Source: Politics<\/p>\n
With help from Shawn Ness<\/p>\n
Happening now:<\/span><\/p>\n The Legislature is back. And no, there isn\u2019t a budget deal. DAYS THE BUDGET IS LATE:<\/span> 2<\/p>\n WILL BUDGET BEAT OUT ECLIPSE?: The stars are aligning \u2014 and that\u2019s good or bad news for the budget, depending on who you ask.<\/p>\n Well, actually, it\u2019s just one star (the sun) that\u2019s set to line up with the moon on Monday. And the celestial event could be too much for some lawmakers to bear while balancing budget negotiations. Some are asking whether they should even have session on Monday.<\/p>\n \u201cI’ve heard a lot of people wanting to not meet\u201d during the eclipse, Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon, a Brooklyn Democrat, said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not just lawmakers saying that. There\u2019s lots of people asking the same thing \u2014 everybody wants to be out,\u201d state Sen. Roxanne Persaud, a Brooklyn Democrat, quipped.<\/p>\n On Monday, Playbook wrote<\/a> how Gov. Kathy Hochul blamed the now-two-days late budget on the Easter Bunny: \u201cIf you did not have Easter Sunday being the deadline, I think we could have met it. I really do,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Now, there\u2019s grumblings that Monday\u2019s eclipse warrants another day off.<\/p>\n Why? It\u2019s a once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon and large gatherings are a good way for the members to score points with constituents if they are back home with them rather than plugging away on an already late state budget.<\/p>\n But Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins spoke with Playbook and shot that idea down, for now: \u201cThe plan so far is to be here on Monday.\u201d And Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie: \u201cWe may have to go look at it on the roof.\u201d<\/p>\n Another lawmaker, state Sen. Andrew Gounardes, was firm in his prediction: The eclipse will come and go before a budget deal is reached.<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe seeing the eclipse will inspire us to get this job done,\u201d he said. And state Sen. Liz Krueger opined: \u201cMaybe there’s some magic to [the eclipse and budget] being born together.\u201d<\/p>\n But forget outer space.<\/p>\n The delaying power of religious holidays could also factor in the budget timeline. Lawmakers plan to take off for Eid on April 10 and 11. And Passover means there won\u2019t be any session at all during the third week of April.<\/p>\n So even if the lawmakers hold a session during eclipse day, there are six days of session left of April after tomorrow to make a deal.<\/p>\n \u201cI fully believe we will get this done in the month of April,\u201d Stewart-Cousins told Playbook. \u2014 Jason Beeferman<\/p>\n OH, ALBANY: Former WNBA star and ESPN TV analyst Rebecca Lobo\u2019s aggression against New York\u2019s capital city won\u2019t stand.<\/p>\n Lobo trashed the town, which was hosting parts of the NCAA Women\u2019s Basketball Tournament, for not having a lot to do<\/a>. Lobo would later back track in a post on Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n For Albanians, historically a sensitive group<\/a> whenever out-of-towners mock Smallbany, the damage was already done. War Room Tavern owner and PR man Todd Shapiro was so incensed he called for the city\u2019s bars and restaurants to cancel their ESPN subscriptions.<\/p>\n But what about the people who have to travel to Albany six months out of the year? Playbook did a (very) informal poll of state lawmakers who agreed Lobo committed a foul.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are so many great things to do in Albany,\u201d Rochester Democratic state Sen. Jeremy Cooney said. \u201cIn fact, Albany is the center of the universe. You can get anywhere you want from Albany in like three hours. You can go to the Adirondacks.\u201d<\/p>\n State Sen. John Mannion, a Democrat from the basketball-crazy Syracuse area who was elected four years ago, said he\u2019s never been bored, noting Albany has a proliferation of Irish bars.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve found there\u2019s a lot to do when my family comes down,\u201d he said. \u201cWe make sure we partake in different arts activities or enjoy the restaurants.\u201d<\/p>\n Bronx Sen. Gustavo Rivera, an established connoisseur of Albany\u2019s karaoke offerings, acknowledged Lobo\u2019s comment made on a Monday night may have been a bit understandable.<\/p>\n \u201cShe might be right about Mondays,\u201d Rivera, a Democrat, said. \u201cThere are a lot of places closed on Monday.\u201d<\/p>\n But he defended the food options, many of which are within walking distance of the Capitol.