New York City Hall

What to watch for this week in New York politics:

After a quiet weekend, Mayor Bill de Blasio starts his week with a Monday morning press conference "to make an announcement at the Brooklyn Navy Yard," according to his public schedule. "In the evening, the Mayor will attend a dinner with a group of leaders from the Jewish community in Manhattan."

While the mayor is in Brooklyn, the Campaign for Latino Representation will be rallying at City Hall, calling on de Blasio to "respect the Latino community, expressing displeasure over what ralliers believe is inadequate hiring of Latinos by the mayor.

Comptroller Scott Stringer starts his week touring facilities at Rikers Island with Department of Correction Commissioner Joe Ponte.

There's lots of interesting action at the City Council this week, including Wednesday hearings on legislation to regulate costumed characters and over the controversial 'plastic bag tax,' plus a Thursday hearing on the state of bicycling in New York City.

There's also other council action, starting with a rally of council members in support of their colleague Debi Rose on Monday at City Hall: "On Friday, it was revealed that a special prosecutor is targeting Council Member Debi Rose's 2009 campaign, despite the fact that the case was investigated and closed without charges by the U.S. Attorney. In response to this development, eleven of Council Member Rose's colleagues rose to her defense and issued a statement, which can be read here. Tomorrow her council colleagues will publicly speak in her support at City Hall."

Participating council members are "Margaret Chin, Corey Johnson, Brad Lander, Stephen Levin, Mark Levine, Carlos Menchaca, Rosie Mendez, Ydanis Rodriguez, Ritchie Torres, Jimmy Van Bramer, and Jumaane D. Williams."

New York City's controversial new policy on policing marijuana possession goes into effect this week, on Wednesday.

City Hall and the Sergeants Benevolent Association are set to meet again on contract negotiations this week - a meeting which is coming at a time of quite fraught relations between the city's police unions and many elected officials - Mayor de Blasio and much of the City Council, members of which just re-introduced several pieces of legislation aimed at changing NYPD protocol in several ways.

On Tuesday, another charter school-related rally in Manhattan - but not one being organized by the larger charter management organizations. See below for details.

And, on Thursday, Ready for Hillary comes to NYC.

The run of the week in more detail:

Monday
On Monday afternoon there had been a planned rally in front of Staten Island Tech High School, "Assemblyman Joseph Borelli, Councilman Steve Matteo, members of the Staten Island Tech Alumni Association, members of the SI Tech PTA, and students of Staten Island Technical High School are holding a rally against proposed changes to admissions criteria for Staten Island Tech and other specialized high schools." NOTE: this event has been postponed due to weather.

Monday's City Council schedule will include: the Committees on Community Development, Housing and Buildings, and Land Use will convene for a joint oversight hearing on "Building Homes, Preserving Communities: A First Look at the Mayor's Affordable Housing Plan" - Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito will deliver opening remarks; the Committees on Immigration and Aging will convene for a joint hearing regarding the oversight of: "Serving A Diverse Aging Population-Improving Immigrant Seniors' Access to New York City's Senior Services"; the Committee on Higher Education will convene for an oversight hearing regarding "CUNY Graduate Programs - A Focus and review"; and the Committee on Youth Services will meet jointly with the Committee on Mental Health, Developmental Disability, Alcoholism, Substance Abuse and Disability Services, for an oversight hearing on "Services for Mentally Ill Parents and Their Children."

City Council Member Andy King will host a "Domestic Violence Legal Outreach" event in his Bronx district office on Monday to help victims of domestic violence: "To help victims of domestic violence, NYC Council Member Andy King and the Urban Justice Center will be holding Domestic Violence Legal Outreach counseling."

Monday and Tuesday, "The New York eHealth Collaborative's fourth annual Digital Health Conference will bring together 850 senior-level professionals from across the healthcare ecosystem to learn about cutting-edge innovations and foster dynamic conversation addressing how healthcare is being redefined through these technologies."

Monday evening, the New York League of Conservation Voters, NYC Chapter, will host "Celebrate a Greener Skyline." "From cutting carbon emissions to building resiliently for the future, now is an exciting time for the environment here in New York...In addition to Patrick Foye, Executive Director at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and Enterprise Community Partners, NYLCV will honor the critical work of Build it Back."

Also Monday evening, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer will testify at the Department of Education's public hearing on the proposed re-siting of Beacon High School to a new building, to be co-located with P.S. 35 beginning in the 2015-16 school year.

And Monday evening as well, Council Member Mark Weprin holds a Vision Zero Town Hall with "representatives from the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT); and representatives from the New York City Police Department (NYPD)...a town hall meeting to give the residents of Eastern Queens an opportunity to learn, ask questions and voice concerns about the Vision Zero traffic safety initiative, as well as the new 25 MPH citywide speed limit," according to a release from Weprin's office.

Council Members Costa Constantinides and Jimmy Van Bramer will hold neighborhood assemblies to discuss participatory budgeting in their districts at 7:00 p.m. on Monday.

Tuesday
According to Chalkbeat NY: "Tuesday, charter-school advocates will host a demonstration calling for the state to provide facilities funding for existing schools, which didn't benefit from the new law. The event, being organized the Northeast Charter Schools Network, the New York City Charter School Center and the Coalition of Community Charter Schools, will set the stage for one piece of the sector's upcoming fight for more favorable legislation."

On Tuesday morning at Foley Square in Manhattan, "Zephyr Teachout, along with Josh Fox, Peter Yarrow, Michael Premo and others, will speak against the Keystone XL pipeline at a rally tomorrow in Manhattan. The rally, hosted by 350.org, will occur ahead of a historic vote in the US Senate on whether to authorize the Keystone XL pipeline. NASA scientist James Hansen has said approval of Keystone XL would mean "game over for the climate,"" according to a release from Teachout's camp.

The de Blasio administration and the Sergeants Benevolent Association are set to meet again on contract negotiations, according to a previous report from Capital New York: "The city has asked that we refrain from providing details regarding contract talks to the media. In the interest of good faith between both parties, we will continue our negotiations with the city, with our next meeting scheduled for November 18," S.B.A president Ed Mullins said in the statement."

Tuesday's City Council schedule includes: a meeting of the Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises to review land use applications; a meeting of the Subcommittee on Landmarks, Public Siting and Maritime Uses to review Land Use Applications; a meeting of the Committee on Technology for an oversight hearing regarding 311 Data Use and Collection; a meeting of Committee on Education regarding multiple resolutions:

• "Resolution calling upon the New York State Legislature to pass and the Governor to sign A. 518/S. 4860, to require dating violence education and dating violence policies in schools.
• Resolution calling on the New York City Department of Education to require that all public school students receive age-differentiated anti-bullying instruction and complete an anti-bullying course focused especially on cyberbullying.
• Resolution calling on the New York City Department of Education to bring more mentoring programs into schools to combat bullying and violence, as called for in the Stop School Violence online petition campaign by Anthony Vargas, a local high school student.
• Resolution calling upon the New York City Department of Education to establish an awareness and prevention program in the public schools athletic league to combat intimate partner abuse.
• Resolution calling upon the New York State Legislature to mandate that the New York State Education Department include intimate partner abuse awareness and prevention programs in all public middle school and high school athletic programs";

and a meeting of the Subcommittee on Planning, Disposition and Concessions regarding overview of Land Use Applications.

Tuesday morning, Citizens Budget Commission (CBC) will host a breakfast event with NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation President and CEO Ram Raju. "He will discuss the priorities and fiscal challenges of the Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC), which plays a pivotal role in the life of the city. In 2013, HHC's 37,000 employees served 1.4 million New Yorkers at 11 acute care hospitals and other facilities. The Citizens Budget Commission recently issued a study titled "Fiscal Challenges Facing the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation." The study analyzes HHC's current fiscal condition and identifies four major challenges to be addressed."

Also on Tuesday morning, City & State NY will host City & State on Tech, asking experts about NYC use of technology and data for large-scale (city) projects; the de Blasio administration's work to enhance high-speed internet access across the five boroughs; and NYC work to ensure technology literacy among its school students. The event will feature an interview with Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer.

Also Tuesday morning, the New York City Food Policy Center at Hunter College will host "NYC Health Technology Food Forum: How Can Technology Help (and Hurt) Public Health Initiatives?" on Tuesday morning to address the question of how can health technology be implemented to improve quality food access and security, as well as to "decrease health inequalities and diet-related diseases."

The Manhattan Young Democrats will hold its monthly general meeting on Tuesday evening, this time with special guest Council Member Corey Johnson.

On Tuesday, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams will host his second "The City Speaks" forum at Brooklyn Borough Hall. "Visit Brooklyn Borough Hall on Tuesday, November 18th to listen as "The City Speaks", our second forum that is bringing residents and agencies together in order to learn about the policies and guidelines of the services that they provide. Meet with representatives from the NYC Department of Transportation, in order to learn more about street light outages, speed bump requests, installation of stop signs and traffic lights, sidewalk issues and Vision Zero."

The Center For An Urban Future, a think tank, will host its 2014 Gala on Tuesday to honor Managing Director in the Urban Investment Group at Goldman Sachs, Margaret Anadu; Executive Vice President at Dragados USA, Christopher Ward; and "one of New York's largest and most innovative startups" - ETSY.

Citizens Union is holding another in its series of forums on non-citizen voting on Tuesday evening at 6:30 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, at El Puente.

Council Member Ritchie Torres will hold a neighborhood assembly to discuss participatory budgeting with his district members on Tuesday evening.

Wednesday
On Wednesday, the city's new Chief Technology Officer, Minerva Tantoco, will speak at the Smart City Expo in Barcelona, Spain: "In governance terms, working towards the smart city concept means citizens participating more closely in government decisions, governments opening data, and cities integrating innovation. How are cities responding to these challenges, the challenge of developing better cities, improving citizens' quality of life and generating open and transparent organizations?"

Meanwhile, Mayor de Blasio will be in Washington, D.C. for an early morning interview with POLITICO's Mike Allen. It is likely the mayor will travel to D.C. the night before at the latest, more on his Tuesday and Wednesday schedule is not yet available as of Monday morning.

New City rules around marijuana possession go into effect on Wednesday.

