Mastro Appointed First Deputy Mayor + Mamdani Continues to Gather Steam
No. 419 | Tuesday, March 25, 2025
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Local News
Mayor Adams appointed Randy Mastro as first deputy mayor. Mastro, a former deputy mayor under Rudy Giuliani, was nominated to be Corporation Counsel in September, but his nomination was withdrawn following backlash from City Council over his representation of some clients, including landlords and anti-congestion pricing groups.
New York Focus investigated MyCity, an online benefits platform that has received $100 million of funding to date from Mayor Adams. Reports show that the procurement process was opaque, website functionality appears to be extremely limited, and privacy advocates have concerns about access to user data.
A lawsuit filed last week alleges that the NYC Department of Education has failed to deliver on its legal obligation to provide free menstrual products in school bathrooms.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy tweeted that the Trump administration will “provide New York with a 30-day extension” on their original March 21 deadline for New York to end congestion pricing. Governor Hochul has previously said there are no plans to turn off congestion pricing unless ordered to do so by a court.
Behind closed doors, Governor Hochul has reportedly contemplated increasing the payroll mobility tax within the five boroughs to fund the MTA’s five-year capital plan.
Columbia University granted most of President Trump’s demands in an attempt to restore $400 million in federal funding. The academic community expressed alarm that these changes would lead to a stifling of intellectual freedom.
The head of the Mayor’s Office of Contract Services, one of Mayor Adams’ first appointees, resigned suddenly.
Election News
DSA mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani was covered in the New York Times, CNN, and Hell Gate, with the latter covering Mamdani’s press conference outside of ex-Governor Andrew Cuomo’s front door. Mamdani also became the first candidate to max out his fundraising the City’s public financing program.
City & State published a guide for Tuesday’s special election to fill the vacant City Council seat in District 44 (Borough Park, Gravesend).
The 504 Democratic Club, a disability rights group, endorsed mayoral candidate Brad Lander.
A group of Black legislators from Southeastern Queens endorsed Andrew Cuomo, in a blow to Council Speaker and mayoral candidate Adrienne Adams. Despite being named in the press release, several of the legislators told reporters they do not actually support Cuomo.
Cuomo’s mayoral campaign has been engaging in some questionable fundraising practices, including failing to disclose in the latest campaign filing the names of registered lobbyists fundraising on his behalf.
Indivisible Brooklyn penned an open letter to City Council candidate Maya Kornberg, a challenger to incumbent Shahana Hanif (District 39, Kensington, Borough Park), demanding she return thousands of dollars in donations from billionaire donors who have also contributed to Donald Trump’s campaign and inauguration.
The NYC Local
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