| | | | |  | | By Erin Durkin, Anna Gronewold and Deanna Garcia | Presented by Equinor | A list of new stylistic elements at the Democratic convention in Manhattan yesterday would be fairly short. The room temperature comes to mind: The Sheraton's ballroom was a warm 72 degrees even before it filled to capacity in the final moments for Gov. Kathy Hochul's official designation. We're told Hochul had no specific thermostat instructions, a contrast to the notoriously icy temps mandated by her predecessor. Some also found the prayers refreshingly more like the kinds of speeches you would expect to hear from members of the clergy. "The benediction was balanced and generic and just referenced giving us wisdom and guidance to get through this process, when four years ago it was essentially a letter from God to Cuomo stating that he was blessed from on high to lead our state," committee member Emilia Decaudin said. But overall, the day — where Hochul proclaimed the "dawning" of a whole new era as she accepted the overwhelming support of the party — was quite similar to conventions of recent memory, a traditional dance designed to celebrate the Democratic leader rather than encourage debate over the party's direction. That dance doesn't sit too well with other gubernatorial candidates Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, who received 12.5 percent of the weighted vote compared to Hochul's 85.6, and Rep. Tom Suozzi, who did not participate in the nomination process. Both are now planning to get on the primary ballot through the arduous petitioning process. The events were over before the close of business hours. Just after 4 p.m. confetti cannons had burst and Hochul, Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin, Attorney General Tish James and state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli were waving to the departing crowd soundtracked by Taylor Swift's "Welcome To New York." Next up is the GOP. Republicans have scheduled their nominating convention for Feb. 28 in Garden City. They, too, will be deciding candidates for statewide offices, though Rep. Lee Zeldin, the four-term member of Congress from Long Island, is pretty much locked in for their nomination for governor. They're looking outside of deep-blue New York for inspiration: The convention gala will feature South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as an honored guest. IT'S FRIDAY. Got tips, suggestions or thoughts? Let us know ... By email: EDurkin@politico.com and agronewold@politico.com, or on Twitter: @erinmdurkin and @annagronewold WHERE'S KATHY? Joining Adams for a subway mental health announcement and attending a performance of Six. WHERE'S ERIC? Making an announcement about mental health and the subway system and passing out KN95 masks at UFT headquarters. PROGRAMMING NOTE: We'll be off this Monday for Presidents Day but will be back in your inboxes on Tuesday, Feb. 22.
| | | | A message from Equinor: Can a wind turbine generate more than electricity? We believe it can. At Equinor, we're working to power 2,000,000 New York homes with homegrown, renewable energy while boosting the economy, generating jobs, and launching tomorrow's clean energy infrastructure. Equinor is a broad energy company, committed to become net-zero by 2050. We're advancing the Empire Wind and Beacon Wind offshore wind projects and quickly becoming a leader in this growing industry. | | | |  | What City Hall's reading | | ' It was broken': Adams scraps food waste recycling program he touted on the stump, by POLITICO's Joe Anuta and Danielle Muoio Dunn: Mayor Eric Adams isn't making it easier to repurpose the fruit peels and vegetable rinds that are byproducts of his morning smoothies. The $98.5 billion budget he released Wednesday cut funding for an expansion of the organics collection program, which was designed to turn roughly 1 million tons of food scraps thrown out by residents annually into fresh compost or biogas. Nixing the initiative will save the Department of Sanitation nearly $100 million over the next 4.5 years — part of a larger cost-cutting initiative the mayor touted in his first budget presentation. The move, however, drew quick condemnation from environmental advocates who have been waiting years for the rollout. "If the city wants to cut global warming emissions and attack the exploding rat population, it needs to view separated food waste collection as an essential sanitation service just like regular trash collection and snow removal," said Eric Goldstein, New York City environment director of the nonprofit advocacy group the Natural Resources Defense Council. "This is a step backwards." — State Sen. Brad Hoylman introduced a bill that would require the city to create a compost collection program for all residents. Adams taps former candidate Zach Iscol as emergency management commissioner, by POLITICO's Erin Durkin: Mayor Eric Adams is tapping a one-time mayoral campaign rival, Zach Iscol, to be commissioner of the Office of Emergency Management, he announced Thursday. Iscol, a Marine Corps veteran who served in combat in Iraq, ran for mayor in last year's Democratic primary before dropping out to run unsuccessfully for city comptroller instead. As head of OEM, he'll lead the city's response to natural disasters and other emergencies. " Rikers Lockups Stay Steady Under Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, Vexing Reformers," by The City's George Joseph and Clifford Michel: "Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg won election pledging to shrink the population of people held pre-trial on Rikers Island. But so far in Bragg's first weeks in office, the number of new jail admissions has remained more or less the same as under his predecessor Cyrus Vance. And while his prosecutors are demanding bail less often, in the felony cases where they do request it they are asking judges to set it at much higher levels than before." — " Rikers detainees seek half-million-dollar fine after being denied thousands of medical appointments," by WNYC's Matt Katz "Adams to send social worker-nurse-cop squads to target subway homeless crisis," by New York Post's Bernadette Hogan, Nolan Hicks and Bruce Golding: "Mayor Eric Adams' first effort to clean up the city's increasingly dangerous subway system will involve squads of school nurses and outreach workers joined by cops to convince homeless people and the mentally ill to accept help, The Post has learned. Adams is scheduled to announce the initiative Friday morning at Manhattan's busy Fulton Transit Center near City