Wednesday's City Council schedule will include: a meeting of Committee on Governmental Operations jointly with the Committee on Civil Service and Labor "examining the diminishment of the civil service system"; a meeting of the Committee on Consumer Affairs to introduce a new bill regarding "licensing of solicitation by costumed individuals"; a meeting of the Committee on Housing and Buildings to discuss a new bill on "Conforming the NYC energy conservation code to the NYS energy code with amendments unique to construction in the city and repealing section 28-1001.2 in relation thereto"; and a meeting of the Committee on Sanitation and Solid Waste Management to see the introduction of a new bill aimed at "reducing the use of carryout bags."

Wednesday morning, Chancellor of CUNY James Milliken will headline an ABNY breakfast event to deliver a speech about "CUNY's essential role in the future of our City and State."

On Wednesday, the Empire Center is hosting leading transportation policy experts to speak to the updates in the state's five-year transportation capital program at "The Road Ahead: Renewing New York's Highway Infrastructure" forum in Albany: "The upkeep of New York's 113,000 miles of roads and 17,000 bridges is the largest component of the state's five-year transportation capital program, which must be updated soon. That makes this an ideal time to address such questions as the following:

• What is the condition of New York's state and local highway system?
• Is New York's dedicated transportation fund capable of adequately supporting the next capital plan?
• How have the Thruway Authority's finances been affected by construction of the new Tappan Zee Bridge?
• What's in the latest federal transportation bill "patch" for states like New York?
• Can technological innovation help the state meet its infrastructure needs in the context of exceptionally tight fiscal constraints?
• What are our options for financing road and bridge capital projects in the future?
• What role could public-private partnerships (PPP) play in renewing New York's highway infrastructure?"

Wednesday night will see the "first-ever New York City edition of Capital Pro Trivia Night," featuring questions "on all things New York policy, politics and media" from Capital reporter Azi Paybarah.

Council Members Ritchie Torres, Jimmy Van Bramer and Costa Constantinides will host neighborhood assemblies to discuss participatory budgeting with their constituents on Wednesday evening.

Thursday
Thursday afternoon, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams is acting on a new law: "I am an advocate for increasing youth engagement in our borough's civic life, which is why I encourage young Brooklynites to attend a meeting on Thursday, November 20th, from 4:00 PM until 6:00 PM, in the Al Vann Library at Boys and Girls High School in Bedford-Stuyvesant. Students ages sixteen and over can come and learn about how they can join a community board in the coming year."

Thursday morning is the November meeting of the Manhattan Borough Board, chaired by Manhattan BP Brewer.

Also Thursday morning, City & State NY will host "The Art of Advocacy," a forum "convening leaders in media, public relations, and advocacy to discuss the multitude of ways organizations can advocate and mobilize around their cause."

And Thursday morning, Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen will keynote "Crain's Future of New York City Conference: Innovation Central," examining "New York's strengths as an innovation center as well as its competitive challenges" and exploring "how business leaders and policy makers can make a difference for the future of New York City." Featured panelists will also include: NYC School's Chancellor Carmen Fariña; CUNY Chancellor James Milliken; and several other leaders.

Thursday's City Council schedule includes: a meeting of the Committee on Recovery and Resiliency jointly with the Committee on Fire and Criminal Justice Services to discuss two new bills in relation to "a communications access plan for certain emergency events" and "distribution of localized emergency preparedness materials"; a meeting of Committee on Land Use to review "all items reported out of the Subcommittees" and other necessary business; and a meeting of the Committee on Transportation for an oversight hearing, "Leading the Way for Bicycling in America: Where is New York City Now and How Can We Improve?"

Thursday evening, Council Member Torres will hold a "Fordham Assembly" to discuss participatory budgeting.

Also Thursday evening, Ready for Hillary takes New York City by storm.

Friday and the weekend
MTA CEO & Chairman Thomas Prendergast will headline the CityLaw breakfast event Friday and address the MTA Capital Program for the next five years.

Also Friday morning is this year's NYU Steinhardt School's Education Policy Breakfast Series Part I: Early Childhood Education and Closing the Achievement Gap: "This year, we will address an issue that New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has made a priority: early childhood education.

Over the course of the series, we will look at key issues in early childhood education:accessibility, quality, and affordability. What are the merits and weaknesses of providing universal pre-K vs. targeting at-risk students?...We begin the series with a broad look at the role early childhood education plays in improving student success."

Council Member Torres will hold a "Van Nest Assembly" to discuss participatory budgeting with his constituents on Saturday.

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Have events or topics for us to include in an upcoming Week Ahead in New York Politics? Email 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

Note: this article has been updated

Can Silver, Cuomo, & Skelos make a campaign finance reform deal? (photo: @GannettAlbany)

"Band-Aids on multiple bullet wounds" is how Governor Andrew Cuomo described public financing of political campaigns just before Election Day this year, referring to the influx of millions in dark money or independent expenditures into state races.

Despite that characterization, in his election night victory speech Cuomo listed campaign finance reform among the top three things he would deliver during his second term. But that was before it was clear that everything had come tumbling down for Democrats in the State Senate, before it was clear that Senate Republicans, who have long opposed campaign finance reform - especially public financing of campaigns - had cemented their majority for the next two years, before it was clear that Cuomo's entire progressive agenda was in jeopardy.

That is, of course, if you take the governor at his word that he is truly behind campaign finance reform, including a meaningful public matching funds program. Even if he does believe in reform, it has been widely agreed upon that Cuomo does not mind the Senate outcome and it is unclear exactly what he really wants to accomplish during his next term. While the governor has expressed repeatedly that he believes in "public finance," as he likes to call it, he may already be backtracking by saying that the outside spending so dwarfs what is spent by candidates' campaigns that regulating the latter won't really do much to get the money out of politics.

Even when expressing support for reform, the governor has mentioned that public opinion polls show the majority of voters against public financing of campaigns. When asked in October about campaign finance reform's place on his agenda, Cuomo said, "I support it, we need a legislature that supports it, we don't have that now. If New Yorkers really care about public finance, what I've been urging them to do is elect legislators who support it."

For many, there is good reason to believe that campaign finance reform is a dead issue.

In the days following the election good government advocates began assessing their priorities for the next two years and some of them are following Cuomo's take on the impact of dark money in a post-Citizens United world, looking at the Republican Senate majority, and deciding that the issue of campaign finance reform is essentially a lost cause for the next two years. Others are taking Cuomo at his word and are ready for the uphill battle the next two years will likely bring.

"It was a difficult issue to get addressed even in 2014 when we had a more open State Senate than we will have in 2015," said Dick Dadey, executive director of Citizens Union. "There is a much tougher road ahead now that the chamber is controlled totally by Republicans, who are opposed to campaign finance reform. It depends largely on the governor's commitment and leadership as always. Advocates need to come up with a strong plan of attack."

One of those brave souls is Jessica Wisneski, legislative and campaigns director at Citizen Action of New York. Wisneski said she was heartened to hear Cuomo list campaign finance reform in his victory speech and thinks it is an important sign that when he is asked about the issue he now tends to refer to it as "public finance." "It indicates the governor agrees with us that public finance is the real solution for campaign finance reform," said Wisneski, who added: "If I take the governor at his word in his acceptance speech, campaign finance reform was one of the top three things he said he wanted to achieve this term."

Others in Albany take Cuomo's choice of phrasing as an indication that he is focused on the Republican argument that taxpayers do not want to foot the bill for public elections. Again Wisneski says that if you take Cuomo at his word those concerns should not be an issue. She points to the state budget deal reached last spring that contained a public financing pilot program for the state comptroller's race. Good government groups and Comptroller Tom DiNapoli himself rejected the system as a ramshackle red herring that was doomed to fail. And yet Wisneski says Cuomo repeatedly told her and other good government representatives that by having Republicans sign off on the pilot, which was supported by unclaimed funds, Republicans were effectively signing away their concerns. "Senate Republicans took "taxpayers footing the bill" out of the equation with the pilot program," said Wisneski. "The governor said that to us multiple times."

Dadey is skeptical of that argument: "I think that was their strategy to wiggle out of the bigger issue. That the creation of a pilot program that was doomed to fail whether or not it was using uncollected funds has somehow led Senate Republicans to find religion on this issue is hard for me to believe."

Wisneski insists that voters are more keyed into the issue this year because of how much dark money flowed into local Senate races. "People are appalled," said Wisneski, citing the political mailers, TV spots, and robocalls that inundated battleground districts. She says that advocates on other issues are also keyed in to how much of a role special interest cash played in the elections and they plan to track the issue in the coming session, which begins in January.

In April a judge rejected the State's $150,00 individual donation limit to super PACS, which allowed the groups to have an even larger impact on state elections this year.

Outside groups poured over $13 million into hotly contested State Senate races.. One of the biggest spenders was the real estate industry that was spooked by Mayor Bill de Blasio's efforts to win the Senate for Democrats and his promise to return control over rent regulations to the City. The state's rent control laws are set to expire in 2016 and tenant advocates fear the real estate industry has purchased its support in Albany.

The largest independent expenditures this year came from close Cuomo allies in the charter school sector. New Yorkers For a Balanced Albany, which is backed by major charter school investors, spent over $3 million on Senate races and got the outcome they were looking for, partly aided, many say, by the governor's lack of effort behind Democratic candidates.

"I think New Yorkers will see outside money driving the 2015 agenda," said Wisneski. "From privatizing schools to real estate we see these groups bought a Republican Senate. We will be taking every opportunity this session to point that out."

Supporters of New York City's public financing program say that not all is lost because of independent expenditures, in fact they say they are making major progress toward perfecting their system. The City recently passed a law requiring that groups involved in independent expenditures disclose their top donors. Meanwhile, the Campaign Finance Board has made it easier for small donors to contribute over the Internet and through text message donations. Many hold up the city system as a model for the state.

Dadey said that advocates and legislators need to examine the environment dark money has created in Albany and come up with a comprehensive solution. "Public financing of campaigns was a slam dunk fix five years ago," said Dadey "Now with giant [independent] expenditures we need to assess how public financing will have a meaningful impact on a system that is flooded with outside money. I wish it were otherwise, but the growth of dark money has led to that change."

