| NYSNYS NEWS WEEK IN REVIEW for August 24-30, 2019: Gillibrand quits presidential race. Furor over license plates fee. SolarCity/Tesla audit. NYSNYS News |
CUOMO BRIDGE: Gov. Andrew Cuomo held a reception and lighting of the new $1 billion Kosciuszko Bridge between Brooklyn and Queens. NYSNYS NEWS WEEK IN REVIEW for August 24-30, 2019: Gillibrand quits presidential race. Furor over license plates fee. SolarCity/Tesla audit. By Kyle Hughes NYSNYS News ALBANY, N.Y. (August 30, 2019) -- Senator Kirsten Gillibrand quits the presidential race. Gov. Andrew Cuomo's plan for new licenses plates runs into opposition. Questions mount about the SolarCity/Tesla plant in Buffalo built with $750 million in taxpayer money. Plus, a look ahead to next week. GILLIBRAND QUITS RACE PUSHBACK ON LICENSE PLATES SOLARCITY/TESLA AUDIT POLITICAL NOTES A LOOK AHEAD GILLIBRAND QUITS RACE Senator Kirsten Gillibrand suspended her campaign for president, after failing to qualify for the third round of Democratic debates next month in Texas. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio also failed to qualify, but remains in the race for now, traveling to key states despite no evidence of any voter supporter. The sole New Yorker in the Democratic field is now Andrew Yang, a Schenectady born entrepreneur who lives in New York City and has built support online with young voters. Neither Gillibrand or de Blasio managed to win any support in polls on the field of Democrats running for the nomination. "Our campaign earned praise for its strong infrastructure, creativity, digital strategy, policy rollouts, and a state-of-the-art field operation," campaign manager Jess Fassler wrote in a memo to reporters. "We built deep ties on the ground, picking up endorsements from influential Iowans and Granite Staters. Despite a historically crowded field, and competitive fundraising and media environment, Kirsten’s campaign consistently generated breakout moments and notable press coverage, demonstrating clout far out-pacing her perceived status in the race." "There is dignity and strength in knowing when it’s not your time. Moving forward, Kirsten will focus on uniting our party and our country to beat Donald Trump, flip the Senate and elect women up and down the ballot—in addition to fighting as hard as ever for New York families in the U.S. Senate by continuing to take on the fights that others won’t." The campaign said she would "relaunch her Off the Sidelines PAC by October and will raise and invest at least $1 million to elect women this cycle. Next month, Kirsten will head to Texas to support an Annie’s List event, focused on turning Texas blue with Democratic women candidates. And she intends to do everything she can to elect more women in her effort to flip the Senate, from states like Iowa to Kentucky." Gillibrand was hobbled by being s virtual political unknown outside of New York and Washington and by a history of flip-flopping on gun control issues. She also faces opposition from Democrat activists angry at her for forcing the resignation of Minnesota Senator Al Franken. She demanded Franken resign after photos surfaced of his joking around about groping a woman performer during a USO tour. Other women emboldened by the #metoo phenomenon came forward to complain of his inappropriate behavior. [Back to Top] PUSHBACK ON LICENSE PLATES Gov. Andrew Cuomo continued to draw criticism for his plan to make vehicle owners pay $25 for new licenses plates, a move he portrayed as both a contest to pick an attractive new plate and a necessary move as the state installs more cashless tolling cameras on highways, bridges and tunnels. The cost would rise to $45 if owners wish to keep their current plate number. Both Democratic and Republican legislators criticized the plan as a money grab, pointing to other states that charge minimal fees for new plates or simply allow drivers to use the plates until they get damaged or worn out. "The fact is the Legislature set the $25 fee 10 years ago, before I was governor," Cuomo said on WAMC. By the end of the week, Cuomo signaled he was open to changing the proposal. DMV Commissioner Mark Schroeder said "hypocrisy and misstatements from certain legislators seeking cheap press hits are irresponsible and need to be clarified," but opened the door to change the proposal. He repeated Cuomo's contention that licenses plates should be replaced every 10 years. "If the legislature can agree to a cost effective and practical plate inspection mechanism to determine what plates are still in good operating