Plugged In @ Hinman Straub – October 9, 2018

What’s Inside

  • Governor Announces $13 Billion JFK Airport Rebuilding Plan
  • State Finalizes Sexual Harassment Materials
  • REDCs Issue Progress Reports, Identify ‘Priority Projects’
  • Poll: Cuomo Holds Large Lead Over Molinaro
  • State Investigating Allegations of Tax Fraud by Trump Family
  • Senate Holds Hearings on State Parole Policies
  • Budget Division to State Agencies: Continue to Limit Spending
  • ‘Fix the Subway’ Coalition to Push for Congestion Pricing, Mass Transportation Funding
  • Political Update
    • Cuomo Campaigns for Democratic State Senate Candidates
    • Molinaro, Wofford Call for Debates
    • Cuomo Accepts WFP Endorsement
    • NFIB, Business Council Make Legislative Endorsements
  • Coming Up

Governor Announces $13 Billion JFK Airport Rebuilding Plan

On Thursday, Gov. Cuomo announced a $13 billion plan to rebuild John F. Kennedy International Airport with two new terminals and two new roadways to improve vehicle access. The plan includes demolishing old terminals; utilizing vacant space; increasing the number and size of gates; improving parking availability; improvements to allow for bigger planes and reduced gate congestion; and upgrading the AirTrain JFK system to handle increased passenger capacity. According to the Governor, the improvements will increase the airport’s capacity by at least 15 million passengers annually.

Gov. Cuomo said:

“While leaders in Washington talk about investing in infrastructure, we’re actually doing it at historic levels and the transformation of JFK Airport into a 21st century transportation hub will ensure New York remains the nation’s front door to the world.  This historic investment to modernize JFK Airport and the surrounding transportation network will not only ease travel through this major hub, but it will ensure JFK joins the ranks as one of the finest airports in the world.”

The Governor also said that he plans to push for congestion pricing — a surcharge on vehicles entering Manhattan’s busiest neighborhoods – in 2019.

State Finalizes Sexual Harassment Materials

Last week, Gov. Cuomo announced the release of final materials and guidance on New York’s new sexual harassment prevention laws, which can be found here.

A new law enacted as part of the state’s 2018-19 budget requires all employers in the state to adopt a sexual harassment prevention policy and training or use a similar policy and training that meet or exceeds the law’s minimum standards. Beginning in January, all state contractors must submit an affirmation that they have a sexual harassment policy and that they have trained all of their employees.

The state is making available an updated website with resources for employers, employees, state contractors and targets of sexual harassment; a model sexual harassment prevention policy; a model sexual harassment complaint form; model training; minimum standards for sexual harassment prevention policies and trainings; and FAQs.

REDCs Issue Progress Reports, Identify ‘Priority Projects’

The state’s 10 Regional Economic Development Councils (REDCs) have released their respective 2018 progress reports, which include their list of ‘priority projects.’ The eighth round of awards, in which the 10 REDC’s compete for more than $750 million in state economic development resources, was launched in April.

Read each REDC’s 2018 progress report:  Western NY; Southern Tier; North County; New York City; Mohawk Valley; Mid-Hudson; Long Island; Central NY; Capital Region; and the Finger Lakes.

The state is expected to announce awards for the current round of funding in December.

Poll: Cuomo Holds Large Lead Over Molinaro

A Siena College poll released last Monday shows Gov. Cuomo with a strong lead in his effort to win a third term as New York State governor.  Gov. Cuomo leads Republican Marc Molinaro 50 percent to 28 percent, with WFP candidate Cynthia Nixon gaining 10 percent of the vote. The Working Families Party is reportedly considering replacing Nixon on its ballot line with Gov. Cuomo.

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand holds a 61 percent to 29 percent lead over Chele Farley, her Republican challenger.  Democratic state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli leads his Republican opponent Jonathan Trichter, 58 percent to 26 percent. And in the race for state Attorney General, New York City Public Advocate Letitia James leads Republican Keith Wofford, 50 percent to 36 percent.

Read the poll crosstabs here.

State Investigating Allegations of Tax Fraud by Trump Family

Following a lengthy New York Times report on the Trump family’s use of tax loopholes, a spokesperson for the state Department of Taxation and Finance said that the agency is “reviewing” the allegations “and is vigorously pursuing all appropriate avenues of investigation.”

The Times article alleges that the President’s parents significantly under-reported the value of their extensive real estate holdings, which allowed their children to avoid a 55 percent estate tax.  It also says that the Trumps created a shell company that siphoned value from their real estate holdings and avoid estate taxes.

State law limits the amount of time prosecutors have to bring criminal charges in most tax fraud cases to three or six years after filing their income taxes.  However, the state could seek back taxes, interest and civil penalties if it can prove the Trumps actively avoided paying their full tax bill.

President Trump’s personal lawyers and the White House denied the allegations of fraud. Read a statement from the President’s lawyer here.

Senate Holds Hearings on State Parole Policies

The state Senate’s Crime Victims, Crime & Corrections Committee and Elections Committee held two public hearing last week on the state’s parole practices and an executive order issued that Gov. Cuomo issued in April that restored the voting rights of more than 24,000 felons on parole.

Some police union officials have been critical of the state’s Board of Parole, saying that it has lowered the standard for potentially dangerous criminals to be released from incarceration.  Patrick Lynch, president of the New York City Police Benevolent Association (NYC PBA) noted that the Board of Parole has approved the release of a number of people who murdered police officers.

