Friday Morning Brief June 28, 2024

Jun 27

Written By Michael Avella

Please note that for the summer, the Morning Briefs will be sent out on a bi-weekly basis

Member Spotlight

Steven Raga

Assemblyman Steven Raga joined us to discuss his uniquely diverse Queens-based Assembly district, priorities, and experiences in the Assembly. Before becoming an Assemblymember, he was deeply rooted in grassroots community building and served in public service for two decades. In addition to being an Assemblymember, he is also a NY State Advisory Committee Member for the US Federal Commission on Civil Rights. Currently, he serves on various committees, such as on Agriculture, Banks, and Labor. Of note, he is the first Filipino American elected to office in the state.

What district do you represent? Can you describe it for those that have never been there? What do you like the most about your district?
I have the honor and privilege of representing New York’s 30th Assembly District, a role that connects me deeply with the neighborhoods of Woodside, Elmhurst, Maspeth, Jackson Heights, Astoria, and Middle Village. This district stands out for its incredible cultural diversity and the rich traditions that our communities celebrate. The most rewarding part of my job? It’s getting to serve the very communities where I grew up around.

What did you do before becoming a legislator?
Prior to becoming a state legislator, I held several leadership positions at the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) and Susan G. Komen for the Cure, a nonprofit dedicated to breast cancer awareness and support. In addition, I also served as the Chief of Staff for Assemblymember Brian Barnwell for more than four years. In that role, I spearheaded various innovative initiatives, including the formation of community advisory councils, the launch of outreach programs for small businesses, and the organization of cultural and heritage festivities, alongside establishing a pioneering internship program. In the year leading up to my election to the New York State Assembly, I was the previous Executive Director of Woodside on the Move, a local community organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life in Woodside and Western Queens.

How about sports - any favorite NY sports team or any favorite sports/activities to play?
I have always been a loyal and passionate fan of the New York Knicks and the New York Mets. While basketball and baseball are most of my sports interests, I don’t really follow other sports with quite the same energy and enthusiasm.

What made you want to be a legislator and what is your favorite part of being a legislator?
I wanted to become a legislator because of my deep-rooted commitment to grassroots community advocacy. Having spent years working closely in community organizing with local groups and understanding their needs and challenges, I felt driven to make a broader impact by shaping policies that directly affect their lives. This motivated me to ensure that our laws genuinely serve our diverse community’s best interests. My favorite part of being a legislator is the opportunity it provides to engage directly with the people I represent. I thrive on collaborating with community leaders, residents, and other stakeholders to develop solutions that are both innovative and practical for our district.

What kind of music do you like - any favorite bands/artists?
When it comes to music, I have a strong affinity for rap and RnB. Off the top of my head, Nas and Lost Boyz are among my favorite artists—if you know, you know. Additionally, I’ve gained a recent appreciation for fellow Filipino American and pop singer Olivia Rodrigo.

Favorite foods? Any favorite places to eat in your district?
I represent a remarkably diverse district, which is ultimately reflected in my taste in food, ranging from Filipino and Ecuadorian to Nepali and Irish, among many others. Choosing a favorite is a challenging task, given the district’s abundant selection of excellent restaurants from all corners of the world.

What do you like to do in your free time?
In those rare moments when I find myself with some free time, I would ideally spend it catching up on Knicks and Mets games, traveling, and reading a good book. However, those moments are few and far between these days.

What advice would you give to young folks that want to get into politics?
To young individuals aspiring to enter the political arena, I highly recommend starting by engaging with your local community organizations and stakeholders. These groups are directly affected by legislative policies, providing you with some valuable first-hand insights. It’s also critical to identify a cause or policy issue you’re truly passionate about before diving into the realm of politics. This foundation builds genuine interests that will guide and sustain your political journey.

Are there any other members that you find yourself working with a lot or enjoy hanging out with in particular?
When it comes to my colleagues in the Assembly that I enjoy hanging out with, I frequently find myself with Assemblymembers Manny De Los Santos, George Alvarez, Phil Ramos, Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas, Khaleel Anderson, and Chris Eachus.

What are/is your proudest legislative achievement(s)?
This session, I successfully secured $80 million in funding for Mitchell-Lama capital improvements. This crucial funding will allow for critical repair and construction desperately needed and safeguard against the privatization of units, and help shareholders in Mitchell-Lama properties, like the Big Six Towers in my district.

What are your top priorities for your district in particular?
My top priorities for the district revolve around housing, healthcare, and addressing flooding mitigation in our communities. These areas are crucial for the well-being and resilience of Assembly District 30.