condition after the 10 year life and thus do not need to be replaced we would welcome the opportunity to be cooperative," Schroeder said in a statement. "The 10 year life replacement program does not go into effect until next April so we have time to work with the legislature to explore alternatives." [Back to Top] SOLARCITY/TESLA AUDIT Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli has begun an audit of the state's economic development projects, including the $750 million SolarCity/Tesla plant in Buffalo whose construction resulted in corruption convictions for some of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's top aides and campaign donors. "We have an audit underway looking at high-tech projects," DiNapoli spokeswoman Jennifer Freeman told the New York Post. While SolarCity/Tesla was the biggest project undertaken by Cuomo to help the upstate economy, it was not the only one to fall short of promises. The state built a $15 million "film hub" for movies and TV in Syracuse that has mostly sat empty. Other projects fell apart, like a proposed AMS computer chip plant in Syracuse. Cuomo also built a $90 million custom factory for California's Sorra LED lighting company, but the firm walked away from the deal. News of the audit came after a Vanity Fair magazine report that described the solar production plant as a dismal failure and the purchase of SolarCity by Tesla as a huge mistake. The story said that promises of jobs have been watered down or broken. "Without fanfare—and with no input from constituents—state officials had quietly issued a series of 10 amendments that watered down the requirements SolarCity must meet in exchange for the $1 lease on the Buffalo factory," Vanity Fair reported. "The 1,460 'high-tech' jobs at the factory became just plain old jobs, as did the 2,000 jobs to support solar sales and installation in New York. The agreement to employ 900 people at the factory within two years shrank to 500. And the timing for the additional jobs was extended to 10 years after the factory was completed—at which point the lease would also be expiring. (Tesla argues that the company is now responsible for all 5,000 jobs, instead of being able to fulfill them through suppliers.) The governor’s office declined to comment on who authorized the changes, and state officials have yet to provide any public explanation as to why they opted to let a big corporation like Tesla off the hook." The plant was completed nearly three years ago, but apart from criminal convictions has yet to produce much in return for the state's $750 million investment. [CLICK HERE] to read the Vanity Fair story. [Back to Top] POLITICAL NOTES VIDEO ON JEWISH DEVELOPERS: The Rockland County Republican Committee was criticized for a Facebook video that warned of Jewish real estate developers attempting to take over local government. Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Attorney General Tish James called the campaign spot anti-Semitic, but GOP leaders said it reflected the intense development pressure being brought to bear on county and local government by ultra-Orthodox Hasidic Jewish businessmen coming to the rural area to build large housing complexes for the insular community. Residents and leaders in northern New Jersey have also complained about an influx there as residents move away from longtime Hasidic enclaves as neighborhoods in Brooklyn gentrify. **** CUOMO BILL SIGNINGS: Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed more bills this week, including requiring IDA meetings to be webcast, mandating teaching about sexual abuse to school children, and letting victims of domestic violence terminate phone, cable, satellite contracts with no penalty. [Back to Top] A LOOK AHEAD HOLIDAY WEEKEND: Monday is Labor Day. The West Indian Day Parade is Monday, September 2, 2019. The march starts at 11am in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. **** LONG ISLAND -- BOAT SEWAGE: During the upcoming Labor Day holiday period, DEC will temporarily close three shellfishing areas on the north shore of Long Island. These closures are put in place during the busy summer holidays to protect public health from potentially contaminated shellfish associated with increased boating and recreational activities in shellfish harvest area waters. Boaters are reminded to use pump-out facilities to help protect these waters. Accordingly, the following areas are closed to the harvest of shellfish beginning at sunrise on Saturday, August 31, 2019, and continuing through Wednesday, September 4, 2019: 445 acres in a section of West Harbor within Oyster Bay Harbor (Town of Oyster Bay): All that area of West Harbor, in Oyster Bay Harbor, including tributaries, lying easterly of a line extending northerly from the northwestern-most point of land approximately 600 yards north of Brickyard Point (on Centre Island) to the westernmost point of the beach pavilion at Centre Island Beach (located on the south side of Bayville Avenue/Centre Island Road) and lying westerly of Centre Island. 