Plugged In @ Hinman Straub – June 28, 2019

What’s Inside

  • Counsel to the Governor Announces Resignation
  • Upset in Queens District Attorney Primary
  • Primary Day Results
  • Governor Issues Statement on MTA Reorganization
  • Senator Proposes Guaranteed Jobs, Healthcare, Education, and Retirement
  • Comptroller Urges Change at Facebook
  • Comptroller Releases Results of Several Audits
  • Assembly Speaker Begins Statewide Tour
  • REBNY Names New President
  • Updates, Reminders, and Links
  • Coming Up

Counsel to the Governor Announces Resignation

Alphonso David, Counsel to the Governor, announced this week his intention to resign his position in the Cuomo administration. David began his working for Cuomo when he was attorney general, serving as a special deputy attorney general for civil rights. He then served in the governor’s cabinet and in 2015 was appointed counsel to the governor. David will officially leave his role as counsel in August, and plans to take over as President of the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBTQ advocacy group.

Mr. David said:

“It’s been the pleasure of a lifetime to serve this administration with the most dedicated, hardest working elected official in the state and in the nation. The governor has been a true leader on so many progressive issues in this state, and I am proud to have been a part of it. I know he will continue this unprecedented progress to move this state forward. I will miss him and everyone in the administration tremendously, and I thank him for this extraordinary opportunity.”

Governor Cuomo said:

“Make no mistake New Yorkers are better off today because of his years of public service and we will miss him tremendously. I wish him the best on this new and exciting chapter and am proud to consider him always a part of Team Cuomo.”

Upset in Queens District Attorney Primary

Tiffany Cabán ended election night with 1,090 votes more than Queens Borough President Melinda Katz in the race for Queens District Attorney. Katz was the establishment candidate and had support of the local party organization and endorsements from the Governor as well as major unions. Cabán, endorsed by Rep. Ocasio-Cortez and the New York Times, is a 31-year old public defender with a progressive agenda that includes declining to prosecute all sex work-related charges, fare evasion, low-level marijuana possession, trespassing, disorderly conduct, loitering, drug possession and welfare fraud.

The race will ultimately be decided in the coming week as absentee and military ballots are counted next week. Katz has not yet conceded, preferring to wait until all votes are counted. The odds of Katz overcoming the election night difference is slim as other candidates like Greg Lasak are likely draw votes and diminish the chances for a comeback.

Governor Issues Statement on MTA Reorganization

The Governor issued a statement this week regarding MTA reorganization efforts. The statement follows:

“This Monday I signed legislation that requires the MTA Board to approve a Reorganization Plan by July 30. While the timetable is aggressive, we have spoken about it for months and commuters and taxpayers have had enough delay and the path forward is clear.

“The Subway Action Plan has demonstrated the system’s failings and the necessary corrective actions. The reorganization plan must institutionalize the solutions. Chronic management system failures, such as time and attendance, preventive maintenance, signal repairs, purchasing, as well as car and station cleaning, must be put in place and administered by top professionals. A recent letter sent by the TWU also points out the need for an immediate, comprehensive speed limit and safety review, followed by the proper and accurate speed recalibration of the signals so train operators can follow the speed limits without being penalized. And those improvements must be made forthwith. Their impact will be transformative.

“The Subway Action Plan interventions have inarguably improved results. Performance is better. The recent legislative reforms – including the use of design build for construction projects, the debarment of bad contractors, a capital budget review process, $15 billion in new financing supported by Central Business District tolling, the fare evasion plan, 500 additional NYPD and MTA police – will only make the system better.

“The reorganization plan must formalize these lessons so the progress achieved is maintained and taken even further. The reorganization plan must account for the fact that the Subway Action Plan’s $836 million infusion has been spent, and we must redesign the organization to incorporate the lessons learned. There is no going back.”

Primary Day Results

While most were focused on the upset in the Queens District Attorney race other results of primary elections include:

