Source: Politics<\/p>\n
With help from Shawn Ness<\/p>\n
Education leaders and advocates are backing new legislation that they say could bring more than $1.8 billion in tax dollars back to school districts.<\/p>\n
A coalition that includes several state advocacy groups and unions is calling for the passage of a bill<\/a> that would prohibit Industrial Development Authorities from abating property taxes that would go to school districts across New York.<\/p>\n In a letter <\/a> sent to Senate and Assembly leaders today, the group points to the diverted funds as another fiscal hardship school districts are expected to overcome.<\/p>\n According to an analysis <\/a> of New York\u2019s local tax data by the union-backed group Good Jobs First, school districts missed out on $1.8 billion in the 2021 fiscal year that went instead to lower companies’ tax bills.<\/p>\n The report equates that to an average $541 per student, but notes there is a disproportionate impact on communities with students of color.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are sick of our schools being shortchanged,\u201d New York State United Teachers president Melinda Person said at a Capitol news conference. \u201cWe need this bill because our schools deserve all the resources they\u2019ve been promised\u2026We don\u2019t support tax breaks that drain the resources from our schools.\u201d<\/p>\n Sen. Sean Riley (D-Buffalo) said there is bipartisan support for his bill to limit IDAs, especially given the governor\u2019s proposal for school aid <\/a> that would result in cuts to some districts.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen a business is exempted from the property tax, they\u2019re saving money, but they\u2019re saving it at the expense of every other taxpayer,\u201d Ryan said. \u201cIt creates shortfalls in our school districts, the state taxpayer, or the local taxpayer is forced to fill the gap.\u201d<\/p>\n The letter was signed by the state\u2019s teachers union, AFL-CIO, American Federation of State, County, Municipal Employees \u2013 as well as the state Association of School Board; the state Council of School Superintendents and the Parent Teacher Association.<\/p>\n REPUBLICANS PROTEST PRISON CLOSURES: Assemblymember Chris Tague, along with his Republican colleagues and a handful of prison employees. held a press conference in protest of Hochul\u2019s budget proposal to close of up to five prisons. The facilities hold about 500 inmates each.<\/p>\n Under current state law, the governor is required to give prisons at least a one-year notice before moving forward with a prison closure; Hochul\u2019s proposal only gives the prisons 90 days, the lawmakers contended.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are once again watching ignorance and a lack common sense governing the state of New York. Instead of talking to corrections officers and prison staff, Governor Hochul thinks the best course of action\u2026 is to bypass state law and close up to five prisons\u2026\u201d Tague, whose district cuts across the Hudson Valley and Mohawk Valley, said.<\/p>\n The Division of Budget projected the closures would be able to save $77 million in the coming fiscal year and $128 million in the first full year of the closures.<\/p>\n There is currently a ratio among most prisons across the state of 50 inmates to one correctional officer, unions said. Randi Diantonio, the vice president of the Public Employees Federation, said the closures would not just affect the inmates and correctional officers, but also the hundreds of doctors, nurses, mental health professionals, as well as the vocational and rehabilitative professionals.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are losing every two weeks approximately 54 COs, and there are only 50 to 100 currently in training or at the academy. If, and when we close five prisons, that is not a long term sustainable solution,\u201d Assemblymember Brian Maher, whose district contains four prisons, said. <\/p>\n For her part, Hochul has continued a trend of closing prisons and trying to lower the state’s number of inmates through other programs.\u2014 Shawn Ness<\/p>\n HOCHUL\u2019S APPOINTMENTS: The second floor is staffing up.<\/p>\n Hochul will announce later today 11 new appointments to her office, shared first with Playbook.<\/p>\n The appointments include Edgar Santana, the governor\u2019s new executive deputy secretary. Ivan Acosta, a former budget official for the New York City mayor\u2019s office, has been appointed deputy chief of staff.<\/p>\n Shanna Cassidy, a former legislative director for state Sen. Joe Addabbo, has been appointed assistant secretary to the governor. Colleen Deacon, a former staffer for Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, is now the deputy secretary for upstate intergovernmental affairs.<\/p>\n Daniel Dornbaum, formerly at the state Democratic Committee, has been appointed assistant secretary to governor. Jacqueline Paredes, a former NYSUT official, has been appointed assistant secretary for legislative affairs.