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What to watch for this week in New York politics:
As the week begins we’re watching for any signs of possible action in Albany. There are scheduled legislative session days before the session ends in mid-June, including the three scheduled this week.
The gubernatorial race is in full swing, of course, and this week is sure to see further campaigning from Cynthia Nixon, Marc Molinaro, and others. On Saturday, Nixon participated in a “Cinco de Mayo march in Brooklyn and the NYC Cannabis Parade and Rally in Union Square.” Governor Andrew Cuomo participated in a “Hudson Valley Blue Wave Rally to Take Back the House and State Senate” on Sunday.
As the Democratic and Republican state party conventions approach later this month, Republican candidates for the final statewide positions are emerging -- this week Manny Alicandro is launching his campaign for attorney general.
Meanwhile, in New York City, we’re watching as conflict between Comptroller Scott Stringer and Airbnb escalates. Stringer released a report this past week that showed Airbnb having a negative influence on housing affordability in parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn. The home-sharing platform company pushed back quickly and the allegations of data-manipulation, faulty-methodology, and impure motives have been flying back and forth. Airbnb is holding a press conference call on Monday to continue its rebuttal.
One of Stringer’s main responsibilities, the city budget, enters a new phase this week in the process for determining the spending plan for next fiscal year, which begins July 1. The City Council begins hearings Monday on Mayor Bill de Blasio’s executive budget plan -- details for these and much more below.
As always, there are a number of political events to be aware of this week - see our day-by-day rundown below.
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The run of the week in detail:
Monday
On Monday evening, Mayor de Blasio will make his weekly appearance on NY1's Inside City Hall, in the 7 and 11 p.m. hours.
This week’s Max & Murphy podcast from Gotham Gazette and City Limits will be recorded and published on Monday. This week’s guest is City Council Member Joe Borelli, a former member of the state Assembly from Staten Island, one of three Republicans in the City Council, and a fervent supporter of President Donald Trump.
At the City Council on Monday, the following committees will hold executive budget hearings:
--Finance at 10 a.m.
--Small Business at noon, regarding the Department of Small Business Services.
--Economic Development at 12:30 p.m., regarding the Economic Development Corporation.
--Aging at 3 p.m., regarding the Department for the Aging.
Also at the City Council on Monday: The Committee on Housing and Buildings will meet at 2 p.m. to discuss proposed laws related to residential safety measures.
“New York attorney Manny Alicandro will formally announce his campaign for Attorney General, along with state and local Republican and Conservative Party officials, including NYS Conservative Party Chairman Michael R. Long” on Monday -- in “New York City at Federal Hall at 10:30 am and in Albany in the NYS Capitol, 3rd Floor at 3:30 pm.”
New York City schools Chancellor Richard Carranza will appear on WNYC’s The Brian Lehrer Show at 10:30 a.m. Monday.
On Monday at 11 a.m., “Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. will host a media preview and celebration to kick-off Bronx Week 2018 at the Mott Haven Bar & Grill...As a highlight of the event, Borough President Diaz and The Bronx Tourism Council will announce the three honorees of the Bronx Walk of Fame Class of 2018.”
The New York State Legislature will be in session on Monday in Albany.
The New York State Board of Regents will meet on Monday and Tuesday in Albany.
At 11:45 a.m. Monday, "Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul Delivers Remarks at the 16th Annual Not-For-Profit Leadership Summit" in Tarrytown. At 7:30 p.m., Hochul will keynote and be honored at the Women's eNews' 21 Leaders for the 21stCentury Gala, at Museum of the City of New York.
At 6 p.m. Monday, the mayoral Charter Revision Commission will hold a public hearing at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
At 6 p.m. Monday, the Community Service Society will host its annual Spring Gala at the Hunt and Fish Club in Midtown.
At 6:30 p.m. Monday, gubernatorial candidate Cynthia Nixon, Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, lieutenant gubernatorial candidate Jumaane Williams, and New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli will attend the Village Independent Democrats’ candidate forum at PS 41 in the West Village. Representatives for Governor Andrew Cuomo and Attorney General Eric Schneiderman will also be in attendance.
