Mayor de Blasio delivering his State of the City address (photo: @BilldeBlasio)

Mayor Bill de Blasio is set to unveil his Fiscal Year 2016 Preliminary Budget this afternoon at 2 p.m. Through announcements by the mayor and stories in news publications, the administration has shared a few choice elements of new spending that will be included: added millions for new bulletproof vests for NYPD officers; more FDNY/EMS ambulance availability; outreach to homeless New Yorkers; and training for child welfare workers among them.

The city's current budget, for fiscal year 2015, runs through June 30. A deal between de Blasio and the City Council must come by that date so that the FY2016 budget can take effect July 1.

The current, FY2015 budget is about $77 billion, which includes several modifications made in November of 2014 that were approved by the Council in January. Those modifications - typical in the annual budget process - reflected shifted and additional spending after revenues coming in to city coffers were higher than originally budgeted. Beyond what was planned, additional spending over the next several months is going toward homeless shelters, environmental programs, and covering the costs of tax preparation for low-income New Yorkers.

As de Blasio readies to lay out his planned budget for the coming fiscal year, he begins anew the budget process that will include months of city council hearings at which council members will probe agency heads to scrutinize their spending. After one round of budget hearings in March, the Council will issue a formal budget response with changes it would like to see to the city budget before the mayor presents his Executive Budget in May. When the mayor produces that next iteration of the budget, the Council will hold further hearings and attempt to negotiate with the mayor until a deal is struck. Last year, the first with de Blasio as mayor and Melissa Mark-Viverito as Speaker of the City Council, the two agreed on a budget early, announcing a deal on June 19.

On Friday, de Blasio, Mark-Viverito, and others announced that the City would be investing more than $7 million for new bulletproof vests for the NYPD in the current fiscal year (2015), and that new investments would be made going forward as well. In making this announcement, de Blasio said that his preliminary budget would be outlined today. Prior to those statements, de Blasio had already given some prelude to his budget plans during his State of the City address, which he delivered on Tuesday of last week. In the speech, de Blasio focused heavily on his housing plan, and said that the City would be dedicating funds to provide legal services to tenants who face landlord harassment in the neighborhoods central to the rezoning and building efforts the City is undertaking. This number is reported to be about $36 million.

De Blasio also promised to end homelessness among the city's military veterans, money for which may be included in the budget for the Department of Homeless Services, that of the Mayor's Office of Veterans' Affairs, or both.

Through news outlets, the de Blasio administration has also outlined a few new spending highlights: the AP is reporting that de Blasio will be increasing funding to lower ambulance response times. He will be including "nearly $40 million through fiscal year 2019 for the new ambulance tours and nearly $30 million during that same period for the new dispatchers," AP writes.

According to the New York Times, the mayor is announcing today that he is devoting more than $26 million toward professional development for child welfare workers employed by or contracting with the Administration for Children's Services, or ACS.

The Times is also reporting that de Blasio is adding about $10 million toward outreach and services to homeless New Yorkers who are not part of the shelter system - pushing this part of the budget from about $35 million to about $45 million.

And, Capital New York writes today that there will be more than $5 million in de Blasio's budget related to new literacy and language services for city students. This includes "$2.4 million to create a separate intervention team within the Department of Education's special education office to support literacy in students with dyslexia," Capital writes, adding that there is also dedicated money toward advertising to ensure parents learn of available services.

This spending on public awareness and marketing will be a key feature of other de Blasio programs as well - there are major expenditures this fiscal year for ad campaigns around paid sick leave and pre-kindergarten. The City also launched a marketing blitz around the new municipal identification card program. These expenses are usually baked into the spending on the larger initiative itself. For example, the IDNYC program's $8.4 million program includes $1.8 million for advertising.

De Blasio is sure to highlight additional items at his 2 p.m. City Hall press conference, the budget is, as is oft-noted, the most clear outline of priorities. Look for more clear accounting of money the de Blasio administration plans to spend on the new housing plans, the coming five-borough ferry system the mayor announced during his State of the City, and what is being allocated toward pre-K as it expands toward the goal of 73,000-plus students, among other things. As always, Department of Education spending will be the largest piece in the city budget, coming in at about a third of the total (around $20-25 billion). The mayor is also sure to continue funding his Vision Zero traffic safety initiative and announced this morning that in 2015, 240 city trucks are being fitted with sideguards that can help protect pedestrians and cyclists in the event of a collision - the guards cost about $3,000 per truck to purchase and install, a statement from the mayor's office says.

Of note and in flux is what the City will be counting on from Albany. State budget negotiations have gotten off to a very slow start due to the replacement of the Assembly Speaker. Education aid is perhaps the most important element of this picture, and Governor Andrew Cuomo has said he is tying a significant bump in aid for municipalities to a series of education reforms - policies that are not to the liking of de Blasio and many others. The State is due to finalize a budget by April 1, but Cuomo has also promised to hold out on a budget deal if his new ethics reform package is not included. The City could be in limbo as the two budget processes play out simultaneously, though in all likelihood the State will finalize a budget well in advance of the City's June 30 deadline.

De Blasio and other city officials - including Comptroller Scott Stringer, who will give a response to de Blasio's budget in the coming weeks - will go to Albany on Feb. 25 to testify at a joint budget hearing of the state Legislature.

***
by Ben Max, editor, Gotham Gazette
@tweetBenMax

Note: this article has been updated to clarify that spending announced by the mayor for NYPD vests was in part being allocated to the current fiscal year.

Manhattan BP Gale Brewer's State of the Borough event (photo: LaUnicaZeMendez)

MANHATTAN - Gale Brewer spent little time behind a lectern at her first official "state of the borough" event on Sunday. Instead, the afternoon kicked off with a Broadway musical number and ended with a wide-ranging conversation about the complex problems facing Manhattanites.

"Our event is a different 'state of,' because we're listening to what New Yorkers have to say," Borough President Brewer said to a crowd of about 675 at Columbia University's Lerner Hall on Sunday.

To be more inclusive, Brewer shared the stage with four "thought leaders" for a discussion on Manhattan issues. The event was livestreamed on the Manhattan Neighborhood Network, questions were taken from Twitter, and elected officials shared their visions for the borough's future in six-second Vine videos.

Public Advocate Letitia James used her video to congratulate the borough president on a busy first year.

"Manhattan is looking up, because of the 'gale-force' winds known as Gale Brewer," she said.

Well-known for her accessibility, Brewer often gives out her personal cell phone number, email, and home address to constituents. On Sunday, she made sure everyone knew how active she and her staff have been.

"Over the last year, we've waded deep into the prose," she said, in reference to the famous quote from the late former Governor Mario Cuomo.

In 2014, the borough president's office helped more than 1,000 people through various constituent services, made a large number of appointments to different local boards, and co-sponsored 31 pieces of legislation in the City Council, the audience was told. Three of those bills were passed and a resolution to allow 16- and 17-year-olds on community boards became state law. As of Jan. 30, more than 30 newly eligible teens have applied to become community board members, Brewer is proud to tout.

Overall, the event focused more on big picture ideas than concrete plans for the year ahead. Manhattan is known worldwide as a business and cultural center, but Brewer emphasized that it's also home to 1.6 million people. In recent years, many small businesses and longtime residents have been priced out. In keeping with Mayor de Blasio's State of the City agenda, much of the conversation centered around income inequality and affordable housing.

"If we don't have affordable housing in this city we won't have a city anymore," said Senator Charles Schumer.

On the education front, Carl McCall, current chair of the SUNY Board of Trustees and former state comptroller, said many students from New York's high schools aren't prepared for college. He said SUNY currently spends more than $80 million a year on remediation and stressed the importance of STEM education, as well as a new teacher evaluation system.

"We've got to evaluate people and we've got to compensate people based on their ability to do the job," he said, touching on an issue far from the purview of the borough president, but of concern to many Manhattanites.

Unlike the mayor in his State of the City speech, Brewer brought up police-community relations at her event. Former Borough President Ruth Messinger suggested incentivizing good police behavior similar to the way bus drivers were rewarded for their kindness toward passengers with wheelchairs starting in the '80s.

"We need a police department that recognizes skilled community relations as a basis for reward and promotions," Messinger said.

[Related: our look at Queens BP Melinda Katz's State of the Borough speech]

Brewer also covered issues ranging from funding broadband technology to making sure the Department of Education buys more food locally (all public school applesauce currently comes from China) to ensuring New York remains liveable for seniors, and much more.

Many of these issues extend far beyond Manhattan and the limited budget and powers of a borough president. The position does offer a platform, though, and Brewer's long tenure in city government has earned her a powerful group of allies, many of whom were in the audience.

In addition to Senator Schumer and Public Advocate James, Comptroller Scott Stringer, the majority of Manhattan's City Council delegation, multiple Assembly members, Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver, and Executive Director Pat Foye from the Port Authority were also in attendance.

[Related: our look at Staten Island BP James Oddo's priorities as borough president]

Brewer's colleagues, including one esteemed guest, had high praise for her work so far.

"She's one of the hardest working public officials I've ever seen, and effective," former Mayor David Dinkins told Gotham Gazette.

Though unlike when Dinkins was Manhattan's borough president in the '80s, the job now has less clout.

