| | | | |  | | By Erin Durkin, Anna Gronewold and Georgia Rosenberg | Gov. Kathy Hochul and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy put their signatures on an agreement yesterday to split initial costs for the long-stalled plan to dig new train tunnels under the Hudson River. It's a small but important step. Their predecessors for years failed to gain federal funding activation amid continuous squabbling over what was fair in cost-sharing agreements and acrimonious relations with the Trump administration. Officially, the memorandum of understanding signed Tuesday covers Gateway "Phase One" — the Portal North Bridge and the Hudson tunnels. The governors agreed that the states would evenly split the local share. According to Hochul's office, the Port Authority's total commitment for Phase One is $2.7 billion. The Federal Transit Administration will offset 60 percent of the new bridge cost with grants and the remaining $772.4 million will be split evenly between both states. For the rest of the Hudson Tunnel Project, the good neighbors will also go 50-50 on local shares. Hochul called it a critical step forward. "By signing the Phase One Memorandum of Understanding, we are establishing the framework to get this project over the finish line and are making good on our promise to modernize the state's transportation infrastructure and create a mass transit system worthy of New Yorkers," she said in a statement. Murphy said the agreement "marks a pivotal milestone toward the completion of the most significant transportation project not just in New Jersey, but in the entire United States." Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said it's probably because he's been prodding everyone on this for a while now. "I'd told the governors of New York and New Jersey unless they came to an agreement quickly we'd not be able to procure federal funds for the first round of funding. … I salute the governors of New York and New Jersey for coming to an agreement," he said in a statement. "It solidifies the 50 percent federal, 25 percent New York, 25 percent New Jersey framework that I negotiated with then Secretary of Transportation [Anthony] Foxx." Now Gateway heads to the next phase, which is "to detail the parties' responsibilities with respect to delivery of the Hudson Tunnel Project and move forward in the federal project review." IT'S WEDNESDAY. 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? In Albany with no announced public schedule. WHERE'S ERIC? Co-hosting a "Kitty Hall" event with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, meeting with the U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of New York, holding a swearing-in ceremony for Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings Commissioner and Administrative Law Judge Asim Rehman and hosting the first of a series of "Community Conversations on Public Safety."
| | | | 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. | | | | | |  | What City Hall's reading | | "New York City quietly closed half its COVID-19 testing sites as omicron rebounded this spring," by Betsy Ladyzhets for Gothamist: "Despite the resurgence of COVID-19 this spring, there are now fewer options for free PCR tests in New York City. A Gothamist analysis of municipal data found that the number of NYC Health + Hospitals testing sites were cut in half citywide from mid-February to mid-April — from 270 sites to 144 locations — leading to fewer hours of testing availability. This shrunken landscape includes both brick-and-mortar clinics as well as mobile testing vans. Practically speaking, these trends meant that New Yorkers had 15% fewer hours to get a free PCR test — given more than 10,000 hours were available the week of February 14th, when the omicron surge was waning, versus 8,500 hours the week of April 18th. By this part of the spring, the coronavirus was rebounding again, driven by newer versions of the omicron variant." "Just One Staffer Remains in Key City Affordable Housing Office," by THE CITY's Yoav Gonen: "The city agency tasked with developing affordable housing has just one full-time employee in a critical unit that funds projects, government records reveal, down from six — part of a larger staffing shortage that's hobbling construction and code enforcement. The Department of Housing Preservation and Development also has three out of 10 deputy commissioner slots vacant, even as Mayor Eric Adams attempts to advance a sweeping new affordable housing agenda. Documents obtained by THE CITY show that the department's Low Income Housing Tax Credit program is so short-staffed that the unit — which finances the creation of hundreds of low-rent apartments annually — has had to take extraordinary measures to keep its work going." "Aide to Mayor Adams robbed by armed duo in Brooklyn," by Daily News' Rocco Parascandola, Thomas Tracy and John Annese: "An aide to Mayor Adams was robbed by a pair of armed men in Brooklyn Tuesday morning, police said. Chris Baugh, 33, was confronted by the robbers about 10:30 a.m. at the corner of Hudson Ave. and York St. in Vinegar Hill while he was heading to pick up his city car — and implored the thieves: 'You don't want to do this. I work for the Mayor,' according to police sources." " NYC Mayor Eric Adams cracks down on phony paper license plates," by New York Post's Reuven Fenton and Sam Raskin: "Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday announced the second Big Apple crackdown on paper license plates and so-called 'ghost cars' in as many years, charging that phony tags are used by scofflaws who commit other crimes. 'When you see people using these paper plates, many times they are doing something illegal. There's a correlation between the illegal [operation] of a vehicle and not only possession of a gun, possession of narcotics, possession of a suspended license,' Adams told reporters in Queens. Using bogus paper plates — a tactic often employed to try to avoid tolls or being tracked down — is a misdemeanor, and those who do so risk being slapped with a fine of between $65 and $200 and being towed, a police official said."
