By the end of summer, construction will begin on 500 storm-damaged homes and another 500 reimbursement checks for repairs will have been mailed, according to a plan for reforming Sandy recovery aid outlined by Mayor Bill de Blasio on Thursday. Over 4,000 additional residents will be eligible for compensation under the plan. To handle the workload, the mayor said he'd shift employees from the Buildings Department. He also committed to hiring local workers. It's been over 18 months since the storm hit, and construction under the Build it Back program has only begun on nine homes, though more than 14,000 people have asked for help. Officials estimate another $1 billion in federal funds will be needed, but Staten Island Rep. Michael Grimm complained that the mayor never mentioned the need to him. The New York League of Conservation Voters also criticized the plan for a lack of resiliency planning for future storms.

New this morning at Gotham Gazette
Building Back, Hiring Local
Kristen Meriwether looks at Mayor de Blasio's promise that Sandy rebuilding projects will be done, in part, by workers from devastated communities.

A Post-Budget 'Big Ugly'?
David King reports on the legislation on the agenda in Albany for the post-budget section of the legislative session.

The Next 100 Days
An op-ed by StudentsFirstNY Executive Director Jenny Sedlis outlining what she would like to see from the mayor and the chancellor, especially with regard to the teachers' union contract.

Other Stories We're Following

MTA and Union Reach a Deal (NY Times)

Muslims Unite on Push to Add Holidays to School Calendar (NY Times)

City Wins Two Charter Lawsuits (Daily News)

NYPD Commissioner Rolling Back Overseas Counterterrorism Efforts (AP)

Former NYPD Commissioner Had Shrunk Demographics Unit (Daily News)

Experts to Weigh in on Port Authority Reforms (WSJ)

Co-leader of State Democrats Is Out (Times Union)

Petition Challenges Fly in Recchia-Grimm Battle (NY Observer)

Old Timey Car to Replace Horse Carriages (AP)

City Jobs Up Again - So is Unemployment (Crain's)

The MTA and the union representing city subway and bus workers appear close to agreeing on a new contract more than two years after their last one expired. The 34,000 transit employees of Local 100 of the Transport Workers Union (TWU) are likely to receive a significant raise, according to officials. The Daily News reports it to be an 8 percent raise over five years. To help close the deal, the union has asked Gov. Andrew Cuomo to get involved in the discussions. Talks between the MTA and the union began last fall, and the Authority appears to have backed off demands for a three year wage freeze after the union threatened to strike.

New from Gotham Gazette
Cornegy: Right the Economy Through Small Business - part 2 of a video interview of Council Member Robert Cornegy, Jr. by Gotham Gazette

Park Equity Begins with a Better Public Budget
an op-ed by Tupper Thomas, Executive Director of New Yorkers for Parks

ICYMI from Gotham Gazette
Cornegy: My Bill Will Save Lives - part 1 of a video interview of Council Member Robert Cornegy, Jr. by Gotham Gazette

Other Stories We're Following

Without Panel, Move to Monitor Lawmaker Income Thwarted (NY Times)

Cuomo’s Passage of Gun Law Was Legitimate, Judge Rules (NY Times)

New Rule Gives Homeless Added Time in Shelters (Capitol Confidential)

Fariña Says Arts Teach Other Skills (WSJ)

City Comptroller Launching Audit of Build it Back (Daily News)

Councilmember Asks Obama to Investigate Shooting (NY Observer)

State Has Sixth-Lowest Rate of Pedestrian Deaths (WNYC)

Lawmakers Push for Higher Wages at Big Businesses (NY Observer)

Mark-Viverito Rejects Paid-Vacation-Leave Bill (Crain's)

Richard Ravitch Chronicles Life in Government (Times Union)

De Blasio Can’t Find Communications Director (NY Post)

Fewer Commuters Take Cabs to Work: Study (NY Post)

New York Says 960,000 Enrolled in Health Exchange (WSJ)

New York's Long-Running War on Weed (Village Voice)

