Is it still a budget without the all-nighter?

Presented by NY Renews, a project of Tides Advocacy

Did it seem weird when the Assembly passed the state budget before midnight, leaving you to sweet dreams of logging off the Legislative Retrieval System for the summer? You’re not alone. It was weird.

Historically, members of the lower house outlast their Senate counterparts by several hours — often into the early hours of the next morning — when it comes to budget debate. But this year the two chambers paced neck and neck on Tuesday night, in part because new rules in the Assembly appeared to have their intended effect, our Bill Mahoney noticed.

Members are now given just 15 minutes to speak, and total debate on a bill is capped at four hours. The new limits made it “physically impossible” for Assemblymember Andy Goodell (R-Jamestown) to ask all of the detailed questions he is known for, he said later.

But it did mean everyone emerged Wednesday on a mostly full night’s sleep. Gov. Kathy Hochul, who had been at a State Democratic Party fundraiser at Yankee Stadium Tuesday night, was in New York City yesterday promoting her public safety toplines with Mayor Eric Adams and the city’s prosecutors.

There’s plenty more than the compromise on bail laws to applaud or criticize, and that’s what the rest of this week is for. The budget, now signed into law by Hochul, expands the state child tax credit to hundreds of thousands of kids under 4 years old. It also expands the Film Tax Credit (despite little proof this does much for New York’s fiscal health). It cracks down on unlicensed cannabis dispensaries, schedules minimum wage increases over the next two years, offers extra resources to both NYCHA and the MTA, and launches a $1 billion multi-year investment for mental health care resources.

Expect a lot more events from the Hochul administration promoting these items headed into a non-campaign season. Summer of Kathy, anyone?

IT’S THURSDAY. May the 4th, everyone. Got tips, suggestions or thoughts? Let us know ... By email: [email protected] or on Twitter: @annagronewold

WHERE’S KATHY? In New York City promoting parts of the state budget to support workers and affordability.

WHERE’S ERIC? Speaking at the Office of Faith-Based and Community Partnerships’ National Day of Prayer and at the American Museum of Natural History’s Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation; making a small business-related announcement; and hosting a reception in honor of Older Americans Month.


ABOVE THE FOLD — “Hochul’s Ex-Adviser Has History of Sexual Harassment Complaints,” by The New York Times’ Nicholas Fandos and Jeffery C. Mays: “Sarah Driscoll was out for drinks with colleagues one evening in early 2017 when a veteran political operative she worked with, Adam C. Sullivan, cornered her at a Washington bar. They were both directors of the Hub Project, a small Democratic advocacy group leading a pitched fight against Donald J. Trump’s new presidency. But rather than talk politics that night, Mr. Sullivan launched into an uninvited and graphic sexual rant, Ms. Driscoll recalled. ...

“Less than a year after the incident, which has not been previously reported, Mr. Sullivan landed on his feet — running the re-election campaign of Kathy Hochul, then the lieutenant governor of New York. ... It is not clear what Mr. Sullivan told her about his time at the Hub Project. But the sequence of events places scrutiny on the judgment of Ms. Hochul, who, three years later, after she became governor following her predecessor’s own sexual harassment scandal, vowed to ‘change a culture of harassment and abuse, and ensure safe, respectful workplaces.’”

WHAT CITY HALL IS READING

“Outrage mounts over chokehold death of Michael Jackson impersonator in clash with U.S. Marine on NYC subway,” by Daily News’ Larry McShane, Rocco Parascandola, Emma Seiwell and Thomas Tracy: “The caught-on-video chokehold death of a homeless, mentally-ill Michael Jackson impersonator by a former U.S. Marine aboard a Manhattan subway train was ruled a homicide on Wednesday as anger and protests erupted over the killing. The city Medical Examiner found the cause of victim Jordan Neely’s Monday death was compression of the neck. The finding is a critical piece of the investigation as police said they were awaiting the results of the autopsy before determining if criminal charges should be filed.”

— PERSPECTIVE: “Jordan Neely Just Needed Some Help,” by Albert Burneko for Defector

— LONG READ: “They’ve Spent Years on the Streets. Can Anyone Coax Them Inside?” by The New York Times’ Andy Newman: “Half a year with the street counselors who dispense free sneakers, monthly injections and gentle encouragement to some of the city’s most vulnerable and volatile residents.”

“NYC receives 1st migrant bus from Texas in months, braces for more,” by WNYC’s Arya Sundaram: “Forty-one newcomers stepped onto a gated-off sidewalk at the underpass outside Port Authority Bus Terminal, joining the more-than 59,000 migrants who have arrived in the city since border state officials began a campaign of dispatching busloads of migrants to New York, Chicago, Washington, D.C. and other points north last year.”

“NYPD officers on overtime more likely to be hurt on job, accused of misconduct, say watchdogs after Mayor Adams defends OT sprees,” by Daily News’ Chris Sommerfeldt: “‘Policing is a high-risk profession and our preliminary analysis makes clear that overtime hours are associated with an increased risk of certain negative policing outcomes,’ city Department of Investigation Commissioner Jocelyn Strauber said in a statement released with the report on Wednesday.”

“New York City elections in presidential years? Consultants don’t like it,” by City and State’s Jeff Coltin: “New York City elections play out in a steady rhythm. State and federal in even years, city in odd years. Now the New York City Campaign Finance Board has an official suggestion: Let’s do it all at once.”

