May 16, 2012 · www.gothamgazette.com

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May 16, 2012

Inquiry Into Senate's Deputy Leader

The state's new ethics commission has launched a preliminary inquiry into the State Senate’s second highest-ranking member, Thomas Libous. He may have used his office improperly to obtain a job for his son. The commission has 45 days from the start of a preliminary inquiry to decide whether to pursue a full probe. It is the first known review of a case involving a legislator by the commission. One commissioner has called for an investigation into press coverage of the probe, first reported yesterday. He also said it was "inaccurate and misleading" but didn't elaborate.





May 15, 2012

Espada Guilty of Theft

Former Bronx Sen. Pedro Espada was found guilty yesterday of stealing a half million dollars from a health clinic he founded. He was convicted on four of eight counts against him, each of which carries up to a 10 year sentence. The judge declared a mistrial on the four additional counts of theft, fraud and conspiracy. The jury was unable to reach a verdict on any of the counts against his son. Some of the jurors were reportedly set on Espada's innocence from the start. Meanwhile, the health care network is struggling to stay open.





May 11, 2012

Possible Verdict in Espada Trial

Jurors say they may reach a verdict in the corruption case against former Bronx Sen. Pedro Espada and his son, a day after indicating possible deadlock. In a note to the judge, they asked if they could decide on one defendant and not the other, which the judge said they could. The jury has seen widely varying degrees of progress.





May 10, 2012

Stop-and-Frisk Minority Focus

More young black males were stopped-and-frisked by police last year than actually live in the city, according to a new report by the New York Civil Liberties Union. The report, drawn from department files the N.Y.C.L.U. sued for, found that nearly 25 percent of the record 685,000 stops in 2011 were of black males aged 14 to 24. It also found a significant drop in the number of illegal firearms discovered because of stops. In recent weeks, the department has pushed precinct commanders to emphasize quality over quantity in stop-and-frisks. Also, all rookie officers will receive new training on the practice.





May 09, 2012

Fire Dept. Doubles Minority and Female Applicants

The number of minority and female applicants who took this spring's fire exam was about double the number who took it last time it was given in 2007. Of the 42,161 who took the exam, 19,260 were nonwhite and 1,952 were women. The aggressive minority recruitment effort came after years of litigation in which the city and the Fire Department were accused of having racially discriminatory hiring practices.





May 08, 2012

Gotham Gazette Welcomes New Editor

Citizens Union Foundation, which publishes the Gotham Gazette, has appointed accomplished journalist Cristian Salazar as the executive editor of the award-winning online publication that covers New York policy and politics.
Salazar has been a general assignment reporter and supervisor for The Associated Press in New York City for nearly six years. He previously worked as a municipal government and crime reporter in Paterson, N.J., and for Newsday on Long Island. He holds a master’s degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
“We are thrilled to have Mr. Salazar join our team, given his solid background in covering hard news and reporting on issues of policy and politics that are of interest to New Yorkers,” said Dick Dadey, executive director of Citizens Union Foundation.
Salazar takes the helm of the Gotham Gazette as the publication seeks to reinvigorate its role as a premiere online source of civic watchdog journalism in New York. He joins a reporting team that includes David King, Gotham Gazette’s state government editor based in Albany.



State Jobs Down 18.4 Percent

Jobs in the bureaucratic core of the state's biggest agencies have declined 18.4 percent since 2009, mostly due to retirements - with an average of 15 percent at each agency - combined with a hiring freeze, according to the Times Union. Also, a large chunk of the drop is due to the 898 layoffs from before Gov. Cuomo took office.





May 07, 2012

Cuomo Proposes New Agency to Care for Disabled

Gov. Andrew Cuomo is set to propose a new agency that would investigate abuses in the care of the disabled in the state, The New York Times reports. The agency would investigate claims of abuse of the disabled in private or state care. The administration also wants to push for new laws to punsih those who do abuse the disabled. The new agency comes after a series of articles by the Times that focused on the abuse of the developmentally disabled.





May 04, 2012

Bloomberg's Budget

Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced yesterday that funds from the settlement with CityTime will help the city fill 2,500 teaching positions that were to be eliminated in the budget for the coming fiscal year, while also avoiding layoffs of police or firefighters. However, the mayor still intends to cut spending for child care, libraries and close 20 fire companies. The $68.7 billion proposal will be negotiated with the council over the coming weeks--it must be agreed upon my July 1. Bloomberg has proposed using $3.8 billion in one shots to help fill the budget which worries some fiscal observers. Bloomberg also announced that municipal workers who have been with a contract for 3 years will not get retroactive rasies even after he leaves office.





May 03, 2012

Warrant Squads Monitoring Protestors?

Activists claim that police from the warrant squad visited their homes Monday and gathered information on political activities in advance of May Day demonstrations. In one instance, officers are said to have entered their apartment to serve an open-container warrant on one tenant, but questioned another privately about his May Day plans. Police also reportedly served open-container warrants at another apartment rented by a number of activists, then leafed through May Day literature spread out on a table. 





May 02, 2012

Thousands March on May Day

Thousands of May Day protestors demonstrated yesterday, at one point filling Broadway between Houston and Worth streets as they marched from Union Square to Wall Street. There were over 30 arrests, mostly on disorderly conduct charges. They did not block any bridges or tunnels and large numbers failed to ditch work for a day as Occupy organizers had hoped. There was also no violence from splinter groups, as a police counterterrorism program had warned of. More white powder mailing incidents occurred, which police link to the demonstrations.





May 01, 2012

Protests Planned for Today

Activists are planning marches and other events today with the aim of bringing daily business to a standstill on International Workers Day, or May Day. The Occupy protests, which are pushing for a general strike, are part of a nationwide series of events. Those involved range from labor unions, immigrants rights groups and grassroots organizations. Four councilmembers sued the city yesterday over its handling of the Occupy protests so far. Envelopes containing white powder - which wasn't hazardous - were sent to the mayor and six banks in Manhattan with the note, “Happy May Day." The Occupy press team said, "It doesn’t sound like anything that’s part of the plans for tomorrow."





April 30, 2012

City's New Tallest Building

One World Trade Center is scheduled to become the city's tallest building today when the first column of the 100th floor is installed. In a couple months, it will reach the height of the original One World Trade when its rooftop parapet is installed. Next year, it will climb to 1,776 feet when the antenna is completed, likely making it the nation's tallest. 55 percent of the space is expected to be filled so far.





April 27, 2012

Crane Owner Cleared

The owner of a crane that collapsed about four years ago, killing two workers, was acquitted yesterday of manslaughter and all other charges. It was the third failed prosecution of a construction accident in the three years. The judge who heard the case without a jury gave no explanation for his ruling. The owner had been accused of accepting shoddy welding on the crane. A former employee had already pleaded guilty for his role in the collapse.





April 26, 2012

Mayor Battles Wage Bills

In a speech yesterday Mayor Bloomberg threatened to take two bills raising wages to court if the City Council overrides his veto of them, which is expected. The "prevailing wage" and "living wage" bills both raise pay for certain workers at businesses benefitting from tax breaks and subsidies. He said the prevailing wage bill violates the City Charter and impinges on the power of his office and the state. Aides said they believed it was the first time Bloomberg had given such a speech to explain his reasons for vetoing a bill.





April 25, 2012

More Test Question Problems

Two questions on this week's math tests for third- through eighth-graders had problems - one had no correct answer, the other two right answers. The state says the questions will not count. Also, there was a question on the fourth-grade reading test that included information covered by some schools and not others, giving them an advantage. This comes after the talking pineapple question found last week. 





April 24, 2012

Supreme Court Turn Aside Rent Case

The U.S. Supreme Court yesterday refused to hear a case on rent stabilization in the city. They gave no reason, as is customary with cases they decline to hear. The court had preiously asked for written responses from officials to the plaintiffs' appeal. Observers were surprised the court took any interest. The case was brought by a landlord with a rent stabilized tenant who owns a home in the Hamptons. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had previously ruled the landlords knew what they were getting into when they acquired the building. That was the decision the Supreme Court wouldn't consider.





April 23, 2012

Cuomo's Cash Transfer

In his last days as Attorney General Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office shifted tens of millions of dollars in settlement funds from an insurance probe out of his office's control and into an account controlled by the State Department of Health, reports the Wall Street Journal. The move gave the executive branch control of the cash and took it out of the hands of the incoming attorney general Eric Schneiderman.





April 20, 2012

National License for Crane Operators

Next month all crane operators will be required to pass a national certification test and take a 40 hour training course. Other city requirements like one year of experience here, criminal background checks, and physical exams will also be necessary. The Buildings Department will continue to issue the licenses and set requirements. Licenses must be renewed every five years. 





April 19, 2012

Redistricting Clash Not Over

The newly drawn state legislative district lines still face a couple challenges before they are finally approved. Democrats are suing in the Court of Appeals over the Republicans' decision to create a new seat in the Senate, one located in a GOP area. And minority advocates have complained to the Justice Department that Long Island boundaries have divided communities of color there, resulting in the election of all white Republican men.





April 18, 2012

Cuomo's Tax Filings

Gov. Cuomo released his tax filings yesterday, which showed that he earned over $230,000 last year, including nearly $50,000 in tax-exempt interest from bonds and investments. He paid an 18 percent federal tax rate, or about $33,000, and paid nearly $14,000 to the state. Cuomo claims he has no role in managing his personal wealth. Lt. Gov. Duffy earned $239,000, which includes pension from his days as Rochester police chief and over $2,500 in winnings from one day at the track.





April 17, 2012

City's Poverty Rate Rises

Nearly 100,000 more New Yorkers were classified as poor in 2010 than the year before, which raises the poverty rate by 1.3 percent to 21 percent, according to an analysis by the city’s Center for Economic Opportunity. That's the highest level and the largest annual increase since the city adopted a more detailed definition of poverty in 2005. More than one in four kids under 18 lived in poverty. Families with children had a poverty rate of 23 percent.





April 16, 2012

Cuomo Aide Kept Dossier on Reporter

Politico's Ben Smith is reporting that a top aide of Gov. Andrew Cuomo kept a 35 page dossier on the work of Albany reporter Liz Benjamin. The document was leaked to Smith by a "New York City political operative" and collects a number of Benjamin's blog posts and contains notes including, "GENERALLY SNARKY." The Cuomo aide who wrote the document said that it was unimportant. The document is seen as more proof of the Cuomo administration's exteme sensitivity to even a hint of criticism. The person who provided the document to Smith told him, "This is a glimpse at the old Andrew Cuomo we all knew and hated. He has worked hard to keep this scary dark side at bay, but every now and again it reveals itself, and it's ugly. The secret dossier on Liz Benjamin is the stuff of Richard Nixon and Eliot Spitzer.”





April 13, 2012

Cuomo Creates Health Exchange

Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued an executive order yesterday creating a health exchange that would help small businesses and individuals find health insurance online. Cuomo tried to force the legislature to act on the legislation to help the state conform to the federal Affordable Care Act but Senate Republicans balked. After budget negotiations Cuomo promised to use his executive power to bypass legislators. “The bottom line,” Cuomo said in a statement, “is that creating this health exchange will lower the cost of health insurance for small businesses, local governments and individual New Yorkers across the state.”





April 12, 2012

National License for Crane Operators?

The city has proposed adopting national licensing standards for crane operators, calling them stricter. But the union that represents crane operators says the city's uniquely dense environment demands its own rules. The national license is supported by the real estate industry, which wants to break the union's hold on cranes because they won't accept wage concessions. The union has been tied to organized crime and is under a court-appointed monitor. Getting a license currently requires three years’ experience under a city-licensed crane operator, and virtually all licensed operators are under the one union.





April 11, 2012

Teacher Discipline Cases Accelerated

Teacher disciplinary hearings will now be faster and cheaper due to provisions in the state budget. Evidence must be presented by both parties within 125 days of charges being filed. The state can also set the rates for hearing arbitrators, who make up to $1,800 for a five-hour day; hearing officers who fail to meet deadlines can be disqualified; and the number of study days for which they are paid is now limited. New recording technologies are allowed as well, meaning stenographers costing $1,000 a day are no longer needed. The state pays for the arbitration hearings, which take 502 days and cost $216,588 on average.





April 10, 2012

Weather Sparks Brush Fires

About 200 firefighters battled brush fires yesterday in Staten Island at the former Fresh Kills landfill site. The fire, which is now under control, was spread by dry air and high winds and sparked by the spontaneous combustion of compost and mulch piles dry from the lack of winter snow. Firefighters from 109 departments on Long Island fought their own brushfire, which is now contained on three sides. The risk of fires all over the area is extremely high for the next few days.





April 09, 2012

Four Cops Shot

Four cops were shot in Brooklyn yesterday, but all are expected to recover. Two were released from the hospital within hours. The shooting occurred after police responded to calls that a man was brandishing a gun. The suspect was shot in the abdomen and is in critical condition. He had more weapons in his apartment, including a sawed-off, military-style assault rifle equipped with a scope. Eight officers have been shot in the past four months.





April 05, 2012

Crane Accident Investigation Begins

The company that owned the crane which collapsed and killed a worker on Tuesday has a checkered history, such as the need for a court ordered monitor who oversaw its operations for five years for reasons that included failing to report a bribe solicitation. The crane was only partially inspected by the city in January because it was in use, but found to have 'no deficiencies' regardless. The full inspection was supposed to occur today. Since the site is controlled by the MTA, state construction regulations are used there, but Speaker Quinn has proposed changing that rule.





April 04, 2012

MTA: No 7 Train to Jersey

The MTA chief ruled out any possible expansion of the 7 train to New Jersey yesterday as a way to solve the congestion on commuter rails crossing the Hudson River. He said it would be prohibitively expensive and pointed out the need for yards in Jersey. He supports building two new Amtrack tracks under the river, which would be more dependent on federal money. The city funded a study of the 7 train extension that may not be finished for a few months.





April 03, 2012

Court Hiring Favored Insiders

A state oversight commission found that the Appellate Division’s First Department in Manhattan and The Bronx has promoted a culture of nepotism and favoritism in administrative hiring intermittently over the past 30 years. Job openings generally weren't advertised outside the court and were filled by people with connections to judges or court workers. But the commission dismissed complaints against Presiding Justice Luis Gonzalez that he hired friends and family, lied about where he lived, and improperly allowed his assistant to practice law.





April 02, 2012

Census Rejects Count Appeal

The Census Bureau yesterday rejected a challenge from the city that argued its 2010 population tally of 8.175 million city residents overlooked at least 50,000 residents across four neighborhoods. The bureau said it would only correct errors relating to geographical boundaries, which won't affect the total. City officials blamed the rejection on technical problems with the complicated federal appeals process. The lower numbers mean millions less in federal assistance. Meanwhile, the census records from 1940 will be released today.





March 30, 2012

State Budget in the News

There are no new member items in the state budget plan, but it includes $40 million in 'bullet aid' grants that can be handed out to school districts and nonprofits of officials' choice. There's also a $75 million "New York Works" fund overseen by an advisory body mostly appointed by Gov. Cuomo. And lawmakers are trying to add about $38 million for pork projects approved in the past. There is an unfunded pork backlog of over $230 million. In non-pork budget news, aid to schools will rise by about $800 million over last year, but school officials say that's too small to prevent another round of cuts. City schools will get a $75 million boost.





March 29, 2012

Police Sued Over Stop-and-Frisks

Civil rights groups are suing the Police Department in federal court, arguing that thousands of people are illegally stopped and frisked in private buildings. The buildings, mostly in the Bronx, are part of a program started in 1991 where landlords give the police permission to patrol their grounds. But the suit says officers routinely arrest people on criminal-trespass charges with no justification. The suit was filed on behalf of 13 plaintiffs and seeks class action status. It doesn't call for the end of patrols, but to restrain police from stopping and questioning people, and for better monitoring and training of officers.





March 28, 2012

New Police-Review Powers

Lawyers from the Civilian Complaint Review Board, an independent agency that decides whether complaints about police misconduct should be acted on, will now prosecute cases ranging from excessive force and abuse of authority to foul language. The deal, brokered by Speaker Quinn and the Bloomberg Administration, was announced yesterday. Before, police employees heard the cases passed on from the board. But from 2002 to 2010, the board recommended that 2,100 officers be given the most severe penalty, and only 150 officers received it. In 2010, there was a 30 percent spike in instances of police misconduct substantiated by the board. Department employees will still serve as judges in misconduct cases, and Commissioner Kelly will retain his powers as ultimate arbiter in such matters, but must explain his rationale in writing. The board can appeal. Kelly will also be able to "exercise discretion" to stop the board from pursuing cases that are either undergoing parallel criminal investigations or in which the officer in question has no prior disciplinary record.





March 27, 2012

Bell Cops Forced to Resign

Two of the detectives involved in the fatal shooting of Sean Bell in 2006 were forced to resign yesterday, following the recommendation of a recent department trail. Both will receive their pensions. Their supervisor is expected to resign today. A fourth officer, the one who initially opened fire, was fired on Friday. He says he plans to pursue legal action.





March 26, 2012

Insider Deals at Brooklyn Hospital

The New York Times reports that Wycoff Heights Medical Center in Brooklyn has been paying thousands of dollars to insure its executive's Bently and employing questionably qualified associates of Rep. Edolphus Towns, Assemblyman Vito Lopez, and Councilman Erik Martin Dilan all while crying foul about funding cuts from the city and state. Dilan's wife is the hospitals director of public relations. The Times' investigation found that the hospital "all but" defaulted on $109 million in state-secured bonds costing tax payers $10 million and the hospital no longer carries malpractice insurance. 





March 23, 2012

Unions Boycott Latino Event

The New York state United Teachers union, the United Teachers Federation, and the Civil Service Employees Association withdrew support from the Puerto Rican/Hispanic Task Force Spring Somos El Futuro Conference this weekend because several of its members voted for Gov. Cuomo's pension plan. But Cuomo and Mayor Bloomberg announced they would contribute $36,000 each to support it. Meanwhile, Moody’s Investors Service said the new pension plan will improve the ability of the state and its local governments to manage retirement costs.





March 22, 2012

Law Enforcement in the News

Chief of Department Joseph Esposito, the highest ranking uniformed officer in the Police Department, was caught on camera using his baton on protestors. And elected officials are voicing concerns about the records the department keeps on stop-and-frisks, asking for better data. Also, the Associated Press details in length the riff between the FBI and the New York Police Department. Finally, WNYC takes a look at citizen crime fighters in the city in the wake of the shooting of a boy in Florida.





March 21, 2012

Fidler, Storobin Declare Victory

The race to replace disgraced Brooklyn Sen. Cal Kruger  did not provide an obvious winner after polls closed last night. Republican candidate David Storobin holds a 120 vote lead over Democratic Councilman Lew Fidler but over 700 paper ballots have yet to be counted and  they won't be opened until Tuesday. That didn't stop either candidate from declaring victory. The seat is expected to be phased out in 8 months thanks to redistricting.





March 20, 2012

Court Imposes Congressional Boundaries

A federal court yesterday passed new congressional district lines. They are basically the same as the lines proposed last month when the court seized control over the process from state lawmakers. The judges noted that although congressional candidates begin petitioning to get their names on the ballot today, the legislature had still failed to pass their own lines. The map eliminates the mid-Hudson Valley district represented by a Democrat not seeking re-election, as well as the Brooklyn and Queens district represented by a Republican who took Anthony Weiner's seat when he resigned.





March 19, 2012

Six Months of Occupy

Marking the six month anniversary of Occupy Wall Street, about 300 protestors filled Zuccotti Park on Saturday and 73 were arrested. A tweet calling for the murder of police officers is being investigated, but the Daily News reports that it was meant as a 'joke'. By early this morning, about 70 protestors remained at Union Square.





March 16, 2012

Kelly in the Hot Seat

Police Commissioner Ray Kelly took a combative tone during a scheduled appearance before the CIty Council on Thursday. Kelly shot back at criticism of the New York Police Department's handling of Occupy Wall Street, recent revelations that it spied on Muslims and its stop and frisk program. Kelly accused Council Members of offering little but criticism without presenting alternatives. “What have you said about how to stop this violence?” Kelly asked. “What have the leaders of these communities of color said? What is their tactic and strategy to get guns off the street?" Kelly asked in response to criticism of stop and frisk






March 15, 2012

Flurry of Deals in Albany

Lawmakers reached agreements on most of the year's agenda Wednesday night, including cutting pensions for new public employees; the language for a proposed constitutional amendment to legalize casino gambling; and a new teacher evaluation law. Cuomo is expected to sign the legislature's redistricting plan. Tribal gaming nations say they've been shut out of the discussion about the future of gambling in New York. Judicial pay raises appear likely in the budget. Some lawmakers are complaining the deals were made behind closed doors.





March 14, 2012

DNA Collection Deal Likely

A deal is likely in Albany that would double the state's DNA database by requiring samples from anyone convicted of nearly anything - from fare beating to murder, according to sources. The deal is supported by law enforcement and prosecutors. New York would be the first state to require all criminals to submit DNA samples. Details are still being worked out, like making sure the accused has access to the data during discovery and whether to attach other criminal justice reforms. The expansion would not apply to some low-level violations such as simple trespassing, loitering, disorderly conduct, or privately possessing small amounts of marijuana. The database has helped get over 2,800 convictions and exonerated 27 people wrongly convicted.





March 13, 2012

New State District Lines Proposed

Albany lawmakers unveiled their new proposal for state legislative lines yesterday. Although they are not significantly different from earlier versions that Gov. Cuomo said he'd veto, the governor said they showed "progress." Legislators also proposed a constitutional amendment creating an independent commission to redraw lines in the future. Lawmakers could still reject and amend those maps after they reject them twice. A Supreme Court ruling on redistricting in Texas, which ordered greater deference to lawmakers, has further emboldened incumbents in Albany. Proposed changes have left Bronx voters confused.





March 12, 2012

Police Spying in the News

Three people are accusing the police of arresting them, strip searching them, and denying requests to see a lawyer over nothing more than their affiliations with Occupy Wall Street, according to the New York Times. Protests were planned that day a dozen blocks away from where they were arrested. Protest organizers say the police are also monitoring private meetings and even visiting their homes. In other news, police and mayors from other cities have criticized the department's spying on Muslims, arguing the damage done to relations with that community outweighs the benefits. One moderate Muslim group says that in most instances where threats were reported, they were reported by Muslims themselves. Also, the Newark police director disputes New York's claims that he was aware of their activities in the New Jersey city.





March 09, 2012

Damages for Fire Department Discrimination

The city may have to pay up to $128 million in damages over discrimination in its Fire Department entrance exam. A federal judge made the ruling yesterday, saying blacks and Hispanics who took the test in 1999 or 2002 but were not hired are eligible to receive payments. The money will be equal to what they would have earned if hired, minus what they actually made. It's estimated that 2,200 applicants will be eligible for monetary relief. In related news, a record number of women are poised to take the firefighter test next week.





March 08, 2012

Report Confirms Police Whistle-Blower

An internal police report confirms one officer's claims from 2010 that a Brooklyn precinct was manipulating crime statistics, according to the Village Voice. He said officers were told to arrest bystanders but disregard victims of serious crimes. After those claims, Commissioner Kelly ordered the report. It was finished in June 2010, but the department has been blocking its release through the Freedom of Information Law. The officer has been suspended without pay for 27 months and faces department charges.





March 07, 2012

Debate Over Restaurant Grading

The Bloomberg administration released a report defending the restaurant grading system yesterday in advance of a council hearing on the matter. The report found a decrease in salmonella infections and signs of mice. It also showed a rise in revenue at restaurants since the system was imposed. But Council Speaker Quinn noted that fines have risen significantly and she is concerned that inspections are inconsistent. One restauranteur noted that inspectors would ask certain questions about the kitchen on one visit but not on another. The Health Department says inspectors use computerized inspection worksheets for each restaurant.





March 06, 2012

Muslim Surveillance in the News

Even as the feud between officials in New York and New Jersey deepens over the police department's spying on Muslims in Jersey, interviews show that their presence wasn't entirely a secret to officials there. From the governor's office down, officials in New Jersey knew to varying degrees that the New York Police Department intended to gather information. But many said they disagreed with the surveillance of Muslims particularly. Meanwhile, Commissioner Kelly has invited Muslim leaders to meet with him, although the subject of the meeting is under wraps. And about three dozen Muslims rallied at police headquarters in support of the department's actions.





March 05, 2012

Redistricting Mess

It was expected that legislators would vote on state district lines this week but it appears as though a possible deal between the Cuomo Administration and legislators has yet to materialize. A Cuomo administration source told the Times Union that if the the legislative commisison on redistricting is drafting lines, "then they are drafting for a veto." The way forward now seems to hinge on a global deal between the Cuomo administration and the legislature. The AP reports that a vote on the lines could come in the next three days. Senate Democrats have attacked the idea tha a redistricting deal would rely on a constitutional amendment. Meanwhile, The New York Times editorialized strongly against a deal that would rely on a constitutional amendment calling it "utterly sleazy" and called on Cuomo to veto the lines. For more, check out The Wonkster.





March 02, 2012

Many Unsafe Hospitals in Area

Of the 50 least safe hospitals for patients nationwide, 30 are located in the New York area, according to Consumer Reports. The Bronx’s Jacobi Medical Center was labeled the worst out of the 1,045 rated by rated by the group. The five worst were all in the area. In related news, Beth Israel Medical Center admitted to fraudulently overcharging Medicare fees and agreed to pay the federal government more than $13 million.





March 01, 2012

Worship Allowed Back in Schools

Two weeks after the city banned religious groups from holding worship services in public schools after hours, a federal court said yesterday that they could return - at least until courts hear arguments on the issue again. The federal appeals court set a deadline of "no later than mid-June, so that the dispute can be concluded by the beginning of the next school term." Worship in schools has been a court battle since 1995. After the city recently declared victory, the church that first brought the lawsuit made a different argument, which the court agreed to hear.





February 29, 2012

Liu Treasurer Charged with Fraud

City Comptroller John Liu's campaign treasurer was charged with fraud yesterday for funneling illegal straw donations and obstruction of justice for impeding investigators’ efforts to gather information. The case against her includes mentions of Liu's possible involvement as well, where she said she wasn't sure how to proceed at one point because he never gave her instructions on how to conceal straw donors. One of Liu's fundraisers who was arrested two weeks ago had also told an undercover investigator to use code words with Liu that he would understand. Even if he isn't officially implicated, analysts say the arrest of someone so close to him is very damaging to his campaign.





February 28, 2012

Obama Funds for Muslim Spying

Grants from the Obama administration meant for fighting drug crimes were used by the Police Department to buy cars to spy on Muslims, the Associated Press reports. They were also used to purchase computers that stored innocuous information about Muslim college students, mosque sermons, and social events. The administration said it has no opinion on how the department uses the funds. Mayoral candidate Christine Quinn said she would continue the practice of Muslim surveillance if elected. She doesn't believe any laws were broken or civil liberties violated. Commissioner Kelly yesterday refused to apologize for the tactics, saying that people are forgetting what happened on 9/11 and that much of the criticism is election year pandering. U.S. Sen. Schumer and Gov. Cuomo also defended him.





February 27, 2012

Redistricting Stalled

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver told the Daily News that legislators will miss their self-imposed March 1 deadline to approve new state and congressional district lines. The lines were supposed to be introduced on Monday and voted on Thursday when the legislature returns from its winter break. There is reportedly no deal yet on how to reform the redistricting process--or at least improve the initial state lines that have been derided as gerrymandered and politically motivated. Gov. Andrew Cuomo is still the center of speculation about whether he will veto lines the legislature eventually does pass and good government groups are split over how the Governor should approach negotiations and what he should actually be after. For updates, see The Wonkster.
 





February 24, 2012

Cuomo's Redistricting Role

Facing increased pressure over his role in the battle for fairer district lines Gov. Andrew Cuomo distanced himself from the fray yesterday. Cuomo told Fred Dicker of the New York Post that the dispute lay with the legislature and the courts. Cuomo called out legislators who failed to act to implement  independent redistricting who are now insisted he veto LATFOR's lines. Cuomo told reporters that he is reluctant to veto the lines and it seems increasingly likely a deal will be reached for a constituinal amendment that would change things for the redistricting process in 10 years. Good government groups are split over what exactly Cuomo should do.





February 23, 2012

Cuomo Pension Ultimatum

Gov. Cuomo issued an ultimatum to the legislature yesterday, saying if no action is made on pension reform by the budget deadline of March 31, he would add pension changes to an emergency spending extender. Then lawmakers would have to either pass it or let the government shutdown. New York has never had a government shutdown. He indicated a willingness to negotiate on the specifics of his plan, which includes a new pension tier for future government workers, but wouldn’t say where he’d give ground.



Newark Misled on Muslim Spying

The Newark mayor says the New York Police Department misled officials in New Jersey about conducting a widespread spying operation on Newark's Muslim neighborhoods, according to a report in the Associated Press. He said that he would not have allowed the investigation of people based solely on religion. The police department had asked to be shown around the city, but did not inform them of the operation, which made no mention of terrorism or wrongdoing. The department has cataloged Muslim communities in Long Island as well.





February 22, 2012

Court Blocks Homeless Policy

A state Supreme Court judge yesterday said the Bloomberg Administration could not implement a plan requiring single adults entering homeless shelters to prove they have no other options. The ruling was based on procedural grounds, faulting the administration for not bringing the policy before the public and the City Council. This was the first time the council has sued the administration since 2006, when Christine Quinn was elected speaker. The city will appeal the ruling, but won't publicly vet the proposal because the administration believes that would set a bad precedent.