50 acres in the area known as The Sand Hole (Town of Huntington): All that area of the Sand Hole (local name), including tributaries, located northerly of a line extending due east from the southernmost point of land which forms the western shore of the inlet to the Sand Hole to the opposite shoreline, on the eastern side of said inlet. 347 acres in northern Port Jefferson Harbor (Town of Brookhaven): All the normally certified area of the Port Jefferson Harbor Complex, including the Narrows and Pirate’s Cove (Mount Misery Cove). **** SARATOGA RACING: The historic Saratoga summer meet comes to a close on Monday with a card highlighted by the Grade 1, $350,000 Runhappy Hopeful and the Grade 2, $250,000 Bernard Baruch. NYRA racing resumes on Friday at Belmont Park. **** TONKO CENSUS EVENTS: Capital Region Congressman Paul D. Tonko will be holding a series of public events next week to highlight official Census projections that anticipate a significant Capital Region under-count on the 2020 Census. The events will explore the consequences of what a low count will mean for our Capital Region businesses, non-profits and local governments and the people and communities who depend on them. Census-provided maps will be displayed at each event showing official under-count projections and related data for each local community. Tuesday, September 3rd 10:30 AM – Stand-up Press Conference in ALBANY with Census Bureau, State & Local Officials at Capital South Campus Center - Literacy Zone, 20 Warren Street, Albany 12202 OPEN PRESS & PUBLIC Participants: United States Congressman Paul D. Tonko Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan Joe Dragone, Senior Executive Officer, Capital Region BOCES Jim Malatras, Co-chair, NYS Complete Count Commission Jeff Behler, Census Bureau, NY Regional Office Director Wednesday, September 4th 10:00 AM – Roundtable Discussion and Q&A focused on transportation planning in HALFMOON with Census Bureau, State & Local Officials at Halfmoon Town Hall, 2 Halfmoon Town Plaza OPEN PRESS & PUBLIC Participants: United States Congressman Paul D. Tonko Mike Franchini, Capital District Transportation Committee Carm Basile, CDTA Halfmoon Supervisor Kevin Tollisen Zoe Ritter, Supervisory Geographer Census Bureau NY Regional Office 3:00 PM – Roundtable Discussion and Q&A focused on community and economic development planning in TROY with Census Bureau, State & Local Officials at Sanctuary for Independent Media, 3361 6th Ave, Troy, NY 12180 OPEN PRESS & PUBLIC Participants: United States Congressman Paul D. Tonko Mike Yevoli, Regional Director, Empire State Development Laqueena Fernandez, Volunteer Coordinator, Media Alliance Zoe Ritter, Supervisory Geographer Census Bureau NY Regional Office Friday, September 6th 10:00 AM – Visit and Tour in SCHENECTADY focused on early-childhood education at Schenectady Community Action Program, 913 Albany St, Schenectady, NY 12307 OPEN PRESS, NOT PUBLIC Participants: United States Congressman Paul D. Tonko Deb Schimpf - Chief Executive Officer **** CUOMO CORPS TRAINING: Wednesday, September 4th, Governor Cuomo's Citizen Preparedness Corps and Senator Serrano will begin a series of FREE Emergency Preparedness Training Sessions throughout the 29th Senate District starting with an event at Project FIND Hamilton House Senior Center in Manhattan from 1:30-3:00 pm. The training is designed to help prepare residents and their families for natural disasters and emergency situations. Each family participating will receive a free Citizen Preparedness Corps Disaster Preparedness Kit. **** ONEIDA GAMBLING EVENT: Timed with the beginning of NFL regular season, the Oneida Indian Nation will host the grand opening for The Lounge with Caesars Sports at Yellow Brick Road Casino, the largest sports book in New York, on Wednesday, September 4. Guests attending the Grand Opening Event will receive a complimentary The Lounge with Caesars Sports shirts or other items. WHO: Ray Halbritter, Oneida Nation Representative and Nation Enterprises CEO Senator Bob Antonacci