Hall. A Feb. 8 email obtained by The Post shows that the city and the MTA began recruiting Department of Health nurses who work in the city's public schools to volunteer for the program and undergo training." "Spelling mistakes and clerical errors could keep many stranded in shelters under city housing program," by Gothamist's Chau Lam: "Like Gray, more than 45,000 New Yorkers currently reside in one of the city's main shelters. Homelessness has vexed the city for decades — rising to roughly 60,000 in 2016 under then-Mayor Bill de Blasio — driven, at least in part, by gentrification and a lack of affordability. At Gray's annual salary of about $16,000, the neighborhood that raised her is now too expensive. One of the city's solutions for solving the homeless crisis is a voucher system known as CityFHEPS — which stands for Family Homelessness and Eviction Prevention Supplement — that helps families and individuals like Gray pay rent to private landlords. Last year, over de Blasio's objection, the New York City Council voted to increase the housing allowance from a maximum of $1,265 to $1,945 for a single adult seeking a one-bedroom apartment, and from $1,580 to $2,217 for a family of three or four looking for a two-bedroom apartment. "Gray qualified for the program in September last year and counted herself lucky to have found a landlord who was willing to accept her housing voucher. Recipients often face discrimination from building owners when looking for a place, according to voucher holders and housing advocates. But all parties agree that major flaws in CityFHEPS are keeping people stuck in shelters longer than necessary, including an onerous application process that's easily derailed by even minor errors made by city agencies and homeless service organizations, often prone to simple mistakes."
| | | | BECOME A GLOBAL INSIDER: The world is more connected than ever. It has never been more essential to identify, unpack and analyze important news, trends and decisions shaping our future — and we've got you covered! Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Global Insider author Ryan Heath navigates the global news maze and connects you to power players and events changing our world. Don't miss out on this influential global community. Subscribe now. | | | | | | | WHAT ALBANY'S READING | | "Trooper allegedly groped by Andrew Cuomo sues ex-gov, Melissa DeRosa," by New York Post's Ben Kesslen and Ben Feuerherd: "The New York State trooper who claims disgraced former Gov. Andrew Cuomo groped her sued him and his longtime aide, Melissa DeRosa, Thursday — saying the governor 'violated' her and his right-hand woman helped cover it up. The woman named in the suit as 'Trooper 1' is seeking damages from the duo and a declaratory judgement that they both 'violated federal, state, and civil laws.' The woman claims DeRosa was active in protecting Cuomo, who has consistently denied all claims of illegal activity. On September 23, 2019, Trooper 1, who was serving as one of Cuomo's bodyguards at the time, accompanied him to an event at Belmont racetrack, where "she felt violated as the Governor intentionally touched her in intimate locations between her breasts and vagina,"according to the complaint." "Hochul pulls affordable housing proposal from state budget," by Newsday's Michael Gormley: "Gov. Kathy Hochul has pulled her budget proposal to require local governments to accept an expansion of apartments and backyard cottages in single-family neighborhoods as a way to combat a statewide crisis in affordable housing, Newsday has learned. Hochul had proposed the expansion of 'accessory dwelling units' in her January budget proposal to the legislature. Since then, however, there has been strong opposition by mostly Republican officials from local governments on Long Island and by some Democrats, including Rep. Tom Suozzi and Long Island state senators. Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) is challenging Hochul for the Democratic nomination for governor. Opponents argued that Hochul's proposal would harm suburban neighborhoods by worsening parking problems and straining local services, including sewer and water facilities, while eliminating local control of zoning. FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: State Sen. Alessandra Biaggi is announcing the first slate of endorsements in her run for the newly drawn 3rd Congressional District being vacated by Rep. Tom Suozzi. Biaggi has earned the backing of a dozen of her fellow Senate Democrats: Julia Salazar, Pete Harckham, James Skoufis, Brad Hoylman, Rachel May, Jeremy Cooney, Jabari Brisport, Gustavo Rivera, Samra Brouk, Andrew Gounardes, Robert Jackson, and Elijah Reichlin-Melnick. " Fernando Ferrer backs Tom Suozzi for NY governor against Kathy Hochul," by New York Post's Carl Campanile: "Long Island Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi is making a big play for the Latino vote in his bid for governor — announcing Thursday night that former Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer will serve as his campaign chairman. Ferrer — the first Latino Democratic nominee for New York City mayor in 2005 — made a surprise appearance during a Suozzi tele-town hall meeting that connected with 10,000 people across the state. He was Bronx borough president from 1987 to 2001 and previously served on the City Council. The announcement of Ferrer, 71, as his campaign chairman came a day after Suozzi named former Brooklyn Councilwoman Diana Reyna as his running mate for lieutenant governor." "The End of 'Dark Days' for SUNY Students in Debt," by The New York Times' Meredith Kolodner: "After years of inflexible debt-collection practices that have burdened SUNY students with punitive payment schedules, high interest and crippling collection fees, New York State officials are promising change. The board of trustees of the State University of New York system voted last month to review the way it collects student debt at all 64 SUNY campuses; the interim chancellor, Deborah Stanley, pledged to make additional significant changes. … The change could mean an end to blocking students from re-enrolling if they owed money. This has often forced students to drop out — even for balances as little as $100 — although the chancellor has not indicated when the practice will end. The SUNY board's resolution also stopped the practice of withholding transcripts from students who had completed courses but still had debt." #UpstateAmerica: A bakery in Hudson may have the best bread in the state, according to Food & Wine.