The NYPD has disbanded the controversial unit that spied on Muslims and reassigned its officers, officials said yesterday. The Demographics Unit, later renamed the Zone Assessment Unit, was a secret program that sent undercover officers into Muslim communities to build detailed records on them. No lead was ever generated from the extensive surveillance. The NYPD's chief spokesperson, Stephen Davis, said that information “probably could have been just as readily obtained through other community outreach programs.” Mayor Bill de Blasio had promised to discontinue the practice while he was running for office, and officials say the unit has been largely dormant since he was elected and appointed police commissioner Bill Bratton. Muslim groups welcomed the change but still worry that spying and information gathering will continue.

New from Gotham Gazette
Cornegy: My Bill Will Save Lives
In part one of a video interview, Brooklyn City Council Member Robert Cornegy Jr. discusses his latest legislation with Gotham Gazette.

Deportation Deferred: Why Are NYC's DACA Application Rates So Low?
Hayley Camacho reports on the barriers to immigrants applying for Delayed Action for Childhood Arrivals.

Other Stories We're Following

Internal Affairs Warns Against Making Arrests for Overtime (Daily News)

City Heat Study Stalls Due to Lack of Funding (Capital)

Public Advocate Letter Prompts New Homeless Policies (Capital)

Why Democrats Have Turned Against Cuomo (The Atlantic)

Unpaid Interns Gain the Right to Sue (NY Times)

Mark-Viverito Gave Zero to Charity: Tax Records (NY Post)

Espaillat and Rangel Neck-and-Neck in Money Race (NY Observer)

Cuomo's New Book Helped Boost His Salary to $358,000 (Daily News)

Study: New York No Longer Worst State to Do Business (Crain's)

Cuomo Signs 'National Popular Vote' Bill (Associated Press)

Summer to Be Miserable, Farmer’s Almanac Says (NY Post)

Hudson Yards to Be First 'Quantified Community' (Crain's)

New York State and the federal government have come to a deal to use $8 billion in Medicaid savings to, in part, help revive Brooklyn hospitals. Struggling hospitals will receive $500 million of the funds for short-term survival, while $6.42 billion will go to help hospitals and other institutions across the state find long-term solutions. Brooklyn hospitals including Interfaith Medical Center, Wyckoff Heights Medical Center and Brookdale University Hospital are expected to be saved by the funds. Mayor Bill de Blasio made saving Brooklyn’s hospitals one of his major campaign platform planks. Last summer, De Blasio was arrestedprotesting the closure of Long Island College Hospital, which is still open. A tentative deal on the Medicaid savings was reached between the feds and the State in February, but a final agreement was announced by Gov. Andrew Cuomo. "We will finally be able use the billions in savings we generated by reforming the state's Medicaid system to protect and improve health care services for millions of New Yorkers," Cuomo said in a statement.

The latest from Gotham Gazette

Other Stories We're Following

Moreland Chair Defends Commission (Daily News)

Cuomo Staffer Wrote Moreland's Report (City & State )

Mark-Viverito, Unhappy With Albany, Seeks Clarity on Mayoral Control(Capital)

Developer Pushes Tower Proposal, Without Midtown East (Capital)

Cuomo Refuses to Call Special Elections Despite Plethora of Vacant Seats (NY Observer)

Mark-Viverito Still Hasn't Opened Bronx Office (NY Observer)

Port Authority Commissioner Resigns Amid Investigations (WSJ)

Landlords to Repay Over $1 Million in Fees (NY Times)

Espaillat Picks Up Bronx Endorsements (NY Times)

Cuomo Accepts Pro-Charter Role (Times Union)

City to Cut Homeless Population By Half At Controversial Shelter(DNAinfo)

Politicos are marveling at the fact that Gov. Andrew Cuomo is facing a problem he can’t make easily go away now that U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara has seized the files of The Moreland Commission on Public Corruption and made clear that he is willing to investigate the governor’s influence on the commission as well as broader legislative corruption. Capital New York writes that Cuomo won’t be able to disembowel Bharara like he has his political rivals in the Democratic Party because Bharara’s position is so powerful and independent of the governor. Members of Moreland continue to speak anonymously about the Cuomo Administration’s meddling and “bullying” and a group has launched an ad blitz attacking Cuomo for abandoning his fight against corruption. The trouble comes for Cuomo as he gears up for reelection and tries to keep the dissatisfied Working Families Party from endorsing a challenger on his left. Cuomo already faces the criticism of Republican opponent Rob Astorino and Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins, as well as good government groups and other activists.