On Monday at 7 p.m. at Carnegie Hall, “First Lady McCray will present the Corporate Advocate Award to NBCUniversal at the 2018 Child Mind Institute's 4th Annual Change Maker Awards. This event is open press. There will be no Q-and-A.”
On Monday at 7 p.m., Public Advocate Letitia James will will deliver remarks at the Van Nest Neighborhood Alliance Meeting in the Bronx. At 8 p.m. she will deliver remarks at the El Nuevo Caribe Democratic Club Meeting, at El Barrio's Artspace.
Tuesday
At the City Council on Tuesday, the following committees will hold executive budget hearings:
--Finance and Capital Budget jointly at 10 a.m.
--Parks & Recreation at 1:30 a.m., regarding the Department of Parks & Recreation.
--Technology at 3 p.m., regarding DoITT.
--Youth Services at 4 p.m., regarding the Department of Youth and Community Development.
Also at the City Council on Tuesday:
--The Committee on Fire and Emergency Management will meet at 11 a.m. to discuss several proposed laws related to safety and evacuation measures.
--The Committee on Civil Service and Labor will meet at noon to discuss two resolutions, one calling on the city to “extend paid family leave benefits to city employees covered by municipal unions” and another “calling upon the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, legislation to amend the state Paid Family Leave Act to provide workers in New York State with a benefit equal to 100 percent of an employee’s average weekly wage.”
The New York State Legislature will be in session on Tuesday in Albany.
At 9 a.m. Tuesday, the New York City Board of Correction will hold a public meeting at 125 Worth Street.
At 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Governor Cuomo will tour the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge.
At 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul will make an announcement at Schenectady High School. At 9:30 a.m., Hochul will deliver remarks at LGBTQI Advocacy Day in Albany. At 11:30 a.m., Hochul will highlight the YWCA's Work for Women and Children at Centennial Celebration in Troy. And at 1 p.m., Hochul will speak at the Police Memorial Remembrance Ceremony in Albany.
At 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Vote Better NY will hold a rally at the Capitol’s Million Dollar Staircase in Albany to call on lawmakers to pass early voting, the Voter Empowerment Act, automatic and same day registration, no excuse absentee voting, and require preclearance from the Attorney General for changes to the voting process for any county “with populations with at least 10 percent of any racial, ethnic, or language minority group.”
On Tuesday at noon at City Hall, “New York City Council Members Andy King, Antonio Reynoso, Fernando Cabrera, Chaim Deutsch, Laurie Cumbo, Adrienne E. Adams, Rafael Salamanca Jr., Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, Assembly Member Rodneyse Bichotte will be joined by members of the Legal Aid Society, Vulcan Society Inc., National Action Network, NAACP and the Black Institute at a press conference...to call out FDNY’s hypocritical decision not to hire applicant Andre Laurant and denounce FDNY’s hiring of Joseph Cassano, 28, who had quit his former FDNY job as an EMT in 2013 after his hateful tweets against blacks, Jews and others he was employed to served were exposed.”
On Tuesday at 1 p.m. in Albany, "Assistant Speaker Felix W. Ortiz (D-Kings) will hold a press conference to discuss his legislation dealing with gender identity and recognition, identification cards, runaway and LGBT homelessness."
At 1 p.m. Tuesday, Public Advocate Letitia James will deliver remarks at the RWDSU Rally for Food Service Workers Justice, at John Jay College.
On Tuesday at 2 p.m. at One Police Plaza, "Mayor de Blasio will host a press conference on crime statistics. This event is open press. There will be Q-and-A."
At 4 p.m. Tuesday, "Governor Andrew M. Cuomo will join thousands of New Yorkers at the #CountMeIn Rally in Union Square."
At 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, schools Chancellor Richard Carranza will attend a town hall meeting of District 12’s Community Education in the Bronx.