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s actually really good food choices here in Albany,\u201d he said. \u201cSavoy Taproom<\/a>. The Delaware<\/a>. Copper Crow<\/a>. Rain is a good<\/a> one on a Friday night, too. Most of the places I walk to are the ones that I love.\u201d \u2014 Nick Reisman<\/p>\n ISRAELI HOSTAGES: The Republican conference held a bipartisan rally to show support for all hostages in Hamas captivity to be released and to raise awareness of a rise in antisemitism.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are the indigenous people,\u201d GOP Assemblymember Ari Brown, a Jewish lawmaker from Long Island, said. \u201cAnd these are our children that are held hostage today. They must be set free.\u201d<\/p>\n The legislators and activists who attended were led in a prayer for peace by a local Jewish community leader.<\/p>\n \u201cThey should be returned to their families. If they are dead, their bodies should be returned to their families, so that we can pay their respects so that we can say goodbye,\u201d Senate Minority Leader Robert Ortt said at the event.<\/p>\n State Sen. Jack Martins, a Republican from Long Island, said he wants to hold those that do not show support to Israel accountable. Several Democrats from across the state also attended the event.<\/p>\n \u201cThose who will not support the efforts of bringing these hostages home, let’s hold them accountable. As New Yorkers, as warriors, as the people who are called on to do more than just talk, let’s come together,\u201d Martins said. \u2014 Shawn Ness<\/p>\n HEASTIE ON HOUSING: Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said certain tweaks to the 2019 rent-regulation reforms are on the table in budget talks, but said the changes being considered will not go as far as \u201crolling back\u201d the laws.<\/p>\n Specifically, lawmakers are looking at changes<\/a> to how much landlords can raise rents after making apartment improvements \u2014 allowances that were significantly curtailed in the 2019 reforms.<\/p>\n \u201cIndividual apartment improvements has been raised at the table,\u201d Heastie told reporters Tuesday.<\/p>\n \u201cThe question of trying to get the apartments that have not been put back online because, I\u2019d say, the landlords don\u2019t want to spend the money to put the apartments back online. Those are the type of questions we\u2019re having, but rolling back 2019 \u2014 no.\u201d<\/p>\n Real estate groups have been pushing more significant changes to the rent reforms, but that effort has faced staunch pushback from tenant groups and left-leaning legislators.<\/p>\n But lawmakers appear open to considering more modest tweaks \u2014 if they come as part of a larger package that also bolsters tenant protections.<\/p>\n The Senate\u2019s one-house resolution, for example, said the body\u2019s Democratic majority is \u201copen to further discussing raising the current cap on individual apartment improvements (IAIs) as part of a comprehensive housing package that includes the core principles of Good Cause Eviction.\u201d \u2014 Janaki Chadha<\/p>\n BUDGET DANCE: The mayor expressed an interest in nixing all of his proposed budget cuts today.<\/p>\n His comments came during a press briefing where Adams was asked about a report from the City Council that argued there is enough money in the budget to completely undo the spending reductions mandated by City Hall.<\/p>\n \u201cI pray to God every day that they found a pot of money that can resolve the budget issues,\u201d Adams said. \u201cWe don\u2019t want to make cuts. We do not want to take away services. And if \u2026 when they sit down with [the budget director], they have a way to do this, we are open to hearing that.\u201d<\/p>\n The Council identified north of $6 billion of unaccounted-for resources in the upcoming budget that could be used to reverse cuts, end a looming fiscal cliff and add to the city\u2019s reserves. \u2014 Joe Anuta<\/p>\n SCHOOLS CHIEF IN ALBANY: Schools Chancellor David Banks traveled to Albany today to persuade state lawmakers to let Mayor Eric Adams continue running the school system.<\/p>\n Banks met with state Sen. John Liu, who heads the Senate\u2019s New York City Education Committee, as well as Assembly Education Chair Michael Benedetto and Senate Education Chair Shelley Mayer among others. He\u2019s meeting with Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Stewart-Cousins this afternoon.<\/p>\n \u201cWe think that the mayor, Eric Adams, in many ways has earned to be able to have an extension of this,\u201d Banks told reporters during a gaggle. \u201cWe\u2019ve been delivering for New Yorkers, and we want to continue to do that work.\u201d<\/p>\n Banks also testified before legislators in Albany earlier this year<\/a>.<\/p>\n The visit comes as lawmakers and Hochul continue to hammer out details of the final budget. State education officials are also expected to release their long-awaited report on mayoral control early next week. (They requested and received an extension from the Legislature, according to a spokesperson).