Hochul Plans Bail Reform Roll Back + DSA Battles Real Estate Lobby
The NYC Thorn is a weekly roundup of local political news compiled by members of NYC-DSA.
NO. 263 | Monday, March 28
Local News
Governor Kathy Hochul and Lieutenant Governor Brian Benjamin outlined their plan to roll back not only the bail reforms that New York State had passed in 2019, but also Raise the Age and discovery reform. Twenty criminal justice reform groups jointly deemed Hochul and Benjamin’s proposals to be "not evidence-based interventions [that] will not increase community safety . . . [but] will, however, result in an explosion in the incarceration of New Yorkers."
New York and New Jersey residents owe over $2.4 billion to utilities companies due to debt accumulated during the pandemic and rising energy costs. Advocates are urging Governor Kathy Hocul to cover their debt with federal pandemic aid or risk shutoffs of essential services.
Environmental activists are protesting oil tankers delivering Russian fossil fuels to U.S. energy companies currently idling at New York area ports.
Prior to his appointment as Mayor Eric Adams's chief of staff, Frank Carone lobbied on behalf of a negligent luxury developer when scaffolding at its Brooklyn construction site collapsed and caused a bystander severe brain damage.
Mayor Adams's new appointee for Health Commissioner was allegedly pushed out of a lower level role at the Department of Health in 2019 after clashing with team members and contributing to a toxic work environment.
Mayor Adams appointed an openly homophobic reverend to an education policy panel and then fired her several hours later after the media called attention to some of her damning public comments.
Mayor Adams ended the city's vaccine mandate for professional athletes after urging from wealthy franchises and lobbyists, such as the Yankees and Mets.
New York City plans to end the school mask requirement for children under 5 on April 4 if COVID-10 cases remain low, despite a slow rise in cases caused by the BA.2 Omicron subvariant currently currently surging in Europe.
Richard A. Davey, the former leader of Boston’s transit system, has been named the next president of New York City Transit. The first permanent president of the agency since Andy Byford resigned over his clashes with then Governor Andrew Cuomo, Davey faces the challenge of recruiting ridership back to pre-pandemic levels.
A proposal in Governor Hochul's budget to limit housing discrimination against the formerly incarcerated contains so many loopholes so as to be "virtually meaningless" according to one housing attorney.
With the pause on housing foreclosures over, homeowners in the city's Black neighborhoods, like East New York, face a wave of foreclosures.
Despite a significant increase in funding for the City University of New York, Governor Hochul's budget still does not fulfill the public university system’s capital needs after years of budget cuts under Governor Cuomo.
The union for Long Island Rail Road electrical workers is considering a work stoppage over the improper suspension of a worker in December.
The Real Deal covered the DSA for the Many slate’s “Evict Your Landlord” campaign and the subsequent reaction from the real estate industry.
Lieutenant Governor Benjamin faces federal investigation for campaign finance fraud regarding donations to his failed 2021 campaign for city comptroller.
Elections
Lt Governor Brian Benjamin is under federal investigation for campaign finance fraud regarding donations to his failed 2021 campaign for city comptroller.
Brian Cunningham won the special election to replace Assemblymember Diana Richardson (District 43, Crown Heights), who has stepped down to become Deputy Brooklyn Borough President. Cunningham, who previously worked for State Senator Kevin Parker (District 21, Flatbush) and former Councilmember Laurie Cumbo (District 35, Crown Heights, Fort Greene, and Clinton Hill), defeated Jelanie DeShong, who was endorsed by Richardson and State Senator Zellnor Myrie (District 20, Crown Heights, Brownsville, Sunset Park).
Two super PACs linked to real estate developers are planning to spend $4 million to support opponents of socialists and progressives in the June Democratic primary.
REVOLUTIONS PER MINUTE
Listen to NYC-DSA's weekly radio show Revolutions Per Minute. Check out the show here.