Other Stories We're Following

Hard Choices on Health Exchange Spell Success (NY Times)

City Hires Housing Firms That Cheat Workers Out of Wages (Daily News)

City Will Send $10M to Raise Salaries for Pre-K Teachers (Daily News)

Jewish Community Raising Funds For Tainted Charity Exec (Daily News)

Carneb Farina in Her First 100 Days (Capital)

Assault Weapon Deadline at Hand (Times Union)

Spano on State Board of Elections (Times Union)

Google Needs More Offices in New York (WSJ)

The Mayor’s Next 100 Days (Crain's)

Playground Renovations, Mobile Library Win Participatory Budget Funds(DNAinfo)

U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara escalated his criticism of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's decision to shutter the Moreland Commission to Investigate Public Corruption, which had only just begun. “It was disbanded before its time,” he said on WNYC's "Brian Lehrer Show." “Nine months may be the proper and natural gestational period for a child, but in our experience it is not the amount of time necessary for a public corruption prosecution to mature.” Bharara's office had a truck pick up documents from the commission yesterday, files full of "unseemly" information on elected officials. Bharara went on to stress the importance of independence in an investigative body, and said if there was interference into the commission's probes, it should be taken very seriously. Cuomo defended his actions, saying the commission was never meant to be a permanent body and that it produced tangible positive results. It was created after a rash of arrests of state lawmakers, brought on by Bharara's office.

New today from Gotham Gazette
De Blasio 100: What the Mayor Said, and Didn't
Ben Max examines the mayor's speech on "the future of New York City," noting some key elements included and missing.

ICYMI from Gotham Gazette
Kill Fee: The Price of Silencing Moreland
David King reports on the money spent by the corruption commission convened and disbanded by Governor Cuomo with minimal results.

De Blasio's Hundred Days, Then and Now
Ben Max outlines Bill de Blasio's first hundred days as mayor, as public advocate, and as a city council member, finding some common threads.

Other Stories We're Following

De Blasio, 100 Days in, Says ‘Grass Roots’ Will Drive Agenda (NY Times)

NYPD's Most-Sued Cop Taken Off Streets (Daily News)

Bill Would Freeze Rent for 24,000 More City Seniors (Crain's)

City Developers Pushed on Access for Disabled (WSJ)

Bronx Grassroots Campaign Calls for Open Discovery Laws (Daily News)

De Blasio Speech Uses Praise From Relative of Freed Bishop (NY Post)

Green Advocates Press de Blasio, Amicably, on Sustainability (Capital)

Rangel and Challengers Meet in First Debate (NY Times)

State Education Commissioner Laments Common Core ‘Battles’ (Capital)

Debit Card Skimming Device on MetroCard Machine (WSJ)

Atlantic Avenue Tunnel Should Be Reopened, Group Says (DNAinfo)

Use This Time-Saving Trick for Taxicabs (Quartz)

Standardized state tests will no longer be the dominant factor in deciding whether students in third through eighth grades in city schools are held back or promoted, Chancellor Carmen Fariña announced Wednesday. Now, teachers will compile "promotion portfolios," which can include test scores, writing samples, projects, and report cards. The final promotion decision will be made by school principals, with oversight from district superintendents. Meanwhile, students will no longer be given a test at the end of summer school, instead the students' summer work would be added to their portfolio. The practice is used in private schools, charter schools, other districts around the state, and even city high schools. The changes, due to take effect this spring, come in response to legislation passed as part of the state budget and push-back against the previous policy, which was adopted a decade ago by the Bloomberg Administration and has left many parents upset. Despite the change, the number of children held back is expected to remain about the same. The plan needs to be approved by the city's Panel for Educational Policy in May, but is expected to pass.

