City & State New York 11072016 by City & State

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November 7, 2016

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City & State New York

November 7, 2016

EDITOR’S NOTE / Contents

JON LENTZ Senior editor

Eight years ago, Barack Obama made history as the first African-American to win the White House. But while Obama came into office as a transformative figure, his historic presidency did not eliminate the racial tensions that have plagued the country since its founding. This year’s leading presidential contenders, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, have portrayed each other as racist. In New York, advocates and officials say more must be done to help minorities get jobs and secure government contracts. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio even suggested that the federal government had failed to help Puerto Rico since it is populated by “people of color.” Next year, many of these entrenched problems will be inherited by a president who starts off with far less popular support than the outgoing incumbent. Obama is wrapping up his second term with an approval rating in the mid-50s, while Clinton and Trump lag far behind. In the next four or eight years, will the next president break new ground?

DANGER … CARLOS DANGER

Anthony Weiner isn’t the only pol with a secret pseudonym.

BOCHINCHE & BUZZ

Gerson Borrero’s latest insider gossip

10.

PUERTO RICO

Not everyone is happy about how Washington is wading into the island’s fiscal crisis. Plus, Rep. Nydia Velázquez and Assemblyman Marcos Crespo offer their takes on PROMESA and Somos.

16.

SPOTLIGHT ON DIVERSITY

We track the roller coaster ride of the city and state’s MWBE contracting numbers, and assess how diverse NYC’s construction industry actually is.

35.

GRADUATE SCHOOL SUPPLEMENT

CityAndStateNY.com

November 7, 2016

LAST WEEK’S ROUNDUP WEINER RISES AGAIN The federal probe into former Rep. Anthony Weiner’s communications with a 15-year-old took a surprising turn when FBI Director James Comey announced that emails found on Weiner’s computer might be relevant to a closed investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server. With Donald Trump gaining in the polls, it’s conceivable that Weiner could cost Clinton the presidency.

BACK& FORTH A Q&A with GOP political consultant

MICHAEL CAPUTO C&S: ONE RECENT POLL PAID FOR BY THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN HAD HIM 12 POINTS BEHIND CLINTON IN NEW YORK. DOES TRUMP HAVE A CHANCE AT AN UPSET WIN IN HIS HOME STATE? MC: I don’t know that it’s possible for Donald Trump to take New York, but I do think it’s very possible that he’ll do better here than any Republican nominee has done in decades. That speaks to the frustration of the electorate more than anything else. In the state of New York, you would think that Hillary Clinton would be doing a lot better as the former U.S. senator from New York state. She’s polling out worse than past candidates who barely even set foot here. The reason why New York is probably not a victory in the making is there’s been no investment here. There’s been no strategy implemented. There’s virtually no effort from the national campaign and the RNC. C&S: TRUMP WOULD HAVE TO TAKE A NUMBER OF KEY STATES TO BECOME PRESIDENT. HOW ARE HIS PROSPECTS? MC: Even though he has pulled even or ahead in national polls and even though Hillary Clinton’s campaign is burning down, the Trump campaign still faces significant challenges in battleground states, challenges that have been exacerbated by being outspent by the Clinton forces. There is very little time left to fix that, but I think they are doing a solid job. If this thing is close and Donald Trump loses, it’ll be the fault of the “Never Trump” operatives that the Republican Party is in Siberia and they will pay. They’re the most nervous cats out there today.

BQX FYI While we await the Second Avenue Subway and brace for the L train shutdown, the de Blasio administration has updates on its Brooklyn Queens Connector streetcar line, or BQX. It might travel along Third Avenue and Columbia Street in Brooklyn, and Vernon Boulevard in Queens, but there are plenty of route options for the $2.5 billion project, which would not open until 2024.

WORKFARE OR NOT The de Blasio administration pledged to eliminate the Work Experience Program, a Giuliani-era “workfare” program that assigns jobs to New York City welfare recipients in order to receive benefits. The phase-out, in the works since 2014, will be complete before January, ending what was the biggest program of its kind in the country. According to the mayor, it will be replaced by education and training programs.

THIS WEEK’S EVENTS TUESDAY, NOV. 8 Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump deliver election night speeches just two miles apart in Manhattan. Clinton is still favored, though Trump has closed the gap thanks to renewed scrutiny of Clinton’s use of a private email server. Clinton at Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, 655 W. 34th St., and Trump at New York Hilton Midtown, 1335 Avenue of the Americas, Manhattan.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 9 – SUNDAY, NOV. 13 The Somos el Futuro conference begins. Among the festivities are a Thursday evening reception hosted by Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, a Friday event with state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli and state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, and Mayor Bill de Blasio’s reception on Saturday night. Caribe Hilton, San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Upcoming events: Planning an event in the next few weeks that our readers should know about? Submit details to editor@cityandstateny.com. We’ll pick the most interesting or important ones and feature them in print each week.

THE

Kicker

“HE IS LIKE A RECURRING NIGHTMARE. IT’S LIKE ONE OF THOSE ‘DAMIEN’ MOVIES – IT’S LIKE EVERY TIME YOU THINK HE’S DEAD, HE KEEPS COMING AGAIN.”

– Rev. Al Sharpton on former Rep. Anthony Weiner, via The New York Times.

Get the kicker every morning in CITY & STATE’S FIRST READ email. Sign up at cityandstateny.com.

City & State New York

November 7, 2016

DID YOU MISS IT? Queens doesn’t have the financial firepower of Manhattan, the hipness of Brooklyn, or the street cred of the boogie-down Bronx. But what it does have is diversity – it’s one of the most multicultural places in the world – so at City & State’s latest Borough 50 event, we honored some of Queens’ many diverse leaders.

