New York City

Policy

Adams offers tepid support for a controversial real estate developer tax break

Far from the champion his predecessor had been for the program, New York City Mayor Eric Adams has offered little public support for the renewal of 421-a.

New York City

Policy

Lawyers say NYC’s lifted vaccine mandate for athletes, performers poses legal liability

Mayor Eric Adams announced on Thursday that the city will do away with the COVID-19 vaccine requirement for entertainers, but continue to enforce it for all other public and private employees.

New York City

Policy

Eric Adams, Mayor of Fun, exempts fun jobs from COVID-19 vaccine mandate

Eric Adams lifted the vaccine mandate for athletes and performers, because it’s Fun to see them win – and good for the economy too.

Policy

Policy

Trading Tesla for child care: New York progressives take aim at wasteful ‘economic development’

Pointing to a series of boondoggles, legislators are pushing for more transparency on economic development programs to fund a social spending wishlist.

Policy

Policy

The one part of Hochul’s public safety plan that progressives don’t hate

Opposition to changing bail reform aside, many Albany Democrats are getting behind gubernatorial efforts to force more people to get mental health treatment.

Ethics

Policy

What about those JCOPE reforms?

After the governor promised bold reform of the state’s ethics watchdog in the budget, the proposal may have sputtered.

Health Care

Policy

How does at-home testing impact COVID-19 data in New York?

While at-home tests can detect variants of the coronavirus, health officials are not officially tracking their results.

Health Care

Policy

In a letter to state leaders, unions back immigrant health care expansion

Several politically powerful unions announced support of “Coverage for All” legislation to insure low-income New Yorkers without visas, green cards or citizenship.

Policy

Policy

New York health officials say they aren’t alarmed by BA.2 – but should they be?

Gov. Kathy Hochul and Health Commissioner Mary Bassett said Monday BA.2 cases aren’t rising as fast as they are in Europe and the UK. It’s not entirely clear why.

Policy

Policy

Hochul refuses to discuss proposed bail changes in public

The governor confirmed Monday that a leaked public safety plan was hers, but deflected questions about the details.

Criminal Justice

Policy

Lawmakers bristle at leak of Hochul’s bail policy

The governor’s leaked public safety plan undermines her claims that she doesn’t negotiate policy through the media.

Policy

Policy

Here are the sexual harassment bills still being debated in New York

Seven sexual harassment bills were not in a package recently signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul, but would further increase protection for victims.

New York State

Policy

Hochul wants to force more people with mental illness to get treatment

The governor included a major change to Kendra’s Law alongside a proposed rollback of bail reform in her new public safety plan.

Policy

Policy

City employees are eyeing the exits as Adams insists on in-person work

The mayor has been adamant that workers come into their offices full time. But municipal employees looking for remote work flexibility warn of a morale crisis and service slowdowns.

Budget

Policy

Hochul prepares for the post-budget tango

Unlike her predecessor, Gov. Kathy Hochul has left the door open to passing items from her agenda outside the budget.

Budget

Policy

To-go cocktails apparently spiked in budget process

Gov. Kathy Hochul says she is willing to wait on legalizing to-go alcohol sales following opposition from state lawmakers.

Energy & Environment

Policy

New York’s power companies want to expand the meaning of ‘zero emissions’

The power industry is pushing a pair of proposals to state legislators and regulators that have attracted little notice, but could shift the course of the state's climate action.

Budget

Policy

What Albany Democrats want from Kathy Hochul in the new state budget

One-house budget resolutions highlight legislators’ demands for more social spending ahead of the April 1 budget deadline.

Policy

Policy

New bill would cut New York’s mobile sports betting tax rate in half

The sponsors of the mobile sports betting legislation have proposed an amendment to gradually lower the tax rate as more operators are added.

New York State

Policy

Lawmakers want to suspend gas taxes for drivers by having other taxpayers foot the bill

With surging prices due to inflation and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Gov. Kathy Hochul is resisting calls from legislators in both parties to give motorists a tax break.