"It is a fact that the borough president today has to work awfully hard using the bully pulpit and competent staff to come up with ideas they hope they can sell to people who have the power," he said.

Based on her track record in city government, if anyone can make the most of the job it's Gale Brewer. She promised more details for 2015 as the city budget begins to take shape in the coming months.

[This article is part of our ongoing 'State Of's series in which we're reporting on early 2015 assessments and initiatives by a variety of elected officials, from the President to the Governor, Mayor, and Borough Presidents]

***
by Cole Rosengren, Gotham Gazette
@ColeRosengrenNY

Leonard Litwin (photo via Jewish Business News)

Leonard Litwin is a major New York political donor who amplifies his political speech by making large donations through his network of LLCs. Via the LLC loophole, each company may contribute as if it is a distinct individual (with separate campaign finance limits).

Using a new database which automatically loads up all of the New York State Board of Elections campaign finance filing data, we have conducted a unique analysis of Litwin's political finance network in order to paint a picture of his sprawling influence - presented in graphic form below.

One problem with the public data is that when filers describe the counter-parties to their campaign finance transactions (such as donors and vendors), there is no objective standard for names and addresses. Any one name or address may be described limitless ways, accounting for truncation, abbreviation, punctuation, nicknames, typos and other errors. With that in mind, this research gathered up 302 different references to Litwin and his businesses. Litwin's home address and office address are collectively described 104 ways in the data.

With these selections in hand, our research to identify the Litwin network activity (going back to January, 2000) resulted in a product of 1,834 specific contributions totaling $13.2 million dollars. We tallied the dollar sums on the relationships between Litwin and each of his beneficiaries. The chart below sorts recipients of Litwin's cash from largest to smallest, by sum. First, the top five beneficiaries:

Top 5 Recipients from Leonard Litwin LLC Network, 2000-2014

1. NYS SENATE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE $1,131,000
2. ANDREW CUOMO 2014, INC. $1,089,200
3. NEIGHBORHOOD PRESERVATION PAF $768,550
4. JOBS FOR NEW YORK, INC. $587,600
5. NYS SENATE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE - HOUSEKEEPING $550,000

The full picture:

 
(click the image or here to see full size)

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by Jon Reznick for Gotham Gazette
Data analysis performed using FTMSQL2 by Competitive Advantage Research, LLC

CM Ritchie Torres outside of a NYCHA building (photo: @RitchieTorres)

A recently announced venture between the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), L+M Development Partners, and BFC Partners is expected to rehabilitate six especially dilapidated Section 8 housing developments.

The deal was announced in December and calls for the six developments, containing 900 units in three boroughs, to receive increased federal funding under the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Mark-Up-To-Market program (MUTM) that prompts contract renewals between HUD and Section 8 development owners. Though HUD's Section 8 program generally subsidizes privately-owned developments, these six - three of which NYCHA inherited after a private owner defaulted - are owned by the City. As a result, in order for any contract renewals to take place under MUTM there must be, according to federal law, a for-profit owner involved. Thus, NYCHA sought corporate partners in its efforts to increase revenues and rehab the buildings.

Questions, however, quickly emerged regarding the lack of transparency in the deal's initial proposal, the deal's possible long-term effects, and whether the deal is a key step in the "privatization" of NYCHA.

On Tuesday, the City Council's Public Housing Committee, chaired by Council Member Ritchie Torres, a Democrat from the Bronx, will take up these questions and relevant issues. The Council website lists the hearing as "Oversight - A Fair Deal for NYCHA? A Look at NYCHA's Decision to Sell a Stake in Project-Based Section 8 Housing to Private Developers."

Tenants living in any of the city's roughly 91,000 Section 8 units pay an affordable rate, generally under a 30-percent-of-income cap, while federal funding covers the difference to reach market rates by providing tax exempt bonds or 4 percent tax credits to private owners. NYCHA's Conventional Public Housing, on the other hand, which includes over 178,000 units, is itemized in a separate line in the HUD budget and does not require private ownership.

Federal funding for Section 8 developments must go to private developers as dictated by the Low-Income Tax Credit (LIHTC) Program, enacted by the federal government in 1986. Moreover, funding under LIHTC, which was established to incentivize private investment in affordable housing, cannot be allocated without a private developer. Following LIHTC protocol, the responsibility to allocate tax credits to developers is then relegated to states' housing agencies. Politically, passing LIHTC afforded legislators under a Reagan-led government the ability to better fund public housing while simultaneously touting pro-business housing models.

A problem has arisen due to the fact that federal funding for Section 8 Housing has been significantly reduced over the past decades. According to a report released in July, 2014 by Victor Bach and Tom Waters of the Community Service Society (CSS), "by 2013, the cumulative operating [federal] subsidy loss since 2001 had mounted to nearly $1 billion."

As part of the recent deal between NYCHA and the two developers - which raised many eyebrows when it was announced - the two companies will pay NYCHA gradually for their 50 percent stake: $150 million at the outset of the deal, $100 million over the next two years, and $100 million more spread across a 15-year span. It totals $350 million in revenue and the developers plan to invest another $100 million in renovations, they say. NYCHA insists it is protected by an opt-out clause and other carefully constructed elements of the deal.

With a $77 million deficit and $18 billion in capital and building needs throughout NYCHA's 328-development portfolio, it's easy to understand the authority's motivation for cutting a deal with private developers to get an infusion of cash.

During an interview with Gotham Gazette, Bach of CSS explained that after the deal, which ensures continued Section 8 status under the MUTM program, federal subsidies that normally require an annual renewal, will be guaranteed a steady 30-year stream and protection from possible changes in HUD funding policy.

In short, NYCHA will receive revenue from L+M and BFC as well as more secure and increased federal funding. L+M and BFC, in exchange, receive tax exempt bonds and tax credits. This will be the case, anyway, for at least the next 30 years until - and this aspect of the deal is the cause of some suspicion - the developers, upon NYCHA's approval, may upgrade the units to full market-rate prices when federal aid expires.

On this topic, Moses Gates, the Director of Planning and Community Development at the Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development (ANHD), told Gotham Gazette, "If I were to ask NYCHA about this, I would ask 'What is the guarantee that the public will retain ownership at the end?'"

The ostensible answer seems to be that there is no guarantee. However, Gates hoped that a clearer picture of what NYCHA's deal will look like 30 years from now might be addressed during Tuesday's city council hearing.

New York State Assembly Member Robert Rodriguez expressed similar concerns in a recent op-ed in this publication. Rodriguez questions whether this one deal could be the gateway to a new public-private policy that, Rodriguez worries, could lead to privatization of NYCHA units.

"On the surface raising money to fix the buildings makes sense," he wrote. "But there is more to any deal involving NYCHA. In fact, I struggle to see how this fits into the long-term affordable housing plan for New York City. Is this 'pilot' part of a larger plan to diminish the City's stake in housing?"

The possibility of a substantial disruption in affordable housing at the hands of private developers coupled with a Housing Authority so crippled by deficit that it has no choice but to acquiesce to privatization is unsettling to many. But, between Gates' assessment that "this deal is not a template," and Bach's warning "to keep in mind that these are only six of NYCHA's 328 developments," the fears of Assembly Member Rodriguez and others may be at least slightly alarmist.

Possibly exaggerated fears notwithstanding, a lack of transparency regarding the future of these Section 8 developments and the deal itself has been a point of contention. The source of Bach's greatest apprehension was the lack of transparency surrounding the proposal.

The deal, Bach said, seemed to have "crept in under the radar." NYCHA was originally considering the partnership in June 2013, during former-Mayor Michael Bloomberg's tenure. A deal was proposed, but the private developer involved at the time ultimately withdrew. As a result, the notion carried over into Mayor Bill de Blasio's term mostly unnoticed behind his ambitious housing plans, efforts to boost NYCHA, and clear assertions from new NYCHA leadership led by Chair Shola Olatoye that "we will not tear down public housing, or privatize it."

Looking at the new NYCHA deal with two private developers, Bach questions Olatoye's assurance. "NYCHA claimed it's not privatization. We said it certainly looks like it," he said. Assembly Member Rodriguez, of northern Manhattan, and some city council members clearly also see a red flag.

Upon request for an interview a NYCHA spokesperson declined, but later stated in an email that "NYCHA is not giving up ownership or privatizing. This is not a profit making endeavor; all dollars re-invested...NYCHA and the Authority will remain in control over the future of these buildings." [bold and underline theirs]

Furthermore, the deal comes at a time when NYCHA's credibility and competence is in question - granted, though, that a scathing audit from City Comptroller Scott Stringer does not reflect the current NYCHA leadership or Mayor de Blasio, in office just over a year.

An audit report published Dec. 16, 2014 by Stringer's office concluded that NYCHA missed out on $692 million in revenue and savings for failing to meet basic HUD guidelines. In an example of "incompetence," NYCHA spent $10 million on a Boston Consulting Group study, but when the group made suggestions that, if followed, projected $106 million in revenue and savings by 2014, the suggestions were left unacknowledged.

One of the audit report's more clear, and obvious, suggestions for improvement reads "Improve planning and follow-through on revenue and cost-saving initiatives."