FROM THE WEEKLY PODCAST WITH MARIST POLL DIRECTOR

LEE MIRINGOFF

AND SIENA POLL DIRECTOR

DON LEVY

Rep. Joseph Crowley

The never-ending election season has reached its final week, and with Election Day on the doorstep, politicos, journalists and junkies are viewing every poll with scrutiny. So we wanted to know what the pollsters are focusing on and how the polling trends have differed from prior elections. Anne Marie Anzalone, Crowley’s chief of staff; St. John’s University President Conrado Gempesaw; consultant Patrick Jenkins; LIC Partnership’s Elizabeth Lusskin

ALISON GARBER

The New York Mets’ Haeda Mihaltses and Queens Library’s Dennis Walcott

UFT’s Dermot Smyth; Queens County Clerk Audrey Pheffer; Mark Weprin, the governor’s deputy secretary of legislative affairs

32BJ SEIU President Hector Figueroa

Connelly, McLaughlin & Woloz’s Michael Woloz; Queens Chamber of Commerce’s Tom Grech; former Councilman Archie Spigner; Capalino + Company’s Travis Terry; Leroy Gadsden of the Jamaica branch of the NAACP

Justin Rodgers of the Greater Jamaica Development Corporation

Have photos from an event you’d like to see here? Send them to features@cityandstateny.com.

Levy: “We tend to fall victim to the fallacy that other people believe what we believe – you know, ‘My friends and I, we’ve got it all figured out, so why doesn’t everybody feel that way?’ Well, there are many people of different walks of life, of different degrees of education, of different occupations who see the world differently. And that’s the thing that we provide in polling: a window on those people that are not your friends, that are not in your worldview.” Miringoff: “I’m fearful of some of the quick and dirty polls that may not be as reliable as some of the more best-practices ways of doing things. And voters and consumers of polls and politicians aren’t going to make that distinction, so the polls are going to be right, or the polls are going to be wrong.” Listen, subscribe and review this week’s podcast by searching for “New York Slant” on iTunes, Stitcher, Soundcloud or your favorite podcast app.

CityAndStateNY.com

November 7, 2016

CUOMO READY TO CARVE UP DE BLASIO AND ACS EL BUZZ FROM RELIABLE bochincheros is that Gov. Andrew Cuomo is ready to lunge at Mayor Bill de Blasio like a turkey on a carving board over the death of 6-year-old Zymere Perkins. The governor already has a report ready with the findings of an investigation conducted by the state Office of Children and Family Services on the tragic death of the Harlem boy. According to one bochinchero, this type of report would typically just go to New York City government officials and not be made public, but Cuomo plans to release it to the press.

“There are no boundaries for Cuomo when it relates to hurting de Blasio,” said the bochinchero who feels that what the governor is about to do “is irresponsible, malicious and unnecessary.” The Administration for Children’s Services has conducted its own internal investigation and will release its report to the public as soon as Manhattan D.A. Cyrus Vance – who is also investigating the case – allows the ACS to release it. What has been shared with B&B is that under state law, ACS is required to complete an investigation within 60 days. That report is due by Nov. 26. The buzz is the report will be very detailed and that Commissioner Gladys Carrión has demanded that nada be held back on where the fault rests within her agency. Vance’s investigation is also expected to be thorough and may bring criminal charges against individuals in the city agency, one bochinchero said. But what Cuomo is said to be planning is troubling for insiders who see the move as purely political. What does seem clear is Andrew is sharpening his carving cuchillos and getting ready to slice up turkey Bill.

City & State New York

November 7, 2016

KERIK READY TO FLY…

B&B has learned that former NYPD Police Commissioner Bernie Kerik’s parole has been lifted. Back in 2010, Kerik was sentenced to four years in federal prison after he pleaded guilty and was convicted on eight federal charges, including tax fraud and false statements. The buzz is that parole-free Kerik is now ready to pursue consulting contracts in ISIS hotspots in the Middle East.

WHAT DOES EVA QUIERE?

There is a poll hitting New York City residents that is asking questions about mayoral control. The buzz is that the former City Councilwoman Eva Moskowitz is behind the encuesta. The survey is also asking questions about charter escuelas and universal pre-K. Neither bochinchero I spoke to could confirm if Moskowitz is thinking of running for office, or if she’s just truly interested in de Blasio’s approval rating when it comes to education policies.

THE CITY COUNCIL SENIOR CENTER

Bochinche mill is spinning that Assemblyman Peter Abbate is looking to shorten his commute. El Buzz is that Abbate is thinking of running for the New York City Council in 2017. The 67-year-old state legislator doesn’t want to risk losing his Assembly seat, bochincheros say, so the off-year run makes sense. State Sen. Rubén Díaz Sr. is also considering running for a seat in the City Council. The buzz is the Bronx politico has also grown tired of the commute. At 73, the polemic pastor would be among the most viejo in the municipal legislative body.

ALL MACHOS

The upset bochinchera was raging: Did you see the invitation? She was referring to the Dominican Leaders Reception at Somos on Saturday in San Juan. The invitation is from macho Dominican legislators Adriano Espaillat, José Peralta, Victor Pichardo and Ydanis Rodríguez – for an event honoring labor leader Edison Severino. So, not one Dominican mujer on the invite – even though there’s one on the City Council, and two who by the time the reception is held will have been elected to the state Senate and Assembly. What I’m looking out for is whether the machistas correct this, or if the agitated bochinchera shows up for the event.

CityAndStateNY.com

November 7, 2016

POLITICAL PSEUDONYMS

Politicians love the limelight. But every once in a while, the public nature of the position puts too much pressure on them and they just want to hide their identity. And when they want to go incognito, a good alias is just the trick – at least until it’s exposed.