<\/p>\n Banks told reporters he\u2019s \u201canxiously awaiting\u201d to see the report. He insisted the study is not just a reflection of public hearings officials held citywide but a \u201chistorical perspective\u201d on mayoral control.<\/p>\n Lawmakers have also said they will consider how Adams approaches a state law<\/a> mandating lower class sizes as they deliberate on mayoral control. But Banks insisted the two won\u2019t be tied.<\/p>\n \u201cI think mayoral control\u2026 in many ways stands on its own because it\u2019s broader than any one particular issue,\u201d he said, adding that class size is \u201ca hot topic right now.\u201d \u2014 Madina Tour\u00e9 and Nick Reisman<\/p>\n SENATE MOVES TO BAN DRY TOWNS: The state Senate\u2019s Investigation and Government Operations Committee advanced a bill<\/a> today that would allow the sale of alcohol in New York\u2019s dry towns.<\/p>\n \u201cThe restaurants and potential bars and other on-premises establishments and liquor stores that would want to do business in these towns, they are implicitly looking at us to do business in these communities,\u201d said state Sen. James Skoufis, the committee\u2019s Democratic chair.<\/p>\n Towns and cities are allowed to ban alcohol sales via referendums. A few have ended their local prohibitions<\/a> in recent years, meaning there are only six remaining completely dry places \u2014 the largest being the 2,200 town of Caneadea in Allegany County \u2014 though a few dozen others have rules that limit alcohol to places like hotels.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a vestige, as are a lot of our Alcoholic Beverage Control laws, of Prohibition-era ridiculousness,\u201d Skoufis said. \u2014 Bill Mahoney<\/p>\n NEW CENTRAL HUDSON CEO: The utility serving more than 300,000 electric customers and 84,000 natural gas customers in the Hudson Valley announced a new CEO today.<\/p>\n Stephanie Raymond will take over as president and transition into the full president and CEO role in October once Chris Capone retires.<\/p>\n Capone took over, postponing his retirement, after the board ousted Charles Freni as CEO last year. Freni\u2019s tenure ended abruptly amid fallout from billing issues at the utility that sparked public outcry and an investigation and action by state regulators.<\/p>\n Raymond was most recently the CEO of PPL Electric Utilities Corporation, a Pennsylvania utility serving 1.4 million electric customers. Raymond was there for more than a decade in various roles after working in telecommunications. She left PPL in September 2023<\/a> after the utility dealt with its own major billing issues.<\/a><\/p>\n Central Hudson highlighted Raymond\u2019s efforts to improve grid reliability and customer satisfaction scores. The search committee was aware of the billing issues that were \u201ceffectively resolved\u201d during Raymond\u2019s tenure, said spokesperson Joe Jenkins.<\/p>\n \u201cHer experience leading and managing through those challenges was viewed as a strength,\u201d Jenkins said. \u201cCentral Hudson\u2019s billing system is currently performing at levels similar or better than its previous system and we believe Stephanie\u2019s experience in this area will help us continue to rebuild trust with our customers as we move forward.\u201d\u00a0 \u2014 Marie J. French<\/p>\n CLIMATE SUPERFUND: A collection of environmental justice groups held a rally in the Capitol today to urge Hochul to support a $3 billion climate superfund paid by big oil corporations.<\/p>\n The bill<\/a> would also include $1 billion for disadvantaged communities that have been hit by flooding and extreme heat.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s the trust that is given to us that we have to take care of it [the Earth]. We have to deliver it to our students,\u201d Sohaib Chekima, a professor at Union College, said during the event.<\/p>\n \u201cWe believe that God created us on this Earth as its custodians, not the owners. We act as if this is ours. We are privileged. The governor has to understand the leadership position is not one of privilege, it\u2019s a responsibility that she\u2019s assumed.\u201d \u2014 Shawn Ness<\/p>\n \u2014 Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called on the Department of Justice to go after retail thieves under the RICO act. (State of Politics<\/a>)<\/p>\n \u2014 The man accused of murdering an NYPD officer has been indicted with murder in a Queens court. (Newsday<\/a>)<\/p>\n \u2014 Turkey\u2019s consul general sent a letter to the state Senate Finance Committee urging them not to commemorate the end of a major conflict in Cyprus. (Times Union<\/a>)<\/p>\n
\n What lawmakers think of Rebecca Lobo\u2019s comments about Albany.
\n Republicans hosted an antisemitism awareness rally.
\n A ban on \u2018dry\u2019 towns? <\/p>\n