Olatoye, however, dismissed the audit's findings as "exaggerated financial claims projected out over future decades with little connection to NYCHA today under new leadership." The audit did in fact range the years preceding Olatoye's leadership and Mayor de Blasio's new housing policies, which have included a sharp focus on NYCHA not shown by prior administrations.

Given the new leadership of de Blasio and Olatoye, Stringer's audit, and the City Council's oversight, there could very well soon be a more clear picture of the new NYCHA Section 8 deal. NYCHA officials certainly seem clear-eyed with regard to assuring those concerned that the units will not be turned over to private hands in 30 years. Tuesday's question-and-answer period will undoubtedly be illuminating.

***
by Jarad Sassone-McHugh, Gotham Gazette
@GothamGazette

Note: this article has been updated to reflect that the deal being discussed is indeed final.

New York City Hall

What to watch for this week in New York politics:

This week will be off to a fast start with Mayor Bill de Blasio unveiling his initial Fiscal Year 2016 preliminary budget plan. De Blasio will announce his budget Monday at 2 p.m. at City Hall, outlining the shifts in spending and what they say about his priorities. We already know that money has been added for new NYPD bulletproof vests. Look for more stories Sunday evening into Monday in various publications that de Blasio's team has placed in an effort to roll out top agenda items included in the budget.

De Blasio's first budget was mostly praised, though there were questions about how he initially accounted for elements of union contracts he had struck and he did have to make modifications based on feedback from Comptroller Scott Stringer - all part of the budget process, which has several phases. Once the FY2015 budget (the city's fiscal year begins July 1) was settled between de Blasio and the City Council, many lauded the work done to prioritize new progressive initiatives and maintain solid fiscal footing. De Blasio does have to watch his out-year deficits, experts say. The city budget is also reliant on what happens in Albany, of course, so adjustments will likely have to be made as Governor Andrew Cuomo and the state Legislature negotiate the state's FY2016 budget over the next two months (the state's fiscal year begins April 1). De Blasio met with new Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie on Sunday to discuss rent regulations, which will be a major issue in Albany negotiations, during budget talks and/or afterward.

De Blasio and other city officials, including Stringer, head to Albany on Feb. 25 to address the Legislature about the city's budget needs. The Legislature has already begun holding budget hearings, including on education, at which New York City Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña testified and explained the City's opposition to some of Gov. Cuomo's education reform proposals. Cuomo is attempting to tie a large amount of increased school aid to his education reform agenda, the governor continues to have events around his larger agenda throughout the state, including many held by his top emissaries, such as Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul.

De Blasio's executive budget rollout is just the first step in the city's FY2016 process. The City Council will spend weeks holding budget hearings and give its response before the budget outline is adjusted and another round of hearings is held, final tweaks are made, and, in all likelihood, a June deal is reached. We'll get some more indication of what the City Council is eyeing both in calendar 2015 and fiscal 2016 when Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito gives her first State of the City address on Wednesday of this week. On Sunday, Mark-Viverito and a council delegation head to Israel for a nine-day trip. Details below.

Other top storylines to watch this week, followed by the run of the week in day-by-day detail, as we usually do:

• Many eyes are on Albany as new Assembly Speaker Heastie gets more acclimated in his role and budget negotiations move forward. We're awaiting word from Heastie on his take on several hot-button items, including education reform, the minimum wage, rent regulations, and more. Heastie's first work may be moving reform of the Assembly rules and then also working on larger ethics reform for Albany lawmakers in general. Meanwhile, he has promised to be a more inclusive speaker than his predecessor, which could make budget negotiations more complicated. If Heastie is more of a spokesperson for the will of his conference, especially his New York City delegation, which is a large portion of the chamber, it may matter a bit less what he believes in individually. As watchers know, though, anything can happen when the Albany horse-trading gets going and a budget deal is being worked out.

• Democratic movement in NY11? Staten Island Democrats are due to meet with potential candidates to take on Staten Island DA Dan Donovan in the yet-to-be-called special election in New York's 11th Congressional District (to replace Michael Grimm, who resigned after a pleading guilty to one count of felony tax fraud) - according to the SI Advance, which reports the interviews will take place on Wednesday. It is looking like it will be another Brooklyn Democrat, perhaps Council Member Vincent Gentile, to attempt to take the seat (former Council Member from Brooklyn Domenic Recchia was unsuccessful against Grimm in November). A lawsuit was filed last week to push Gov. Cuomo to call the special election, which he has stalled on doing. The district, which encompases all of Staten Island, has been without a representative since Grimm resigned at the beginning of January.

• It is Black History Month, look for many related events, including one being held Thursday by Public Advocate Letitia James, Council Speaker Mark-Viverito, the Council's Black, Latino, and Asian Caucus, and other council members.

As always, there's a great deal happening at the City Council and all over the city, with many events to be aware of. Day-by-day details 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
As mentioned, Mayor de Blasio will unveil his FY2016 budget proposal on Monday, 2 p.m., City Hall.

Advocates and elected officials supporting the DREAM Act will rally in Albany around noon on Monday, with a 1 p.m. press conference scheduled. As part of the "Moral Mondays" series, this week's push is around the stalled legislation that would allow for state financial aid to go to college students brought to the United States illegally. Gov. Cuomo has recommitted to seeing the DREAM Act passed, it seems, including language in his budget proposal to tie it to an education tax credit bill that Republicans favor.

Monday's City Council schedule will include a meeting of the Committee on Recovery and Resiliency jointly with the Committee on Fire and Criminal Justice Services for an oversight hearing "Examining the City's Enhanced Emergency Response Plans post Superstorm Sandy"; and a meeting of the Committee on Consumer Affairs to discuss oversight of "Education and Outreach on Financial Literacy for Young Adults," and to see the introduction of a new bill regarding "provision of young adults with outreach and education regarding consumer protection issues."

Because of inclement weather, HOPE 2015 was rescheduled for Monday, Feb. 9. The NYC Department of Homeless Services will conduct its annual Homeless Outreach Population Estimate (HOPE) - a program aimed at collecting "vital information for outreach teams to help homeless people leave the streets for a better life." The annual event will draw hundreds of volunteers including a good number of elected officials as those involved walk the city. [Read our report on the intensified efforts made by advocates and the City to help the homeless during the harsh winter months]

"On Monday, February 9th, the newly formed Community Investment Advisory Board will hold the first of five public hearings, one in each borough, under the new Responsible Banking Act. The law represents one of the strongest steps any government has taken to respond to hold banks accountable to local communities. This law puts NYC at the forefront of a national movement of municipalities enacting laws to direct more City deposits and business to banks that are meeting the credit needs of communities where they do business" - according to a media advisory from the Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development and the New Economy Project.

Also Monday evening, there will be a town hall event regarding the Kent Avenue warehouse fire in Brooklyn. "At the town hall, city agencies will be in attendance to brief the community on the fire and its impacts and to answer any questions. The following agencies will be in attendance: Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Fire Department, NYC Emergency Management, Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Buildings, Sanitation Department, Small Business Services, Police Department, Environmental Protection Agency and Mayor's Community Affairs Unit. All North Brooklyn residents are strongly encouraged to attend...The Town Hall is being hosted by Council Member Stephen Levin, State Senator Daniel L. Squadron, Assemblyman Joseph R. Lentol, Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney and State Senator Martin Malave Dilan."

Monday's Joint Legislative Budget Hearings are on taxes and on economic development.

On Monday, the Senate Standing Committee on Civil Service and Pensions will meet in Albany to consider various pieces of legislation related to pensions and civil service law.

The Senate Standing Committee on Judiciary will hold a hearing regarding Court of Appeals nominees Judge Leslie Stein and Judge Eugene Fahey.

On Monday evening, Comptroller Stringer will deliver remarks at the Turtle Bay Association 31st Annual Love Thy Neighborhood Valentine Party.

On Monday evening, the "New York City Council Urban Investigation Final Presentation" will be given by students involved with programming from The Center for Urban Pedagogy (CUP). 'How does the City Council actually work?' is the question at the heart of this work. "In this latest Urban Investigation, CUP and teaching artist Dillon de Give tackled these questions with a group of public high school students from International Community High School in Mott Haven. To find out how the City Council works, the students interviewed City Council staff and members—including Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito—as well as staff from city agencies. They created a short video to share what they learned. Join us for the debut of their project at Anthology Film Archives, where students will present the video and discuss their creative process."

On Monday and Tuesday is the 10th Annual H.F. Guggenheim Symposium on Crime in America. Among many aspects, Joe Ponte, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Correction will participate on the 9th and Ken Thompson, Kings County (Brooklyn) District Attorney will give the keynote address on the morning of the 10th.

[READ THE LATEST ORIGINAL REPORTING FROM GOTHAM GAZETTE]

Tuesday
On Tuesday, Mayor de Blasio will meet with Members of Congress Jerry Nadler and Nydia Velázquez; he will deliver remarks at the 10th Annual John Jay/Harry Frank Guggenheim Symposium on Crime in America; he will meet with Mayor of London Boris Johnson in City Hall; and he will deliver remarks at the opening of "The Italian Americans" at NYU.

