New York City Hall
What to watch for this week in New York politics:
This week starts with mayoral control of New York City schools on the verge of lapsing. The state Legislature ended session this past week without an extension of the law that will expire at the end of June. A deal could still be reached as the major parties involved continue to negotiate. Governor Andrew Cuomo said Sunday he thinks a deal could be reached before mayoral control lapses. Mayor Bill de Blasio has said talks will reintensify starting Monday.
Otherwise, there are a variety of interesting and important events this week -- see our day-by-day rundown below.
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The run of the week in detail:
Monday
At 8 a.m. Monday, the New York City Bar Association will host NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill for a conversation on “the workings of the NYPD.”
At 8 a.m. Monday, the Center for an Urban Future will host “Moving the Needle on College Success in NYC” at The Greene Space, discussing the challenges of addressing student needs in postsecondary education. Panelists include Thomas Bailey, of Columbia University; David Gomez, of Hostos Community College; Judith Lorimer, of Goddard Riverside Community Center; Lisette Nieves, of NYU; and Phil Weinberg, the DOE’s Deputy Chancellor for Teaching and Learning. Public Advocate Letitia James will make remarks at about 9:45 a.m.
At 8:30 a.m. Monday, Public Advocate Tish James and the NYC Veterans Alliance will hold a press conference at Civic Hall to celebrate the passage of an anti-discrimination ordinance for veterans through the City Council.
On Monday at 10:45 a.m. mayoral candidate Paul Massey will announce his "Green Growth greenways/infrastructure proposal" at Crotona Park in the Bronx.
At 12:45 p.m. Monday, there will be continuation of the hearing in Buffalo regarding the city’s case against school board member and former gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino.
At 1 p.m. Monday, the NAACP New York State Conference and other civil rights advocates will gather at the City Hall steps to protest and demand a halt to a bill being considered in the City Council regarding the construction industry, which the advocates feel is discriminatory against people of color.
At 2:30 p.m. Monday, Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul and State Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon will hold a hearing focusing “on the causes, scope, and economic impact of the gender pay gap” at the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Building in Harlem.
At 5 p.m. Monday, the Bronx Republican Party will host a meet and greet with Republican candidates for city offices at the American Legion. The attending candidates will be Paul Massey, candidate for Mayor; J.C. Polanco, candidate for Public Advocate; and Judah Powers, candidate for City Council in District 11.
At 6 p.m. Monday, residents of IDC member Jose Peralta’s Queens Senate district will hold a town hall at the Jewish Center of Jackson Heights “with or without Senator Peralta” on “the IDC, the recent budget and legislative session and how Trump’s agenda impacts the citizens of District 13.”
At 6 p.m. Monday, State Senators Andrea Stewart-Cousins and George Latimer, along with Assemblymembers Shelley Mayer and Gary Pretlow, will host a forum on the Excelsior Scholarship in Yonkers.
At 6 p.m. Monday, former Vice President Joe Biden will appear at a fundraiser in support of Governor Cuomo’s reelection at the Plaza Hotel. Activists will demonstrate outside of the governor’s fundraiser to “urge him to reject fossil fuels and stop his dangerous plan to bailout nuclear power plants.”
Cuomo administration officials and industry experts will be holding “expert panels” on how the American Health Care Act could impact New York State in evenings throughout the week. On Monday, there will be panels in Hudson, New Hartford, and Harris. (The New York City event will be Tuesday night.)
At 6:30 p.m. Monday, City Council Member Helen Rosenthal will host a “Clean Energy Forum” for Upper West Side residents at Rutgers Presbyterian Church.
At 6:30 p.m. Monday, State Senator Kevin Parker will host the “2nd Annual Evening of Remembrance & Reflection to End Gun Violence” at the Top Civic Center in East Flatbush. Anti-gun violence advocates will be honored, including City Council Member Jumaane Williams; Paul Vitale, President of Bridgepoint Health; Dr. Robert Gore, executive director of Kings Against Violence Initiative; Natasha Christopher, founder of the Akeal Christopher Foundation and mother of a gun violence victim; and Monique Chandler-Waterman, executive director of East Flatbush Village.
Mayor de Blasio is making a closed press visit to a Rikers Island jail on Monday. In the evening, he'll make his weekly appearance on NY1's Road to City Hall.
Tuesday
The New York State Joint Commission on Public Ethics will meet on Tuesday in Albany.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, the Business Council of New York State will host its 2017 Renewable Energy Conference at Marist College in Poughkeepsie.
Cuomo administration officials and industry experts will be holding “expert panels” on how the American Health Care Act could impact New York State. On Tuesday, there will be panels in Rochester, Plattsburgh, the Bronx (Hostos Community College, 6 p.m.), Stony Brook, and Buffalo.
At 8 a.m. Tuesday, capital-region state lawmakers will join a panel hosted by The Albany Times Union at the Hearst Media Center discussing “the highs and lows of a singular year for New York state government, from a raucous budget negotiation to the issues raised by the arrival of President Donald Trump’s administration, and much more.” Panelists will include Senators Neil Breslin and Jim Tedisco, and Assembly members Patricia Fahy and Steve McLaughlin.
At 8 a.m. Tuesday, City & State will host “On Diversity,” a series of panel discussions on diversity in business and politics, at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in Manhattan. The Rev. Al Sharpton will deliver the keynote address. Other panelists and speakers will include State Senator James Sanders Jr., Deputy Mayor for Strategic Policy Initiatives Richard Beury, Chief Diversity Officer for Governor Cuomo’s office Rose E. Rodriguez, and many others.
