Mayor Adams Announces Austerity Budget + Hochul Officially Becomes Dem Nominee

Feb 21, 2022

The NYC Thorn is a weekly roundup of local political news compiled by members of NYC-DSA.

NO. 258 | Monday, February 21

Local News

Mayor Eric Adams has released his first preliminary budget for the 2023 fiscal year, which begins July 1. The $98.5 billion budget proposes $4.3 billion in cuts, despite an expected increase in revenue thanks to higher property values. The proposed cuts include a $375 million cut to schools and suspending the city’s composting program, while the NYPD and Department of Corrections budget remain the same.
Mayor Eric Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a new Subway Safety Program, which includes tasking the NYPD with removing unhoused New Yorkers sleeping on trains to connect them with mental health services and permanent housing. The plan also calls for the creation of 500 new shelter beds in private rooms.
Drivers of for-hire vehicles, whose pay rate is set by the City, will see a 5.3% wage increase next month.
The City fired 1,430 workers who refused to get a COVID vaccine. This is a relatively small portion of City workers (the City employs about 380,000 people), but is perhaps the largest mass firing due to a vaccine requirement.
The newly-formed Homeowners for an Affordable New York, composed of various real estate trade groups, is focusing on preventing the passage of the Good Cause legislation. The group paid $1.4 million to retain a lobbyist last month, and has launched a phone campaign urging New Yorkers to call their state representatives and speak against the proposed bill.
Amazon workers on Staten Island will vote on March 25 whether to form a union.

Incumbent Governor Kathy Hochul has been officially nominated as the New York State Democrats’ gubernatorial candidate.
Kaegan Mays-Williams, a former Manhattan Assistant District Attorney who was previously running against State Senator Simcha Felder, announced that she will instead run in State Senate District 21 (Kensington, Ditmas Park, Flatbush, East Flatbush) against incumbent Kevin Parker and DSA-endorsed David Alexis.
Former Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that he will not be running for New York's 11th Congressional District.

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