JOHN BARRON BARRON JOHN & JOHN JOHN MILLER MILLER &

DIANE REYNOLDS Chelsea Clinton didn’t choose to have a father who served as Donald Trump didn’t exactly use these fake names to hide from the press – instead, he used

GEORGE FOX Eliot Spitzer was more widely known as “Client 9,”

a term used by law enforcement officials who investigated his solicitation of a prostitute. But the name Spitzer used when he checked into a Washington, D.C., hotel for his infamous rendezvous was George Fox, which also happened to be the name of a good friend and donor.

them to impersonate company spokesmen with reporters during the 1980s and 1990s. We just wonder which one a President Trump would hire as White House communications director – John Barron or John Miller.

president and a mother who would go on to run for president twice. So we can’t blame the first daughter for using the name Diane Reynolds to check into hotels and, as a recent WikiLeaks dump showed, while sending and receiving emails with her mother.

CARLOS DANGER Anthony Weiner used this alter ego while exchanging sexually explicit messages with

women online, behavior that forced him to resign from Congress and undermined his comeback mayoral bid. We don’t know about the “Carlos” part, but he has certainly proven to be a “Danger” to himself and his family – and now, to presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

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November 7, 2016

JOSÉ E. MALDONADO

NO EASY

WAY OUT

YOUNG PEOPLE PROTEST THE PUERTO RICO OVERSIGHT, MANAGEMENT AND ECONOMIC STABILITY ACT IN JUNE.

As Washington wades into Puerto Rico’s debt crisis, what will be done to revive the island’s sluggish economy? By JOSÉ E. MALDONADO

City & State New York

November 7, 2016

IT BEGAN AS A small protest campground in front of the federal courthouse in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico, but it has grown in the past four months to dozens of camping tents, a small urban garden and a permanent stage in the middle of the street thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s surrounded each day by the protesters, mostly young university students, who discuss the debt crisis on the island. Banners and spray-painted messages against the Puerto Rico Fiscal Oversight Board and the â&#x20AC;&#x153;colonizationâ&#x20AC;? of the island by the U.S., and for the priority of people before the public debt, are all around the campground, which was set up the day after President Barack Obama signed the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management and Economic Stability Act, or PROMESA, in June. PROMESA established a seven-person board to oversee negotiations with creditors, the creation of a fiscal plan and the restructuring of the islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s $72 billion debt, including the option to use a bankruptcy-like tool. The board has the power to determine which infrastructure and public projects are funded. The legislation outlines processes for voluntary negotiations between the Puerto Rican government and creditors, and court-superProject1:Layout 1 8/17/16 12:34 PM vised restructuring if those talks fail.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;THERE IS NO MAGIC WAND FOR REACTIVATING OUR ECONOMY, BUT IF THERE IS NO IMPLEMENTATION OF ECONOMIC GROWTH MEASURES, IF WE CANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T FIND WAYS TO INJECT PRIVATE INVESTMENT AND CAPITAL INTO THE EQUATION, THEN THIS WILL ALL FAIL BECAUSE THE ECONOMY WILL NOT GROW.â&#x20AC;? -PUERTO RICAN ECONOMIST GUSTAVO VĂ&#x2030;LEZ, one of the first proponents of the Fiscal Control Board â&#x20AC;&#x153;We believe the Fiscal Control Board means more poverty for our people and less environmental control through deregulation Pageof5existing laws,â&#x20AC;? said VĂctor Torres, one of the students at the campsite. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Despite

what many people think, it is not a punishment for our politicians, but a continuation of the politics that have brought us to this point, such as limiting public services and putting private interests above the general

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interest, and we must reject it on all fronts.” But despite the public protests against PROMESA, most polls reflect that a large majority of Puerto Ricans are in favor of a seven-member board taking over because of their discontent with the island’s two major political parties, who have shared the blame for the current fiscal crisis. Puerto Rico is undergoing its worst crisis in modern history, and most experts believe that while PROMESA can help in the short term, there are not enough economic development initiatives for the island to prosper, which will require congressional action and more involvement from the U.S. government in the long term. “There is no magic wand for reactivating our economy, but if there is no implementation of economic growth measures, if we can’t find ways to inject private investment and capital into the equation, then this will all fail because the economy will not grow,” said Puerto Rican economist Gustavo Vélez, one of the first proponents of the Fiscal Control Board. “One of my main concerns is that when you listen to proposals made by the political candidates, they all still revolve around the old practices that got us into this mess, such as depending on loans,” Vélez added. “There is no real internal discussion about what our economic model should be, how it will fit into the new reality in the hemisphere or in the Caribbean with Cuba now being a major player.” The board consists of four candidates submitted by Republicans and three selected by Democrats. The appointees chosen by Democrats are Arthur Gonzalez, the former chief judge of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Manhattan, who presided over some of the most famous corporate bankruptcy cases, including Enron, WorldCom and Chrysler; Ana Matosantos, California’s finance director from 2009 to 2013; and José Ramón González, chief executive of the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York. The Republican-sponsored appointees are Carlos Garcia, a private-equity executive who previously served as president of the Puerto Rico Government Development Bank; Jose Carrion III, an insurance executive based in San Juan, Puerto Rico; Andrew Biggs, a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington; and David Skeel, a law professor at the University of Pennsylvania. In its first two meetings – the first of which lasted less than 30 minutes – the Fiscal Control Board appointed Carrion as chairman and listened to Puerto Rico Gov. Alejandro García Padilla explain his fiscal

