In her first words to the state after Andrew Cuomo announced his resignation, Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul promised to purge the administration of its most toxic roots. There will be turnover, she said in Albany last week.
Thats great news for New Yorkers who were shocked by the Cuomo office modus operandi laid bare in Attorney General Tish James report earlier this month.
Its not so great for myriad Cuomo staffers and administration employees who were in the dark about the worst of the alleged misdeeds, but now arent sure if theyll have jobs when Hochul takes over Aug. 24. Its led to more than a little anxiety in the halls of Albany about whos on a hypothetical hit list.
The initial vibe, according to one Albany insider who was previously part of the Cuomo administration: The staff all like her but theyre naturally afraid for their jobs. Everyone wants to be helpful as possible, they just dont know how.
Hochul and her staff have since clarified that they want and need most of the current public servants who were not implicated in the report to stay on board for now, if only because New Yorks literal and metaphorical trains must continue to run on time. (Who controls the MTA again?)
Hochuls chief of staff Jeff Lewis sent an email to executive chamber staff this week saying he will be setting up one-on-one meetings in the coming weeks with every member of Cuomos staff, both in New York City and in Albany, to determine whether they are interested in continuing on with a new governor.
We will need all hands on deck to refocus our efforts in helping move the Chamber forward and will be asking the vast majority of you to stay on through the next Administration, Lewis wrote in the email shown to us yesterday. Lewis promised an inclusive, safe, and supportive culture for everyone throughout our State Government and said Hochul is committed to leading by example from the top.
But since the timeline to build an administration is kind of tight, anyone whos not interested in a job with Hochul should flag for them sooner rather than later, and no hard feelings, really. Please know we will not be offended, he wrote.
ITS FRIDAY. Got tips, suggestions or thoughts? Let us know … By email: [email protected] and [email protected], or on Twitter: @erinmdurkin and @annagronewold
WHERES ANDREW? No public schedule yet.
WHERES BILL? Appearing on WNYCs Brian Lehrer show and speaking at the homecoming concert in Queens.
WHERES KATHY? Holding a round table with Long Island labor leaders.
COUNTDOWN TO KATHY: 4 DAYS
INTRODUCING OTTAWA PLAYBOOK: Join the growing community of Politicos from lawmakers and leaders to pollsters, staffers, strategists and lobbyists working to shape Canadas future. Every day, our reporting team pulls back the curtain to shed light on whats really driving the agenda on Parliament Hill, the true players who are shaping politics and policy across Canada, and the impact it all has on the world. Dont miss out on your daily look inside Canadian politics and power. Subscribe to Ottawa Playbook today.
WHAT CITY HALL’S READING
MTA cant afford further delays on NYC congestion pricing: report, by amNewYorks Kevin Duggan: The MTA needs revenues from congestion pricing yesterday, according to a new report by a government watchdog group. Reinvent Albany reported that the mass transit agency has secured less than 4% of the cash needed for its ambitious, nearly $55 billion five-year capital plan to modernize the ailing subway and bus systems. The MTA literally cannot afford to lose congestion pricing revenues, said Rachael Fauss, a senior researcher with Reinvent Albany, who co-wrote the report. MTA officials have only $2 billion on hand out of $54.8 billion budgeted for the 2020-2024 capital plan 18 months into its schedule, according to the analysis released Thursday.
Car City: New Yorkers are racing to get behind the wheel, clogging roads, boosting car-related businesses and hurting transit in a trend that could reshape the city, by Crains Amanda Glodwoski: Micah Wilson was a public-transit enthusiast. He used to ride the subway three times per day in addition to having memberships with Car2Go and CitiBike. Last year, however, he did something out of character. I more or less made an impulse purchase, said Wilson, who works in marketing. I Slacked my wife one day, saying, ‘I just bought a car.’ Wilson isn’t alone. New York City is on track for a 34% uptick in new vehicle registrations this year. The number of new learner’s permits issued this year has already far surpassed prepandemic annual figures. In tandem, automobile-related businesses including dealerships and car washes are applying for permits at a rapid and growing pace across the five boroughs.
NYC Loses Jobs as Pandemic Recession Takes Growing Toll on Workers of Color, by The Citys Greg David: New York Citys recovery crashed into a pothole in July with a decline in jobs for the first time this year amid more displays of the disproportionate impact of the pandemic recession on Black and Latino workers. Three major data points paint a worrisome picture for the city: New York lost 14,000 jobs in July, while the rest of the country saw its strongest employment growth in a year, numbers released Thursday by the state Labor Department show.