Judge: Town Can Ban Drilling

A state Supreme Court judge yesterday ruled that a small town upstate could ban natural gas drilling because it falls within the authority of local governments to regulate land use. A company who planned hydrofracking drilling there had sued the town, saying it didn't have the authority to regulate or prohibit drilling, and that doing so violated a state law designed to create uniform regulations for drilling. Dozens of other municipalities in New York have also adopted drilling bans and limits. The company will likely pursue other legal actions against the town.





February 21, 2012

Still No Redistricting Deal

Aides to Gov. Cuomo said yesterday that no deal with lawmakers on redistricting lines is anywhere near to being made. He has threatened to veto the plan they proposed. Lawmakers are expected to pass a reworked redistricting plan as early as Feb. 29. They've also filed papers asking a federal three-judge panel to hold off on appointing a special master to draw the lines.





February 20, 2012

Police Monitored Muslim Students

The police department monitored Muslims at colleges across the Northeast, according to a report by the Associated Press. They trawled daily through student websites run by Muslim student groups, talked to local authorities in another county about a professor, and went undercover on a student rafting trip. Though the department says it follows the same rules as the FBI, some of its activities go beyond what the FBI is allowed to do.





February 17, 2012

Teacher Evaluation Deal Reached

The State reached a deal with the state-wide teacher's union on teacher evaluations yesterday. Under the deal at least 20 percent of a teacher's score would be based on student performance, another 20 percent would be based on test scores and another 60 based on things like class room observations. The City the United Teachers Union also came to an agreement for a process for teachers to dispute a poor score. 





February 16, 2012

Liu Donor Indicted

A donor to Comptroller Liu was indicted yesterday on wire fraud charges. He's accused of using straw donors to funnel $16,000 to Liu's campaign. The allegations were first revealed in November when the complaint was unsealed. Liu plans to hold a state of the city speech today, which no comptroller has ever done. It is being viewed as largely political. In related news, the Daily News reports that Liu's deputy left over clashes with his campaign's top bundler.





February 15, 2012

Cuomo Won't Impose Evaluation System

Gov. Cuomo backtracked yesterday, announcing that he would not use his budgetary powers to impose a teacher evaluation system if the city and teachers union couldn't agree on one, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. Administration officials said that if he were to do so, it risked a court challenge since it doesn't have a clear enough connection to monetary issues. Also, they worried it would set a risky precedent for the governor to get involved in a local labor dispute.





February 14, 2012

Stop-and-Frisks Hit Record

Police officers stopped and questioned 684,330 people last year, the highest number since the department started tracking yearly totals, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal. The number is 14 percent higher than last year. About 12 percent of those stopped were arrested or received summonses, down from 14 percent last year. Males made up 92 percent of the stops, 87 percent of the total were either black or Hispanic and whites were 9 percent. Those numbers were about the same as last year's.





February 13, 2012

Covering Cancer in 9/11 Fund

Police union leaders and elected officials called on the city to turn over records to a panel studying possible links between cancer and contaminants unleashed by the destruction of the trade center. The records name officers who sought medical attention over the past 10 years for ailments possibly connected to the toxic dust. The panel meets this week to consider whether cancer should be covered under the federal Zadroga fund. That fund pays for medical treatment and compensation for people and family of those in Lower Manhattan on 9/11. At least 65 police officers have died of cancer since then, and nearly 300 more have received a cancer diagnosis.





February 10, 2012

Quinn's State of the City Speech

Council Speaker Christine Quinn laid out her agenda for the next year in a state of the city speech widely perceived as a preview of the mayoral race and considered by some as a turn towards the left. Her proposals included, among other things: requiring developers who receive government benefits to keep units at affordable rates for 60 years instead of 30 years; combating unemployment with a pilot jobs-training program and using $10 million in federal tax credits to finance loans to small businesses; and securing $71 million in the budget for CUNY in order to take advantage of matching funds from the state, which were missed last year.





February 09, 2012

Push for Mandatory Kindergarten

Council Speaker Christine Quinn is expected to announce a push for mandatory kindergarten and a plan to help families with child care costs. Council officials say 4 percent of 5-year-olds are not enrolled in kindergarten and that costs would be negligible because the city has the capacity to absorb the 3,000 kids. But last year more than 2,000 children seeking seats were wait-listed. She also called for a low-cost loan program to help middle-class families pay for child care. The cost would be $200,000 for two years and she is seeking private sponsors. The proposals will be announced during her State of the City address tomorrow, which some are calling a possible preview of her mayoral campaign.





February 08, 2012

Trade Center Costs Balloon

The cost of rebuilding the World Trade Center has risen nearly $4 billion, jumping from an estimate of $11 billion in 2008 to $14.8 billion, according to an audit the Port Authority commissioned at the request of the governors of New York and New Jersey. The audit also found that the Authority's debt had more than doubled in the last decade, to $19.5 billion from $9.1 billion in 2001. It called the agency "dysfunctional" and recommended a "top-to-bottom overhaul of its management structure."





February 07, 2012

Protest Sparked by Boy's Death

A crowd of about 500 protestors yesterday rallied against police treatment of people of color outside the Bronx home of the unarmed 18-year-old who was shot and killed by police last week. Borough President Rubén Díaz drew comparisons to the shooting of Amadou Diallo, but noted that the department has acted on the shooting immediately in this case. Over the weekend, allegations were revealed that police had aggressively questioned the boy's grandmother for several hours after the shooting.





February 06, 2012

Giants Win

The New York Giants beat the New England Patriots 21-17 in the Super Bowl. The city has been secretly planning a victory parade for the team that will take place tomorrow at 11 a.m.. The parade will kick off at Battery Place and Washington St. and continue through the Canyon of Heroes. Tickertape is expected. The City is giving away 500 tickets to the victory ceremony that will be held at city hall. 





February 03, 2012

Bloomberg's Budget Plan

Mayor Michael Bloomberg yesterday announced a spending plan totalling $68.7 billion, an increase of 2 percent from the previous year. It included no tax increases or layoffs of teachers, police officers or firefighters. To balance the budget, he would use the last of the city's rainy-day funds and stretch billions of dollars of increased pension costs over 22 years. Pensions and fringe benefits for uniformed workers are going to cost the city more next year than their actual salaries. The plan's cuts to libraries, cultural institutions, and child care slots are less painful than previous years. His call to cut funding for 20 fire companies was proposed last year as well.





February 02, 2012

Police Department in the News

The man arrested for shooting an officer yesterday was also wanted for questioning in the first homicide of 2012 and has associated himself with the Latin Kings. Meanwhile, four Bronx cops have had their guns and badges taken away after a video surfaced of them beating a drug suspect. Also, low-level arrests for marijuana possession rose for the seventh year despite a memo from the commissioner reminding officers to follow the law and only arrest people when the drug is in plain sight. In other related news, media and journalist groups say the department has to resolve reporter access issues, and the department's spokesperson is under fire for overseeing a system that manipulates the information the public receives.





February 01, 2012

Officer Shot in Head

A police officer was shot in the head yesterday but will live. The plainclothes officer was chasing a suspect in the Bushwick Houses after responding to a shooting. He followed the suspect into one of the project buildings where he was hit. The door had locked behind him so his partners could not enter the building after him. Hundreds of officers swarmed the building to find the suspect, who was arrested in his uncle's apartment without incident.





January 31, 2012

New Minimum Wage Proposal
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver plans on pushing a bill to raise the state's minimum wage from $7.25 to $8.50 - a 17 percent increase - and then index it annually to inflation. Both Gov. Cuomo and Mayor Bloomberg generally support an increase. This would be the first boost since 2009, when it was raised to meet the federal minimum. The state's current minimum wage is lower than 18 other states and Washington, DC. Silver will also seek a tax cut for families making less than $30,000 per year. Studies come from both sides of the debate, with one pushing for an ever higher raise, and another saying tax credits are more effective.



January 30, 2012

June Congressional Primary

A Federal judge has set June 26 as New York's Congressional primary date, in response to a lawsuit that said New York's September primary disenfranchised military personel serving overseas. The move highlights the struggle to create new district lines as the legislative task force charged with creating new district lines has not yet released its Congressional maps. Senate Republicans said they may appeal the judge's decision as they favor a later primary date. However, if the current date stands, there could be three primaries in New York this year--the June 26 Congressional Primary, an April Republican Presidential primary and the traditional September State primary. For more, see The Wonkster.





January 27, 2012

Redistricting Proposals Released

The proposals for new district lines were released yesterday, and as expected they were criticized for partisan gerrymandering, particularly the Senate Republican's plan. They proposed eliminating 10 percent of the chamber’s incumbent Democrats. Gov. Cuomo said he would veto the maps as they are, but left open the chance for a negotiated settlement. A protracted stalemate could force the courts to intervene. The redistricting process is held once a decade along with new Census data, and the majority party of the state legislature draws their chamber's lines. For more, follow The Wonkster.





January 26, 2012

Kelly Apologizes for Anti-Muslim Film

Police Commissioner Ray Kelly yesterday apologized for showing an anti-Muslim film to officers in training. The filmmakers say he knew what the film was about when he consented to an interview for it, which he disputes. Kelly disciplined the sergeant who showed the film, but also defended her, saying she thought it had valuable information that officers could learn from. Muslim leaders have called for his resignation.





January 25, 2012

Obama Taps Schneiderman

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman was tapped by President Barack Obama last night in his State of the Union Speech to head up a new mortgage crisis unit. Schneiderman will head the Unit on Mortgage Origination and Securitization AbusesSchneiderman was a major opponent of the Obama Administration's plan to settle with major banks on mortgage fraud. Scheneiderman was kicked off a national panel of state attorneys general who that was looking into mortgage fraud because he was opposed to a settlement. Bringing Schneiderman into the fold is seen as a major victory for the Obama administration as they are now including a major  proggressive voice against big banks in their ranks.





January 24, 2012

Anti-Islam Video Used in Police Training

During training, nearly 1,500 police officers watched a feature length film purporting that the agenda of much of Islam in the country is to "infiltrate and dominate America," according to the New York Times. It was denied when first exposed a year ago, then said to have been shown only a couple times. Now it has been revealed through a Freedom of Information Request that lieutenants to patrol officers saw the movie, which "ran on a continuous loop" for between three months and one year of training.





January 23, 2012

MTA in the News

The M.T.A. and the transport workers union are still at an impasse over a new contract one week after the deadline expired. While there is no talk of a strike, the two sides are far from agreement. The M.T.A. wants raises tied to productivity concessions in order to balance its budget. But the union says it doesn't want to bear the brunt of the agency’s cost-cutting measures. Meanwhile, the M.T.A. rejected a free shuttle bus from Long Island City to Grand Central during weekend construction financed by a councilmember's discretionary funds. Also, twice-weekly tests of the new wireless controlled trains on the L are causing commuters difficulty.





January 20, 2012

Jobless Rate Rises

The City's unemploymentrate  increased from 8.9 to 9 percent in December while the national economy gains steam. The City shed 8,400 jobs according to a Department of Labor study. Most of the losses came from the restaurant industry which lost 2,400 jobs and the securities indusrty which lost around 2,000 jobs. About 300 public sector jobs were also lost. Early on in the economic crisis the city's economy outpaced the national economy but now the city is lagging behind in job growth.





January 19, 2012

Cuomo's Agenda and the Players

Most legislative leaders have signaled their cooperation on Gov. Cuomo's budget plans. But he'll still need to deal with the unions to push through his pension reform plan. He's got some powerful help behind him, though: a business coalition spent nearly $12 million supporting Cuomo’s agenda last year. That's the fifth most expensive single-year lobbying campaign ever waged in Albany by one organization. In related news, the company that Cuomo proposed develop the nation's largest casino at the Aqueduct almost doubled its spending on New York lobbying in the six months beforehand. Also, Cuomo signed an executive order on Wednesday placing a $199,000 limit on the amount of state funds that contractors can use to pay executives.





January 18, 2012

Cuomo's Budget Plan

Gov. Cuomo yesterday unveiled his $132.5 billion budget plan. It would cut overall spending by $225 million and close a $2 billion deficit without steep cuts or new broad-based taxes, fees or borrowing. A new tax bracket approved last month for those earning over $1 million a year helps, however. Education and health care spending would each rise by 4 percent, while funding for state agencies would remain roughly the same. But the education funds are tied to an agreement on a controversial teacher evaluation system. And he proposed a new pension plan for incoming government employees. Environmental groups and the natural gas industry noticed that the proposal includes no funds from fracking. Lawmakers from the city have been initially supportive of the overall budget.





January 17, 2012

Labor in the News

The transit workers union contract expired on Sunday night, but negotiations with the MTA continue. The union wants wage increases pegged to inflation in their new five year contract, but the MTA wants flat wages for three years and 2 percent raises for each of the next two years. Meanwhile, both Gov. Cuomo and Mayor Bloomberg separately blamed the teachers union and school administrators for an impasse over teacher evaluations. Cuomo failed to reach an agreement with union officials on the matter, and said he'd write an evaluation system into the budget for lawmakers to approve if they don't agree to a system within a month. Bloomberg said without an agreement he'd place underperforming teachers in a reserve pool of substitutes to get them out of schools. In other labor news, Cuomo is expected to announce a plan forcing new state and city workers to choose between a 401(K) plan or a pension with less generous benefits than currently offered.





January 13, 2012

Thank You!

Thank you to all who contributed $9,000 to our winter appeal! The support of readers like you allows us to report comprehensively on issues of city and statewide importance. Last week we took a look at the ins and outs of Gov. Cuomo's plans for 2012 as described in his State of the State address. In the weeks and months ahead, you can expect coverage of the 2012 legislative session, the battle for control of the State Senate, the debate over the living wage bill, and the 2013 mayoral race. And if holiday merrymaking got in the way of making your appeal contribution, it’s not too late!  Go here to make your tax-deductible contribution today. And be sure to tell your policy-minded friends and colleagues about Gotham Gazette!



State of the City

Mayor Michael Bloomberg used his State of the City address to take on the teacher's union by proposing a $20,000 pay bump for teachers who are rated highly effective two years in a row. He also said the city would move forward with a teacher evaluation system for 33 struggling schools that could see the removal of half of the teachers in those schools. United Federation of Teacher's president Michael Mulgrew declared that Bloomberg is living in a, "fantasy education world." Among his other proposals Bloomberg declared his support for Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver's effort to raise the minimum wage. He also pledged to fight police misconduct. For more, see the Wonkster.





January 12, 2012

Cuomo's Upcoming Budget

Gov. Cuomo's upcoming budget will include another round of cuts to state agencies of 2.5 percent. A notice to cut already sent in late October was meant to be a guide in requesting, analyzing and crafting budgets, not a hard order. Cuomo is also unlikely to repeal the Triborough Amendment, a law that keeps public-employee union contracts in effect even after they expire. In related news, his comments on education lobbying drew some rebukes.





January 11, 2012

Battle Over Teacher Evaluations

The federal Education Department warned New York yesterday that it was failing to meet its obligations in the Race to the Top compettition for millions in education grants. The warning set off a battle between Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Assembly Sheldon Speaker over who is to blame for not meeting the guidelines. Cuomo issued a statement blaming the Assembly for a new failed teacher evaluation system and demanded the state Department of Education and teachers to expedite negotiations over a new rating system for teachers. Changes made in state law to meet the Race to the Top guidelines have to be approved by unions and that has slowed the process down considerably. Silver has aligned himself with unions and pushed back on Cuomo's claim in the State of the State that he is the only advocate students have.





January 10, 2012

State Warned on Race to Top

The federal Education Department has warned New York about its failure to complete both a database for tracking student records across school districts and a system to evaluate the work of teachers and principals. At risk is hundreds of millions of dollars in federal grants if the state doesn't fulfill those agreements as part of the Race to the Top initiative. Florida and Hawaii were also signaled out.





January 09, 2012

Redistricting Battles Loom

Senate Republicans plan to add an additional seat to the 62 member chamber, the Daily News reports today. They argue the new seat is necessary to satisfy state law, based on the methodology used during the 2002 district reapportionment. Democrats and good government groups balked, saying there's no legal justification for the move and argued it was likely designed to give them a political advantage. Meanwhile, a coalition of Asian-American, Latino and African-American groups has released a new set of redistricting maps it believes will give the city’s large ethnic populations a greater voice in future elections.





January 06, 2012

Genting Gambles Big

Genting, the company that currently runs the Aqueduct Racino in Queens, is reportedly trying to leverage a $4 billion investment in to Gov. Andrew Cuomo's proposed Queens convention center in exchange for exclusive casino rights in New York City according to the New York Post. A spokesman for Cuomo denied that there was any deal for exlusivity should casinos become legal in the state. Genting plans to build its convention center in two phases--with the first 2.6 million square feet being completed by Nov. 2014 and the 1,000 room hotel by Nov. 2015. Many critics see convention centers as a tax on lower income people and also point out that most convention centers across the country are not at full capacity and can become a drain on the local econonomy. Cuomo appears to have skipped the process required by state laws that requires competitive bidding for projects such as the convention center.





January 05, 2012

Cuomo's Agenda for 2012

Gov. Cuomo yesterday outlined plans for his second year in office, focusing on job creationinfrastructure, and education. He called for the nation's largest convention center to be built at the Aqueduct in Queens, freeing up development space at the site of the Jacob Javits center. Other proposals including replacing the Hudson's longest bridge, $1 billion in economic incentives to draw businesses to Buffalo, and legalizing casino gambling. Native American gaming interests are opposed to that idea. Cuomo also announced plans for an education commission to recommend reforms in teacher accountability, student achievement, and management efficiency. The speech builds on a popular first year for him, which was a productive and secretive one. For a better understanding of his plan and how it will affect the city, read our feature story.





January 04, 2012

Fire Bomber Caught, Admits to Crimes

The suspect in Sunday's fire bombings was arrested yesterday and he admitted to the attacks. Each of the five incidents was sparked by individual grievances he had with them, but the suspect made broad anti-Muslim statements when discussing the mosque. He is being charged with a hate crime in that case, and the rest of the charges are for arson and weapons possession. He planned on using all of his Molotov cocktails on the mosque but changed his mind after seeing police. He was caught after authorities identified his vehicle. The suspect also implicated himself in two more attacks that police are now investigating.





January 03, 2012

Fire Bombings Possible Hate Crime Spree

Police are searching for a man accused of attempting to fire bomb five locations in a possible hate crime spree Sunday evening. Four of the incidents occurred in Jamaica and one right across the border in Nassau County. The man suspected was caught last week trying to steal a bottle of Starbucks coffee from a deli that was attacked Sunday. Four of the bombings used glass coffee bottles. The owner of the deli was Muslim, one of targets was a mosque, another a Hindu prayer center, and one the home of Christians. The Long Island home was Christians of Guyanese decent.





December 22, 2011

Keep Our Light On

All year long we illuminate what's going on at City Hall and in the state capital. As the year ends, we need your help to keep that light shining in 2012. Please go here and make a tax-deductible gift to Gotham Gazette today.



Call for Tougher Bank Clawbacks

Comptroller John Liu and the city's pension funds want to hold senior executives at major banks financially accountable for losses that result from excessive risk-taking or improper or unethical conduct. They filed shareholder proposals at three large banks that have each paid more than $100 million over the past 18 months to settle state or federal charges related to mortgage securities. The proposals are asking the firms to increase executives' accountability, hold supervisors responsible for bad behavior, and disclose clawback actions. The funds hold $483.3 million in shares of the firms.





December 21, 2011

Keep Gotham Gazette Shining

Since 1999, Gotham Gazette has served as a beacon, shedding a light on New York policy and politics. But providing that coverage costs money, and now we need your help. We must raise $15,000 this month so we can provide you with independent, serious reporting on the issues that will face our city and state in the months ahead: budget battles, conflicts over redistricting, the fight over a living wage and much more. Please go here and make your tax-deductible contribution today.



Kruger Pleads Guilty, Resigns

Brighton Beach Senator Carl Kruger plead guilty and resigned yesterday as expected. His departure could swing the balance of power in the chamber, giving Republicans the chance to broaden their slim majority. They've promised a fight for the district. Gov. Cuomo will set a special election for his seat, and party bosses will choose the candidates, bypassing a primary. Councilmembers Simcha Felder and Lou Fidler are likely Democratic candidates. Kruger was one of the "Four Amigos," a group of Democratic senators who tied up the government for weeks in a power play when the party gained their first slim majority in the senate in more than 30 years. Two other amigos have gone down in scandal.





December 20, 2011

Support Gotham Gazette

Throughout the year, we illuminate what's going on at City Hall and in the state capital. As the year ends, we need your help to keep that light shining in 2012. Please go here and make a tax-deductible gift to Gotham Gazette today.




Kruger to Plead Guilty

Brighton Beach Senator Carl Kruger is expected to plead guilty today to federal corruption charges that he accepted at least $1 million in bribes for political favors. He will plead guilty to four of the five counts against him. They include fraud conspiracy, for which he could face up to 20 years in prison, and bribery conspiracy, which carries a maximum term of five years. Part of his plea deal would require his resignation.





December 19, 2011

Shine a Light on Albany

The Gotham Gazette is there as Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the legislature deal with issues like tax code changes, ethics reform, redistricting and all of the important issues of the day. Help us keep our light shining brightly in Albany by making a tax-deductable gift to Gotham Gazette today.



Cornell Wins Bid For Science School

After a yearlong competition Mayor Michael Bloomberg is set to announce that Cornell University has been chosen to create a science graduate school on Roosevelt Island. The announcement will come three days after Stanford University dropped out of the competition and Cornell announced it would give $350 million to boost the project. Bloomberg hopes the school will raise the city's technology profile and boost the economy. Cornell beat out six other university teams to win the free land and $100 million in city subsidies. The announcement will be made today at Weill Cornell Medical College, in Manhattan,





December 16, 2011

Help Light the Way

For more than a decade, Gotham Gazette has shed light on the sometimes murky world of New York policy and politics. But if we are to keep that light shining, we need readers like you to carry a torch for us. We must raise $15,000 this month so we can continue to send you the Eye Opener and provide in-depth, independent coverage of city and state issues that matter. Please go here and make your tax-deductible contribution today.



Liu Probe Widening

The federal investigation into the campaign finances of Controller John Liu is expanding. Sources tell the New York Times that investigators are seeking more information from Liu's Chinese-American donors. Agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation have issued subpoenas for a wide range of information concerning Liu's larger donors. The scandal has dogged Liu who was once considered a possible frontrunner in the 2012 mayoral race but his approval ratings are dropping. Liu has torn down the cubicle walls of his office recently. His spokesperson claims the move was designed to combine two different units but an employee told the Daily News that the move was made to make it harder for employees to leak information about the investigation to the press. 





December 15, 2011

No Deal on Taxi Plan

A meeting with Gov. Cuomo and taxi stakeholders yesterday failed to lead to an agreement. The city wants to allow some livery cabs to pick up street hails to improve service to the outerboroughs. It is estimated to bring an additional $1 billion to to the city. But Cuomo wants cabbies to improve their service for disabled passengers. The impasse is another sign of the tension between the Cuomo and Bloomberg administrations.





December 14, 2011

Beacon on Ballots

In the off-off year election of 2011, what publication told you about the races that were up for grabs? Gotham Gazette. For a decade Gotham Gazette has provided New York's most comprehensive independent election information. But we won't be able to do that in 2012 without your help. Make your tax-deductible contribution today – and keep our light shining.



Officer Killed Responding to Burglary

Officer Peter Figoski,a veteran of over twenty years with the NYPD, was shot and killed on Monday while responding to a burglary in progress. The alleged killer, Lamont Pride, was wanted for a shooting in North Carolina and was arrested twice in New York--once on a charge of knife possesion and later for possesing crack cocaine and child endangerment. But NYPD officials say North Carolina declined to have Pride extradited and he was released. At least one judge released Pride knowing that he had a warrant in North Carolina. Pride and four other men were arrested in connection with the burglary and murder of officer Figoski. The gun that was used to kill Figoski came from a gun store in Virginia that has sold guns in the past that were used in the murder of New Yorkers. The New York Post has started a fund for the education of officer Figoski's four daughters





December 13, 2011

Ethics Commission Members Appointed

Gov. Cuomo and legislative leaders have appointed the 14 members of the new commission charged with enforcing ethics in Albany. Since the law creating the body was signed in August, the capital has been in limbo with no active investigations of lawmakers. The appointment of Ravi Batra, a lawyer with ties to disgraced ex-Brooklyn political boss Clarence Norman, was the most controversial selection. But he wasn't the only one to raise questions. For more, follow The Wonkster.





December 12, 2011

Mistrial in Seabrook Corruption Case

A judge declared a mistrial Friday in the federal corruption trial of Bronx Councilmember Larry Seabrook. The jury had remained deadlocked on all 12 counts against him after six days of deliberations. The ruling followed a note from jurors declaring the mountain of evidence against him was too much for them to wade through. He was charged with funneling over $1 million in taxpayer money to family and friends through non-profits he controlled. The U.S. attorney said his office would retry him.





December 09, 2011

25 Schools Set to Close

Yesterday the city revealed the first half of a list of 25 under-performing schools it plans to close. More closures are expected to be announced today. Other schools will have certain grades phased out or eliminated. A large percentage of students at these schools lag behind in English or math proficiency. The 25 schools would add to the over 100 schools Mayor Michael Bloomberg has closed during his time in office. He has opened over 500. The list of closures must be approved by the Panel for Educational Policy. Members of that organizaton are mostly Bloomberg appointees meaning that approval is almost certain.





December 08, 2011

Lawmakers Pass Tax Plan

Early this morning lawmakers approved a plan raising taxes on those making over $2 million a year. Gov. Cuomo brokered the deal with closed door negotiations, a tactic that has continued to be successful for him, but has been derided by government watchdog groups. Republicans in the Senate, which passed the bill unanimously, delicately positioned the bill as a tax cut, which supporters of the millionaire's tax have long framed it as. Transit advocates and planning groups are concerned the MTA payroll tax exemptions might imperil transit service and called on the governor to replace any lost funds.





December 07, 2011

Albany Leaders Agree on Tax Plan

Gov. Andrew Cuomo and legislative leaders yesterday announced a deal to raise taxes on wealthy New Yorkers for the next three years.  It also exempts small businesses and private schools from an MTA payroll tax. Lawmakers, who still need to approve it, could vote as early as today. The tax is estimated to net $1.9 billion a year, while the surcharge on the wealthy that it would replace had generated about $4 billion a year. The City Council Finance Committee passed a resolution supporting it. Cuomo switched his anti-tax stance as the state's budget gap grew unexpectedly while his labor union allies joined the Wall Street protests.



Reaction to Police Facebook Comments

Commissioner Raymond Kelley has declined to comment on racist Facebook comments about the West Indian Day Parade likely made by police officers and has received rare criticism because of it. The Internal Affairs Bureau is investigating it, but councilmembers have called for an independent inquiry. There were about two dozen racist or inflammatory comments by profiles identifying themselves as officers. Gothamist has posted the archives of the page. The lawyers who found the page say their client, who was arrested before the parade, was acquitted in part because his arresting officer was a member of it. Meanwhile, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, the ranking member of a U.S. House Judiciary Subcommittee, is asking the Justice Department to investigate police treatment of Wall Street protestors.





December 06, 2011

A Beacon on Ballots

In the off-off year election of 2011, what publication told you about the races that were up for grabs? Gotham Gazette. For a decade Gotham Gazette has provided New York's most comprehensive independent election information. But we won't be able to do that in 2012 without your help. Make your tax-deductible contribution today – and keep our light shining.



Police Denigrate Paradegoers on Facebook

In a group page on Facebook, police officers ridiculed West Indian Day Parade attendees with racist and violent rhetoric, according to the New York Times. They called people "animals" and "savages" and said things like, "Drop a bomb and wipe them all out." Around 12,000 members populated the group, many of whom identified themselves as police or other city employees. The Times selected over 150 people who posted comments on the page with city employee listings and found that 60 percent matched the names of police officers. The page, titled "No More West Indian Day Detail", was taken offline recently but made public by defense lawyers in a case claiming an officer planted a gun on their client, who was arrested early in the morning before the parade.





December 05, 2011

Don't Turn Off the Light

Every day Gotham Gazette illuminates happenings in the out-of-the-way corners of city and state government to bring you stories you won't see anywhere else. But we need your help to keep that beacon shining. If you value independent, substantive reporting on issues that matter, please make a tax-deductible contribution to Gotham Gazette today.




Change at Gotham Gazette

On Friday, Gail Robinson stepped down as editor in chief of Gotham Gazette. Gail had been with Gotham Gazette since the infancy of on-line journalism and the Giuliani administration, and has run the publication since spring 2007. In those four and half years, Gotham Gazette expanded its coverage to Albany, instituted a major redesign and increased its reporting on environmental and social welfare issues. In the months to come, Gail plans to focus on her own writing and editing on education, social justice and assorted other topics. As part of that she will contribute occasional articles about schools to Gotham Gazette. Although we do not yet have a new editor in place, Gotham Gazette will continue to keep you up to date with our daily Eye Opener and bring you our incisive coverage of city and state policy and politics. We thank Gail for her service and wish her well. We also thank you for being such loyal readers of Gotham Gazette.



