Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on December 7, 2019

Queens voters never got to weigh in on Amazons scuttled plans for a massive new headquarters in their borough, which evaporated when the company faced a torrent of political opposition. Soon, theyll get their say.

Amazon is effectively on the ballot in several local races next year, our Sally Goldenberg and Erin Durkin report. In at least three contests, rival candidates are betting voters will be turned off by politicians who helped drive away Amazon and the jobs and tax revenue it was promising. In another race, an upstart challenger motivated by the Amazon fight is going after an incumbent who supported the deal, controversial for the $3 billion in tax breaks and subsidies dangled before the company.

Leading the charge against Amazon were state Sen. Mike Gianaris and City Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer and both are on the ballot next year. Gianaris is facing off against a primary challenger, Justin Potter, who started a push to defeat him in response to his HQ2 opposition. Van Bramer, meanwhile, is aiming to move up to the Queens borough presidents office, but opponents are hoping to make him regret his role in stopping Amazon.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has a primary challenger too: City Council Member Fernando Cabrera, who is making her Amazon opposition a focal point of his campaign. But its not just Amazon opponents who are fending off challenges Assemblywoman Catherine Nolans support for the deal inspired an upstart to take her on.

So expect the fight over the scrapped development plans on the Long Island City waterfront to be re-litigated at length on the campaign trail. For former Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen, who hosted a fundraiser for borough president candidate Donovan Richards, its a proxy battle for the broader debate over whether to promote or resist development in the city. I think this is fantastic that this is going to be an issue in the next election, she said. It should be.

ITS FRIDAY. Got tips, suggestions or thoughts? Let us know ... By email: edurkin@politico.com and agronewold@politico.com, or on Twitter: @erinmdurkin and @annagronewold

WHERES ANDREW? In Albany with no public events scheduled.

WHERES BILL? Appearing on MSNBCs Morning Joe and on WNYCs Brian Lehrer Show.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: If youre here illegally and youre coming to get a license in Erie County, I told them this and I told them this, were going to be upfront, you may be reported to I.C.E. You just may be reported to I.C.E. Erie County Clerk Mickey Kearns, who is instructing citizens on how to report to federal immigration authorities undocumented immigrants seeking licenses under the states new law.

HOMELESS NEW YORKERS moved to New Jersey under a controversial city program were left living in squalor at the mercy of exploitative landlords, a damning new report from the Department of Investigation says. Its the latest blow suffered by City Halls controversial Special One-Time Assistance program, which provides families in New Yorks maligned shelter system a years worth of rent if they relocate outside of the five boroughs. The SOTA program was designed to help New York families break the cycle of homelessness and set them on the path to achieve stable, affordable housing, said DOI Commissioner Margaret Garnett. However, DOIs investigation has found the promise of the program is not being fulfilled. Instead, because of a lack of proper oversight and poorly designed paperwork, our investigation showed some SOTA families placed in housing outside of New York City were living in squalor under the roofs of unscrupulous landlords. New York Posts Nolan Hicks

Mayor Bill de Blasio accused the mayor of Newark and the leaders of New Jersey's Union County of being inhumane for attacking New Yorks policy of exporting homeless residents across the river. I find this extraordinary that they decide to sue the city of New York to stop working poor people from getting housing in the middle of the holiday season, the mayor said Thursday in response to a recent lawsuit filed by the city of Newark against his administration, as well as a potential lawsuit from Union County. That was really a derogatory lawsuit, de Blasio said Thursday. It was a statement against working poor people. POLITICOs Janaki Chadha and Erin Durkin

MAYOR BILL DE BLASIOs pick to serve as the nations most important taxi regulator can no longer take the job hes deploying to Kuwait with the National Guard. Jeff Roth got word of his deployment earlier this year, but the National Guard had been willing to delay his deployment if he was in fact going to become Taxi and Limousine commissioner, the National Guard and City Hall confirmed to POLITICO. When his nomination splintered on the shoals of the New York City Council, he recommitted to deploying. City Hall says he didn't notify them until Dec. 3, which might explain why, as recently as Nov. 24, a spokesperson for de Blasio said Roth was still the mayors pick...People familiar with Roths nomination process contend that City Hall botched it from the start, by failing to understand the political dynamics surrounding the taxi industry and setting up a well-regarded official for failure. POLITICOs Dana Rubinstein

WITH JUST FOUR WEEKS to go before the end of the year, the NYPD is facing a double-digit uptick in murders, making it the first time since 2017 that the city will end the year with more than 300 homicides. By the end of November, the NYPD had investigated 299 killings this year compared to 275 during the same period last year, a 9% increase. Its simply not acceptable, Mayor de Blasio said. Let me me clear: Everyones doing their job and everyone is digging deeper to get under the skin of this and address it, but we are not going to accept this situation. The number of shootings in the city also jumped, from 696 by this time last year to 720 so far this year, an increase of 3%." New York Daily News Rocco Parascandola and Thomas Tracy

