| | | | |  | | By Anna Gronewold, Sally Goldenberg and Eleonora Francica | | | Gov. Kathy Hochul is making the D.C. rounds this week, a gubernatorial rite of passage during the annual National Governors Association’s winter meeting. Her predecessor famously avoided hobnobbing with his peers during the bipartisan meetup — to the point of ducking out of rooms or events through back doors and service halls — and rarely stayed more than 24 hours. Hochul, however, is known for filling her days from the crack of dawn — it was 6:45 a.m. yesterday — and she’ll be there through the end of the week. Yesterday she met with members of the New York congressional delegation for what she described as “a very thoughtful, engaged conversation” on everything from education to sewers to mental health initiatives, she told reporters in the U.S. Capitol. Notably absent members included Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik — who Hochul said was invited — and Rep. George Santos — who Hochul said would not have contributed because “we were talking about their work on committees, and he's not a committee member." It was also a bit of a return to one of Hochul’s earliest stomping grounds. Her staff said she worked some of the day in the Rayburn House Office Building, where she was legal counsel to former Rep. John LaFalce more than two decades ago. She sat down with Center for American Progress’ Patrick Gaspard Wednesday afternoon during CAP’s State and Local Leaders Summit, where she ran through toplines from her 2023 executive agenda like creating jobs upstate and making New York housing more affordable. She bumped into D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper backstage at the CAP event. Later, her dinner companions included fellow Democratic governors Michelle Lujan Grisham from New Mexico and Gretchen Whitmer from Michigan. Hochul’s agenda today includes speaking as part of a multi-governor lineup for a Democratic Governors Association event highlighting what Democrats — especially those aligned with legislative majorities — are accomplishing in their states. Whether she enjoys being back in the District's chaos again, you’ll never see her turn down a visit, she told Gaspard. “My grandbaby lives in Washington, so invite me anytime,” Hochul said. IT’S THURSDAY. Got tips, suggestions or thoughts? Let us know ... By email: agronewold@politico.com and sgoldenberg@politico.com or on Twitter: @annagronewold and @sallygold WHERE’S KATHY? In Washington, D.C. attending the National Governors Association Winter Meeting, immersed in the aforementioned swamp. WHERE’S ERIC? Appearing live on CNN’s “CNN This Morning,” and in Brooklyn delivering remarks at the funeral of Fallen NYPD Officer Fayaz.
| | | | A message from American Beverage Association: America’s leading beverage companies – The Coca-Cola Company, Keurig Dr Pepper and PepsiCo – are bringing consumers more choices with less sugar. From sparkling, flavored and bottled waters to zero sugar sodas, sports drinks, juices and teas, consumers have more options than ever. In fact, nearly 60% of beverages sold contain zero sugar. Americans are looking for more choices to support their efforts to find balance, and America’s beverage companies are delivering. Explore these choices at BalanceUS.org. | | | |  | WHAT CITY HALL IS READING | | New York City Mayor Eric Adams laid the blame squarely on “woke” Democrats for what he said was his party’s “hemorrhaging” of Latino and Asian American voters. He made the comments during an interview on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” while he was in Washington for the State of the Union. Activists rallied on the steps of City Hall to advocate for the “How Many Stops” Act. They were joined by several city officials, including Council members Alexa Avilés and Crystal Hudson, as well as the city's public advocate, Jumaane Williams. The set of bills would require reporting “on all investigative encounters, stops and consent searches,” according to Communities United for Police Reform. — Zach Schermele “Furor Erupts Inside Manhattan DA’s Office Over Dismissal of Perjury Case Against Ex-NYPD Detective,” by THE CITY’s George Joseph: “Bragg removed the lead prosecutor, Assistant District Attorney Stephanie Minogue, from the [Joseph] Franco prosecution and demoted her, infuriating some of his assistants who felt that the omissions were unintended and that the office should have fought more to preserve the case. Some also questioned why leadership sanctioned Minogue, deputy chief of the office’s Police Accountability Unit, before the conclusion of an office review that Bragg announced in the wake of the case collapse.” “Feds and City End Emergency Housing For Families Displaced by Hurricane Ida,” by THE CITY’s Katie Honan: “The 70 families still at the Millennium Downtown hotel on Church Street, across from the Oculus, received letters under the doors of their rooms on Jan. 17 notifying them that their last day will be Feb. 28, following the conclusion of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding at the end of 2022. The city had been footing the bill for roughly 100 units since January — but will stop before March, according to the letter. “ “Deaths among NYC’s homeless population reach record high in 2022,” by WNYC’s David Brand: “At least 815 homeless New Yorkers died in public spaces, shelters and hospitals during the 2022 fiscal year, making it the deadliest on record, according to city data published on Wednesday.”
