Plugged In @ Hinman Straub – April 4, 2018

 

 

Coverage of Albany and New York State government

  • Governor, Legislative Leaders Finalize 2018-19 State Budget
  • Attorney General to Lead Multistate Lawsuit Against Federal Governor Over Census Question
  • Attorney General Releases Annual Data Breach Report, Calls for Legislation
  • Political Update
  • Coming Up

 Governor, Legislative Leaders Finalize 2018-19 State Budget

After a week of mostly closed-door budget negotiations, Gov. Cuomo and state lawmakers reached a final agreement on the state’s 2018-19 budget late on Friday night.  Lawmakers gave final approval to the budget bills in the early morning hours. (Read Gov. Cuomo’s press release on the budget agreement here.)

The state’s new fiscal year began on Sunday, April 1. But lawmakers sought to complete their work before the Passover and Easter holidays.

Gov. Cuomo said:

“This budget is a bold blueprint for progressive action that builds on seven years of success and helps New York continue to lead amid a concerted and sustained assault from Washington on our values and principles. We put into place the strongest and most comprehensive anti-sexual harassment protections in the nation, ending once and for all the secrecy and coercive practices that have enabled this unacceptable behavior for far too long.”

Highlights of the state’s $168.2 billion budget for 2018-19 include:

–          about $1 billion in additional school aid;

–          continued adherence to the Governor’s 2% spending limit;

–          an optional payroll tax and new charitable funds that will allow state residents to avoid  new federal limits on the deductibility of state and local taxes;

–          a state-facilitated voluntary retirement savings account program for private-sector workers who are not enrolled in a retirement plan a sweeping sexual harassment law;

–          a new tax on prescription opioids;

–          an anti-sexual harassment agenda that includes banning most nondisclosure agreements and mandatory arbitration in sexual harassment complaints;

–          surcharges on for-hire vehicles in Manhattan below 96th Street beginning in 2019 to increase funding for mass transit;

–          measures to enhance elections security;

–          an 8th round of the Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) program;

–          a commission to consider pay increases for state legislators and agency heads;  and

–          $250 million for the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) for immediate repairs.

A number of items that the Governor proposed will not be a part of the enacted budget.  These include $1 billion in added taxes and fees; ethics and campaign finance reform; same day voter registration; early voting; limiting the outside income of state legislators; and the DREAM Act.

With the state budget enacted, lawmakers are not scheduled to return to Albany until April 16.

Attorney General to Lead Multistate Lawsuit Against Federal Governor Over Census Question

Last Tuesday, Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced that he will lead a multistate lawsuit challenging the federal government’s decision to bring back a question asking about citizenship status in the 2020 Census “to preserve a fair and accurate Census.”

The Trump Administration announced on Monday that 2020 census will ask respondents whether they are United States citizen.

Attorney General Schneiderman said:

“A fair and accurate count of all people in America is one of the federal government’s most solemn constitutional obligations.  The Trump Administration’s reckless decision to suddenly abandon nearly 70 years of practice by demanding to know the citizenship status of each resident counted cuts to the heart of this sacred obligation — and will create an environment of fear and distrust in immigrant communities that would make impossible both an accurate Census and the fair distribution of federal tax dollars.”

Attorney General Releases Annual Data Breach Report, Calls for Legislation

Last Thursday, Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced the release of the latest report on data breaches impacting New Yorkers, and said that the state needs to do more to defend against data breaches.

According to the report, there were a record number of data breaches impacting New Yorkers in 2017. His office received notice of 1,583 data breaches in 2017, involving the personal records of 9.2 million New Yorkers.

He said that the problem is getting worse, and urged state lawmakers to approve his Stop Hacks and Improve Electronic Data Security Act (SHIELD Act). Under that proposal, any business that holds sensitive data of New Yorkers would have a legal responsibility to adopt “reasonable” administrative, technical, and physical safeguards for that data.  Companies that are certified as meeting these standards with a “safe harbor” from state enforcement action.

Attorney General Schneiderman said:

“Data breaches can cause personal crises for New Yorkers every time they happen – driving down credit scores and destroying financial lives. We saw a record number of data breaches in 2017, jeopardizing the personal information of 9.2 million New Yorkers. My office will continue to hold companies accountable for protecting the personal information they manage – but it’s also time for Albany to bring our laws into the 21st century and ensure that New Yorkers are not needlessly victimized by weak data security and criminal hackers.”

Political Update

Morelle Announces Run for Congress

Assembly Majority Leader Joe Morelle (D – Irondequoit) announced last week that he plans to run for the 25th Congressional seat that became vacant due to the recent death of longtime Congresswoman Louise Slaughter. The district is located entirely within Monroe County, centered on the city of Rochester.

A number of other Democrats have indicated that they are considering a run for the seat.

Gov. Cuomo is required to call a special election to fill the seat through the end of 2018; it is not yet clear when that will be held.  In order to run in the June 26 primary, candidates have until April 12 to get 1,250 signatures from party members.

Stringer Endorses Two IDC Challengers

Last Thursday, New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer endorsed two Democratic State Senate candidates who are challenging members of the Senate Independent Democratic Conference (IDC) in the September primary.

Stringer endorsed Robert Jackson, who is challenging Marisol Alcantara in Manhattan’s 31st Senate District, and Jessica Ramos, who is challenging Jose Peralta for the 13th Senate District in Queens.

The eight-member IDC is part of a coalition with the Senate’s Republican Conference. (Another Democrat, Senator Simcha Felder of Brooklyn, is not an IDC member, but caucuses with Republicans.)

These races are expected to be some of the highest profile and most competitive in the September primary elections.

Nixon Blasts Cuomo in Albany and New York City

A week after announcing her gubernatorial run, Cynthia Nixon came to Albany last Monday where she blasted the Governor for being a bully, and criticized his record on public corruption.  She spoke at an event where she called for the state to provide more education funding. She also said that she supports increasing taxes on the rich wealthy, and called the Governor self-imposed 2 percent spending cap “disastrous.”

Later in the week, she toured a New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) complex in Brooklyn.  She said she was shocked at the conditions, and criticized the Governor for not directing more state money towards fixing the aging apartment complexes to address chronic leaks and mold issues.  She said the state should be budgeting $1 billion this year for the public housing authority.

On Thursday, several labor union leaders issued statements attacking Nixon.  One criticized her for saying that the state’s tax credits for film and TV ‘doesn’t merit the investment.’  Another criticized her for comments she made saying that union agreements would need to be addressed to reduce mass transportation construction costs.

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

The state’s 2018-19 State Fiscal year began on April 1.

The state Board of Elections holds its next meeting on April 5.

The state Board of Regents holds its next meeting on April 9 and 10.

Lawmakers are scheduled to return to Albany on April 16.

The Public Service Commission (PSC) holds its next meeting on April 19.

The Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) holds its next meeting on April 24.

May 5 is ‘I Love My Park Day.’