World Courant
With assist from Shawn Ness
The particular election between former Rep. Tom Suozzi and Mazi Pilip kicked off at present, with early voting that started final week within the third Congressional District. | Courtesy of Information 12 Lengthy Island
Blue palms and purple noses are within the snow at present as Democrat Tom Suozzi checked in on Twitter from the Republican stronghold of Massapequa amid the congressional particular election to switch George Santos.
“The snow is melting and the roads are clearing,” Suozzi posted. “Good for voters…for snowmen, not-so-much.”
And for his Republican opponent, Mazi Pilip? Time will inform. Polls shut at 9 p.m.
But it surely’s in all probability a aid for her too.
Standard knowledge says the GOP wants a giant exhibiting on Election Day to make up the Democratic benefit in early and absentee voting (due, partly to standard-bearer Donald Trump’s earlier criticism of voting by mail).
Nobody is taking the snow flippantly. The Republican tremendous PAC, the Congressional Management Fund, employed its personal snow plows to clear the streets and make it simpler to drive to the polls.
And never simply any streets. “They’re plowing round key Republican precinct areas,” a CLF spokesperson instructed Playbook. The PAC employed a number of personal firms to plow public streets. “Good illustration of how far we’re going to assist with turnout at present to win!”
The Democrats’ equal, Home Majority PAC, didn’t rent snow plows, a spokesperson instructed Playbook.
However that doesn’t imply all of the Democrats had been snowed in. Nassau County is Republican managed, however County Government Bruce Blakeman — a Pilip supporter — promised Playbook that his authorities crews had been plowing the identical manner they all the time do, simply earlier, to accommodate polls opening at 6 a.m.
“We’ve a grid. We work off the GPS. And there have been no complaints of any playing around with the plowing or the salting,” he stated. “We don’t become involved in stuff like that right here.”
Suozzi supporters had been nervous — “After all we’re apprehensive about the place they plow the roads,” Democratic Occasion chief Jay Jacobs instructed the Instances at present. And the minority chief within the county legislature despatched an open letter asking that Blakeman preserve public staff on the job and never handing out literature.
Each Pilip and Suozzi’s campaigns are additionally offering voters free rides to polling websites.
However Pilip and the Republicans don’t simply must snow-vercome the climate. They’re additionally dealing with a “scandal penalty,” POLITICO’s Steve Shepard writes at present.
Voters are likely to penalize the social gathering whose controversy forces a particular election — resulting in a median underperformance of 9 factors in a race like this, his evaluation discovered.
That doesn’t imply it’s all mulled wine and rosy noses for Suozzi.
Republicans have all of the political momentum within the district over the previous couple of years, and polling has predicted an in depth race.
Tonight will inform whether or not the GOP retains snowboarding downhill or melts below strain.
And in case you’re questioning about Suozzi’s plans in November, he’s working both manner, he instructed reporters. — Jeff Coltin
Senate Majority Chief Andrea Stewart-Cousins stated that convening session on Friday to debate the Impartial Redistricting Fee’s proposal of recent congressional maps is “off the desk.” | Joseph Spector/POLITICO
REDISTRICTING TIMING: When the Impartial Redistricting Fee’s new congressional maps are launched on Thursday, the following query shall be when the Legislature meets to both approve the traces or draw their very own.
Lawmakers are attributable to be in Albany on official enterprise by means of Wednesday this week and are off all of subsequent week for Presidents Day. However ready till the next week would create issues: their Feb. 27 return is similar day that Home candidates are attributable to begin gathering petitions.
There have been some clues on when the vote would possibly occur, although.
Coming again on Friday “is off the desk,” Senate Majority Chief Andrea Stewart-Cousins stated at present.
“The truth is, you’ve received to present [the maps] a while to be within the public sphere. I don’t need to rule out coming again subsequent week if vital, however after we get it, it’s received to be on the market.” — Invoice Mahoney
REPRESENTATION FOR IMMIGRANTS: The 2 sponsors for the Entry to Illustration Act, Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Assemblymember Catalina Cruz, held a rally exterior Senate chambers at present to construct help for the invoice.
“We have to go the Entry to Illustration Act,” Hoylman-Sigal stated. “As a result of as we all know, the demonization of immigrants is a part of American historical past. It’s nothing new, the place some are saying if we offer assets to new arrivals, then meaning the remainder of us are going to be omitted within the chilly, and associates, that’s simply mistaken.”
The laws (S.281B/A.1961A) would give immigrants the suitable to authorized counsel throughout immigration court docket proceedings.
Advocates of the laws urged lawmakers to undertake a $150 million — a $97 million improve — funding in immigration authorized providers which they consider would ease strain on the backlog of circumstances within the system.
“There’s actually an pressing want for rising that funding in a manner that invests in confirmed authorized providers to make sure that immigrants have what they should defend their rights to file for work authorization to stick with their households,” Shayna Kessler, advocacy director at Advancing Common Illustration Initiative, stated. — Shawn Ness
AID IN DYING: Members of the clergy pressed state lawmakers to again the long-stalled assist in dying laws.
