Plugged In @ Hinman Straub

September 16, 2022

What’s Inside

  • COVID State of Emergency Expires
  • Governor Announces Launch of $200 Million Seed Funding Grant for Early-Stage Businesses Impacted by COVID-19
  • Governor Signs Legislation to Expand Access to Student Loan Forgiveness
  • Governor Announces $230 Million in Upstate Airport Investments
  • Cuomo Files Ethics Complaint Against Attorney General
  • Assembly Speaker Announces Staff Departures
  • Political Updates
  • Coming Up

COVID State of Emergency Expires

The Governor allowed the COVID state of emergency to expire this week as cases and hospitalizations wane. The state of emergency had been extended monthly by Governor Hochul since November 2021. The Governor had come under increasing scrutiny by political rivals, the media and good government groups for the disaster declaration, which allowed the state to skirt procurement laws, after reports that political contributors to her campaign had received contracts outside of the normal procurement process.

The Governor said when asked by the press during an unrelated event that should circumstances change, and COVID cases rise she will reevaluate the need for a new state of emergency. The state still remains under separate disaster declarations due to monkeypox, polio and health care staffing.

Governor Announces Launch of $200 Million Seed Funding Grant for Early-Stage Businesses Impacted by COVID-19

The Governor announced that the applications portal for the Seed Funding Grant Program, created as part of the FY2023 budget, will open on September 14. The program provides flexible grants to support early stage, micro and small businesses in a still recovering New York State economy. The program will ensure that small businesses that opened shortly before or during the COVID-19 pandemic will have the funds to continue to operate and grow.

The new grant program is designed to support small businesses, micro-businesses and for-profit independent arts and cultural organizations that started operations on or after September 1, 2018 and have been operational for at least six months before an application is submitted. Applicants must have between $5,000 and $1 million in gross receipts per year as reflected on their most recent federal business tax return. More detailed guidelines can be found here.

Awards for eligible businesses are based on their 2020 or 2021 tax returns. Businesses with gross receipts ranging from $5,000 to $49,999.99 can receive $5,000 per business. Businesses with $50,000 to $99,999.99 in gross receipts may be awarded $10,000 per business. Businesses with $100,000 to $1 million in gross receipts will be awarded ten percent of their gross receipts with a maximum grant amount of $25,000 per business. Eligible applicants that have not yet filed a federal tax return can receive $5,000 per business.

Governor Hochul said:

This first-in-the-nation Seed Funding Grant Program rounds out $1 billion in flexible funding to support both early-stage, and established small and micro-businesses. New York businesses were among the hardest hit nationwide at the height of the pandemic, but with this funding, we’re extending a lifeline to help them continue to grow and operate. Applications open tomorrow, and I encourage all New York business owners to take full advantage and be a part of New York’s remarkable recovery.

Governor Signs Legislation to Expand Access to Student Loan Forgiveness

The Governor signed legislation (S.8389-C/A.9523-B) to expand and simplify access to the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program statewide. The new legislation sets a standard hourly threshold for full-time employment at thirty (30) hours per week for the purposes of accessing PSLF and clarifies standardized prep time to be included in such calculation for faculty and teachers. The bill also allows public service employers to certify employment on behalf of workers.

Governor Hochul said:

If you spend your days working for the people of New York, you shouldn’t spend your nights worrying about how to pay us back. This legislation acknowledges the significant contributions of our public servants, first responders, educators and more, by helping unlock federal loan forgiveness for countless members of New York’s workforce. From the workers who ushered us through the pandemic to the everyday heroes who keep New York moving, public-sector and not-for-profit workers deserve to make the most of this benefit – but without headaches, delays, or confusion. I’m proud to sign this legislation that ensures public servants have the clarity and the support they need to access federal loan forgiveness, and I thank my partners in the Legislature for their thoughtfulness on this bill.

Governor Announces $230 Million in Upstate Airport Investments

The Governor announced $230 million in awards to nine upstate airports for revitalization projects that modernize airports across upstate New York. This funding comes from the Upstate Airport Economic Development and Revitalization Competition, a competitive solicitation which aims to promote, revitalize and accelerate investments in upstate commercial passenger service airports.

Awards are as follows:

Albany International Airport: $60 million

Greater Binghamton/Edwin A Link Field Airport: $32 million

Watertown International Airport: $28 million

Saratoga County Airport: $27 million

Syracuse Hancock International Airport: $20 million

Sullivan County International Airport: $18.5 million

Ogdensburg International Airport: $18 million

Frederick Douglass/Greater Rochester International Airport: $18 million

Adirondack Regional Airport: $8.5 million

Governor Hochul said:

Our upstate airports are our gateways to local economies and make lasting impressions, connecting New Yorkers and tourists to the beautiful destinations that the Empire State has to offer. By making critical investments to further modernize facilities across upstate New York, we are lifting upstate airports to new heights and providing a 21st century transportation experience that travelers expect and deserve.

Cuomo Files Ethics Complaint Against Attorney General

Former Governor Andrew Cuomo has filed an ethics complaint with the Attorney Grievance Committee against Attorney General Letitia James and two special deputies Mr. Joon Kim and Ms. Anne Clark for their handling of the investigation that led to his resignation. The complaint outlines many of the arguments that Cuomo had previously articulated about the investigation, including the assertion that the final report was misleading and inaccurate, omitted evidence that favored him and was used for political purposes by the Attorney General.

Assembly Speaker Announces Staff Departures

According to a report by Spectrum News New York 1 reporter Zack Fink, the Assembly Speaker announced to Democratic conference members that Louann Ciccone, longtime head of Assembly Program and Counsel, will be retiring after 30 years of service. Ciccone was the top staff member responsible for negotiating key legislation and the state budget. The Speaker also announced the departure of two other long time staff members; Isa Puello and Paul Upton.

Political Updates

City & State NY’s Weekly Winners and Losers here.

City & State NY’s 2022 Power of Diversity: Latino 100 here.

Times Union: How a Hochul donor received $637M in state payments.

Times Union Editorial: A terrible deal for taxpayers.

California paid 45 percent less for tests supplied by Hochul donor.

Zeldin says Hochul ducking debates with voting starting in 8 days.

Ex-aide who alleged sexual harassment sues former Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

NY Times: Democrats Buoyed by Abortion and Trump, Times/Siena Poll Finds.

NY Daily News: Band of Dems backs GOPer Zeldin in race for governor.

‘Incredible Amount of Money Spent on Lying’: Gustavo Rivera on Winning His Primary and What Comes Next.

Rep. Pat Ryan in Washington: ‘It’s starting to sink in.’

Syracuse mayor, an independent, endorses Democrat Francis Conole in NY-22.

New York House Republican candidates receive labor backing.

Rensselaer County’s Republican elections commissioner arrested by FBI.

Ex-Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano heading to prison after appeals court denies his bail bid.

NY Daily News Editorial: Drawing the Assembly lines.

Coming Up

The Assembly will hold a public hearing on public assistance benefits in New York on September 29.

The Assembly will hold a public hearing to assess and reexamine the “complete streets” law on October 3.

The Board of Regents will hold their next meeting on October 3 and 4.

The Public Service Commission will hold its next meeting on October 13.