| | WHAT ALBANY'S READING | | Hochul signs thermal utility measure, advanced building codes bill, by POLITICO's Marie J. French: Utilities will be able to build and own geothermal heating systems that serve multiple buildings under legislation signed Tuesday by Gov. Kathy Hochul. The governor also signed a bill to tighten new building codes and appliance efficiency standards to help cut costs for consumers and reduce emissions. Hochul heralded the measures as putting New York on a path to achieving its climate goals and said the U.S. Supreme Court, which recently limited the EPA's authority to regulate carbon emissions, would not deter the state. … New York has a goal of slashing emissions by 40 percent from 1990 levels by 2030 and 85 percent by 2050. The draft plan to achieve those cuts requires big energy efficiency gains and a virtual elimination of burning gas for building heat. "New York COVID cases rise 15% as omicron BA.5 subvariant spreads," by USA Today Network's David Robinson and Mike Stucka: "New York's weekly tally of COVID-19 cases increased nearly 15% last week, as the omicron BA.5 subvariant fueled outbreaks on Long Island and in New York City while upstate counties remained at low risk of infection and hospital strain. New York reported 41,642 new COVID-19 cases in the week ending Sunday. That's up from 36,317 cases the previous week. New York ranked 21st among the states where coronavirus was spreading the fastest on a per-person basis, a USA TODAY Network analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows. ANALYSIS: " Report documents growing use of 'related companies' by New York's nursing home operators," from Empire Center's Bill Hammond: "New York's nursing home operators are increasingly outsourcing expenses to separate companies that they also own or control, a trend that poses challenges for state policymakers, according to a new report from the Empire Center. Drawing on financial data gathered by the state Health Department, the report analyzes the growing use of 'related companies' in the nursing home industry. The report, authored by the Empire Center's Bill Hammond, finds that 72 percent of the state's for-profit nursing homes did business with one or more related companies in 2020. The transactions totaled more than $1 billion, or 16 percent of their operating expenses. The related companies reported $306 million in net income, or two-thirds of the owners' overall profits for the year. The practice is growing fast: Related-company spending by New York nursing homes jumped 164 percent between 2011 and 2020, the second-largest increase of any state." #UpstateAmerica: Buffalo's Great Northern grain elevator is again in peril of being razed after a Supreme Court judge OK'd a demolition order.
| | | | INTRODUCING POWER SWITCH: The energy landscape is profoundly transforming. Power Switch is a daily newsletter that unlocks the most important stories driving the energy sector and the political forces shaping critical decisions about your energy future, from production to storage, distribution to consumption. Don't miss out on Power Switch, your guide to the politics of energy transformation in America and around the world. SUBSCRIBE TODAY. | | | | | | | FEELIN' 22 | | CAMPAIGN WATCH: Congressional hopeful Carlina Rivera scored a coveted labor endorsement in the crowded race for NY-10, which straddles Brooklyn and Manhattan. A branch of 1199SEIU, the large union representing health care workers, will throw its weight behind Rivera Wednesday morning, her campaign announced. The organization has a long history in Democratic politics, and helped propel then-candidate Bill de Blasio from fourth place to victory in the 2013 mayor's race. In this cycle, its leadership selected Rivera over de Blasio, who is competing for the same open congressional seat. Rivera's team noted her relationship with the union, forged during her time chairing the City Council's Committee on Hospitals during the pandemic. In a statement, she called its members "among the frontline heroes that have taken care of New Yorkers throughout the pandemic." In addition to the ex-mayor, Rivera faces Rep. Mondaire Jones, Assemblymembers Yuh-Line Niou and Jo Anne Simon and attorney Dan Goldman in the Aug. 23 primary. Given Jones' and Goldman's early fundraising advantages and de Blasio's near-universal name recognition, Rivera will need 1199 to help her reach voters unfamiliar with her. — Sally Goldenberg "Dan Goldman raises $1.2 million in a month for open NY-10 race," by City & State's Jeff Coltin: "Former lead counsel in the