November 7, 2016

plan, which he has defended against critics who say it does not address the fundamental problem of attracting new capital and lacks a clear economic development strategy. Héctor Figueroa, president of 32BJ Service Employees International Union, said that one positive aspect of the plan is that it warns about implementing austerity measures and public employment cuts that could be even more harmful to the local economy. “We are also against measures such as a reduction in the minimum wage to $4.15 for those under 25 years of age, which has been discussed, because the island population has the option of buying a $129 plane ticket and moving to the States to find better

wages. We need to find solutions to rebuild the economy and generate new jobs,” said Figueroa, who opposed PROMESA. The effort comes as Puerto Ricans are leaving the island for the mainland United States, particularly Florida, Texas and Georgia, at a historic rate. According to the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics, in 2014 the island lost almost 2 percent of its population, about 84,000 people, and it is currently estimated that an average of 230 people leave per day. “Most people are yet to realize the impact of the measures that need to be taken in order to get Puerto Rico out of this fiscal crisis,” said attorney and PROMESA analyst John Mudd.

CLAUDINE VAN MASSENHOVE

AN ACTIVIST CALLS ON PUERTO RICO’S GOVERNOR TO RESOLVE THE ISLAND’S POLITICAL CRISIS.

City & State New York

November 7, 2016

Mudd added that while the concern for austerity measures might be justified, “it is also true that there is a lot of grease to cut and the government needs to cut its costs dramatically, including its payroll, which is what the board will be looking at closely.” Mudd points to the millions that have been paid to advisors for help in the restructuring of the debt of public companies such as the Puerto Rico Power Authority, which have yet to produce significant results. “The problem is not how much the government is collecting, which is more than ever, the problem is how much it is spending,” Mudd said. “When you change that philosophy, like they did in Argentina, it works. You have to be more frugal and responsible in order to gain access to the markets once again.” Another aspect of the fiscal crisis that has not been discussed in detail is the island’s pension funds, particularly the one for central government employees and teachers, which are currently underfunded by more than $40 billion. That, combined with the fact that Medicare funding for the island’s public health plan is expected to run out by next year, could lead to more than 150,000 pensioners left with barely any income or health care. Richard Ravitch, Padilla’s representative on the board, has told the local press that if the pensions are not paid, it will lead to unprecedented chaos in Puerto Rico. “There are a lot of people who believe that if the government does not pay the pensions, that money will be used to pay the debt. I don’t think so,” Ravitch said. “There are 150,000 people eligible and the pensions cost $14 billion a year at the most. If the pensions are not paid, these people will be in an economic and social crisis, without a system to help them, and there will be social chaos. The pensions must be paid.” The challenge for the board and local politicians is to find an adequate balance for paying the creditors and managing the central government deficit and the underfunded pension system. And this has to be done in an economy that is shrinking, on an island where the population is aging and where migration is making the problem worse. Regardless of the solution, one of the key aspects will be for all stakeholders to understand that no sector will come out of this crisis unharmed. “We are undergoing our worst crisis in modern history and we don’t have a clear route for the most effective way to solve it,” Vélez said, “and any solution that is implemented will require great sacrifices and will redefine what we are in the next 40 or 50 years.”

■

JOSÉ LUIS CRUZ President of Lehman College of The City University of New York.

Closing the HISPANIC Opportunity GAP

MORE THAN 25 PERCENT of all students in U.S. public schools are Hispanic. Yet across the nation high school graduation rates, college completion statistics, and employment outcomes for Hispanic students lag behind. There’s one takeaway

from this data: Hispanic students—the fastest growing student demographic in the nation—are not granted the essential opportunities they need to succeed in school or in the marketplace.

This is very personal to me and it is why I have dedicated my career as an educator to increasing educational equity. At Lehman College of The City University of New York, the College that I am so proud to now lead, we are investing in a

number of policies and practices geared toward eradicating the opportunity gap, some examples: First, we are increasing the number of teachers who look like the kids they teach. Our School of Education specializes in preparing teachers for the challenges prevalent in urban public schools. MATH UP, a teacher prep program with $7.6 million in funding from public and private sources, provides 79 teachers one-year

internships in Bronx elementary schools. They will join 80 math teachers who benefited from the National Science Foundation’s Math Teacher Transformation Institute. Second, we are serving the needs of students in our community. The Bronx Institute has served over 3,000 K-12 students and their families with workshops to prepare them for the challenges of navigating the public school system. Our Center for School and College Collaboratives reaches over 1,000 students

through STEM courses and weekly college career workshops.

Third, we are expanding opportunities for our students and community. Lehman maximizes its relationship with institutions like the New York Botanical Garden, the American Museum of Natural History, the Bronx Zoo, and the Lincoln Center Education to benefit our students and community. Along with two CUNY

colleges, we are creating a K-12 computer science teacher education course of study; and we are developing a coding academy to prepare students for careers in the tech sector.

By training teachers for urban schools, preparing students in our community, and creating opportunities for students with help from our partners, Lehman College advances its mission as an engine of opportunity. It is only through such a local,

collaborative, and intentional “in the trenches” approach that we can begin to close the Hispanic Opportunity Gap.