| | | | JOIN POLITICO ON 2/9 TO HEAR FROM AMERICA’S GOVERNORS: In a divided Congress, more legislative and policy enforcement will shift to the states, meaning governors will take a leading role in setting the agenda for the nation. Join POLITICO on Thursday, Feb. 9 at World Wide Technology's D.C. Innovation Center for The Fifty: America's Governors, presented by Cisco, where we will examine where innovations are taking shape and new regulatory red lines, the future of reproductive health, and how climate change is being addressed across a series of one-on-one interviews. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | | | WHAT ALBANY'S READING | | “Tax breaks for businesses are costing NY school districts millions, advocates say,” by Times Union’s Raga Justin: “Hundreds of New York public schools are being shortchanged by tax breaks that benefit private businesses, a handful of Democratic lawmakers and good government advocates asserted Wednesday, pointing to a new report that shows at least $1.8 billion of local property taxes that would have funded school districts instead went to Industrial Development Agencies.” — “UFT-tied Democrats want to kill Gov. Kathy Hochul’s NYC charter expansion budget push,” by New York Post’s Zach Williams — “NYC schools facing possible cuts as charters, class size mandate, strain budgets,” by Daily News’ Cayla Bamberger: “‘If you’re going to prioritize the budget for class size,’ said First Deputy Chancellor Dan Weisberg in an interview with The News, ‘that means you’re going to have to deprioritize the budget for other things, which could be after-school programming or arts programming or mental health services or a whole range of things that aren’t about opening new classrooms and hiring new teachers.’ ‘Those trade-offs will be very difficult unless and until the state appropriates funding to allow us to comply with this,’ he added.” THE SENATE Blue Book is out. “Maligned Cuomo-era small-business incentive will get reboot under Hochul,” by Crains New York’s Aaron Elstein: “An upstate small-business development initiative described as a failure by foes would get rebranded and expanded in the city under plans from friends in the Hochul administration. The program, Start-Up New York, was launched in 2014 to lower tax burdens for small businesses near or on upstate college campuses. Although Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the program would “supercharge” the state economy, a report showed it created only 408 jobs in 2015 while costing $53 million in marketing. The Hochul administration acknowledged Start-Up New York ‘was hamstrung by its design.’” #UpstateAmerica: A trucker tried driving his semi and 53-foot trailer partway up Platte Cove Mountain, despite warning signs, and was stuck for an entire day. He came out of it with a ticket.
| | | | A message from American Beverage Association:   | | | | | Biden and the Boroughs | | One-way busloads to Canada add to urgency of border policy revamp, by POLITICO’s Joe Anuta and Maura Forrest: The Canadian government had been looking to revamp its border policy with the United States, motivated by the arrival of thousands of migrants who have crossed into the country from New York in recent years. Now there’s new urgency around the issue after New York City Mayor Eric Adams provided migrants with bus fare to Plattsburgh, N.Y., just south of the border, as he struggles to handle an influx of tens of thousands of asylum seekers at his own doorstep. The travelers from New York City are part of a record number of migrants entering Canada via an unofficial crossing point at Roxham Road — a rural lane about 20 miles north of Plattsburgh — and claiming asylum through a loophole in a two-decade-old treaty that Canada’s Immigration Minister Sean Fraser said needs to be broadly reconfigured. | | TRUMP'S NEW YORK | | “Trump ex-lawyer Cohen meets again with New York prosecutors,” by Associated Press staff: “Donald Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen met again Wednesday with New York City prosecutors who have spent years examining the former president’s financial dealings. Cohen stopped briefly to talk with reporters as he entered the Manhattan district attorney’s office in the morning, and then when he exited several hours later. He said it was the 15th time he had met with prosecutors.