At 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, the Association for a Better New York will host a “Power Breakfast” with Attorney General Eric Schneiderman at the Sheraton New York in Midtown.
At 9 a.m. Tuesday, Public Advocate Tish James will hold a “People’s Hearing on Health Care” at Manhattan Community College; the hearing will “provide patients, consumers, medical providers, and experts the opportunity to testify about the impacts of the AHCA and provide recommendations. Testimony will be sent to the NYC congressional delegation.”
At the City Council on Tuesday
--The Committee on Women’s Issues will meet at 10 a.m. to discuss proposed laws relating to domestic violence, as well as a resolution “calling upon the New York State Legislature to pass and the Governor to sign legislation amending the Real Property Law to allow victims of domestic violence to terminate leases upon written notice to landlords.”
--The Committee on Health will meet at 10 a.m. to discuss a proposed law relating to “clarifying that gender reassignment surgery that will result in sterilization is not subject to a waiting period,” as well as a resolution “calling upon the New York State Legislature to pass and the Governor to sign A.528, which would amend the New York State insurance law to include the coverage of in vitro fertilization treatments.”
--The Committee on General Welfare will meet at 1 p.m. for an oversight hearing regarding “From PATH to Permanency: Navigating the Shelter System as a Family with Children,” as well as to discuss several proposed laws.
--The Committee on Environmental Protection will meet at 1 p.m. to discuss several proposed laws relating to energy efficiency in buildings, solar energy, and launching a “New York City energy task force,” “creating a long term energy plan for the city,” and “creating a green project accelerator.”
At 10 a.m. Tuesday, State Senator Kevin Parker and Council Member Jumaane Williams will host a job fair at Brooklyn College’s Student Union Building.
At 10 a.m. Tuesday, the Manhattan Institute will host “The Drug-Pricing Challenge: Expanding Access, Accelerating Innovation, Growing The Economy,” featuring former U.S. Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma.
At noon Tuesday, City Council members and community leaders will hold a press conference at the City Hall steps to urge the NYPD to readjust its recently changed noise abatement policy.
At 4 p.m. Tuesday, "Mayor de Blasio will deliver remarks at the Bronx School for Law, Government and Justice high school graduation." At 5:30 p.m. "the Mayor and First Lady McCray will deliver remarks at the Jewish Heritage Reception at Gracie Mansion."
At 5 p.m. Tuesday, City Council Member Andy King will hold a “constituent services night” at the Boston Secor NYCHA Houses in the Bronx.
At 6 p.m. Tuesday, the Urban Land Institute will host its “Women’s Leadership Initiative’s Summer Town Hall” at Knotel in Manhattan.
At 6 p.m. Tuesday, City Comptroller Scott Stringer will host a workshop for minority- and women-owned businesses (MWBE) at the David N. Dinkins Municipal Building in Manhattan.
At 6 p.m. Tuesday, the New York City Bar Association will hold its “Diversity and Inclusion Celebration Dinner.” The honorees are Ricardo Anzaldua, of MetLife; Zachary Carter, of the New York City Law Department; Carmelyn Malalis, of the New York City Commission on Human Rights; and Richard Meade, of Prudential.
At 7 p.m. Tuesday, the Middle Village Republican Club will host Republican mayoral candidates Nicole Malliotakis and Paul Massey at Bridie’s Bar and Grill in Rego Park.
Wednesday
At 8 a.m. Wednesday, Crain’s New York Business will host a mayoral debate between the two frontrunners for the Republican nomination: Assemblymember Nicole Malliotakis and real estate executive Paul Massey. The debate will take place at the Yale Club of New York in Midtown.
At the City Council on Wednesday: The Committee on Waterfronts will “conduct a tour examining waterfront issues on Staten Island.” They will tour the Staten Island Museum at 11:30 a.m.
From Wednesday to Friday, People Against Landlord Abuse and Tenant Exploitation, or P.A.’L.A.N.T.E., will host its 2017 Housing Conference at the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Harlem State Office Building.
Cuomo administration officials and industry experts will be holding “expert panels” on how the American Health Care Act could impact New York State. On Wednesday, there will be panels in Binghamton and Chittenango.
At 7 p.m. Wednesday, a set of sponsors for the upcoming mayoral debates will hold a town meeting for Manhattan residents to voice their concerns, which could be addressed in the debates. The meeting will take place at the Schomburg Center in Harlem.
Thursday
On Thursday, Public Advocate Tish James will be the featured speaker at The Wrap’s 2017 “Power Women Breakfast.”
At 8:30 a.m. Thursday, the New York League of Conservation Voters will host their second policy forum in their “Getting to 80x50” series focusing on the mayor’s initiative to reduce the city’s greenhouse gas emissions by 80% below 2005 levels by 2050. This forum will focus on policy relating to buildings, discussing how to “radically improve efficiency of heating and cooling systems in buildings, and how will it be funded.”
At noon Thursday, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and the Caribbean-American Heritage Committee will host a “Caribbean-American Heritage Celebration” at Brooklyn Borough Hall.
At the City Council on Thursday: The Committees on Immigration and Courts & Legal Services will meet jointly at 1 p.m. for an oversight hearing regarding “ICE enforcement in New York City courts.”
At 7 p.m. Thursday, a set of sponsors for the upcoming mayoral debates will hold a town meeting for Staten Island residents to voice their concerns, which could be addressed in the debates. The meeting will take place at Recital Hall at the College of Staten Island.
Friday and the weekend
No events on our radar for Friday and the weekend.
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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).
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by Ben Brachfeld and Ben Max
@GothamGazette
