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Today's Lead: 9/11 Museum Dedication Ceremony Today


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The 9/11 museum will open to the public next week, creating a visual testament and physical place to remember. The dedication ceremony begins today at 10 a.m., where President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, among many other current and former elected officials, will participate. But questions about the museum's financing remain and officials are seeking federal funds for operating costs of the memorial and museum. And the museum isn't entirely without controversy. Some worry a film shown at the museum's end may give viewers the impression that Islam is to blame for the attacks. And family of the deceased object to the unidentified remains of bodies being laid at the site. The press had a preview of the space yesterday, and most call it powerful and awe-inspiring. Wired Magazine wrote an in depth story detailing the process and philosophy behind designing such an emotional space.

New from Gotham Gazette
What the Indian Election Means for New York
Samar Khurshid explores the impact this week's historic Indian election could have on both Indian and Bangladeshi immigration to New York City.

ICYMI from Gotham Gazette
The Aging Tsunami: Building an Age Equality Platform in New York City
In a Gotham Gazette op-ed, CSCS' Bobbie Sackman argues for more age equality planning by Mayor de Blasio, including expanding his housing plans to better account for seniors.

De Blasio, '84, Eyes NYU 2031
John Surico takes a close look at the contentious NYU expansion plan and where alumnus Bill de Blasio, now mayor, finds himself in the ongoing saga.

Education Tax Credit Back from the Dead
David King reports on new life for a controversial education tax credit bill being debated in Albany.

Other Stories We're Following

Bridge Behind Him, Obama Pushes Infrastructure Projects (NY Times)

Real Cost of Teachers Union Deal Rises to $9 Billion (DNAinfo)

Cuomo Confirms Possible Olympics Bid (Crain's)

Republicans Cast de Blasio as Leading Liberal Foe (NY Times)

Speaker to Battle Mayor for Free School Lunch, More Cops (Daily News)

Council Removes Speaker’s Ability to Distribute Cash (Daily News)

Council Looks to End Garden's $17 Million Tax Break (Crain's)

De Blasio Quietly Adds Hundreds of Millions for Charters (Capital)

Cops and Cameras Not Getting Along (WNYC)

MTA to Add 56 Weekend Trips on L Train This Fall (DNAinfo)

Today's Lead: Sale of Stuyvesant Town Likely


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The creditors controlling Stuyvesant Town-Peter Cooper Village, a massive Manhattan housing complex home to about 25,000 people, said yesterday they plan to foreclose on loans at the complex, a move many expect to be the first step in the sale of the property. The partially rent-regulated complex, built in 1947 for returning veterans and their families, has 11,200 apartments and could fetch more than $4 billion. CWCapital took over the property in 2010 when its owners ran out of money after buying it in a controversial and record-breaking deal in '06. The creditors are moving to wipe out $1.4 billion in mezzanine debt, which is junior to the senior mortgage. Nearly half the units in the complex have been renovated by CWCapital, with rents bumped to market rate or near it. Tenants at the complex are among those planning to bid on the property, and would possibly convert some apartments into condos to pay off bondholders. The de Blasio administration said it had already started “active discussions” with lenders and tenants. Council Member Dan Garodnick, who lives in and represents the complex, will play a key role in the proceedings as well.

New from Gotham Gazette
Education Tax Credit Back From The Dead
David King reports that there may be new life for a controversial $300 million tax credit bill whereby New Yorkers would be able to give money to education entities and reap tax benefits.

ICYMI from Gotham Gazette
De Blasio, '84, Eyes NYU 2031
Mayor Bill de Blasio, an alumnus of NYU, must now deal with the contentious issue of the school's expansion.

Why Campaign Finance Reform Makes Sense for Cuomo, Now
David King takes stock of the governor's shifting approach to campaign finance reform, including his recent shift back toward pleasing progressives.

Transformative FOIL Transparency Bill on Verge of Introduction
Kristen Meriwether with an exclusive look at new legislation that is set to have wide-ranging impact on how people access government information.