Any last comments you want to mention?
As a final note, I’d like to strongly reaffirm and highlight that the 30th Assembly District is one of the most diverse in New York State, perhaps even the country. Our office is always open to collaborations and partners that aim to uplift our constituents and enhance our community.

Are you a public official or staffer that would like to be featured in our spotlight? If so, reach out to your favorite D&A team member or contact us at team@dickinsonavella.com to set up an interview!

EXECUTIVE UPDATES

Early last week, Hochul announced that the state had closed 114 illegal cannabis dispensaries since the launch of the state Cannabis Enforcement Task Force about a month ago. From the 114 stores closed, the state has seized more than $29 million worth of illegal products. The state Cannabis Enforcement Task Force is part of Hochul’s agenda on combatting illegal cannabis stores to protect the state’s legal cannabis dispensaries. In addition to the Task Force, the 2025 Enacted Budget gives authority to local municipalities to shut down illegal stores. “We are committed to building the strongest, most equitable cannabis market in the nation. In order to advance that goal, we promised to expedite the closure of unlicensed cannabis storefronts, and I’m here today to say: we’re getting it done,” Hochul explained.

Last week, Hochul announced that the Environmental Facilities Corporation Board of Directors approved over $300 million in financial assistance for water infrastructure improvement projects across the state. The funding will be allocated toward 20 projects improving local water infrastructure by authorizing municipal access to low-cost financing and previously announced grants. This builds upon the state’s commitment to continuously invest in local water infrastructure, such as the Water Quality Improvement Project and the Green Resiliency Grant program. “Access to clean, safe water is crucial to building vibrant and healthy communities throughout New York,” Hochul said.

On Monday, Hochul issued new guidance on housing insurers to combat discrimination. With the new guidance, housing insurers are prohibited from deciding on coverage levels based on the following:

The presence of dwelling units in the building that are labeled as affordable housing
Receipt of governmental rental assistance by the property owner or tenants
Source of income
Whether a limited equity cooperative, a public housing authority, or a cooperative housing corporation owns the property.

The new guidance builds upon Hochul’s commitment to ensuring affordable and accessible housing, as well as building upon previous actions to increase the housing supply, such as extending the 421-a tax incentive, the Housing Compact, and the $25 billion Housing Plan to create or preserve 100,000 housing units. Additionally, the new guidance builds upon Hochul’s fair housing agenda to root out housing discrimination in the state, such as a $2.2 million expansion of New York’s Fair Housing Testing Program. “With this new guidance, we are putting insurers on notice: New York will not tolerate bias against our affordable housing providers,” Hochul explained.

Earlier this week, Hochul announced the allocation of $38 million in capital grants to 33 colleges and universities to support projects that renovate research and laboratory spaces. The capital grants are part of the Higher Education Capital Matching Grant Program, which aims to upgrade colleges and universities’ research capabilities and has allocated $368.1 million for 307 projects since its inception in 2005. The awards and the Higher Education Capital Matching Grant Program build upon Hochul’s commitment to improving higher education institutions in the state. “With this funding, my administration is reaffirming our commitment to providing our students… with a top-tier, New York education with the best possible resources and facilities,” Hochul explained.

On Tuesday, Hochul announced that over $956 million in bonds were issued for 69 school districts across the state. The school districts can use the bonds for classroom renovations, sports infrastructure, energy upgrades, safety improvements, and classroom technology improvements. This builds upon Hochul’s commitment to supporting school districts across the state and improving classroom infrastructure to ensure that all students are able to attain the necessary resources for academic achievement. “With this financing, my administration is funding critical capital projects that will give our young people a learning environment that inspires, challenges, and motivates them while making it more affordable for taxpayers in these districts all across New York State,” Hochul explained.

On Wednesday, Hochul announced that $8.5 million has been awarded to projects that lower emissions and sequester carbon through Round 1 of the Natural Carbon Solutions Innovation Challenge. In total, seven projects were awarded, including one from Syracuse University. In addition, the $13 million Round 2 is also now public, focusing on projects that mitigate the impacts of extreme heat and reduce building emissions. The two projects build upon the state’s commitment to transitioning into a renewable green economy and support the CLCPA’s mandate to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent by 2050

LEGISLATIVE UPDATES

SAFE For Kids Act & Child Data Protection Act Signed Into Law

Last week, Hochul signed the SAFE for Kids Act and the Child Data Protection Act into law, the two major social media bills that Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James have been advocating for during this year’s session. The bills were also heavily supported by lawmakers from both sides of the aisle, with both bills being passed unanimously in the Senate. Hochul and lawmakers argue that the bills are important to protect youth mental health and privacy by regulating social media algorithms and restricting the collection of data from minors. With the enactment of the bills, Attorney General James is now tasked with crafting rules to verify a user’s age and parental consent, which will take effect after 180 days. However, many opponents of the bill criticized the bill for potentially infringing on free speech and violating the Constitution. But many, like the bills’ Senate sponsor, Andrew Gournades, praised the signing of the bill, explaining, “We took a stand for our kids’ future and sent a clear message: our children are more important than Big Tech’s profits.”