WHAT ALBANY'S READING

“Gov. Hochul, surrounded by prosecutors, celebrates NY bail law changes,” by WNYC’s Jon Campbell: “Gov. Kathy Hochul stood shoulder to shoulder with New York City prosecutors Wednesday to celebrate reining in the state’s controversial 2019 cash bail reforms and boosting funding for gun-violence prevention, signing the measures into law 12 hours after lawmakers approved them as part of the state budget.”

“Women who accused Cuomo of harassment being subpoenaed to testify,” by Times Union’s Brendan J. Lyons: “Multiple women who accused Andrew M. Cuomo of sexual harassment or other misconduct are being subpoenaed to testify in a lawsuit filed by a State Police investigator who alleges the former governor kissed her on the cheek and made inappropriate comments to her when she was working on his security detail. The pending depositions would enable the former governor’s attorneys, who have publicly assailed what they said were inconsistencies in some of the women’s accounts, to ask Cuomo’s accusers questions about their allegations while they are under oath and being videotaped.”

“State, Erie County will spend millions more on existing Bills stadium complex while new one is being built,” by Buffalo News’ Sandra Tan and Michael Petro: “In fact, millions more will be spent on the existing stadium and related buildings on the Orchard Park campus over the next few years while the new stadium is under construction. As part of the existing lease deal, both Erie County and New York State will continue to chip in between $2.2 million to $2.4 million a year for maintenance, repair and other capital improvement costs. The Bills are also contributing more than $900,000 a year, as a percentage share of ongoing stadium costs.”

#UpstateAmerica: We can’t get enough of the continually developing saga(s) surrounding Antonio Brown, who may or may not own some, all, or none of the Albany Empire.

TRUMP'S NEW YORK

“Judge throws out Trump lawsuit against New York Times,” by The Washington Post’s Herb Scribner: “Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the New York Times was tossed out by a New York Supreme Court judge on Wednesday, with the former president being ordered to pay all attorney’s fees, other legal expenses and associated costs.”

“Trump Will Offer No Defense in Rape Trial, His Lawyer Says,” by The New York Times’ Lola Fadulu, Kate Christobek and Benjamin Weiser: “A lawyer defending former President Donald J. Trump against the writer E. Jean Carroll’s lawsuit accusing him of rape said Wednesday that he would present no witnesses. The lawyer, Joseph Tacopina, had earlier told the judge that Mr. Trump would not come to court to testify in the civil case. Mr. Trump, who is again running for president, traveled to Scotland this week to open a new golf course.”

AROUND NEW YORK

— More than 160 resident physicians at Elmhurst Hospital voted to authorize a strike if they do not reach a deal on raises and hazard pay.

— A program to tackle New York City’s rat problems with new trash containers could eliminate 150,000 parking spots.

— A dozen members of New York City’s Sheriff’s Office have been suspended without pay after allegedly stealing alcohol and other goods that had been confiscated from bars during the pandemic, THE CITY reports.

— A police precinct in the Bronx is the first to pilot a 12-hour work shift following the city’s major labor agreement with the Police Benevolent Association.

— The latest crime statistics released by the NYPD showed a slight uptick in April.

SOCIAL DATA BY DANIEL LIPPMAN

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Eliot Nelson … Reuters’ Ted Hesson … CNN’s Polson Kanneth … Kelly Love … Natalie Akers … Katie Ross

MEDIAWATCH — “Top HR executive arrested for stealing $429,000 from Fast Company publisher,” by Semafor’s Max Tani

MAKING MOVES — Tenley Laserson Chepiga has been promoted to be COO of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP. She most recently was chief marketing and innovation officer at the firm. … Ian Shapiro has been named partner in charge of the New York office of Cooley. He has been at the firm for two decades and is a member of the board of directors. … Rachaele Raynoff, former press secretary for the Department of City Planning, is returning to city government as a communications advisor for the Independent Budget Office. Elizabeth Brown is leaving her role as IBO’s communications director for a job in the city comptroller’s office.

WFP REBOOT — The New York Working Families Party is shaking up its leadership structure following the recent departure of Director Sochie Nnameka. Sasha Ahuja — who has worked at Planned Parenthood, the city’s Equal Employment Practices Commission and Tusk Strategies — is the new deputy director. In that role, Ahuja will craft the third party’s 2024 election strategy. Luke Hayes, who ran Rep. Jamaal Bowman’s campaign, was named the WFP’s elections director. Cori Marquis was promoted to deputy campaigns director, joining WFP leadership team’s Pete Nagy, Nina Luo, Ravi Mangla and Divya Sundaram.

FOR YOUR RADAR — Global Strategy Group has been named the 2023 Public Affairs Agency of the Year by PRovoke Media.

Real Estate

“New York Considers Community Land Trusts,” by The American Prospect’s Luca GoldMansour: “Brooklyn’s Broadway Triangle neighborhood is the site of a very different undertaking. This apartment development is also on public land, but in this case, the community-based nonprofit developers steering the project have ensured that all 400 rental units will be available to low- and middle-income renters.”

FRESH off his courtroom concerts: “Ed Sheeran Is the Mystery Tenant of Brooklyn’s Most Expensive Listing,” by Curbed’s Zach Schiffman