayor Adams praised the Budget as “strong and fiscally responsible.”

One notable exception to the budget cuts is the city’s public library systems, which received an additional $36 million in funding. This comes after city lawmakers threatened to withdraw from Budget negotiations over proposed library cuts. The Budget will also include $4 billion in funding for affordable housing, with $1.5 billion for the city’s Housing Authority and $2.5 billion for the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development. This comes after Mayor Adams vetoed four housing bills and with the City Council preparing to override the veto. Mayor Adams explained that the housing bills were too expensive and exceeded the City Council’s legal authority. He also expressed frustration with the fact that state lawmakers did not do more to address the housing crisis this year.

Other aspects of the 2024 NYC Enacted Budget include:

Near-record $8B in reserves
$36.8 million for expanded supervised release and “intensive case management” pilot program
$20 million in additional funding for Fair Fares
$4 million for K-12 arts education
$31.5 billion for the city's Department of Education
$2.4 million for trauma recovery centers

Mayor Adams initially proposed to cut funding for city agencies to $1 billion yearly for the next four years in response to the asylum-seeker crisis, which is expected to cost city taxpayers over $4 billion by 2025. The city also anticipates a billion dollars in funding from the state through the 2024 state Budget for the asylum-seeker crisis and $104.6 million in federal grant funding from FEMA. In total, the city is expecting to spend $2.9 billion in 2024 on the asylum-seekers crisis. The budget agreement between city lawmakers and Mayor Adams comes as several councilmembers faced primary challenges for re-election.

EXECUTIVE UPDATES

This Tuesday was the celebration of the 4th of July, with Hochul issuing a proclamation of the day as Independence Day with state landmarks illuminated red, white and blue. “New York State stands firm in our continued commitment to upholding and safeguarding the democracy that was stood up 247 years ago. I wish all New Yorkers a joyous, safe, and happy July 4th holiday!” said Hochul.

Hochul announced that the state’s civil service exam fees will be waived until December 2025. The waiving of the civil service fees is one of several actions included in the 2024 Budget to combat worker shortages in the state workforce and to alleviate the affordability crisis. “By waiving these fees, my administration is standing by its commitment to modernizing New York’s workforce and lowering barriers to ensure that our civil servants reflect the rich diversity of our state,” Hochul explained. This builds upon additional actions, including offering civil service exams on an ongoing basis at 12 state-operated testing centers across the state and expanding the state’s existing 55-B hiring program to increase opportunities for individuals with a disability.

On Wednesday, Hochul announced that more than $516 million in bridge infrastructure funding had been awarded to more than 216 projects in 141 communities in the state. The funding was provided through the state’s BRIDGE NY Initiative, aimed at helping local governments across the state to improve existing infrastructure to meet the challenges of climate change.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATES

Bill Lowering Age to be a Lifeguard Signed into Law

On Monday, Hochul signed a bill lowering the minimum age to be a lifeguard to as young as 15 years old under the supervision of an aquatics director for 50% of the required lifeguards on duty and expanding the pool of individuals that can become lifeguards at overnight, day and traveling summer camps. The new law will not change any requirements to be a lifeguard and will take effect in three months, maintaining the requirement for current summer lifeguards to be at least 16 years old. This comes as the state faces a lifeguard shortage in public and swimming pools. The new law “will help address the lifeguard shortage while ensuring that our children and fellow New Yorkers are supervised and safe in the waters,” explained Hochul.

Democrat Lawmakers React to Recent SCOTUS Rulings

With US Supreme Court striking down affirmative action and Biden’s federal student loan debt relief last week, some Democratic lawmakers criticized the rulings for potentially hindering diversity in college admissions. Senator Shelly Mayer explained that rulings will “undermine efforts to expand opportunities and diversify universities” and “for those most burdened with debt.” Despite the rulings, SUNY officials and Assembly Higher Education Chair Pat Fahy vows to ensure diverse enrollment in SUNY schools. “We are going to have to pivot, find the workarounds, make this work. This is New York. We value our diversity,” explained Fahy. Senator Gournades agrees and points out to his bill banning legacy admissions to ensure diverse admissions in the state.

Proposed Fashion Act Gets International Attention

Assemblymember Anna Kelles spoke at the Global Fashion Summit in Copenhagen last week to garner support for the proposed Fashion Act. Kelles was one of the featured keynote speakers that advocated for multinational partnerships in establishing legislation and regulations to ensure that the fashion industry improves sustainability and reduces its carbon footprint. The Fashion Act would require large fashion retailers to publicly disclose their supply chain and production to take into account of their environmental and social impacts. "Governments must be an equal and active partner of the entire industry to achieve human rights and environmental sustainability targets," said Kelles.

OTHER UPDATES

Mondaire Jones Launches Campaign for Former Hudson Valley Seat

Mondaire Jones, a former Representative from the lower Hudson Valley, publicly announced his campaign to reclaim his former seat against incumbent Mike Lawler. After redistricting in 2021, Jones forewent his 17th congressional district seat to run in the Manhattan-based 10th district but lost to Dan Goldman in last year’s Democrat primary. “The people of NY-17 know Mondaire will always fight for them, and that is why he is launching his race today with the support of 109 in-district elected officials and party leaders,” said Jones’s spokesperson. Jones will now face Liz Whitmer Gereghty, sister of Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, in the Democrat primary. Jones was among the first two openly gay Black men elected to Congress in 2020.

Former Senator Wins Democratic Primary for NYC Council Seat

Tony Avella (no relation to D&A's Mike & Mike Jr), former Queens Senator from 2011 to 2018, holds onto his Democratic primary lead over Assistant District Attorney Christopher Bae for City Council District 19. According to the preliminary results released after election night, Avella led by just 124 votes. Ranked choice tallies released this week show that Avella passed the 50% threshold mark, leading Bae 51% to 49% with a 123 vote lead. Avella will now face Republican incumbent Vickie Paladino in the November general election.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg to be Added to Million Dollar Staircase

For the first time since 1898, a new face is being added to the Capital’s Million Dollar Staircase. Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s face will now join 77 other famous faces on the famed staircase. The carving of her face has already been installed between the second and third floor but remains hidden from the public as inscription and clean-up work is still ongoing. Ginsburg will be the seventh woman carved in the staircase. The carving is expected to be ready for public display in August.

Court Rules in Favor of City Worker Fired for Medical Marijuana Use

In a first-of-its-kind trial verdict in the state, a former Amsterdam city worker was awarded $191,762 by a jury that found city officials had discriminated against him for using medical marijuana. The city worker was fired for testing positive for marijuana in 2020 under the provisions of a “last chance agreement” after also being tested positive for marijuana in 2017. Under the verdict, the city worker will be eligible to apply to the judge to order that he be reinstated, and the city may be required to pay the city worker’s legal fees. This comes after the Compassionate Care Act, signed in July 2014, took effect on January 2016, allowing prescriptions of medical marijuana.

Moving On

This week, Robin Chappelle Golston confirmed to POLITICO that she resigned late last month after serving as Hochul’s Executive Deputy Secretary for two years. Before joining Hochul, she was the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Empire State Acts. “I’m grateful for Robin’s service to New Yorkers and the dedicated work she put in through two complete legislative sessions,” Hochul said.

Read Past Issues of the Brief

Featured