Tuesday's City Council schedule will include a meeting of the Committee on Public Housing for an oversight hearing on: "A Fair Deal for NYCHA? A Look at NYCHA's Decision to Sell a Stake in Project-Based Section 8 Housing to Private Developers"; a meeting of the Committee on Transportation for oversight "examining the expansion of bus rapid transit in New York City," and the introduction of new bills relating to a "bus rapid transit plan" and "car sharing in the city fleet"; a meeting of the Committee on Parks and Recreation on "Annual report on non-governmental funding for NYC parks"; and a meeting of the Committee on Veterans on bills "Requiring the reporting of veterans receiving agency services"; "Membership of the veterans advisory board"; and "Meetings of the veterans advisory board." [As part of our extensive coverage of veterans issues in New York City, we recently wrote about issues around the Veterans Advisory Board related to its membership and its transparency]

On Tuesday morning, there will be a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture to consider a variety of relevant legislation. There will also be a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Local Government: "The New York Conference of Mayors (NYCOM) and Municipal Officials to address the Committee...[on] An act to amend the real property tax law, in relation to school tax relief (STAR) exemptions" and a variety of other items.

There will be a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Education regarding a variety of relevant bills. There will be a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Transportation on various legislation including "An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to prohibiting a child under the age of eight from being left unattended in a motor vehicle"; "An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law and the penal law, in relation to distribution of certain mandatory surcharges imposed for alcohol-related traffic convictions" and several others.

Tuesday morning will see a Joint Legislative Budget Hearing on Higher Education.

Tuesday morning will see a special event at The New School: "In Need of Shelter: Protecting the city's children from the traumas of homelessness." Details: "The de Blasio administration has made reducing family homelessness a key priority. Nevertheless, homeless families spend on average over 400 days in city shelters, and the number of families is near a record high. Young children are overrepresented; the number of kids under the age of 6 in shelters has grown nearly 60 percent since 2006. How can we keep children in city-subsidized shelters safe? How can we use the time they spend in shelter to foster rather than derail their development? How can we support parents who are leaving shelters that may be the only homes their children have known? A conversation with experts in the field, and the release of the latest edition of Child Welfare Watch"

On Tuesday afternoon, the College of Staten Island will host a conversation on policing in New York City and the United States, with sociologist Alex Vitale and Eric Garner's daughter Erica Garner: "To Serve and Protect? Broken Windows Policing and Eric Garner." More: "The police killing of Staten Island resident Eric Garner, and other cases, has galvanized a mass movement demanding fundamental changes to policing in New York City and the United States. Come to a lecture and public discussion with sociologist Alex Vitale and activist Erica Garner for a critical dialogue on policing, its deeper roots, and the mass movement that has emerged."

"Stop the trafficking" will be Tuesday evening at Brooklyn Borough Hall: "Human trafficking is the second largest source of illegal income worldwide exceeded only by drug trafficking. Our esteemed panel includes: New York City Councilmember Laurie Cumbo, Chair of the Committee on Women's Issues, LifeWay Network, GEMS and Safe Horizon for a discussion on human trafficking, how it affects our community, and the current efforts in place to combat this global crisis." [Read a recent Gotham Gazette op-ed by Manhattan DA Cy Vance on the need for New York to strengthen its sex-trafficking laws]

On Tuesday evening, Comptroller Scott Stringer hosts "Trailblazers, a program and awards ceremony in honor of African-American History Month," 6 p.m., New York Public Library Schomburg Center.

The Safe Passage Project and the Diane Abbey Law Institute for Children and Families of the Impact Center for Public Interest Law at New York Law School Present: Unaccompanied Immigrant Children and the "Priority Docket": New York's Experience on Tuesday evening at New York Law School.

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Wednesday
On Wednesday at noon, "New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito will deliver her inaugural State of the City address, "Lifting Every Voice," at the Johnson Community Center in East Harlem."

[Read our interview with Mark-Viverito about her first year as speaker and the leadership style she has brought to the role; and read our broader look at the "new" City Council's first year (2014), with a focus on what changed and what did not under new leadership and an almost half-new council]

Earlier, on Wednesday morning, the offices of Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and City Comptroller Scott Stringer are hosting a "Tax Workshop for Clergy."

On Wednesday evening, Stringer is holding a meet-and-greet with residents of Starrett City, in East New York, Brooklyn.

Earlier, on Wednesday morning, PCAC and ULI New York present: "Keeping NY on Track: the Importance of the MTA Transit Network in a Changing World," a discussion on the MTA Capital Program. Moderator: Seth Pinsky, Executive Vice President, Fund Manager, Metro Emerging Markets & Public Affairs Director, RXR Realty and Speakers: Joan Byron, Director of Policy, Pratt Center for Community Development; Donna Keren, SVP, Research & Analysis, NYC & Company; Janno Lieber, President, WTC Properties, Silverstein Properties; Mark J. Marcucci, Managing Director, Global Head of Citi Realty Services, Citi.

Thursday
Thursday's City Council schedule will include a meeting of the Committee on Finance on "Approving the new designation and changes in the designation of certain organizations to receive funding in the Expense Budget"; a meeting of the Committee on Rules, Privileges and Elections to discuss a variety of items: "Communication from the Mayor - Submitting the name of Wellington Chen to the Council for its advice and consent regarding his appointment as a member of the Landmarks Preservation Commission, pursuant to Sections 31 and 3020 of the New York City Charter. Communication from the Mayor - Submitting the name of Kim Vauss to the Council for its advice and consent regarding her appointment as a member of the Landmarks Preservation Commission, pursuant to Sections 31 and 3020 of the New York City Charter. Communication from the Mayor - Submitting the name of Hank Willis Thomas to the Council for its advice and consent regarding his appointment as the painter member of the New York City Art Commission, known as Public Design Commission, pursuant to Sections 31 and 851 of the New York City Charter"; and the first of two February City Council Stated Meetings.

Public Advocate Letitia James will host a discussion on the NYC Campus Safety Act. 5 p.m. at The New School: "James has been working closely with college students across the city to craft legislation that targets on-campus sexual violence. The result is the NYC Campus Safety Act...[which] seeks to provide City resources to assist colleges across the city to strengthen education, prevention, and response to on-campus sexual and domestic violence as well as boost the reporting mechanisms for survivors." RSVP.

Thursday evening will see the aforementioned Celebration of Black History Month at the City Council, hosted by Public Advocate Letitia James, Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, the Council's BLAC and other council members: 6 p.m. in Council Chambers, City Hall. To RSVP, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

On Thursday evening, The Bronx Republican Party is hosting its Lincoln Day Dinner, at which it will be honoring John Catsimatidis with the Bronx Republican Party 2015 "Leadership Award"; the Chairman's Special Tribute: The Bronx Republican Party 2015 humanitarian awardee will be announced; and closings by Honorable Ed Cox, Esq., Chair of State GOP, and Bronx GOP Chairman John Greaney.

Friday and the weekend
Friday's City Council schedule is a meeting of the Committee on Sanitation and Solid Waste Management for a hearing regarding a bill aimed at "Reducing permitted capacity at putrescible and non-putrescible solid waste transfer stations in overburdened districts."

State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli is hosting the "Eighth Annual Emerging Manager & MWBE Conference" on Friday at the Hilton Albany Hotel: "The Emerging Manager Program allows the New York State Common Retirement Fund (CRF) to: invest in newer, smaller and diverse investment management firms;
access the next generation of talent in the investment field; and provide opportunities for the CRF to invest with qualified minority- and women-owned business enterprises (MWBE)."

Friday evening will see the New York State Association of Black and Puerto Rican Legislators Evening Reception, hosted by City & State NY.

Saturday at noon, City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, in collaboration with the Silberman School of Social Work, will host an event in East Harlem: "Rising for Justice in El Barrio." More: "Join us as we stand with East Harlem residents and people all over the world against the violence towards women and girls. Violence Intervention Program, the Silberman School of Social Work and my district office joined forces for this community-based action to combat sexual assault and rape, and make our schools and neighborhoods as safe as possible."

Leaving on Sunday, Feb. 15, Mark-Viverito is leading a city council trip to Israel - set to last nine days and include about 15 council members. "The trip is sponsored by the Jewish Community Relations Council and the UJA Federation of New York. This is Speaker Mark-Viverito's second trip to Israel as a Council Member – she previously made the trip in 2012. The delegation will include, other than the speaker, Council members David Greenfield, Brad Lander, Mark Levine, Mark Treyger, Ritchie Torres, Helen Rosenthal, Cory Johnson, Donovan Richards, Antonio Reynoso, Eric Ulrich, Andrew Cohen, Jimmy Van Bramer, Rafael Espinal and Darlene Mealy" - according to JP Updates.

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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 Rati Mukhuradze and Ben Max
@GothamGazette

Sanitation Commissioner Garcia & some of her troops (@NYCSanitation)

On a frigid January night in Queens, the wood-panelled society clubhouse was full of people preparing for one of the most important tests they would ever take. New York's sanitation worker exam was only three weeks away and there was little time for small talk.

More than 40 exam applicants sat in rows of faded plastic chairs, shuffling through practice materials and asking what it was like to pick up the city's garbage. A group of stern-faced members from the African-American Benevolent Society (AABS) - all current or retired sanitation employees - stood up front and told them that the job could be tough, but the pay is steady and the pension is excellent.