NYSlant.com

November 7, 2016

A fresh perspective on opinions/ Edited by Nick Powell

PROMESA: THE TIME FOR ACTION IS NOW By NYDIA VELÁZQUEZ

t has been four months since Congress and President Barack Obama came together in an exceedingly rare bipartisan moment to enact PROMESA. For me and many other Puerto Ricans, this was not so much a proud moment, but rather a realization that the island’s economy had finally hit rock bottom. With no other path forward, PROMESA, despite its faults, was the only option to stop the bleeding and what has become an exodus to the mainland. In the end, PROMESA secured overwhelmingly bipartisan support in both the House and Senate – a rarity in this day and age. Republicans and Democrats came together to help Puerto Rico restructure its debt so that the 3.5 million Americans that live there can have hope for a brighter future. Now that we have moved on to the implementation stage, I have watched closely to see what PROMESA would become. So far, we have seen the appointment of the members of the oversight board and the initial submission by Gov. Alejandro García Padilla of the required fiscal plan. At this juncture, however, the jury is still out on whether the legislation will ultimately be successful. PROMESA’s effectiveness rests on whether the board will actually use all of the tools that Congress provided. Whatever the outcome is going forward, the board members will own the results and the legacy – for better or for worse – that comes with their immense responsibility. The most powerful tool that the board has at its disposal – and the reason I voted for PROMESA – is the authority to restruc-

FOREMOST IS WHETHER THE BOARD WILL STEER THE ISLAND TOWARD AUSTERITY – AS THE EUROPEAN UNION DID TO GREECE – OR TO A MORE PROGRESSIVE ECONOMIC MODEL. ture the island’s debt, a level of authority that Puerto Rico did not have prior to the law’s enactment. For many, this was the major selling point of the legislation – as it is the only way the island can reduce its outstanding obligations across all classes of debt, with no special interest carve-outs. If the board chooses not to employ the restructuring powers it was given, a debt spiral could consume the island, resulting in a humanitarian crisis, a further exodus to the mainland and civil unrest. With the expiration of the stay-on litigation as early as Feb. 15, 2017, the board must act now and begin the process of restructuring the island’s debt as soon as possible. Doing so is the only way to restore opportunity and dignity to the 3.5 million citizens that call the island home. While the board’s decision to permit restructuring will be the most critical and closely watched announcement, there are other issues that bear our collective

attention. Foremost is whether the board will steer the island toward austerity – as the European Union did to Greece – or to a more progressive economic model. Gov. García Padilla’s fiscal plan is promising, and I hope that the board embraces a vision where working-class families are not left behind. In January, a new governor of Puerto Rico will take office and with that comes perhaps the greatest uncertainty. The new governor must work in a cooperative spirit with the board. PROMESA recognizes the importance of this relationship and for this reason vests the initial authority for establishing the fiscal plan and annual budgets with the governor. Without a productive partnership between the island executive and the board, the ultimate goal of revitalizing the island’s economy will be undermined. But let me be clear, the board is now on the clock. Its seven members have come

November 7, 2016

City & State New York

NOT A LATINO-ONLY WISH LIST

MIHAI O COMAN

By MARCOS CRESPO

from all walks of life and are providing us with their time, knowledge and expertise. For this, we are all grateful. Make no mistake; the time for action is now and they will be held accountable for their decision of whether or not to use all of the potent tools that are included in PROMESA. This will be their legacy. Will they choose to help the island, its families, its children and those that have been forced to move to the mainland? Or will they chart a course toward austerity while sitting on their hands and failing to use the tools they were provided? Only time will tell, but we are all watching – and the clock is ticking.

■

Nydia Velázquez represents New York’s 7th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.

I am honored to serve as the chairman of the state Assembly Puerto Rican & Hispanic Task Force and work alongside my colleagues and Somos Inc. to host the Somos Conference in Puerto Rico. Once again, our fall legislative conference meets to move an agenda forward that addresses the needs of the growing Hispanic population of our great state. With this in mind, the theme of this year’s important gathering is “Advancing the New York/ Puerto Rican and Caribbean Connection.” For 29 years, we have collectively sought to increase the substance of our discussions by narrowing our focus, including a greater variety of experts and highlighting next steps and action plans. We continue our strong support of increasing the educational attainment and academic achievement of Latino students via the great work of the Angelo Del Toro Youth Leadership Institute and the CUNY Model Senate program and various internships and scholarships. In 2015, our conference led one of the largest mobilizations of Puerto Rican residents in the island’s history to advocate for fair federal treatment in health care funding. We helped launch the first partnership between the University of Puerto Rico and the State University of New York, while hosting the first SUNY/PRHTF Latinos In Higher Education Institute to promote greater diversity in the field of public higher education. We also worked with Gov. Andrew Cuomo to open the first New York office in Puerto Rico to help promote tourism and business cooperation between our mainland and island communities. All this work has helped to highlight the direct economic and social impacts New York could face if Puerto Rico’s challenges are not addressed by the federal government. We continue our advocacy for the DREAM Act, which would allow access to financial support programs for all our students in our higher education system, regardless of their immigration status. We have taken the results of our task force reports on childhood and elderly poverty to spur statewide legislative hearings; conference calls with impacted communities; a Poverty Working Group created by the Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie; and fought for $25 million

in regional funding to combat the plight of poverty affecting Latinos at alarming rates across our state. I am often asked, what is the “Latino agenda”? While there are clear, well-known goals our community has long advocated for, my answer is that ours is not a Latino-only wish list. Rather, let’s take a moment to view important populist issues with a Latino lens. Minimum wage is not a Latino issue, but we make up the greatest demographic in that wage classification. Poverty forgives no race or ethnicity, but more Latinos live in poverty than any other ethnic group. Paid Family Leave is not a Latino issue, but Latino workers are less likely to have access to this important benefit prior to the new state law requiring it. Obesity and diabetes are not Latino issues, but one out of every two Hispanics born after 2001 will suffer from those diseases. While some of these items have been legislated, much work remains: Latino workers are disproportionately underrepresented in public- and private-sector workforces; Latinos are less likely to have employer-sponsored retirement accounts; Latinos make up the vast majority of workers injured or killed in non-union construction accidents, and so on. Somos has been, and continues to be, an opportunity to celebrate our culture, to move a common agenda and to have all participants put on their “Latino lenses.” With this insight, it is my hope that we realize that Hispanics’ continued population growth and ever-growing social and economic impact require a seat at the table to best address the issues affecting all New Yorkers. We thank all those who join us and encourage others to do the same. Somos una comunidad vibrante y juntos podemos mejorar el futuro de todas nuestras familias.