New this morning from Gotham Gazette
Kill Fee: The Price of Silencing Moreland
David King reports on the money spent by the corruption commission convened and disbanded by Governor Cuomo with minimal results.

ICYMI from Gotham Gazette
De Blasio's Hundred Days, Then and Now
Ben Max examines Bill de Blasio's first hundred days as mayor, as public advocate, and as a city council member, finding some common threads.

City Council Member Item Process Continues
Kristen Meriwether obtained a second internal city council document and follows up on the ongoing rules reform and discretionary funding processes in the Council.

100 Days of De Blasio (Public Statements)/
A visual representation of the 50 words appearing most often in a large sample of the mayor's speeches, press releases, and public statements.

Other Stories We're Following

US Attorney Criticizes Cuomo’s Closing of Corruption Panel (NY Times)

Council Members Vent Sandy Frustrations (Crain's)

Twenty de Blasio Promises, 100 Days In (Capital)

Missteps Aside, de Blasio to Focus Anew on Activist Style (NY Times)

Immigrants Bolster Housing Values (WSJ)

Atlantic Avenue Speed Limit Lowered to 25 MPH (WSJ)

Businesses Waiting for Sandy Aid, Too (WNYC)

Here's Green Party Candidate Howie Hawkins (Capital)

Black Boxes Might Come to Taxis to Catch Speedsters (Daily News)

City Food Inspectors May Get Google Glass to Record Reviews (NY Post)

J&R Shutting Down Electronics Store (Daily News)

Mayor Bill de Blasio said yesterday that he will allow religious groups to rent space in public school buildings when classes are not in session. The announcement comes a week after a federal appeals court ruled that the City could ban the practice if it wished. "I’ve said very clearly what I believe: that a faith-based organization has a right like anyone else waiting in line to use that space," the mayor said. "We will, as a result of the court decision, update our rules and refine our rules to make clear some specific parameters." Schools chancellor Carmen Fariña had said in the past that she was opposed to allowing the practice, but has not spoken out on the issue working under a mayor who supports it.

New this morning from Gotham Gazette
De Blasio's Hundred Days, Then and Now
Ben Max examines Bill de Blasio's first hundred days as mayor, as public advocate, and as a city council member, finding some common threads.

City Council Member Item Process Continues
Kristen Meriwether obtained a second internal city council document and follows up on the ongoing rules reform and discretionary funding processes in the Council.

Also from Gotham Gazette
100 Days of De Blasio (Public Statements)
A visual representation of the 50 words appearing most often in a large sample of the mayor's speeches, press releases, and public statements.

New York Launches I-STOP to Curb Overdose Deaths
Rebecca Bratek reports on a state-wide initiative aimed at reducing abuse of prescription drugs and the loss of life that can often result from drug addiction.

Other Stories We're Following

De Blasio Picks Immigrants To Lead Two City Agencies (NY Times)

Council To Introduce Bill For Municipal ID Cards (Capital)

New Finance Chief: Property-Tax System Needs Change (NY Post)

Federal Investigators: Captain's Error Led To 2013 Ferry Crash (WSJ)

Report Details Woes For City's Electric-Cab Experiment (City Limits)

City To Finally Implement Bank Law Passed In 2012 (Crain's)

Man Released From Prison After Murder Conviction Dismissed (WSJ)

MTA Blocked Lawmaker's Ad For Deporting Suspected Nazi (Daily News)

Bratton: NYPD Overtime Makes Up For Lower Headcount (NY Observer)

Stringer Pushes For Supply-Side Diversity (Capital)

City Settles Lawsuit By Detective Called A 'Rat' (NY Times)

