April 2 ALBANY — After days of deliberations, lawmakers passed the state’s executive budget Thursday, including rollbacks to New York’s controversial bail reform law, about a day after the April 1 deadline. The initial $178 billion executive budget, which started with a $6 billion gap, is
April 1 A pro-bail reform teleconference Tuesday morning was invaded by online racists who directed the n-word and other hate messages at state and city lawmakers speaking out in support of a state measure that has eliminated cash bail on most offenses. As Brooklyn Assemblymember Latrice Walker
March 30 Mayor Bill de Blasio said today he is pushing to suspend this year’s Rent Guidelines Board process and freeze rents on the city’s nearly 1 million rent-regulated apartments in light of the coronavirus crisis. “If ever there was a time there should be a rent freeze, it is now,” de
March 27 Lawmakers and tenants’ rights groups have proposed a rent suspension, a freeze on increases, and other policies to help those struggling amid COVID-19. When the novel coronavirus hit New York City in early March, things were just starting to look up for Luis Perez. After more than a
March 13 – Advocates and lawmakers are calling on the state to help curb evictions in a time of crisis. Democrats are rallying behind a bill that would establish a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures during a state disaster emergency such as the one recently declared by Gov. Cuomo
March 5 – Students from private colleges across New York are asking for more state funding for financial aid programs such as the Tuition Assistance Program and the Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Program, which provides aid and support for disadvantaged students. Hundreds of
Feb 27 – New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer wants landlords to be required to alert tenants of their rights. Stringer called for legislation to create a “Tenant Bill of Rights” that would keep a check on landlords who try to take advantage of tenants and possible tenants. Under the
Feb 26 – Advocates, formerly incarcerated people, and lawmakers warned against overhauling the New York law before it has a chance to prove itself. The battle over New York’s bail reform law, which eliminated cash bail for most misdemeanors and nonviolent felonies, entered a combative new
Feb 17, 2020 – A state Assemblyman wants local governments to find ways to keep waste out of landfills at the same time the recycling market is sending more and more waste to landfills. Assemblyman Harvey Epstein, D-New York City, recently introduced A.9684 which would amend the state
February 12th 2020 – A group of advocates and New York legislators rallied at the state capital to urge New York State to reject any rollbacks to the controversial bail reform law. In a press conference on Wednesday, State lawmakers and advocacy organizations came together in an effort to
Feb 12 – Advocacy groups and Democrats in the state Legislature are revisiting a long-stalled measure that would limit the use of solitary confinement of prisoners. Will this be the year New York will curb solitary confinement in New York’s prison system? Advocacy groups and Democrats in
Feb. 11, 2020 – Will this be the year New York will curb solitary confinement in New York’s prison system? Advocacy groups and Democrats in the state Legislature are revisiting a long-stalled measure that would limit the use of solitary confinement of prisoners, saying the practice
Feb 11 – On January 28, advocates gathered on the stairs outside the Senate Chamber to demand the passage of the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA) this session. Since last session, advocates have been pushing this bill (S.1527-b/A.1617-b) in the Legislature, which would
Feb 10, 2020 – Baruch College’s Undergraduate Student Government organized a rally on Feb. 6 to protest the recent tuition hike, which was approved by the CUNY Board of Trustees on Dec. 16. University Student Senate members, students, faculty and staff members from all over CUNY, in
Feb 7, 2020 – Over 150 students with disabilities who attend State University, City University, and private colleges and universities from every corner of the state rallied at the state Capitol on Wednesday to urge increased state funding for higher education disability services. More
Feb 5 – Students with disabilities from across the state have gathered at the Capitol to urge increased state funding for higher education disability services. The State Education Department has included a $15 million proposal as part of its 2020-21 State budget request to supplement
Sources tell NY1 that Democratic Assembly Members who have been critics of the new bail reform law have been told not to speak up. That’s because Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, has been publicly defending the changes. While Governor Cuomo and State Senate leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins have both