first impeachment of Donald Trump, Dan Goldman, has raised $1.2 million in a month in the race for the 10th Congressional District – an impressive pace for the competitive open seat featuring other big names. That came from more than 2,100 individual contributions, and none of it is self-funding by Goldman, a wealthy heir and former assistant U.S. attorney – though the campaign says he hasn't ruled out spending his own money. Goldman's team shared that info exclusively with City & State ahead of the campaign finance filing deadline on July 15. Other candidates for the race in Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn will be chasing Mondaire Jones' fundraising, since he had reported $2.9 million on hand, as of March 31. And Jones is likely to report another huge number." "Langworthy gains backing of key House conservative group in battle with Paladino," by Buffalo News' Robert J. McCarthy: "In a sign of increasing national focus on the 23rd Congressional District, a top conservative figure in the House of Representatives on Tuesday announced key support for Nicholas A. Langworthy in his Republican primary contest against Carl P. Paladino. Rep. Jim Banks, R-Indiana, chairman of the House Republican Study Committee in the GOP caucus, said he would support Langworthy, giving the candidate new ammunition for bolstering his conservative credentials in the heavily Republican district. The new support could also help Langworthy attract significant contributions from conservatives around the country."
| | AROUND NEW YORK | | — At least 50 people were shot across New York City over July Fourth weekend. — The NYPD relaxed the fitness requirements to become a city cop amid a wave of retirements. — New York City is climbing back toward pre-pandemic tourism numbers. — The partner of former Yankees and Mets pitcher David Cone, Taja Abitbol, has been accused of starting a fire to get on "The Real Housewives of New York City." — The Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany paid $750K to a Saratoga County man in the first of the organization's settlements under hundreds of Child Victims Act lawsuits. — The state has begun mailing out Homeowner Tax Rebate checks. — Suffolk County police are investigating a potential hate crimes incident at a Long Island mosque. — Six men who say they were abused during their post-9/11 confinement at a Brooklyn detention center are splitting a $98,000 settlement. — Doctors, doulas and reproductive health advocates are preparing for more abortion seekers to arrive in New York City.
| | SOCIAL DATA BY DANIEL LIPPMAN | | HAPPY BIRTHDAY: CBS' John Dickerson … ACLU's Gabriela Meléndez Olivera … WaPo's Tyler Pager … Zachary Karabell … Josh Elliott … Kimberly Dozier … Jill Zuckman of SKDK … CNN's Athena Jones … Ron Fournier WEEKEND WEDDING — Rebecca Ballhaus, an investigative reporter at the Wall Street Journal, on Saturday married Zach Long, deployment strategist at Palantir. The couple, who met in college at Brown, married in Mouriès, France. Pic WELCOME TO THE WORLD — Michael Basch, managing partner of Atento Capital, and Romina Basch, a psychotherapist, recently welcomed Olivia Meikota Basch. Michael writes in: "Olivia is the English name for Liviya, which means Lioness in Hebrew. Meiko is German and means courage/strength. Otta is Norwegian and means creative/philosopher." Pic — Dax Tejera, executive producer of ABC's "This Week," and Veronica Bautista Tejera, a producer for CNN's "The Lead with Jake Tapper," on July 1 welcomed Ella Rose Tejera, who came in at 6lbs 6 oz 19.5 inches and joins big sister Sofia. Pic ... Another pic | | Real Estate | | "The Hamptons Covid-era buying frenzy is officially over," by Crain's New York Business: "An elegant 5,500 square-foot home set on nearly four acres in Bridgehampton came onto the market almost exactly a year ago with an asking price of $21.9 million. After what Zillow shows is three price cuts, it's down to $17 million and is still unsold. One hamlet over, in Wainscott, a massive 10,000 square foot mansion on about 14 acres overlooking Georgica Pond hit the market last year for $70 million; its price was subsequently cut more than 14%, to just under $60 million. It also has yet to find a buyer. The Hamptons Covid-era buying frenzy is a thing of the past. 'It's certainly not gangbusters like it was,' says Paul Brennan, a broker with Douglas Elliman. 'Things have slowed down. There's still lots of activity, but people are not pulling the trigger as quickly as they did a few months ago.'"
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