Mayor Adams Trial Scheduled
Mayor Eric Adams’ trial has been scheduled for April 21. Mayor Adams has been accused of corruption and bribery, and has pleaded not guilty.
Council Unveils “City for All” Response to “City of Yes for Housing Opportunity”
NYC Council Speaker Adrienne Adams announced City for All, the Council’s plan to address New Yorkers’ housing challenges. “City for All” is a response to Mayor Adams’ citywide zoning reform proposal, “City of Yes for Housing Opportunity,” which the Council is currently reviewing. The Council has critiqued City of Yes for a lack of attention to rent levels for affordable housing, parking requirements, and accessory dwelling units. The full “City for All” housing plan is available here.
Ballot Propositions on NYC Ballot
Voters in New York City will decide on six ballot referendums on their ballots this year. Proposition 1 or the Equal Rights Amendment, which is statewide, would codify abortion rights and bar state government discrimination based on an individual’s ethnicity, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender, and pregnancy status within the New York State Constitution. Currently, the state constitution protects against discrimination based on race and religion. Propositions 2-6, in NYC only, are a result of the Charter Revision Commission put together by Mayor Adams earlier this year, and would give more power to the NYC Mayor. Specifically, Proposition 2 would expand the Sanitation Department’s authority to clean city-owned property and increased enforcement power over street vendors in parks. Proposition 3 would mandate that the City Council produce a cost estimate for each bill before the bill is brought for a hearing. Proposition 4 would require City Council to provide 30 days public notice prior to voting on legislation if the bill affects the NYPD, FDNY, or the Department of Correction. Proposition 5 would require the City to produce more detailed versions of annual and semi-annual reports on infrastructure. Finally, Proposition 6 would formalize the role of the Chief Business Diversity Officer, and give the Mayor authority to allow employees of the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment to issue filming permits.
New York Touts First National Semiconductor Technology Center
NY CREATES’ Albany NanoTech Complex has been designated as the location of the CHIPS for America EUV Accelerator. New York is the first state in the US to land one of three National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC) facilities. This new designation will unlock $825M in federal funding. NY CREATES and Natcast, who will be managing the accelerator, will now negotiate a contract with the final terms and conditions.