At 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, the NYU Urban Democracy Lab will host “People’s Cities: A Summit,” discussing the resurgence of cities as locales for investment, innovation, and “urban progressivism.” Juan Gonzalez of Democracy Now will moderate a panel discussing the “possibility - and limits - of municipal, and city-led, politics,” consisting of City Council Member Carlina Rivera, Deputy Mayor of Barcelona Gerardo Pisarello, city planner Kali Akuno, and political science professor Margit Mayer. The event will take at the Labowitz Theatre at NYU’s Gallatin School.
Wednesday
The City Council will hold a stated meeting at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday. It will likely be prefaced by the typical pre-stated press conference led by Council Speaker Corey Johnson.
Also at the City Council on Wednesday:
--The Committee on Finance will meet at 10 a.m.
--The Committee on Rules, Privileges, and Elections will meet at 11 a.m. to discuss two nominees to the City Planning Commission: Alfred Cerullo III and Allen Cappelli.
The New York State Legislature will be in session on Wednesday in Albany.
At 10 a.m. Wednesday, the City Planning Commission will hold a public meeting at 120 Broadway.
At 6 p.m. Wednesday, the mayoral Charter Revision Commission will hold a public hearing at the main branch of the New York Public Library in Midtown Manhattan.
At 6 p.m. Wednesday, the Center for an Urban Future and TransitCenter will host “An Unhealthy Commute: The Transit Challenges Facing New York City’s Healthcare Sector” at One Whitehall Street. Panelists will discuss a recent CUF study showing that healthcare workers have the longest average commutes in the city, affecting their work and life, and will include City Council Health Committee Chair Mark Levine, Jonathan Bowles of CUF, and Danna Dennis of Riders Alliance.
At 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg and MTA New York City Transit Commissioner Andy Byford will host a town hall on the L train shutdown and potential transit alternatives for Manhattan L train riders at the New School’s Johnson Hall. This is the first of two town halls, with another for Brooklyn residents next week.
At 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, the Civilian Complaint Review Board will hold a board meeting at the Brooklyn College Student Center.
Thursday
At the City Council on Thursday, the following committees will hold executive budget hearings:
--For-Hire Vehicles at 10 a.m., regarding the Taxi & Limousine Commission.
--Environmental Protection at 1 p.m., regarding the Department of Environmental Protection.
At 8:30 a.m. Thursday, the Association for a Better New York will host Brooklyn Navy Yard CEO David Ehrenberg for a discussion “on the Brooklyn Navy Yard’s recent Master Plan exercise, as well as an update on the current state and overall vision for the yard.”
At 10 a.m. Thursday, the New York City Campaign Finance Board will hold a board meeting at 100 Church Street. (This meeting is not taking place)
At 11 a.m. Thursday, the Assembly Standing Committees on Insurance and Health will meet jointly at 250 Broadway in Manhattan for a public hearing to “evaluate the proposed plan by CVS Health to acquire Aetna Inc. and the potential impacts on the delivery of health care and the health insurance market in New York State.”
At 1 p.m. Thursday, the CUNY Center for Community and Ethnic Media will host city schools Chancellor Richard Carranza for a “Newsmakers Roundtable” at Tweed Courthouse. “The Chancellor will share his vision and agenda with the members of community and ethnic media, and give them a chance to ask him education-related questions that are important to their respective audiences.”
On Thursday evening at New York Athletic Club, "the Brain Aneurysm Foundation will host its inaugural New York Champion Awards and will honor U.S. Representative Yvette Clarke. She will receive the Community Advocate Champion for introducing the “Ellie Helton, Lisa Colagrossi, Teresa Anne Lawrence, and Jennifer Sedney Focused Research Act” (“Ellie’s Law”), on March 21, 2017."
Friday and the weekend
At the City Council on Friday, the Criminal Justice committee will hold its executive budget hearing at 10 a.m., regarding the Department of Correction.
Mayor de Blasio may make his weekly appearance on WNYC’s The Brian Lehrer Show on Friday morning at 10 a.m.
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Have events or topics for us to include in an upcoming Week Ahead in New York Politics? E-mail Gotham Gazette executive editor Ben Max any time: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (please use "For Week Ahead" as email subject).
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by Ben Brachfeld and Ben Max
@GothamGazette