RENT HIKE A COLORFUL BRIGADE OF CONEY ISLANDs small business owners and their supporters rallied on the steps of City Hall on Thursday, saying a 500 percent rent hike may be enough to displace some beloved boardwalk staples. Im angry at the mayors office. Im angry at the city of New York for the way theyve sold the soul of New York City, said the Great Fredini, a longtime sword-swallower and performer on Coney Island. The rent increases were ushered in by amusement park company Zamperla, which is responsible for deciding and collecting the businesses rents as part of a long-term agreement with New York City. City Council Speaker Corey Johnson said in a statement on Thursday that he would keep working with Council Member [Mark] Treyger and all involved on the issue. POLITICOs Michelle Bocanegra

A message from The Graduate Center, CUNY:

THE GRADUATE CENTER, CUNY. Leading thinkers like Paul Krugman, Johnnetta Cole, and Branko Milanovic discuss The Promise and Perils of Democracy. Join us at these free events: The Triumph of Injustice (Oct. 23), Racism and Democracy (Oct. 24), Conspiracism and the Assault on Democracy (Nov. 20), Global Capitalism (Dec. 10). http://democracy.gc.cuny.edu

UNDER NEW YORK STATES Green Light Law, auto bureau employees are prohibited from reporting people who are attempting to get a drivers license to federal immigration authorities. However, the law does not stop regular citizens from reporting undocumented immigrants to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Erie County Clerk Mickey Kearns, D, is making sure people in the auto bureaus he runs know how to do so. Before the Green Light Law, which allows undocumented immigrants to get licenses, officially takes effect later this month, Kearns said he will post signs with the I.C.E Tipline number on every customer service window of every local bureau. If youre here illegally and youre coming to get a license in Erie County, I told them this and I told them this, were going to be upfront, you may be reported to I.C.E. You just may be reported to I.C.E., he said. Spectrums Ryan Whalen

AFTER MORE THAN THREE DECADES in politics, state Sen. Betty Little has decided to call it a career. Little, R-Queensbury, announced at City Hall on Thursday morning that she would not seek re-election to a 10th two-year term in 2020. Little said it has been a privilege to represent the 45th Senate District and considers herself very lucky and fortunate. This is a difficult day for me, very, very difficult, because I have absolutely loved every single moment of what I have done, she said. Glens Falls Post-Stars Michael Goot

The Warren County GOP chairman believes that Assemblyman Dan Stec will run to succeed Little.

AN UPSTATE DUCK FARM is calling on Gov. Cuomo to join them in their fight against the citys foie gras ban. As city lawmakers and animal advocates hosted a Foie GONE Victory Party in the East Village Thursday, the president of La Belle Farm in Sullivan County issued a letter asking the governor to enter the fray. To put it bluntly, this new law deals a fatal blow to the duck farmers of New York State. Today, we are writing to you, seeking your help in seeing this New York City ban overturned, Sergio Saravia wrote. La Belle is one of only three producers of the French delicacy in the country and sales to city restaurants make up about a third of business. Daily News Denis Slattery

NEW YORK STATE LAWMAKERS said they had concerns about the phrasing of a new California law intended to reclassify contract workers for app-based companies as traditional employees, as they prepare their own gig-economy legislation. Assemblyman Marcos Crespo, a Democrat from the Bronx who chairs the chambers Labor Committee, said during a Thursday hearing that Californias new law exempts many professions and has prompted legal challenges. Ride-hailing companies including Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft Inc. are backing a ballot initiative to undo the law next year. The California language and the aftermath of their legislative process demands that we take a strong look at language and the clarity of it, Mr. Crespo said. Wall Street Journals Jimmy Vielkind

#UpstateAmerica: With climate change, the world is going to suck, but Buffalo may suck less.

#UpstateAdvent: Only one in three New Yorkers plan to use a real Christmas tree this season, polls show.

MIKE BLOOMBERG ROLLED OUT out his gun control platform Thursday afternoon in Aurora, Colo. the town where an armed man opened fire in a movie theater in 2012, killing 12 people. The billionaire businessman is calling for stronger background checks and permit requirements, aspirations that for years have stymied Democrats searching for bipartisan congressional support. Since entering the Democratic presidential primary last month, Bloomberg has been amplifying his gun control record as he seeks to win over a party that hasnt settled on a frontrunner. Gun control is a popular issue with the left flank of the party that is otherwise distrustful of the former New York City mayors vast wealth an estimated $54.7 billion and routine financial support of Republicans over the years. Bloomberg calls for a background check system that entails permits for all new gun buyers, police notification when owners have been prohibited from holding firearms and a crackdown on unlicensed sellers at gun shows or online, according to campaign officials. POLITICOs Sally Goldenberg

Bloomberg said Donald Trump should be impeached.

MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO promised to support his predecessor Mike Bloomberg if he wins the Democratic nomination for president, despite a series of attacks he has levied since Bloomberg launched his candidacy. De Blasio, who ran his own failed presidential bid this year, has ripped into Bloombergs record at every opportunity over the last two weeks, painting the billionaire former mayor as a failure on policing, homelessness and more who left the city in a mess. Still, he said he will hold his nose and get behind Bloomberg if he wins the Democratic primary. Whoever is the Democratic nominee, I will support, de Blasio told reporters Thursday. Even though I fundamentally disagree with him on a whole host of issues, I think he made a lot of mistakes here hes better than Donald Trump, the mayor said at a press conference in the Bronx. POLITICOs Erin Durkin

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION weighed in Thursday on a new law giving illegal immigrants driving rights in New York, calling aspects legally suspect. The so-called green light law passed by the state Legislature in June would allow undocumented individuals to obtain drivers licenses from the Department of Motor Vehicles. As of now, that law is set to take effect on Dec. 14. But Rensselaer County Clerk Frank Merola filed a lawsuit challenging its merits, arguing that he and other clerks could be in direct violation of federal immigration law if they follow the state law. Attorneys from the Department of Justice on Thursday voiced concern over certain constitutional aspects of the license law that may not stand up in court. New York Posts Bernadette Hogan

Facebook is in talks to lease a Manhattan landmark as its new office space, the Wall Street Journal says in an exclusive report.

De Blasio defended NYCHAs hiring of a cop convicted in connection with the Abner Louima case, saying he has paid his debt to society.

A new contract deal will give MTA workers annual raises that exceed 2 percent a year.

Mandarin Patinkin, a duck best known for making New Yorkers happy, at least for the six months he resided in Manhattan, is missing and feared dead.

An Amtrak worker was killed in an explosion at a Bronx power station.

Brooklyn Tech High School was evacuated due to a bomb threat, which was found to be a hoax.

The state's attempt to clarify a ban on plastic bags set to take effect on March 1 is drawing concerns from both industry and environmental advocates.

LinkNYC free wifi kiosks have been densely clustered in Manhattan and bordering neighborhoods instead of areas with less resources, The New York Times found.

Public Advocate Jumaane Williams blasted underfunding at CUNY and called for its transition to a free college program.

Children referred to special education evaluations are least likely to get the screenings in low-income neighborhoods where most residents are people of color.

The city is investigating allegations that the NYPD shrugged off a Queens woman's revenge porn accusation against a police officer.

Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn accused R. Kelly of bribing an Illinois government official for a fake ID to marry singer Aaliyah when she was 15.

A debt collection firm is being sicced on library fine delinquents.

Assemblywoman Jamie Romeo, who succeeded now-Rep. Joe Morelle, wont seek reelection and will run for Monroe County Clerk.

Tensions were high at a Jamaica, Queens meeting on middle school diversity. Parents who couldnt fit into the already-packed meeting demanded its cancellation.

The city of Albany has towed more than 240 cars since this weeks snow emergency declaration.

Syracuse University closed a campus building in anticipation of a student protest.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is 62 Dan Levitan of BerlinRosen MSNBCs Natalie Johnson ... WSJs Sara Germano Julian Zelizer, a Princeton professor and CNN political analyst, is 5-0, celebrating with a party thrown by wife Meg Jacobs at Bustan NYC Amy Well Greg Butler Maia Johnson Mike Scotto Angelica Annino, scheduling director for Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) (h/t Joe Walsh)

Michael Beresik, managing director and head of public affairs for the Americas at Standard Chartered Bank (h/t wife Beth Brummel) Michael Greenstone Bennett Roth Jon Ostrower, editor in chief of The Air Current Emily Barocas Carruth

SPOTTED: Former Rep. Katie Hill having drinks with Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) at Slipstream in Navy Yard on Wednesday night. (h/t POLITICO Playbook)

MEDIAWATCH Daily Mails Online Reinvention Relieves Pressure Amid Newspaper-Industry Woes, by WSJs Lukas I. Alpert: British papers web edition, known for photo-heavy stories about vacationing celebrities and other tabloid fodder, has become one of the worlds most-read news sites.

Ariel Kaminer has been named the new global investigations editor at BuzzFeed. She previously was investigations and special projects editor at BuzzFeed and is an NYT alum.