"Once you're hired, you'll get a check for the rest of your life," said Superintendent Lyle Reid.

Many of the people in the room have been awaiting this coming weekend for years. On Saturday, Feb. 7 and Sunday, Feb. 8, the Department of Sanitation (DSNY) will hold its first employment exams since 2007.

During a one-month registration period in October, more than 94,000 people applied to become one of "New York's Strongest." DSNY hires an estimated 500 people per year, so applicants are doing whatever it takes to get the highest score possible. Yet passing the exam is only the first of many obstacles on a multi-year journey toward landing one of the city's most competitive and coveted civil service jobs.

In their Jamaica clubhouse, surrounded by pictures of the Obama family, Public Advocate Letitia James, and other prominent African-American figures, the AABS members tried to prepare the applicants for the process ahead. They repeatedly emphasized the importance of getting as close to a perfect score as possible on the exam.

"Don't even ask me what's the passing. 'Cause if that's what you're concerned about you're wasting your time," said David Shelborne, AABS president.

The group listened attentively. One woman was still wearing her FedEx uniform, while another man sported an orange ballcap with an elaborately stitched image of the New York skyline. A Brooklyn native had even flown up from her office job in Charleston, South Carolina with dreams of moving back and working for the city. Both of Reid's young sons were studying, even though one will soon become an MTA track worker.

A few young men had questions about criminal records or meeting parole requirements. The AABS members assured them that as long as they were honest with DSNY they would be fine.

"There's nothing, literally, holding you back but yourself," said Gail Johnson, a civilian DSNY employee.

The Gig
Unlike the police, fire, or correction departments, working in sanitation doesn't require any college credits. Applicants need to have a GED certificate and be 21 years old by the time of employment. A Class A or B commercial driver's license (CDL) is also required, but DSNY will train employees for an additional cost if they don't have one.

The annual salary for a new sanitation worker starts at $33,746, but anyone who lasts five and a half years will earn at least $70,000. These numbers could increase if a new labor contract is negotiated this year. They also don't include additional income, such as differential pay and overtime. Amounts vary depending on a worker's job duties, the severity of snow season and other factors, but extra money of some kind is guaranteed.

For example, all truck crews receive a shift bonus as part of a 1980 labor agreement that reduced collection teams from three to two workers. Workers also receive additional pay for working outside of their normally scheduled shifts and are guaranteed at least eight hours of pay at time-and-a-half for emergency situations such as snowstorms. They also receive a uniform allowance, paid holiday time, paid sick days, health insurance for their families, and a pension plan. DSNY has many other job opportunities beside collecting garbage, though that is the agency's primary function.

"You don't necessarily have to be a doctor, a lawyer, or an airplane pilot to earn a decent living," said Reid.

The Independent Budget Office estimates that the average sanitation worker with more than five and a half years on the job makes an average of $119,000 per year, including health benefits. This does not include annuity payments, pension payments, and other fringe benefits.

This salary is for entry-level sanitation workers who collect garbage and recyclables, sweep the streets with mechanical brooms, and clear snow. Numbers are based on the most recent contract for the Local 831 Uniformed Sanitationmen's Association, which was negotiated in 2007 and expired in 2011.

If a worker is then promoted to become a supervisor or superintendent, the pay grows accordingly. Both positions also require exams. The AABS and other department societies - known as fraternal organizations - traditionally hold study sessions for promotional exams.

Superintendent Andrenia Burgis has helped run the promotional exam study sessions at AABS for years. She's known as one of the best teachers in the department and DSNY employees come from all over the city for her guidance. Reid, who is white, enjoyed her classes so much that he joined AABS and is now the group's corresponding secretary.

Due to the volume of applicants, no fraternal organization had ever held study sessions for the sanitation worker exam. This time, Burgis decided to change that and help people in low-income communities apply for a job that could help them establish better lives.

When the exam was announced last fall, Burgis led information sessions throughout Brooklyn and Queens. She thought that if local politicians could come support a new Target opening up, they should help promote a well-paying civil service job.

"Those are just minimum wage jobs. These are jobs that can change your life," she said.

Working with Senator John Sampson, whom she knew from church and is currently under indictment on corruption charges, Burgis found ways to get the $47 application fee waived and help people without Internet access apply online. Working with AABS, public housing tenant associations, local libraries and churches, Burgis estimates that she signed up at least 2,500 people.

DSNY reported that 34 percent of exam applicants identified as black, the highest percentage of any ethnic group.

Since the fall, Burgis has organized multiple study sessions in the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens. She's also looking into the possibility of free CDL training. At the very least, Burgis said she's happy that people will now be working toward their GEDs and are registered with the Department of Citywide Administrative Services to apply for other civil service jobs.

"We're trying to move the people through the community for something positive for themselves," she said.

The Exam
While no one knows exactly what will be on this year's exam, or even how many questions it will have, the assumption is that it will follow a similar formula to most other civil service exams. No prior job knowledge is required. Instead, applicants are tested on written comprehension, problem solving skills, deductive reasoning, spatial orientation, basic math, and other similar areas.

Free study classes are far from the norm. Civil service test prep is a lucrative industry, especially in New York. Tens of thousands of people apply to become postal workers, court officers, notary publics, and more every year.

Angelo Tropea, a retired chief county clerk, sells test prep books. His latest, "Sanitation Worker Exam New York City," is currently the bestselling civil service test guide on Amazon. While Tropea has never taken the sanitation exam himself, he is familiar with basic civil service exams. He wrote the book with sanitation-related scenarios in mind and sprinkled in motivational quotes from the likes of Confucius, Abraham Lincoln, and Yoda.

Many current sanitation workers claim they barely studied for the exam, if at all, but Tropea cautions against that attitude.

"The greatest danger of taking this test is being overconfident," he said.

Tropea's company, Concept Review, has been holding study classes around the city leading up to the exam. On a rainy Sunday in January, 53 people came to the Arden Heights Jewish Center on Staten Island for an all-day session. For $169, attendees received a binder full of study materials and seven hours of instruction.

"When they design the exam, I assure you it's not gonna be as easy as many people think," Mark Spiritus, one of the day's teachers, told his class. "Remember they're trying to screen you out."

Working off a classic overhead projector, Spiritus stood in the front of the center's spacious Lynne Bloomgarden Social Hall. Mirrors covered the walls and a large crystal chandelier hung overhead. He riffed on test-taking strategies, study habits, and job potential.

His colleague, Stewart Feigel, told the class to sleep well the night before the exam, eat a good breakfast, and get to the testing site early.

"Stress is something you do not want that day," he said.

As the morning wore on, some attendees grew restless. One young man in a Superman T-shirt put his head down on the table and fell asleep. Others listened intently, looking for any chance to improve their odds on the exam. Some work in retail or drive trucks. All of them want a better job.

The group was mostly male - a trend in DSNY, which was the last uniformed city agency to hire women - but at least one woman in attendance had big plans for a career in civil service.

Tonya Parker, currently a DSNY clerical aide, had taken NYPD and state corrections exams in the past. During her time on the job so far, Parker has learned the agency's systems and met a lot of sanitation workers who encouraged her to apply.

"They told me if anything it's not as bad as you think it is," she said.

Joseph Bruno, an Army veteran who is currently a subcontractor for Time Warner Cable, has taken NYPD and FDNY exams with no luck yet. He would prefer sanitation.

"No one's shooting at you. You're not running into burning buildings," he said.

After the Exam
Even those who ace the exam will still have to wait until they can start the job. DSNY will continue hiring off the 2007 exam list until Feb. 2016.

At that point, applicants from this current exam will start being called based on their scores and corresponding list numbers. This number indicates when they'll be called for the next step and dictates their seniority in the garage once hired. If people receive the same score, which is common, their list number will be determined based on who signed up first.

Applicants can also qualify for a variety of score credits. Anyone who has been a resident of the five boroughs, Nassau County, or Westchester County for more than a year can get five additional points. Anyone whose parent or sibling died in the Sep. 11, 2001 World Trade Center attacks can use a legacy credit, which is an additional 10 points. Applicants can't receive points for more than one parent and one sibling, but they can potentially receive 20 points for a parent and a sibling. Veterans can receive five additional points and disabled veterans can receive 10.

The highest score from the 2007 exam was 123.75. A passing score is 70, but the lowest score to be called so far was 97.5.

While some applicants will get called in a matter of months, others may wait years. David Shelborne, AABS president, didn't receive a letter for nearly 10 years. At the time he was a senior specialist for an electronics company and ended up taking a nearly $60,000 pay cut to join DSNY. In the 25 years since, he has done well for himself within the department and his wife is now a sanitation police officer.

"I looked far off in the future," said Shelborne. "Best move I ever made."

Superintendent Burgis and Darlene Perez - a mechanical broom operator in the Bronx - both waited eight years. Robert Rammairone from Staten Island waited five years, during which time he worked at Home Depot and also applied to become a police officer.

Muhammad Shareef, president of the Islamic Council for the Department of Sanitation, remembers only waiting a year or two at most.

He attributes his success to an exam study book he borrowed from the library and read obsessively.

"I think I read it so much that I started to memorize what was on the next page," he said.

If You Get Called
Once called, applicants still face a battery of other tests. Obstacle courses have to be navigated while carrying heavy garbage bags, a doctor must give approval of physical and mental fitness, and a mountain of forms must be completed.