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by David King, Albany editor, Gotham Gazette
@DavidHowardKing

Note: Gotham Gazette is an independent publication of Citizens Union Foundation, sister organization of Citizens Union

Gov. Cuomo voting in September's primary (photo: @WSJNY)

Voter turnout in New York State is in freefall. Last week's gubernatorial election saw the smallest number of voters make it to the polls in the four decades since the state Board of Elections was formed and began tracking voting. Few reports have noted the extent of the decline: Cuomo's 52.5 percent of the vote on election night may have seemed like the typical erosion of an incumbent's margin - down from 61 percent in 2010 - but it obscures a fall of nearly one million votes.

"New York has always been lousy," says New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) legislative director Blair Horner. "It's getting worse."

It's especially acute in New York City. Mayor Bill de Blasio's landslide victory a year ago came without the participation of many voters of cycles past. While de Blasio racked up more votes than his predecessor did in any of his three elections, the turnout for mayoral contests has steadily declined since 2001, now hovering at just over 1.1 million voters.

And, the percentage of city voters turning out for gubernatorial elections has been consistently lower than the statewide turnout.

According to figures obtained by Gotham Gazette from the State Board of Elections, 75.4 percent of registered voters went to the polls to vote for governor in 1974. Since then, voter registration has vastly outstripped turnout, with the number of registered voters rising from 7.4 million in '74 to 11.8 million today, while the number of voters who show up on Election Day has declined from 5.5 million in '74 to an anemic 3.7 million this year.

Still, these numbers actually paint a rosy picture: political scientists often measure turnout in relation to the voting eligible population (VEP) or the voting age population (VAP), both of which are inevitably larger than the number of registered voters. Dr. Christina Greer, assistant professor of political science at Fordham University, says that VEP "is the calculation that needs to be used."

Since VEP tells you the number of people who eligible to vote, registered or not, Dr. Greer says it is "a more accurate measure of... a democratic, participatory election."

Using VEP, as The New York Times editorial board did this week, paints an even more dismal picture. Taking stock of turnout nationally, the Times wrote, "In 43 states, less than half the eligible population bothered to vote, and no state broke 60 percent. In the three largest states — California, Texas and New York — less than a third of the eligible population voted. New York's turnout was a shameful 28.8 percent, the fourth-lowest in the country, despite three statewide races (including the governor) and 27 House races."

Governor Cuomo was asked in a post-election interview why he thought turnout was so low in the state he's been re-elected to lead. On with Susan Arbetter of WCNY's Capital Pressroom, the governor himself declared there was nothing to see here: "The temptation is to view the world through the lens of New York. Sometimes it's not about us, sometimes it's not about New York....It was an historically low turnout nationwide. Something like not since 1942...has the turnout been that low."

Jerry Skurnik, a partner at Prime New York, a political consulting firm that supplies data to electoral campaigns, agrees: "There's a national trend. It's not Andrew Cuomo's fault that turnout in California dropped, and it's not [California Governor] Jerry Brown's fault that turnout in New York dropped."

"There's no denying that's true," says NYPIRG's Horner, "but New York is consistently ranked among the worst states in the country, and that is what's different about New York."

Both Horner and Greer argue more debates might have invigorated turnout; there was just a single general election gubernatorial debate, two weeks before the election. "Did Cuomo inspire people to really be passionate about this particular race?" asks Greer, rhetorically. "No. Most Democrats, and even a lot of Republicans, felt like this race was over before it began."

[Related: Solving Our Voter Turnout Crisis]

On the radio with Arbetter, Cuomo added that his race was uncompetitive and that there weren't really major issues at stake, though he said otherwise when he campaigned on the Women's Equality Agenda. The governor said, "There was no real state issues or state excitement or state energy. My race was never close, there were no big issues that were driving a state turnout that would overwhelm the national phenomenon."

Skurnik is skeptical on the role of debates: "I doubt more debates would have made a difference," he said. "The people who pay attention to debates; those aren't the people you have to motivate to vote."

Of Cuomo's lack of interest in a series of debates, he said, "You can't blame a candidate for following a strategy that helps get them elected. Their goal is to win, not to increase turnout."

On that count, Greer questions whether the major parties have any genuine incentive to get voters to the polls. "Yes, in theory, everyone says they want more people to participate," she says. "If we step back and look at counties across the state, how many elected officials who are in their second, maybe third decade – no matter what party, Democrat or Republican – how many of them really genuinely want more people in the political process? They don't. Because they're winning their districts solidly. They're keeping their incumbency advantage."

The effects of the Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United only skew the playing field further, with nominally "independent" groups shoveling $17.8 million into state legislative elections. Instead of mobilizing new voters, they inevitably focus on energizing the base, and one of the surest ways to do that is by demonizing opponents. Horner sees the discourse as "increasingly toxic," and says that "For the vast bulk of voters, who are not driven by ideology, they end up looking at the campaign as the choice between two demons. I think it turns voters off."

As Skurnik puts it: "Voters turn out for exciting, competitive elections. This [New York gubernatorial] election wasn't either exciting or competitive."

Unfortunately, as NYPIRG's Horner observes, "You can't legislate competitive elections." Advocacy groups such as NYPIRG and the Brennan Center have inevitably focused on an array of familiar reforms: Election Day and online registration, early voting, and pre-registration, to name a few.

Nonetheless, as Horner says, "You can legislate a fairer redistricting process, you can legislate campaign finance systems, but in some parts of the state there are more cows than there are Democrats, and in some parts of the state there are more telephone polls than there are Republicans. In those parts of the state, competitive elections, if they occur at all, occur in the primaries. And most people can't vote."

The Brennan Center's DeNora Getachew sees the whole problem as more straightforward: "The reason that they [turnout rates] keep falling is that New York has one of the most onerous requirements for voter registration."

The Brennan Center, which advocates for voting rights, has backed the Voter Empowerment Act of New York, which would modernize the state's voter registration procedures. The bill was introduced to the state Legislature in 2012 but killed by the Republican-controlled State Senate's election committee. Prospects for reform with a state Senate now firmly under Republican control seem distant at best.

Dr. Greer points to another factor in the decline of voter participation: sheer exhaustion. Voters have gone (or been asked to go) to the polls several times a year for the last three years, and the ensuing voter fatigue means many are less inclined to bother choosing between demons.

"New York has historically been at the bottom of the national pile," when it comes to turnout, says NYPIRG's Horner, "and that's something that has to be fixed."

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Nicholas Jahr is a freelance reporter based in Brooklyn. He has worked as an election observer in west and north Africa. You can read more of his work at his website and follow him on Twitter.

Graph prepared by Casey Tolan

Bronx HS of Science (photo: Tina Fineberg/NYTimes)

In New York City they're specialized high schools, in Boston exam schools, and in Chicago they're known as selective enrollment high schools. Despite the different labels, these schools are all part of a small group of elite public high schools in the United States. They utilize special exams, and in all cases but New York City, additional measures of merit and aptitude to selectively admit students.

"In a country with more than 20,000 public high schools, we found just 165 of these schools, known as exam schools," wrote Chester E. Finn, Jr., co-author of "Exam Schools," in a 2012 New York Times op-ed. "They educate about 1 percent of students. Nineteen states have none. Only three big cities have more than five such schools (Los Angeles has zero)."

As is the case with all public resources that are both scarce and coveted, the processes by which students gain admission to these institutions are highly scrutinized and subject to the ebb and flow of legislative and legal tides across the nation.

In the wake of the Civil Rights Movement and at the peak of nationwide efforts to desegregate school districts, racial quotas were part of the admissions policies to selective enrollment high schools in Boston, Chicago, and San Francisco. The quotas in all three cities were abandoned, beginning in the mid-90s, because of lawsuits challenging their constitutionality or because court-ordered desegregation decrees were simply lifted.

Here in New York City, much of the decades-old conversation about the city's specialized schools centers around the state's test-only mandate for entry. "The test only policy is a real anomaly," said Michael Petrilli, president of the Fordham Institute, an education think tank. "New York is the only city that does it."

On October 25th and 26th, thousands of eighth graders sat for the exam, with hopes of being admitted to one of New York City's eight test admissions-based public high schools. Students vying for seats in the 2015-2016 freshman cohort may be the last to take the multiple choice exam in its current form. The de Blasio administration is on the verge of partnering with a new company to facilitate the specialized high schools testing program. The City's recent request for proposals (RFP) from prospective vendors includes the prospect of adding an essay to the exam, in addition to aligning its content with the common core and translating it into several languages.

Tweaking the exam is about all the power that the City can exercise over the admissions policy to its specialized high schools. The test-only mandate for entry has been enshrined in state law since 1972. De Blasio, though, spoke about altering the admissions process to these schools as a mayoral candidate and has followed up similarly since taking office. He has expressed a belief that a single multiple choice test can not adequately measure a young person's potential and a vision for more diverse student bodies at these elite schools.

The notion of changing the admissions criteria has caused quite a stir. The local debate is largely two fold: how to make the demographics of the schools' student bodies more reflective of the school system as a whole, and, how to maintain fair and objective metrics for entry that uphold the schools' rigorous learning environments.

The specialized schools' demographics as compared to the school system as a whole are startling: black and Latino students make up roughly 70% of the New York City school system, but were offered just 12% of seats in the 2014-2015 freshman classes at the specialized high schools.

"It remains very hard to maximize [these] two goals - academic achievement and equity - that are strongly related, " said Professor Floyd Hammack of New York University, who authored "Paths to Legislation or Litigation for Educational Privilege: New York and San Francisco Compared," an article comparing the historical trajectories of admissions to selective schools in the two cities.

In New York, there are varying opinions on the best way to tackle the dichotomy referenced by Hammack. Last June, for example, New York State legislators introduced a bill that would expand admissions criteria to include grade point average, attendance records, and scores on an exam that includes an essay. Although the bill did not gain much traction in the Legislature, the de Blasio administration and the city's teachers union, the UFT, have expressed support for the proposal.

Conversely, others like former State Assembly Member Michael Benjamin, an alumnus of (specialized) Bronx High School of Science, are firm proponents of the test-only system. At a recent panel event in Queens, Benjamin said that the City should focus on raising student achievement in middle schools, ensuring that high-potential students are identified early on and provided with ample opportunities to prepare for the exam.