The measure is supposed to permit terminally sick individuals the facility to finish their lives. Supporters have sought to increase public help for the measure, and the backing of clergy is supposed to underscore a widening base for the proposal.
The Rev. Dr. Charles McNeill, the pastor of the Unity Baptist Church in Washington, stated the measure is concerning the preservation of dignity.
“In conditions the place household are seeing their beloved one’s decline, they’d have the ability to keep in mind them in a extra optimistic function as an alternative of simply seeing them as a shade,” McNeill stated.
However advocacy organizations for individuals with disabilities have raised considerations that susceptible individuals can be pressured into selecting to finish their lives.
Supporters have insisted sufficient safeguards have been put in place to forestall the legislation from being abused — if lawmakers approve it.
“Questions on when one’s life ends, the problem of demise, has received to be some of the religious points in a human life,” Debora Gordon, the senior rabbi on the Congregation Berith Shalom in Troy, stated. “As soon as safeguards are in place, the state has no enterprise being concerned in religious choices.” — Nick Reisman
Mayor Eric Adams and faculties Chancellor David Banks blamed IBM for college kids and academics being locked out of their digital lecture rooms throughout at present’s snowstorm. | Michael Appleton/Mayoral Pictures Workplace
REMOTE SNOW DAY SNAFU: New York Metropolis public college college students and academics had been locked out of their digital lecture rooms this morning — a setback because the nation’s largest college system maneuvers the primary check of its no-snow day method.
Mayor Eric Adams and faculties Chancellor David Banks, who insisted Monday the town was ready for the winter snow storm, positioned the blame on IBM, the tech firm that gives a key a part of the distant studying system. As of this afternoon, greater than 1 million customers — together with pupils and workers —had been logged on.
“I used to be extraordinarily indignant to listen to this morning that they weren’t prepared, that was unacceptable to me, utterly unacceptable and it stays unacceptable despite the fact that we’re in a a lot better place proper now,” Banks stated throughout a briefing Tuesday.
Banks maintained a backup plan was already constructed into the Division of Schooling’s messaging to folks and households so college students might “activate on work assignments that got to them.” However he acknowledged it was nonetheless “a irritating day for a lot too many mother and father.”
“I wanna apologize to all of the mother and father and households throughout the town,” Banks added. “This was a check. I don’t suppose that we handed this check. So we’ll be doing a full evaluation of what occurred right here.”
Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, former Mayor Invoice de Blasio stated snow days are “a factor of the previous.” The DOE additionally has to stick to a state requirement that faculties present a minimal of 180 days of instruction. — Madina Touré
The Senate and Meeting Republican conferences gathered at present to tout a brand new invoice which might enable for native and state legislation enforcement to tell ICE of the arrest or conviction of non-citizens. | Shawn Ness/POLITICO
MIGRANTS IN NEW YORK: Senate and Meeting Republicans held a information convention on the Capitol at present to unveil laws that might require native and state legislation enforcement to tell ICE of the arrest or conviction of non-citizens.
The invoice (S8533/A9167) would additionally reinstate a most sentence of 1 12 months for sophistication A misdemeanors, in addition to repeal the Defend Our Courts Act, which was put in place in 2020 to keep away from warrantless ICE arrests at court docket proceedings.
“The migrant disaster continues to spiral uncontrolled as a direct results of open borders, sanctuary insurance policies and soft-on-crime measures championed by Democrats on the state and federal stage,” Senate Majority Chief Robert Ortt stated. “If our governor and president received’t act to guard New Yorkers, the Legislature should step in to take action.”
Gov. Andrew Cuomo handed an government order in 2017 that designated New York as a sanctuary state, which allowed state authorities to supply immigrants with assets and providers to assist them acclimate to a brand new surroundings. The invoice, sponsored by Senate Minority Chief Andrew Lanza and Assemblymember Jarett Gandolfo, would repeal that distinction.
“The failed immigration insurance policies of President Biden and Governor Hochul are making New Yorkers much less secure. Unlawful migrants attacking our residents and our courageous women and men in legislation enforcement should be deported,” Lanza stated whereas banging on the rostrum. “This invoice reverses course and permits our courts and police to inform federal authorities to get these harmful individuals off our streets.” — Shawn Ness
VALENTINE’S DAY CATFISH: The state Division of State’s Division of Shopper Safety is warning New Yorkers about some traditional Valentine’s day courting web site scams.
“Valentine’s Day means love is within the air, and for a lot of discovering that particular somebody results in on-line courting as a simple solution to meet their potential match,” Secretary of State Robert Rodriguez stated in a press release. “However don’t underestimate the lengths some scammers will undergo to benefit from your coronary heart to try to steal your cash.”
A few of the traditional scams to look out for: Pretend on-line profiles, random individuals making sudden contact, customers by no means being accessible to satisfy in individual, requests for cash and pressuring victims to spend money on cryptocurrency.
Aged individuals, lately divorced individuals, and widows/widowers are the most probably targets for on-line scams, Rodriguez warned. — Shawn Ness
LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES REFORM: AARP New York needs Hochul to boost the Lengthy-Time period Care Ombudsman Program (LTCOP), which they consider has not reached its targets of offering excellent care to residents.