By the time sanitation workers finally make it on the job, they have an 18 month probationary period in which to prove themselves. Showing up late to work, failing a drug or alcohol test, and other infractions are all grounds for dismissal.

During this probationary period, neither the Local 831 Uniformed Sanitationmen's Association or any fraternal organizations can protect a worker. Once they've made the cut, workers may have a better chance of surviving a failed drug test or other issues with union support.

The first couple years can be difficult for even the most exemplary workers to adjust to. Many won't last until the five-and-a-half year mark when the money really starts to kick in.

Robin Nagle, an anthropology professor at NYU, experienced this firsthand when she became a sanitation worker to research "Picking Up," her book about life on the job. "You can read about it, you can even hang out with guys, but when you're in uniform and you're the one responsible for that truck, there is nothing that prepares you for that," Nagle said.

The physical strain of picking up multiple tons of garbage every day, potentially working in different boroughs for weeks on end without a day off during snow season, and contending with rats or maggots scares some people away.

Based on her own experience, Nagle said the job is well worth it. Sanitation workers share a camaraderie unlike anything she's seen in other jobs and take great pride in the important role they play.

"God forbid there were a strike tomorrow - or we get buried by snow tonight and you can't collect the garbage for the next little while - you feel it, immediately," she said of the key role sanitation workers play.

Nagle's words proved to be apt. AABS had to cancel a number of other exam study sessions after their Jamaica event due to Winter Storm Juno. Even though it didn't pummel the city as expected, DSNY employees were still working overtime for days to catch up on snow removal and garbage collection and will continue to do so this week.

The hours are long, but they're getting paid well and take the job seriously.

According to a 2013 report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, being a sanitation worker is statistically more dangerous than being a police officer or firefighter. Their chances are high of getting hit by a car, knocked over by a projectile coming out of the truck's compactor, stuck with a needle inside a garbage bag, or experiencing any number of other hazards.

Yet when the exam notice went out last fall, DSNY employees spread the news to parents at Little League games, relatives, fellow worshippers, and anyone they met. With so many New Yorkers struggling to make a living wage and pay their bills, this kind of job can be life-changing.

All the applicants can do now is show up this weekend with sharpened pencils and give it their best. After that they will go back to their regular lives and wait.

"It's just a door," said David Shelborne. "The same way people go to a store and buy a lottery ticket."

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by Cole Rosengren, Gotham Gazette
@ColeRosengrenNY

Mayor de Blasio delivering his State of the City (Mayor's Office via Twitter)

NEW YORK—In 2010, the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness issued the nation's first comprehensive plan to address homelessness among the nation's military veterans. The plan called for ending veteran homelessness by the end of 2015.

During his first year in office New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, like his predecessor Michael Bloomberg, signed on to the pledge. He has just under a year to complete what is a formidable task, yet it is exactly what he promised to do on Tuesday.

There are currently 1,000 homeless veterans in New York City, according to the City Department of Homeless Services (DHS). Of those, 712 are in DHS shelters, 264 are in federal VA-funded housing, and 29 are living on the streets.

De Blasio included the issue of veteran homelessness in his State of the City address, which focused almost solely on addressing the city's affordable housing crisis. The mayor called the issue of veteran homelessness a "moral indictment," and noted his administration would continue working with the Obama administration on solving the problem.

"We will end chronic homelessness among veterans this year in New York City," de Blasio said during his first major speech of the year, given Tuesday at Baruch College in Manhattan. "Those who fight abroad to protect our freedom should never be left without a home here in the country they defended. It makes no sense, and we won't let it happen."

The City will create a housing plan for every military veteran in the shelter system by the end of February, according to details provided by the mayor's press office. Support will be provided to any veteran who has served in the military, regardless of discharge status. If a veteran does not qualify for services under the State or Federal definition, the Mayor's Office of Veteran Affairs will find public or private sources.

The City will push veterans through the new LINC rental subsidy program to find permanent housing and veterans will be given preference for existing supportive housing. These efforts are on top of the veteran preferences which already exist in subsidized and public housing.

The City will also continue the multi-agency coordination that has proved largely successful thus far. In November of last year, New York City was given an award for reducing veteran homelessness by 64 percent (a total of 3,032 veterans) since 2011, according to HUD's 2013 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report.

The collaboration, including weekly conference calls to address specific veterans needing shelter, has made a huge difference in combating veteran homelessness, but ensuring proper funding has been the key, according to advocates.

"There is an unprecedented level of resources available to prevent veterans from becoming homeless and also to rapidly re-house them when they do," Tori Lyon, executive director of Jericho Project, said by phone Monday. "The resources available actually match the size of the need. That is the only way you can end any kind of homelessness."

Jericho Project currently operates two supportive housing residences for veterans which housed 143 veterans in 2014 and another development is slated to open in 2016 in the Bronx.

This fiscal year the VA awarded $22.66 million to fund seven non-profit social service organizations in New York for the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) programs, according to testimony from DHS at a November City Council hearing. Gotham Gazette asked the mayor's press office for clarity on how much total funding was received this fiscal year, however, emails were not returned by press time.

"We applaud the administration for their commitment to veterans and to alleviating the homelessness crisis. And, we commit to being a partner in the effort to help veterans renew their lives," Mitchell Netburn, president and CEO of Project Renewal said by email Tuesday. "We, like the administration, believe that no one should be without a home -- especially the men and women who have so selflessly served our country."

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by Kristen Meriwether, Gotham Gazette
@MeriwetherK

Gov. Cuomo delivering his new ethics plan Monday (photo: @NYGovCuomo)

On the day Sheldon Silver would step down as Assembly Speaker, Gov. Andrew Cuomo told students at New York University Law School that he will hold the state budget hostage until the Legislature agrees to a package of major ethics reforms. "I will not sign a budget that does not have an ethics plan as outlined in my proposal," said Cuomo, who detailed a five-prong plan.

Cuomo's plan would require legislators to disclose all outside income; strip pensions from legislators convicted of corruption; change the way legislators are reimbursed for travel; prevent campaign funds from being used for personal gain; patch major loopholes in campaign finance law; lower contribution limits; and make campaign donations more transparent.

"He battled the dragon of corruption for 12 years. The dragon, obviously, survived," Cuomo said referencing his father, former Gov. Mario Cuomo, who passed away earlier this year, and making the fight against the corruption seem all-the-more personal.

The Governor's speech was an attempt to regain the high ground on ethics that he lost last year after he shuttered The Moreland Commission on Public Corruption and after yet another lawmaker was arrested for impropriety. Cuomo only dedicated a few seconds to ethics reform in his State of the State Speech - an address quickly knocked from the headlines by the arrest of Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara's intimation that more legislator shoes would soon drop. Albany has remained entranced by the Assembly Democrats' rush to replace Silver - whether they will deliver actual reform and a replacement for Silver who is truly interested in changing the system is also the cause of whirring speculation.

The notion of giving up an on-time budget is no small thing for Cuomo, who made his four on-time budgets his political calling card during his reelection campaign. Advocates have told Cuomo to hold the budget hostage for a number of issues, but Cuomo had previously focused on proving he could get Albany to function in its most basic duties. "This means in all probability that we will not have a fifth on-time, amicable budget," Cuomo said on Monday. "I think that's safe to say because these reforms are going to meet with significant resistance, but I am OK with that. I think New Yorkers know after four on-time budgets, we could perform collegially to accomplish a fifth if that was the goal. But there are different ways to pass a budget, first of all, and it is more important to me to prove that we have corrected the [ethics] problem and restore trust then just check a box of getting another budget done on time."

Cuomo's proposal came as Assembly Democrats appeared set to anoint Bronx Assemblyman Carl Heastie as Silver's replacement despite the fact that he has made questionable use of campaign funds, collected more per diems and mileage reimbursements from the State than most other legislators, and appears to oppose campaign finance reform. On Monday Democrats rushed to build consensus around Heastie, eventually agreeing to vote him in as speaker at 11 a.m. on Tuesday.

Cuomo himself has taken advantage of some of the loopholes his ethics reforms would ban. The governor exploited all varieties of permissible avenues and lax donation limits in the state's campaign finance rules to amass an incredibly large campaign war chest that he used to win re-election.

Cuomo confused some observers saying, "Public finance is the only option to ensure democratic access to the system." Many advocates thought that meant enacting a system of public financing of elections is part of Cuomo's ultimatum, but documents Cuomo's press office handed out do not list a public financing system as part of his ultimatum, nor do they list closure of the state's LLC loophole. It is said that this is because they are both already part of the governor's budget proposal.

"Any reasonable person who heard what the Governor had to say sure would have thought public finance was part of his ultimatum," said Blair Horner of the New York Public Interest Research Group referring to some system in which public dollars are provided to candidates who meet certain qualifications. Many have called for the state to implement a version modeled after New York City's public matching funds system.

Senate Democrats hailed Cuomo's proposals as they mirror ones the Conference has endorsed previously. Good government groups also reacted positively.

Horner issued a statement welcoming Cuomo's speech but adding, "Yet the governor did not describe any significant changes in the oversight and enforcement structure. Without changes to the ethics and campaign finance systems, no real changes will occur. The best laws are only as good as their administration. New York cannot continue to rely on the US Attorney's office to walk the ethics and campaign finance 'beat' in Albany."