Liz Johnstone has been promoted to deputy politics editor for digital at NBC News. Summer Delaney recently started as a digital video reporter at Inside Edition. Delaney, an alum of Yahoo News, is still freelance hosting at WPIX, but previously was a digital host and reporter there full time. Cyrus Rassool, director of the Glen Echo Group, will join Consumer Reports in New York, working with the comms and policy teams on tech and telecom issues. (h/t Morning Tech)

MAKING MOVES Kindred Motes has been hired as senior officer for communications and strategic engagement at the Wallace Global Fund. He most recently was digital strategy director at the New York-based nonprofit Vera Institute of Justice. Lauren Kahn recently started as marketing manager at e-commerce marketing tech company RoktI. Kahn, a Duke Fuqua grad, is an alum of Citi and Luminary Labs.

IN MEMORIAM For the last half century, Jay Kriegel has played a leading role in some of the biggest moments in New York Citys history. He was chief of staff to Mayor John Lindsay, helped create the Civilian Complaint Review Board, spearheaded the city's bid to host the 2012 Olympics, and helped shepherd the development of Hudson Yards as an adviser at The Related Companies. And behind the scenes, friends and admirers say he was a mentor to generations of city officials and civic leaders. Kriegel died Thursday of cancer. He was 79 years old. Theres just nobody like him who just had this ability with such joy to do amazing things for New York, Dan Doctoroff, a former deputy mayor and a longtime friend of Kriegels, said in an interview. He had this kind of remarkable ability to translate his amazement and wonder at the complexity and majesty of New York for other people and they then often would turn around and feel the same way and give back. POLITICOs Janaki Chadha

THE NEW YORK City Housing Authoritys heat action plan was approved by its federal monitor Thursday, laying the groundwork for its goal of ending heating outages within 12 hours on average. The 35-page plan details the response framework for all NYCHA residences and singles out 20 developments that have seen the highest number of heating outages this past year, including the 18-building Bernard M. Baruch Houses, NYCHAs biggest development, on Manhattans Lower East Side. Baruch lost heat 78 times during the 2018-2019 heating season. The worst performers will be the first to receive individualized action plans, mapping out each developments boiler locations, underground steam systems and potential alternative heated community spaces, the plan says. POLITICOs Michelle Bocanegra

FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, the residents of a small town 60 miles north of New York City have openly fretted about a proposed housing development that they fear will be filled with Hasidic Jews. Officials in Chester, N.Y., according to a lawsuit filed against it, have passed ordinances, denied building permits and imposed costly requirements on the developer in a concerted effort to slow or even stop the project. ... Now the town of Chester has something else to worry about: A proposed lawsuit and investigation by Letitia James, the state attorney general. The attorney general on Thursday jumped into the dispute, accusing local officials in Chester and Orange County of violating fair housing laws and discriminating against the Hasidic community, and petitioning a judge to join a lawsuit filed earlier this year by the Greens at Chester, the developer. New York Times Sharon Otterman

A message from The Graduate Center, CUNY:

T H E G R A D U A T E C E N T E RTHE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK

Be at the center of the conversation.

Democracy is under threat. We see the rise of anti-democratic movements, leaders, and policies on the march around the globe. To address this crisis The Graduate Center, CUNY, is dedicating two years of public programming and scholarship to understanding The Promise and Perils of Democracy. Come see leading thinkers like Emmanuel Saez, Gabriel Zucman, Paul Krugman, Johnnetta Cole, Nancy L. Rosenblum, and Branko Milanovic discuss economic inequality, racism, conspiracy theories, and the future of global capitalism.

Join us at these free events: The Triumph of Injustice (Oct. 23) Racism and Democracy (Oct. 24) The New Conspiracism and the Assault on Democracy (Nov. 20) The Future of Global Capitalism (Dec. 10)

365 Fifth Avenue (at 34th Street), New York City, NY 10016http://democracy.gc.cuny.edu

With Daniel Jones suffering an ankle injury, Eli Manning gets another chance to start next Monday night against the Eagles. Heres teammate Saquon Barkley on what it means: Eli, hes a legend. Hes a Hall of Famer. He just sees the field so well. He understands the game so well, hes been doing it for a very long time and its what you expect from Eli. Obviously, I love the way he handled the situation when D.J. (Daniel Jones) ended up being the starting quarterback, the way he operated in practice, the way he operated in the building was the same Eli that we know. So, good to see him come out this week and get a chance. Its going to be awesome for him.

Nuggets 129, Knicks 92: Simply put, it is impossible to win in the NBA when your opponent shoots 56 percent. On the positive side, Elfrid Payton, a competent point guard, returned from injury.

The day ahead: Go take an early lunch and check out Columbia womens basketball hosting Georgetown at 11 AM. The Nets are in Charlotte tonight.

Excerpt from:

Amazon on the ballot NYC vs. Newark on homeless program Would-be taxi chief ships out - Politico

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