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Presented by Community Offshore Wind: Your afternoon must-read briefing informing the daily conversation among knowledgeable New Yorkers | | | | |  | | By Joseph Spector | | | |  Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins spoke to reporters Tuesday, April 11, 2023, about budget negotiations. | Joseph Spector/POLITICO | Legislative leaders are pretty much there on a deal to change the state’s bail laws to allow judges to have more discretion in violent cases, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said Tuesday. The rest of the budget? Not so much. The Democratic leader of the Senate briefed reporters on closed-door talks about the state budget, now 12 days late, and expressed confidence that the sides are on the same page to end the “least restrictive” measure to set bail. “What the governor is trying to do, and certainly what we don't mind doing, is make sure that people understand, and judges understand, that they have discretion if there is confusion about that,” Stewart-Cousins said. She was more optimistic that a deal was at hand on bail than Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie was on Monday. He warned that it was too soon to say bail was settled. Nonetheless, she shared Heastie’s view that budget talks with Gov. Kathy Hochul have been largely focused on bail with some housing discussions sprinkled in. “We continue to not want to criminalize poverty for low-level offenses, yet we need to make sure there is clarity about the law in the judicial system,” Stewart-Cousins said. “The governor has those objectives; we have those objectives. We want to make sure justice is done, and I think we're almost there.” The Democrat from Yonkers talked about trying to reach a deal on Hochul’s housing proposal that would require the building of 800,000 new homes by mandating new construction, particularly in the suburbs. Stewart-Cousins reiterated she supports the plan to building more housing, yet balked at the idea of putting a mandate on communities – which is a key sticking point in negotiations along with other housing measures that lawmakers want, such as “good cause” eviction protections. “I think our house demonstrated things that we would want to have a conversation about as it relates to housing,” Stewart-Cousins said. “We know tenant protections are important as is building new units. And we know affordability is an issue everywhere. So it is a very broad conversation.”
| | | | A message from Community Offshore Wind: Community Offshore Wind is helping New York meet its ambitious emission reductions targets. We’re lifting up communities and bringing widespread benefits across the state, introducing good-paying union jobs, providing access to childcare for those training and working in the offshore wind industry, creating inclusive workforce development programs, and empowering disadvantaged communities to ensure no one is left behind. We have strong roots in New York and are deeply committed to ensuring that New York communities thrive. | | | |  | From the Capitol | | | 
SUNY is ending its Covid-19 vaccine mandates for students. | Jim McKnight/AP Photo | LEFT KNOCKS ALBANY BUDGET: A group of Queens electeds belonging to the Democratic Socialists of America — most notably U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — and those with DSA-adjacent politics plan on rallying Wednesday to decry shortcomings in the state budget and call for higher taxes on wealthy New Yorkers. The eight electeds slated to appear will also push back on changes to bail laws and proposed cuts to CUNY while supporting legislation that would make it harder to evict tenants. — Joe Anuta EDUCATION: The state is providing 11 State University of New York students with scholarships to support them in earning a mental health degree. This is part of an initiative overseen by the state Office of Mental Health to “expand and diversify” the state’s mental health workforce. In August Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that both SUNY and City University of New York will each receive $2 million to provide students with monetary scholarships; mentorships with professionals; enrichment programs; and internships. “At a time when mental health care is more important than ever, we must overcome the underrepresentation of students of color in mental health professions,” SUNY Chancellor John King said in a statement. “SUNY is committed to diversify the mental health field because a highly skilled diverse workforce results in better patient care and health outcomes, and because these economically and emotionally rewarding careers must be welcoming to all.” SUNY also announced the end of its COVID-19 vaccine mandate on the system’s 64-campuses. The decision was made at the recommendation of SUNY’s Public Health Expert Advisory Committee following the end of the national public health emergency. — Katelyn Cordero | | | | A message from Community Offshore Wind:   | | | | | From City Hall | | | 