■

Marcos Crespo represents the 85th Assembly District and is the chairman of the Assembly’s Puerto Rican & Hispanic Task Force.

SPOTLIGHT

ONDIVERSITY 16

CityAndStateNY.com

October 24, 2016

The run-up to the 2016 elections has revived thorny issues about race relations. Donald Trump insulted Hispanics, delayed in distancing himself from a former Ku Klux Klan leader and proposed a ban on Muslim immigrants. Hillary Clinton’s use of the term “superpredator” in the 1990s, seemingly in reference to young African-

CONTENTS

STATE MWBE CONTRACTING IS ON THE REBOUND. IS NYC CATCHING UP OR LOSING GROUND?

HAVE NEW YORK CITY’S BUILDING TRADE UNIONS TURNED THE CORNER ON RACE?

Americans, was dredged up. Black Lives Matter and the “alt-right” have become household names. At City & State, we’ve been reporting about diversity for years. In our latest special section, we check in on the issues with top city and state officials, assess how diverse the construction industry actually is in New York City, and track how many minority- and women-owned firms are winning contracts under Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

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OV. ANDREW CUOMO’S efforts to boost state contracting with businesses owned by minorities and women are again on the rise, while the share of awards to so-called MWBEs have dropped in New York City under Mayor Bill de Blasio, recent reports show. Slightly more than a quarter of the $7.57 billion in total state contract dollars in the 2015-16 fiscal year went to minority and women-owned business enterprises, or MWBEs, according to a recent report from Empire State Development. The new mark of 25.1 percent is above last year’s 23.23 percent rate and just shy of a record 25.12 percent share in 2014. “I think we are engaging more MWBEs in industries that they have not historically operated in, which is why I think you’re seeing some changes in the program,” said Alphonso David, the counsel to the governor. “There’s more engagement from MWBEs that we would not have seen six years ago.” By contrast, only 4.8 percent of New York City’s $15.3 billion procurement budget went to MWBEs in fiscal year 2016, compared with 5.3 percent the year before, according to an annual report card from the office of New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer. “We’re going backwards,” Stringer said at a press conference last week. “For too long, New York City has accepted the fact that women- and minority-owned businesses don’t get a fair shot at success, and that’s simply unacceptable.” But New York City Deputy Mayor Richard Buery, the city’s MWBE director, disputed Stringer’s report. The administration said the comptroller compared business with MWBEs to trade with all contractors, and that a more accurate analysis would include only agreements in industries explicitly covered by a law governing the MWBE program. The administration also argued that Stringer should have used awarded contracts – not payments linked to them – in his report because payments may stem from agreements made under prior administrations. “Comptroller Stringer is wrong on the facts,” Buery said in a statement highlighting a long-term goal of awarding 30 percent of the value of its contracts to MWBE firms by 2021. “Our contracts went to MWBEs 14 percent of the time, up from 8 percent in the year prior. We are well on our way to awarding 30 percent of the value of our contracts to this important community of businesses.” Cuomo has set a target of 30 percent as well, but unlike the de Blasio administration, the goal applies to all government con-

and

Up Down

G DIVERSITY

BY JUSTIN SONDEL and SARINA TRANGLE

CityAndStateNY.com

AS STATE MWBE CONTRACTING REBOUNDS, A DISPUTE OVER NEW YORK CITY’S TRACK RECORD EMERGES

November 7, 2016

tracts. Before last year’s dip – the figures for 2015 fell by nearly 2 percentage points – the Cuomo administration had been on a consistent upward trajectory, bringing participation from 10 percent to 25 percent in just five years. On the heels of that success, Cuomo set the 30 percent participation goal at the state’s annual MWBE conference in 2014. However, the state has yet to come close to hitting that target. IN NEW YORK CITY, the city comptroller gave the de Blasio administration an overall “D+” grade, the same mark it received last year. Stringer said his office examined its record of doing business with MWBEs as well as 31 mayoral agencies’ practices and determined that nearly half of the agencies earned “F” or “D” grades. The Business Integrity Commission, Department of Buildings and Department of Sanitation all received a grade of “F,” while the Department of Housing Preservation and Development got the sole “A” mark. The comptroller defended his office’s figures, saying he was focused on how much money flowed to MWBEs rather than the aspirations presented in contracts. Both Stringer and the de Blasio administration agree that state laws should be altered to allow the city to give more weight to a firm’s MWBE designation, rather than requiring the government to award contracts to the lowest responsible bidder. Still, Stringer had several other suggestions for City Hall. He said the city should pre-qualify small businesses and MWBEs to compete against similarly sized firms for a pool of contracts, launch a mentorship program spanning the entire life of a contract and replace various government MWBE certification applications with a universal one. Above all, Stringer said the city should appoint a full-time chief diversity officer, which he said helped his office do business with more MWBEs. “We need to ... organize a way that builds a movement through the lens of accountability and transparency. And that’s why we need a chief diversity officer,” Stringer said at a roundtable with business leaders before the report card was released. “It’s very hard to turn out 10,000 people for a rally on procurement perform – nobody ever says, ‘No procurement, no peace.’” Some minority trade groups believe a chief diversity officer would bolster accountability within agencies and institutionalize the goal of conducting businesses with more MWBEs beyond any single administration. Yet the de Blasio administration has resisted such calls, saying they are sufficiently focused on the matter. Buery currently di-