NYC Comptroller Warn NYC Will Fail Class Size Reduction

Late last week, NYC Comptroller Brad Lander sent a letter to Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and Speaker Carl Heastie to explain that he is unable to certify the city’s class size reduction plan. “The city school district’s education expense and capital funding plans do not provide sufficient funding to reduce class size as required by state law,” Lander explained. According to Lander’s estimate, NYC will be short between $1.5 billion and $1.65 billion in terms of the cost of hiring over 14,000 teachers by 2028, which is the deadline for class size reduction. The letter comes after classroom size was a pivotal issue for many lawmakers during the budget negotiations over mayoral control, which was extended to two years in the 2025 Enacted Budget. However, Landar explained that NYC is on track to be in compliance with the classroom size reduction law for next year but believed that NYC would not meet compliance for the year after.

Speaker Heastie's Annual Statewide Summer Tour

Last week, Speaker Heastie started his annual statewide summer tour by first joining Assemblymember Carrie Woerner in a visit to a Head Start classroom in Jefferson Terrace. Aside from participating in story time for the students, Heastie and Woerner announced $3 million in funding for the expansion of the Head Start program. The Head Start program provides housing for the elderly, families, and individuals with disabilities on fixed incomes. After the visit to Jefferson Terrance, Heastie joined Assemblymember Al Stirpe in Syracuse to announce $3 million in capital funding for the construction of a new swimming pool at Cicero-North Syracuse High School. The pool is poised to serve the school’s 1,700 students and members of the community.

Lawmakers Urge Mayor Eric Adams to Pass a "Just" City Budget

This week, 20 NYC-based lawmakers, alongside Representative Nydia Velázquez, penned a letter to NYC Mayor Eri Adams to urge him to pass a “just” budget that addresses affordability without any budget cuts. Additionally, the letter acknowledges the “reported intractability” between Mayor Adams and the NYC Council as the June 30 deadline steadily approaches. “As advocates for our constituents, we witness firsthand the profound impact of rising housing costs, underfunded schools, library closures, social services, and the urgent need for accessible childcare,” the letter states. The letter comes as Mayor Adams and NYC Council Speaker Adrienne Adams have been unable to reach a consensus on the budget. Mayor Adams seeks to continue some cuts to city agencies, while the Council disagrees with any budget cuts.

2024 Primary Updates

During this year’s primary, 18 Assembly incumbents were primaried. Additionally, 16 incumbents in both chambers of the Legislature announced their retirement by the end of this year, resulting in numerous open primaries. Below are some of the highlights from Tuesday’s primary day.

To see the full unofficial results for all primary races, please click here.

George Latimer Defeats Jamaal Bowman

In a heavily watched primary for Westchester and Bronx-based congressional district, Westchester County Executive and former Assemblymember George Latimer defeated current Representative Jamaal Bowman. Latimer received 58.4% of all the votes, while Bowman received 41.6%. Notably, Bowman received 83.6% of all the votes in the Bronx compared to Latimer’s 16.4%, while Bowman only received 36.6% of the votes in Westchester compared to Latimer’s 63.4%. Bowman received the endorsements of various lawmakers, such as Senator Jamaal Bailey and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, while Latimer received endorsements from multiple Westchester-based lawmakers. In his victory speech, Latimer called for unity and explained, “We have to fight to make sure that we do not vilify each other, that we remember that we’re all Americans and that our common future is bound together.” Of note, the primary between Bowman and Latimer was the most expensive primary in US history.

DSA Claire Valdez Wins Democratic Nomination for Assembly Seat

In a three-way primary for Juan Ardila’s Assembly seat, DSA-backed Claire Valdez easily defeated Johanna Carmona and Juan Ardila with 59% of the total votes. Carmona, with the backing of the Queens Democratic party, received 32% of the votes. However, other DSA-backed challengers, such as Eon Huntley and Jonathan Soto, were unable to win their respective primaries. Huntley, who was challenging Brooklyn-based Assemblymember Stefani Zinerman, received 47% of the total votes, while Zinerman received 53%. Soto, who was challenging the Bronx-based Assemblymember Michael Benedetto, only received 38% of the total votes, while Benedetto received 62%. However, other DSA incumbents, Assemblymembers Emily Gallagher and Sarahana Shrestha and Senator Kristen Gonzalez, were able to defeat their respective primary challengers easily.