"The issue is preparation to take the exam," Benjamin told Gotham Gazette. "We're not preparing the black and Hispanic kids in those low-performing middle schools to do well. We're not identifying the smart kids early on and giving them the support that they need."

Dr. Elissa Brown of Hunter College, a specialist in gifted education, also believes that "doing away with an admissions test is not the answer." She said that "using an admissions test for specialized high schools is appropriate because it is objective, fair, and administered in a standardized fashion."

A writing measure could be introduced, she noted. "For example, Hunter College High School employs a writing component as part of its admissions testing and has found it to be a valuable addition. However, GPAs are not an accurate predictor of ability and would introduce teacher bias," explained Brown. Hunter College High School is not one of the city's "specialized high schools." It is, however, an elite public high school, with its own selective admissions process.

As policymakers consider what, if anything, to do about the admissions process to the city's specialized schools and advocates seek to influence that decision-making, it is instructive to look at policies that other cities have in place for admission to their selective schools. While New York struggles with diversity at its special high schools and reconsiders its test-only admission system, Boston and Chicago have experienced parallel predicaments with very different outcomes.

New York
The New York City Department of Education is the largest school district in the country, serving over 1.1 million students in 1,800 schools. The system's chancellor, appointed by Mayor Bill de Blasio, is Carmen Fariña.

During the 2013-2014 school year, 78.9 percent of New York City students were eligible for free and reduced-priced lunch. That year, students' racial demography broke down as follows:

• Hispanic: 40.2%
• African American: 28.3%
• Asian: 15.3%
• White: 14.5%

The city is home to nine designated selective enrollment public high schools, or specialized high schools, as they are known throughout the city and enshrined in state law. They serve students in grades nine through twelve. Currently, admissions to eight of them are based solely on the Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT). The city's ninth specialized high school, LaGuardia High School of Music and Art and the Performing Arts, offers admission based on an audition and/or portfolio assessment.

• Bronx High School of Science
• Stuyvesant High School
• Brooklyn Technical High School
• The Brooklyn Latin School
• High School for Mathematics, Science and Engineering at the City College of New York
• High School of American Studies at Lehman College
• Queens High School for the Sciences at York College
• Staten Island Technical High School
• Fiorello H. Laguardia H. High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts

During the 2013-2014 school year, 14,876 students were enrolled in the eight, test-admissions only, specialized high schools. Of those, 52.4 percent qualified for free or reduced-priced lunch and their racial demography broke down as follows:

• Asian: 59.7%
• White: 24.4%
• Hispanic: 7.2%
• African American: 5.6%

The SHSAT, a 2.5 hour, multiple choice exam, was codified into state law in 1972, as the only way to gain entry into three selective and high performing high schools: Stuyvesant, Brooklyn Technical, and Bronx Science.

The provision of New York law 2590, section g, known as Calandra-Hecht after the Bronx Senators that sponsored the bill, also included a stipulation to allow New York City's Board of Education (as it then existed) to designate and undesignate additional specialized high schools, to which the SHSAT-only admissions policy would apply.

The ranks of specialized high schools expanded from four to nine during Mayor Michael Bloomberg's tenure. The city's Board of Education, refashioned as the Panel for Educational Policy (PEP) by the Bloomberg administration, established and/or designated five more specialized high schools between 2002 and 2006.

In order to "register, sit for, and receive results " for the SHSAT, students must be residents of New York City, current eighth-graders, or first time ninth-graders. When students take the exam, they must list, in order of preference, the schools to which they'd like to apply. Ultimately, admission into a specialized high school is determined by matching rank ordered SHSAT scores and school preferences.

Chicago
Chicago's school district, Chicago Public Schools (CPS), serves about 400,000 students across 658 schools, making it the third largest school system in the United States. The Chief Executive Officer for CPS is Barbara Byrd-Bennett.

During the 2013-2014 school year, 85 percent of students received free and reduced-priced lunch. That year, its system-wide racial demography broke down as such:

• Hispanic: 45.2%
• African American: 39.7%
• White: 9.2%
• Asian: 3.5%

Chicago's equivalent of New York City's specialized high schools are its Selective Enrollment High Schools. Currently, Chicago has ten Selective Enrollment Public High Schools, serving students in grades 9-12. The schools are:

• Gwendolyn Brooks College Preparatory Academy
• Jones College Prep
• Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. College Preparatory High School
• Lane Tech College Prep High School
• Lindblom Math & Science Academy
• Northside College Preparatory High School
• Walter Payton College Preparatory High School
• South Shore International College Preparatory High School
• George Westinghouse College Prep
• Whitney M. Young Magnet High School

During the 2013-2014 school year 13,768 students were enrolled in the ten selective enrollment schools. The racial demography across the ten schools, taken together, breaks down as follows:

• African American: 34.7%
• Hispanic: 29.6%
• White: 21.9%
• Asian: 8.8%

The process for gaining entry into one of Chicago's selective enrollment public high schools is largely two-fold: 30 percent of seats are filled by matching the highest scores in a point system that combines a selective enrollment exam score with grades and seventh grade standardized test results with applicants' school choices; and about 70 percent of the seats are filled by matching top scorers distributed across four socio-economic tiers, or census tracts, with schools to which students apply.

However, up to five percent of seats are filled by school principals themselves, through a process called "Principal Discretion." In accordance with CPS guidelines, principals can admit students by considering additional criteria such as honors and awards, recommendations, and personal statements.

Chicago's Selective Enrollment Exam is not open to all students. In eighth grade, eligible students receive an invitation to take the multiple choice exam. Eligibility is based on students' 7th grade math and reading scores on annual standardized exams administered district wide.

Once students have taken the exam, they are ranked in a point system totalling 900. The admissions exam score accounts for up to 300 points, 7th grade standardized reading and math test results account for another 300 points, and 7th grade final grades account for the remaining 300. Thirty percent of seats are automatically allocated to top scoring students through this point system.

About 70 percent of seats are filled by picking an equal number of the highest scorers across four socio-economic tiers that encompass the City of Chicago. The entire city is divided into four tiers, or census tracts, based on family income, homeownership, educational attainment, percentage of single-parent households, and households where English is not the first language. Students are selected based on how they compare to applicants in the tier within which their household falls.

Since 2010, this is the Chicago Board of Education-approved admissions policy for selective enrollment high schools. The new system was devised after the 2009 lifting of a 1980 Supreme Court consent decree mandating the desegregation of Chicago public schools.

According to "Exam Schools," while the decree was in place, selective schools were subject to "racial balance" policies that prohibited their student bodies from having more than 30 percent of any racial group. "Applicants to selective-enrollment high schools [in Chicago] were sorted into 'minority' and 'non-minority' lists and admitted to schools by score according to their ethnic status," wrote Finn, Jr. and Huck.

Since 2009, the number of white students in Chicago's top schools has increased. According to CPS data analyzed by the Chicago Sun-Times in April 2014, "At Walter Payton College Prep [among the most coveted and high-performing of the schools] on the Near North Side more than 41 percent of freshmen admitted [over] the past four years have been white, compared with 29 percent in 2009."

Furthermore, the racial distribution of students across CPS's selective enrollment high schools is largely uneven. Northside, Payton, Jones, Whitney Young and Lane Tech, the highest ranking schools of the group, receive the largest proportion of white applicants and subsequently, white enrollees. Conversely, "Brooks, King, Lindblom, South Shore and Westinghouse see few applications from whites and have virtually no white students," wrote Tim Novak and Chris Fusco in the Sun-Times in April.

In July 2014, Chicago legislators held a hearing to examine the declining numbers of black students at the highest ranking of CPS' selective enrollment high schools. The Sun-Times reported that the chair of the City Council's education committee, Alderman Latasha Thomas, expressed concerns that "a federal judge's 2009 decision to vacate a desegregation consent decree," and the subsequent omission of race from the admissions policy, "has slowly resulted in 're-segregation' of the Chicago Public Schools."

Boston
Boston is a city of roughly 617,000 residents. Its school system, Boston Public Schools (BPS), serves about 57,000 students across 128 schools. John McDonough is the Interim Superintendent. During the 2013-2014 school year, 77.6 percent of BPS students received free or reduced priced lunch. That year, BPS racial demographics broke down as follows:

• 40.4% Hispanic
• 34.5% African American
• 13.6% White
• 8.6% Asian

Of Boston's 128 schools, three are categorized as exam schools. All three serve students in grades 7-12. They are:

• Boston Latin Academy
• Boston Latin School
• The John D. O'Bryant School of Mathematics and Science

Students enter Boston Latin School and Boston Latin Academy in grades 7 and 9, while the O'Bryant School accepts students in grades 7, 9 and 10.

Boston stands out as having a long tradition of selective enrollment public schooling. Its exam schools are among the oldest in the nation. Boston Latin School, founded in 1635, is widely considered "the oldest school in America." Boston Latin Academy and O'Bryant were founded roughly 200 years later, in 1878 and 1893, respectively.

During the 2013-2014 school year 5,421 students were enrolled at an exam school. 52.9 percent of students across all three schools were eligible for free or reduced-priced lunch. The racial demographics of the schools, taken together, broke down as follows:

• White: 32.5%
• Asian: 24.7%
• African American: 21.9%
• Hispanic: 18.2%

An entrance exam score and grade point average (GPA) are considered together for entry to one of BPS' exam schools. The exam, known as the Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE), is multiple choice only and takes approximately two hours and ten minutes to complete.

Like Chicago, Boston was subject to a court-ordered desegregation decree. Specifically, it came in the form of an intra-neighborhood busing program instituted in 1974 - a program that led to considerable strife in the city. The last vestiges of the program were dismantled in 2013.

In line with the district-wide desegregation effort, Boston's three exam schools set aside 35 percent of their seats for black and Latino students. In 1995, a lawsuit brought on behalf of a white student who was rejected from Boston Latin School successfully challenged the quota system. The revised policy, designed and implemented in the wake of the suit, based 50 percent of offers solely on a GPA and test score combination and the remaining half on the same combination, in addition to consideration of applicants' racial background relative to other qualified applicants.