City & State New York

November 7, 2016

ATTENDEES OF THIS YEAR’S MWBE FORUM HEARD FROM CUOMO ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS LIKE ALPHONSO DAVID AND RUTH HASSELL-THOMPSON.

rects the MWBE program, and earlier this year the administration announced it was launching the Mayor’s Office of MWBEs and placing the Rev. Jonnel Doris at its helm. AT THE STATE LEVEL, several agencies have struggled to increase MWBE contracting. The Department of Environmental Conservation only allocated 8.9 percent of its $143 million in contracts to MWBEs, a steep decline after hitting 32 percent in 2015. The year before, 59 percent of the agency’s contracts went to such companies. Katherine Lemire, a former prosecutor who now does consulting work on MWBE

ALPHONSO DAVID Counsel to Gov. Andrew Cuomo

compliance and an owner of a certified woman-owned business, said that the administration’s goal of 30 percent MWBE participation is “admirable,” but that there are still significant challenges to getting there. In particular, by making the goal statewide, the administration has to drive participation in regions where there simply are not as many minority- and womenowned businesses. “Especially when you go upstate, it’s harder to find MWBEs,” Lemire said. “They’re just clustered more around NYC.” However, Lemire said she has seen more and more companies applying to be certified

C&S: The percentage of minorityand women-owned business enterprises doing business with the state rebounded after a slight fall last year. Can you point to any one thing that you believe caused that? AD: I don’t think you can attribute it to anything specific. I did not think that the percentage of 1 or 2 percent was overly dramatic, such that it would mean something significant. I think we are engaging more MWBEs in industries that they have not historically operated in, which is why I think you’re seeing some changes in the program. There’s more engagement from

FIND MWBES. THEY’RE JUST CLUSTERED MORE AROUND NYC.” – KATHERINE LEMIRE, MWBE consultant

NEW YORK STATE

“ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU GO UPSTATE, IT’S HARDER TO

as an MWBE. At this year’s state conference on MWBEs, that growth was evidenced in the number of people who attended and an increase in the number of people asking about her services. Another hurdle to getting more MWBEs certified is the application process itself. While the state has taken steps to make its process easier, some municipalities have more complicated processes. The Rev. Jacques DeGraff, who has long fought to bring more public contracts to MWBEs, said that while he finds the state numbers encouraging, he is concerned about the performance of some of its largest

MWBEs that we would not have seen six years ago. C&S: What can be done on a local level, with community groups and local governments, to help push the state toward its goal? AD: We’re working with local governments in a variety of ways, to not only increase the number of minority- and woman-owned businesses that do business with the state and contract with the state, but we’re also working with the local communities to identify people that have high unemployment and get them jobs.

C&S: Can you give us an example of a specific strategy the state is employing in trying to encourage MWBEs to seek out state work? AD: We will look at specific industries MWBEs have not historically operated in to see how we might be able to engage them in those industries. One of the main objectives, really, is making sure firms are aware that these contracts exist, making sure that they are aware of all the services and resources the state has to offer and providing them with the assistance that they need.

CityAndStateNY.com

November 7, 2016

“WE’RE GOING BACKWARDS. FOR TOO LONG, NEW YORK CITY

New York City’s contracting with minorities and women has lagged behind the state, but the de Blasio administration calls the city figures misleading.

15%

5% New York City New York state 2007

2016

agencies. Of the 16 state agencies that spent $100 million or more last year, only the state Health Department, Empire State Development and a SUNY fund exceeded the 30 percent mark, with a few more, including the Gaming Commission and the Long Island Power Authority, coming within a few percentage points of the administration’s goal. “The state has come a mighty long way under this administration,” DeGraff said. “But I think they would agree that there are legitimate concerns that need to be addressed.” Still, DeGraff praised Cuomo and his staff, noting that the numbers were around 10 percent when the governor took office. “The good news is there’s a lot to build on,” he added. “If you’re trying to get from 25 to 30 percent, it’s a lot different than trying to get from 9 to 30 percent.”

■

RICHARD BUERY New York City deputy mayor for strategic policy initiatives and director of the MWBE program

PHILIP KAMRASS/OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR

SOURCES: EMPIRE STATE DEVELOPMENT, NEW YORK CITY COMPTROLLER’S OFFICE

HAS ACCEPTED THE FACT THAT WOMEN- AND MINORITY-OWNED BUSINESSES DON’T GET A FAIR SHOT AT SUCCESS, AND THAT’S SIMPLY UNACCEPTABLE.”

25%

– New York City Comptroller SCOTT STRINGER

MWBE Contracting

CUOMO ANNOUNCED HIS 30 PERCENT MWBE CONTRACTING GOAL AT THE MWBE FORUM IN 2014.

C&S: New York City has been requesting, without success, that the state change its laws so that the city has more freedom in weighing minorityand women-owned business enterprises’ status in smallerdollar contracts. Why does the city believe the state might be more amenable this time around? RB: Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a goal to award 30 percent of city contract dollars to MWBEs by 2021. To meet these ambitious goals, the city has created the Office of MWBEs, which

is tasked with driving innovative policy and keeping agencies accountable for any shortfalls. We are also creating a revolving loan fund capped at 3 percent APR, and launching other initiatives. Overall MWBE utilization is at 14.3 percent, up from 8 percent in FY 2015. We are also on track to meet our OneNYC goal to award $16 billion in city contracts to MWBEs over 10 years. In our first two years we have awarded $3.54 billion to MWBEs in both prime and subcontracts with mayoral and city-affiliated agencies.

