The NYC Thorn is a weekly roundup of local political news compiled by members of NYC-DSA.
Local News
Emails reveal that City Corrections Commissioner Louis Molina personally intervened to release a Rikers Island inmate in cardiac arrest, so that his death would not add to the official total of Rikers Island deaths, which is set to be the highest in ten years in 2022.
The Adams administration restored restrictive admissions processes to some of the city's selective high schools, which had been relaxed by the de Blasio administration in an attempt to promote integration.
Due to a surge in asylum seekers, the Adams administration is planning to open a "tent city" to house them, although such structures may violate the City's "right to shelter" law. The City is opening a new intake and housing center for recently arrived immigrants in a Midtown Hotel.
Despite a law passed last year to increase the number of permits for food vendors, those vendors say the Adams administration has not yet made applications for the new permits available, and that increased enforcement by the NYPD has instead led to a surge in tickets issued against them.
Mayor Adams and leadership of the city's municipal unions are redoubling efforts to convert retirees' health insurance to the privatized Medicare Advantage program as a way to cut costs.
Oct 1st began what is called "heat season" in New York City. Between now and May 31 landlords are required to make sure the heat in their buildings meets certain conditions.
The Mayor’s Office refused to release the salary of former casino executive and longtime friend to the Mayor, Timothy Pearson, but a FOIA request revealed that he was one of the highest paid city employees.
Elections
Assembly Member Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn is expected to win a second term as Brooklyn Democratic Party chair after an attempt to unite progressives and other oppositional District Leaders in the borough appeared to fall short.
The New York City Districting Commission has not yet agreed on new City Council district maps for next year's elections.
Last year's City elections set a record for matching funds spent, with public funding reaching $127 million, or ten times what was spent in 2017.
A lawsuit filed by the New York Republican and Conservative Parties may disrupt the counting of absentee ballots in next month's general election.
Former Governor Cuomo announced the formation of a PAC and a weekly podcast, in an attempt to reenter politics after his resignation last year. Cuomo has at least $10 million remaining in his campaign account.
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