\u00a0<\/p>\n Shirley Paul has been elevated to assistant counsel for judiciary. Jessica Scaperotti, who most recently worked in real estate development, has been appointed assistant secretary for cabinet affairs.<\/p>\n Stevens Martinez has become the deputy secretary for Long Island intergovernmental affairs. Robert Calarco, a former DEC official, is now the governor\u2019s assistant secretary for Long Island intergovernmental affairs.<\/p>\n Angel Vasquez is now the deputy secretary for downstate intergovernmental affairs. \u2014 Nick Reisman<\/p>\n STATE POLICE LEADERSHIP: Hochul tapped Steven James today to become the next superintendent of the State Police.<\/p>\n Hochul used her announcement made at a State Police troop headquarters in suburban Albany to put an exclamation point on her approach to addressing voters\u2019 concerns over public safety.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople say defund the police; I say fund the police to the greatest extent possible,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Hochul pointed to her $233 billion budget proposal that includes efforts to address retail theft<\/a> by spending $25 million to bolster law enforcement in tackling the problem.<\/p>\n At the same time, Hochul said she was confident James\u2019 nomination would clear the Democratic-led state Senate.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel really good about it,\u201d she told reporters. \u201cI spoke with both leaders yesterday. They\u2019re excited about his nomination. We feel really good about someone who has been clearly vetted over 32 years of public service to this institution.\u201d<\/p>\n A person familiar with the discussions in the Legislature said the nomination, at the moment, won\u2019t be a repeat of her ill-fated appointment of Hector LaSalle<\/a> last year to lead the Court of Appeals.<\/p>\n James started his career as a state trooper and rose through the ranks to become a deputy superintendent. He was retired and living in Florida when the post was offered.<\/p>\n \u201cI always had that burning desire,\u201d he said. \u201cWhen you come through the academy as a recruit, they tell you that one day you can aspire to be the superintendent. I was na\u00efve enough to believe it and look at where I\u2019m standing.\u201d \u2014 Nick Reisman<\/p>\n LABOR, LABOR BETTER: The state Department of Labor is way behind on investigating labor law violations in New York City, according to a new audit<\/a> from Comptroller Tom DiNapoli\u2019s office.<\/p>\n Some 80 percent of wage theft cases weren\u2019t resolved within the one-year timeframe. And two-thirds of the child labor investigations weren\u2019t completed within three months, as is the target.<\/p>\n Workplace infractions like wage theft and child labor law violations are up nationally, DiNapoli notes, but New York is struggling with the workload.<\/p>\n Recommendations included a new central intake unit for cases and collaborating with the city Department of Education on child labor cases. \u2014 Jeff Coltin<\/p>\n RIGHT TO SHELTER UPDATE: The city\u2019s homeless services commissioner insisted today that the administration is not retreating from the longstanding \u201cright-to-shelter\u201d requirement \u2014 as the city continues mediation talks with the Legal Aid Society on the future of the mandate.<\/p>\n The administration went to court last year to try to suspend the requirement for single adults during times of emergency \u2014 like the current migrant influx, which has overwhelmed city shelters. A judge directed the parties to work towards a settlement in October, and those discussions are ongoing.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re talking about temporary modifications, so we\u2019re not looking to end our obligation to provide temporary housing,\u201d Commissioner Molly Wasow Park said during a panel hosted by the homeless services provider HELP USA. \u201cI couldn\u2019t sit here as the commissioner and do that, that is not who I am, it\u2019s not who the agency is, it is not who the city is. But we are, I think, looking for different ways that we can adapt the models that we provide services.\u201d<\/p>\n Joshua Goldfein, an attorney at Legal Aid \u2013 which serves in a watchdog role over the sheltering requirement \u2013 said Judge Gerald Lebovits, who is overseeing the case, has been \u201cextremely helpful\u201d in facilitating mediation over the city requirement to house anyone homeless.<\/p>\n \u201cHis approach was, everybody tell me, what\u2019s your bottom line? What do you really need? And then he kind of wrote all those things down and he said, there\u2019s your agreement, now just fill in the details,\u201d Goldfein said at the panel. \u2014 Janaki Chadha<\/p>\n MIGRANTS ASSAULT NYPD OFFICERS: Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), as well as congressional candidate Alison Esposito, are both calling on the deportation of a group of five migrants that were caught on video<\/a> assaulting two NYPD officers over the weekend.