Cuomo's Plan

On Sunday Gov. Andrew Cuomo unveiled a plan in an op-ed that calls for a reform of the tax code that would see higher taxes on the wealthy and a cut for the middle class. His plan also includes legalizing casino gambling, financing for training for urban youth and increased infrastructure spending. It is expected that the legislature will return this week to address Cuomo's plan. Assembly Democrats are returning to Albany on Tuesday and Senate Republicans on Wednesday. If legislative action takes shape, it would be one of the swiftest legislative responses in recent memory. Some business leaders and Senate Republicans have shown support for Cuomo's tax plan. Cuomo's plan does not include a new pension tier or mandate relief. For more, follow The Wonkster.





December 02, 2011

Albany to Address Budget Shortfall

Talks are underway in Albany for a special session this month to address the budget shortfall caused by lower-than-expected tax collections. The talks signal that anti-tax Senate Republicans may be willing to at least consider raising more revenue from the rich. An agreement allowing a constitutional amendment that would let voters decide on expanding casino gambling is also likely. Meanwhile, the judiciary and the legislative chambers have proposed flat budgets for themselves.



Change at Gotham Gazette

At the end of the day today, Gail Robinson will step down as editor in chief of Gotham Gazette. Gail has been with Gotham Gazette since the infancy of on-line journalism and the Giuliani administration, and has run the publication since spring 2007. In those four and half years, Gotham Gazette expanded its coverage to Albany, instituted a major redesign and increased its reporting on environmental and social welfare issues. In the months to come, Gail plans to focus on her own writing and editing on education, social justice and assorted other topics. As part of that she will contribute occasional articles about schools to Gotham Gazette. Although we do not yet have a new editor in place, Gotham Gazette will continue to keep you up to date with our daily Eye Opener and bring you our incisive coverage of city and state policy and politics. We thank Gail for her service and wish her well. We also thank you for being such loyal readers of Gotham Gazette.





December 01, 2011

Help Keep Our Light Shining

Months after he promised to reveal his schedule to the public, Gov. Andrew Cuomo still had not made good on that pledge. Gotham Gazette turned its spotlight on the governor's office, breaking the news that the state would launch a new web site detailing Cuomo's whereabouts. That is the kind of illuminating reporting you expect from Gotham Gazette. But we can't keep that light shining without your support. Please go here and make your tax-deductible donation today.




Cop in Bell Shooting Found Reckless

The undercover police officer who sparked the fatal shooting of Sean Bell was found guilty of acting improperly in a departmental trial, and it was recommended he be fired for his actions. A second officer who fired three shots was found to have acted properly, but it was still recommended he lose 30 vacation days. Commissioner Raymond Kelly can do as he wishes with the findings and impose any penalty he chooses.





November 30, 2011

Help Light the Way

For more than a decade, Gotham Gazette has shed light on the sometimes murky world of New York policy and politics. But if we are to keep that light shining, we need readers like you to carry a torch for us. We must raise $15,000 this month so we can continue to send you the Eye-Opener and provide in-depth, independent coverage of city and state issues that matter. Please go here and make your tax-deductible contribution today.



Boyland Faces New Charges

Less than three weeks after a jury found Brooklyn Assemblymember William Boyland not guilty of bribery, federal prosecutors yesterday leveled a new, but similar set of charges against him. This time, prosecutors say, Boyland, a member of a prominent political family, solicited bribes when he was out on bail on the previous case -- needing the money, he said in a secretly recorded conversation, to finance his criminal defense. Overall, the case accuses Boyland of soliciting some $250,000 in bribes dating back to August 2010. U.S. attorney Loretta Lynch called the corruption "staggering." Boyland's lawyer said he would "vigorously defend this case." If convicted, Boyland faces up to 30 years in prison.





November 29, 2011

Keep Gotham Gazette Shining

Since 1999, Gotham Gazette has served as a beacon, shedding a light on New York policy and politics. But providing that coverage costs money, and now we need your help. We must raise $15,000 this month so we can provide you with independent, serious reporting on the issues that will faceour city and state in the months ahead: budget battles, conflicts over redistricting, the fight over a living wage and much more. Please go here and make your tax-deductible contribution today.



Cuny Raises Tuition

City University trustees approved a $300 annual tuition increase that will last through 2015 yesterday as students and others protested just outside. The vote was 15 to 1 in favor of increasing the tuition for undergrads at CUNY's four year colleges to $6,330 for 2015-2016. The City Council and state legislature have already approved the increases. Three people were arrested during protests at Baruch yesterday. Fifteen were arrested during similar protests last week as the board met on the tuition hikes. Protesters say the school has enough funding to avoid tuition increases and that the hike will prevent some from getting a degree at the university. For more, see our Education Links in the News.
 





November 28, 2011

Protests Greet Tuition Hike

Trustees of the City University are expected to raise tuition by $300 a year for the next four years in a meeting at Baruch College this afternoon. Under the plan, which was already approved by the legislature, students at four-year colleges would see their tuition increase from $5,130 this year to $6,330 in 2015. Some CUNY students have sharply condemned the increase and plan to march on the campus on the East Side to protest the hike. In response, Baruch will limit acess to its buildings this afternoon and has rescheduled some classes. Last week, 15 students were arrested when they tried to enter a public hearing at Baruch on the tuition increase. For more, see Tuition Hikes, Aid Cuts Threaten to Put CUNY Out of Reach.





November 23, 2011

Quinn and the Living Wage

Council speaker Christine Quinn has yet to take a stand on the living wage bill and at hearings yesterday opponents and supporters of the measure tried their best to convince the influential speaker to see their side. The measure would increase the wages of employees on city-funded developments to $10 an hour with health benefits or $11.50 an hour without them. It is up to Quinn to decide whether to bring the bill to the floor for a vote.Some observers say supporters of the bill have been boosted by the Occupy Wall Street movement. Mayor Michael Bloomberg opposes the measure along with representatives of restaurants and bars. For more, check out Searchlight on City Hall.





November 22, 2011

FBI Wary of Plot Informer

The police informant in this weekend's bomb plot case may have been too helpful to the suspect, which was one reason the FBI declined to pursue it. And some of the suspect's incriminating statements were recorded after he smoked marijuana with the informant. The FBI was also skeptical that the suspect could carry out a plot on his own, because they believed he had mental problems. Terrorism cases are generally handled by federal authorities. This is the second time in under a year the FBI declined to join a terrorism probe brought by the police department.





November 18, 2011

Day of Expansive Protests

Thousands showed up to support the Wall Street protests yesterday. Around 250 demonstrators were arrested, including a symbolic 99 who blocked the on ramp to the Brooklyn Bridge. Councilmembers Jumaane Williams and Melissa Mark Viverito were among those arrested. Ten protestors and seven police officers were injured. Although there were a number of tense moments, there were also festive ones. While they weren't able to disrupt the opening bell as planned, traffic was shut down on 5th Ave. and on Broadway for half an hour. Turnout for the plan to occupy the subways was scant. Two officers were reported to have entered a church where protestors were being sheltered to gather information. The day was part of a series of protests across the country. The city has spent $6 million on protest-related costs, not including Tuesday's raid. Some observers think the clashes that occurred yesterday will hurt the movement, and others think they should move on to Washington.





November 14, 2011

In Puerto Rico, Cuomo Looks to the City

Making his first official foray outside New York state since becoming governor, Andrew Cuomo told a conference in Puerto Rico Friday that he would take efforts to combat high unemployment among young blacks and Latinos. In the speech to the annual Somos el Futuro gathering, Cuomo stressed his social justice efforts including naming many blacks, Latinos and women to his administration and closing prisons. The move is seen as part of an effort by Cuomo to reach out to minority communities and politicians from New York City that may feel he has ignored them in his first months as governor. The speech came only weeks before the expiration of the state millionaires tax. Cuomo has approved extension of the surcharge, while many black and Latino lawmakers support it.





November 11, 2011

Lawmakers in Court

A number of New York lawmakers were in court yesterday. Brownsville Assemblymember William Boyland was acquitted of charges that he took $175,000 in bribes through a no-show job. It was a loss for prosecutors in a case that charged eight others and convicted one in September of conspiring to bribe Boyland and two other legislators. Jurors felt Boyland had done wrong, but couldn't convict him of the charges against him. Also, newly re-elected Councilmember Ruben Wills of Queens pleaded guilty to one count of misdemeanor criminal mischief in connection with a 1996 case. He paid $2,500 in restitution and will serve three days community service, but will avoid charges for failing to appear in court because the statute of limitations expired. It's the second misdemeanor he settled in recent weeks. He avoided resolving the cases, revealed during the election, until after polls closed. And the case against Bronx Councilmember Larry Seabrook continues hearing testimony.





November 10, 2011

Monitor Appointed for Fire Dept. Hiring

A federal judge yesterday appointed a monitor to oversee the Fire Department's hiring practices, which were found to discriminate against black and Hispanic applicants. U.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis chose Mark Cohen, a former Brooklyn federal prosecutor and the co-founder of the white-collar defense firm Cohen & Gresser. He was picked from a list of 12 candidates. Although both the city and the plaintiffs in the case that led to this ruling submitted names, neither had chosen Cohen. Still, neither are opposed. The city doesn't believe it requires a monitor and plans to appeal the ruling.





November 09, 2011

Donovan Wins -- as Does Cuomo
Staten Island District Attorney Daniel Donovan won a third term yesterday. In an Election Day marked by few competitive races in the city, Donovan, a Republican, defeated his 2007 rival, lawyer Mike Ryan, by a margin of more than two-to-one. Elsewhere in the state it was a good day for Democrats and for Gov. Andrew Cuomo. All three candidates the governor campaigned for won: Steve Bellone as Suffolk County executive, Assemblymember Mike Spano as Yonkers mayor and Mark Poloncarz as Erie County executive. In his victory, Poloncarz handily defeated the incumbent, Chris Collins, who some had seen as a possible rival to Cuomo in 2014. Democratic strategists hailed the outcomes as a sign of increased support for their party and voters' rejection of the Tea Party and its hostility to unions. For more, see Albany Links in the News.



November 08, 2011

Vote!

Today is election day and polling place are open across the city until 9 p.m. The race with the highest profile in the five boroughs is for Staten Island District Attorney. Incumbent DA Dan Donovan faces his opponent from 2007 Mike Ryan. Thanks to a rift between Donovan an a conservative borough president, Ryan will have the Conservative party line this time. Meanwhile there are a number of judicial races across the city. Elsewhere in the state pundits are watching to see what Gov. Andrew Cuomo's endorsement will mean in down-ballot races. For more, follow The Wonkster throughout the day.





November 07, 2011

Deaths in State Care

In the last decade, more than 1,200 people in state care have died from unnatural or unknown causes, accounting for about one in six deaths in New York's system for developmentally disabled adults. This rate is four times higher than in some neighboring states, according to a New York Times report, part of its ongoing investigation into adult care in New York. Reporters Danny Hakim and Russ Buettner found the state made little effort to track the deaths or investigate their specific causes. In particular, the reporters found that New York, unlike other states, has made little to no effort to address systemic problems that lead to deaths from drowning, choking and falls.





November 04, 2011

State Workers Approve Deal
Members of the state Public Employee Federation reversed a previous decision and have voted to accept a four-year agreement that would save the jobs of almost 3,500 of their fellow members. To preserve those positions, the union agreed to no raise for the next three years and a 2 percent increase in the fourth, and a hike in their health care costs. The members had rejected an almost identical agreement five weeks ago. This time around, they accepted it by a margin of 70 to 30 percent. The state estimated the concessions from the union would save $75 million this year.



November 03, 2011

Challenges of a Growing Protest

Nearly 80 Wall Street protestors are due in court today, and many are eager to take their cases to trial. Meanwhile the occupied park has been facing its own issues. The arrest of a man at the park over sexual assault charges highlights the challenges the encampment faces in policing itself. Members of the volunteer security squad said they avoid involving law enforcement in all but the most serious cases. Mayor Bloomberg has called for the protestors to respect the neighborhood, pointing out that they are in a growing residential area. And earlier this week the movement, which had raised $450,000, released its first financial report. They are debating whether to file for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit status.





November 02, 2011

Assemblymember Begins Corruption Trial

The corruption trial for Brownsville Assemblymember William Boyland began yesterday. He is charged with accepting a no-show job worth $175,000 over several years from a hospital executive in exchange for his influence in Albany. Previous to being elected, he had attendance issues with an earlier position he held at a clinic under control of the executive, who was convicted last year for attempting to bribe other politicians. Boyland faces up to 25 years, although it's unlikely the maximum sentence would be applied.





November 01, 2011

Bids in for Engineering Campus

The city has received seven bids for building a new school of engineering and applied sciences with city support, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced yesterday. Although many consider Stanford and Cornell to be on the inside track Bloomberg denied that -- leaving the door open for India's Amity University to get the nod -- and said all the proposals were strong. The new school is a key component in Bloomberg's dream of having New York rival Silicon Valley and the Boston area as a high-tech center. The plans envision the school in a variety of locations from Columbia's new campus in Hamilton Heights to Governors Island, and call for private expenditures ranging from $800 million to more than $2.5 billion. The city will provide $100 million. The winner will be announced in January.





October 31, 2011

Turning the Lights Back on

A surprise snowstorm left 15,000 New Yorkers without power and downed trees all across the five borroughs. Power outages were concentrated in the Bronx and Staten Island--12,000 customers are without power in Staten Island. Power is expected to be returned by today. Meanwhile city parks were ravaged by the storm. Central Park is estimated to lose around 1,000 trees to the storm. Other areas in the North East were hit much harder than New York.
 





October 28, 2011

Pension Overhaul

Mayor  Michael Bloomberg and City Comptroller John Liu announced a deal  that would streamline the pension process for the city. The deal was designed to remove political influence from the management of pension funds. Liu is said to have given up significant power in the deal.The arrangement must be approved in Albany.



Ticket Probe

Sixteen New York Police Department officers turned themselves at midnight to face charges in the wide ranging ticket-fixing probe. Officers are accused of fixing tickets for their collegues,  family members and friends. There is concern that  the charges could  put  into doubt cases that the officers worked on.





October 27, 2011

March Over 'Occupy Oakland' Crackdown

Over 400 protestors marched around downtown Manhattan yesterday in support of the aggressive crackdown on demonstrators in Oakland and arrest of 50 in Atlanta. About a dozen were arrested here. In response to the arrests in other cities, Mayor Bloomberg said he would ensure "people do have a right to protest" in New York. The millions in overtime spent policing the Wall Street occupation has created a rift in the council, but Speaker Quinn has said she's been arrested for civil disobedience, so she understand the importance of free speech rights. The protest has amassed nearly $500,000 in donations, but freeloaders have been stressing the kitchen workers there. To address noise complaints, they've agreed to limit drumming to 4 hours a day.





October 26, 2011

Police Arrested for Gun Smuggling

Five police officers and three retired officers were arrested yesterday for smuggling guns - including M-16s - into the city from other states along with cigarettes and stolen goods. The arrests stem from an investigation by the FBI and the police department's internal affairs division that began with an undercover agent trying to get a ticket fixed. Then one officer expressed interest in smuggling cigarettes and it continued escalating. The charges are one in a series of recent cases leveled at officers including civil rights violations, false arrests, rape, and the ticket fixing scandal. An FBI official said the crimes risked undermining public confidence in law enforcement.





October 25, 2011

Protests Continue

Prosecutors yesterday offered to dismiss about half of the 750 disorderly conduct charges against Wall Street protestors. But if they are arrested again within six months, the deal is void. Protestors worry this will limit involvement in their cause. Mayor Bloomberg may be hoping they plan to pack up once frost starts to settle, but many are well prepared to weather the cold. The appearance of tents there is an example of the uneasy truce between the ralliers and the police, who are now overlooking many violations. If they are arrested, however, a mobile app allows protestors to alert people they choose. The movement decides on various courses of action through 30 leaderless working groups that focus on individual issues like sanitation and media. Critics of the protests have recently begun attacking publications they view as helping them. One journalist purportedly helped the protestors shape their message. Interviews covering multiple cities have shown that the protestors vary widely in their goals, but the rallies are centered on unemployed or underemployed college students and college dropouts unhappy with the state of the economy. In a strange turn of events, an art gallery was ''occupied" over the weekend, where many criticized the state of the art world. The gallery asked them to leave once a laptop disappeared.





October 24, 2011

Former Bloomgerg Aide Guilty of Grand Larceny

John Haggerty, a political operative charged with stealing $1 million from Mayor Michael Bloomberg during the mayor's 2009 campaign, was found guilty on Friday of second-degree grand larceny and second-degree money laundering. The jury took three days to deliberate and cleared Haggerty of the most serious charge--first-degree grand larceny. He now faces up to 15 years in jail. Prosecutors claimed that Bloomberg gave the Independence Party $1 million after Haggerty promised to do ballot security work. The Independence Party then gave most of the money to Haggerty who spent most of that money on a house, without providing the promised services. The trial was unique in that it put Bloomberg on the stand and gave an inside look at the mayor's bid for a third term. Haggerty posted $250,000 bail on Saturday.





October 21, 2011

Cuomo Names Lhota to Chair MTA

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has named Joseph Lhota, a deputy mayor from the Giuliani administration, to head the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Current chair Jay Walder is leaving the post today for a job in Hong Kong. Lhota will be paid less than walder--receiving a salary of $332,000--a 5 percent reduction. The state Senate will have to confirm the nomination and won't likely take a vote until January. Lhota will likely come on as interim CEO within the month. Lhota is thought to have the political skills needed to navigate labor and Albany politics. Transportation advocates note that he does not have the transportation pedigree of the man he is going to replace. The MTA faces a number of financial challenges. For more on the MTA and Lhota's nomination, follow The Wonkster.





October 20, 2011

Law Enforcement and Civil Rights

Lawmakers yesterday called for an investigation into the police department's stop and frisk policy in the wake of the arrest of an officer for violating a black man's rights and calling him racial slurs. That officer is now being held in protective custody for his own safety. Meanwhile, a former Homeland Security Department civil rights lawyer implored the federal government to investigate the police department's secret surveillance of Muslim communities. But according to a new report, the department stands as an exception in the state for it's proper handling of Taser guns, although there have been notable instances of the weapon's misuse. In related news, immigrants reported being sexually abused at federal detention centers nearly 200 times since 2007, including five allegations in New York and four in New Jersey.





October 19, 2011

The Protests and the Police Response

A few hundred Wall Street protesters marched on the Manhattan district attorney's office yesterday to demand an investigation into the punching of a protestor by a police officer and that criminal charges against people arrested during the protests be dropped. Meanwhile, the controversial officer who pepper sprayed protestors lost 10 vacation days as punishment for the act. Council Speaker Quinn said yesterday that the anger over the economy displayed at the protests is a sentiment that needs to recognized. The protest currently has $435,000 on hand.





October 18, 2011

Protests Look to Grow in City

As the Wall Street protests celebrate their one month anniversary, the movement is looking to expand by possibly occupying Washington Square Park. The challenge lies in the fact that unlike privately owned Zuccotti Park, where the protests are currently encamped, public parks close at midnight. Mayor Bloomberg has said the current camp goes beyond free speech. He also claimed he doesn't discuss the protests at home with his girlfriend, who is on the board of directors for the company that owns Zuccotti. Meanwhile, thieves have been stealing valuables from the protestors; the police haven't changed their playbook for large crowds much in 20 years; and one major contributor to the protests made his money on Wall Street.





October 17, 2011

Occupy Wall Street Expands

After averting a showdown with the city and cleaning crews on Friday by quickly rallying the support of labor, civic, religious and political groups around the city, the protesters on Wall Street celebrated and over the weekend and their protests expanded across the city, country and world. Around 10,000 people poured into Times Square on Saturday--the protests  were not without incident as over 70 people were arrested and 24 protesters were arrested in a Citibank. Bank employees say they were being disruptive but protesters say they were simply trying to close their accounts. The Occupy Wall Street movement reportedly is growing more organized with $300,000 in fundraising and a store of donated supplies. Meanwhile, the protesters are trying to decide if they should make a list of demands. Fore more, see our coverage: "Rapid Response" and "Labor Signs On."





October 14, 2011

Cleaning of Zuccotti Park Postponed

The owners of Zuccotti Park, where Wall Street protestors have been camped out, postponed cleaning the park this morning and withdrew their request for police assistance doing so. The protest's sanitation team hired a private garbage truck and swept and mopped. They feared the cleaning was a pretext to evict them and several hundred people showed up in support, many planning to resist eviction. The private park was built under an early version of a law that gave developers zoning concessions in exchange for public space, and so it's governed under somewhat unique rules. Council Speaker Christine Quinn said protesters should be able to "peacefully remain in the park as they have been." Meanwhile, some protesters seek to add a religious dimension to the movement and have formed a group called the Interfaith Coalition.





October 13, 2011

New Plan to Help English Language Learners

The city's plan to shrink the achievement gap among English language learners was revealed yesterday, providing more options, support, and services a year after the state mandated it. That includes 125 new bilingual programs, the hiring of more bilingual teachers, and a warning system to alert when the students' test scores show concerns. It calls for placing the main burden of accountability on principals, whose schools could lose funding and more. The plan also reports on where the city is in violation of state law, such as how in 2009 about 22 percent of new students who needed to take language assessments to see if they required special services were not tested in a timely manner.





October 12, 2011

Questions About Liu's Cash

The New York Times reports that their canvass of donations to the campaign of City comptroller John Liu has turned up a number of irregularities. The Times reports over two dozen instances that bring doubt on donations. Some alleged donors say that their boss or someone else gave for them and others say that they never gave at all. Then there are donors the Times say just simply may not exist. Times also found that a number of donor cards that are supposed to be filled out individually and handed in with each donation were seemingly all filled out by one person. Liu has been a prodigious fundraiser and is seen as a major contender in the race to replace Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Liu raised $1 million in the first 6 months of this year. "To the extent that there are problems — and I’m not suggesting there are — we cannot accept those contributions, nor do we need them," Liu told the Times.





October 11, 2011

Cutting School Aides

Putting in effect the largest single-agency layoff of the Bloomberg administration, the city Friday axed 672 school aides, parent coordinators and other school workers who are not teachers. As the workers -- some of whom make just $14 an hour -- scrambled to find other jobs, the city and their union, DC 37, lobbed charges over who bore responsibility for the layoffs. The union reportedly put forth three proposals to save the jobs; the city rejected all of them. The department says the cuts will save $35 million. DC 37 says the city has the money but wants to punish the union, which has had a contentious relationship with the Bloomberg administration. The City Council will hold hearings on the layoffs this morning. For more, see Education Links in the News



Protesters Can Stay

After harshly criticizing the Occupy Wall Street protests on Friday, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said yesterday the crowds could remain in Zuccotti Park if they do not break the law. With Bloomberg not saying how long protestors can occupy the lower Manhattan plaza, some say they will stay there even when the weather gets cold. Gov. Andrew Cuomo also said the demonstrators had a right to protest, and that, while he had no plans to visit the site, the movement reflected frustration "felt all across the country." Today groups of protesters plan to go to the homes of some of New York's richest residents. Bloomberg's home is not on their list; Rupert Murdoch's and David Koch's are. For more on the protests, see Unions Find Room Under Occupy Wall Street's Umbrella and Civil Rights Links in the News.





October 07, 2011

Council Discusses Police Spying

At an often adversarial council hearing concerning the police department's intelligence unit that reports have revealed spied on Muslim communities, some council members suggested requiring an outside review when the police conduct counterterrorism investigations. But Peter Vallone, the chair of the Public Safety Committee, said the council doesn't have the expertise or authority to oversee the operations. He suggested federal oversight, but federal officials say they don't have the authority to monitor the department either. The police commissioner, for his part, denied any racial profiling and insisted the program was crucial to thwarting terrorism.



More on the Wall Street Protests

The police commissioner blamed a small group of self-proclaimed anarchists for provoking the 23 arrests that occurred at Wednesday night's march. But protestors, who are camped out in Zuccotti Park in the FInancial District, counter that police responded too aggressively to their act of civil disobedience. One police officer was caught on tape that night joking about hitting people with his baton. The rallies have caught the attention of President Obama, who related to their message. But the protesters are tired of both Republicans and Democrats.





October 06, 2011

Wall Street Protests Continue to Grow

Yesterday afternoon Wall Street protestors peacefully marched through Lower Manhattan with numbers in the thousands. The crowd was made up of people from diverse backgrounds, including many new to protesting. More unions have joined in support of the movement including the AFL-CIO, the retail workers union, the city teachers union, and the United Auto Workers. By nightfall the march became combative as over 150 protestors tried to rush barricades and police reacted with swinging batons and pepper spray. There were 28 arrests.





October 05, 2011

City Calls for Budget Cuts

Only three months into the new budget year, the Bloomberg administration has called for a new round of budget cuts and an immediate city hiring freeze. Budget director Mark Page ordered the heads of all city agencies to identify cuts totaling 2 percent for this fiscal year and 6 percent for the 2013 year, which begins in July. The reductions would total some $2 billion. Labor leaders condemned the cuts. The call for cuts is the 11th one since 2007, but unlike some of the previous rounds, this one demands that the Department of Education and police slash their budgets too. For more on the administration's budget strategy, see As Deficits Loom, City Faces More Cuts





October 04, 2011

Wall Street Protests Growing

The health care workers union 1199 SEIU and the city's Transport Workers Union Local 100 both joined the Wall Street protestors this week. The health care union will help feed the protestors, send nurses to help them, and is exploring other means of assistance. The transport union will join a march planned for Wednesday evening from City Hall to Wall Street in protest of the hundreds arrested on the Brooklyn Bridge. They've also sought a restraining order against the police department from using buses to transport prisoners from the rallies. A judge rejected it but asked for more information from both sides. The protests are spreading to dozens of cities across the country, and here in New York they are even attracting tourists.





October 03, 2011

Brooklyn Bridge Arrests Spark Controversy

Following the arrest of more than 700 anti-Wall Street protesters on the Brooklyn Bridge Saturday, police and demonstrators offered varying accounts of what had occurred. Police said the crowd -- thought to number 1,000 or more -- had been warned to stay off the vehicle roadway and stick to the pedestrian path, but many marchers said they had not heard any warning and said that it even appeared as though police were leading them to the roadway. Both sides released videos to bolster their version of events. Whatever the truth, the confrontation on the bridge, along with the pepper spraying of protesters earlier last month, raises questions about the police handling of peaceful protests and the role of senior police officers, known as white shirts. Meanwhile the protesters, almost all of whom were released and issued summonses, vowed to keep up their effort to occupy Wall Street in protest of corporate greed and economic inequality. For more, see Civil Rights Links in the News.





September 30, 2011

Ward to Leave Port Authority
Although there has not yet been an official announcement, Chris Ward has reportedly made it known he will leave his post as head of the Port Authority by the end of next month. While no explanation has been offered, Ward, who was named to the post by former Gov. David Paterson after serving in the Bloomberg administration, had few connections to Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Because of that, many expected he would resign after marking the 10th anniversary of 9/11. His departure comes as the agency, facing declining revenues and rising costs, is reviewing all the projects in its 10-year capital plan in the hopes of freeing up some cash. And his departure comes as Gov. Andrew Cuomo seeks a replacement for another top transportation official, Metropolitan Transportation Authority chief Jay Walder, who will also leave next month. For more, see Transportation Links in the News.



September 29, 2011

Probes Into Pepper Spray Incident

The Internal Affairs Bureau of the police department and the Civilian Complaint Review Board are both investigating the controversial use of pepper spray by an officer during a protest against U.S. financial institutions. The Manhattan district attorney's office is also looking into the matter as is standard procedure for allegations of police misconduct. The civilian board said it has received many more complaints about the incident than is normal. A new video showing the officer who sprayed the protestors has also surfaced, which captures him spraying a videographer in what is apparently another incident that day. Meanwhile, a journalist from Metro Focus published the account of his accidental arrest at the protest while covering it.





September 28, 2011

Public Workers Union Rejects Contract

Members of the state's second-largest public workers union yesterday rejected a contract supported by the Cuomo administration and labor leaders that froze wages and rose health care payments in exchange for protection from layoffs. The vote was 54 percent against and 46 percent in favor of the contract. The governor's office has said to balance the budget without the labor concessions, 3,500 workers would need to be laid off. While notices have already started being sent out, officials say those would be rescinded if the union revotes in favor of the contract within 21 days.





September 27, 2011

Haggerty vs. Bloomberg

Mayor Michael Bloomberg is not on trial, but the lawyers for John Haggerty, a political operative accused of stealing $1.1 million from the mayor, would like jurors to think he is. In an opening statement yesterday, one lawyer, Raymond Castello, said Bloomberg committed campaign fraud, and Haggerty is taking the fall. According to prosecutors, Bloomberg, at Haggerty's urging, gave the state Independence Party $1.1 million for poll watching efforts on Election Day 2009, but Haggerty took most of that money for his own personal use. Castello, though, charged that Bloomberg, worried that some might see the poll-watching effort as voter suppression, violated campaign laws in an effort to conceal his use of operatives on Election Day. Bloomberg and his political aides got immunity from prosecutors in return for their grand jury testimony, and none of them face charges, although the mayor will have to testify, perhaps as early as today. For more, see crime links in the news.





September 26, 2011

Wall Street Protests Turn Violent

Over 80 protesters were arrested on Saturday as the "Occupy Wall Street" demonstration entered its second week. Protesters say that police are using excessive force and on Saturday a video was released showing police using pepper spray on demonstrators. A few hundred protesters have camped out on in the Wall Street area protesting what they say is a failed and corrupt financial system. On Sunday protesters conducted a march to Union Square. An NYPD spokesman told the New York Times that pepper spray was used when the crowd tried to prevent officers from erecting a barrier. Protesters say pepper spray was used more than once and was used on a group of women who were not interfering with police business. The protests are now in their ninth day.