This system was designed to have a consultant to go to each facility as soon as per week, one thing the group says is simply taking place with 12 % of care services throughout the state. AARP is asking for Hochul to extend this system’s price range by $15 million to permit services to get one go to per week.
In keeping with the checklist of complaints from NY.Gov, LTCOP acquired almost 1,100 complaints. The complaints ranged from issues like poor-quality responses to accidents and falls, requests for help and medicine troubles. There have been additionally 37 complaints relating to cases of gross neglect, sexual and bodily abuse and exploitation.
The group additionally needs the Division of Well being to speak with directors to kind out the quantity and nature of complaints acquired, in addition to report claims of sexual and bodily abuse to the Lawyer Normal’s Workplace. — Shawn Ness
STORM COSTS TARGETED: Senate Democrats rolled out a bundle of payments geared toward addressing the rising prices of main storms fueled by local weather change.
The measures embody research of flood insurance coverage (S8167) and a seawall to guard New York Metropolis (S1812), the reactivation of a activity power on sea stage rise (S8110), an annual report on stormwater spending by the state (S8170) and creating a brand new flood mitigation workplace (S3335).
Hochul has recurrently vetoed payments that contain research, arguing they’re duplicative or unfunded extra work for businesses. She beforehand rejected the seawall research. The opposite measures are new payments or haven’t been handed earlier than.
Essentially the most doubtlessly impactful can be a measure sponsored by Senate Majority Chief Andrea Stewart-Cousins that might give native governments an choice to scale back tax assessments for properties broken by pure disasters like floods or hurricanes (S7515).
“The invoice bundle at present is one other step towards being extra ready for dealing with the challenges of tomorrow,” Stewart-Cousins stated at a press convention at present.
One other new invoice included within the bundle from Sen. Pete Harckham, chair of the Environmental Conservation Committee, would require extra disclosure of tasks that would improve stormwater runoff (S8171).
Harckham has been centered on flooding impacts from heavy rainfall occasions: “That is the brand new regular so now we have to be as a state extra proactive, extra resilient, and extra forward-thinking.”
Not one of the payments have superior within the Meeting, making their passage unsure, though it’s nonetheless early in session. — Marie J. French
COLLEGE BOARD IN HOT WATER: The Faculty Board has to pay New York $750,000 in penalties for illegally promoting school college students’ private information, Lawyer Normal Tish James introduced.
A joint investigation by the state Schooling Division and the Lawyer Normal’s Workplace discovered that the Faculty Board had been violating privateness legal guidelines by taking private info from college students once they took the PSAT, SAT and AP exams at school after which promoting the information to schools, scholarship applications and applications that recruit college students to their applications.
The Faculty Board can even be prohibited from promoting New York college students’ information acquired by means of contracts with New York faculties and districts. Along with promoting info, the investigation discovered that Faculty Board used the data for its personal advertising and marketing up till 2022.
“When the organizations we belief to supply significant providers to our college students exploit pupil info for revenue, it violates privateness legal guidelines in addition to the general public belief,” Schooling Commissioner Betty Rosa stated in a press release. — Katelyn Cordero
SUNY STUDENTS ENDORSE UNIVERSAL FINANCIAL AID: The SUNY Scholar Meeting is pushing for laws that might require each highschool pupil in New York to fill out a Free Software for Federal Scholar Support type previous to commencement.
The group argues that the requirement would result in a continued improve in enrollment for SUNY and open the door for extra college students to have the ability to afford school.
“By streamlining the monetary assist utility course of and addressing affordability considerations, this laws has the potential to rework the tutorial panorama of our state,” SUNYSA President Alexander Ruiz stated in a press release.
There was broad help for a FAFSA mandate, and the proposal was included in Hochul’s price range proposal final month. Each SUNY Chancellor John King and Rosa pushed for the mandate of their price range requests as nicely. — Katelyn Cordero
GENESEO HOME TO AMERICA’S TOUGHEST BLIZZARD FIGHTERS: A research by CNN and Snow Day Calculator examined what number of inches it takes in every county to shut faculties.
By that metric, essentially the most snow-resilient place within the 48 continental states is New York’s personal Livingston County, the place youngsters within the Finger Lakes county exterior Rochester want a median of 10.9 inches earlier than they’ll hope to remain house.
It was adopted by Allegany, Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties in Western New York.
New York Metropolis, in distinction, tends to shut faculties when a mere 7 to eight inches falls. — Invoice Mahoney
— The Madison County Democratic Committee has nominated Democrat Sarah Klee Hood as its candidate within the Syracuse-area Home seat presently held by GOP Rep. Brandon Williams. (State of Politics)
— Rep. Elise Stefanik filed a grievance towards James over her feedback she made about Donald Trump throughout his civil fraud trial. (Instances Union)
— Union building employees in Tonawanda protested exterior a redevelopment web site due to proposed plans that might enable their employers to pay lower than prevailing wages. (Buffalo Information)
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