Mayors Testify at Albany’s “Tin Cup Day”

Mayor Adams and several other mayors throughout New York State testified at the state’s joint legislative budget hearing for local governments. Also known as “Tin Cup Day,” local governments submit their requests for municipality funding to be included in the state budget. Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, Rochester Mayor Malik Evans, Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh, and Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano requested increased funding via Aid and Incentives for Municipalities (AIM), shifted county tax shares, and revisited payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreements. The Mayors requested that AIM, which was first created by the State in 2006, be adjusted for inflation. Mayor Adams focused on the asylum seeker crisis during his testimony and requested that the State cover at least half of the costs to accommodate migrants. Questioning for Adams included critiques of how his Administration is managing the crisis.

NYC Council Passes and Introduces Legislation

Last Thursday, the NYC Council convened a Stated meeting, where they passed, introduced, and re-introduced multiple pieces of legislation. The Council passed legislation authorizing Speaker Adams to commence legal action against the Mayor in relation to the City’s rental voucher assistance program. Last year, the Council passed bills that would expand access to CityFHEPS vouchers. The bills went into effect last month, but the Adams administration has yet to begin implementation. The Council passed legislation requiring the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to develop a 5-year population health agenda, improve public health outcomes, and address health disparities. The Council re-introduced a variety of bills that did not pass last session, along with new initiatives. The Council introduced legislation to require every City agency managing capital projects to submit a monthly status update on the progress of construction. Two pieces of legislation were introduced, requiring DDC to submit quarterly reports regarding construction contracts with sole source entities whose board members are appointed by city officials, and requiring DDC to prepare a strategic blueprint to reduce the duration of capital projects by at least 25%. Legislation was also re-introduced delaying all Local Law 97 requirements by seven years, and exempting co-ops, condos, and apartment buildings from Local Law 97 penalties in 2024 and 2025. You can find all of the legislation that was passed and introduced here.