After only a month, supporters of the bail reform law rallied at City Hall to accuse the mayor and the police commissioner of using fear mongering tactics to change back to the way it was. The NYPD Commissioner Shea wrote an op-ed last week, calling for a rollback of bail reform and on Tuesday,
On January 28, advocates gathered on the stairs outside the Senate Chamber to demand the passage of the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA) this session. Since last session, advocates have been pushing this bill (S.1527-b/A.1617-b) in the Legislature, which would legalize the adult use
State lawmakers and advocates are calling for New York to include reinvesting in communities of color – which have been disportionately impacted by marijuana prohibition – in any bill to legalize recreational cannabis use. The Start SMART NY coalition and several legislators will be
A Manhattan Assembly member is proposing taxing private equity loans in an effort to increase transparency in residential sales and to raise money for public housing. Harvey Epstein, who introduced the tax bill last week in Albany with State Senator Julia Salazar, said that debt that’s not a
New York lawmakers want to close a legal loophole that allows deep-pocketed real estate investors to avoid paying taxes. Sen. Julia Salazar (D-Brooklyn) and Assemblyman Harvey Epstein (D-Manhattan) hope to raise millions to fix the state’s public housing by expanding the mortgage recording tax
On Monday, the city sued a Manhattan brokerage firm, Metropolitan Property Group, as well as real estate agents and entities currently or formerly associated with Metropolitan, accusing them of running a $20 million illegal short-term rental scheme. The rentals, arranged mostly through Airbnb,
Jan 15, 2020 – New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams speaks a bail reform rally outside Manhattan Criminal Court Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2020 in Manhattan, New York. (Barry Williams/for New York Daily News) New York finally implemented landmark bail reform earlier this month. Already
Jan 13, 2020 Jumaane Williams, New York City public advocate, speaking at a press conference about bail reform last week. For years, thousands of people who hadn’t been convicted of a crime languished in New York jails because they could not afford bail. New Yorkers were locked away for months,
Daily News: Not in our name: Don’t use anti-Semitic attacks as a rationale for rewriting bail reform
By DAN QUART, HARVEY EPSTEIN and LINDA B. ROSENTHAL JAN 08, 2020 Today, anti-Semitic attacks are on the rise in New York and around the country. In New York City, anti-Semitic hate crimes increased by 21% in the past year alone. As Jewish legislators, we are deeply concerned about the rash of
Jan 3, 2020 – Just think: Every time you crack open a cold one, you could be supporting higher education in New York a little bit more. That’s the idea behind one New York City assemblyman’s bill to raise the state’s tax on beer — to double it, in fact — and to dedicate those funds […]
A New York politician wants to increase the state tax on beer in order to help fund CUNY and SUNY schools. State Assemblyman Harvey Epstein, who represents a district filled with some of Manhattan’s drinkiest nabes such as the Lower East Side and Murray Hill, has proposed increasing the state
Dec 23 2019 – Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza advocated on Monday for mayoral control of the city’s public schools, calling it “the best system to drive success” for students. He made the remarks during a state Assembly education committee hearing that was the first in a series of
December 16, 2019 Landlord allowed illegal short-term rentals and other conversions in half of the buildings’ units while reporting the loss of 13 rent-stabilized units. At least nine of the remaining stabilized units have been used for illegal occupancy. NEW YORK—The Mayor’s Office of Special
Dec 13, 2019 – Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer on Friday cautioned detectives investigating the murder of a Barnard College student to tread lightly to avoid repeating mistakes that led to the Central Park Five scandal. Brewer issued her warning hours after the NYPD announced
Dec 13, 2019 – Health care advocates demanded answers about the planned closure and relocation of Mount Sinai Beth Israel’s emergency room in downtown Manhattan, following a Post exposé that revealed “war zone”-like conditions at its Upper East Side emergency room. Mount Sinai Beth Israel
By HARVEY EPSTEIN, RON KIM, YUH-LINE NIOU, GUSTAVO RIVERA, LINDA ROSENTHAL and JULIA SALAZAR New York had a historic opportunity to break the tight grip of special interests and big money in our elections, take a giant step towards ending the era of dysfunction in Albany and empower everyday