September 23, 2011

Class Sizes Highest in Decade

Nearly 7,000 classes are over their contractual limits this year, according to a survey by the teachers union. That's 1,000 more than last year; represents roughly a quarter of all students enrolled in public school; and is the highest number in ten years. The survey was taken on the sixth day of school and the number of crowded classrooms is likely to change. Official figures for enrollment are not yet available. But the city did acknowledge that final class-size numbers would show more crowded classrooms and blamed a $1.7 billion drop in state and federal aid.





September 22, 2011

Cuomo Opens Up

The Cuomo administration will soon unveil a Web site providing the public with unprecedented access to the governor's schedule, travel, and more. Gotham Gazette's David King got an exclusive preview of the site and describes its features. King also reviews the administration's somewhat checkered record on openness -- at least up until now. To read more, go to Connecting Cuomo to the People.





September 21, 2011

50 New Middle Schools

The city will open 50 new middle schools in the next two years according to schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott. The new schools will be a mix of charter and district run. The city will shutter other failing schools The city hopes to win $30 million in federal funds to replace teachers and leadership in middle schools. Walcott plans to to overhaul at least five middle schools and would follow the federal "turnaround" program designed to fix troubled schools where half of a schools staff would be reassigned. Walcott  also emphasized a focus on literacy programs. Michael Mulgrew, president of the teachers union, was not impressed by the plan. He compared the it to "rearranging the deck chairs," and said he wants more details. For more education news, see our Education Links in the News.





September 20, 2011

Tax Breaks Lure Company to City

Pearson PLC, the London-based company that publishes the Financial Times, will relocate about 600 workers from the suburbs to Manhattan after receiving some $13.5 million in so-called incentives from New York City and the state. This will include $9 million in tax breaks and $4.5 million in energy discounts. Other credits and subsidies could bring the total package to almost $50 million, according to one estimate. Pearson, which owns Penguin books and an educational publishing operation, also will locate some jobs in Hoboken and received incentives from New Jersey to keep more jobs from going to Manhattan. It has signed a lease for 270,000 square feet in the Hudson Square area of lower Manhattan, near its existing office space. According to the company, the media and technology jobs will pay an average of $72,000 a year. For more, see Economy Links in the News.





September 19, 2011

Mayor's Report: Crime Rises, AIDS Cases Fall

The Bloomberg administration released its study of city services on Friday in the 2011 Mayor's Management Report. Of the numerous services it tracks the report showed  that AIDS cases have dropped drastically, while crime in the city has risen, police response times increased since the mayor's 2010 report, class sizes have increased, and it takes city double the time it used to to fix a pothole.  AIDS cases have been prevented thanks to better testing, understanding of transmission and improved medication. Crime seems to be rising in part due to budget cuts. Rapes, murders and felony assaults have all increased since the last fiscal year and it takes police on average a minute longer to respond to calls. The good news? Tourism is up, there are fewer schools safety incidents, and construction related problems are down. For more, see Searchlight on City Hall.





September 16, 2011

Smoking Hits All-Time Low

A survey released yesterday finds that 14 percent of adults said they were smokers in 2010 a drop from 15.8 percent in 2009. The new figure is an all-time low. Public high school students were found to smoke at a rate of 7 percent--a drop from a high of 18 percent earlier this decade. The study which was conducted by the city heath department and the Bloomberg administration was quick to link the decline in smokers to Bloomberg's many anti-smoking policies. In 2002 Bloomberg banned smoking in restaurants, bars  and most workplaces. Although too recent to show up in the study, in May the city initiated a ban on smoking in public parks and beaches. Also credited for the decline in smoking--increased taxes and anti-smoking ads. For more, see our Health Links in the News.





September 15, 2011

Congressional Election Fallout

Debate continues over why a GOP newcomer was able to win a congressional seat in a Democratic stronghold. On goes the well established bickering where the winner claims national significance and the loser blames local trends. But many Democrats are now blaming Queens Democratic boss Joseph Crowley, the man who chose David Weprin to run. They say he was only chosen because he wouldn't challenge any nearby seats - including Crowley's - if the district is cut out during reapportionment as expected. But Crowely notes that Weprin won in Queens while being trounced in Brooklyn. As a result, Vito Lopez, the Brooklyn Democratic boss, is catching some blame too for his lack of engagement with the race.





September 14, 2011

GOP Wins House, Dems Assembly

The GOP's Bob Turner won yesterday's special election for the 9th district House seat, defeating Democrat David Weprin. The post was last held by Anthony Weiner and has been in Democratic hands  since 1920. Some framed the contest as a referendum on President Barack Obama, and former Mayor Ed Koch endorsed Turner as a rebuke against Obama's stance on Israel. But local factors played a role as well, such as the large Orthodox Jewish community's dissatisfaction with Weprin's support for gay marriage. Democratic Assembly candidates won all six seats up for special election yesterday. Among them were  Rafael Espinal who triumphed in Bushwick's 54th district, despite his problematic campaign and two energetic opponents. Meanwhile, City Councilmember Ruben Wills held onto his Southeast Queens seat in the face of his legal troubles. Voters may well have found his opponent's record more troubling.





September 13, 2011

Special Election

Today New York City voters can cast their votes in a number of special elections across the city. The race to replace disgraced Rep. Anthony Weiner in the 9th Congressional District has certainly become the most heated race as Republican Bob Turner and Democratic Assemblymember David Weprin have battled over same-sex marriage, Israel and the Zadroga Act. Polls indicate that Weprin is flagging behind Turner as the race has become a national spectacle that some see as a referendum on President Barack Obama. There are also contested seats in the 23rd, 27th, 54th and 73rd Assembly Districts. The race in the 54th district could be the most competitive. The campaign of party-backed candidate Rafael Espinal has resorted to some interesting tactics. There is also a council race and judge races. Find out more about who you can vote for in our Guide For the Last Minute Voter.





September 12, 2011

10 Years After

In events throughout the city yesterday, New Yorkers marked the 10th anniversary of a day that few who were here then will ever forget. Thousands gathered at Ground Zero to hear the now-traditional reading of victims' names, as President Barack Obama and former President George W. Bush listened. But the day of remembrance also offered signs of how the city has moved forward in the last decade. The 9/11 memorial yesterday opened to families, most of whom praised the memorial and said they were moved by it. And the area that was the scene of such destruction has come back , as billions of dollars have spawned new buildings and attracted new residents.





September 09, 2011

Risk of Bombing on 9/11

U.S. officials are investigating a "specific, credible, but unconfirmed" report that Al Qaeda may attempt a car or truck bombing in New York or Washington around the 9/11 anniversary. The police department is heightening security in light of the risk, which includes forcing even residents within several blocks of Ground Zero to be escorted by police to their homes. Mayor Bloomberg, however, has cautioned against overreaction, saying New Yorkers should not be intimidated and that he will be taking the subway as usual.





September 08, 2011

Police Bullets Probed in Bystander's Death

The police may have killed a bystander in a shootout in Crown Heights on Monday after the West Indian Day parade. One man shot another, and then the police intervened, killing him. Witnesses had previously stated that the man who started the gun fight had killed her, but authorities have ruled out his weapon. Surveillance footage suggests it was the police who killed her. They fired 73 bullets, only hitting him twice. The footage shows that he clearly fired on the officers first. Ballistics testing on the bullet that killed the innocent woman was inconclusive, but there was no gun found associated with the victim of the man killed by police, although witness said he had one. The holiday weekend saw a surge in gun violence.





September 07, 2011

Police Stops Assailed

City Councilmember Jumaane Williams and an array of local officials yesterday linked the police detention of Williams and an aide to Public Advocate Bill de Blasio to the department's stop and frisk policy. At a drenched press conference at City Hall, Williams said he and Kirsten John Foy, who are both black, would not have been stopped and handcuffed after the West Indian Day Parade Monday if they had been white. They and some of the elected officials assailed police stops of young back and Latino men that, Foy said, "terrorize our communities." Williams also denounced as "a bald-faced lie" a police account that an officer had been punched during the incident. Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said the department was investigating what had occurred, but dismissed any link between stop and frisk policies and the detention of Williams and Foy. For more, see The Wonkster and Civil Rights Link in the News.





September 06, 2011

Gun Violence Rocks City

Four people were killed, two officers wounded and at least 48 people shot,  over the Labor Day weekend. Twenty four people were hit by gunfire in a 24-hour period starting at 6 a.m. on Saturday. Three people were shot to death and two officers wounded during a melee in the Crown Heights neighborhood following the Caribbean Parade. A brawl broke out, which lead to shooting and eventually police exchanged shots with a gunman--a mother was shot and killed in the crossfire while sitting on a stoop with her daughter. The Post reports that eight officers fired about 70 shots and killed the suspect--it is not clear how many shots the suspect fired. Mayor Michael Bloomberg called the weekend violence, "unconscionable." For more, see Crime Links in The News.
 





September 02, 2011

Controversy Builds over Goldsmith Resignation

Criticism of Mayor Michael Bloomberg mounted yesterday after the Post reported that he concealed the fact that Deputy Mayor Stephen Goldsmith resigned last month because of his arrest in Washington, D.C. for domestic violence. In announcing the resignation both the mayor and his deputy said Goldsmith was leaving to pursue opportunities in the private sector. Although Goldsmith maintained he was innocent of any crime, his wife backs him up, and charges were dropped, the incident apparently convinced both Bloomberg and Goldsmith that Goldsmith had to go. Yesterday no one disputed that, but many officials objected to the mayor's deception. Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer called concealing the reason for Goldsmith's departure "absolutely unacceptable," and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn said facts on Goldsmith's departure "should be made public." So far, the mayor's office has remained largely silent, and Bloomberg canceled his regular Friday radio appearance this morning, reportedly to avoid being questioned. For more, see City Hall Links in the News.



9/11 Cancer Link Seen

Firefighters who worked at Ground Zero shortly after the 9/11 attacks have a 19 percent greater chance of developing cancer than those who did not work there, according to a study released yesterday. The 9/11 responders also were 10 percent more likely to get cancer than members of the general public. The study, published in The Lancet, could put increased pressure on the federal government to reverse its stand and cover cancer victims under the Zadroga health act for 9/11 responders. Experts said the Lancet study alone would probably not change Washington's policy -- and the study's writers counseled caution about interpreting the data -- but it could be a step toward extending the Zadroga act's coverage. For more, see Health Links in the News.





September 01, 2011

Irene to Cost Over $1 Billion

The federal government has started offering funds to help those affected by Irene. More than 243,000 New Yorkers are still without electricity, 350,000 households in Connecticut are without power, and 179,000 customers in New Jersey are in the dark. The Passaic River in North Jersey is causing the highest floodwaters in over a century. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has estimated that recovery costs across the state would likely eclipse $1 billion. He's requested disaster aid for 26 counties and the feds have agreed to reimburse 75 percent of recovery costs for 18 other counties. Five counties in Jersey have been declared disaster areas by the president. And finally, Irene helped make August the wettest month ever recorded in the New York City.





August 31, 2011

Fallout From Irene Continues

Gov. Andrew Cuomo formally asked for the federal government to declare a major disaster in the state, which would release federal assistance. Cuomo, who has experience dealing with hurricanes, has thrown himself into preparation and recovery over the past week. Commuter train service was still spotty yesterday. Nearly one million are still without power across the region. Some rivers in New Jersey and Connecticut weren't expected to finish cresting until last night, so flooding continued. The cost of Irene's wrath is estimated to likely rank among the ten most expensive national disasters ever.





August 30, 2011

Murdoch Loses Contract

The State Comptrollers Office has rejected a $27 million contract with a subsidiary of News Corporation to create a system to track student performance. DiNapoli initially approved the no-bid contact with Wireless Generation but as the controversy over phone tapping at News Corp. heated up the deal became untenable. Last week DiNapoli decided the contract should be put out to bid to other companies. Wireless Generation was acquired by News Corp. after Joel Klein left city employment to work for News Corp. The company had previously designed the city's student data tracker. Wireless Generation is currently deciding whether to submit another bid. For more, see The Wonkster.





August 29, 2011

After the Storm

After days of fearful anticipation, Hurricane Irene swept into New York City Saturday night and then left relatively quietly by midday Sunday. Coastal areas farther south felt the force of a violent storm, and upstate New York and Vermont grappled with major flooding. Locally, though, the worst damage appeared to be in the suburbs as the five boroughs experienced little major damage, with conditions in many parts of the city akin to those after a violent thunder storm. Thousands of customers lost power, and the storm destroyed some 719 trees. Today much is returning to normal as subway service resumed, albeit haltingly in spots -- although some commuter rail systems were still out of service. The stock exchanges and city offices expect to open today, but beaches will remain closed. And you won’t have to feed the meter! While some New Yorkers grumbled the mandatory evacuations and subways shutdown, represented a massive overreaction, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said yesterday that he had called it "exactly right," and pundits theorized his stand will help dim memories of his administration's botched handling of last winter's blizzard. For more, see Links in the News.



A Raise for Judges

A state commission Friday gave the state's judges their first raise in 12 years, though the increase fell far short of what many on the bench wanted. The commission, appointed to resolve the issue after 10 years of controversy, hiked the pay by 27 percent over three years, upping the salary of a state Supreme Court judge from $136,700 to $174,000. Several judges and the state Bar Association expressed dissatisfaction with the size of the increase, which will go into effect in the spring unless the legislature and governor block it. During the decade-long battle over judicial pay, the state went from having among the country's highest paid judiciary to having among the lowest paid.





August 27, 2011

Special Hurricane Irene Edition

As Hurricane Irene battered North Carolina and Virginia, New York City ramped up its preparation efforts Saturday. Subways, buses and rail commuter lines shut down at noon on a rainy muggy day. Although Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Friday ordered mandatory evacuation of some vulnerable coastal areas, indications were that at least some affected residents had decided to stay put. At 3:30 Saturday afternoon, only 1,400 people had arrived at emergency centers designed to accommodate 70,000. Gov Andrew Cuomo called up almost 2,000 National Guard troops to assist emergency workers in the city and on Long Island. Latest forecasts call for the storm's center -- and possibly brining winds as high as 85 miles per hour -- to hit the metropolitan area Sunday afternoon. Officials fear, though that the city could experience serious flooding earlier in the day.

 

For more information:

National Weather Service

Irene Storm tracker

City Severe Weather Page, including evacuation routes and updates

Map of City Evacuation Zones

Quick Guide to City's Storm Plan

New York City Hurricane Preparation Guide

WNYC's Urban Survival Guide





August 26, 2011

Waiting for Irene
As Hurricane Irene moved up the coast, local officials Thursday began announcing emergency plans. With Irene predicted to be in New York or somewhere off its shore early Sunday, Gov Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency in advance of the storm. Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced evacuation of nursing home residents in low-lying areas would begin this morning and that he would decide whether to order more extensive evacuations by 8 a.m. Saturday. In contrast to his handling of December's blizzard, Bloomberg moved quickly yesterday, also revoking permits for all street fairs and other outdoor events slated for Sunday. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority warned of a possible transit shutdown that could begin Saturday and extend into the Monday morning rush, something that would be unprecedented. While Bloomberg referred people to nyc.gov, the site was operating extremely slowly -- and sometimes not at all -- on Thursday. For more, see Links in the News.

Court Order Release of Teacher Ratings

A state appeals court yesterday ruled that the city must make public effectiveness ratings for some 12,000 teachers. Media organizations had sought the data on the teachers under a Freedom of Information Act request. The United Federation of Teachers challenged that, arguing the detailed rankings on a scale of 1 to 100 and based largely on test scores were inaccurate and that releasing them raised privacy concerns. The city said it would hold off releasing the data pending the union's appeal of the ruling.





August 25, 2011

Judge Tosses State Teacher Review

A judge yesterday struck down a new state regulation allowing schools to give teachers the lowest rating if they fail the student performance part of their evaluation. The state teachers union had challenged regulations created by the Board of Regents in an attempt to implement a new state law. Justice Michael Lynch of State Supreme Court in Albany ruled that the Regents had failed to give sufficient weight to collective bargaining requirements, and that it had not fully acknowledged the law’s stipulation that test scores alone cannot determine a teacher’s performance review.





August 24, 2011

Earthquake Causes Short Disruption

An earthquake registering 5.8 on the Richter scale struck yesterday outside of Washington and was felt from Maine to Georgia. In Manhattan, the quake registered just over 2 on the scale. There were no significant damage or injuries reported in the city other than the partial chimney collapse at a public-housing development in Red Hook. All of the courthouses, City Hall, and One Police Plaza were evacuated while airports, commuter trains, and a tunnel were shut down briefly. MTA service was not affected. Cuomo said the state is reviewing hydroelectric plants, nuclear power plants, key bridges and tunnels, and other critical infrastructure. Cracks appeared in the Washington Monument.





August 23, 2011

Rise in Household Homicides

The number of people murdered by family members they live with increased 10 percent statewide last year, jumping to 144 from 131 the year before. The rise was largest among children, with 37 minors being killed last year compared to 17 in 2009. Almost all of that increase occurred in the city.





August 22, 2011

Schneiderman Faces Pressure on Bank Deal

Attorney General Eric Scheiderman is under increasing pressure from the Obama administration to drop his opposition to a settlement with banks over dubious foreclosure practices, reports the New York Times. Schneiderman, along with other prosecutors across the country, worry that the deal will prevent them from investigating and prosecuting wrongdoing in mortgage securities. Large banks have reportedly asked the Obama administration to pressure Schneiderman to accept the settlement and Shaun Donovan, secretary of Housing and Urban Development, has reportedly been doing just that. Schneiderman is also facing pressure to drop a suit blocking a deal that would see Bank of America pay $8.5 billion to investors who hold a number of mortgage backed securities.





August 19, 2011

Port Authority to Hike Tolls

The Port Authority is set to vote today on a revised slate of toll and fare increases. The original plan that called for a $4 toll hike for EZ Pass users on Port Authority run tunnels and bridges has been slashed to an increase of $1.50. Riders who pay cash will face an increase of $4. The revised plan was announced last night by Govs. Andrew Cuomo and Chris Christie. Transportation advocates had expected that original toll increases to be scrapped in favor of a lesser increase. The New York Times described toll increases at the Port Authority as "highly choreographed affairs." The Post reported earlier this week that the governors would likely release a reduced toll plan on Friday--just before the vote.
 





August 18, 2011

Judge Rejects Bloomberg LP Suit

A judge yesterday rejected a class action lawsuit claiming Bloomberg L.P. discriminated against pregnant women and mothers. U.S. District Judge Loretta Preska in Manhattan said the case brought by the federal Equal Employee Opportunity Commission relied too heavily on anecdotes and didn't provide enough statistical evidence. In fact, she cited statistics from the company showing that women who went on maternity leave actually received higher increases in compensation than those who took leaves for other reasons. The judge did, however, say that some 65 individual claims can proceed in the case. The media and financial news company was founded by Michael Bloomberg before he became mayor.





August 17, 2011

Judge Clears Brooklyn Bike Lane

The controversial bike lane along Prospect Park West will remain for now since a judge has dismissed an effort by local groups to remove it. Judge Bert Bunyan of State Supreme Court in Brooklyn ruled yesterday that their lawsuit was filed after statute of limitations had expired. The plaintiffs, Seniors for Safety and Neighbors for Better Bike Lanes, haven't ruled out an appeal. The judge did, however, order the city to explain why it didn't fully comply with a Freedom of Information request pertaining to the bike lane.





August 16, 2011

Port Authority Looks at Fare, Toll Hikes

The Port Authority will hold public hearings all over the city today to discuss its planned toll and fare increases. A new plan would see tolls on Port Authority bridges and tunnels increase from $8 to $12 for those with EZ-Pass and $8 to $15 for those paying cash. PATH tickets would increase $1.75 a trip to $2.75. Port Authority officials have warned that they will be unable to continue construction at Ground Zero if they can't increase their income and it isn't clear where Gov. Andrew Cuomo stands on the unpopular fare and toll hikes. Cuomo could veto the plan. The NY Post reports that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Cuomo are "tightening the screws" on the Port Authority over the tolls and that a new deal could come only hours before the Port Authority votes on its fare and toll increase plan on Friday. For a list of public hearings, go here.





August 15, 2011

Under Probe, Corrections Official Quits

Larry Davis Sr., the number two official in the city's Department of Correction, resigned as the Department of Investigation launched an inquiry into a subordinate's use of a department car. The investigators already were looking into whether Davis, who served with the department for 31 years, took trips paid for by subordinates hoping to curry favor with him. An anonymous official said correction commissioner Dora Schriro had become increasingly dissatisfied with Davis' management since she named him the department's highest ranking uniformed officer in 2009. Others attributed some of Davis' difficulties to ruthless office politics. Schriro has announced the appointment of Michael Hourihane, a 30-year department veteran, to replace Davis. For more, see Crime and Security Links in the News.





August 12, 2011

Bloomberg's Last-Minute Budget Earmarks

Several council members want to prohibit the mayor from inserting multi-million dollar expenditures into the budget at the last minute. In June Mayor Michael Bloomberg quietly earmarked $22.5 million for his program to aid young black and Latino men after the time for public review had ended. The money was added to the budget the day they adopted it. Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr. is considering introducing a bill to thwart the practice, and Council Speaker Christine Quinn said she'd consider it.





August 11, 2011

City Challenges Census

The city has filed a formal challenge to the census bureau's 2010 count, saying they overlooked at least 50,000 residents throughout Astoria, Jackson Heights, Bay Ridge and Bensonhurst. Although the city contests the whole count, the challenge focuses on these areas, where it says an unrealistic number of vacant homes were counted. The bureau counted a citywide population of 8.175 million, a 2.1 percent increase over 2000. But that growth showed only 1,300 new people in Queens and 39,000 more in Brooklyn. Both Sen. Schumer and Sen. Gillibrand support the challenge. A successful adjustment would come too late to affect the congressional reapportionment, but it would raise the amount of federal funds the city would receive. Gotham Gazette also broke down the census's first five-year American Community Survey file.





August 10, 2011

City to Require Sex Education

In an effort to combat unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases, New York City public middle and high schools will begin requiring sex education classes this year. The effort is part of the initiative, announced by Mayor Michael Bloomberg last week, to improve the lives of young black and Latino men. The curriculum will include material on birth control measures, including how to use a condom. Parents will be able to remove their children from those classes. There has not been a required, uniform sex education curriculum in city schools for more than 20 years. For more, see Education Links in the News.





August 09, 2011

Small Gains in Test Scores

Overall, 57.3 percent of city students passed the elementary and middle school statewide math tests, up from 54 percent last year. In English, 43.9 percent passed, a 1.5 percent rise from last year. But that's a steep drop from 2009 when the state decided the tests had gotten too easy and thus recalibrated the scores and began revamping the tests. A gap between black and Hispanic students and their white peers also remained persistently intransigent. And barely a third of all eighth-graders met the bar for reading standards, the group's lowest mark since 2006. Yet the increase in achievement by city students still outpaced the statewide rise. The tests are becoming more important than ever to the city's teachers.





August 08, 2011

Port Authority Proposes Steep Hike

Crossing the Hudson River into New York City could cost $15 under a proposal put forth Friday by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The huge fare hike -- from the current $8 for a customer using EZPass to $14 in 2014 -- would affect the Holland and Lincoln tunnels and the George Washington, Goethals, Outerbridge and Bayonne bridges. The single-ride fare on the PATH train would rise from $1.75 to $2.75. Despite reports that Govs. Andrew Cuomo and Chris Christie had signed off on an increase, sources in both administrations said that the governors would reject such a steep hike. The authority's board must approve any increase, and the governors appoint the members of that board. If approved, the increase would reportedly fund a $33 billion capital plan. For more, see Transportation Links in the News.



Hugh Carey

Former Gov. Hugh Carey, widely recognized for piloting New York City and state through the fiscal crisis of the mid 1970s, died at his home on Shelter Island Sunday. He was 92. A member of Congress from Brooklyn, Carey took office in 1975 with the city teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. He played the major role in averting calamity, engineering state loans for the city and enlisting labor unions and others in cobbling together a rescue plan. For more on Carey's effort, read New York's Savior.





August 05, 2011

Response to Mayor's New Plan

A day after the mayor announced a new plan to help young black and Latino males find work that would be partially funded by his own money, a number of questions have been raised. Will the program be nimble enough to tackle an entrenched problem with disparate issues? Are the private donations a conflict of interest? Will Patricia Harris, a deputy mayor who also run's Bloomberg's philanthropy, play a role in overseeing and monitoring this program? The questions remain to be answered.





August 04, 2011

Bloomberg Funds Plan to Aid Minority Youth

The Bloomberg administration plans to launch a three year program aimed at creating job opportunities for young black and Latino men. The $127 million plan, called the Young Men's Initiative, will be funded by $30 million of the mayor's own money, $30 million by George Soros, and the rest by the city. It will place job-recruitment centers in public-housing complexes where many young black and Latino men live, retrain probation officers in an effort to reduce recidivism, establish new fatherhood classes and assess schools on the academic progress of male black and Latino students. Meanwhile, Bloomberg also raised $1.5 million in private donations to resume January Regents testing, which the state cut from the budget. Five anonymous donors matched Bloomberg's personal $250,000 contribution to the effort. The funds only cover this year's tests.





August 03, 2011

Leaving New York

In the first decade of the new century, New York state saw more of its residents leave for other parts of the country than any other state in the country. Despite this, an analysis of census data by the Manhattan Institute found, the state population rose by half a million people, largely because of births. Over 1.5 million more people moved out of the state than moved in from other states, making the aughts the second straight decade in which New York led the nation in out migration. Some attribute the loss to the state's high cost of living and tax rate. The report also found a slowing of immigration from other countries during the 10 years. Since 1960, 7.3 million people have left New York for other states.





August 02, 2011

Debt Deal Could Hurt City

The House of Representatives passed a compromise plan yesterday that would raise the debt ceiling and cut federal spending by $2.1 trillion over the next ten years by a vote of 269 to 161. The compromise will come up for a vote in the Senate today. While the vote may have allayed larger fears about the national economy it leaves many New Yorkers worried about what impact cuts to federal aid will have on the city. Medicare could face cuts as could, funding for the Zagroda bill, homeland security funding and federal support for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The New York State Congressional Delegation was split in its support for the bill--14 members voted for it and 13 against.





August 01, 2011

Debt Deal Seems Near
President Barack Obama and House and Senate leaders said late yesterday that they had reached a deal to avert a U.S. default. Both houses of Congress still need to approve the plan, which will cut trillions of dollars in federal spending and not raise taxes. The plan faces considerable opposition in the House.

Audit Criticizes Subway Disruptions

Subway riders griping about service disruptions got some validation this weekend as the state and city comptrollers released an audit that criticized the management of the service changes. The weekend interruptions have led to tens of millions in cost overruns, some because Metropolitan Transportation Authority did not properly monitor expenses, the report says. The audit also found the MTA did not adequately inform subways riders of the service changes. Further the report -- an unusual joint city and state audit -- said disruptions were increasing in frequency and lasting longer, and that service was sometimes suspended even when no work was taking place. An MTA spokesperson said the service diversions are necessary and that the agency makes "every effort to minimize customer inconvenience." To read the audit, go here. For more, see Transportation Links in the News.





July 29, 2011

Surveillance Network Near Completion

The Police Department's "Ring of Steel" surveillance network now has 1,800 cameras in place and another 1,200 will be installed by Sept. 11. The focus is primarily on the area South of Canal, but cameras also cover Midtown and the subway. The 600 cameras in the subway have led to 100 arrests in the past eight months. The department is also testing a groundbreaking dirty bomb detector.





July 28, 2011

Teacher Tenure Plummets

Only 58 percent of eligible teachers were awarded tenure this year, the first since tougher evaluation guidelines were put into effect. Another 39 percent of teachers had tenure deferred while 3 percent were denied. Last year only 8 percent were deferred and five years ago about 99 percent were approved. Under the new system, principals evaluate teachers based on classroom observation, student work, test scores, student attendance and feedback from students and parents. But several principals said they felt pressure not to award tenure. And some teachers are saying that tenure wasn't awarded for reasons entirely unrelated to performance. All teachers are eligible for tenure review after three years.





July 27, 2011

MTA Looks to Raise Fares

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced yesterday that it wants to hike fares and tolls by a combined 7.5 percent in 2013 and 2015 to plug multimillion dollar holes in its budget. The fare increases are part of a 5-year-plan that will be presented to the MTA board for review today. Despite any planned fare hikes the MTA looks to be in the red for the foreseeable future. The plan leaves the agency with a $54 million gap in its 2014 budget and $178 million in 2015. The plan calls for looking for major concessions from the Transit Workers Union and has a new formula for adding to its capital budget. The plan does plug a $247 million hole in its 2012 budget through spending cuts while avoiding service cuts. Fore more, see Transportation Links in the News.





July 26, 2011

Markowitz Fined $20,000

The city's Conflicts of Interest Board has fined Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz $20,000 for taking his wife on foreign trips -- and not paying her way. Markowitz said he would pay the penalty but called the decision "crazy" and likened his wife Jamie's travel to trips by first lady Michelle Obama. The penalty arose from trips Markowitz had taken to Turkey and the Netherlands in 2009 as a guest of the countries. This is Markowitz's second ethics violation this year. For more, see Governing Links in the News.