<\/p>\n The group got into an altercation with the officers in Times Square when one officer brought a man down to the ground, then prompting the man\u2019s friends to kick the officers in the ribs and back repeatedly as the scuffle ensued.<\/p>\n The NYPD said that the five suspects were arrested and charged with felony assault, CBS reported.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWe are living in an upside down world. Our leaders have created a system where criminals are protected over law-abiding citizens, and illegal migrants are prioritized over police officers,\u201d Esposito, a former NYPD officer of 25 years, said in a statement.<\/p>\n Malliotakis called the incident \u201cinfuriating\u201d and a prime example of why Adams needs to stop his misinterpretation of \u201cright to shelter.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCitizens should not be paying to house ingrates who are wreaking havoc in our city,\u201d Malliotakis said in a statement.\u2014 Shawn Ness<\/p>\n NY-03 DONOR WATCH: A member of an influential group tied to the Turkish president has donated to Tom Suozzi\u2019s bid for Congress after also giving to his 2022 campaign for governor, according to filings reviewed by Playbook.<\/p>\n Erol Akyurek, a New York representative for the Recep Tayyip Erdo\u011fan-aligned Turkish American National Steering Committee, contributed $2,500 to Suozzi\u2019s special election campaign last weekend, Federal Election Commission disclosures show.<\/p>\n Akyurek separately had hosted a gubernatorial fundraiser for Suozzi, as first reported by Playbook<\/a>.<\/p>\n The prolific donor to Democrats has also contributed to Adams\u2019 campaign. Other TASC members have also given<\/a> to Adams.<\/p>\n Suozzi has been commended by<\/a> TASC. But he repeated again that he rejects the policies of the authoritarian Erdo\u011fan.<\/p>\n \u201cTom Suozzi remains publicly critical of the Erdogan administration and its human rights positions regarding Armenia, Cyprus and the Gulen community,\u201d a campaign spokesperson said. \u201cTom is committed to fixing what is not right and will always call out bad actors.\u201d<\/p>\n Suozzi faces Republican-backed Mazi Pilip in the Feb. 13 special election to replace ousted Rep. George Santos in Nassau County and Queens.<\/p>\n Adams\u2019 campaign, meanwhile, is under federal investigation for potential collusion with the Turkish government. The mayor has not been accused of wrongdoing. \u2014 Emily Ngo<\/p>\n FARMERS WORKING OVERTIME: Hochul announced this week the new Farm Employer Overtime Credit advance portal<\/a>, which will allow for farmers to register and begin work on documentation to apply for reimbursements. The plan is a means to help New York\u2019s farmers support their workers as well as to meet food production goals.<\/p>\n \u201cOur farmers and farm workers are essential, and I want to do everything in my power to ensure that they can thrive in their work to bring fresh, local products to the tables of New Yorkers. The Farm Employer Overtime Credit is a big part of that,\u201d Hochul said in a statement.<\/p>\n The credit is a refundable tax credit available to farm employers who give their employees overtime pay as they slowly move to getting overtime after 40 hours a week. Starting July 31, employers can submit payroll documentation to the Department of Agriculture and Markets for certificates of advance payments for eligible overtime.<\/p>\n \u201cFarm labor is a critical issue, and we at the State are working hard to ensure that farmers have the resources they need to support their workforce and while meeting their food production goals,\u201d State Agriculture Commissioner Richard Ball said in a statement. \u2014 Shawn Ness<\/p>\n LEARNING LOSS & MENTAL HEALTH: Across the state, 50 school districts are slated to receive $100 million in grants to combat learning loss and expand access to mental health care.<\/p>\n The funding for the state\u2019s Learning Loss from COVID School Program will go to 15 districts and BOCES programs to implement and research evidence-based practices for recovery learning losses. In addition, 40 districts and BOCES programs will receive funding under a mental health grant.<\/p>\n \u201cThis funding will help our teachers and school staff pinpoint where students have fallen behind and provide students with the crucial resources needed to support their mental health, especially after the pandemic,\u201d Hochul said in a statement. \u2014 Katelyn Cordero<\/p>\n \u2014 Four NY Representatives stalled a House vote on the SALT tax. Reps. Nick LaLota, Anthony D\u2019Esposito, Andrew Garbarino and Mike Lawler. (POLITICO<\/a>)<\/p>\n \u2014 13 people have died at the hands of Rochester police since the 2020 killing of Daniel Prude. (Democrat & Chronicle<\/a>)<\/p>\n \u2014 The Congressional Leadership Fund is spending another $2.6 million on Mazi Pilip\u2019s ad war against her opponent, former Rep. Tom Suozzi. (POLITICO<\/a>)<\/p>\n \u2013 \u201cAndrew Cuomo is not the world\u2019s most sympathetic person, but he deserves basic due process. Right?\u201d (Times Union<\/a>)<\/p>\n