Senate Democrats did not participate in the hearings, calling them “political.” The Governor’s office, which did not participate in the hearings, noted that the Republican-controlled State Senate confirmed all of the members of the Board of Parole.

Budget Division to State Agencies: Continue to Limit Spending

On Friday, the state Division of Budget released its annual budget call letter to state agencies requesting agency budget requests for the state’s 2019-20 budget.

While touting the state’s private-sector job growth and lowered tax rates, the letter says that the 2017 federal tax law that cap state and local tax deductions at $10,000 as having a detrimental impact on the state’s finances.

The letter states that the Cuomo Administration will “continue the pattern of fiscal discipline by once again holding spending growth to two percent,” and requested that agency heads submit budget proposals that “assume zero growth from FY 2019 cash ceilings.”

‘Fix the Subway’ Coalition to Push for Congestion Pricing, Mass Transportation Funding

A coalition of 28 grassroots groups, including environmental and social justice organizations, launched the “Fix the Subway” campaign last Tuesday to get state lawmakers to approve congestion pricing to pay for improvements to subway, bus and paratransit service.

The group supports congestion pricing to help pay for the implementation of the MTA’s Fast Forward plan, which would modernize the subway’s 1930s-era signal technology; replace subway cars from the 1960s and 1970s; install elevators across the system to make it more accessible; and redesigned bus routes throughout the city.

Political Update

Cuomo Campaigns for Democratic State Senate Candidates

Last Monday, Gov. Cuomo rallied with Long Island State Senate Democratic candidates, who signed off on a nine point ‘Long Island Agenda.’  The agenda includes keeping the state’s real property tax cap; demands that New York City pay a fair share of MTA taxes; $150 billion in infrastructure spending; clean water protections; modernizing the Long Island Rail Road; keeping public schools adequately funded; protecting reproductive rights; ethics and voting reform; funding to battle MS-13; and a “Red Flag” gun-protection bill to keep firearms out of the hands of dangerous individuals.

Last Tuesday, he campaigned for Andrew Gounardes, who is trying to unseat Senator Marty Golden, an eight-term incumbent and the only Republican elected official from Brooklyn.

On Friday, the Governor campaigned for former Westchester County Legislator Pete Harckham, who is challenging two-term Senator Terrence Murphy in a district that includes northern Westchester and parts of Putnam and Dutchess counties.

Gov. Cuomo has said that he will work to elect a Democratic State Senate majority in 2019.  The GOP currently has controlled the State Senate for 48 of the past 50 years, and now holds a one-seat advantage.

Molinaro, Wofford Call for Debates

On Wednesday, Republican gubernatorial candidate Marc Molinaro and Republican candidate for attorney general Keith Wofford called on their Democratic opponents to join them in multiple debates held across the state.

Molinaro said he wants at least three one-on-one debates with Cuomo, who is seeking a third term this year.  He said:

“I am proud to talk about my record and vision for New York, but it’s clear that Andrew Cuomo can’t say the same. Why else would he turn down opportunities to share his record with voters? I see debates as a public obligation for those privileged enough to serve in public office. Mr. Cuomo, evidently, sees debates as forums at which he’ll be forced to address corrupt practices and economic failures that have become the hallmarks of his tenure in Albany.”

Wofford, who is facing Letitia James, the New York City Public Advocate, called for five debates.

Cuomo Accepts WFP Endorsement

On Wednesday, the state committee of the state’s Working Families Party (WFP) voted to give Gov. Cuomo and Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul their ballot line in November’s general election.

The WFP had originally nominated Cynthia Nixon as its candidate for Governor.  She was soundly defeated by Gov. Cuomo in the Democratic primary for governor.  The party’s decision was made after a lengthy internal debate. (In order to preserve its automatic ballot line, the WFP must get 50,000 votes for its candidates in the gubernatorial election.)

New York law allows candidates to appear on multiple ballot lines, a practice known as “fusion voting.” Gov. Cuomo ran on the party’s line in 2010 and 2014, but he has had tense relationship with the party.

Gov. Cuomo has accepted the party’s endorsement, and he and Lt. Gov. Hochul will appear on their ballot line in the November general election.

NFIB, Business Council Make Legislative Endorsements

Last Tuesday, the New York Chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) announced its PAC endorsements in state legislative races. Endorsements are based on “positions regarding key small-business issues including taxes, health care, labor, economic development and regulatory issues.” Of the group’s 74 endorsements, 69 are Republicans.

Last Thursday, the Business Council of New York State (BCNYS) released its list of 2018 Legislative endorsements, which are “based on legislators’ voting records, and their engagement with The Business Council on our advocacy agenda.”

Winners & Losers

Each week, City & State New York publishes a list of the week’s political “winners” and “losers.”  Read last week’s list here.

Coming Up

Gov. Cuomo’s Regulated Marijuana Workgroup, which is drafting legislation for an adult-use marijuana program for the Legislature to consider in 2019, continues its series of listening sessions this week. They will be held in Syracuse on October 9; Utica on October 10; and Watertown on Oct. 11. Register to participate in a session here.

The state Board of Regents holds its next meeting on October 15 and 16.

On October 16, the Assembly Committees on Codes, Health, Government Operations and Alcoholism and Drug Abuse are holding the first of four public hearings “to seek input on proposals to legalize, regulate and tax adult use of marijuana in New York.” The first hearing will be held in Manhattan.

The Public Service Commission (PSC) holds its next meeting on October 18.

The Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) holds its next meeting on October 30.

Election Day is Tuesday, November. 6.

On November 16, the Assembly Environmental Conservation Committee is holding a public hearing in Albany “to examine recycling-related issues.”