July 25, 2011

Marriage Weekend

Same-sex couples across the state were finally able to tie the knot this weekend as legislation allowing the unions became law at 12:01 a.m. on Sunday. Becase of New York's population the number of Americans living in states where same-sex marriage is legal doubled overnight. Celebrations and group weddings took place across the state. At the same time thousands of people around the state rallied against same-sex marriage. Sen. Ruben Diaz led a demonstration in Manhattan. Gov. Andrew Cuomo held a party for marriage advocates in Manhattan, Mayor Michael Bloomberg presided over a wedding of two of his aides at Gracie Mansion and City Council speaker Christine Quinn attended marriage bureaus across the city.
 





July 22, 2011

MTA Chief Abruptly Quits

MTA Chairman and CEO Jay Walder resigned in a surprise announcement yesterday, leaving two years into a six year term. He will step down in late October to take over Hong Kong's MTR Corporation. Although he hasn't had the best relationship with Gov. Cuomo, Walder doesn't appear to have been forced out (he would have received a large severance payout if he were). But the MTA faces a $9 billion deficit next year, whereas MTR is profitable and growing. And he will also make much more money - the MTA is paying him a base salary of $350,000, compared with MTR's departing CEO who earned $1.78 million last year.





July 21, 2011

Parents Sue Over PCBs in Schools

Parents of students have sued the city in federal court over its plan to remove PCBs from schools. While the city has laid out a 10 year strategy to remove the toxic chemical from contaminated buildings, the parents are pushing for a two year timeframe. Officials from the E.P.A. and the City Council have also called on the Bloomberg Administration to finish in under five years. The parents are suing to compel the city to begin replacing contaminated lighting ballasts immediately.





July 20, 2011

Mayor Seeks Tech Campus

Ramping up his efforts to build a major school of engineering and applied science in the city, Mayor Michael Bloomberg yesterday said he's prepared to offer up to $100 million in city money to get one. Saying he wanted New York to replace Silicon Valley as the "world's capital of techno startups," Bloomberg asked universities to submit proposals to create the campus, perhaps on Governor Island or Roosevelt Island. The administration says such a campus could bring in as much as $6 billion in economic activity. Cornell, Stanford, Columbia and NYU have all expressed interest. The bidding process should be complete by the end of the year. For more, see Technology Links in the News





July 19, 2011

The Tattered Safety Net

Today Gotham Gazette launches a series on what the government is -- and is not -- doing to help the 1.8 million New Yorkers on the down side of our huge economic divide. About one in five New Yorkers lives at or below the poverty level, with 10.5 percent trying to scrape by on incomes less than half the poverty level, or below $10,500 for a family of four.

As the poverty level has remained largely unchanged, the wealthy have gotten richer – some 58 billionaires reportedly call New York home – and we have  the widest income divide of any major city in the country. At the same time, all levels of government have sought to cut spending, reducing programs for the poor and raising fees for public services.

Our series begins today with a close look at Mayor Michael Bloomberg's poverty policies -- and the disconnect between his public policies and his private initiatives. In future weeks, we will look at an array of issues, including services for youth, the demise of the safety net hospital, the link between poverty and prison -- and more.



Sensors to Drive Midtown Traffic

A new program uses wireless technology to alert officials of traffic jams in Midtown and gives them the ability to manipulate traffic signals appropriately. Data is gathered from microwave sensors, traffic video cameras, and E-ZPass readers for 23 intersections beginning at 42nd Street and up to 57th, bound by Second to Sixth avenues. Officials can now use that data and make a light turn at the touch of a button. Previously, traffic signals could only be set to preset signal patterns based on the time of day. After six months, engineers will analyze the congestion data using GPS technology from taxis to see how it is working. Then it might expand to other areas. The city paid $1 million for the program and the federal government chipped in $600,000.





July 18, 2011

Cuomo and Labor

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has reached tentative deals with the state's two largest employers of public workers--the Civil Service Employees Association and the Public Employees Federation but the fate of the deals are still up in the air. Labor leaders are concerned that the rank and file will vote down the deals that avoid layoffs with other concessions and therefore plan to campaign to get their member's support. The deals are seen as a test for Cuomo who recently told the New York Times that it is his main priority to trim entitlements for public employees. Cuomo has threatened nearly 10,000 layoffs if his demands for concessions are not met. For more, see Albany in the News.





July 15, 2011

FBI Investigating News Corp.

The FBI is in the early stages of an investigation into allegations that journalists from News Corp. hacked into the phones of 9/11 victims. Attorney General Eric Holder confirmed the investigation today. The investigation comes as scandal surrounding Rupert Murdoch owned newspapers in Britain grows. New allegations of illegal behavior involving his reporters seem to appear each day. Some of those allegations include that his papers bribed police and hacked the phones of dead soldiers, murder victims and even members of the government. Rep. Peter King wrote FBI director Robert Muller to ask for the investigation following reports that News Corp. journalists used bribery and wire tapping to gain access to informationa bout 9/11 victims. At least five other legislators have called for an investigation. In an effort to respond to the scandal that has rocked his empire, Murdoch has agreed to appear before British Parliament and gave an interview to the Wall Street Journal, a paper he owns.





July 14, 2011

Judge Blocks Pregnancy Center Law

A federal judge yesterday temporarily blocked a new city law requiring crisis pregnancy centers to disclose whether they provide abortions or emergency contraception. U.S. District Judge William H. Pauley III, ruled that it violates free speech rights and is constitutionally vague. The centers are accused of deceiving women into not having abortions. Even the judge noted that the law’s opponents feigned ignorance that the deception was occurring. The city is expected to appeal. A similar law was recently struck down in Maryland.





July 13, 2011

Quinn, Stringer Lead in Money Race

As candidates file their campaign finance disclosure reports for the first half of the year, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn seems to lead the pack of possible 2013 mayoral contenders in the money race. Quinn's consultant told reporters she had raised $1.32 million in the last six months for a total of about $4 million. Trailing her are Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer with a reported $2.45 million and Public Advocate Bill de Blasio with a bit over $1 million. City Comptroller John Liu, also considered a likely candidate, has not announced his fund-raising total. Also declared are William Thompson, who just began fundraising in the spring and has collected about $250,000, according to an aide, and publisher Tom Allon, who announced his candidacy just yesterday so will not have to file a report for another six months. Rep Anthony Weiner remains the leader in the mayoral fundraising contest, with about $5 million, but no one expects him to be spending that money on a 2013 bid for citywide office. All declared city candidates for 2013 must file reports by Friday. For more, see Searchlight Links in the News .





July 12, 2011

Trade Center Memorial Reservations Fly

Within an hour of being available online, 5,000 reservations had been made to visit the World Trade Center Memorial on its opening day 10 years after the attacks. There were so many people trying to make reservations, the Web site couldn't handle the traffic. There were 24,000 requests made by that evening. The memorial is still under construction. Officials there are considering a controversial charge for visiting the neighboring museum in order to cover the two attractions' expected combined operating costs of $50 million a year.





July 11, 2011

We Owe it All to Readers Like You

Many, many thanks to all of you who contributed to our June fund-raising appeal, letting us meet our goal of $15,000. Your generous support will help us continue to bring you independent, in-depth reporting on issues that matter -- including important information you can't get anywhere else. (For those of you who meant to give and didn't, you can still go here to make a tax-deductible gift today.) Thank you for reading, giving -- and helping to make Gotham Gazette the place for New York policy and politics.



Big Change in the Governor's Office

Steven Cohen, Gov. Andrew Cuomo's top aide, will leave the administration, the governor announced Friday. Lawrence Schwartz, who served as the secretary -- or top aide -- to former Gov. David Paterson, will now take over that job for Cuomo. Cohen, a top Cuomo aide since 2007 and a key behind-the-scenes player in the fight for same-sex marriage, has long been expected to leave for the private sector, but his departure is still viewed as a marking a significant shift in Albany. Schwartz helped run Gov. Mario Cuomo's unsuccessful 1994 re-election campaign and has served as a senior adviser to Andrew as well. Schwartz kept Paterson's office running despite controversies and scandals, although he is also said to have had a contentious relationship with the legislature. For more, see Eye on Albany Links in the News.





July 08, 2011

Morgenthau Defends Manhattan DA

Robert Morgenthau, the man who held Cyrus Vance Jr's seat as Manhattan District Attorney for 35 years before him, yesterday came to his defense over the handling of the Dominique Strauss-Kahn case. The background of the woman who accused Strauss-Kahn of sexual assault has been called into question by information discovered by Vance's office. Supporters said Vance acted ethically in bringing the concerns to the court's attention, critics said his office rushed for an indictment before investigating her background. Morgenthau says Vance couldn't have acted more ethically, and that is the benchmark the office should be held against. Meanwhile, the Uniformed Fire Officers Association is calling on Vance to reopen the Deutsche Bank fire case that resulted in no criminal charges.





July 07, 2011

Final Acquittal in Deutsche Bank Fire

Yesterday a judge acquitted the last of three men charged in the death of two firefighters during the Deutsche Bank inferno four years ago. The other two were found not guilty by a jury. This last defendant, who was a construction supervisor for a company subcontracted to dismantle the toxic building, faced up to 15 years in jail for manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide and reckless endangerment charges. His employer, the John Galt Corporation, was found guilty of reckless endangerment, a misdemeanor, and faces a $5,000 fine. Charges against the city and other agencies, who were also implicated in the deaths, were not brought due to legal hurdles. But the family of one of the firefighters has several civil suits pending against the city, the Fire Department and Galt.





July 06, 2011

Value of Pension Funds Increases

New York City's pension funds gained 20 percent in value in the year ending June 30, their largest gain in 13 years, Comptroller John Liu announced yesterday. The funds were valued at almost $98 billion at the end of June 2010 and are now worth about $119 billion. Liu credited the jump to his office's diversification strategy and to its hiring of professionals able to find the best opportunities among various types of investments. Some experts, though, said the strong stock market fueled the rise and noted that California's pension fund also has seen earnings increase. These numbers are preliminary with final figures to be released later. For more, see Public Finance Links in the News.





July 05, 2011

Strauss-Kahn Case Imploding

The sexual assault case against former head of the International Monetary Fund Dominique Strauss-Kahn appears on the verge of collapse. The New York Post is reporting that charges are expected to be dropped against Strauss-Kahn in the next two weeks. Prosecutors have indicated they have severe doubts about the strength of their case. Some reports state that the alleged victim has major credibility problems. Strauss-Kahn, who had been under house arrest for weeks, was released on Friday without bail. If the case does collapse it would be another serious setback for Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance. Vance's office lost two high-profile cases earlier this year--with the aquittals of two NYPD officers charged with rape, and of two construction supervisors involved in the Deutshe Bank blaze that killed two firefighters. Vance replaced long-time incumbent district attorney Robert Morgenthau when he retired in 2010, Vance became the first new Manhattan district attorney in 35 years. For more, check out our Law Links in The News.





July 01, 2011

Celebrate Our Independence

As Gotham Gazette's fund appeal reaches the finish line and July 4th weekend begins, you can mark both occasions with one move - a donation to Gotham Gazette. The nation's founders celebrated the value of a free press -- but even Tom Paine's leaflets cost money to produce. Help us meet our expenses by going here to make your July 4th gift today.



Report Recommends Regulated Fracking

A long awaited draft report on hydrofracking by the Department of Environmental Conservation will be released today and recommend allowing the gas drilling process with a number of restrictions and regulations. Prohibitions include drilling in watersheds, on state land, near sources of drinking water, and more. The rules would limit access to 15 percent of the state's Marcus Shale, which is where fracking is used. Supporters say the drilling will help the economy upstate while opponents claim it can contaminate drinking water. Reaction from environmental groups to the report has been mixed. . For more on that and the ban, go to The Wonkster.





June 30, 2011

Take Us Over the Line

We need you to help provide a final burst of energy for Gotham Gazette's June appeal. As the month winds down, we still have to raise $3,000 more so we can keep bringing you in-depth coverage, such as today's report on the city budget and our articles on the maneuvering over rent in Albany -- not to mention the rich sources of information on our site such as Councilpedia and Who's Running for What. So before you leave for the weekend, go here and make your tax-deductible contribution. Today, more than ever, we rely on readers like you.



Council Approves $66 Billion Budget

In a 49-1 vote, the City Council yesterday approved a $66 billion budget, up from $63.1 billion last year. It avoids the layoffs of 4,000 teachers but 2,600 retiring teachers will not be replaced. Firehouse closings were also avoided, but 1,000 government employees will be laid off. The city still faces $5 billion deficits in 2013 and 2014, according to the Bloomberg Administration.





June 29, 2011

Down to the Wire

Many, many thanks to all of you who have given to our June appeal and helped us raise $12,000. We can't do it without readers like you! But we need more of you to chip in so we can raise $15,000 and keep bringing you award-winning coverage of New York issues, policy and politics. Gotham Gazette may be free -- but producing it every day is not. Go here to make your tax-deductible gift today.



Budget Vote Today

The City Council postponed a vote on Mayor Michael Bloomberg's budget proposal last night until this morning to give to give New Yorkers a chance to review the deal. If the council had voted last night it would have broken an ethics rules set by Council Speaker Christine Quinn that mandates the Council give New Yorkers 24 hours to review the council's member items. There are already issues being raised about some of the planned member items. Protesters gathered last night to oppose budget cuts. The protesters held a sit in at 250 Broadway and 13 were arrested. A deal was reached on Friday to prevent the layoff of 4,000 teachers and the closing of 20 fire departments. But a number of retiring teachers are expected not to replaced and there are still expected to be layoffs of some city employees. Follow Searchlight on City Hall and the Wonkster to keep up to date on the budget vote.





June 28, 2011

Keep Us in the Race

With only four days left to go in our June fundraising drive, we're thousands short of our goal. We know money is tight and every worthy organization wants your help. But if you depend on us for the Eye Opener, for election coverage that goes beyond the spin and the soundbite, for the masses of information on Councilpedia and Who's Running for what and for stories you won’t see elsewhere -- such as David King's report on the turmoil on the Senate floor before the same-sex marriage vote -- please support Gotham Gazette. Go here and give today -- before it's too late.



Gay Marriage Economic Boon

While New York's legalization of same-sex marriage is still reverberating --raising the hopes of marriage advocates in other states and changing the political calculus across the country--more germain results of the vote are being considered in the city. The tourism industry plans a massive push to attract gay couples to marry in the city. The ctiy's official tourism agency is developing a global campaign called "NY I Do," to promote the city as the gay marriage destination. Hotels are already promoting special packages coinciding with the time the law goes into effect. Divorce lawyers are also see great benefits in gay marriage--eventualy there will be gay divorces. For more, see Albany in the News.





June 27, 2011

The Last Leg

This is the final week of Gotham Gazette's fundraising drive, and we need your support. Without that help we won't be able to keep bringing you stories you won't see elsewhere, stories like today's rundown of key legislation passed in Albany Friday before the vote on same sex marriage. Don't delay, give today and keep the policy and politics coming. Go here to make your tax-deductible contribution and, if you give $100 or more, we'll send you a handy Gotham Gazette keychain light.






Albany's Busy Night

Crowds at New York's Gay Pride parade cheered Gov. Andrew Cuomo yesterday, less than 48 hours after the State Senate narrowly approved same sex marriage, making New York the sixth --- and largest -- state to allow gays to wed. The passage of the measure in the late night session -- and its signing by Cuomo -- marked weeks of political maneuvering in which Cuomo played a key role in persuading all Democratic senators but one and four Republicans to back the measure. But in the closing hours of its session, the Senate passed a barrage of other bills as well, including an extension of rent control and a bill that would allow people in the outer boroughs to hail cabs on the streets of their neighborhoods. For more, see Gotham Gazette's roundup and Civil Rights Links in the News.

Mayor, Council Reach Deal on Budget

As the Senate acted on same sex marriage, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the City Council announced Friday night that they had reached a budget deal that would avoid the layoffs of 4,100 teachers and save 20 fire companies the mayor had slated for closure. Under the deal, though, the city will not replace teachers who retire or quit this year -- leaving New York schools with about 2,600 fewer teachers. In an arrangement with the teachers union, teachers will not take sabbaticals next school year and teachers who don't have permanent assignments could work as substitute teachers, saving additional funds. Despite the agreement, which the City Council will vote on this week, about 1,000 city workers will lose their jobs. For more, see Searchlight Links in the News.





June 24, 2011

Time is Running Out

There is just a week to go in our fundraising appeal, and we’re only halfway toward our goal. If we don’t raise $15,000 by July 1, we won’t be able to continue to bring you our award-winning coverage of issues that matter. With foundations scaling back support for journalism, your help matters now more than ever. So before you head off for whatever you’re doing this weekend, go here and make a tax-deductible contribution. Thank you!



Not Much Voting in the Senate

The State Senate failed to vote on a number of measures yesterday, including the deals announced earlier in the week. The body also still could not come to an agreement on same sex marriage as it was expected to do. None of the the GOP lawmakers who are considered possible supporters publicly changed their minds, leaving the bill at a tie. President Obama, who was in town courting gay supporters, also did not openly endorse the measure.





June 23, 2011

Vote on Gay Marriage Nears

As officials in Albany wrap up the drafting of bills that leaders came to an agreement on yesterday, the vote on gay marriage comes closer. Gov. Cuomo has been lobbying individual senators in an attempt to broker a deal. It needs one more supporter to be approved by the Senate. The main hurdle is protections for religious groups who refuse to hold ceremonies. In the four states where marriage is legal with religious exemptions, lawsuits are rare. At least one new Senate Republican has said he's comfortable with the new language in the bill addressing the issue. The chairman of the Conservative party, who is threatening to pull support from lawmakers who favor it, has switched from pushing to bring the measure to a vote in order to see where legislators stand and now wants to keep it from the floor. Meanwhile, President Obama will be in New York on a fundraising trip with gay supporters. He hasn't come out in support of gay marriage but has said states should have the right to allow it.





June 22, 2011

The Final Lap

Only nine days remain for us to raise $15,000 to support our award-winning reporting on New York City and state. You depend on our issue-oriented coverage of the latest moves in the state legislature, the effects budget cuts could have on our communities, efforts to create a green New York and much, much more. Now we depend on you. So, please -- don’t delay, give today. All you have to do is go here -- and if you donate $100 or more we'll send you a convenient Gotham Gazette penlight.



Deal on Rent Rules and Tax Cap

Albany came to a tentative deal yesterday on renewing rent regulation, capping property taxes, and raising tuition at public universities. The rent threshold where a landlord could deregulate a vacant apartment would rise to $2,500 from $2,000 a month. An apartment could also be deregulated when a tenant's annual household income reaches $200,000, up from $175,000. Tenant advocates don't feel the rules were strengthened enough. Increases in property taxes outside of the city would be capped at 2 percent a year or inflation if it's lower. CUNY and SUNY tuition would rise $300 a year in each of the next five years. The deals will be voted on today. Gay marriage is still up in the air, although the governor is cautiously optimistic it will pass.





June 21, 2011

Why Gotham Gazette?

We have a two-word answer to that question: Weiner tweets. While many news outlets strayed to the salacious the past few weeks, Gotham Gazette stayed on course with timely coverage of rent regulations, redistricting, proposals for change in state pension rules -- and more. But we cannot keep providing this kind of journalism without the support of readers like you.Go here to make a tax-deductible gift today. As a token of our gratitude, we'll send anyone who gives $100 or more our handy Gotham Gazette keychain light.



More Indictments in CityTime

Federal officials yesterday announced three new indictments in the CityTime case, as U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara described the contract as "one of the largest and most brazen frauds ever committed against the City of New York." Virtually all the $600 million the city paid to Science Applications International Corp. for the automated payroll and timekeeping project was tainted by fraud, the prosecutors said. Yesterday's indictment charged Reddy and Padma Allen and their company, TechnoDyne L.L.C., a subcontractor on the project, with paying kickbacks. An engineer with Science Applications has pleaded guilty, prosecutors said. Yesterday's indictments bring the total charged in the case to 11 individuals and one company. For more, see Crime Links in the News.



Taxi Deal Gains Speed

The city yesterday won key support for its plan to allow New Yorkers to hail cabs on outer borough streets. The New York Taxi Workers Alliance reversed its stand and backed the idea after the city agreed to crack down on livery drivers who poach taxi passengers, lower credit card fees, tighten rules on fleet owners and explore creation of a health care fund for the drivers. The bill before the legislature would pave the way for the Taxi and Limousine Commission to sell 30,000 permits costing $1,500 each that would allow livery cabs to pick up street hails everywhere in the city except for parts of Manhattan. Owners of yellow cabs still adamantly oppose that saying it would dilute the value of their medallions. They plan to protest the proposal in Albany today. For more, see Transportation Links in the News.





June 20, 2011

Make a Donation Today

Last week, Gotham Gazette brought you timely in-depth coverage of the fight over rent regulation in Albany. We offered thoughtful commentaries on proposed changes in the state pension system and provided a wealth of information, including an incisive article, on what's at state in the fight over redistricting. That is what you have come to expect from Gotham Gazette But we can't keep doing this without your help We have just two weeks to raise $15,000 so we can continue our award-winning independent journalism. Go here to make a tax-deductible gift today. As a token of our gratitude, we'll send anyone who gives $100 or more our handy Gotham Gazette keychain light.



Rent Deal

A deal on strengthening and renewing the rent laws is expected to be reached as soon as today. The deal would reportedly raise the rent rate that an apartment can be decontrolled from $2,000 a month to $2,500 and boost the allowable annual income of tenants in rent controlled apartments from $175,000 to $200,000. The legislature passed an extender that kept the current laws going on Friday but it will expire today. Gov. Andrew Cuomo kickstarted negotiations by threatening to use emergency powers to kick control of rent regulations back to the New York City Council. That brought landlord groups that favor only extending the current regulations back to the negotiating table and convinced Democrats that they could vote for a temporary extender since they were assured real negotiations were taking place.





June 17, 2011

Help Us Pick Up the Pace

Thanks to those of you who have given to Gotham Gazette this month. But many more of you must chip in if we are to keep providing award-winning coverage of New York policy -- issues such as redistricting, public employee pensions, rent regulation, and aid for the homeless. Go here to make a tax-deductible gift today. As a token of our gratitude, we'll send anyone who gives $100 or more our handy Gotham Gazette keychain light.



Weiner Resigns

Rep. Anthony Weiner announced his resignation yesterday amid chaotic heckling. At least nine Democrats and two Republicans are considering running in the special election to fill his seat, which will occur within the next few months. Party leaders are looking to choose candidates quickly. But that seat may redistricted out of existence in 2013 as the state looks to reorganize congressional boundaries when it is expected to lose two House seats due to population declines. Many of Weiner's constituents were sorry to see him go but saw no other option. Other politicians who went through sex scandals have returned to public service again at some point.



A Hurdle for the Gay Marriage Bill

The bill to legalize gay marriage, which only needs one more vote to pass, has been stalled from being brought to a vote. But the delay of bills until the last minute is not uncommon for Albany. One issue being raised publicly by the GOP is offering protections from civil suits for religious non-profit groups that may wish to refuse ceremonies on their property and also protecting religious groups from punitive actions by the government. Mayor Bloomberg and Gov. Cuomo have been lobbying Senate Republicans in an attempt to push the measure through while opponents have found a less welcoming audience. National attention has been focused on the statehouse as it works through the issue.





June 16, 2011

Donate and Shine

With rent regulation about to run out, much of the mainstream media preferred to focus on Anthony Weiner's Tweets. But Gotham Gazette brought you the rent story, reporting from Albany on the political maneuvering and what it could mean for millions of tenants. We can't continue to deliver that kind of coverage without the support of readers like you. Help up keep you on track by making your tax-deductible gift. Go here to donate and, as a token of our gratitude, we'll send anyone who gives $100 or more  our handy Gotham Gazette keychain light.

 



Cuomo: Extend Rent Laws Before Recess

Yesterday Gov. Andrew Cuomo said lawmakers would not be able to leave the capitol for summer recess until they extended New York City's rent regulations. The regulations expired last night and a bill to extend the laws for a few days was defeated in the Senate. Officials and advocates say a brief expiration will not have an affect on housing. Democrats want to expand the regulations and close loopholes while Republicans don't want to see any change in them. The rent control law is tied to approval of a statewide property tax cap.





June 15, 2011

Support Gotham Gazette Today

These are tough times for nonprofit news sites like Gotham Gazette. Foundations are cutting back their support, and advertisers are not prepared to pick up the slack. That's why we need your help more than ever before. In the weeks to come, we plan to update our acclaimed Councilpedia service, take a close look at the state of New York's social safety net, provide issue oriented coverage of special elections -- and much more. But we can't do it without your tax-deductible gift. Go here to donate. As a token of our gratitude anyone who gives $100 or more will receive our handy Gotham Gazette keychain light.

 



Marriage Bill Introduced

As same-sex marriage came within a vote of passage in the New York State Senate, Gov. Andrew Cuomo yesterday introduced a bill to allow all couples to marry in the state. Cuomo had said earlier he would not introduce a bill if he did not think it could pass. The measure edged closer to victory yesterday when a second Republican senator, Roy McDonald, said he would vote yes. One Republican facing pressure to follow suit is Staten Island's Andrew Lanza. As a possible move to mollify Republicans, Cuomo's bill would not require religious institutions to solemnize or provide facilities for same sex weddings. For more, see Albany Links in the News.



Graduation Rate Up

More than six out of ten city students who started ninth grade in 2006 graduated on time in 2010, a record high, according to Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The figure represents a sharp increase from five years ago when fewer than half of city students got their diplomas on time. And the mayor noted more students now receive Regents and Advanced Regents diplomas, showing a higher level of achievement. Despite that, scores on Regents exams indicate that only 21 percent of the 2006 ninth graders left high school ready for college or work. The data also found huge discrepancies among schools with six city high schools accounting for one quarter of college ready graduates, even though they have only 7 percent of the students. For more, see Education Links in the News

 





June 14, 2011

Don't Let Us Fall by the Wayside

We're worried. Foundation support for for established, independent news sites -- Gotham Gazette included -- is increasingly scarce. That's why after 11 years we need your help more than ever. Without it, we can't continue to provide you with our kind of coverage. So make sure you get more than Tweets and trivia -- go here to make your tax-deductible contribution today.



Momentum for Same-Sex Marriage

The chances of legalizing same-sex marriage this year grew exponentially yesterday as four lawmakers who voted against the measure two years ago announced they had changed their stance. Democratic Sens. Joseph Addabbo, Shirley Huntley, Carl Kruger and Republican Sen. James Alesi all announced they would vote for gay marriage. That leaves the senate with 30 clear 'yes' votes for same-sex marriage--just two votes short of the 32 needed to pass the bill. Gov. Andrew Cuomo met with the Republican conference yesterday to discuss same-sex marriage and has called on Republican senators to ignore pressure from anti gay marriage groups and the Conservative party and vote for the bill. Cuomo announced yesterday that he plans to introduce the legisaltion for a vote. It would be up to Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos to introduce the bill in the Senate--a move that he has promised to make but that could be risky for his party. For more, see Albany Links in the News.





June 13, 2011

Keep Us in the Race

 

Every day for more than a decade, Gotham Gazette has helped you stay up to speed on New York policy and politics. But times are tough for independent journalism, and we won't be able to keep bringing you coverage you can count on if you don't help. Please go here to make your tax-deductible contribution today.



Counting Votes for Marriage Equality

With the legislative session entering its final days, pressure is building on undecided state senators to support a marriage-equality bill. The Post reports his morning that seven Republicans, including Andrew Lanza of Staten Island, have indicated they would vote in favor, enough to pass the measure. All GOP senators voted against same-sex marriage when it was defeated in 2009. Doing the count differently, the Times finds three Democrats and five Republicans officially on the fence. It says some or all of the Democrats could announce their support as early as today, increasing the pressure on wavering Republicans. Despite such reports, Gov. Andrew Cuomo's efforts on behalf of the bill and polls showing New Yorkers support marriage equality, passage of the measure still remains in doubt. For more, see Albany Links in the News.



Pressure Builds on Weiner

Rep. Anthony Weiner on Saturday announced he would enter an undisclosed psychological treatment center and would seek a leave from the House of Representatives. But despite the move, calls for the Brooklyn/Queens Democrat to resign intensified over the weekend with the release of new photos of Weiner and the revelation he had exchanged private Twitter messages with a 17-year-old girl. Several House Democrats in leadership positions -- Nancy Pelosi, Steve Israel, Debi Wasserman Schultz and Steny Hoyer -- all said Weiner should resign. After days of resisting such calls, a source says the representative now recognizes he may have to step down. For more, go here.





June 10, 2011

Help Gotham Gazette Keep Up

Every day, Gotham Gazette brings you up to speed on what's going on in New York policy and politics. But we can't continue to do that without your help. Our independent, issue-oriented journalism requires financial support from readers like you. Please go here to make your tax-deductible contribution today.



Weiner Controversy in the News

The controversy around Rep. Anthony Weiner's online behavior continues to dominate news coverage. A poll of his constituents found a majority still support him, but his donors are mixed in their reactions. The congressman's troubles have placed his female colleagues in a position they'd prefer to dodge, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is said to have called him "stupid". Parallels are being drawn between these recent incidents and his generally brash personality. Weiner says he will not resign. For more, see here.





June 09, 2011

We Need Your Help

Gotham Gazette works hard to keep you ahead of the pack when it comes to what matters in New York -- from the budget battles in City Hall, to the redistricting showdown in Albany, to the beginning of the 2013 campaign across our city. But we can't do this without your help. Please go here to make your tax-deductible contribution today.