Other Stories We're Following

Teachers Angry That Contract Delays Full Raises Until 2020 (Daily News)

Mayor, Liberal Allies Clash Over Budget (AP)

With Legislative Vacancies, State Pays for Empty District Offices (Capital)

Nine Brooklyn Retail Strips See Rents More Than Double (Crain's)

A Traffic Safety Plan With Swedish Logic and City Smarts (NY Times)

A Record State Pension Fund (Times Union)

Dream Act Bill to Be Reintroduced in Legislature (WSJ)

De Blasio Lukewarm on Council's Air Quality Measures (Capital)

State Attorney General to Issue New Airbnb Subpoena (AP)

Temporary Free Transfer From G Train at Broadway to J (Daily News)

Minority-Owned Businesses Flourish (Crain's)

Today’s Lead: De Blasio’s Budget Questioned on Two Fronts


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Mayor Bill de Blasio was forced to alter his executive budget after Comptroller Scott Stringer demanded $725 million in retroactive teacher pay be accounted for in the current 2014 fiscal year, rather than in future years as de Blasio had planned. Stringer’s office said de Blasio’s plan to pay for the back pay down the road contradicts established accounting principles. De Blasio was forced to shift the $725 million, which then affects next fiscal year and outlines for others the administration had forecast based on the teachers union deal. The administration says this change is not a problem. Meanwhile, Moody’s Investor Service declared de Blasio’s budget to be “credit negative” because it will increase the city’s deficit by $5 billion over three years to fund union wage increases.

New from Gotham Gazette

De Blasio, '84, Eyes NYU 2031

Mayor Bill de Blasio, an alumnus of NYU, must now deal with the contentious issue of the school's expansion.

Why Campaign Finance Reform Makes Sense for Cuomo, Now 

David King takes stock of the governor's shifting approach to campaign finance reform, including his recent shift back toward pleasing progressives.

ICYMI from Gotham Gazette

Transformative FOIL Transparency Bill on Verge of Introduction

Kristen Meriwether with an exclusive look at new legislation that is set to have wide-ranging impact on how people access government information and government transparency in general.

The Week Ahead in New York Politics

Get ready for the week with our latest installment of The Week Ahead. Our preview includes the president's visit to New York, the City Council dealing with its latest corruption scandal, and much, much more.

 


Other Stories We're Following

Brooklyn Development Plan Stirs Debate Over Affordable Housing (NY Times)

De Blasio Looks Towards Sweden For Road Safety (NY Times)

Judge Tosses Lawsuit Against Sheldon Silver Over Secret Settlement(Daily News)

State GOP Chairman Accused of Voter Fraud (Daily News)

New Penalties Eyed For Sex Trafficking (WSJ)

MTA Cops Will Carry Heroin Overdose Cures (NY Post)

Councilman Calls For Smoking Ban in New Affordable Housing (Capital)

De Blasio Gives Taxi Fund-Raiser Job Regulating Taxis (Capital)

CEOs Testify They Don’t Know What Former Majority Leader Did (Times Union)

Council Members Call for Leniency for Occupy Wall Street Protester (WSJ)

Meet The Candidates Vying to Replace Eric Adams (DNAinfo)

Pressure Grows For Businesses to Pay Interns (Crain's)

Today’s Lead: The Incumbent Governor’s Base


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Gov. Andrew Cuomo has turned his attention to repairing his relationship with liberals as the legislative session nears its end. Cuomo stands to see his lead over Republican gubernatorial challenger Rob Astorino significantly impacted if The Working Families Party (WFP) backs their own candidate to the left of Cuomo. The governor does not seem to be in jeopardy of losing his reelection bid, but he surely wants to secure an impressive victory. To that end Cuomo is focused on delivering a deal on campaign finance reform before the mid-June end of the session. Reform-minded Democrats and advocates want to see an expanded public campaign financing system from the pilot program included in the state budget agreement that only includes this year's comptroller race. Backroom negotiations over the issue are expected to heat up starting today, Monday, and play out over the next few weeks before the WFP's May 31 convention.

New from Gotham Gazette

Transformative FOIL Transparency Bill on Verge of Introduction

Kristen Meriwether has an exclusive look at new legislation that is set to have wide-ranging impact on how people access government information and government transparency in general.