| | | | A message from Equinor:   | | | | | TRUMP'S NEW YORK | | "Trump must testify in New York investigation, judge rules," by The Associated Press' Michael R. Sisak: "Former President Donald Trump must answer questions under oath in New York state's civil investigation into his business practices, a judge ruled Thursday. Judge Arthur Engoron ordered Trump and his two eldest children, Ivanka and Donald Trump Jr., to comply with subpoenas issued in December by New York Attorney General Letitia James. Trump and his two children must sit for a deposition within 21 days, Engoron said. Engoron issued the ruling after a two-hour hearing with lawyers for the Trumps and James' office. 'In the final analysis, a State Attorney General commences investigating a business entity, uncovers copious evidence of possible financial fraud, and wants to question, under oath, several of the entities' principals, including its namesake. She has the clear right to do so.' Engoron wrote in his decision."
| | AROUND NEW YORK | | — The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to review a renewed request from New York City teachers and staff to block a vaccine mandate, despite a previous denial by Justice Sonia Sotomayor. — A CDC study found that an anime convention linked to the first known Omicron case in New York was not a superspreader event. — Two City Council committees voted in favor of the city's plan to make outdoor dining permanent. — An FDNY firefighter died at his Queens firehouse the day after battling a large blaze. — The NYPD failed to produce a report on placard abuse required by city law. — An Albany woman admitted to stealing $700K through unemployment fraud. — The owner of a Brooklyn brewery compared vaccine mandates to Nazism and Jim Crow. — A bill introduced in the state Legislature would give protections to freelancers similar to those already enacted in New York City. — East Hampton delayed a plan to close the town airport after sparking a backlash.
| | | | STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president's ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today. | | | | | | | SOCIAL DATA BY DANIEL LIPPMAN | | HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Keith Urbahn … former Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) … FT's Janan Ganesh … Ben Wofford … Edelman's Amy Oh … CBS' Rebecca Kaplan … Michael Janofsky … Scott Liebman … Nancy Goroff … Dylan Sandler (h/ts Jewish Insider) MAKING MOVES — Henry Greenidge and Seth Webb will co-lead a new practice at Tusk Strategies dedicated to transportation and infrastructure. The new group will advise firms specializing in broadband, micro-mobility, electric vehicle, autonomous transit, and others. SPOTTED at a Churchill Tommy Gun Society dinner with special guest Lachlan Murdoch on Thursday night hosted by Jamie Weinstein and Michelle Fields at their house: Olivia Nuzzi, Jonathan Swan, Ryan Lizza, Daniel Lippman and Brian Nick. MEDIAWATCH — "'The Girls On The Bus' Moves To HBO Max With Series Order For Drama From Julie Plec, Amy Chozick & Berlanti Prods.," by Deadline's Nellie Andreeva
| | | | A message from Equinor: The energy transition is the defining challenge opportunity of our time. Our world needs energy to keep moving forward — but it must be affordable, reliable, and accessible. How will we do it? By accelerating the energy transition. At Equinor, we're growing our renewable energy portfolio and cutting greenhouse gas emissions. We're already on the way to powering 2,000,000 New York homes with energy from the Empire Wind and Beacon Wind offshore wind projects. We're creating jobs, building tomorrow's infrastructure, and sparking new economic activity. But for us, that's only the beginning. By the time the global population reaches 9 billion in 2050, our goal is to have net-zero emissions. Discover more about Equinor at www.equinor.com/USA. | | | | | Real Estate | | "Bill to Create New Housing Voucher For Homeless New Yorkers Gains Traction in Albany," by City Limits' David Brand: "A proposal for a new rent subsidy designed to help homeless New Yorkers secure permanent housing is gaining steam in Albany, where it may emerge as a bargaining chip amid high-profile legislative battles, according to lawmakers and others familiar with the negotiations. The Housing Access Voucher Program (HAVP) would create a new subsidy for New Yorkers experiencing or at-risk of homelessness at values pegged to fair market rent levels. HAVP vouchers would function like the federal Section 8 program, considered the gold standard of rental subsidies, with tenants covering a portion of the rent up to 30 percent of household income. New Yorkers would qualify regardless of their immigration status." | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
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