Weiner Scandal Escalates

Calls for Rep. Anthony Weiner to resign from within his party continue to grow as a new, nude photo has emerged and it was revealed that his wife, who is overseas, is pregnant. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the minority leader from California, said he's become too much of a liability for his colleagues, while Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he wouldn't even take a phone call from Weiner if he called. The number of possible contenders for his seat has also continued to rise. Still, consultants say that Weiner can salvage his career with pro-active damage control. For more, go here.





June 08, 2011

Keep Gotham Gazette in the Race

In our city, things happen fast -- you rely on Gotham Gazette to stay up to speed on policy and politics. But we can't do it without your support. We must raise $15,000 by July 1 to keep Councilpedia up to date -- and to continnue to provide award winning reporting on issues that matter. Go here to make your tax-deductible contribution today.



Weiner Under Pressure

Rep. Anthony Weiner is facing increasing pressure to resign following his admission that he participated in on-line sex chats with multiple women and more details continue to emerge. While Republicans called for Weiner to vacate his seat, Democratic leaders offered no support for the once star congressman. Polls show that Weiner could run and keep his seat but Democrats would rather not see his scandal be the narrative of the 2012 elections. Weiner will face an ethics probe in the House. Former Councilman Eric Gioia has been approached about running for Weiner's seat. Lawmakers could simply use the redistricting process to do away with his district. Once assumed to be the front runner in the 2013 mayoral election, Weiner is basically out of the picture--leaving the race up for grabs. Weiner has raised over $5 million for a likely mayoral run. For more, go here.





June 07, 2011

On the Money Trail

More than 20 City Council members have already begun fundraising for the 2013 campaign. We need your donations to follow their donations. Give to Gotham Gazette today so we can track the candidates' latest contributions on Councilpedia. Go here to make a tax-deductible donation.



Weiner Admits Sending Photos

Contradicting his earlier statements, Rep. Anthony Weiner yesterday admitted he had sent a photo of his crotch to a woman on Twitter and lied about it. In an often tearful press conference, the Democrat from Brooklyn and Queens, who said he would not resign, also conceded sending other questionable photos and messages to women he met on the internet -- but not in person -- both before and since his recent marriage. The story broke over Memorial Day weekend when a conservative blog reprinted a photo it said Weiner had sent to a young woman. Weiner quickly denied any involvement and said his account had been hacked. While Weiner yesterday said he broke no laws, the incident puts his congressional career in jeopardy and will likely derail any run for mayor. Weiner, who unsuccessfully tried for that office in 2005, was thought to be gearing up for 2013 and has raised almost $4.9 million. For more, go here.





June 06, 2011

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Ethics Deal

Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver announced late on a Friday afternoon that they had reached a deal to reform Albany's ethics laws. The "Clean Up Albany Act of 2011" would create tougher disclosure requirements for both legislators income and those they do business with. Legislators could lose their pensions if convicted of felony abuse of their office. It would create the Joint Commission on Public Ethics to investigate corruption in both the legislative and executive branches. The agreement is set to be formally unveiled in Albany today. However, as of this writing their was no official bill language. The deal has been criticized for not giving JCOPE the power to punish legislators and because it would seemingly be easy for members of one party to vote to block an investigation. The deal also does very little on campaign finance reform. If the legislature passes the bill it won't be totally effective until 2013.





June 03, 2011

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Law Links in the News

A federal appeals court yesterday ruled that a city policy not to allow religious worship services in schools after-hours does not hinder free expression. The 2-1 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit follows 15 years of litigation. Meanwhile, a state appeals court stopped the city from cutting off rent subsidies to 15,000 formerly homeless families. The city was trying to shut down the program, called Advantage, to deal with state budget cuts.





June 02, 2011

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State Ceases Checking Immigrants

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has suspended the state's participation in the Secure Communities program, which calls on local police departments to share the fingerprints of people they arrest with federal immigration officials. He said that there was "mounting evidence" the program failed to meet its goals and is concerned that it was harming families and immigrant communities. He said it was making some immigrants reluctant to cooperate with law enforcement officials. Forty-five aliens were removed since the state joined in January, and 80 percent of them had not been convicted of a crime. Illinois quit the program last month.For more, see The Wonkster.





June 01, 2011

Another Fatal Bus Crash

A man from Queens was asleep at the wheel when a New York bound bus careened off the road and flipped on its roof in Virginia on Tuesday, killing four passengers and injuring scores more. The driver was charged with reckless driving and the company he works for, Sky Express, has come under great scrutiny. The North Carolina based company that runs out of Chinatown in New York has a checkered safety record. The federal government shutdown the company's Chinatown office following the crash. Bus safety has become a hot topic since a Bronx bus crash, allegedly caused by driver fatigue, killed 15 people. Officias from across the city called for stricter regulations on commercial buses and better monitoring. For more, see transportation links in the news.



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May 31, 2011

CityTime Manager Arrested

Federal officials on Friday arrested the program manager of the scandal-plagued CityTime project on charges that he received $5.6 million in kickbacks. Gerard Denault, a manger with Science Applications International Corp., the Virginia company the city hired to implement the computerized payroll and timekeeping system, also stands accused of wire fraud, conspiracy, money laundering and steering $464 million in city money to a technology company involved in the kickback scheme. The indictment was the latest -- but almost certainly not the final -- chapter in the CityTime project, which so far has taken 12 years to complete, cost the city more than $700 million -- up from the original estimate of $63 million -- and resulted in multiple criminal indictments, with more considered likely. Shortly before Denault's arrest, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said CityTime is now operating and boasted, "We actually did a pretty good job here." A few hours later, though, Bloomberg said Science Applications "may well" have committed "widespread fraud and gross negligence." For more, see Crime Links in the News.





May 27, 2011

Officers Acquitted of Rape

A jury yesterday acquitted two police officers of raping a woman after they were called to assist her. A cab driver had called 911 when she vomited and passed out in the taxi. There was no DNA evidence. But one officer was secretly caught on tape saying to the woman that he used a condom and that his partner wasn't involved. They were also caught on video reentering the woman's apartment three times after taking her keys. They even made a fake 911 call to report a homeless person in the building as an excuse to be there. The officers were found guilty of three counts of misdemeanor official misconduct for going back to the apartment, each with a possible year long prison sentence. The one officer had admitted to "snuggling" with the woman while she wore nothing but a bra. They were fired after the verdict. The case was the highest profile yet for Manhattan District Attorney, Cyrus Vance.





May 26, 2011

Manager of Payroll Project Fired

The top employee at the firm overseeing the city's troubled automated payroll system was fired for misrepresenting the number of hours he had worked. The firm will reimburse the city $2.5 million. The employee denies any wrongdoing and hasn't been charged with any crime. The Bloomberg Administration subsequently announced it would halt payments to the firm until a criminal inquiry is finished. Other employees at the payroll project, called CityTime, were recently accused of stealing $80 million from the city. This newest incident was extra fodder for critics of the project.





May 25, 2011

Democrat Wins House Race

In a contest watched nationally, Democrats yesterday captured a vacant, traditionally Republican House seat in far western New York. Democrat Kathy Hochul, the Erie County clerk, hammered away at Republican efforts to overhaul Medicare in her successful contest against Republican State Assemblymember Jane Corwin. They also faced a Tea Party candidate, Jack Davis, who split the GOP vote. Hochul's victory in a district, the 26th, that had been Republican for 40 years -- and which Carl Paladino won in last year's gubernatorial election -- will spur Republican concerns that their Medicare proposal could damage the party's chances in next year's congressional elections.



Deal Reached on Tax Cap

Members of the legislature and Gov. Andrew Cuomo yesterday said they had agreed to a deal that would limit property tax increases to 2 percent. The agreement on the cap -- one of Cuomo's top priorities -- is seen as an effort to stem rapidly rising tax rates in the city's suburbs and to help declining areas upstate. It will have little effect on the city. But in return for agreeing to the cap, which he had long opposed, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver has proposed that it stay in place only as long as rent regulations remain in effect in the city. The Senate wants a permanent cap, and its Republican majority generally opposes rent regulation. For more, see Finance Links in the News.





May 24, 2011

Taxi Wheelchair Access Leads to Investigation

The U.S. attorney's office in Manhattan is investigating whether a lack of wheelchair-accessible taxis in the city violates the Americans With Disabilities Act. The city does not currently require cabs to be handicap accessible. The city's new cab model, the Nissan NV200, will not be wheelchair accessible. For more, see Transportation Links in the News.





May 23, 2011

AG, Comptroller Reach Accord

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli have reached a deal that would allow Schneiderman to criminally prosecute corruption involving tax payer money. The deal gives the attornney general's office a huge boost in its ability to persue public integrity cases. The deal would see the creation of a joint task force between both offices that will review legislative pork, government contracts and state pensions. DiNapoli has agreed to use a state law that allows him to then forward cases turned up by the unit to Schneiderman's office for prosecution. Previously the comptroller would refer cases to local governments that don't always have the resources to investigate major cases. Limits on the attorney general's investigative powers have left major corruption cases prosecuted by local district attorney's or federal prosecutors. The deal still leaves the AG unable to unilateraly investigate public officials for breaking campaign laws, taking bribes, or violating ethics laws.
 



Cuomo, Bloomberg Working on Pension Reform

Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Michael Bloomberg are working together on sweeping pension reforms that would apply to both city and state workers. City workers would have to kick in more to their retirement plans and the retirement age would be raised to 65. A proposal Bloomberg put forward for new hires in January has been modified to conform with Cuomo's Tier 6 pension plan. The state's Tier 5 pension plan changes made in 2009 did not apply to city workers. Cuomo wants the retirement age to be upped for all workers and wants overtime to be taken out of pension considerations to avoid "padding." The state legislature would have to approve the plan.





May 20, 2011

Green Infrastructure in the News

The city is currently seeking a private company to install solar panels on city-owned property. The plan is to generate enough energy to power the equivalent of 660 homes. Advocates, however, say New York is far behind other municipalities on this front. Meanwhile, the city is optimistic about generating clean energy at Fresh Kills, with the Department of Environmental Protection commissioner saying the project is moving forward "pretty fast." The Guardian today also looked at the increasing interest in green roofs around the city. And yesterday we explored the rise in park building and its impact on stormwater management.





May 19, 2011

City Sued Over School Closings

The city teachers union and the NAACP sued yesterday to halt the planned closure of 22 schools, 15 of which they helped keep open last year. They say the city ignored last year's agreement to help the schools by offering extra resources before they closed them. They further claim that state approval is needed for some of the closures. The suit also objects to the sharing of buildings with charter schools and regular schools.





May 18, 2011

Same-Sex Marriage in Doubt

Mayor Michael Bloomberg and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn were in Albany yesterday lobbying the Republican majority to support a bill legalizing same-sex marriage. Bloomberg, who is a major donor to senate Republicans, told legislators that he would lend his backing to any legislators who voted for the bill no matter where they stood on other issues.Bloomberg would not pledge to take his funding away from any legislator who does not vote for gay marriage. Bloomberg, unlike Gov. Andrew Cuomo, said he supports a vote on the issue to see where legislators stand rather than counting votes before it is brought to the floor. Meanwhile, supporters of same-sex marriage wondered why Cuomo was not at the Capitol lobbying legislators on the issue. Cuomo has yet to introduce a program bill for the issue and Majority Leader Dean Skelos, who promised to bring the issue to a vote, now says he has to speak to his conference about it first. And one Republican legislator who was thought to be undecided on the issue announced he was against it. There are only 14 legislative days left in session.





May 17, 2011

Trump Out of 2012

New York real estate mogul Donald Trump said he would not run for president in 2012 on Monday, ending a potential candidacy marked by the call for President Barack Obama to release his long-form birth certificate. In a statement, Trump said he was not ready to abandon the private sector. He also said he was confident that he could have won the Republican primary, but the mogul intends on continuing his realty television show.

 



Schneiderman Investigates Mortgage Securities

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is reportedly conducting a broad investigation into major banks and their mortgage operations during the credit boom. His office has scheduled meetings with banks, such as Bank of America, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley. For more, see Economy Links in the News.
 





May 16, 2011

Putting Teachers to the Test

Teacher evaluations will give greater weight to student test scores under rules expected to be enacted by the state Board of Regents today. Under the new system, scores could count for 40 percent of the annual review, up from the 20 percent the legislature called for last year. Gov. Andrew Cuomo reportedly urged the change as part of an effort to strengthen the system for evaluating teachers  -- something he has said needs to be done before the state changes the "last in, first out" law governing teacher layoffs. The rules, which would go into effect next year, also call for giving greater consideration to classroom observations of teachers. For more, see Education Links in the News.



Arrest in City Roils France

An arrest made in the city this weekend is having major reverberations across the Atlantic. Port Authority police boarded a plane at Kennedy airport Saturday to apprehend Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the chief of the International Monetary Fund and a leading contender for the presidency of France. He faces charges of "criminal sexual act, attempted rape and an unlawful imprisonment in connection with a sexual assault on a 32-year-old chambermaid in the luxury suite of a Midtown Manhattan hotel," police spokesman Paul Brown said. The woman picked Strauss-Kahn out of a police lineup Sunday. His attorney said Strauss-Kahn would plead not guilty. The monetary fund quickly named an acting managing director to fill in for Strauss-Kahn as people in France expressed shock and disbelief at the charges against  the leading contenter to be the Socialist Party's presidential candidate next year. He apparently is not protected by diplomatic immunity.

 

 

 





May 13, 2011

Thousands Protest in Lower Manhattan

Thousands of protestors marched in Lower Manhattan yesterday with a litany of complaints. But their ire was mainly directed at Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and mostly over his plan to eliminate 6,100 teachers. A new analysis by the Manhattan borough president helped their cause, finding that the Education Department will spend $1 billion on consultants next year. Meanwhile, the City Council is also taking issue with the mayor's budget proposal to charge religious institutions and nonprofit organizations a fee for garbage pickup.





May 12, 2011

Council Passes Taxi Refusal Bill

The City Council yesterday approved a bill increasing fines for cabbies who refuse to pick up passengers. The concern is primarily over outer borough destinations. The bill would nearly double the fines and a third offense could lead to a driver losing their license for 30 days and a $1,000 fine. The bill also increases fines for overcharging and asking a passenger where they're going before picking them up. The Taxi and Limousine Commission is considering raising fares and a new class of cab for outer boroughs. Meanwhile, the city announced a less annoying horn for the new taxis it chose.





May 11, 2011

Cuomo to the People

Gov. Andrew Cuomo kicked off his People First Campaign yesterday, pressing for passage of same sex marriage, ethics reform and a cap on property taxes. Speaking at Onondaga Community College, Cuomo urged the crowd to tell their legislators to pass the measures by June 20 or not bother to come home. In his remarks, Cuomo tried to shame the legislature on ethics, offering a slide showing members who have faced corruption charges and saying self-policing had not worked. As the governor spoke, the fight over marriage equality intensified. Assemblymember Daniel O'Donnell introduced a marriage equality bill, saying he could no longer wait for the governor to put forth a measure. And, in an effort to counter the drive by Cuomo and advocates of gay marriage, an anti-group -- the National Organization for Marriage -- pledged $500,000 to fight the bill and $1 million to protect legislators who vote against it and face opposition in the next election as a result. For more see Albany Links in the News.





May 10, 2011

New York Gets Florida's Rail Cash

The federal Department of Transportation yesterday announced that the Empire State will recieve $354.4 million of the some $2 billion that Florida's Gov. Rick Scott rejected.  Most of New York's money -- $295 million -- will go to alleviate delays coming in and out of Manhattan. The rest will improve service in upstate and Western New York. The northeast corridor from Washington to Boston will receive $795 million in total to improve its high speed rail infrastructure. These improvements will lead to faster service but are not considered by the industry to be true high-speed rail. A system of that nature would require a billions in investment and the purchase of wide swaths of land.





May 09, 2011

Budget Battle Begins

Mayor Michael Bloomberg proposed a $65.7 billion budget Friday that would slash 6,166 teachers, close swimming pools and shutter 20 fire companies. Bloomberg deflected much of the blame for the cuts, instead pointing towards Albany and Washington. The teachers union immediately blasted the mayor for the cuts, while officials questioned what it would do to the education mayor's legacy. For more, see our story "Council Mulls Budget Strategy" and City Hall Links in the News. 





May 06, 2011

Budget Will Save Child Care Slots

In his new budget proposal, Mayor Michael Bloomberg is expected to announce today that the city will spend $40 million to avoid cutting 16,000 public child care slots. The only kids who would lose care next year are 1,350 who are aging out of the program. Last week, 45 of the city's 51 council members sent a letter urging Bloomberg to restore the cuts. But the mayor is expected to cut an additional $400 million from various city agencies to help plug a multibillion-dollar deficit.





May 05, 2011

Obama to Visit Ground Zero

President Barack Obama will visit Ground Zero today to mark the death of Osama Bin Laden by laying a wreath in memory of those who died there. He will also meet with about 50 families of the victims. Some family members will use the occasion to air their concerns about the terrorism trials and the memorial. Meanwhile, a map and the methodology for placement of the names of victims inscribed on the memorial were unveiled yesterday. It will be the first time the president has visited the site since his campaign when the Freedom Tower had yet to appear above ground.





May 04, 2011

Facing Deportation Without Representation

Less than 40 percent of New York immigrants  facing deportation proceedings have lawyers, experts learned at a symposium yesterday. The situation persists more than two years after federal Judge Robert Katzman began publicizing the problem, the New York Times reports. In that time, efforts to address the situation have faltered, including the city's pledge to provide $2 million to train lawyers on immigration issues. People facing deportation hearings in immigration court have no right to a court-appointed attorney, even though those with legal representation are five times as likely to win their cases as those without. See our related story, Concern Raised Over City Role in Deporting Immigrants.

 



Hailing Nissan

The Taxi of Tomorrow will be a Nissan minivan with reading lights and power outlets for computers, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced yesterday. The Japanese company beat out Ford and Karsan to provide all of the city's 13,000 yellow cabs -- a deal that could amount to $1 billion in sales over 10 years. While Bloomberg praised the Nissan entry  as "far and away the best among the three finalists," some officials had preferred Karsan, which had pledged to provide a wheel-chair accessible vehicle and to make it in Brooklyn. For more, see Transportation Links in the News and a commentary on the choice.





May 03, 2011

After Bin Laden

New York's leaders, relatives of the victims of 9/11 and other New Yorkers yesterday reacted to the death of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan with a mixture of celebration, relief, sadness and triumph. The responses, Dan Barry writes in the Times, "ranged from jingoistic bursts of boast to halting expressions of dread; from joyous shouts for the strike of a winning goal to somber reflections." While many relatives of those who died on Sept. 11, 2001 expressed satisfaction with the death of bin Laden, they said that the killing of the person responsible for the attacks did not diminish their loss or bring back their loved one. Yesterday afternoon Mayor Michael Bloomberg and other city officials gathered at Ground Zero to mark bin Laden's death. On Thursday, President Barack Obama will go to the site to meet with the victims' families. Meanwhile the police department and the Port Authority stepped up their presence in the transit system and at other key locations despite no knowledge of specific threats against the city. For the day's coverage, go to Crime and Safety Links in the News.





May 02, 2011

Osama Bin Laden Killed

Osama bin Laden, the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, was killed in a firefight with United States forces in Abottabad, Pakistan, President Barack Obama announced to the nation last night. Bin Laden was reportedly holed up in a million dollar compound and was shot in the head during a firefight with an American assault force. The news brought celebrations across the country and especially in the city where revelers flocked to Times Square and Ground Zero to celebrate late into the night. The NYPD was prepped to be alert in case of reprisals following bin Laden's death.“New Yorkers have waited nearly 10 years for this news. It is my hope that it will bring some closure and comfort to all those who lost loved ones on September 11, 2001," said Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Gov. Andrew Cuomo called bin Laden's death, "a historic moment that represents a major step in our country’s efforts to defeat terrorism around the world."
 





April 29, 2011

Widespread Waste in State Spending

An audit by the governor's office found widespread waste in Albany, including enough empty office space to fill the Chrysler Building and nearly 2,000 vendors providing often duplicated products and services. The Cuomo Administration is planning to address this waste and save $50 million in the next few months. The goal is to save $600 million over five years. The state will soon name a "chief procurement officer" responsible for overseeing and coordinating all purchases.





April 28, 2011

Cabbies Seek Fare Increase

Cab drivers are seeking a 15 percent fare hike to cope with rising gas costs. The Taxi and Limousine Commission chairman has said he wouldn't rule out the increase. Meanwhile the City Council held hearings over a bill to increase fines and penalties for drivers who refuse to take on passengers, which often occurs with trips to outer-boroughs. Also, the city is shelving a plan that would allow passengers to hail black cabs on the street. Instead it's considering a new class of yellow cab that would be prohibited from picking up passengers in most of Manhattan, but permitted to do so in other parts of the city.





April 27, 2011

Cracking Down on Illegal Apartments

Following a Bronx blaze that killed a 12-year-old boy and his parents the city says it is determined to crack down on illegal apartments. The rowhouse where the blaze occured on Monday was inhabited by squatters and it appeared that one such squatter was charging others rent to live there. Neighbors say drug dealers who squatted on the first floor of the building barred the fire department from inspecting the building. Neighbors further allege that the drug dealers had set up a security perimiter around the building sealing off fire escapes and setting up security cameras to keep out unwanted guests. The actual landlord of the building was unclear as the owner listed by the city claimed he lost the building to foreclosure. The cause of the blaze is still under investigation.Mayor Michael Bloomberg says he will work with the City Council to find a legislative solution to make sure investigators get into buildings.





April 26, 2011

Grimm Pulls Gun

A new article in The New Yorker accuses Rep. Michael Grimm of Staten Island of pulling a gun while off-duty during a dispute at a nightclub when he worked for the FBI in 1999. Grimm's office disputes the story. The story alleges Grimm pulled his gun during a dispute with a date's estranged husband. Democratic operatives, who plan on challenging Grimm in 2012, immediately took advantage of the opportunity. For more, see Crime and Safety Links in the News.





April 25, 2011

Computer System May Combat Ticket Fixing

Mayor Michel Bloomberg expressed confidence on Friday that a new computerized scanning system will prevent police officers from fixing tickets. The system apparently was instituted last summer, but the city did not publicize it until reports emerged earlier this month of a probe into extensive ticket fixing in the Bronx. Some sources, however, said cops have figured out how to outsmart the system and that ticket fixing continued after it was put in place. In his first extensive comments on the alleged ticket-fixing probe, Bloomberg said, "There seems to be a lot of evidence" that ticket fixing took place. The spokesperson for the Police Department, however, denied that wrongdoing was widespread, and members of the police union said ticket fixing was simply a long-standing courtesy. Dozens of cops, many of them union delegates, reportedly could face criminal charges in the scandal, and many more could be subject to disciplinary proceedings. For more, see Crime Links in the News.

 





April 22, 2011

New PlaNYC Bans Dirty Heating Oil

The use of the dirtiest kinds of heating oil will be banned under a new regulation announced yesterday as part of an update to PlaNYC. The two types of oil will be phased out by 2030. It will affect about 1 percent of buildings in the city that produce over 85 percent of all the soot pollution from buildings, which kills 3,000 people a year, according to the city. Officials say the ban will match or surpass air quality improvements expected from congestion pricing. Another announcement Mayor Bloomberg made yesterday was the restored funding for four city sanitation facilities that had previously been cut, a move decried as unfair to neighborhoods burdened by current facilities. The new plan also explores some controversial measures like waste-to-energy, as highlighted by our report today.





April 21, 2011

New Energy Initiatives

The city will announce two new energy initiatives today. One will loan money to property owners trying to reduce energy use and the other will build solar plants on city landfills. The loan program will use $37 million in federal funds. The solar initiative will create "utility-scale" projects capable of generating power to supply 50,000 homes on capped landfills. Officials expect these plants to significantly improve local air quality during periods of peak summer demand. These will be new additions to PlaNYC, which we recently checked in on.





April 20, 2011

Bloomberg, Sharpton Meet With Obama on Immigration

President Barack Obama held a closed-door meeting on immigration in Washington yesterday and a number of prominent New Yorkers, including  Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Rev. Al Sharpton and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, attended. Obama faces pressure to live up to campaign promises to address immigration issues. His plan would reportedly secure the country's borders, while creating a legal immigration system. Bloombeg has stressed the need for immigration reform  but he did not say anything publicly about the meting. Sharpton however called a "very healthy beginning." 





April 19, 2011

Cuomo's Taxes

Midnight was the deadline for filing income taxes -- unless, like New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie you needed an extension -- and Gov. Andrew Cuomo and other state leaders released their filings. Cuomo's income last year totaled about $200,000 -- $143,870 from his salary as state attorney general and $55,000 from interest and dividends. Cuomo gave $10,000 to charity -- all of it to HELP, the homeless organization he founded in the 1980s. State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli also both received little income beyond their state salaries. Schneiderman, though, had losses in 2010, some of it deriving from a sell off of $800,000 in mutual funds to help finance his campaign. 

 





April 18, 2011

Investigation Finds Widespread Ticket Fixing

Some 400 New York City police officers could face disciplinary charges for fixing tickets, the New York Post reported yesterday. Officers allegedly misplaced or altered paperwork or missed court dates to help friends and family avoid paying fines. About 25 cops may have taken bribes and could face criminal charges. A number of those under criminal investigation may be police union officials who apparently fixed tickets to curry favor with officers they represent. The police department denied the investigation, which dates back to 2008, involves 400 officers but refused to give the Post another number.





April 15, 2011

City Added Jobs

Figures released yesterday show that New York City continues to slowly recover from the deep recession of 2009. Private companies in the five boroughs added 17,700 new jobs last month, causing unemployment to fall to 8.7 percent. This marks the lowest level in two years and a significant drop from the rate of 10.5 percent in 2009. Meanwhile the state's jobless rate dipped to 8 percent. The city's gain came even though Wall Street, generally viewed as the engine of the city's economy, lost jobs last month. The state of the city's real estate market remained uncertain however, as home prices rose in the first quarter of the year but the total number of sales declined. For more, see Economy Links in the News.





April 14, 2011

Unanimous Recommendation for Chancellor Nominee

A ten-member state advisory panel unanimously recommended that Education Commissioner David Steiner grant Dennis Walcott the waiver needed for his appointment as the new chancellor. It issued its decision along with a statement endorsing him in the strongest of terms. The waiver is needed because he lacks the required three years of teaching experience and graduate course work. Walcott started his career as a kindergarten teacher, has overseen the city's Department of Education as deputy mayor and is intimately aware of and involved in its operations already. Steiner had gone against a previous advisory board's recommendation against granting the same waiver to Hearst publishing executive Cathie Black. He's expected to grant this waiver within days.





April 13, 2011

New Police Recruits Postponed

The Bloomberg Administration yesterday announced it would postpone the start of a class of 540 police cadets scheduled to begin this month due to budget constraints. Instead, those cadets would be part of a "combined class" in July - after the start of the next fiscal year - when another 900 recruits are expected to begin. But the administration would not confirm whether all 540 recruits would make it into the new combined class. Speaker Christine Quinn, who wasn't consulted about the move, is looking into blocking the mayor from unilaterally delaying the class. For more, see Crime Links in the News.





April 12, 2011

Homeless Hit Record Number

A record number of people slept on city streets last year, according to a new report from the Coalition for the Homeless. The Bloomberg administration disputes the report's findings. According to the group, 113,553 homeless people, including 42,888 children, were in city shelters in the last fiscal year, which ended in June. The numbers reflect an 8 percent jump from the previous year and a 37 percent hike since Bloomberg took office. For more, see Social Services Links in the News.

 





April 11, 2011

Walcott Settles In

New schools chancellor Dennis Walcott has enjoyed a much warmer welcome than his predecessor Cathie Black in the few days since he was tapped as her replacement but he is still pushing the same policies backed by his boss Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Walcott joined Bloomberg on the mayor's weekly radio show on Friday and said the education policy will be, "the same." We’re going to be pushing hard on the reforms that we’ve already put in place and driving them down further," Walcott said. Walcott told a meeting of parents in Queens over the weekend,“I want to be the chancellor for people who have needs” and “who have been ignored.” Adding, “I will be accessible to you, plain and simple." Walcott found support during a visit to the Church of the Open Door in in Brooklyn on Sunday. Besides emphasizing his availability, Walcott's main agenda has been explaining to the city how he is different from Black. He told church goers, "Everyone comes into this with a different approach."





April 08, 2011

Black Out, Walcott In

Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced Thursday Schools Chancellor Cathie Black would step down after three months on the job. She will be replaced by Deputy Mayor Dennis Walcott. The move shocked education officials and experts, but appeased critics of Black, whose approval rating had plummeted to 17 percent. Black's resignation was immediately cast as another stumble in Bloomberg's third term. In Albany, New York State Education Commissioner David Steiner also stepped down, contending it had nothing to do with Black. For more, see our story "Replacing Cathie Black" and Education Links in the News.





April 07, 2011

Another Deputy Leaves Education Department

Nearly half of the city's top education officials have left since December's controversial appointment of the new schools chancellor, Cathie Black. Yesterday the deputy chancellor for talent, labor and innovation announced his resignation to oversee struggling schools in Louisiana. It is the second high level resignation this week, and four have left since Black took office. Black's supporters argued that an experienced staff at the department would buttress her lack of an education background. The departing deputy chancellor, John White, said the drain of top officials shouldn't be cause for concern. For more, see Education Links in the News.