| | | | DOWNLOAD THE POLITICO MOBILE APP: Stay up to speed with the newly updated POLITICO mobile app, featuring timely political news, insights and analysis from the best journalists in the business. The sleek and navigable design offers a convenient way to access POLITICO's scoops and groundbreaking reporting. Don’t miss out on the app you can rely on for the news you need, reimagined. DOWNLOAD FOR iOS– DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID. | | | | | | | AROUND NEW YORK | | — Rep. George Santos called Sen. Mitt Romney’s sharp comments to him ahead of Biden’s SOTU “not very Mormon of him.” — James Dolan said his interview with the Liquor Authority was voluntary. The SLA says it subpoenaed him. — Ex-SUNY chancellor Jim Malatras took a gig at international nonprofit The Fedcap Group. — New York still technically allows forced labor as punishment for a crime, but a proposed constitutional amendment would ban it. — State Police have not received any notice of violations of the state's concealed carry law that went into effect nearly six months ago. — Nearly 520 lane miles of road in New York will get $100 million in state funding to repair storm damage, Hochul said. — More than 100 faith-based organizations and clergy want Hochul to back tenant-protection measures as part of her housing push. — A teenager suspected of attacking three NYPD officers with a machete in Times Square on New Year’s Eve pleaded not guilty in state court. | | SOCIAL DATA BY DANIEL LIPPMAN | | HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Joseph Stiglitz ... David Simon … CNN’s Manu Raju … Dom Bartkus of BCW Global … Stuart Sweeney … Patrick Rizzo … Geoffrey Young … Amanda Whiting … David Silver … Jessica Ross MAKING MOVES — Philippe Etienne, France’s outgoing ambassador to the U.S., is headed to Columbia University as a visiting McGovern professor of international and public affairs this spring. … Carrie Cole is now communications director for Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.). She most recently was press secretary for former Rep. John Katko (R-N.Y.). … Megan Paulsen is now director of operations for Rep. Brandon Williams (R-N.Y.). She most recently was a sales associate at Zimmer Biomet and is a Lamar Alexander alum.
| | | | A message from American Beverage Association: Families are looking for more choices to support their efforts to find balance, and today nearly 60% of beverages sold contain zero sugar. America’s beverage companies are intentionally offering more choices with less sugar or no sugar at all, and our actions are making a real difference.
Our commitment to helping our consumers find balance includes:
· Putting clear calorie labels on every bottle, can and pack.
· Reminding consumers to think about balance with signs on coolers and displays in store.
· Innovating products to offer more choices with less sugar or no sugar at all.
· Working with local organizations across the country to build awareness of the many choices available – and make zero sugar beverages more available in communities where it’s needed most.
Learn more at BalanceUS.org | | | | | Real Estate | | “NYC Wealth Exodus Drives Billionaire’s Bet on South Florida Boom,” by Bloomberg’s Natalie Wong and Felipe Marques: “Billionaire Stephen Ross, founder of the firm that developed Manhattan’s Hudson Yards, is pushing deeper into South Florida in a bet that wealth will continue migrating from the Northeast. Related Cos. is seeking opportunities for real estate projects outside of West Palm Beach and Miami, where the firm has already established a presence, Ross said in an interview. ‘People are looking from the Northeast and relocating for jobs — not retirement — and companies are looking’ for offices, Ross said. ‘It’s tax issues, and there’s the security issues. There’s just the ease of living.’
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