A New York Times/Siena College Poll finds that New Yorkers are generally reserving judgement on Mayor Bill de Blasio's overall performance as he approaches 100 days in office, but are mixed when it comes to assessing how he has handled the bevy of issues that his administration has confronted so far. Forty nine percent of those polled approve of the job de Blasio’s is doing as mayor, while 59 percent say the jury is still out on the administration. Sixty nine percent of those surveyed support de Blasio’s proposal to raise taxes on those who make over $500,000 a year to fund citywide prekindergarten (a plan which appears dead, at least for now). Fifty percent of those polled are dissatisfied with de Blasio’s early efforts on income inequality, his signature issue. De Blasio earned high approval ratings on his work to win prekindergarten funding from Albany and his handling of stop and frisk. Meanwhile, a majority of those surveyed said they haven't heard enough of police chief Bill Bratton to form an opinion.

New from Gotham Gazette

New York Launches I-STOP To Curb Overdose Deaths

Rebecca Bratek reports on State efforts to limit prescription drug abuse and the deaths that can result.

Other news from Gotham Gazette

Push To Reform NYPD Crisis Response May Lead to State-Wide Program

David King looks at how the city's police force is less prepared to work with the mentally ill than it should be - and changes afoot to improve the situation.

Charter Oversight Hearing Postponed

Kristen Meriwether looks at the controversial City Council charter school oversight hearing that was scheduled for Tuesday, 4/8, but has been postponed.

Other Stories We're Following

Malcolm Smith's Bribery Trial Set For June (NY Post)

Sharpton Linked to Spying on Mafia (NY Times)

Charles Barron Crashes News Conference to Rip de Blasio (Daily News)

Average City Woman Earns 82 Cents On The Dollar Compared to Men(Daily News)

Harvard Professor to Lead Brooklyn DA Conviction Review Unit (WSJ)

State Budget Restores Millions For Spinal Cord Injury Research (WSJ)

What Public Financing Would do to Statewide Coffers (YNN)

NY Officials Join Fight Over Palisades Tower (Capital)

Schumer Endorses Rangel (Capital)

City's Finance Commissioner Resigns (Crain's)

Quiet Labor Deal Gave $3 Million in Back Pay to Elevator Workers(DNAinfo)

State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli will not take part in the campaign campaign financing system that was created in the state budget that only applies to his race for this year. DiNapoli has long urged lawmakers to use his office as a test for such a system but he says the current proposal was rushed, poorly designed and that neither Gov. Andrew Cuomo or legislative leaders bothered to call him while they worked out the details for the program. “What they did is take something well-intentioned,” DiNapoli told The New York Times, “and hijacked it for their own short-term purposes, very much at my expense.”

New from Gotham Gazette
Push To Reform NYPD Crisis Response May Lead to State-Wide Program
David King reports on the NYPD's lagging behind other cities in preparing officers to respond to calls involving the mentally ill and reforms on the horizon.

ICYMI from Gotham Gazette
Charter Oversight Hearing Postponed
Kristen Meriwether reports that a City Council hearing on charter schools set for Tuesday has been postponed.

De Blasio's Homelessness Reset
John Surico writes that the new administration is looking to reinvent a rent-subsidy program to move homeless into permanent housing.

Other Stories We're Following

Arts Education Lacking in Low-Income Areas of City (NY Times)

De Blasio Administration Does Business With Organization He Condemned (Capital)

Union Revolt May Signal Trouble For Cuomo (Capital)

Push For More Cops in NYCHA Buildings (Daily News)

Low Wages For Women Spur Group to Demand Equality From Cuomo, Legislature (Daily News)

Feds Target Lawmaker Travel Expenses (Daily News)

De Blasio Has Much to Do on Affordable Housing (WSJ)

Bratton Balancing community Outreach, Officer Morale (WSJ)

Final Votes Cast in NYC Participatory Budgeting (DNAinfo)

Motorman in Fatal Metro-North Crash Suffered Sleep Apnea (DNAinfo)

Hospital Execs Receive Sky-High Payouts (Crain's)