Siela Bynoe Wins Democratic Primary for Kevin Thomas' Senate Seat

For the Democratic nomination for Kevin Thomas’ Senate seat, Nassau County Legislator Siela Bynoe defeated Assemblymember Taylor Darling. According to unofficial results by the Nassau County BOE, Bynoe received 54% of the total votes, while Darling received 46%. While Thomas endorsed Darling, Darling alleged that the Nassau County Democratic Chair and State Democratic Party Chair, Jay Jacobs, worked to undermine her campaign and unofficially supported Bynoe. Bynoe will now face GOP candidate Thomas Montefinise in November. In the Democratic primary for Darling’s Assembly seat, Noah Burroughs defeated Lisa Ortiz by less than 300 votes.

Chris Ryan Wins Democratic Nomination to Succeed John Mannion

In the Democratic primary for John Mannion’s Senate seat (who won the Democratic primary to challenge Representative Brandon Williams) Onondaga County Legislature Minority Leader Chris Ryan defeated Oswego County Minority Leader Tom Drumm. Ryan won 59% of votes vs Drumm's 41%. Ryan explained that he would focus on public safety, agency funding, and workers’ rights for the rest of his campaign. Ryan will now face GOP Salina Town Supervisor Nick Paro in November. With Mannion winning his Senate campaign in 2022 by ten votes, many Republican officials hope to pick up the seat in November. Of note, Ryan is also the president of Local 1123 of the Communications Workers of America.

Micah Lasher Wins Democratic Primary to Succeed Daniel O'Donnell

In a heavily watched Democratic primary to succeed Assemblymember Daniel O’Donnell, Micah Lasher, formerly an advisor to Hochul and former Mayor Michael Bloomberg, defeated four other candidates for the nomination. His opponents included Eli Northrup, whom O’Donnell endorsed. Lasher received almost 7,000 votes, while Northrup received about 4,500 votes. “We ran a campaign that was truly of the neighborhood, powered by scores of volunteers from different parts of the lifetime that I’ve spent in this extraordinary community,” Lasher explained his victory. While there is no GOP candidate in the November general election, Northrup is still on the ballot in November on the Working Families Party ticket.

Gabriella Romero Wins Democratic Nomination for Capital Region-based Assembly Seat

In the six-way Democratic primary for Pat Fahy’s Assembly seat (who is running to replace retiring Senator Neil Breslin) WFP-backed public defender Gabriella Romero secured the Democratic nomination. Notably, Romero defeated Ginnie Farrell, whom Fahy endorsed. Romero explained that one of her main issues for the rest of her campaign is to address housing, “We’re in the middle of a housing crisis, so making sure that we find creative solutions to the housing crisis we’re in is a top priority to me.” Romero will now face GOP candidate Alicia Purdy in November.

OTHER UPDATES

NYC City Charter Commission Recommends Limiting Council Power

In a growing disagreement between NYC Mayor Eric Adams and NYC Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, Mayor Adams’ City Charter Commission recommended altering how NYC assesses the fiscal impact of new bills and urged more public input on public safety bills. The recommendations would allow Mayor Adams to intervene earlier in legislative matters traditionally entrusted in the Council’s jurisdiction. The City Charter Commission explained that “The Council typically publishes fiscal impact statements only when proposed legislation is on the cusp of adoption as a law… public debate around a law – including the Council’s public hearing on the proposed bill – occurs in the absence of the fiscal impact statement.”

However, the Council and Speaker Adams overwhelmingly criticized the recommendations, with Speaker Adams remarking, “The Commission has shown a lack of understanding of the legislative process, the charter, and the law, or is intentionally failing to provide the public with total clarity,” The recommendations came after the Council passed a bill that would require the mayor to obtain the Council’s approval on 21 commissioner-level appointments. With the bill expected to be vetoed by Mayor Adams, many Councilmembers said they are ready to override the veto.

Firm Spotlight

D&A Partner Michael Avella Sr. was recently named to City & State's Who's Who in Casinos & Sports Betting! Mike's excerpt below:

Michael Avella Sr.’s law firm is a registered lobbyist before the state Gaming Commission, which regulates all aspects of gambling activity in the state. Dickinson & Avella represents a number of companies, including New York Mets owner Steve Cohen’s Metropolitan Park, casino development firm Rush Street Gaming, and Resorts World Casino, which is proposing a casino complex at the Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens. Avella previously served as counsel in the state Senate, managing legislative matters related to taxation, racing and gambling, and budget concerns for both the state and New York City.

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