New York City Hall
What to watch for this week in New York politics:
This might be the week Mayor Bill de Blasio announces whether he is running for President of the United States. He says he will make his decision and announcement in the month of May. De Blasio starts the week rallying outside Trump Tower on the city's puported version of a "Green New Deal."
[Listen: Max & Murphy Podcast: Should de Blasio run for President?]
[Watch: MetroFocus: Indecision 2020: Will Mayor de Blasio run for President?]
Much attention this week will be on the NYPD trial of Officer Daniel Pantaleo for his conduct in the 2014 arrest and death of Eric Garner.
There is a special City Council election this week, on Tuesday, where voters in some Brooklyn neighborhoods will select a replacement for Public Advocate Jumaane Williams.
At the City Council, hearings on the mayor's executive budget continue this week - see details below.
The state Legislature has just five weeks of its 2019 session left; there are three session days this week in Albany. Governor Cuomo kicked the week off on Sunday by signing legislation passed through the Legislature that greatly expands New York City's speed camera program to allow the city to install up to 750 cameras around schools. He was joined at his Manhattan office by street safety advocates, including those who have lost children to vehicle crashes, as well as lead bill sponsors Assemblymember Deborah Glick and Senator Andrew Gounardes.
There are a variety of events to be aware of - see our day-by-day rundown below.
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The run of the week in detail:
Monday
The New York State Legislature is in session on Monday in Albany.
At noon Monday outside Trump Tower, "Mayor de Blasio will hold a rally on NYC’s Green New Deal," and he'll take questions from the press. "Later, the Mayor will meet with members of the Student Diversity Advisory Group. This meeting is closed press. In the evening, the Mayor will appear live on NY1’s Inside City Hall with Errol Louis."
At the City Council on Monday:
--The Finance Committee will hold joint hearings with the Housing and Buildings Committee and the Immigration Committee on the Executive Budget, at 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., respectively.
--The Standards and Ethics Committee will hold a hearing regarding Council Member Barry Grodenchik.
The NYPD administrative trial of Officer Daniel Pantaleo, whose chokehold led to the 2014 death of Eric Garner on Staten Island, will begin on Monday morning. “On Monday morning, the CCRB’s Administrative Prosecution Unit will begin presenting its evidence. We are confident that, once all the evidence has been presented, the Police Commissioner will find Officer Pantaleo guilty of misconduct and ultimately terminate him from the Department,” Civilian Complaint Review Board Chair Fred Davie said in a Friday statement.
At 9 a.m. Monday city schools "Chancellor Carranza will deliver keynote remarks at NYU Langone Health’s Health And Childhood and Opportunity Conference."
Monday at 9:30 a.m.: The House Our Future NY Campaign will lead advocates and homeless New Yorkers on a march from 100 Gold Street to City Hall ahead of the Executive Budget heading for the City Council’s Housing and Buildings Committee.
At 10 a.m. Monday outside City Hall, "On Monday morning, Council Members Helen Rosenthal and Ritchie Torres will be joined by advocacy organizations and elected officials for a press conference and rally to announce the pending introduction of new City Council legislation concerning the reporting of incidents of sexual harassment. The new bills will require oversight by the Equal Employment Practices Commission to ensure that supervisors and elected officials are reporting (as they are required to do) all instances of sexual harassment. More details will be announced at the press conference. The organizations will call for full Council support of the bills and denounce Rev. Diaz Sr’s outrageous comments on reporting sexual harassment."
At 10:15 a.m. Monday on Delancey Street, ""New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) President James Patchett, City Officials, community stakeholders and over 35 vendors will celebrate the grand opening of the new Essex Market at Essex Crossing." It is "New York City’s first new public market since 1955." Patchett will be joined by Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, City Council Member Margaret Chin, and others.
Monday at 6:00 p.m.: Urban Land Institute New York will hold a panel discussion “Does Amazon Signal the End of a Pro-Growth Political Climate in NYC?” The discussion will focus on the future of economic development in New York City after Amazon’s withdrawal of its plans for a second headquarters in Long Island City. It will be moderated by Kathryn S. Wylde, President and CEO of the Partnership for New York City, and include Vishaan Chakrabarti, Founder of Practice for Architecture and Urbanism; James Patchett, President and CEO of the New York City Economic Development Corporation; and Carl Weisbrod of HR&A Advisors.