Dick Dadey of Citizens Union praised Cuomo's proposals adding: "Citizens Union is pleased to see the governor taking a strong stand to correct the misstep of closing down the Moreland Commission before its work was completed. Let's hope that this is the time that New Yorkers see the promise of a wholesale change to Albany happen."

Karen Scharff, executive director of Citizen Action of New York, kept her response simple, emailing a statement saying only, "We agree with the Governor when he says deeds matter more than words. Any budget that doesn't include public funding of elections is a corruption budget."

Cuomo's speech came as Assembly Democrats met to discuss when to vote Heastie in as speaker. Some called for the vote to come at midnight despite some members' concerns that Heastie should have more vetting and calls from good government groups to hold an open hearing on reforms to the Assembly's rules. Cuomo himself advocated the Assembly change its rules, saying, "The rules of the state Assembly centralize power so that individual members are virtually powerless to move legislation. This is the Assembly's opportunity to enact a new, fair and open system."

Heastie offered a reform plan earlier in the day that included the creation of an office of ethics and compliance to provide members with guidance on adhering to ethics rules. He is on board with reform of the per diem system (which he has generously taken advantage of), working to cap legislators' outside income, and increasing disclosure requirements. Heastie also pledged not to accept any outside income himself. "I believe we must seize this opportunity for reform, and enact the type of lasting change that will make the Assembly more open, transparent and accountable to the voters. I look forward to working with my colleagues to develop and implement reforms like these, and others, so that the Assembly can regain the voters' trust and start a new chapter."

Heastie met with the Assembly's reform caucus earlier in the day but refused to comment about what transpired, telling reporters: "It wouldn't be a private conversation if I told you about it."

Press was actually forced out of a public area around where Heastie met with members later in the day, ensuring Heastie did not have to answer questions as he walked the halls.

Meanwhile, good government groups held a press conference criticizing Assembly members for choosing Silver's replacement in such an opaque manner. The Brennan Center for Justice, NYPIRG, Common Cause, and Citizens Union unveiled a series of reforms they said would allow the Assembly to operate in a more transparent and Democratic manner.

Some of the reforms overlap with Cuomo's plan, like disclosing all outside income, stricter oversight of lobbyists, and closing loopholes in the campaign finance law. Reformers also want to overhaul the legislative oversight commission, empower rank and file members to introduce and get votes on their own legislation, and distribute resources more equitably among members.

Dadey told reporters he felt the Assembly was missing an opportunity created by Silver's legal troubles by acting to replace him so quickly. "This would have been a great opportunity for the candidates in the Assembly to show a real sensitivity to the need for a public process, and they have failed," Dadey said.

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by David King, Albany editor, Gotham Gazette
@DavidHowardKing

Assembly Member Carl Heastie (photo: AP/Mike Groll)

Examples from Assembly Speaker Front-Runner's Campaign Filings Underscore Views on Donor Influence

On July 7, 2011, Assembly Member Carl Heastie saw a staggering influx of campaign donations from pharmacies and drugs stores across New York City. Two hundred dollar donations flew in from Liberty Avenue Pharmacy in Brooklyn, Melrose Pharmacy on Courtland Avenue in the Bronx, Hana Pharmacy on Union Street in Flushing.

When all was said and done, the "Friends of Carl Heastie" campaign account had tallied a one-day total of $10,200 from 32 drug stores in what appears to have been a coordinated show of appreciation. What had Heastie done to deserve this flurry of pharmaceutical enthusiasm? Earlier in 2011 Heastie introduced and helped pass a piece of legislation that made the industry very happy.

Assembly Bill A05502B made it illegal for health insurance companies to mandate the insured use mail order pharmacies or charge the insured copays if they filled their prescriptions at local pharmacies. Insurers insisted that using mail order pharmacies would save them and consumers a substantial amount of money. Brick and mortar pharmacies worried they would lose significant business.

Heastie's bill wasn't particularly out of the ordinary except for the fact that despite being in the Legislature since 2000, Heastie has not been a particularly productive law-maker. He hasn't sponsored many bills, and has not had great attendance: he missed 174 votes - or about 15 percent - last year according to the New York Public Interest Research Group. Heastie is, of course, on the verge of becoming the new Speaker of the Assembly and thus of particular interest at this time.

Heastie has been especially tight with the pharmacy lobby despite not having any particular background in the field. The Pharmacy PAC of NY donated to Heastie four times in 2011 totalling $4,100. Since 2010, Pharmacy PAC has donated $9,000 to Heastie, including donations as recently as 2014, according to a review of campaign finance filings by Gotham Gazette. These numbers do not include the individual pharmacy donations from July, 2011 or on other dates throughout the years.

These workings are by no means atypical for Albany - an industry oftens finds a legislator who is willing to introduce their pet bills and continually rewards that legislator. The pattern is not necessarily illegal, though it may depend on communications between donors and lawmakers. But, it speaks to how Albany operates.

Now, as Heastie is set to take the Assembly speaker reigns from the disgraced Sheldon Silver, who was arrested on federal corruption charges in January, good government groups and some legislators are calling for major reforms to the system. Heastie has made promises to usher in reforms to how the Assembly runs, but not necessarily to how Albany's finances swirl. He has also made a pledge to make zero outside income if elected speaker - it was Silver using his position to rake in many millions that is at the root of his charges.

Reform advocates and sources connected to the now-defunct Moreland Commission on corruption in Albany point to Heastie as an example of how the state's current campaign finance system allows legislators to enrich themselves without doing anything illegal. U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara's office has picked up on Moreland's investigations, though, which is in part what led to Silver's arrest.

City and State NY reported that Heastie was a target of the Moreland Commission because he racked up nonspecified charges on his campaign's credit card to the tune of $25,000. In a more recent report from Capital New York, this number appears to be about $60,000. Heastie also used his account for quite a few car repairs and to pay hundreds of dollars in parking tickets - the latter is not allowed by campaign finance rules. "All campaign expenditures were properly itemized and were within Board of Elections guidelines," Heastie's spokesperson, Eric Soufer, told The New York Times last week. On the parking tickets issue, Soufer said that "It was the committee's understanding that this was an allowable expense under existing law. However, if that is not the case, we will address the issue."

The state's lax campaign finance laws don't require legislators to disclose specifics of campaign spending of under $50. But Heastie's campaign spending is curious to some because he is known to be a "number cruncher" and graduated from college with a degree in mathematics and statistics. "This is a guy who is supposed the know the value of a clean ledger," said one legislator with concerns about Heastie who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Heastie's fundraising and use of campaign accounts is even more interesting when his views on campaign finance reform and the influence of money on politicians are taken into account.

In an interview with BronxTalk in September 2013 the notoriously press-adverse Heastie was asked about whether it was fair that candidates he was backing as chair of the Bronx County Democratic Committee had major financial support from PACs against candidates with meager means. "I guess that's a better question to ask the Supreme Court 'cause they're ones that ruled we can have these independent expenditure. It's difficult to say that people that want to express an opinion in an election should not be heard," Heastie told host Gary Axelbank, seemingly supporting the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision that found campaign spending by corporations to be protected free speech.

Axelbank then inquired whether Heastie believes campaign donations make politicians bend to donors. "No, that's another one of problems I have," Heastie replied. "The press seems to do - and people running against elected officials say - they believe that because someone supports you or contributes to your campaign someone owns you or you've taken a bribe. I've received contributions from someone I disagreed with. Gotta start looking at individuals."

An astonished Axelbank replied, "Certainly money to campaigns buys influence. Who could deny it?"

To which Heastie replied "I'm never gonna admit to that."

Heastie isn't just in charge of his own campaign coffers, as head of the Bronx County Democratic Committee he also manages hefty donations that are then spread out to help County-endorsed candidates (Heastie has said that if elected speaker he will step down from this post).

In January of 2013 Heastie introduced legislation that would have allowed the check-cashing industry in the state to offer pay-day loans - which are banned in New York. The bill would have enabled check-cashing stores to offer short-term loans with up to 200 percent interest. The proposal was vehemently opposed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg and eventually killed by the Cuomo administration.

Opponents insisted the bill would have allowed taking advantage of the working poor, especially in districts like Heastie's in the Bronx.

Heastie received two donations totalling $1,500 in April and March of 2013 from Check PAC, the lobbying group representing check-cashing stores The County Committee received $5,000 from the group in July 2013. Both Heastie and the County Committee received other donations from the industry. Heastie's ally, Bronx Sen. Jeff Klein, who introduced an earlier version of the bill in the Senate, took in $50,000 from check-cashing donors from 2008 to 2013.

Axelbank asked Heastie about the controversy over the check cashing legislation in the September 2013 interview. Heastie insisted he had not been influenced by donations and said it was important to see that the industry gave money to legislators who did not support their legislation.

"They sponsored the county dinner which solded about 400,000 worth of other people," Heastie said. "That contribution was made to the county dinner, they did not contribute money to my personal campaign. If you look at newspaper reports it looked like they gave money to me," Heastie added, indicating some of the cause behind his distrust of the media.

