Winners & Losers 9/18/15

Mayor Bill de Blasio’s new education proposals are getting some buzz, but he’s still battling Gov. Andrew Cuomo. And while Cuomo may be getting the best of de Blasio, his own poll numbers are dropping. So check out who landed on this week’s list – even if the biggest losers in the Cuomo-de Blasio fight are everyday New Yorkers.

WINNERS

Mary Bassett – New York City’s adult smoking rate dropped to 13.9 percent, which about equals its all-time low rate in 2010. The decline comes amid the Health Department’s aggressive anti-smoking ads and other prevention efforts. And it's no surprise that Bassett is succeeding: She previously helped direct anti-smoking initiatives as deputy health commissioner under former Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Maurice John Sr. – The president of the Seneca Nation of Indians got a lucky break this week when an appeals court upheld a ruling that the Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino in downtown Buffalo follows federal law. The decision is likely the final blow in a nine-year battle with citizen groups that opposed the building of the casino, though they could keep pushing, perhaps even to the U.S. Supreme Court. But with the challenges likely behind them, the Senecas can move forward with a planned $40 million expansion of the gaming facility without having a legal cloud hanging over their heads.

Karen Magee – The state teachers union chief hasn’t had it easy since she was elected in 2014, but things may be looking up. Cuomo has softened his tone and seemingly walked back from his hard stance on teacher evaluations, and this week the Board of Regents ruled they will trim the state tests after a massive student opt-out movement. Plus, a federal judge supported the union’s challenge of a state "gag order" that prohibits teachers from speaking about the tests. All in all, it's an A+ for New York's teachers.

Tom Prendergast – Prendergast hit a career high, eclipsing his six immediate predecessors – and maybe some of his successors, given the MTA’s budget hole – when he cut the ribbon on the first new subway station in 25 years. The MTA chairman soon heard complaints about signal issues delaying train traffic to the Hudson Yards stop and criticism of his passive aggressive bickering over transit funding at the station's opening. Still, the feel of those scissors in his hand must have made up for most of the squabbling.

Louise Slaughter – The fight over the location of the $600 million photonics center in Rochester is finally over, and both sides didn’t get completely what they wanted – though everyone seemed fairly happy with the decision in the end. The congresswoman, who helped secured federal funding for it, will now reap the benefits of a business that could boost the economy and create jobs for a city that has long needed it.

LOSERS

William Boyland Jr. - The saga of the corrupt assemblyman from Brooklyn has finally come to an end with a sentence of 14 years in prison. And to add insult to injury, the judge proclaimed that Boyland had "no respect for the law" and "no redeeming characteristics." If there's any silver lining, it's that he'll have plenty of time behind bars to play computer games like CityVille – and re-live the good old days of being an elected official. 

Ed Cox – The chairman of the state GOP just might have a good old-fashioned coup d’état on his hands. Tom Dadey, the chair of the Onondaga County Republican Party and first chairman of the state party, wants to be the Frank Underwood figure in this "House of Cards." For Cox, who appears to be facing a legitimate threat to his post, he better hope there’s less bloodshed in this takedown than in the Netflix drama. 

Kathy Hochul – When Gov. Andrew Cuomo was confronted with embarrassing documentation of a gender pay gap in his administration, Hochul dutifully presented herself as evidence of the administration's female-friendly policies. Of course, Hochuls serving as cheerleader-in-chief doesn't erase the fact that most of Cuomo's top aides are men. On top of that, a judge ruled that Hochul doesn't control the Women’s Equality Party – another cynical Cuomo charade aimed at ingratiating himself with women. 

Bill Scarborough – The former New York City assemblyman was sentenced to 13 months in jail after he admitted to submitting about $40,000 in false expense claims. Scarborough is only the latest in a long list of lawmakers headed to jail for corruption. so maybe in Cuomo’s State of the State address next year he could recommended opening a jail just for former state legislators. It could be a job-creator.

Sheldon Silver – The Lower East Side assemblyman’s reputation has been sullied further now that federal prosecutors want to add evidence of further foibles to his criminal case. Prosecutors this week alleged that the ex-speaker of the Assembly intervened with state agencies and stopped a substance abuse clinic from opening near a building owned by a developer and ally.