Hochul Supports Bail Reform Rollback + Council Progressives Mobilize Against Adams Budget
The NYC Thorn is a weekly roundup of local political news compiled by members of NYC-DSA.
NO. 262 | Monday, March 21
Local News:
Governor Hochul is planning to propose a "public safety package" which further rolls back 2019's bail reform package and allows teenagers to be tried as adults for felonies.
State Senator Liz Krueger (District 28, Upper East Side) said the Senate is not inclined to revisit the State's bail reforms, saying the spike in violence is a national trend and not attributable to the reforms.
Although it has the support of a majority of the City Council and the new Speaker Adrienne Adams, the bill to end solitary confinement in City jails has not yet been passed.
The Council’s progressive caucus is mobilizing against austerity measures in the Mayor’s preliminary proposed budget under a proposal called the People’s Plan NYC.
City employees are facing an attrition and morale crisis due to Mayor Adams refusal to embrace remote work and a hiring freeze that stretches back to the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The City's housing discrimination enforcement unit is struggling to effectively carry out its mandate due to a combination of resignations and budget cuts.
New York state lawmakers are advocating for $15 billion for climate justice in the 2022-2023 state budget, which would be nearly 7% of the state’s proposed budget of just more than $216 billion.
After repeated efforts to expand oversight of health care provided to New York State prisons were blocked by Governor Cuomo, it is not clear if a similar bill will be pursued by the legislature under Governor Hochul.
The New York Fire Department plans to deploy two robot dogs from Boston Dynamics in search and rescue missions in the coming months. The robot dogs, which cost $75,000 each, were previously planned to be used by the NYPD but faced a stiff backlash.
Former Council Member Laurie Cumbo will be appointed to Mayor Adams administration as the Commissioner of Cultural Affairs.
Four new Bronx City Council Members have opted into the City's participatory budgeting program.
Elections:
New York Communities for Change and Make the Road endorsed Ana Maria Archila for Lieutenant Governor.
City & State outlined the current status of state legislative challengers against incumbents in the June 28 primary.
Andrew Cuomo has made several signals that he is considering running for governor, although he is running out of time to begin petitioning to make it onto the Democratic primary ballot.
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