Axelbank followed up asking Heastie: "Why didnt you oppose that bill?"

"I have an MBA in finance," said Heastie. "APR [Annual Percentage Rate] is not a fair measure of short term lending." Heastie insisted that the bill was an attempt to protect constituents who are "going online and getting taken advantage of by people in other states. You can't stop people going online," he said. Heastie added that the bill would have essentially regulated the pay-day loan industry in New York and helped consumers.

Ben Lawsky, Cuomo's Financial Services Superintendent, certainly did not agree with Heastie's rationale and said the bill would "roll back longstanding and effective consumer protections."

One issue worth watching should Heastie assume the speaker mantle is the legalization of mixed martial arts or "ultimate fighting" in the state. Silver was thought to be the one impediment to regulating the sport, which is banned, thanks to his ties to certain labor interests. Heastie has indicated he would be open to considering allowing the sport that some call "barbaric." Zuffa LLC, the company that owns The Ultimate Fighting Championship, has donated a total of $4,000 to Heastie and $5,000 to the Bronx Democratic Committee since 2012.

Other notable large donors to Heastie, since 2011, include the New Yorkers For Affordable Housing at $7,000, the Vote Cope PAC that represents teachers unions at $14,150, Law PAC of New York at $10,900, and former Mayor Michael Bloomberg at $4,100.

Bloomberg gave Heastie a lump sum of $4,100 on July 12, 2011. Heastie had carried Bloomberg's outer borough taxi bill in the Assembly.

Good government groups have heated up the push for major reforms to state ethics and the campaign finance system in the wake of Silver's arrest but it isn't clear if it actually behooves Heastie to deliver on it. He is set to meet with a group of reform-minded Assembly members.

"This system works for Carl. He is of this system," said one Assembly member from New York City who is concerned about Heastie's quick ascent to the speakership. "Why would he be interested in reforming it?"

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by David King; with some data analysis by Jon Reznick performed using FTMSQL2 by Competitive Advantage Research, LLC
@DavidHowardKing

Mayor de Blasio at a housing press conference (photo: @BilldeBlasio)

Unsurprisingly, Bill de Blasio began the meat of his first State of the City speech, given Feb. 10, 2014, by saying, "the truth is, the state of our city, as we find it today, is a Tale of Two Cities - with an inequality gap that fundamentally threatens our future."

As de Blasio readies to give his second State of the City address, now 13 months into his mayoralty, he'll surely focus on ways in which his young administration has worked to shrink that gap and make one city from two. There is a lot to say: de Blasio has spent the first year-plus of his tenure rolling out many policies and signing several new laws aimed at lifting up low-income New Yorkers, city residents living in the margins or the shadows, and putting into place a type of progressive governing paradigm the city has not seen in decades. A symbol: de Blasio had each of his commissioners include narrative about how they are working toward greater equity in New York City in their contributions to the annual Mayor's Management Report (MMR).

Despite a homelessness count that continues to rise, persistent unemployment in certain neighborhoods, too many failing schools, and a significant racial divide in how New Yorkers see both the police and the mayor, de Blasio does indeed preside over a flourishing, safer-than-ever city that he is taking in a starkly more progressive direction.

On Tuesday morning at Baruch College in Manhattan, de Blasio will give his 2015 assessment of the state of New York City. In his speech, he'll take New Yorkers through his administration's early accomplishments, he'll explain how he's making a more fair city by paying greater attention to those struggling to get by, and he'll lay out at least a few new initiatives. "I want to portray the achievements of 2014," de Blasio has said in planning his speech, "and how they will grow in 2015."

"The State of the City address is really important," said Dr. Christina Greer, a professor of political science at Fordham University. "Any time the executive addresses the public" is significant, she said, "it's not just about recalling the work of the last year, but to talk about what the mayor plans to do in the coming year." Greer said that de Blasio will have to give indication of his 2015 policy priorities, as evident in his budget, the presentation of which is just over the horizon.

Budget experts, though, don't necessarily see the mayor as able to announce new, bold, pricey plans. "Constrained is a good word," Nicole Gelinas of the Manhattan Institute said of how to describe the fiscal state of the city. According to Gelinas, the municipal labor contracts that de Blasio's team negotiated, led by the deal with the teachers union, "harm our ability to do big, new things, whether transit projects or an expansion of pre-K to even younger years."

Gelinas was certainly willing to give de Blasio credit for his pre-K rollout to date, and for the fact that 2014 saw record lows in murders and traffic fatalities. "He has a right to take credit on those things because if they were up he would be blamed," she said. But, Gelinas wants to see major transportation infrastructure projects, and the dedicated funding to go with them - only a portion of which would need to come from city coffers.

But before he gets to the path ahead, de Blasio will surely take pains to recount his successes and the policies put into motion that he's betting his mayoralty and the city's future on. The administration has been promoting a blog it launched to track its accomplishments and releasing preview videos. The administration has told the Daily News that de Blasio will unveil a plan to end homelessness among the city's military veterans and de Blasio is calling affordable housing the number one priority of the year ahead.

"If I was one of his advisors, I would advise him to begin by saying the state of the city is strong," said Ken Sherrill, professor emeritus of political science at Hunter College. "After long periods of budgetary troubles, the city's in a good financial state. The economy is strong and the people are, by most measures, healthier, safer, better educated and, in some ways, wealthier than they've been in the past."

Sherrill, and other experts Gotham Gazette spoke with about the state of New York City ahead of de Blasio's speech, also expressed concerns, though. The city's education system is still functioning too poorly and inconsistently for many; the city is experiencing a stark racial divide; and affordability continues to hamper New Yorkers' quality of life.

"One of the major improvements has been that poor people finally have someone to listen to them," Greer said. De Blasio is not off to a perfect start, she said, "but if you ask any working class New Yorker, they'll tell you there's a marked change from the Bloomberg Era." De Blasio will almost certainly explain what he's done to improve the conditions of low- and middle-income New Yorkers. He'll likely explain that supporting and creating more opportunity for those living at the margins will continue to be his main focus.

Meanwhile, though, business is still booming in de Blasio's New York City, and the mayor may choose to highlight this fact. "The city economy is doing very well," said Kathy Wylde, President and CEO of Partnership for New York City. "There are more private sector jobs, lower unemployment, and general economic activity is high. We broke all records on tourism last year."

Wylde adds that the de Blasio administration has been responsive to business leaders' concerns and that she and other leaders in the business community are pleased to see de Blasio's recently begun push for a city business tax system that aligns with the State's. They want to see it pass as part of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's budget, and they are hopeful, she said. "The nature of these reforms makes New York attractive as the headquarter city for business."

Wylde also said that de Blasio has been strong on continued real estate development and that she has seen crucial work done by the administration in getting the City Council to adjust bills that could have an undue negative effect on business.

Several experts who spoke with Gotham Gazette pointed to the city's reliance on Albany and that de Blasio's speech may give some indication of what he is prioritizing in his 2015 dealings with the governor and state Legislature. De Blasio will testify in Albany on Feb. 25, but his State of the City could lay out his top priorities for state affairs: "housing, rent control and stabilization, education funding" were among the items mentioned by Gerald Benjamin of SUNY New Paltz. Gelinas mentioned transportation funding, and City Comptroller Scott Stringer has recently been addressing the need for the city to get it's fair share of funding from the capital.

On the state of the city, Stringer told Gotham Gazette that "Our economy has more private sector jobs than ever before; significant expansions of our transit network are coming online; and crime continues to reach all-time lows thanks to the efforts of the women and men of the NYPD. However, for all the good that is happening in the five boroughs, there are still far too many New Yorkers trapped in an affordability crunch as rents rise and wages fall."

"The challenge of this moment in New York's history," Stringer added, "is to commit to building an economy of shared prosperity for all." This is the message that the city's top elected officials - de Blasio, Stringer, Public Advocate Letitia James, and others - were elected on and have made a focus in their first year-plus in office.

On the economic opportunity front, de Blasio may in his speech recount policies around workforce development, support for small businesses, and, of course, universal pre-kindergarten. As Stringer notes, housing and wages are key elements of affordability, and de Blasio may reiterate a call for an even higher city minimum wage than Gov. Andrew Cuomo has recently called for (the governor's calling for an $11.50 per hour minimum in New York City by 2018). De Blasio will certainly discuss his administration's work on affordable housing, it is unclear how much he might touch upon the rent laws that must be addressed in Albany. Cuomo did not mention those laws in his State of the State speech on Jan. 21.

Meanwhile, there's no doubt the mayor will speak about crime rates and laud the NYPD. He'll talk in some way about bringing police and community closer together and most likely list some of the specific steps NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton is taking, such as a retraining program focused on officer-civilian interactions. De Blasio has already asserted that the conversation on these issues has had a bit of a reset as he's waited out the storm of anger from police union leaders and members of the NYPD that followed a series of events including the killing of two officers on Dec. 20.

"He'll have to address unity and reiterate that he's the mayor for all of New York," Greer said. She added that de Blasio will need to make it clear "that he's still working for the community that elected him, while giving a nod to members of the police department that he's there to work with them and for them."

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by Ben Max, editor, Gotham Gazette. Samar Khurshid contributed reporting.
@tweetBenMax

Note: this article has been updated.