Despite the revisions, opposition to the inclusion of race in the admissions policy continued. In 1998, a second lawsuit brought on behalf of another rejected applicant ended with a federal court striking down the use of racial preferences in Boston Latin School's admissions policy completely. Today, the admissions policy to all three exam schools is a strict combination of GPA and ISEE scores, with no consideration of race.

During the 2013-2014 school year, black and Latino students filled about 40 percent of seats in the exam schools, despite making up roughly 65% of the Boston public school system . Boston Latin School, the number one ranked high school in the state of Massachusetts by US News, has the smallest percentage of black and Latino students.

According to Kim Janey, Senior Project Director at Massachusetts Advocates for Children, an important part of getting student demographics at exam schools to be more reflective of those district-wide is increasing access to information about them and opportunities to prepare for the ISEE early on.

The low representation of black and Latino students as a whole is "a complex issue," Janey told Gotham Gazette, partly "rooted in whether or not children have equitable access to opportunities to prepare...to compete at high levels," as they do when applying to selective schools.

Conclusion
Ultimately, as Janey points out, the debates around admissions policies to selective public schools, in Boston and across the nation, boil down to access. Are the terms of access to these scarce and coveted institutions fair - and where does the measurement of fairness begin? Considerations of poverty and race continue to dominate many education conversations, but factoring them into school admissions policies has proven both controversial and difficult.

In looking at New York, Boston, and Chicago, it is clear that in New York, the students of the elite schools are the least reflective of the city's broader student population. This while the city remains the only one in the country to use test-only admissions.

But, Chicago, which sees the closest match in representation of the three cities, has the most of these elite schools and issues of diversity across the schools in that group.

Although New York City's specialized admissions policy is codified in the state Legislature, its current mayoral administration has broken away from the status quo by expressing interest in moving beyond a test only admissions policy to its specialized high schools. The mayor has control over the status of five of the schools, while the original three remain enshrined in state law as test-only admissions schools.

Whether a single measure or many are good or bad, said NYU Professor Floyd Hammack, "depends on who ultimately benefits," a phenomenon that changes as a city's population does. And so, the debate in New York City, and elsewhere, continues.

***
by Katrina Shakarian for Gotham Gazette
@KatShakarian
@GothamGazette

New York City Hall

What to watch for this week in New York politics:

Many New York government officials and politicos have spent a long post-Election Day weekend in Puerto Rico for this year's Somos El Futuro Conference. City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito has in many ways led the City's official business in her homeland, focusing on areas of need, participating in an event focused on bringing marriage equality to the island (one led by Council Member Rosie Mendez), and promoting causes like the DREAM Act. Mayor Bill de Blasio and Public Advocate Tish James, among many others, have also been in Puerto Rico, busy politicking at the annual conference that provides electeds, staffers, and others with a different setting for socializing, networking, and negotiating. 

Over the weekend, New York elected officials took time to praise President Barack Obama's nomination of Loretta Lynch, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, to become the country's new U.S. Attorney General.

As the week begins, New Yorkers are still wrestling with the results of last week's state and federal-level elections, which included Governor Andrew Cuomo being re-elected while appearing on four different ballot lines and stirring up plenty of controversy.

This week may be slightly slower than last, but there is still plenty happening in New York political and civic life - which includes several events centered around New York City's military veterans, including Tuesday's annual Veterans Day Parade.

Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg speaks in New York City on Monday, sure to be interesting on a variety of levels. Details below.

Also look for action this week at the City Council, including a full-body Stated Meeting, which will be Thursday, and several committee hearings - starting with Monday's veterans committee hearing on homelessness among New York City's military veterans.

We're also watching to see:

• word from the special grand jury in the Eric Garner case on Staten Island
• the latest developments around policing New York City and in the relationships among Mayor de Blasio, NYPD Commissioner Bratton, the police unions, and other stakeholders including other elected officials and advocacy groups
• more from Mayor de Blasio and schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña on what will be done with the city's most-struggling schools
• what the leadership structure of the New York State Senate is going to be now that Republicans have won an outright majority and the Independent Democratic Conference (IDC) recruits new members, tries to retain old ones, and seeks to remain powerful
• further indication of the 2015 legislative priorities of Gov. Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio when it comes to state-level policy, especially given the aforementioned results of the state-level elections

As always there are many singular events scheduled for this week to be aware of; here's the run of the week in more detail:

Monday
Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg is being honored with the lifetime achievement award at Crain's Hall of Fame Luncheon on Monday afternoon. Bloomberg is among several honorees being inducted: "Join us to celebrate the achievements of this year's Crain's Hall of Fame honorees at a celebratory luncheon with the New York business community."

Current Mayor Bill de Blasio starts his week holding "a press conference with Police Commissioner Bill Bratton to make an announcement at 1 Police Plaza" on Monday afternoon. "Later, the Mayor will meet with D. Taylor, President of UNITE-HERE, at City Hall" and "Monday evening, the Mayor will speak at the 2014 Made in New York Awards in Brooklyn," according to his public schedule.

According to her public schedule, Chancellor Fariña's Monday is set to include two public events: she "will join New York State education leaders to announce a new agreement ensuring better outcomes for English Language Learners" at Instituto Cervantes in Manhattan and she "will attend a Community Education Council Town Hall meeting in Brooklyn" in the evening - District 14 CEC to be exact.

On Monday morning in Brooklyn, "L+M Development Partners in partnership with Bell Urban LLC and the City's Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and Housing Development Corporation (HDC), will celebrate the opening of Utica Place, a brand new 87-unit affordable rental building for low-income families and veterans in Crown Heights," according to a media advisory.

On Monday at the City Council: the "Committee on Health will hold a hearing on Int 0491-2014, a local law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to amending sex designation on birth records and on Int 0492-2014, a local law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to reporting and an advisory board on gender marker change requirement.

"The Council Committees on Veterans and General Welfare will hold a joint oversight hearing on Ending Veteran Homelessness and Hunger in New York City and will hear Res 204-2014, calling upon the New York State Legislature to pass and the Governor to sign legislation which would require the Division of Veterans Affairs to conduct a study regarding homeless female veterans in New York.

"The Subcommittee on Landmarks, Public Siting and Maritime Uses will hold a hearing on several land use items."

Before their joint council hearing, at noon on Monday Council Members Ulrich and Levin will lead a press conference to announce "a City Council Veterans Food Drive." The City Council Veterans Food Drive is in partnership with the Food Bank For New York City and sponsored by Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, Council Members Ulrich and Levin, and other council members from all five boroughs.

Also on Monday morning at City Hall, Council Member Vincent Gentile will announce a resolution at City Hall: "just in time for Veterans Day, Deputy Leader Councilman Vincent J. Gentile will hold an important press conference on the steps of City Hall to announce a Resolution calling upon the United States Congress to pass, and the President to sign, legislation allowing states and localities to grant disabled veterans access to high-occupancy vehicle lanes," according to a media advisory.

Monday evening, Council Members Bramer and Treyger will hold neighborhood assemblies to discuss participatory budgeting in their districts.

Also on Monday evening, City Comptroller Scott Stringer will appear on Bronx Talk TV at 9 p.m.

Tuesday
Tuesday is Veterans Day. Though it has reportedly not been a smooth process, the annual Veterans Day Parade will take place in New York.

Gotham Gazette has made reporting on veterans issues a focus area over the last several months. See our most recent reporting on politics and policy related to New York City's veterans here.

Also Tuesday, Public Advocate Tish James, in conjunction with City Council Members Maria Del Carmen Arroyo and Vanessa Gibson, and State Senator Gustavo Rivera will hold a "Free Veterans Day Job Fair" in the Bronx.

Wednesday
Wednesday evening, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer will host an Education Town Hall with NYC DOE Chancellor Farina at John Jay College: "to discuss new education initiatives, followed by audience Q&A and a brief presentation on getting involved with Community Education Councils (CECs). Topics for discussion include technology in schools, parent engagement, and the Struggling Schools/School Success initiative," according to Brewer's announcement.

Earlier, on Wednesday morning, ABNY will host the Public Advocate, Letitia "Tish" James, for a breakfast panel discussion regarding "her priorities for the Office of the Public Advocate and her efforts to fight for New Yorkers."

On Wednesday morning on the steps of City Hall, "City Council members and leading advocates for early childhood literacy will hold a news conference to announce new funding for a major literacy campaign." Those involved include "Council Members Stephen Levin and Antonio Reynoso, as well as the heads of the following advocacy organizations: Literacy Inc. (LINC), Reach Out and Read of Greater New York, Brooklyn Public Library, Jumpstart for Young Children, New York Public Library, Parent-Child Home Program, Queens Library, Video Interaction Project," accordiing to a media advisory about the initiative.

Wednesday's City Council schedule will include: a meeting of the Committee on Land Use; the Committee on Waterfronts will meet for an oversight hearing on: "One-Stop Permitting for Waterfront Projects"; and the Committees on Public Safety, and Fire and Criminal Justice Services, will meet jointly for an oversight hearing "Examining New York City's Emergency Planning & Preparedness for Terrorist Attacks."

Council Member Mark Weprin will headline the #CUNYmonth "Free Citizenship Assistance" event on Wednesday morning at Queensborough Community College.

The Manhattan Institute will hold its Social Entrepreneurship Awards Dinner on Wednesday: "the 14th annual presentation of the Manhattan Institute's awards for social entrepreneurship—a celebration of America's tradition of civil society and philanthropy as the means to address our common problems. This tradition, which has given us the Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, and Teach for America, is at risk today from an expansive government which would dictate which charitable causes deserve support, even as it shows itself ill-suited to help uplift those in need. Our winners have done effective and impressive work throughout the country, from small-town Ohio to inner-city Detroit, from the schools of the Bronx to home-schools around the globe, and show the importance of preserving the spirit of voluntarism in our country. Please join us as they share their stories and receive well-deserved recognition."

The Manhattan Young Democrats will square off with the New York Young Republican Club in a "bipartisan-spirited" Trivia Night on Wednesday: "Now that the election season is over, it's time to set aside the partisan differences -- at least for one night -- and attend a trivia night. Join the members of the Manhattan Young Democrats (MYD) and the New York Young Republican Club (NYYRC) for this bipartisan-spirited event. Proceeds from this event will be donated to a charity, as selected by each group."