COVID-Concerned Community Boards Ready to Break State Law to Keep Online Meetings, by The Citys Gabriel Sandoval: Community board chairs are pushing back on a requirement that their meetings resume in person next month with some saying they plan to defy state law if necessary to keep their sessions COVID-safe After Gov. Andrew Cuomo suspended in-person government meetings last year in declaring a state of emergency at the dawn of the pandemic, the citys 59 community boards migrated to online video platforms such as Webex and Zoom. Civic engagement soared as members of the public, the boards and government agency reps easily participated from the comfort of their homes via the internet, mastering the mute button and other video conferencing features. But once vaccinations made gathering safer, the state lifted the emergency order on June 24. Community boards were once again subject to the states open meetings law requiring public access to the physical premises of an official gathering.
De Blasio Faces Pressure to Restore NYCs Remote-School Option, by Bloombergs Henry Goldman and Nic Querolo: Pressure is mounting on New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio to reverse his stance on a virtual option for students. City schools, the largest district in the country, are set to reopen Sept. 13 fully in-person, five days a week, without the remote offering provided to kids last year. De Blasio has said the city will not offer a remote option and does not have a Plan B to offer virtual schooling in case rising coronavirus cases shutter schools again. We are dealing with an evolving pandemic and we have younger students currently ineligible for the vaccine, said Mark Treyger, chairman of the City Council education committee, who is leading the effort to push the mayors office on a more flexible alternative.
WHAT ALBANY’S READING
New York celebrated a return to normalcy. Now COVID is back in a big way., by USA Today Networks Jon Campbell and David Robinson: With nine hours notice, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo told the state he was going to light up the sky. It was about 12:30 p.m. on June 15, and the state had just crossed a crucial milestone: 70% of adults had been vaccinated against COVID-19. It triggered Cuomos decision to rescind the states mask mandate and social distancing rules for vaccinated individuals. In Cuomos eyes, it was a cause for celebration. At 10 locations across New York, a handful of state agencies had scrambled to secure fireworks displays that night at a cost ranging from $4,500 in Utica to $44,500 in New York City, records show to mark the accomplishment. Its our way of saying thank you all across the state (to) the essential workers, to celebrate our reopening, our reimagining, Cuomo said that day…
“Just two months later, the success, in more ways than one, was fleeting. COVID cases and hospitalizations are up significantly. Cuomo is days away from resigning amid a sexual harassment scandal. And incoming Gov. Kathy Hochul, who will take office Tuesday, is hoping to institute a mask mandate in schools, at least to slow the virus spread. The premature return to normalcy in New York and nationally has complicated the daunting task of effectively restarting the fight against COVID-19, experts said.
New Yorks Excelsior Pass is likely to cost at least $27 million, by New York Timess Sharon Otterman: New Yorks digital vaccine app, the Excelsior Pass, will likely cost far more than originally expected, with projected costs nearing $27 million, according to newly obtained documents shared with The New York Times. The pass is stepping into the spotlight this week as restaurants, museums, gyms and other indoor venues in New York City are asking customers often for the first time to show proof of at least one vaccine dose as part of a new city mandate. More than three million people have already retrieved an Excelsior Pass, which consists of a QR code that can be stored on a smartphone or printed out, the state said. The app verifies applications against city and state vaccination records, and the code is generated only once someone is considered fully vaccinated, defined as at least 14 days after the final shot. Through a Freedom of Information Request, the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, an advocacy group that has expressed concern about the privacy and security implications of vaccine passports, received the latest contract between the state and I.B.M., which is developing the app.
Heastie Says Impeachment Report Will be Done Expeditiously, but Also Correctly,'” by New York Nows Dan Clark & Megan Zerez: The state Assemblys investigation into a myriad of allegations made against Gov. Andrew Cuomo doesnt have a firm end date, but lawmakers are working expeditiously to conclude the probe and release a report to the public, Speaker Carl Heastie said Thursday. Speaking in Cortland County, Heastie said that lawmakers arent working toward a specific date to release the report, but that theyre trying to wrap it up as soon as possible. I know theres always a thirst for people to get answers right away, but I think people prefer a correct answer and a correct reporting of what happened rather than speed, Heastie said. Were trying to do both, were trying to do it expeditiously, but also correctly.
New York passes 65 percent threshold in federal rent relief funding, by Times Unions Michelle Del Rey: A state commissioner for the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance told a Senate panel on Friday that New York has distributed 65 percent of its federal pandemic rental relief, relieving a potential threat of having to forfeit the remainder of the funding for not issuing enough of it by a Sept. 30 deadline. The testimony by Commissioner Michael P. Hein, a former Ulster County executive, came as his agency has faced withering criticism for delays in doling out the funds in a timely manner to thousands of struggling tenants and landlords. In a report earlier this week, state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli said an audit by his office found New York had allocated $2.7 billion from federal and state to rental relief programs, but only $108.8 million had been distributed. The slow roll-out meant the state faced the prospect of having its federal aid reapportioned to other states if it did not distribute enough of it by the September deadline.