John Becker, Madison County Board of Supervisors Chairman Greg Lancette, President of the Central-Northern New York Building Trades Council WHEN: Wednesday, September 4 WHERE: Yellow Brick Road Casino The Lounge with Caesars Sport 800 W. Genesee St, Chittenango **** DAN RATHER COMING TO SUNY ALBANY: Dan Rather, TV newsman and son of a Texas oilfield ditch-digger, will visit the University at Albany on Friday, September 6th, 7:30 PM in the SEFCU Arena on the University at Albany Uptown Campus. Doors open at 6:30. The event is a preview for the Writers Institute’s 2nd Albany Book Festival which will take place the following week. The event is FREE and open to the public, but it requires a free ticket. We have a new page with instructions on how to obtain tickets, as well as parking information: [CLICK HERE] **** NYS FAIR: The 174th NYS Fair ends on Monday in Syracuse. **** DOWNSTATE TRANSPORTATION EVENT: The New York Metropolitan Transportation Council (NYMTC) announces its meeting will be held on September 5, 2019. This meeting will be webcast and can be viewed through www.NYMTC.org. For security purposes, RSVP either by calling NYMTC at (212) 383-7200 or by sending an email to Andrea.Miles-Cole@dot.ny.gov or register through the Eventbrite link here: https://bit.ly/2Njq8Gl. Valid ID is required to enter the building. The meeting agenda follows. Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House Basement Auditorium One Bowling Green New York, N.Y. 10004 September 5, 2019 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. A. CALL TO ORDER & ROLL CALL Council Secretary Ron Epstein, Executive Deputy Commissioner, New York State Department of Transportation B. CO-CHAIRS’ REMARKS Council Co-Chair, Marie Therese Dominguez, Commissioner, New York State Department of Transportation Council Co-Chair, Polly Trottenberg, Commissioner, New York City Department of Transportation C. COUNCIL MEMBERS’ FORUM Importance of Federal Transportation Funding to the Region’s Future D. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION - (Reserved for registered speakers on a first come, first served basis. Each speaker will be asked to limit remarks to no more than three minutes) E. ACTION ITEMS 1. Accept: March 6, 2019 Meeting Synopsis 2. Adopt: Council Resolution #2019-3 – Adoption of the FFYs 2020-2024 Transportation Improvement Program 3. Adopt: Council Resolution #2019-4 – Adoption of a Transportation Conformity Determination for the FFYs 2020-2024 Transportation Improvement Program and FFYs 2018-2045 Regional Transportation Plan, As Amended 4. Adopt: Council Resolution #2019-5 – Amend the State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2019-2020 Unified Planning Work Program to Add the Southeast, NY to Danbury, CT Link Feasibility/Planning Study 5. Adopt: Council Resolution #2019-6 – Recognition of Service by Jose M. Rivera, Former NYMTC Executive Director F. NEXT COUNCIL MEETING: Thursday February 27, 2020; (tentative) - location to be determined **** LCA PRESS CONFERENCES: Thursday, September 5, 2019 NYPIRG RE: Campaign financing in New York 11:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M. Contact: Blair Horner: 518-436-0876 ext.257 **** HEALTH DEPARTMENT MEETINGS: None scheduled. **** SENATE-ASSEMBLY HEARINGS: Sept. 3 Senate Standing Committee on Energy and Telecommunications Chair: Senator Kevin Parker Senate Standing Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions Chair: Senator Leroy Comrie Assembly Standing Committee on Energy Chair: Assembly Member Michael Cusick Assembly Standing Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions Chair: Assembly Member Amy Paulin Public Hearing: Electric Power System Reliability Place: Assembly Hearing Room, 250 Broadway, Room 1923, 19th Floor, New York, New York Time: 10:00 A.M. Contact: Don Boyajian (518) 455-3584; Ashley Luz (518) 455-4857 Media Contact: Senate Majority Press Office (518) 455-2415; Assembly Press Office (518) 455-3888 ORAL TESTIMONY BY INVITATION ONLY Sept. 6 Joint -- Assembly Standing Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions Chair: Assembly Member Amy Paulin Assembly Standing Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection Chair: Assembly Member Michael G DenDekker Public Hearing: Robocalls, spoofing and nuisance calls. Place: Assembly Hearing Room, 250 Broadway, Room 1923, 19th Floor, New York, New York Time: 10:00 A.M. Contact: Theophilus Alexander (518) 455-4857 Media Contact: Assembly Press Office (518) 455-3888 ORAL TESTIMONY BY INVITATION ONLY [Back to Top] -30- |