Council Members Torres, Vallone, Greenfield and Williams will hold neighborhood assemblies to discuss participatory budgeting in their districts on Wednesday evening.

Thursday
Thursday is expected to see the announcement of the New York State Public Service Commission's decision on the merger of Comcast and Time Warner Cable. Elected officials including Public Advocate Tish James and Council Member Ben Kallos have called on the commission to ensure vast public benefits if approving the merger.

The City Council schedule for Thursday includes a meeting of the Committee on Finance to address a bill relating to a "Fordham BID" and to review land use applications.

There will be a full-body City Council Stated Meeting on Thursday afternoon - as always, it will be presaged by a press conference led by Council Speaker Mark-Viverito.

Thursday evening, Citizens Union and the New York Immigration Coalition present a "Forum on Non-Citizen Voting" that will include an expert panel and address the current bill in the City Council to allow Non-US citizens to vote; 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Hostos Community College in the Bronx.

Also Thursday evening, Council Members Torres, Bramer and Menchaca will hold neighborhood assemblies to discuss participatory budgeting in their districts.

And, the Bay Ridge Democrats will hold a meeting Thursday evening that will host an expert panel including our Ben Max to discuss the outcomes of the recent state elections and where things head moving forward.

Friday and the weekend
The Murphy Institute at CUNY will hold a journalists roundtable analysis of the 2014 Midterm Elections. Participants include NY1's Errol Louis, Juan Gonzalez of the Daily News, and Michael Hirsch of POLITICO.

Also Friday morning, Fordham Law School will host "Bloomberg's New York: A Retrospective," a one-day conference that will "examine the accomplishments of the mayor and his executive team...In the course of 12 years under Mayor Michael Bloomberg, New York recovered from the devastation of 9/11, regained its footing, and eventually reclaimed its place as the world's preeminent metropolis. In the process, the Bloomberg administration worked to establish new standards in how municipal government can cut crime, grow jobs, raise the performance of schools, and improve the quality of life in America's largest and most diverse city.

And on Saturday morning, Chancellor Farina will resume holding her Parent Conference Series, this time centered on High School, at Tweed Courthouse.

Council Member Torres will hold a neighborhood assembly to discuss participatory budgeting in his district on Saturday at noon.

And, Council Member Ferreras will hold a free citizenship workshop on Saturday morning in Corona, Queens.

***
Have events or topics for us to include in an upcoming Week Ahead in New York Politics? Email 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

Wounded Warriors honored in Kabul on Nov 1 (photo: @USArmy)

When Retired Army Captain Scott Davidson decided to headquarter his business, Veteran Soldier Management Services, in New York City in June, he believed there would be plenty of opportunities to do business with the City.

Davidson, who was medically retired from the Army due to a combat-related injury sustained during his second tour in Iraq in 2007, was opening a business that would not only employ, but train veterans returning from war. He planned on soliciting city, state, and federal contracts to employ some of New York City's roughly 200,000 veterans, providing them with the corporate experience many returning veterans lack on their resumes and entrepreneurial mentoring for those hoping to one day start their own businesses.

Davidson spent years in Washington D.C. navigating the waters of contract procurement for veterans at the federal level for URS, an engineering and design company. But after seeing Gov. Andrew Cuomo sign a bill in May setting a goal that three percent of New York State contracts be for service-disabled veteran owned businesses, Davidson decided to strike out on his own in New York.

But as he began to speak with New York City officials over the summer, he was surprised to find that many procurement officers had not even heard of the State's new law and that there were hardly any State contract options through the City. Worse yet, he found that New York City does not have a procurement goal of its own for military veterans, leaving Davidson with unlikely to win City contracts competing against larger, more established companies.

"I absolutely would never have come to New York City if I had known this was the type of reception I was going to receive," Davidson said in a recent phone interview. "It is discouraging to walk into agencies and they say, 'we love you, we want to help you, we love your mission, but we just can't help you.'"

New York City has procurement goals for minority and women owned businesses (which vary based on race and contract value), although a recent report issued by City Comptroller Scott Stringer showed in fiscal year 2014 the City only hit 3.9 percent, which earned it a "D" from Stringer. Davidson is a white male and therefore does not qualify for M/WBE status.

Outside of M/WBE status, businesses in the city can apply as an Emerging Business Enterprise (EBE), but must prove they are socially or economically disadvantaged to do so. The requirements are extensive and detailed according to a spokesperson for the City's Department of Small Business Services (SBS), leaving limited interest in the program. Davidson said he does not fit the requirements for EBE status.

Davidson said several procurement officers at city agencies suggested he let a woman or person of color take over his business so he could qualify under M/WBE status. Davidson has not chosen that route, saying instead New York City should be following other cities around the country that offer a special socio-economic status to veterans just like to women or people of color. He said none of the city procurement officers he spoke to made mention of the EBE program as an alternative option for his business.

"They have stacked the deck. It just doesn't make sense," Davidson said. "If you look at other cities that are even a quarter of the size of New York, they are setting aside."

San Antonio, Nashville, and Chicago all offer procurement goals for veterans as well as states like Indiana, New Jersey, and, most recently, New York. The percentage of contracts and whether or not disability is required to qualify differ by location. Well over a decade ago, the federal government passed the Veterans Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development Act of 1999 requiring three percent of all federal contracts be awarded to veteran owned businesses.

"We should be leading the rest of the country. We shouldn't be following them," Robert Piechota, director of Brooklyn Small Business Development Center (SBDC) said in a recent phone interview. "But here we are, New York City, the greatest city in the world, arguably, and we have nothing in place for veterans."

"The city is committed to ensuring that Veterans have the services they need to build strong businesses and find good jobs," Merideth Weber, spokesperson for SBS said by email. She added the City offers a variety of services through NYC Business Solutions, "including pro-bono legal services, access to capital, navigating government, and business courses with a course specifically for Veterans looking to start a business."

"We encourage Veterans to learn more about how the City can help," Weber said.

Help on the Way
While there may not be procurement goals for veterans now, changes could be on the horizon. At the end of last year, the City Council passed Local Law 144 of 2013 which required SBS to commission a study that would analyze veteran owned business enterprises and determine if there is a need for procurement goals for veterans in the city.

Former Council Member Diana Reyna, who was the lead sponsor on the bill, said in a recent phone interview she consistently heard from veterans about the lack of options while she was in office. Reyna, now Deputy Borough President in Brooklyn, said there was a lack of data about businesses owned by veterans. Instead of drawing up legislation demanding the City create procurement goals for veterans, they chose instead to first commission a study.

Piechota, who testified in favor of the bill at the December 2013 hearing, said he welcomes the data and hopes the City will move forward with a proposal. He believes veterans will jump on the opportunity to bid for City contracts because it is such big business. In fiscal year 2014 the City spent $17.8 billion on procurement contracts. If the City followed the State's lead with the three percent goal, veterans could see $534 million worth of business.

But Piechota warned that getting certified by the City for special status is a painful process. He advised that to expedite the process the City automatically certify veteran owned businesses already approved by the federal or state government.

The SBS study is due to the Council on Dec 1. Council Member Eric Ulrich, chair of the Council's Veterans Committee, said there would be an oversight hearing to discuss the findings of the study in December. Both Piechota and Reyna said they had not seen a copy of it as of our interviews. On October 29, Gotham Gazette submitted a FOIL request to obtain a copy of the report prepared by a third party vendor, which multiple sources said was already complete. SBS has not yet responded to the request.

In hindsight, Davidson said he wishes he would have done more research on the City's procurement rules before setting up shop, but he said the move to New York City has not been a total loss. His business is up and running and he has plugged into the local veteran network. He said he is helping transitioning veterans by trying to provide resources, mentoring, and networking.

Davidson has also done a lot of work reaching out to companies on Wall Street, which has been making its own concerted effort to employ veterans. Davidson also continues to lobby at the national level for a variety of veteran issues. He will add changing the City's procurement rules to include veterans to his advocacy list.

"We are not going to stop," Davidson said. "I'm not someone who is going to give up."

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by Kristen Meriwether, Gotham Gazette
@MeriwetherK

Veterans Day, November 11, is again upon us. As veterans, servicemembers, elected officials, and others prepare to march down 5th Avenue on Tuesday, military veterans throughout the city continue to attempt navigating life as civilians. In New York, services for veterans have continually been called into question. Critics cite inadequate funding and staffing at the Mayor’s Office of Veterans Affairs (MOVA). While there are proposed changes in oversight and the possibility of a new Department of Veterans Affairs, many veterans and advocates worry about resources to support the influx of returning veterans as servicemembers return from conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere and struggle with employment, housing, healthcare, and more. Throughout 2014, Gotham Gazette has carefully tracked veterans affairs in New York City, especially as they relate to city government.

Our most recent coverage of veterans issues in New York City:

11/10/2014, Kristen Meriwether
Military Veterans Seek City Business, Await Action on Contract Goals
New York City has not declared official goals for awarding a percentage of City contracts to veteran-owned businesses. A report on the subject is due soon, though, and action is expected. The City is behind a trend to do so that New York State is a part of as of the spring.

11/5/2014, Kristen Meriwether
City Earns Recognition for Reducing Veteran Homelessness
New York City was honored for reducing homelessness among its veterans, though much more still needs to be done to completely eliminate the problem as Mayor Bill de Blasio has said he plans to do.

10/29/2014, Kristen Meriwether
Despite Vital Function, Veterans Advisory Board Being Paid Little Attention by City Officials
"For our members who are aware of the group [Veterans Advisory Board], many believe that historically it has not been taken seriously and that it has not had the impact on the lives of veterans and their families that it should,” said Jason Hansman, senior program manager for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.

10/27/2014, Kristen Meriwether
Council Hearing Reveals Transparency Gaps at Veteran Advisory Board
The Veterans Advisory Board, while playing a crucial role in supporting veterans, is criticized by veterans and advocates for lack of accountability, representation, and efficiency.

9/29/2014, Kristen Meriwether
Public Conversation on New Veterans Department Begins
The creation of a Department of Veterans Affairs is being deabted as MOVA Commissioner Sutton is not supporting the proposition - yet, at least.