  • New York State Senate – 57thDistrict (Republican Party Primary)
  • Winner – George Borrello: 60.18%
  • Curtis Crandall: 34.29%
  • New York City Council – 45thDistrict (Democratic Party Primary)
  • Winner – Farah Louis: 51.69%
  • Monique Chandler-Waterman: 41.36%
  • Rickie Tulloch: 1.70% 
  • Xamayla Rose: 1.75% 
  • Jovia A. Radix: 1.45%
  • Anthony Alexis: 0.47% 
  • Victor Jordan: 0.54%
  • Adina Sash: 0.96%
  • County Executive – Erie County (Independence Party Primary)
  • Winner – Lynne Dixon: 84%
  • Grace Christiansen: 16%
  • County Executive – Monroe County (Independence Party Primary)
  • Winner – Cheryl Dinolfo (Incumbent): 54.53%
  • Adam Bello: 45.04%
  • Rockland District Attorney (Democratic Party Primary)
  • Winner – Thomas Walsh: 51.07%
  • Ken Zebrowski: 25.11%
  • Patricia Gunning: 15.65%
  • Victor Alfieri: 7.25%
  • Mayor – Cohoes (Democratic Party Primary)
  • Winner – Bill Keeler: 36.08%
  • Shawn Morse (incumbent): 31.19%
  • Steve Napier: 21.46%
  • Peter Frangie: 11.23%
  • Mayor – Yonkers (Democratic Party Primary)
  • Winner – Mike Spano (incumbent): 75%
  • Karen Beltran: 17%
  • Ivy Reeves: 8%
  • Surrogate’s Court Judge – Kings County (Democratic Party Primary)
  • Winner – Margarita López Torres (incumbent): 52.99%
  • Meredith R. Jones: 24.45%
  • Elena Baron: 22.19%
  • Civil Court Judge – Kings County (Democratic Party Primary)
  • Winner – D. Bernadette Neckles: 71.61%
  • Edward King: 27.60%
  • Civil Court Judge – Queens County (Democratic Party Primary)
  • Winner – Lumarie Maldonado-Cruz: 61.91%
  • Wyatt N. Gibbons: 37.45%
  • Civil Court Judge – New York County, 4th Municipal District (Democratic Party Primary)
  • Winner – E. Grace Park: 73.45%
  • Lynne Fischman Uniman: 26.09%
  • Civil Court Judge – Kings County, 6th Municipal District (Democratic Party Primary)
  • Winner – Caroline Cohen: 44.24% 
  • Alice Nicholson: 22.06%
  • Chinyelu Udoh: 18.75%
  • Tehilah Berman: 14.53%

Senator Proposes Guaranteed Jobs, Healthcare, Education, and Retirement

This week, State Senator James Sanders introduced a constitutional amendment guaranteeing every citizen of New York the right to a job that pays a living wage, quality health care, a complete education, affordable housing, a clean environment, and a secure retirement. The sponsor refers to this change in the constitution as an economic bill of rights and urges passage in the sponsor’s memorandum by arguing:

“On January 11, 1944, President Franklin D. Roosevelt proposed a Second Bill of Rights, also known as an economic bill of rights. FDR said that the current political bill of rights was inadequate to ensure the equality of the pursuit of happiness. In June 2019, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders called for an updated version of FDR’s Second Bill of Rights. This bill amends the New York State Constitution to provide for an economic bill of rights for the citizens of the State of New York.”

An amendment to New York’s constitution requires passage in both houses by two separately elected legislatures (first passage in 2020 and second passage in 2021, for instance) and then would need to be ratified by the people via ballot proposition.

Comptroller Urges Change at Facebook

This week, in a letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli urged major governance change at the company due to the widely reported mishandling of consumer data. DiNapoli, in his capacity as trustee of the state retirement fund, said he would vote against the nominees for Facebook’s board of directors at next year’s annual investor meeting unless the company agrees to changes, including an independent chairman with no material interest in the company. The state retirement fund holds more than $1 billion in Facebook shares, making DiNapoli an important voice among shareholders. 

Assembly Speaker Begins Statewide Tour

This week, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie began his annual statewide tour, his fourth such tour since becoming Assembly Speaker. The Speaker began this tour in Plattsburgh, NY, joined by Assembly member Billy Jones, where they toured the Bombardier manufacturing plant.

Speaker Heastie said:

“As speaker it is important for me to understand the needs of all of the regions around the state. Today’s visit to Plattsburgh illustrated the investments being made to provide jobs and help boost our economy and uplift our communities. Bombardier is responsible for producing subway cars used by the MTA, showing how a thriving upstate economy affects the economy statewide.”

REBNY Names New President

The Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) announced this week that its President, John Banks, will retire after five years of service to REBNY and 33 years in the private and public sectors. The REBNY Board of Governors confirmed Jim Whelan as new President, effective July 1, 2019. 

Outgoing REBNY President John Banks said:

“Throughout my career, I have been extremely fortunate to work with people and organizations that have helped me grow both personally and professionally; and because of this tremendous support I now have the ability to make this very personal choice. I intend to fully focus on my beloved wife Lisa and our young children, and look forward to being more present in their lives. In addition to enjoying my family, I plan to concentrate on my not-for-profit and charitable interests. I want to thank Bill Rudin and the REBNY family for their support. I especially want to thank Rob Speyer for hiring me, and providing support and friendship over the years. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to work with Rob, Bill, and the entire REBNY team.”

Incoming REBNY President Jim Whelan said:

“I am both honored and humbled, and I look forward to serving as REBNY President to help our city stay ahead of the competition well into the future. We have many challenges ahead of us, but we are uniquely positioned to continue being the best place in the world to work and live. I thank the REBNY Board of Governors, and look forward to continue working with our entire REBNY team, and of course all of our City’s and State’s stakeholders.”

Updates, Reminders, and Links

City & State NY’s Winners and Losers here.

Politico: What will New York Dems do for an encore in 2020?

New Jersey becoming the Vegas of the East?

Times Union: The cost of New York’s battle against climate change.

Coming Up

The Assembly Committees on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions and Consumer Affairs and Protection will hold a joint public hearing on robocalls, spoofing and nuisance calls on a date to be determined (Postponed – Date TBD).

The PSC will hold its next meeting on Thursday, July 11.

The Board of Regents will hold its next meeting on July 15th and 16th.

JCOPE will hold its next meeting on Tuesday, July 23.