The Week Ahead in New York Politics

Get ready for the week with our latest installment of The Week Ahead. Our preview includes the president's visit to New York, the City Council dealing with its latest corruption scandal, and much, much more.

ICYMI from Gotham Gazette

Cornegy on Police-Community Relations [video]

In a video interview, Council Member Robert Cornegy Jr. discusses his perspective on the NYPD's new commissioner and police-community relations.

 


Other Stories We're Following

Documents Reveal Moreland Targeted Questionable Campaign Spending(City & State )

Malcolm Smith Says He Bribed Colleagues With Campaign Cash (NY Post)

City to Expand Free Wi-Fi By Transforming Old Pay Phones Into Hot Spots(Daily News)

DiNapoli Creating Investigations Wing (Daily News)

Cuomo's No-Name Strategy (WSJ)

Obama to Visit Tappan Zee Bridge (YNN)

Cuomo's Girlfriend Fails to Secure Upgrade Permits (Lower Hudson Journal)

Pataki Aid Announces Bid For Attorney (Lower Hudson Journal)

Another Queens Official Hit With Corruption Charge (Crain's)

Salary Boost For Pre-K Teachers Stiffs Colleagues Who Teach Younger Kids (DNAinfo)

 

Today's Lead: Council Member Wills Arrested for Fraud, Grand Larceny


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New York City Council Member Ruben Wills, who represents parts of Southeast Queens, was indicted Wednesday for a dozen crimes, including fraud and grand larceny charges. He is accused of going on a shopping spree with state money meant to be used for starting an anti-obesity non-profit. He's also being charged with the creation of a shell company and using it to claim campaign finance expenditures. In total, he's accused of stealing about $30,500 in government funds. Wills hasn't entered a plea, but he denied the charges. He also didn't resign, but gave up chairmanship of a subcommittee on drug abuse and was barred from distributing Council funds to his district. The council member was arrested by a “joint task force” between the offices of Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. He faces a maximum of seven years in prison on the most serious charge, grand larceny. Opponents of public financing used the arrest to bolster their stance, since some of the money in question included public matching funds.

New from Gotham Gazette
Equality Bills Await Senate Action
Three State Senate 'equality' bills have strong support in the Assembly and await action in the Senate as the session nears an end.

ICYMI from Gotham Gazette
Veterans Benefits Counselors at Risk in Budget
Mayor de Blasio releases his executive budget on Thursday. Crucial resources for the city's veterans are at stake.

A correction:
New York's Uncovered Crisis
In our Wednesday Eye-Opener we mischaracterized the theme of an op-ed by JobsFirstNYC's Louis Miceli. Miceli argues that instead of helping young adults to qualify for decent jobs, the State of New York compels them to compete for a worthless certificate. Read Miceli’s piece: New York's Uncovered Crisis

Other Stories We're Following

Former Assemblymember Gets Lightened Sentence (Daily News)

Cuomo Maybe Beyond Federal Prosecutors' Reach on Moreland (Crain's)

New York Public Library Scraps Redesign Plans (WSJ)

Bureaucratic Bungling at Human Resources Administration (Daily News)

Two-Thirds Vote From Teachers Required in New Contract (NY Post)

Cuomo: MTA Needs Plan to Reinvent Transit System (AP)

Battle for City Control of Rent Regulation Seen Shifting (Crain's)

The Benefits of Obama's Tax Plan for Low-Wage New Yorkers (Capital)

City Opens Traffic Crash Data - Finally (WNYC)

Feds Want $60 Million in Medicaid Reimbursements Back (NY Post)

Cuomo, Lawmakers Push Campaign Finance Reform (AP)

Rikers Health Care Workers Protest Inmate Assaults (Capital)

GOP Easing on Medical Marijuana (Times Union)

Most Radioactive Place in City Is a Queens Garage (The New Yorker)

The Hudson Yards: A 'Quantified Community' (Engadget)

US Congress: NY-13


«US Congress: NY-11 Races to Watch»

Stretching across northern Manhattan and into the Bronx, New York's 13th U.S. Congressional District is one of the poorest in the nation. In the district, one quarter of households remain in poverty, according to the Urban Justice Center. Socioeconomic and ethnic demographics are likely to again play key roles in the outcome.