Monday at 6:30 p.m.: Andy Byford speaks at TransitCenter event on accessibility. He will discuss the Fast Forward Plan, which promises to make all subway stations accessibility by 2034. There will also be accessibility experts from Chicago’s CTA and Boston’s MBTA speaking at this event as well.
Tuesday
The New York State Legislature is in session on Tuesday in Albany.
At the City Council on Tuesday:
--The Zoning and Franchises Subcommittee will consider eighteen land use applications sponsored by Council Member Rafael Salamanca, the Land Use Committee Chair. There are applications from all five boroughs scheduled to be considered at the hearing, which is set to start at 9:30 a.m.
--The Finance Committee with hold joint hearings with the Technology and Fire and Emergency Management Committees on the Executive Budget, at 2 p.m. and 3 p.m., respectively.
There will be a special election on Tuesday to fill the vacant City Council seat in Brooklyn’s 45th District, most recently held by Public Advocate Jumaane Williams.
Tuesday at 8:30 a.m.: Public Agenda will host a panel discussion with Vicki Been, the Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development; Alyssa Katz, the deputy editor of The CIty; Alejandra Nasser, the director of leadership development programs at the Flatbush Tenant Coalition; and, Kai Wright, host and managing editor of The Stakes. The discussion will focus on the housing challenges facing the city, including gentrification, homelessness, and affordable housing.
Tuesday at 10:30 a.m.: Compassion & Choices will lead a day of grassroots lobbying at the State Capitol to urge legislators to support the Medical Aid in Dying Act. The Education and Advocacy Program will feature supportive state legislators and over a dozen advocates who will tell personal stories.
On Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the College of Staten Island, the 2019 Charter Revision Commission will its final of five borough hearings to solicit feedback on the commission’s preliminary staff report, which showed narrowed focus areas for the commission to consider moving toward its proposals for changes to the city charter.
Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.: Federal Monitor Bart Schwartz will be visiting NYCHA residents at Ingersoll Community Center Gym. He will be discussing the necessary improvements of conditions and services with the new Community Advisory Committee, as well as residents, staff, community organizations and other relevant stakeholders.
Wednesday
The New York State Legislature is in session on Wednesday in Albany.
At the City Council on Wednesday:
--The Finance Committee will hold joint hearings with the Public Safety and Justice System Committees on the Executive Budget, starting at 10 a.m.
--The Consumer Affairs and Business Licensing Committee will hold a hearing on a proposal to ban the sale of fur apparel.
At 6 p.m. Wednesday: Hunter College’s Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute will host its annual Kheel Lecture on transportation policy, a “conversation with New York leaders on transit governance in the city and region” on the topic “Should We ‘Blow Up’ the MTA?” The panel, moderated by transit expert Charles Komanoff, will include Corey Johnson, New York City Council Speaker; Carol Kellermann, former president of the Citizens Budget Commission; and Veronica Vanterpool, a MTA board member and former director, Tri-State Transportation Campaign.
Thursday
Thursday at 1 p.m.: The State Senate’s Committee on Housing, Construction and Community Development will hold a public hearing on rent regulation and tenant protection legislation at Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn. State Senator Brian Kavanagh, a Democrat who represents parts of Lower Manhattan and western Brooklyn, is the chair of the committee.
At the City Council on Thursday:
--The Finance Committee will hold joint hearings with the Youth Services, Small Business, Health, and Mental Health, Disabilities and Addiction Committees on the Executive Budget at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., and 2 p,m., respectively.
--The Land Use Committee has a hearing scheduled for 11 a.m.
Friday
Mayor de Blasio may make his weekly appearance on WNYC’s The Brian Lehrer Show at 10 a.m. Friday.
Friday at 11 a.m.: The State Assembly’s Environmental Conservation Committee will hold a public hearing on the impacts that climate change has on communities and the workforce. It will take place at Assembly Hearing Room at 250 Broadway. Assembly Member Steve Englebright, a Democrat who represents part of Suffolk County, is the chair of the committee.
At the City Council on Friday: The Finance Committee will hold joint hearings with the Governmental Operations and Education on the Executive Budget at 10 a.m.
On Sunday at 1 p.m. at The Intrepid museum, City Council Speaker Corey Johnson will host his annual "West Side Summit" at which he will be "delivering a State of the District update to the community and will be announcing the winning projects of Participatory Budgeting."
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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