April 06, 2011

Transportation in the News

Many of the police parking placards issued by the state Department of Homeland Security end up in the hands of officials who are not on official police business, a report by the state inspector general has found. Gov. Andrew Cuomo requested the report. And in an attempt to reduce traffic accidents, the Fire Department has expanded into Brooklyn and Staten Island a program where fire trucks respond slowly without lights and sirens to some non life-threatening emergencies. The program began in Queens and led to a 32 percent decline in accidents. Also, signage explaining the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's construction projects above ground are frequently confusing, inaccurate, or nonexistent. For more, see Transportation Links in the News.





April 05, 2011

9/11 Mastermind Won't Face Trial in NYC

The professed mastermind of the 9/11 terror attacks Khalid Sheik Mohammed and four other plotters will be refered to a military tribunal rather than being tried in by a cillvian court in Manhattan. Attorney General Eric Holder announced the decision on Monday. Mohammed will now likely face a millitary tribunal in Guantanamo Bay. Holder originally planned to try Mohammed in Manhattan but that idea drew protests from families of 9/11 victims, law enforcement officials and Mayor Michael Bloomberg who decried the costs of holding it in the city. Sen. Chuck Schumer agreed with the move to try Mohammed via millitary tribunal. "While not unexpected, this is the final nail in the coffin of that wrong-headed idea," Schumer said in a statement. "I have always said that the perpetrators of this horrible crime should get the ultimate penalty, and I believe this proposal by the administration can make that happen."





April 04, 2011

Families Protest Plan for Remains

Family members of victims of the Sept. 11th attacks protested a plan Sunday to place unidentified remains 70 feet below where the twin towers stood. The decision to place the remains there was made seven years ago, according to the Bloomberg administration. The remains will be behind a wall in the National September 11 Memorial and Museum and will be controlled by the city's medical examiner. Families said they feared the remains would be part of the "museum experience." They said they should be kept in a separate tomb. For more, see Land Use Links in the News.  





April 01, 2011

More Kids Found in Danger

In a review prompted by the recent death of a 4-year-old Brooklyn girl, the city found ten more children in imminent danger who were overlooked by welfare workers. Nine of them were cases that had been closed by independent non-profit agencies hired by the Administration for Children's Services. They were found in a random review of 223 such cases. There are 1,872 more closed cases that were not reviewed, and the city does not plan to check on those remaining. The agency will implement reforms such as stricter monitoring of non-profits they contract, strengthening oversight of supervisors, and further training for managers. For more, see Children in the News.





March 31, 2011

State Legislature Passes Budget

The State Legislature passed the state budget last night, meeting a deadline the capital is well known for missing. The $132.5 billion plan, which hews closely to Gov. Andrew Cuomo's proposal, closes a $10 billion budget gap with no new taxes or debt. A 2 percent cut on overall spending is coupled with the threat of 9,800 layoffs, and the plan slashes over $1.2 billion from education and $2.8 billion from Medicaid. The budget restores $51 million in cuts to city school aid, but Mayor Michael Bloomberg said those "crumbs" were distributed unfairly. He softened his tone on the budget as a whole, however. A court mandated the city continue rental assistance for 15,000 formerly homeless families through April, which it planned to terminate due to Albany's budget cuts. For more, see Public Finance in the News or read our article.





March 30, 2011

Obama Visits the City

President Barack Obama officialy kicked off the campaign fundraising season by raising $1.5 million in for the Democratic National Committee during two major fund raising events in Harlem. Obama's first fundraiser was held at the Red Rooster in Harlem where he met with 50 guests who paid $30,800 each to dine with the president. Obama then went to the Studio Museum to meet with 250 other Democratic donors. Obama also visited the Natural History Museum where a city-wide science fair was taking place. Mayor Michael Bloomberg escorted the president.





March 29, 2011

Cuomo and Bloomberg Clash

Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Gov. Andrew Cuomo once again clashed over the state's tentative budget agreement. Bloomberg said without additional state funding the city will be forced to conduct mass layoffs. Cuomo's office disagrees, claiming the city can weather the state cuts. Sunday's budget agreement is viewed as a decisive victory for the new governor and a loss of power for some of Albany's elite. Fore more, see Eye on Albany.





March 28, 2011

Budget Deal

Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos reached a budget deal this Sunday that if voted for before April would be Albany's first on-time budget in five years. The $132.5 billion package slashes spending for education and Medicaid but legislators won a modest $250 million in restorations to spending for education, the blind and deaf, prescription drugs for seniors and higher education. Absent from the deal is a renewal of the state's millionaires tax, and rent laws. A cap on damages for pain and suffering for victims of malpractice proposed by Cuomo is also absent from the deal. Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver says he plans to continue to lobby for a resinstatement of the millionaires tax and the renewal of rent laws now that the budget is done. Mayor Michael Bloomberg slammed the deal as bad for the city and education. For more, see our Eye on Albany.





March 25, 2011

Census Finds Modest Growth in City

The 2010 census found only modest growth in the city's population, rising to a record 8.175 million in 2010, a 2.1 percent increase from 2000. Mayor Michael Bloomberg challenged the tally as an undercount. He pointed towards the finding of practically zero growth in Queens. He also noted that the city added about 170,000 new housing units while the census recorded an increase of only 166,000 people. The city claims the actual population is 8.4 million. Overall, the census found Asians increased by 32 percent and Hispanics grew 8 percent, while blacks decreased by 5 percent and whites dropped by 3 percent. That leaves a ratio of 33 percent white, 29 percent Hispanic, 23 percent black, and 13 percent Asian. Manhattan and Brooklyn were the only counties with a million or more people nationwide where whites increased. The state would lose two House members. For more, see Demographics Links in the News.





March 24, 2011

Welfare Workers Charged in Child's Death

A city welfare worker and her supervisor were charged yesterday with criminally negligent homicide in the death of a 4-year-old under their watch. It is the first homicide charge for a city welfare worker. The Brooklyn district attorney, who is bringing the case, will convene a special grand jury to investigate “evidence of alleged systemic failures” at the Administration for Children’s Services. The mother of the girl has already been charged with murder. The agency has faced budget cuts since 2008. For more, see Children in the News.





March 23, 2011

Regulators to Review Indian Point Risks

The federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission plans to make the Indian  Point nuclear power plant its first priority when it reviews seismic risks at 27 U.S. nuclear facilities, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said yesterday. Although the commission said the plant is safe, state and federal staff will soon begin reviewing the possible dangers at Indian Point, which sits near an earthquake fault line about 25 miles north of the city. Cuomo, a longtime opponent of the plant,  said he would ask the regulators to take a close look at Indian Point -- and the difficulties of evacuating the area in the even of an accident -- when it comes up for relicensing in 2013. The plant currently provides as much as 30 percent of the city's electricity. For more, see Environment Links in the News





March 22, 2011

Changes for Indian Point

Executives at the Indian Point nuclear power plant said they would revise its regulations following the nuclear crisis in Japan. Executives at Entergy, which owns Indian Point, were unclear on what changes they would make. Officials said the plant could survive an earthquake, though not on the scale of the recent one in Japan. The plant is 24 miles from New York City. For more, see Environment Links in the News.



Paying Tickets Online

New Yorkers who want to dispute parking tickets no longer have to take off work and wait on line. The Bloomberg administration and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn announced yesterday it would allow individuals to challenge parking tickets online for the first time. For more, see Technology Links in the News.





March 21, 2011

Budget Woes to Hit Police, Fire Departments

On a weekend that saw the United States and allies begin military action against the Libyan government of Muammar Qaddafi, budgets cuts and negotiation continued to dominate the local news. The Independent Budget Office on Friday released its required analysis of Mayor Michael Bloomberg's preliminary  budget. According to its report, the Police Department will shrink to its smallest size in 20 years under Bloomberg's 2012 budget. The report also found that spending for charter schools and education department administration would increase, while money going to traditional public schools would fall. Under the budget, the office's analysis says, the Fire Department will have 10,282 uniformed personnel in June -- its lowest number since the budget office began keeping track in 1980 -- and money going to homeless shelters could soar because of cuts in rent vouchers. The report agrees with Bloomberg that the city will end this fiscal year with a surplus, but it also sees budget difficulties in years to come. For more, see City Hall Links in the News.





March 18, 2011

Cuomo Defends Education Cuts

During a four minute fulmination, Gov. Andrew Cuomo yesterday denounced school aid advocates for playing a political "game" by threatening teacher layoffs. Indeed, the NY Times found that due to previous years' attrition, the city would need to lay off 500 to 1,000 fewer teachers than it has said it would need to. The city has, however, proposed scaling back school construction significantly. Cuomo was defending his proposed $1.5 billion, or 7.3 percent, statewide cut in education -- part of attempts at closing a $10 billion deficit. He said his cuts actually average 2.7 percent per school district, and could be offset by rooting out inefficiencies, using reserve funds, and lowering the salaries of superintendents. The state comptroller also issued a report finding that most school districts could manage the proposed cuts, for this year anyway, by dipping into reserves. State lawmakers are proposing modest restorations of less than $300 million of Cuomo's proposal. For more, see Albany in the News.





March 17, 2011

Avoiding Discount Bus Crashes

Measures are being taken in the hopes of avoiding more deaths like the 17 this week in discount bus crashes. The driver of the bus in which 15 were killed is a twice-convicted felon. He had also been arrested for driving with a suspended license and other driving violations. State officials are examining how he obtained his commercial drivers license despite these incidents and whether additional controls are needed. New York's U.S. senators also introduced legislation that would require commercial bus drivers nationwide to complete a training program. In a surprise inspection of Chinatown buses yesterday morning, police towed at least six allegedly poorly maintained buses. Many say that these drivers work long hours, are poorly compensated, and that federal rules restricting their hours are only sporadically enforced. For more see Transportation Links in the News.





March 16, 2011

Budget Moves

The State Senate and Assembly each passed their own state budgets yesterday, both of which would restore some of the cuts proposed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Both budgets would provide more money for New York City. The two houses also rejected some of the governor's proposed changes to Medicaid. Despite the differences, only a few hundred million dollars separate the three spending plans, leaving some observers to think a deal could be reached on a budget by the April 1 deadline. A division persists, however, over taxes for the wealthiest New Yorkers, with the Assembly calling for a one-year extension of the millionaires tax, and Cuomo and the Senate opposing it. For more, see Albany links in the news.



Court Hears Islamic Center Case

Opponents of a proposed Islamic center in Lower Manhattan had their day in court yesterday as they asked a state Supreme Court judge to overturn a Landmarks Preservation Commission ruling that the building currently on the site does not qualify as a landmark. With few legal arguments at their disposal, the center opponents have fought  to have the former Burlington Coat Factory store on Park Place declared a landmark since that would bar the center's developers from leveling the building to make way for the Islamic center. Lawyers for the American Center for Law and Justice and former firefighter Timothy Brown said that, in rejecting landmark status, the commission had given in to pressure from city and had not considered that the landing gear of one of the planes used in the 9 /11 attacks had fallen on the building's roof. The judge said he would rule within four weeks.





March 15, 2011

More Deaths in Discount Bus Crashes

A 15th person died from injuries related to the fatal bus crash in the Bronx over the weekend, while another crash in New Jersey last night led to two more deaths. Last night's crash occurred on the New Jersey Turnpike. The discount bus, heading for Philadelphia, left from Chinatown. Officials, including Sen. Charles Schumer, are calling for the federal government to expand its investigation of the Bronx crash to the industry overall. For more, see Transportation Links in the News.

 





March 14, 2011

Fatal Bronx Bus Crash Investigated

Fourteen people lost their lives in the Bronx during the early hours of Saturday morning when a bus flipped onto its side and careened into a sign post--slicing the bus to peices. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the accident. The driver said he was clipped by a truck. Witnesses claim they saw the bus swerving off the road and onto rumble strips multiple times before it actually crashed. The company that owns the bus has been cited five times in the last two years for fatigued driving. The bus had left the Mohegan Sun casino at 3:45 a.m. and crashed around 5 a.m. A number of the victims were from Chinatown.





March 11, 2011

Lawmakers Charged with Taking Bribes

State Sen. Carl Kruger and Assemblymember William Boyland were both charged yesterday with accepting bribes totaling over $1 million as part of a wide ranging scandal. Kruger is accused of taking money in exchange for political assistance, such as helping hospitals seeking to merge, expanding the hours of liquor stores, and fighting a bottle recycling bill. He is also said to have taken money from Richard Lipsky, a prominent lobbyist, for things like helping the development firm Forest City Ratner obtain state funds. Boyland is accused of taking a no-show job as a 'consultant' for one of the hospitals caught up in the case. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in response that he will probe the legislature if lawmakers don't pass strong ethics reforms by summer. State Republican Chairman Ed Cox called on the Democrats' Senate campaign committee to return the nearly $500,000 Kruger gave to the party last year. For more, see Crime Links in the News.





March 10, 2011

Two Lawmakers Face Charges

Two Brooklyn lawmakers, State Sen. Carl Kruger and Assemblymember William Boyland, are expected to turn themselves in to federal authorities today. The charges stem from their involvement in two hospitals' efforts to purchase other hospitals in a case that the late Senator Anthony Seminerio was sentenced to prison for last year. Lobbyist Richard Lipsky is also expected to face charges in the case. Kruger will be the third senator to face charges in four months. Over the past decade, 17 state lawmakers left office over criminal or corruption charges, 12 of them from New York City. For more, see Crime Links in the News.





March 09, 2011

Ethics Complaint Against Medicaid Team

The Center for Justice & Democracy has charged that a close friend of Gov. Andrew Cuomo and three other officials who helped come up with the state's Medicaid resdesign plan work for agencies that will improperly benefit from the plan. The Public Integrity Commission has said that the complaint will be reviewed. At the heart of the matter is tort reform. The Medicaid Redesign Team put forward recomendations that cap malpractice awards at $250,000. Hospitals would be the main beneficiaries of such a cap. The Center for Justice & Democracy opposes tort reform. Jim Introne, director of the state's health care redesign, said that the group is asking for an investigation into Mediciaid Redesign Team Members, "for doing what they were asked to do." The administration strongly defended the tort reform aspect of the redesign plan earlier this month. For more, see Eye on Albany.





March 08, 2011

Residents Sue Over Bike Lane

The battle against bike lanes progressed to the state Supreme Court Monday when residents of Park Slope filed a lawsuit against the city over a bike lane on Prospect Park West. The suit criticizes the Bloomberg administration's overall approach to bike lanes and suggests the Department of Transportation is too close with cycling advocates. The suit also alleges the city cherry-picked statistics to support the installation of the bike lane. For more, see Transportation Links in the News.





March 07, 2011

City Settles on Stop and Frisks

The Bloomberg administration has reached settlements with 9 of 16 plaintiffs in a federal law suit challenging the city's stops and arrests of residents of public housing projects and their visitors. The suit alleges that the stops, which increased between 2004 and 2008, are discriminatory because they target black and Latino communities. The city so far has agreed to pay  a total of about $170,000. The suit, however, is continuing. Despite the payouts, the administration has denied any wrongdoing and has defended the police actions. In the city as a whole, police stop and frisks reached a record high last year. For more, see Civil Rights Links in the News.





March 04, 2011

Budget News and Updates

Gov. Andrew Cuomo amended his proposed budget yesterday to include the recommendations that his Medicaid taskforce approved last week. But poor and infirm patients and advocates came out against the portion of the plan that would place people in managed care programs, saying it will limit their doctors from prescribing needed medications. And a profile on one of the recommendations to redirect an expensive group of patients who frequent the emergency room towards programs to stabilize their lives is still an experimental option, although one that shows potential. On the city's budget front, the list of 105 senior centers to be shuttered was released while state lawmakers fight to restore funding for them. Meanwhile, the Education Department will expand its funding for computer consultants, even as the mayor simultaneously threatens thousands of teacher layoffs. Last year, the city cut the consultant budget to keep fire houses open, but it will more than replace that cut this year. For more, see Public Finance in the News.





March 03, 2011

Pregnancy Disclosure Bill Passes

The council yesterday passed a bill mandating that pregnancy crisis centers disclose whether they provide abortions, emergency contraception, or prenatal care. Critics say the centers -- where employees in scrubs perform ultrasound exams but do not provide licensed medical care -- are run by activists and are simply meant to steer women away from abortions. The centers would have to announce the information in their advertising and on signs in their entrances and waiting rooms. A similar ordinance in Baltimore was declared unconstitutional on grounds that the government is regulating their speech. It is expected to impact at least a dozen centers citywide. The mayor said he will sign the bill. For more see Health Links in the News  or read our story on the issue.



City Drops 34th St. Plaza Plan

The city has dropped its plan for a pedestrian plaza off-limits to cars on 34th St. between 5th and 6th Aves, bowing to pressure from local businesses and residents. Other elements of the plan, such as dedicated bus lanes separated by physical barriers may still remain. The revised plan, which greatly expands curb access for deliveries, will be presented later this month. The final plan will be decided on this fall after a study on the project's impact on traffic patterns is completed. For more, see Transportation Links in the News.





March 02, 2011

Senate Passes, Assembly Blocks, Cuomo Proposes

The New York State Senate yesterday passed a bill that would remove seniority as the sole criteria for laying off school teachers in New York City. But the victory for the Bloomberg administration, which has championed ending the last in, first out system, appears to be short-lived. As many expected, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said the Assembly would not consider the measure, arguing that the state would already be changing its system for evaluating teachers because of its receipt of federal Race to the Top funds. And yesterday evening, Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued his own proposal for evaluating teachers, which would consider teacher performance and establish hearings for reviewing teachers rated as "ineffective." The bill seemed likely to satisfy legislators and the teachers union, but Bloomberg, who had not known of it in advance, said it would do little to help the city deal with teacher layoffs this spring, and his aides reportedly called the bill a "scam." Bloomberg has said Cuomo's budget cuts will force him to lay off 4,600 teachers; Cuomo administration officials say such layoffs will not be necessary.





March 01, 2011

Ending Last in First Out

State Senate Republicans are expected to vote on a bill today that would end the practice of laying off newly hired teachers while protecting senior educators. Senate Education Chairman Sen. John Flanagan is expected to call for a vote on his bill that would allow teachers to be dismissed on the basis of their teaching skills rather than their level of seniority. It is expected that the measure will easily pass the senate despite heated resistance from union heads. AFL-CIO president Denis Hughes called the bill a "blatant assault on principles of collective barganing." Assemblyman Jonathan Bing is expected to introduce his bill, that would work similarly to Flanagan's in the coming days. The bill is expected to face massive opposition in that body. Mayor Michael Bloomberg has pressed to reform the way teachers are laid off. The city plans to lay off 4,600 teachers under its current budget.





February 28, 2011

Teacher Layoffs Unveiled

The Bloomberg administration unveiled a list of teacher layoffs by school, and some classrooms will be much harder hit than others. The administration's plan would lay off 4,675 teachers, 6 percent of all educators, if the city does not receive more money from Albany and convince the legislature to rescind restrictions that require layoffs based on seniority. Some schools will lose half of their teachers, while others will lose none. For more, see Education Links in the News.





February 25, 2011

Cuomo's Medicaid Panel Agrees on Plan

Gov. Andrew Cuomo's Medicaid panel has agreed on a series of measures to rein in costs by an anticipated $2.3 billion. It includes a reimbursement rate cut of $345 million, curtailed home health services and a cap on medical malpractice awards. The task force was comprised of experts from hospitals, nursing homes, government and health care workers unions. Lawmakers still need to approve the plan. For more, see Health Links in the News





February 24, 2011

PCB Plan Criticized

As expected, yesterday the city announced its 10-year plan to remove lighting fixtures contaminated with toxic PCBs from nearly 800 schools. But the timeline was immediately criticized, with lawmakers pointing out that some kids could be exposed to a decade's worth of contamination. An bill will be introduced in the Assembly imposing a 5-year deadline, but there is no Senate sponsor for the measure. The Education Department said it will reassess the timeline in 2014. Advocates are considering suing to speed it up. The first schools to be addressed will be those with visible PCB leaks in the fixtures, followed by the oldest buildings constructed during the period that the chemical was used. For more, see Health Links in the News.





February 23, 2011

Deal Reported on Removing PCBs from Schools

With parents increasingly irate over PCBs in city schools, the Bloomberg administration will finally agree to remove the toxic substance from 772 schools, according to the Wall Street Journal. The city has resisted the federal government's calls to remove the leaking light fixtures that contain PCBS, saying the substance causes no immediate health risk and that removing the lights could cost $1 billion. Under the plan, the Journal, says, the city would spend $708 million over 10 years to replace the fixtures and improve energy efficiency at the buildings. The reports comes as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency found extremely high levels of PCB at a Bushwick elementary school. While PCBs, which also are present in some caulk, do not cause an immediate danger, experts say long-term exposure has been linked to cancer and other health problems.

 





February 22, 2011

Questioning Bloomberg's Budget

Over the weekend the city's most powerful unions unleashed a blitz of advertising aimed at Mayor Michael Bloomberg and his budget proposals that include firing thousands of teachers and ending an annual $12,000 pension supplement for cops and firefighters. The teacher's union launched a multi-million dollar television ad campaign attacking Bloomberg for supporting teacher layoffs while standing against a millionaire's tax. But budget analysts say some of Bloomberg's harshest cuts simply aren't politically feasible. They point out that last year Bloomberg proposed firing thousands of teachers but the layoffs did not happen. Some experts say Bloomberg's major cuts are just part of a political gambit designed to get policy changes through Albany. They point out that the city received a $2 billion windfall of revenue from the business tax and it will be hard to argue to the state that the city is hard pressed for funding. For more, see Searchlight on City Hall.





February 18, 2011

Bloomberg Unveils Budget Proposal

Mayor Michael Bloomberg unveiled a $65.6 billion budget proposal yesterday, which is about the same as this year, although the city's share of that budget would rise 12 percent. With state and federal cuts, the city faces a $4.6 billion deficit. The proposal includes the 6,200 teacher layoffs and 2,800 other layoffs. It would also slash daycare for more than 16,000 children and shutter at least 100 senior citizen centers. Child advocates are calling the cuts to child care the single biggest since the 1970s. But the budget proposal relies on $600 million in aid from the state, and Bloomberg says more cuts would be needed if it fails to provide those funds. For more, see Public Finance in the News or read our story on the budget





February 17, 2011

Teacher Layoffs in Bloomberg's Budget

Mayor Michael Bloomberg's budget proposal will call for the elimination of 6,166 teachers, which is 8 percent of the total force. Under the plan, 4,666 teachers would be let go and the other 1,500 would disappear through attrition. The administration claims the move is necessary to manage cuts in state aid proposed by the governor. The city would lose between $600 million and $1.4 billion in state education funds under the governor's proposal. But the city just announced it will collect an extra $2 billion more than expected in tax revenue this year. The city's teachers union says the mayor is using the layoffs for political leverage. Bloomberg wants more education funding from the state and a change in law that would allow the city to factor in merit when laying off teachers. The budget must still be negotiated with the City Council. It would be the first significant teacher layoffs since the 1970s. For more, see Education Links in the News.





February 16, 2011

Quinn Takes on the Mayor

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn set out to seperate herself from the mayor and set herself apart from the pack of 2013 mayoral contenders during her sixth State of the City Address on Tuesday. Quinn proposed cutting down on unecessary contracts and city debt during the speech. She also promised to oppose Mayor Michael Bloomberg's plan to cut construction spending by 20 percent and made light of some of the administration's gaffes, like CityTime. Quinn returned to her roots as a housing advocate in calling for Albany to repeal vacancy decontrol and said she would streamline the application process for affordable housing. For more, see Searchlight on City Hall.





February 15, 2011

Quinn to Give 'Car Friendly' Speech

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn is expected to propose relaxing some of the city's irksome parking regulations in her State of the City speech today. Quinn will suggest easing alternate side rules by sweeping some clean streets only once a week, instead of the current two, and will also propose an on-line tool to help people find a place to park. A Bloomberg administration spokesperson said it was already considering similar steps. Quinn, a close ally of Mayor Michael Bloomberg, is expected to seek his job in 2013.





February 14, 2011

Contributions in Court to be Limited

New York judges will be barred from hearing cases with lawyers or parties who were significant contributors to their campaigns, under a new rule to be announced this week. The new rule would set the contribution limit at $2,500 or more for the previous two years. The state’s top judge, Jonathan Lippman, said the measure was necessary to protect the court's integrity. For more, see Law Links in the News.





February 11, 2011

Universities Ask for Annual Tuition Increases

CUNY and SUNY officials, as well as a student group, yesterday proposed a moderate annual tuition increase in order to make up for state cuts. The increases would be tied to the higher education cost index, which has been about 5 percent annually in recent years. They argue it would end the cycle of long periods with no increases followed by sharp spikes under the current system where the legislature votes on the increases. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has proposed cutting state support for public higher education by 10 percent, on top of similar cuts last year, but did not call for increased tuition. For more, see Education Links in the News.





February 10, 2011

Unions Fight for $12,000 'Bonus'

Yesterday the police and fire unions ratcheted up the debate over Mayor Michael Bloomberg's plan to cut a $12,000 yearly 'bonus' paid to retirees from the forces. They called Bloomberg a 'liar' for portraying the money as a bonus. That extra money, called variable supplemental funds, comes from an agreement in the 1960s that allowed the city to invest some pension funds in the stock market and give retirees a cut of any profits. But in the '80s, they began offering retirees a fixed annual payment that grew to the current $12,000. The Bloomberg Administration says the city now spends over $600 million a year to subsidize the payouts. It's unclear whether the City Council would need to vote on the change, and Speaker Christine Quinn declined to speculate on whether it would approve it if so. For more, see Public Finance in the News.





February 09, 2011

The Mayor Testifies

Mayor Michael Bloomberg provided key testimony to a grand jury that indicted a trusted campaign aide with stealing more than $1 million from him, prosecutors revealed yesterday. The Manhattan district attorney has accused John Haggerty of taking $1.2 million to set up "ballot security" for Election Day 2009 and then spending almost all the money on himself, using it to buy a house in Forest Hills. Bloomberg, then spending some $110 million on his re-election campaign, funneled the money through a donation to the state Independence Party, essentially concealing it from public view until after the election. Haggerty contends that he kept the money because the project had come in under budget. Haggerty yesterday asked that the charges against him be dropped. He is set to be back in court March 14. For more, see City Hall links in the news.





February 08, 2011

Bloomberg Vs. Cuomo

Mayor Michael Bloomberg told Albany legislators on Monday that Gov. Andrew Cuomo's budget will leave the city with a $2.1 billion budget gap and force him to lay off thousands of teachers. Bloomberg called on legislators to do away with mandated pension costs on the city, such as a $12,00 bonus paid to retired police and fire fighter every year. He also pressed for doing away with the "first in last out" law that requires newer teachers be laid off before teachers with seniority. Cuomo's budget director, Robert Megna,  criticized Bloomberg's comments, saying the mayor could prevent layoffs by tapping into the city's $2 billion cash reserve. Bloomberg's budget director, Mark Page said Megna was simply wrong about the city's cash reserves. For more, see Eye on Albany.





February 07, 2011

Traffic Deaths Up Slightly

Traffic related deaths rose 5 percent in New York City from the year before, according to new statistics from the Department of Transportation. Nonetheless, the Big Apple remains one of the safest cities for travelers in the country. In 2010, there were 269 traffic deaths. Motorcycle accidents saw the largest uptick, increasing by 34 percent. Over the past decade, traffic deaths have decreased by more than 30 percent. For more, see Transportation Links in the News.


 





February 04, 2011

Wal-Mart Hammered at Hearing
As Wal-Mart eyes its first location in East New York or Brownsville, the City Council held a hearing exploring the economic impact of the retailer. Company representatives failed to show up, a move they announced beforehand, but they launched a public relations campaign in expectation. While a number of studies presented showed that Wal-Mart leads to lower employment in the areas where it opens shop, supporters presented boxes of petitions containing 30,000 signatures. For more, see Economy in the News.



February 03, 2011

Announcing --- Councilpedia!

Today Gotham Gazette launches a unique new tool to let you track your City Council member's campaign contributions, legislative record, and more. Councilpedia will let readers sniff out possible connections between money and politics -- and share what they discover with tens of thousands of Gotham Gazette readers. Go here to begin learning about your councilmember.



Mayor Broadens Pension Proposals

Mayor Michael Bloomberg yesterday expanded on his calls for pension reform, saying current police and fire retirees and workers should forfeit their annual $12,000 bonuses. He previously said this measure should apply only to new hires. He also now says civilian employees and teachers should contribute 5 percent to their pensions per year for their entire career. Currently, they start at 4.85 percent and end up paying 1.85 percent towards the end. Annual pension costs are expected to rise to $9 billion by 2016 from $1.4 billion in 2002. His administration is responsible for a significant portion of that growth. Meanwhile, Gov. Andrew Cuomo's proposed budget cuts continue to be reported on. For more, see Public Finance in the News.



Ban on Smoking in Parks Approved

Yesterday the council voted 36-12 to ban smoking in city parks and beaches, as well as marinas, boardwalks and pedestrian plazas like Times Square. The bill will take effect 90 days after the mayor signs it and the fine will be $50. Studies show exposure to secondhand smoke is just as dangerous outdoors as indoors. In New York, 57 percent of nonsmoking adults had elevated levels of nicotine, compared to 45 percent nationwide. Speaker Quinn said she'd like to reduce exposure to secondhand smoke even further but declined specifics. For more, see Health Links in the News.