Debate is likely to be heavy on state Assembly legislation to mandate availability of medication for abortion at State University of New York health centers. Assemblyman Harvey Epstein, D-New York City, has proposed A.8743 to amend state law to require the State University of New York to
December 05, 2019 – After a rough year in politics, the industry faces more risk from state lawmakers From left: Manhattan state Sen. Brad Hoylman, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, Governor Andrew Cuomo, Assemblymember Harvey Epstein and Senator Julia Salazar (Credit: Getty Images) Real
Nov 27, 2019 – On the eve of Thanksgiving, a welcomed knock on the door and a timely delivery. A resident of the Gompers Houses on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, one of almost 1400 residents living in New York City Public Housing who requested a free Thanksgiving meal. About 800 of those
A state commission charged with creating a system of public financing for state elections has prompted harsh rebukes from several state legislators for proposing what they say is watered down campaign finance reform and for ostensibly advancing a political agenda that targets longtime critics
Nov 21, 2019 – Brian Honan, Vice President of Intergovernmental Relations at NYCHA, could only state his name and title at last night’s town hall before someone from the audience interrupted him. “Sorry to interrupt, but what does [your title] mean?” asked an audience member. “If you’re
Since the state legislature took a hacksaw to New York’s rent law in June, New York City has seen a precipitous decline in eviction proceedings. Evictions filed against tenants for nonpayment fell by more than 35,000, or 46 percent, following the law’s enactment in June, compared with the same
Nov. 17, 2019 – Prosecutors and police should honor the will of the voters and implement long-overdue changes. By The Editorial Board Across the country, a movement away from incarceration has been a rare point of consensus among Americans who can agree on little else. Yet talking about
By ZELLNOR MYRIE | NOV 15, 2019 As a nation, we are just beginning to come to grips with this country’s greatest sin: the enslavement of black people. Sure, we’ve taught partial histories in our classrooms, erected statues in honor of civil rights heroes, and even passed meaningful legislation
Nov 14, 2019 – Hundreds of thousands of women of color are working dangerously long shifts and only getting paid for about half of their work. Moreover, it is currently legal in the State of New York and is being funded with federal tax dollars. Home health aides in the state work
Nov. 7, 2019 – A nine-member commission is poised to squander a chance at needed changes. In the coming weeks, New York could adopt a strong system of public financing of elections and help bring good government to Albany. Or it could set up an incumbent-protection racket. Guess which way
Oct 30, 2019 – Maybe New York’s Department of Corrections and Community Supervision has been working with dishonest people for so long it’s lost sight of what the truth is. Clearly, something is amiss when DOCCS promises to reduce solitary confinement but instead turns out to
Anticipating difficulty in counting every New Yorker, State lawmakers included $20 million in this year’s state budget for outreach, but so far, those funds have been held up by the Cuomo administration. “The funds have not been allocated,” said state Senator Zellnor Myrie of
The Parks Department will not be lowering the fence height at the East Village’s Joseph C. Sauer Park after the community pushed back against the plan that was part of upcoming renovations. The decision was announced by Assembly Member Harvey Epstein and Councilwoman Carlina Rivera on Oct. 18,
Sydney Ireland was told by Boy Scouts of America she can’t become an Eagle Scout until 2020; so she took the next step without BSA backing. After years of fighting tirelessly for the right for young girls to join the Boy Scouts of America and earn the Eagle Award, Boy Scouting’s
Staff and supporters of 99.5 WBAI FM — the decades-old, listener-supported radio station recently barred from broadcasting local programming by its parent organization, the Pacifica Foundation — took to the steps of City Hall Tuesday to denounce what they have deemed “a rouge takeover.” Hours
Subcontracted workers took to the Con Edison building in Manhattan to protest for better jobs and better wages. Con Edison cleaners took to the front of 4 Irving Place in Manhattan last week to tell the power company that they’re struggling to get by on current “poverty” wages. They’ve called
The city shouldn’t force homeless New Yorkers to put big chunks of their scant income into government-controlled accounts to avoid being kicked out of shelters, say a pair of pols along with homeless advocates. The city Homeless Services Department is holding a hearing Wednesday on a rule that
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