9/28/2014, Kristen Meriwether
Council Looks to Improve Veterans Services with New Department
By turning the Mayor’s Office of Veterans Affairs into the Department of Veterans Affairs, some say that veterans advocates and the Veterans Commissioner may be able to play a larger role in assessing services and maintaining effective oversight.

8/28/2014, Kristen Meriwether
Veterans Treatment Courts Offer Hope, But Only in Three Boroughs
In Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx, veterans can receive treatment for substance abuse through an extensive program that includes facilities tailored to veterans, benefits counseling, and mentoring from fellow veterans. But, in Manhattan and Staten Island, no such program exists.

8/21/2014 (opinion)
A Fall Agenda for the City Council's Veterans Committee
Joe Bello, veteran and founder of NY MetroVets, makes recommendations for bridging the communication gap among stakeholders and addressing issues of benefits counseling, homelessness, education, and unemployment.

8/19/2014, Kristen Meriwether
High Expectations, Limited Resources for Mayor's New Commissioner of Veterans' Affairs
Former Brigadier General Sutton, the newly appointed Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Veterans Affairs (MOVA) is expected to lead key changes to improve veterans services that include housing, employment, education, and medical benefits. But, MOVA has limited staff and other resources.

8/18/2014, Kristen Meriwether
De Blasio Names New Commissioner of Veterans Affairs
Former Brigadier General Sutton, the highest ranking psychiatrist in the U.S. army, replaces outgoing Terrance Holliday as the Commissioner for the Mayor’s Office of Veterans Affairs.

7/1/2014 (opinion)
Is The VA Ready For The Onslaught Of Returning Veterans?
Newly discharged veterans may pose additional problems for the federal Department of Veterans Affairs, as veterans and allies decry inadequate services and poor transparency.

6/26/2014 (opinion)
At A Hearing On Veterans Affairs, Missed Opportunities
“The Mayor's budget proposal, which offered a paltry few extra dollars to MOVA, sent a message about the priority of veteran's issues for this administration,” commented Coco Culhane of the Veterans Advocacy Project.

6/25/2014, Kristen Meriwether
City Council Expands Funding Of Veterans Services
The City Council initially requested that Mayor Bill de Blasio boost funding for the Mayor’s Office for Veterans Affairs (MOVA) by $400,000 and to allocate $1 million toward veterans support services. This request had not been fulfilled, leading the Council to use $400,000 of its own discretionary funding on veterans services.

6/24/2014, Kristen Meriwether
With City Budget Adoption Pending, Veterans Still Await Word On Funding
Funding for veterans benefits counselors, not included in the mayor’s preliminary budget, was not mentioned in the announcement of the final budget agreement. The Mayor’s Office of Veterans Affairs reports that the counselors will have to be let go if the additional $400,000 requested by the City Council is not allotted.

6/3/2014, Kristen Meriwether
Veterans Parade Precedent Makes 2014 Unlikely
A parade for veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, which some have called for in 2014, is unlikely to happen, hampered by the lack of a specific date on the end of combat. Talk of the allocation of parade funds continue, with the possibility of excess funds going toward veteran homelessness, scholarships, or service women.

5/30/2014 (opinion)
VA Scandal Demands Bold and Decisive Action
Amid reports of a Phoenix-based Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) scandal, Councilmember Eric Ulrich calls for more accountability in VA offices nationwide. VA hospitals across the country are warning of malpractice.

5/7/2014, Kristen Meriwether
Veterans Benefits Counselors at Risk in Budget
Veterans benefits counselors could help reduce the number of outstanding veterans claims, but the mayor’s preliminary budget did not include funding for such counselors.

Stay tuned for more reporting on this important topic as the city looks to better provide services to militaty veterans.

Gov. Cuomo & Kathy Hochul celebrate (photo: Chang W. Lee/NYT)

Governor Andrew Cuomo started campaign season bending over backwards and twisting himself into knots to secure the support of third parties. He ended it at war with one and dismissing others, all while aggressively promoting one of his own, the newly created Women's Equality Party (WEP). The WEP's was one of four ballot lines on which the incumbent Democrat appeared on Election Day, aggregating votes to win re-election easily.

It was a unique situation made possible by New York's law that allows candidates to run on multiple party ballot lines and accumulate the votes. Minor parties don't have to run their own candidates - they can offer their lines to more established politicians - and stand to gain because the more votes a party gets in the gubernatorial race, the higher its position on future ballots in each race it runs a candidate.

With returns almost completely processed by the Board of Elections a little over 24 hours after polls closed, it appears Cuomo's WEP has earned a future ballot line, reaching the 50,000 vote threshold, with more than 50,800 voters selecting Cuomo and his lieutenant governor running mate Kathy Hochul on that line.

As for Cuomo's two other 'third party' lines, nearly 73,000 voters selected Cuomo-Hochul on the Independence Party line and over 120,000 voters chose them on the Working Families Party (WFP) line. In the end, though, the 'third party' that did not back Cuomo came out on top. The Green Party and its gubernatorial candidate Howie Hawkins brought in 175,000 votes and will now move into Row D on the ballot, just behind the Democrat and Republican lines.

Speaking of the Democratic Party, Cuomo earned about 1.7 million votes - or nearly 90 percent of his total - on his major party line, which was an afterthought throughout. The governor won re-election by about 500,000 votes in another low-turnout election.

The governor's appearing on four ballot lines and all the controversy swirling around his allegiances, motives, and agenda is symbolic of a politician trying to amass widespread support from a variety of constituencies while ultimately hurting his standing among virtually all of them.

This July, despite facing a little-known primary challenger and a federal investigation for tampering with his own anti-corruption commission, Cuomo was in a position that would be enviable for most incumbent politicians. He sat on a $45 million war chest, had the entire State Democratic Party apparatus at his beck and call, and could rely on quite a bit of bipartisan support. Plus, in a situation unique to New York State, Cuomo was set to head into the general election on three ballot lines, giving voters a lot of exposure to his name.

But, despite the wide range of political ethos covered by the Democratic, Independence, and Working Families parties, Cuomo decided to create another: the Women's Equality Party.

The immediate benefits of creating the line were clear: Cuomo projected greater concern about women's issues while facing a young, female primary challenger to his left, and found a wedge issue between himself and Republican nominee Rob Astorino.

However, the line also spotlighted the fact that despite his claims that he had been a master of bipartisanship and that his alliance with Senate Republicans had been functional, he had failed to move his ten-point Women's Equality Agenda through the Senate due to Republican resistance to the tenth plank that deals with abortion. For the two years since Cuomo had put the agenda forward in his State of the State speech, Republican legislators told him that they would agree to the first nine planks, and were ready to pass them. Cuomo insists it's all ten or nothing.

Cuomo again claimed after a rally on Monday that he had felt the agenda would "sail through" the Legislature. However, he went on to insist that the influence of the Conservative Party, which threatened to revoke support for Republicans who worked with Cuomo after some had backed him on marriage equality and gun regulations, prevented further bipartisanship.

"You know what happened," Cuomo explained, "They passed marriage equality, they passed gun safety. They experienced a backlash from the Conservative Party and the backlash from the Conservative Party had a chilling effect on the Republican majority in the Senate."

"If the Republicans are in charge," Cuomo continued, "I certainly hope [things are different]. If the Democrats are in charge, we do not have to worry about it. But the Republicans, for the most part, do not represent ultra-conservative districts....So they're out of sync [if they oppose it]."

Cuomo appeared to be continuing his attacks on "fringe" third parties that he started during an appearance on The Brian Lehrer Show the week before. "It's almost amazing when you think about it," Cuomo told Lehrer while discussing the importance of the Women's Equality Party. "We've formed every kind of fringe party for every kind of reason. We have Democrat, Republican, Green, Red, White, Blue, Working People, Working Short People, Working Tall People - we've never had a women's party. This is the home of Seneca Falls! Let the women make their voice heard. And that's what the women's party is about."

Despite his dismissal of the WFP and other third parties, Cuomo went to astonishing lengths capturing the Independence and WFP lines earlier in the year. In March Cuomo took the Independence line despite facing calls from Democrats to abandon it as it has been described as purely transactional. Cuomo responded to the controversy in March by telling reporters he would decide on whether to take the line "down the road." It was revealed, however, that Cuomo had already accepted the line that day. In discussions with Gotham Gazette, members of the Independence Party insisted that Cuomo's team had been pushing for the endorsement and seemed to have no qualms about it at the time.

Then in May, Cuomo went all out to win the endorsement of a conflicted Working Families Party. The state's progressive mainstay was fighting to keep its activist and union base together as members debated whether they should back Zephyr Teachout as a challenger to Cuomo or push Cuomo to agree to back progressive legislation and work for a Democratic State Senate. Backroom negotiations the weekend of the WFP convention played out until the last minute, with Cuomo capitulating to the WFP's demands and filming a video where he recited an agreed-upon agenda.

Insiders insist the effort was all part of Cuomo's push to win a landslide re-election to bolster his brand and national ambitions. But things changed. The WFP endorsement deal caused rifts with Cuomo's Republican allies; Teachout decided to challenge Cuomo in the Democratic primary regardless of the WFP decision, exposing friction between Cuomo and liberal Democrats; and Cuomo faced major scandal as it was revealed that U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara is investigating Cuomo's interference in his Moreland Commission.

After a bruising summer a number of insiders say that Cuomo's calculus changed. Knowing a landslide victory was a lost cause and seeing his national image damaged, Cuomo fell back to focusing on the pure power politics of governing the state and ensuring a strong re-election.

Members of the WFP kept quiet through election season despite deep-seated fears that Cuomo was bucking his promise to work for a Democratic Senate and only paying lip service to a policy platform that includes enacting the DREAM Act and allowing localities home rule to raise the minimum wage.

It was Cuomo, however, who fired the first shot by omitting the WFP from his campaign and pouring cash into his WEP. WFP members privately wondered at the time how Cuomo could hope to actually pass the Women's Equality Agenda without a Democratic Senate.

"If he really wanted to see the WEA pass he would have done more to get a Democratic-controlled Senate," said Karen Scharff, a WFP leader and head of Citizen Action/NY.