The Democratic primary election featured a rematch of the top two finishers from the 2012 contest, and a repeat in which long-time incumbent Congressman Charles Rangel narrowly defeated New York State Senator Adriano Espaillat. Joining the primary race this year were Michael Walrond, Senior Pastor at First Corinthian Baptist Church, and Yolanda Garcia, Bronx community activist. Archived profiles of the primary contenders can be found below.

 Rangel

 Photo Currently Unavailable

 Photo Currently Unavailable

Charlie Rangel (D)

Kenneth Schaeffer (WF)

Daniel Vila Rivera (G)

 



 

Primary Candidate Profiles 

Espaillat Yolanda Garcia, a Bronx community activist is in the running to unseat Rep. Charles Rangel Walrond

Adriano Espaillat (D, WF)

Yolanda Garcia (D)

Michael Walrond (D)

 

Candidates' statements and photos are taken from their respective websites and press releases, unless otherwise noted. 

Notes:

1. Congressional District 13 Candidate Debate #1

2. Congressional District 13 Candidate Debate #2

3. Congressional District 13 Candidate Debate #3, June 9, 2014, ABC.

4. Congressional District 13 Candidate Debate #4, June 11, NY1.

5. Congressional District 13 Candidate Debate #5, June 16, BronxNet.

6. Representative Charles Rangel, New York's 13th District, Issues: Foreign Policy, Healthcare, Veterans.

7. The Brian Lehrer Show, WNYC, June 20, 2014.

 

For more coverage of the election in this district, check out the NY-13 Voter Guide from the NYC League of Women Voters.

 


For additions or corrections, please contact Talia Werber at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

 

US Congress: NY-11


Overview

 

Congressman Mike Grimm

portrait

Photo Currently

Unavailable

Michael Grimm (R, I, C)

Domenic Recchia (D, WF)

Hank Bardel (G)

 


 

Candidates' statements taken from their respective websites and press releases, unless otherwise noted.

 


 

For additions or corrections, please contact Talia Werber at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

 

NY Attorney General


«Comptroller Governor»

Overview

 

Schneiderman.jpeg

Cahill.jpg

http://images.latinpost.com/data/images/full/18423/green-party-candidates-for-attorney-general-and-governor-l-r-ramon-jimenez-and-howie-hawkins-outside-tweed-courthouse-on-moreland-commission-corruption-crisis.jpg?w=600

Carl Person in Attorney General Court Attire

Eric Schneiderman (D, WEP)

John Cahill (R, SCC)

Ramon Jimenez (G)

Carl Person (L)

 

 

Candidates' statements and photos taken from their respective websites and press releases, unless otherwise noted.

 

 



For additions or corrections, please contact Talia Werber at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

 

NY Comptroller


«Governor Attorney General»

The New York State Comptroller manages the state's $160.7 billion pension fund, audits the spending practices of all state agencies and local governments, oversees the New York State and Local Retirement System, critically reviews the New York State and City budgets, and approves billions in state contracts and spending.

 

DiNapoli.jpeg

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Tom DiNapoli (D, WEP)

Robert Antonacci (R, SCC)

Theresa Portelli (G)

John Clifton (L)

 


 

Candidates' statements and photos are taken from their respective websites and press releases, unless otherwise noted.



For additions or corrections, please contact Talia Werber at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

 

NY Governor


«Attorney General Comptroller»

Overview

 

 Governor Andrew Cuomo

Rob Astorino

http://www.gp.org/candidates/images/Howie-Hawkins.jpg

Michael Mcdermott

 

Andrew Cuomo
(D, WF, WEP, I)

Rob Astorino
(R, SCC)

Howie Hawkins
(G)

Michael McDermott
(L)

Steven Cohn
(SAP)

 

Candidates' statements are taken from their respective websites and press releases, unless otherwise noted.


 

NY State Senate District 34


«NY State Senate District 31 NY State Senate District 11»

Overview 

 

JeffKlein.jpg

 

Koppell.jpeg

 

Lundgren.jpg

Jeff Klein (D) G. Oliver Koppell (D, WF) Carl Lundgren (G)

 


 

Candidates' statements taken from their respective websites and press releases, unless otherwise noted.


 



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