February 02, 2011

Cuomo's Cuts Hit City

If passed by the legislature Gov. Andrew Cuomo's budget proposal would be the first in decades to actually reduce spending, and that means a lot of people are going to feel the fiscal pain. The city is expected to face at least $700 million in reductions. much of it in cuts to  school aid. The budget also would hack almost half of state aid to juvenile detention centers run by the city. Mayor Michael Bloomberg says the cuts are closer to $2 billion and complains that the city is facing more cuts than most localities. To close the state's estimated $10 billion deficit, Cuomo calls for cutting school aid and Medicaid funding by $2.85 billion apiece. He proposed few revenue generators and wants to let the so-called millionaires tax expire. Cuomo also is seeking major concessions from labor, prison closures and government streamlining. Progressives and labor groups were generally unhappy with Cuomo's plan, while business groups and the Tea Party embraced it. For more, see the Eye on Albany.





February 01, 2011

Cuomo's Budget Plans

Gov. Andrew Cuomo is expected to finally lay out the details of how he will deal with New York State's fiscal woes when he presents his budget this afternoon. Reports attributed to unnamed sources said he will propose to cut more than 3,000 prison beds, roll back scheduled spending increases on Medicaid and education, and make reductions of possibly 10 percent to state operations, a move likely to lead to the loss of thousands of jobs.  While one report said spending could fall by 2.7 percent, there also were indications that some cuts many predicted -- and the massive layoffs of city teachers -- might  not materialize. While not disclosing details yesterday, Cuomo did attack the way the state has formulated its budget in the past, particularly the increases in spending that, he said, are built into the formulas for Medicaid and education. For more, see Eye on Albany Links in the News.





January 31, 2011

Mayor Raises Possibility of Massive Teacher Layoffs
Ramping up his efforts to change the law on teacher layoffs, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Friday possible state budget cuts could force city schools  to cut 21,000 teachers, 15,000 of them through layoffs. Painting a grim picture days before Gov. Andrew Cuomo is set to announce his budget, Bloomberg said a $1 billion reduction in school aid for the city would compel the Department of Education to reduce its teaching force by 25 percent. Although he said he has not seen the governor's budget, Bloomberg laid out the doomsday scenario to hammer away at the state rule requiring teachers last hired be first fired. That, Bloomberg said, would cost the city many of its best teachers and  hurt the schools with more minorities. An aide to Cuomo expressed doubt that the governor's budget would force such massive layoffs. Legislators are reportedly negotiating a plan to allow Bloomberg to lay off thousands of nonclassroom teachers. 





January 28, 2011

Snow Day

The eighth largest snowstorm in the city's history left some areas of the city covered in  19" of snow yesterday. Schools were closed, busses pulled from service, while city workers pushed to clear the streets. Mayor Michael Bloomberg called for citizens to stay off of the roads while street parking and fire meters were suspended. The Bloomberg administration won accolades to this snow response while still feeling the aftershocks of the botched reaction to a late December storm that left some parts of the city buried in snow for weeks. Tens of thousands of students who were scheduled to take State Regents exams on Thursday will now have to wait till June.





January 27, 2011

New Snow, Old Snow

Schools and non-essential city services will be closed today as New York City grapples with another snowstorm. Most bus service was suspended and flights canceled. With this latest snow -- as much as a foot in some places -- the National Weather Service estimates that about 37 inches of snow has already fallen on Central Park this winter -- almost twice the yearly average.

On the eve of last night's storm, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority admitted to mistakes responding to December's holiday blizzard and announced a new category of storm preparedness for extreme weather. Still, the agency said that there was no way it could have done a perfect job, considering the circumstances. Meanwhile, the city is currently facing 225 lawsuits resulting from the storm, and more are expected. For more, see City Hall in the News.





January 26, 2011

State Governing in the News

The way New York state watchdogs its judges, votes for president, and breaks legislative ties were all addressed yesterday. At the urging of a lawyer's group that includes judges, the State Bar Association is considering recommending a shake-up of the state's system for disciplining and removing judges. Legislation to replace the Electoral College with a popular vote was shelved by the state Assembly yesterday. Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers narrowly failed to pass a bill stating that the lieutenant governor does not have the authority to cast a tie-breaking vote on the election of Senate majority leader. Senate Democrats who broke away from their party's caucus were also awarded with committee chairs. For more, read Governing in the News.





January 25, 2011

Bloomberg Pushes for Stricter Gun Laws

Mayor Michael Bloomberg reiterated his call for stricter national gun control laws, bringing victims from the shootings in Tuscon, Virginia Tech and Columbine High School to City Hall. Bloomberg said the national background system already in place to purchase guns is flawed, because records are not kept on those who aren't qualified to buy a weapon. Bloomberg also urged Congress to ban the sale of high-capacity ammunition magazines. For more, see Crime and Safety Links in the News.




 





January 24, 2011

Leaving City Government

The city announced Friday that two senior officials are leaving the Bloomberg administration. Rafael Cestero, who has served as commissioner of the Department of Housing Preservation and Development for two years, has resigned to take a job in the private sector. Cestero has won praise from many housing advocates for his work to preserve affordable housing. At the Department of Education, Eric Nadelstern, one of its few long-time professional educators, will step down as deputy chancellor. Nadelstern, who has worked in city schools for 39 years and was involved in many of the recent changes in the system, was sometimes mentioned as a possible chancellor. Once that job went to publishing executive Catheen Black, he was considered a logical choice for her education deputy. He did not get that job either. Nadelstern is the second deputy chancellor to resign since Mayor Michael Bloomberg appointed Black last fall.

 





January 21, 2011

Mob Sweep Charges 127

Federal agents charged 127 suspected mobsters yesterday, including members from each of the five crime families in New York, with crimes spanning decades. The record one-day sweep included arrests for crimes like murder, racketeering, drug-dealing, union extortion, robbery and loan-sharking. The announcement was made in Brooklyn, but the operation covered the whole Northeast. The U.S. attorney general noted that while the mob is nowhere near as powerful as it once was, it is still dangerous. Its continued grip on local unions was particularly notable, including at Ground Zero. For more, see Crime Links in the News.





January 20, 2011

State of City Targets Pensions

The focus of Mayor Michael Bloomberg's tenth state of the city address yesterday focused on tackling pension costs. He called for a rise in the retirement age for new non-uniformed city workers from 57 to 65. Ending year-end bonuses for new uniformed workers was another proposal, which would save $200 million annually. Bloomberg will also seek a change in state law to allow the city to negotiate pension benefits directly with unions during collective bargaining. Another move would consolidate the city's pension system, which could save $8 million in administrative costs. Additionally, he said he wouldn't sign any union contracts that include salary raises without concessions. Otherwise, he focused on mostly small things, like pledging not to raise taxes and promising to spare restaurants graded 'A' from fines. The facts in the mayor's speech were generally accurate. For more, see City Hall Links in the News or read our story on the speech.





January 19, 2011

State of the City

Mayor Michael Bloomberg is expected to use his State of the City address that he will deliver at 1 p.m. on Staten Island today to put recent criticism behind him. One major move that Bloomberg is expected to make is legalizing a new class of livery cabs that can be hailed by commuters in the outerboroughs. These new livery cabs will be required to have a uniform color, meter and GPS units. "And why shouldn't someone in Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx, or Staten Island be able to hail a legal cab on the street?" Bloomberg is expected to ask in his speech. Representatives for yellow cabs are expected to put up a major fight against the proposal as they are concerned livery cabs will steal their fares. "This year, we’ll establish a new category of livery cars that can make on-street pickups outside of Manhattan -- just like yellow cabs do," the mayor will say. "It will give New Yorkers in all five boroughs another safe, reliable and convenient option for getting around. Because whether you’re standing on 42nd Street in Manhattan, or 42nd Street in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, or 42nd Street in Sunnyside, Queens, you ought to be able to hail a cab."





January 18, 2011

Cuomo Approval Rating High

A new poll released Monday found 70 percent of voters approve of newly minted Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The poll, conducted by the Siena Research Institute, also found only 17 percent of voters trust the State Legislature. Observers said the high for Cuomo cannot last forever and would likely fade after the governor releases his budget. For more, see Albany Links in the News.





January 14, 2011

Opposition to Car Accident Fee Plan

The Fire Department's plan to charge at-fault drivers involved in accidents for emergency response services is running into opposition on the eve of a City Council hearing about it. The move would charge drivers who caused an accident or car fire $490 when an injury is involved, $415 for vehicle fires without injuries, and $365 for incidents without fire or injuries. The department doesn't need council approval to implement the plan. But a bill is being drafted barring the fee and a number of council members have signaled their disapproval of the department's idea. Council Speaker Quinn argues drivers would be less likely to report accidents. The fee would add $1 million to the Fire Department's budget per year. For more, see Safety Links in the News.





January 13, 2011

Snow Fallout

Snow continues to blanket the news this morning. The city saw business resume close to normal after 9 inches fell in Central Park Tuesday night. Mass transit reported only minor delays. The biggest complaint about plowing this time around was that there was so much of it that people were kept awake. The city overspent its snow budget for the year, which has happened seven of the last eight years. Although schools were open, more than half of students didn't show up. The back-to-back storms have strained emergency food reserves at Citymeals on Wheels. For more, see City Hall Links in the News.





January 12, 2011

City Charged with Overbilling Medicaid

The federal government has filed suit against the city charging that it overbilled the Medicaid system for tens of millions of dollars. In seeking civil penalties and damages, the suit filed yesterday alleges that, between 2000 and 2010, the city improperly approved 24-hour care for perhaps thousands of patients who did not need the services and overruled doctors who said the care was not necessary. U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said in a release that  the allegations "reflect a systemic failure to responsibly administer the Medicaid program." The complaint by the U.S. attorney suggests that, in some cases, the city may have recommended full-time personal care instead of more appropriate services because the city does not have to contribute some of the funding for that kind of care but does have to help pay for other, alternative services. The city Human Resources Administration said it was reviewing the complaint. For more, see health links in the news.



Snow Falls. City Survives

The city appeared to be coping with last night's snow. Schools remained open, and subways kept running. Most flights, however, were cancelled. Following the fallout from last month's blizzard when many city streets remained clogged with snow for days, Mayor Michael Bloomberg declared a weather emergency hours before this, less severe storm even began, and most streets apparently were cleared promptly. The city said it had deployed 300 salters and 1,700 plows, and placed sanitation workers on 12-hours shifts to deal with the approximately eight inches of snow.





January 11, 2011

Council Throws Snowballs

Top Bloomberg administration officials detailed mistakes made during the Boxing Day blizzard before the City Council yesterday, and Deputy Mayor of Operations Stephen Goldsmith promised to never let that type of response happen again. In front of a standing room only audience, more than 40 council members, who were irate over the city's slow response to the storm, grilled commissioners from the departments of fire, sanitation and the Office of Emergency Management. At issue was who made the decision to not call a snow emergency and why. For more, see the Wonkster and City Hall Links in the News.





January 10, 2011

Snow Questions

The City Council will ask the Bloomberg Administration today why it did not declare as state of emergency during last month's blizzard--along with 12 pages of other questions relating to the administrations slow response to the storm. One of the questions  will be whether there should be a regulation that New Yorker's should not drive during snow emergencies. The Council submitted their list of questions to Mayor Michael Bloomberg last week so that he and his staff would not show up the hearings unprepared. Bloomberg invited Council leaders to breakfast at Gracie Mansion on Saturday in hopes of giving a civil tone to the proceedings but the event is expected to be highly charged. Bloomberg has continually evaded questions about whether he or one of his many deputy mayors was in charge during the blizzard. Councilmembers say they plan to find out.





January 07, 2011

Many Thanks!

Thank you to all the Gotham Gazette readers who contributed $12,416 to our winter appeal. The support of readers like you will make it possible for us to cover key issues in the weeks ahead -- Gov. Cuomo's efforts to change Albany, the battles over budgets, the investigations into the city's response to last week's blizzard and more. Be sure to stay tuned later this month when we unveil Councilpedia, our new tool for tracking money in local politics. Your help is vital to keeping Gotham Gazette alive and well. In the year to come, we'll work hard and dig deep into city and state policies to keep you informed -- and to earn your continued support. And if in the midst of snow shoveling and holiday celebrations, you forgot to donate, you can still go here to make a tax-deductible contribution today.



City Prepares for New Storm

The Bloomberg Administration vowed preparedness for the snow storm expected to bring up to 6 inches today. Plowers will be monitored by GPS. Two underperforming sanitation supervisors in South Brooklyn were reassigned. The MTA is placing its operations on the highest snow alert level now, a move they didn't take for the last storm until it was already under way. The holiday storm brought at least 20 inches. Remaining curbside trash still left from that storm could pose a problem this time around. If all goes well, trash collection will resume Saturday, otherwise it will resume "hopefully by next week," the mayor says. For more, see City Hall Links in the News.





January 06, 2011

Cuomo's State of the State

Gov. Andrew Cuomo's State of the State address yesterday was a centrist, pro-business speech focusing on bringing businesses back to the state, reducing taxes on individuals, revamping the juvenile justice system, campaign finance reform, and political corruption. Although details on his plan to tackle the deficit were thin, he said he'd slash state agencies by 20 percent and create panels to devise ways to trim the Medicaid budget. Cuomo also announced plans to steer $500 million in education aid through competitive grants. On the topic of ethics reform, he may have problems with Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. For more, see Albany in the News or read our story on the address.



EMS Chief Demoted

The chief of the Fire Department’s Emergency Medical Service was demoted yesterday. He is the first to be reassigned following widespread criticism of the city's response to last week's storm. He is also the subject of a probe for receiving a free trip from a vendor doing business with the Fire Department. He is expected to accept the accusations and be fined. It is possible that the Emergency Management Commissioner may get the ax for his handling of the storm as well. For more, see City Hall Links in the News.





January 05, 2011

Snow Probe

Federal investigators are looking into an alleged conspiracy by sanitation management to slow down the snow clean up following last week's blizzard. The Brooklyn US Attorney's Office is investigating whether sanitation management deliberatly blocked the snow clean up in Brooklyn and Queens to protest budget cuts made by Bloomberg. Meanwhile sanitation workers say that it was faulty equipment, a lack of action by the Bloomberg administration, and the power of the storm that led to a slow clean up. The Bloomberg administration refuses to say whether the mayor or one of his seven deputies were in charge over the weekend of the blizzard. The council is scheduled to hold at least five hearings on the snow clean up--the first will take place on Monday.



State of the State

Gov. Andrew Cuomo will deliver his first state of the state address today. His is expected to deliver a message about the need for the state to reduce spending, cap property taxes, create jobs and increase ethics oversight in Albany. In a symbolic move Cuomo has moved the traditional location of the speech from the Assembly chamber to the Empire State Plaza Convention Center which can seat around 2,000 people. Cuomo has also invited Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos to give brief speeches at the event. Cuomo is also expected to use large screens to make a multi-media presentation as part of his speech.





January 04, 2011

Trash Pickup Resumes

The Department of Sanitation resumed refuse pickup yesterday for the first time in nearly two weeks, but residents and officials continued to blast the city's slow-moving response to the Boxing Day blizzard. Pickup will be slow, but Sanitation Commissioner John Doherty pledged residents would have at least one pickup by Friday. Recycling pickup will not resume until this weekend at the earliest. For more, see City Hall Links in the News.



Cuomo to Cut Salary, Medicaid

Newly minted Gov. Andrew Cuomo pledged yesterday to cut his own salary by 5 percent and, according to the Wall Street Journal, is considering an approximately $2.1 billion state cut to Medicaid. With federal matching funds, the slash would deepen to about $4 billion. That cut would keep Medicaid at the same spending level as this year. Cuomo also plans to consolidate the banking and insurance departments, according to the Post. For more, see Albany Links in the News and The Wonkster.





January 03, 2011

There's Still Time

2010 has ended and with it so has the Paterson administration, Mayor Bloomberg's image (in some quarters) of infallibility -- and Gotham Gazette's winter fund drive. But you can still make a tax-deductible contribution to Gotham Gazette. Your gift will let us cover the key issues in the new year -- Gov. Cuomo's fiscal plan, the hearings on the city's response to the blizzard, the new schools chancellor and more. In 2011, we still need help from readers like you -- now more than ever. Go here to make your contribution today

 




Cuomo Takes Office

Andrew Cuomo became the 56th governor of New York Saturday, eschewing much of the customary fanfare and instead stressing the huge challenges confronting the state. In a 25-minute speech, Cuomo called for immediate action on ethics reform and said he would unveil his plan to deal with the state's multibillion dollar deficit in his state of the state speech Wednesday. He is expected to propose a one-year salary freeze for state workers. Cuomo's first actions as governor, though, were largely symbolic -- he ordered the removal of concrete barriers in front of the capitol and opened up the wing of the building that houses his office. For more, see Cuomo Takes Charge and Eye on Albany links in the news.

 



Blizzard Blowback

The weekend's warm temperatures shrank the mounds of snow throughout the city, but controversy -- and anger -- over the city's response to the Dec. 26 storm remains. By all accounts, the city government and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority appeared unprepared for the blizzard, which stranded bus and subway passengers, blocked city streets and made it impossible for ambulances to reach critically ill New Yorkers. Despite Mayor Michael Bloomberg's initial declarations that all was going well, many streets, particularly in Brooklyn and Queens, remained unplowed as late as Wednesday and even Thursday. By that time, Bloomberg conceded the city's response had been inadequate.

Reports in the New York Post blamed sanitation workers, charging that employees, angered by layoffs, had sabotaged the snow removal effort, with many calling in sick. While Bloomberg expressed skepticism, he said the Department of Investigation would look into the issue.The City Council will hold hearings on the snow response Jan. 10, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority also is planning an inquiry. Among other issues likely to be explored in the coming days are whether cutbacks at the Sanitation Department jeopardized the cleanup efforts, whether equipment worked, why the city did not call a snow emergency and why it did not make more aggressive efforts to bring in outside help.For more, see City Hall links in the news





December 23, 2010

Give -- Before It's Too Late!

Time is running out to contribute to Gotham Gazette's winter appeal. We must raise $8,900 more by the time the ball drops to usher in 2011 and a new administration takes over in Albany. Send us your change so we can cover the change. Please go here to make your tax-deductible contribution today.



Happy Holidays!

Gotham Gazette will be taking a year-end break. The next Eye Opener will appear in your in box bright and early on Jan. 3.



Senate Passes 9/11 Health Bill

The U.S. Senate yesterday passed a $4.3 billion bill providing health care for sick 9/11 responders. The measure, passed after years of gridlock, is a scaled-down version of one previously approved by the House. The House passed this version quickly, and the president says he will sign it into law. It provides $1.8 billion over five years to monitor and treat injuries resulting from the 9/11 attacks. Another $2.5 billion will be set aside to reopen the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund for five years. This version imposes a fee on companies from some countries that sell goods and services to the U.S. government instead of taxing foreign corporations. For more, see Health Links in the News.





December 22, 2010

Spare Some Change?

We need your change so Gotham Gazette can cover change that will affect all New Yorkers in 2011. Changes in Albany. Changes at Tweed Courthouse. Disputes about changes in congressional and state legislative districts. And more. We must raise $15,000 so we can tell you about the change, what's behind the change and who's making change in 2011. Please go here to make your tax-deductible contribution today.

 



Losing Clout

New York state stands to lose two of its 29 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, according to 2010 census figures released yesterday. As a result, the state, which once had 45 members in the house, will see its delegation shrink to the smallest it has been in 200 years. It remains unclear which representatives will likely lose their seats once the redistricting process begins, although New York City could escape relatively unscathed. The state's loss reflects a shift in seats away from the Northeast and toward the South and West, with Ohio also losing two seats and Texas picking up four. For more, see Demographics Links in the News.





December 21, 2010

Let's Focus on Change

We need it -- $15,000 worth to be exact -- so we can cover the changes in Albany, in the Bloomberg administration (where there's been a bit of turnover lately) and throughout our city. We go beyond the shouts and sound bytes to tell you what's really happening on key issues. But we can't do it without donations from readers like you. Click here to make your tax-deductible contribution today.



Paterson Fined for World Series Tickets

Gov. David Paterson received a record-breaking fine of $62,125 from the state's ethics commission Monday for soliciting and taking tickets to the 2009 World Series from the New York Yankees.  Asking for the tickets, worth thousands of dollars, while the team had matters before the state left the impression Paterson could be swayed by receiving them, the panel ruled. Paterson asserted he had intended to pay for the tickets, but the commission rejected that contention. An attorney for Paterson, who will leave office at the end of the year, called the decision "outrageous." For more, see the Wonkster and Albany Links in the News.

 





December 20, 2010

Prepare for 2011

Get ready for the New Year by giving to Gotham Gazette today. And in return we've made a resolution to keep providing you with issue-oriented coverage of things that matter (sorry, Ms. Lohan!) -- and to provide some exciting new features in the year to come. Help us keep that pledge by going here to make your tax- deductible contribution today



Compromise on Zadroga

Mayor Michael Bloomberg will make his final push on the 9/11 responders health care bill this morning as Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand and Charles Schumer announced they had reached a bipartisan agreement to pass the legislation. Gillibrand said a deal was reached with Republican senators to reduce its price tag from $7.4 billion to $6.2 billion. It would also change its funding structure. The bill would have been paid for by closing tax loopholes used by foreign companies. Under the deal, it will be partly funded by a 2 percent fee on federal contracts for foreign companies whose countries bar U.S. firms from government contracts. Schumer warned some Republicans could still block the bill. A vote could come as soon as Tuesday. The original legislation already passed the House but it would need to consider the revised bill if it passes in the Senate.





December 17, 2010

Payroll Chief Suspended

The executive director of the Office of Payroll Administration, Joel Bondy, was suspended yesterday following arrests involving the CityTime project. He was in charge of overseeing the project. He was also a longtime associate of the consultant who allegedly devised the scheme to defraud the city through it. The city suspended payments to the company hired to do quality assurance on CityTime as well. Bondy and the consultant were both formerly employed by that company. The consultant, it was revealed, was arrested in 1999 for larceny, which lead to his ouster from the Administration for Children's Services. He had also worked at that agency alongside Bondy, where they started on the same day. For more, see Crime links in the News.



Time is Running Out

Only two weeks remain in 2010, and by the time the ball drops in Times Square on New Year's Eve, we need to raise $15,000 from readers like you. The new year promises lots of news -- a new governor, budget battles in Albany and City Hall, angry disputes over whether to close more schools. You'll want to read our coverage of all that and more. But we can’t do it without your help. Please go here to make your tax-deductible contribution today.





December 16, 2010

Support the Eye-Opener

Bright and early every weekday morning, Gotham Gazette brings you a sharp summary of New York policy and politics news -- along with an array of links to our original reporting and commentary and the best from other sources. But we can't send out this daily alert without your help. Please go here to make your tax- deductible contribution today -- and we'll continue to  get up at the crack of dawn. 

 



CityTime Consultants Arrested

Four consultants to city's automated payroll system CityTime and two of their family members were charged yesterday with stealing over $80 million. One consultant is accused of directing over $76 million in contracts to two companies who then steered $24 million in kickbacks to him through shell companies controlled by his wife and mother. That consultant has been paid over $4 million by the city for his work with CityTime, a project that ballooned in cost from $63 million to $722 million. The executive director of the Office of Payroll Administration, who is in charge of overseeing the project, is a former employee of the company hired to do quality assurance on it. For more, see Crime Links in the News.





December 15, 2010

Espada Indicted

A federal grand jury has indicted outgoing State Sen. Majority Leader Pedro Espada Jr. and his son, Pedro Gautier Espada, for embezzling more than $500,000 from their non-profit health clinics in the Bronx. The six-count indictment charges that the two men used the Soundview health network the senior Espada founded in 1978 to pay for home improvements, sushi, tickets and campaign expenses, among other items, and set up non-profit organizations to steer funds from Soundview to themselves. Espada, who was defeated in his re-election bid, also faces a civil suit, filed by Attorney General Andrew Cuomo in March, charging him with diverting $14 million from Soundview. The two Espadas are scheduled to appear in court today. Through a representative, they denied any wrongdoing. In announcing the indictment, U.S. attorney Loretta Lynch said the investigation was continuing. For more, see Albany Links in the News.

 





December 14, 2010

Your Change Supports Our Independence

Gotham Gazette doesn't hold to the party line -- because we don't have one. Your support helps us present informed, thoughtful opinion on key issues facing New Yorkers. Check out today's discussion of the living wage and you'll see why Gotham Gazette is vital to a civil civic discussion. And then click here to make your tax-deductible contribution. 

 



Court Clears Way for Columbia Expansion

Columbia University can move forward with its $6 billion expansion of its Manhattan campus now that the U.S. Supreme Court has rejected a case by local businesses whose property is being taken for use in the project by eminent domain. The decided not to question the Empire State Development Corps. finding that the area is blighted and that he project would benefit the public. Owners of two gas stations and four self-storage unit challenged the plan that would level their properties. The New York State Court of Appeals ruled earlier this year that the state could seize land for use in the 17-acre expansion. By rejecting the appeal the Supreme Court has declined to review its 2005 decision that found that local governments can use eminent domain as part of an economic development plan.





December 13, 2010

Act Now!

And support Gotham Gazette. We need to raise $15,000 by the end of 2010 -- less than three weeks away -- so we can keep providing sharp, issue oriented reporting on New York City. Please go here now to make your tax-deductible contribution. Don't delay!



Fight Over Wal-Mart on Horizon

If at first you don't succeed, try again -- at least according to big-box retailer, Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart has attempted to land a New York City store twice before, but relented after community opposition. According to the New York Times, they are currently eyeing sites across the city and have hired a former Bloomberg consultant to help their cause. The City Council has delayed a hearing on the potential project scheduled for this week, while Wal-Mart courts construction unions. For more, see Land Use Links in the News.





December 10, 2010

Help Gotham Gazette Bring in the New

The coming months will see a new governor, a new schools chancellor and new challenges for our state and city government. Gotham Gazette wants to cover it all. But to bring you the issue-oriented non-partisan reporting you have come to rely on, we must have your support. Go here to make your tax deductible contribution today.

 



Republicans Block 9/11 Health Bill

Republicans in the U.S. Senate voted down a bill that would provide healthcare and compensation to rescue workers who became sick from working at Ground Zero. It went down along party lines 57-42. Democrats need 60 votes for the bill to come to a vote. A version of the bill was passed by the House earlier this year. Supporters think this might have been the last chance to get the bill through. There is discussion of making it part of the tax cut deal between President Barack Obama and Republicans, which is likely to come to a vote before the end of this lame-duck session. Republicans have raised concerns about funding the $7.4 billion measure.  Mayor Michael Bloomberg admonished Republicans. "The attacks of 9/11 were attacks on America,” he said, “and we have a collective responsibility to care for the heroes, from all 50 states, who answered the call of duty, saved lives and helped our nation recover.”





December 09, 2010

Now More than Ever

After over a decade covering issues that matter in New York City, Gotham Gazette needs support from readers like you. Your contribution is more vital than ever before if we are to keep bringing you our award-winning reporting, incisive analysis and commentary, and links to key articles and reports on New York policy and politics. Please go here to make your tax deductible contribution today.



Powerful Lobbyist Fined $500,000

One of Albany's top lobbyists, Patricia Lynch, has agreed to pay a $500,000 fine as part of a settlement with Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's investigation into the state's pension funds. She is also prohibited from doing business with the comptroller's office for five years. On behalf of clients seeking investments from the fund, Lynch arranged campaign contributions, gifts, and a job for the daughter of the former comptroller's companion. The move could add to tension between Cuomo and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, who is close to Lynch. Settlements with two other lobbyists were also announced. Cuomo has secured agreements with 18 firms and three individuals to repay $160 million in connection with the pension probe. Eight people also have pleaded guilty to criminal charges. For more, see Crime Links in the News.





December 08, 2010

Send Us Your Change

Today Gotham Gazette continues its series on the challenges confronting Gov.-elect Andrew Cuomo with an in-depth look at whether Cuomo can clean up corruption in the capital. It's the kind of reporting that's won us acclaim since 1999. But we need your change so we can keep covering the change in Albany, at City Hall, in Tweed Courthouse and throughout our city. Please go here to make your tax deductible contribution today.



State Pensions Underfunded

The state's pension funds are underfunded by $120 billion dollars, according to a new report by the Empire Center. Taxpayer contributions will need to increase an additional $8.5 billion a year by 2015 to provide the legally mandated benefits, the center claims. The state pension system saw a 26 percent decline in assets in 2009. It also says the city's funds are underfunded by $76 billion. For more, see Public Finance in the News.





December 07, 2010

Support Gotham Gazette

Send us your change so we can count their change. Early in 2011, Gotham Gazette will launch an exciting new tool to track campaign cash and monitor its influence on policy in New York City. It's the kind of in-depth, innovative approach you expect from Gotham Gazette. But we need your help so we can continue our award-winning coverage of issues that matter. Please go here to make your tax deductible contribution today.

 

 



School Closures Ahead

The city named 12 schools yesterday it intends to close for poor performance, including one charter school, Ross Global Academy. The Bloomberg administration is expected to name more schools to close today. Half of the schools released Monday opened during Bloomberg's tenure. Some of the schools on the list the administration attempted to shutter last year, but was blocked by a lawsuit from the teachers' union. Meanwhile, the new schools chancellor, Cathie Black, visited a school in Chelsea, and said she was interested in hearing what was on parents' minds. For more, see Education Links in the News.

 



Election Law Reforms

Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced Monday he plans to push for several election law reforms in Albany, including early voting, allowing New Yorkers to fill out ballots at home and reducing the registration deadline from 25 days before an election to 10. For more see the Wonkster and Governing Links in the News.