Winners & Losers
This week’s biggest Winners & Losers
Who’s up and who’s down this week?
It’s been a wild week in New York – complete with a late state budget, rollbacks to library budget cuts in the latest New York City budget proposal and an escaped Bronx Zoo Peacock to keep things interesting. The runaway bird, known as Raul, posed for photos from fans (a mix of reporters, spectators and zoo officials) all amazed at its mere presence before making the decision to return home. Who knows … maybe the uncertainty of when the state budget would be finalized was too much to bear for poor Raul. He’ll be missed!
Linda Johnson, Tony Marx and Dennis Walcott -
New York City’s public library leaders are anything but meek and mild. Facing another round of budget cuts in the upcoming fiscal year, the city’s libraries made lots of noise about the destructive impacts of slashing their spending, prompting Mayor Eric Adams to exempt libraries – along with the Department of Cultural Affairs – from 4% budget cuts in the upcoming fiscal year. But libraries still face cuts from the existing fiscal year, and we’ve got a feeling the library leaders won’t be speaking in hushed tones about the existing risk of forcing reduced hours and programming in ongoing budget discussions.
Randy Levine -
Mets owner Steve Cohen isn’t the only baseball honcho in town who’s all-in on gambling! The Yankees, led by President Randy Levine, lobbied the city last year to allow 50/50 raffles at ballgames. City Council Member Rafael Salamanca hit a home run for his beloved Bronx Bombers and passed a bill to allow raffles – for charity! – at professional and college sports games around the city.
Maurie McInnis -
Everybody wants a bite of Governors Island. Housing! Parks! Spa-goers! Fill in the harbor and connect it to Manhattan! Well, Stony Brook University President Maurie McInnis is actually getting it. The SUNY campus won the contest to anchor the new climate hub on the island. And while some other schools, like Georgia Tech, Pace and Pratt are part of the team, the Seawolves are leaders of the pack.
John McGowan -
In most states, even a minority party freshman lawmaker can get a bridge renamed. But not New York, especially when it takes former Gov. Mario Cuomo’s name off a bridge. Rockland Assembly Member John McGowan discovered how powerless Albany Republicans are when his bill to bring back the Tappan Zee moniker died this week. McGowan better not endorse cottage cheese in lasagna next, or former first lady Matilda Cuomo will really not be amused with his antics.
Adam Sullivan -
A skiing enthusiast living in the high altitude of Leadville, Colorado, was outed this week as Gov. Kathy Hochul’s close confidant and adviser, and the reviews weren’t amazing. Little known political consultant Adam Sullivan was behind the governor’s questionable general election strategy and continues to lead her astray, The New York Times reported this week. He may need to pull up the hood on his Melanzana until this blows over.
Anna Belfiore-Delfaus -
She may cling to her identity as a New York City public school teacher, but Anna Belfiore-Delfaus, a Republican city council candidate in southern Brooklyn, just got schooled. Her claims of working in classrooms during the COVID-19 pandemic have been called into question by the fact that she hasn’t been on the city payroll for a teacher for nearly a decade. If that wasn’t enough, she’s also under fire for seemingly not actually living permanently at an address she listed as her home in ballot petition paperwork. Other Republicans running in the 47th Council District should look out – first Michael Ragusa, and now Belfiore-Delfaus? Who could be next?