#UpstateAmerica: The 53rd iteration of the State Fairs butter sculpture
is Back to School, Sports, and Play Youre Gonna Need Milk for That.
SUBSCRIBE TO “THE RECAST” TODAY: Power is shifting in Washington and in communities across the country. More people are demanding a seat at the table, insisting that politics is personal and not all policy is equitable. The Recast is a twice-weekly newsletter that explores the changing power dynamics in Washington and breaks down how race and identity are recasting politics and policy in America. Get fresh insights, scoops and dispatches on this crucial intersection from across the country and hear critical new voices that challenge business as usual. Don’t miss out, SUBSCRIBE. Thank you to our sponsor, Intel.
AROUND NEW YORK
The West Indian Day Parade has been canceled
for a second year. They’re doing some virtual events again as well as small in-person gatherings over a few days in early September.
Harlems Apollo Theater will reopen
with a star-studded concert on Aug. 28.
New York states economy added 43,800 jobs last month in the private sector, and the states unemployment declined slightly from 7.7 percent to 7.6 percent, the state Department of Labor announced Thursday.
Buffalo mayoral candidate India Walton is not talking about
allegations that she threatened physical harm against a fellow registered nurse in 2014.
Wegmans Food Marketshas promoted Nicole Wegman
to president of Wegmans brand.
Federal prosecutors want former NXIVM president and co-founder Nancy Salzman to potentially serve more than three years
in prison.
Steuben County declared a state of emergency Wednesday
for flash flooding in nine towns.
More than 80,000 New York City residents have received
$100 payments for getting their first vaccine shot.
Enoteca Maria, the Staten Island restaurant featuring a rotating cast of grandma chefs, is reopening
.
SOCIAL DATA BY DANIEL LIPPMAN
HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Larry Kudlow CNNs Oliver Darcy Connie ChungEleni Roumel CBS Fin Gómez Ben LaBoltMeghan Grant SwiberJody Serrano Business Insiders Hayley PetersonJim Hock of PSP Partners Al Roker former USTR Michael Froman, now at Mastercard Foxs Tammy Bruce
MEDIA MOVES Jarvis DeBerry, Zeeshan Aleem, Hayley Miller and Jahan Jones are joining MSNBC. DeBerry will be an opinion editor and previously was editor of the Louisiana Illuminator. Aleem will be an opinion columnist and previously did freelance and is a Vox and Vice alum. Miller will be founding blog editor and previously was a senior breaking news reporter at HuffPost. Jones will be a show blogger and previously was a breaking news reporter at HuffPost.
ENGAGED Natalie Brand, a correspondent for CBS Newspath, and Coast Guard Cmdr. Kristopher Ensley, who works at headquarters on homeporting and patrol boat policy, got engaged Sunday. The couple met in grad school at the Kennedy School of Government but didnt start dating until the start of the pandemic. PicAnother pic
Ben Sheridan, deputy director of executive operations in the New York State Executive Chamber, proposed to Maya Levine, development executive in the Young Leaders Group at UJA – Federation of New York. The couple are childhood sweethearts and have dated for over three years. Pics
REAL ESTATE
End of Eviction Freeze Could Mean Big Business for NYCs Marshals, by City Limits David Brand: A Supreme Court order striking down a key piece of New Yorks eviction moratorium could mean big business for city marshals. Few have more to gain from the ruling, and the end of some eviction protections, than the 30 people tasked with legally removing tenants from their homes. The marshals, appointed by the mayor and overseen by the citys Department of Investigation (DOI), have lost out on millions of dollars during the COVID-19 eviction freeze. Thats raised concerns among tenant advocates who worry the marshals may work round the clock or cut corners to recoup lost earnings once eviction protections lapse. The marshals, however, say they simply follow a judges orders and carry out a potentially dangerous, often uncomfortable task on behalf of property owners.
Grand Prospect Hall Slated for the Wrecking Ball, by Brooklyn Papers Ben Verde: The dream is coming to an end. Grand Prospect Hall may soon be demolished, as the propertys new owner has filed demolition permits for the iconic Prospect Avenue structure, public records show. The banquet hall is one of several connected buildings between 253 and 273 Prospect Ave that are being cleared for the wrecking ball, which comes after a developer purchased the properties in mid-July for $30 million. Now, the buyer, Angelo Rigas under Gowanus Cubes LLC, filed yet-to-be-approved permits with the Department of Buildings that would level the structures.read more
Hochul team interviews Cuomo staff — Congestion pricing delay strains capital plan — NYC loses jobs
