This week’s biggest Winners & Losers

When news broke that Gov. Kathy Hochul wanted to change how methane emissions are measured in the state, Assembly Member Emily Gallagher quickly jumped on the news to warn how the change would severely impact the state’s climate goals. She and climate activists mobilized opposition so efficiently that within days of the initial reports about the push for the plan, the Hochul administration announced it would back off in budget talks. It’s not every day that advocates and lawmakers see such clear results from direct action – and in such a short timeframe to boot.

“Patty forgot” that “New York City cops can’t pay their bills,” said Corey Grable, who is daring to challenge powerful Police Benevolent Association President Pat Lynch’s reelection this year. Well, maybe Patty finally remembered that a former PBA member was mayor now, and struck a sweet labor deal with the city after a whopping six years under an expired deal. A four-day workweek pilot? Check. Still no city residency requirement? Check. Maybe this is part of why NYPD cops put up with his histrionics.

Last week, a judge denied James Dolan’s attempts to block the State Liquor Authority from investigating Madison Square Garden’s liquor license. Dolan had argued in court that MSG would suffer irreparable harm if the authority pulled the arena’s liquor license, but the judge pointed to comments that a defiant Dolan made on Fox 5 back in January: “You know what, take away our liquor license, people are still gonna come to the games.”

Just shy of hitting a year at the helm of the New York City Correction Department’s investigation division, Manuel Hernandez resigned amid a swell of pressure. A bombshell report released by the federal monitor assigned to oversee the department soon after made it apparent why. Hernandez’s primary task as deputy investigations commissioner was to look – fairly and deeply – into reports of misconduct in the city’s prisons. He failed to do so. The report detailed a “disturbing trend” in which he pressured internal investigators to altogether overlook or take a lenient approach to the use of excessive force on incarcerated New Yorkers.

The Georgia firebrand came to New York to do what she does best: lie, complain and lead a MAGA circus. Greene fled her rally for Mar-a-Lago, but she was still in a “New York State of Mind,” falsely claiming Mayor Eric Adams “threatened” her and bizarrely elevating Public Advocate Jumanne Williams to Adams’ hand picked top deputy. New York Republicans clearly think the Gowanus Canal is less toxic than Greene, as the only top GOP official to show up to her circus is no stranger to circuses, Rep. George Santos. 

Before New York City takes a machete to agencies’ budgets again, it might want to try looking for some spare change between the couch cushions. According to a report by the Independent Budget Office requested by Council Member Gale Brewer, the city is owed more than $2.1 billion in unpaid fines and fees – including more than $1 billion in parking and camera-generated tickets alone. The Department of Finance and its commissioner might have to explain these billions in uncollected fees to Adams’ slash-happy budget pros.