Another Monday, another extender

The Easter Bunny greeted families to the governor’s mansion in Albany, N.Y., on Saturday, April 8, 2023. | Darren McGee/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul

The Legislature will return Monday morning to the state Capitol to try to pass a budget this week after not coming close to meeting the March 31 deadline for an on-time deal.

But before they negotiate in earnest again, they’ll have some housekeeping matters to address: passing a budget extender by noon so 83,000 state employees can get paid, Comptroller Tom DiNapoli warned Friday.

This would also be the payroll cycle for lawmakers, who earn $142,000 a year, the highest in the nation, but the 213 of them do not get paid until a budget is signed, sealed and delivered.

Officials familiar with the negotiations said legislative leaders and Gov. Kathy Hochul are largely in agreement to go along with Hochul’s bail law change, which would end the “least restrictive” measure used by judges to set bail. The change would allow judges to set bail in more cases, particularly violent ones, as a way to fight recidivism.

Legislative leaders are expected to brief Democratic members on the potential bail deal Monday.

“We have been working hard because my priorities have been clear from the beginning,” Hochul told reporters Saturday at the governor’s mansion during the annual Easter Egg Roll. “I’m going to make sure that we have bail laws that give the judges the discretion they should have. It’s simply clarifying law that has added to confusion.”

Other issues being negotiated appear to be in their infancy since bail took up most of the oxygen in the room, Speaker Carl Heastie said last week.

Next up will be perhaps an even more complicated deal: finding a way to spur new housing in the suburbs and the outer boroughs to increase supply, lower demand and thus make New York a more affordable place to live. But Hochul wants to make it a mandate for municipalities while lawmakers want it to be opt-in, plus add in some other housing proposals, like “good cause” legislation that would limit rent increases.

“We cannot say we will leave this legislative session and this budget process without doing something substantial to increase the housing stock in this state. We have a severe shortage,” Hochul continued. “What does that mean? We have an affordability crisis.”

Theoretically, the sides would hope to have a deal by the middle of the week and vote by week’s end. More likely? Probably a week or more away from budget votes.

“I’ll get it done. We’ll get it done together,” she said. “And I’m more concerned about getting the right results instead of the timing of it.”

IT’S MONDAY: Got tips, suggestions or thoughts? Let us know … By email: [email protected] or on Twitter: @annagronewold

WHERE’S KATHY? In Albany with no public schedule as budget talks continue.

WHERE’S ERIC? In New York City delivering remarks at a new electric vehicle charging hub in Brooklyn before visiting a senior center in the borough. In the evening he’ll deliver remarks at the Metropolitan Opera Gala before delivering remarks in Staten Island as part of his five-borough Ramadan tour.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Remember everybody, this is called an egg roll, not an egg launch!” — Gov. Kathy Hochul on Sunday at the annual Easter Egg Roll at the Albany executive mansion (h/t Jay Root)

A message from NY Renews, a project of Tides Advocacy:

Gas Utilities Use Profits to Stall Climate Action. Last year, nearly 70% of voting New Yorkers called for climate action. Now, National Grid and other gas utilities are spending millions on disinformation to torpedo New York’s nation-leading Climate Act. Enough is enough! Join NY Renews—a coalition of 360+ organizations representing hundreds of thousands of constituents statewide—to demand National Grid stop pushing disinformation and leave fossil fuel front group New Yorkers for Affordable Energy.

“Key campaign player for NYC Mayor Adams raised reelection funds while taking money to lobby his office, sparking ethics concerns,” by Daily News’ Chris Sommerfeldt: “Mayor Adams’ campaign fundraising manager solicited donations for the mayor’s reelection bid last year while simultaneously being paid to lobby his administration on behalf of a Manhattan property owner with business before the city, according to a Daily News review of public records.”

“On Broadway, New York City’s slow march toward pedestrian-focused streets,” by City and State’s Annie McDonough: “Can Mayor Eric Adams match the cityscape legacy of former Mayor Mike Bloomberg?”

“Powerful NYC labor coalition plans to pour $1 million into City Council races, backing Council speaker for next term,” by Daily News’ Michael Gartland: “The Labor Strong coalition — which is composed of DC37, 32BJ, the New York State Nurses Association, the Communications Workers of America and the Hotel Trades Council — has already decided to put some of that funding behind Council members Justin Brannan, Marjorie Velazquez, Kevin Riley, Pierina Sanchez, Lynn Schulman and Linda Lee.”

“New York City Offers Free Preschool. Why Are 30,000 Spots Empty?” by The New York Times’ Troy Closson and Raúl Vilchis: “More than 42,000 New York City children have applied for 3-K in the coming school year. That’s an all-time high, in part because the city has significantly expanded the 3-K program since it began. Still, even if every applicant was offered a spot, roughly a quarter of the seats would still go unfilled.”