Scharff lamented that Cuomo refused to endorse in a Buffalo Senate race where the Republican-turned-Independent who Cuomo is friendly with had openly refused to vote for the WEA. "There is a difference between campaigning for something and actually getting it passed," said Scharff. The Democrat did go on to win that race.

The WFP began responding in late October to Cuomo's major WEP push, which included weekly Women's Equality Express bus trips around the state.

The WFP started sending blast emails to supporters from a variety of party members and supporters including Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Gloria Steinam, Whoopi Goldberg, and Teachout's former campaign manager. The emails asked voters to hold their noses and vote for Cuomo on the WFP line so they would not lose ballot status and to show Cuomo that progressive issues matter.

There was also fear that disgruntled liberals may wind up voting Green.

Dan Levitan of BerlinRosen and former WFP spokesman wrote, "Vote Working Families Party tomorrow straight up and down the ballot. Cast a vote for progressive values and more importantly for progressive power. You might be considering other votes. But voting WFP helps do something productive for the long-term. Everything else is pretty much flushing your vote - and you only get one! ROW D."

Election night was a disaster for Scharff and her progressive allies in that all their hope for a Democratic Senate were erased. "What is the opposite of coattails?" Scharff asked Gotham Gazette hours after the polls closed. "The governor spent all this money on a fake party but not on carrying other Democrats. It really makes you wonder what agenda he really wanted."

WFP director Bill Lipton soon followed with an official statement: "Governor Cuomo promised to take back the State Senate. Instead, he squandered millions on a fake party, and left millions more in his campaign account as New York Democrats in the legislature and in Congress withered on the vine. But he couldn't sink WFP and we're not going anywhere, except back to Albany to fight for working families. Our party is needed now more than ever."

It is unclear how Cuomo will deliver on his major campaign promises without a Democratic Senate, or if he wants to now that he appears at war with the WFP. The day after the election, the WFP issued a statement insisting that Cuomo had not damaged its vote totals.

"Despite the decrease in turnout from 2010 to 2014 and widespread progressive displeasure with Gov. Cuomo, WFP's share of the vote for Gov. Cuomo remained almost exactly the same, while WFP's share of the vote for other statewide candidates like Comptroller DiNapoli ticked up."

***
by David King, Albany editor, Gotham Gazette
@DavidHowardKing

Mayor Bill de Blasio speaks at a veterans event (photo: @AlexSilverman)

In 2010 the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness rolled out the Opening Doors initiative, a federal program aimed at ending military veteran homelessness by the end of 2015, among other goals. It is the first comprehensive, national strategy to address the chronic problem of homelessness among military veterans.

The plan, which has been updated each year since it began, focuses on increasing leadership, collaboration, and civic engagement across all levels of government. It not only aims to address the obvious issue of finding affordable housing for veterans, but to ensure assistance with employment opportunities and, when needed, healthcare options. Perhaps most importantly, the plan aims to change the paradigm to a crisis response system.

In New York City, the measures appear to be working. While homelessness in the city continues to rise, homelessness among the city's military veterans has decreased by 64 percent (a total of 3,032 veterans) since 2011, according to HUD's 2014 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report to Congress. Speaking at a Women in Housing and Finance panel on Monday evening, Julie Irwin, Homeless Care Line Manager with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, put the number of homeless veterans in New York City at roughly 1,300.

For its efforts, New York City will be among 14 communities honored by the National Alliance to End Homelessness on Wednesday in Washington, D.C.

According to his public schedule, Mayor Bill de Blasio will be in New York City on Wednesday and a spokesperson for the mayor did not respond to inquiry about whether any representative of the administration would be attending the D.C. event.

It would appear New York City, with its dense urban population and severe shortage of affordable housing, would struggle to meet the lofty goal set forth by the plan. But on the contrary, the city has found its footing in combatting veteran homelessness, and is in fact leading the nation with its efforts.

"New York has really held up as a model for success," Holly Leicht, regional director for HUD, said Monday evening.

Leicht said the biggest asset has been the effective use of data for everything from identifying issues and investment opportunities, to tracking the effectiveness of programs afterwards. She also pointed to the strategic ability to maximize federal dollars including knowing when to combine with other grants.

"It becomes very strategic, which is why the interagency collaboration is necessary," Leicht said.

One area in which New York City has excelled is utilizing NYCHA to house homeless veterans. Leicht said the VA Medical Center is now identifying homeless veterans and sending them to NYCHA, something that did not happen before.

"That took a little while to get working, but now it is working pretty well," Leicht said.

With limited space in NYCHA, the City will need to find other options with private landlords to complete the mission. Leicht pointed to City partnerships with the Robinhood Foundation, which is funding housing with private landlords.

Tori Lyon, executive director of the Jericho Project, gave a presentation showing two recently completed projects in the Bronx and Brooklyn specifically designed as supportive housing for homeless veterans with another expected to come online in the Bronx in late 2016.

"It is that global approach that has defined the successful cities and New York has certainly been one of those." Leicht said.

How the program will continue under new leadership at City Hall remains to be seen. The numbers for the point-in-time HUD survey were conducted in early January, just days after Mayor Bill de Blasio took office. With his office primarily focused on launching his universal pre-kindergarten program, de Blasio waited until August to appoint former U.S. Army Brigadier General Loree Sutton as Commissioner of the Mayor's Office of Veteran Affairs (MOVA).

Sutton will issue a 90-day assessment of MOVA along with a plan for moving forward on December 1. On Monday Sutton, who also spoke on the panel, did not tip her hand as to what those plans would be regarding addressing homelessness, but she did sound confident in the mission.

"I am confident we have everything it takes in New York City to end chronic veteran homeless by the end of 2015," Sutton said. "There is no doubt in my mind."

***
by Kristen Meriwether, Gotham Gazette
@MeriwetherK

Coucil Members Garodnick, left, and Rodriguez at Monday's hearing (photo: William Alatriste)

New York City's $1 trillion transportation infrastructure is in urgent need of fresh investment to ensure safety and promote economic growth, concluded Council Members Dan Garodnick and Ydanis Rodriguez on Monday.

The second hearing in a series dedicated to evaluating the city's overall infrastructure was a joint meeting of the committees chaired by Garodnick (economic development) and Rodriguez (transportation). The next hearing, on Nov. 20, will deal with issues related to bicycles and the city's bike-share programming.

In the wake of Superstorm Sandy and the ever-increasing focus on climate change, one of the key factors in New York City's planning over the next decade and more will be the strained transportation system which includes 24 subway lines, 468 subway stations, 659 miles of track, 18,000 lane miles of local streets, 306 lane miles of highway, and over 1300 bridges.

"Maintaining our city's roads, bridges, tunnels, and subway infrasture is critical to preserving the city's economy," said Dan Garodnick, a Manhattan Democrat. "Severely deteriorated transit infrastructure costs much more to repair than conducting frequent and regular maintenance. Every dollar of deferred maintenance on local roads and bridges costs an estimated additional $4-5 dollars in necessary future repairs."

Garodnick cited a report released in March of this year by the Center for an Urban Future, Caution Ahead, which estimates a budget of $47.3 billion over the next four to five years to modernize the city's transport system. The report was less conservative than the MTA's own Capital Plan 2015-19 which puts that figure at $32 billion. Unfortunately, the MTA has only managed to raise $17 billion and will spend the next few months planning and attempting to bridge the $15 billion funding gap.

Council Member Rodriguez, also a Manhattan Democrat, pointed out the burgeoning strain on the subway system, which has seen record levels of commuters this year. On September 23, the one-day ridership hit an all-time high of 6.1 million people, which proves the need for a "renaissance" in the network, Rodriguez said.

He also pointed out that transport authorities would have to increasingly shift focus away from midtown and lower Manhattan toward the other boroughs, which are underserved by public transportation. "We must look beyond jurisdiction and red-tape to a large vision for our city," he said.

Investment, or lack thereof, was a crucial aspect of the hearing. Testifying before the committees, NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Polly Trottenberg said, "To me the fundamental question is not whether our transportation infrastructure is failing and what the economic impact might be; rather the difficult question we face is what is the right level of public investment in our city's transportation system to ensure public safety, foster economic growth, increase mobility, and improve quality of life for our citizens and businesses in [the] current very challenging fiscal and political environment."

Trottenberg has an important role to play as she was recently appointed by the governor and mayor to serve on the board of the MTA. She said the DOT is trying to "up our game and modernize our asset management system for bridges, roadways, sidewalks, and ferries."

With the start of winter, "construction season," as Robert Collier of the DOT called it at the hearing, is over, and planning season has begun. After the MTA's Five-Year Capital Plan, the next few months will see the release of the MTA Reinvention Commission Report, the New York State DOT Five-Year Plan, the CIty's own Ten-Year Capital Plan and the Regional Plan Association's 4th Regional Plan.

[Related: Transit Advocates Push for More Attentive MTA, Modern Subway System]

In many ways, these reports and plans will decide the future of a city of 8.4 million, one expected to see the influx of 500,000 to 2 million more residents in the next 25 years. All the agencies involved, said Trottenberg, will have to work together, particularly as Mayor de Blasio rolls out his plan to create more affordable housing across the city.

MTA officials were there to discuss their capital plan and initiatives for asset management, commuter safety, and, in particular, Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC). The CBTC automation system would allow for shorter travel times and fewer train drivers on each line.

Other council members raised issues that concerned their districts. Council Member Donovan Richards, a Queens Democrat who chairs the Environmental Protection Committee, questioned the implementation and maintenance of green technologies and infrastructure by the DOT; while fellow Democrat Inez Barron stressed the need for repairs across roadways in eastern Brooklyn. Those representing the boroughs asked for expansion of public transport through Bus Rapid Transit (dedicated express bus lanes) and Select Bus Service.

In the end, Council Member Garodnick recommended enhanced planning between city agencies and the MTA, prioritizing funding to ensure maintenance of infrastructure, coordination with the private sector and enforcement of penalties for inferior work, utilization of better design processes for construction, and an improved procurement process.

Also testifying were members of advocacy groups representing engineers, architects and contractors. "If you build, they will come," said Jeffrey Dugan, from the American Institute of Architects, "but only if they can get there."

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by Samar Khurshid, Gotham Gazette
@samarkhurshid