The Democratic National Convention is not coming to the home of the New York Knicks. | Flickr | NO DNC AT MSG: President Joe Biden and Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison announced today that next year’s Democratic National Convention will be held in Chicago — and not in New York City or Atlanta. “Everybody wants to win,” Mayor Eric Adams said at an unrelated press briefing, when asked about the city’s unsuccessful bid. “But I’m excited about the Biden-Harris team.” New York had pitched its ability to handle logistics and its strong labor presence to national Democrats. It didn’t hurt that Adams was recently named a top Biden surrogate and holds similar views on public safety to the president. But in the end New York could not compete with the battleground status held by the Midwest, where national Democrats need to gin up excitement in 2024. Biden, who made the final decision, chose the Windy City despite a dramatic leadership shakeup there that had sown doubts about the Chicago retaining its competitiveness. Last week, Chicago voters elected a mayor who holds views on crime and policing that differ dramatically from messaging coming out of the White House. — Joe Anuta PBA SHAKEUP: Patrick Lynch, the guy who yelled at former Mayor Bill de Blasio (a lot) on behalf of NYPD cops, announced Tuesday he will not seek reelection as head of the Police Benevolent Association. Lynch helmed the organization for 24 years and is stepping aside after negotiating a contract settlement between more than 20,000 uniformed officers and City Hall that includes retroactive raises back to 2017. — Joe Anuta
| | | | A message from Community Offshore Wind: The clean energy transition is about more than just energy. At Community Offshore Wind, our commitment to communities is at the heart of everything we do. With strong roots in New York, we will deliver widespread benefits across the state and infuse $15 billion into the state economy. This includes creating job training programs to support union labor, investing in our youth to build the workforce of tomorrow, offering childcare for employees and trainees, and building an inclusive clean energy future that empowers disadvantaged communities. Community Offshore Wind is committed to localizing the offshore wind supply chain proposing the first-ever made-in-New-York offshore wind turbines. We have a goal of uplifting communities with the power of clean energy for all. | | | | | The Campaign Trail | | |  Democrat Josh Riley is running again against GOP Rep. Marc Molinaro in the 19th Congressional District. | josh Riley for Congress/AP Photo | RILEY BACK: Democrat Josh Riley is looking to again be the party’s nominee against GOP Rep. Marc Molinaro in the 19th District that stretches from the Catskills into central New York. Riley spoke to the Times Union about his plans for a rematch and launched a new video about his life and campaign. Riley lost to Molinaro in a newly drawn district 51 percent to 49 percent as part of Republicans strong showing in New York in which the GOP flipped three seats. Molinaro lost in a special election last August to fulfill the remainder of Rep. Antonio Delgado’s term after the Democrat left to be Gov. Kathy Hochul’s lieutenant governor. Molinaro then turned around and beat Riley in November, securing him a full term. — Joseph Spector
| | PET PROJECT: The City Council voted Tuesday to approve legislation banning pet stores from selling guinea pigs after Department of Health-contracted animal shelters were inundated with hundreds of abandoned ones during the pandemic. The onslaught was so great that the Animal Care Centers of NYC had to purchase a $20,000 guinea pig tower to house them all, according to a committee report on the bill. Not everyone was on board with the ban. Council Member Joann Ariola said the legislation “seems like an overreaction.” “This was likely temporary and could be better addressed by an adoption and awareness campaign rather than an outright ban,” she said at a health committee meeting ahead of the full Council vote. ACC animal shelters took in 825 guinea pigs last year, most of whom were relinquished by their owners, according to the nonprofit’s data. That was more than double the number that came to the shelters in 2020. — Maya Kaufman CUNY: The City University of New York is ending its Covid-19 vaccine mandate for students, faculty and staff. Officials pointed to advances in the fight against Covid-19 and that the decision to lift the mandate — which was instituted in the fall of 2021 — aligns CUNY with the federal government's plan to let the public health emergency for Covid-19 expire in May. CUNY’s Board of Trustees has to approve the change. “We are confident that this is the appropriate time for CUNY to lift the COVID vaccine requirement as a condition of enrollment or employment, though we continue to encourage all students, faculty and staff to stay up to date with vaccinations,” CUNY Chancellor Félix Matos Rodríguez said in a statement. — Madina Touré
| | — Brush fires could put Hudson Valley and parts of the Capital Region at risk. Because of that, there is a state's ban on outdoor burning until May. (Times Union) — According to data from the state Comptroller’s Office, New York’s highest-paid state worker is in Syracuse. (New York Upstate) — Forest Hills Stadium will celebrate its centenary of its opening by throwing a huge amount of summer concerts. (WNYC) — A former urologist at the New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center is facing charges of sex assaults against patients, including minors. (Fox News) | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |  |