“Delivery Workers Hungry for Higher Wages Say App Companies Are Stirring the Pot,” by THE CITY’s Katie Honan: “A hearing on the battle for a minimum wage standard for food-delivery services’ couriers got heated with accusations of misinformation and corporate shenanigans.”

“The state budget proposals that could transform New York—if it ever gets passed,” by Crain’s New York’s Nick Garber: “By early April, Gov. Kathy Hochul hoped to be touring the state and touting a transformative, $227 billion budget that would kick start housing growth, rescue the city’s transit system, expand health care coverage and tighten bail laws. Instead, by Friday, Albany was still waiting impatiently as talks dragged on between the governor’s office and leaders from the state Senate and Assembly.”

“To make sure workers get paid, Hochul and NY lawmakers face tight deadline on budget extension,” by WNYC’s Jon Campbell: “With a state budget deal remaining out of reach, Gov. Kathy Hochul and lawmakers have until noon Monday to pass a temporary extension or risk delaying paychecks for tens of thousands of state workers, according to state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli.”

“’Daniel’s Law’ would shift NY response to mental crises away from police,” by Times Union’s Raga Justin: ‘“Daniel’s Law’ would empower mental health responders, rather than police officers, to respond to distress calls and approach people experiencing a mental health or substance abuse crisis. The law aims to reshape New York’s reliance on policing during emergency calls, a shift that comes in the wake of several highly publicized deaths alleged to involve police misconduct.”

Tish James and Hochul seek to toss House lines in New York, by POLITICO’s Joseph Spector: New York Attorney General Tish James and Gov. Kathy Hochul submitted a court brief Friday in support of having new district lines drawn for the U.S. House after the current ones crafted by a judge last year fueled Republican gains.

A message from NY Renews, a project of Tides Advocacy:

— A bill set to pass the New York City Council this week will force ticket-selling websites to be more transparent about their fees.

— Via WNYC: “‘The battle cry of the NIMBY’: How unregulated tech is roiling the Upper West Side”

— Jackpot (or not): $833 million in lottery winnings have gone uncashed in New York since 2018

— New York City is joining several other major U.S. metropolitan areas suing carmakers Hyundai and Kia over an allegedly careless lack of anti-theft measures.

— The state health department is warning New Yorkers to be wary this time of year of diseases spread by mosquitoes.

— Rutgers faculty in New Jersey have gone on strike for the first time.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Jason Miller … Ann Marie Hauser of the Hudson Institute … CNN’s Antoine Sanfuentes … Carter Yang … NBC’s Gary Grumbach … Hanna Rosin … Leela Najafi of Leader Schumer’s office … Gabriel Arana … (was Sunday): Joe Scarborough … MSNBC’s Alex Witt and Jeff Kepnes … Jeff Zucker … Ali Aslan … Global Strategy Group’s Jon Silvan … BCW’s James Jackson … Cynthia Nixon … (was Saturday): NBC’s Chuck Todd … Seymour Hersh … Robin Sproul of Javelin … Mike Leiter of Skadden Arps … NYT’s Dave Shaw … WaPo’s Zach Goldfarb … Ro’s Meghan Pianta … Madeline Beecher … Snap Inc.’s Lauren Skowronski

MAKING MOVES — Drew Benson is now head of communications for the Americas for the Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation. He most recently was head of public affairs for U.S. retail banking and Citi Bike at Citi and is an alum of Credit Suisse and Bloomberg News.

FOR YOUR RADAR — “KKR set to buy stake in communications group FGS Global,” by by FT’s Arash Massoudi and Ivan Levingston: “KKR is nearing a deal to buy a large stake in FGS Global that will value the WPP-backed financial communications company at about $1.4bn, according to people with knowledge of the matter.”

IN MEMORIAM — “Mimi Sheraton, influential food writer and reviewer, dies at 97: Her omnivore approach to culinary cultures prompted a shift in Americans’ eating habits,” by WaPo’s Brian Murphy

A message from NY Renews, a project of Tides Advocacy:

Drop the Front, NY Gas Utilities National Grid and other gas utilities are spending big on disinformation to scare legislators away from implementing New York’s landmark 2019 Climate Act. National Grid actively spreads disinformation and false solutions through the front group New Yorkers for Affordable Energy.

NYS legislators: our climate future is at stake, and the sides couldn’t be clearer. New Yorkers demand a clean energy economy that protects their families from extreme weather, polluted air, and spiraling energy bills. Gas utilities overrule our votes, raid our wallets, and poison our lungs—just to keep their record profits flowing. Will you take a stand against the lies?

Join NY Renews to demand National Grid stop pushing climate and energy disinformation and leave the fossil fuel front group New Yorkers for Affordable Energy today. Our future depends on it.

“Several in NY’s congressional delegation urge state leaders to add NYCHA rent-relief funding to budget,” by Crain’s New York’s Eddie Small: “Support for rent-relief funds for New York City Housing Authority residents in the state budget is increasing, even as it remains unclear when the governor and legislature will reach a final agreement.”