Despite our progress, the city cannot do it all on its own. We need the state Legislature to give us the same tools (the) state has. We want to be able to consider things in addition to the lowest price when awarding contracts, such as whether a business has good labor relations, employs locally or is a city-certified MWBE. We believe the time is right for change, and look forward to working with state government to expand our economy. But whatever happens in Albany, we will build on the progress we’ve already achieved.

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SCOTT STRINGER New York City Comptroller

November 7, 2016

C&S: What target rate should the city have for the share of government contracts going to MWBEs? SS: I agree with many city officials who have an aspirational goal to be 30 or 35 percent. But let’s be clear: We are going at such a slow rate that we will get to that goal sometime 20 or 30 years from now. So you can’t even think about a goal when you don’t have a process in place where you can realize that goal. C&S: Is having a deputy mayor and a senior adviser assigned to

MWBEs not sufficient? SS: You need a chief diversity officer who is going to work on this full time. No disrespect to the deputy mayor, but you need a diversity officer that is going to report directly to the mayor, with the appropriate staff to reach out to every agency knowing this is a priority at City Hall. And that is the way we constructed the role of chief diversity officer. That means that Carra Wallace knocks on my door and says, “This is the issues that we should focus on.” We don’t let it bottleneck at any kind of bureaucracy. And I think the numbers

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today point out that we need more focus, more attention and I think a chief diversity officer would be terrific in this role. C&S: Does having a full-time adviser make a difference? SS: If we were close to 30 percent, we’d let it go. The future is about making sure we have a chief diversity officer who works full time. By the way, it’s not just this administration, but it’s for mayors for the next 20 to 30 years, once we codify that role, then it’ll always stand as a priority.

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RODNEYSE BICHOTTE Chairwoman, Assembly Oversight of Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises Subcommittee

November 7, 2016

C&S: What MWBE legislation will you push next year? RB: I would like to confront the issues of increasing opportunities for economic development for MWBEs throughout the state, and strengthening the pipeline of MWBE subcontractors and position them to become prime subcontractors. I plan to do this by focusing on three bills. A8700 would require any municipalities or localities that receive appropriated funds from the state budget to comply with the state’s MWBE goal. A8400 increases the city’s MWBE discretionary spending of small-purchase to $200,000, allows MWBE status to be a factor in “best value” awards, establishes capacity building programs

for the benefit of state or local MWBE-certified firms doing business in New York City and permits prequalified lists for purchase contracts in addition to public works contracts. Lastly, A9122 directs the Empire State Development Corporation to conduct a study on the feasibility of a minority and women-owned business capacity enterprise mentorship program. C&S: How can the state can increase MWBE transparency? RB: There has always been criticism about whether or not these goals are realistic. The issue is that 30 percent is probably still too low for all the years of exclusive contracting to one specific group of business owners. Because of the systemic and

institutionalized way that communities of color and women owned businesses have historically been deprived of these opportunities, the economics of the goal may look lofty, but the reality is that the representation of the population is far beyond 30 percent and is closer to 50-60 percent. C&S: How will the state reach its target of awarding 30 percent of contracts to MWBEs? We will not get where they need to be unless there is an executive order that is constitutional. It is especially challenging with a Senate Republican majority that doesn’t understand or want to understand the value of MWBE programs.

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ROBERT CORNEGY Chairman, New York City Council Committee on Small Business

November 7, 2016

C&S: New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer reported that 4.8 percent of city procurement went to MWBEs, a decline from last year. Why so low? RC: Unfortunately, the findings have shown for some time that we needed to move in a different direction very quickly. I’m not throwing out those numbers, but my hope was that the mayor’s new office dedicated directly towards MWBE was the right move. I think everybody recognizes that we were woefully below a standard that has been set. That report is important, and it is a guidepost, but we knew that. C&S: Is the City Council’s

Small Business Committee doing anything to encourage city contracting among MWBE small businesses? RC: Absolutely. One of the things I did when if first took office was to raise the amount of MWBE certifications. I initiated that and began to work with SBS to do that. That number is up very high, but obviously having more MWBE-certified businesses and not having the work makes it even worse. C&S: Almost the whole City Council recently sang the Black National Anthem before a meeting. What message are you sending to New Yorkers?

RC: I think the message was clear, that there are more people who are willing to stand up against some of the injustice that we’ve seen of the disproportionate use of force in communities of color. And I think that was an opportunity for us to stand together in solidarity. So although it was symbolic – I’m clear on that – the conversation that led to it, prior to the actual action, and the conversation that has been inspired from it is very encouraging about moving the needle forward about those issue: the disparities between education and economic and negative interactions with law enforcement.

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“I started working construction when I was 17 years old. I’ve done everything – I’ve pushed brooms, I’ve done demolition, I was a carpenter’s helper, I did roofing for NYCHA. I was lucky if I got $11 an hour. I have to support my five children. I’ve taken every kind of job you can imagine. I’ve done UHAUL, I’ve done Home Depot in Kentucky, recycling in Indiana, I worked for the Parks Department, you name it. But I never had the chance to have a career, until now. I came through the Construction Skills program’s Build it Back class, and I have been working since April, steadily, as a union Lather with Local 46. I’ll tell you that when I found out I got into this program I almost cried. My life has changed. I have security – no more worrying the foreman is going to fire me because he doesn’t like the way I look. I have respect – I am learning a trade, a craft I can be proud of – since I started with 46 I’ve worked on the Kosciusko bridge, I’ve worked on the FDR. I can show my kids my work - with pride. You can’t buy that.” — Tyrone Gooding from Red Hook, Brooklyn

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November 7, 2016

DIVERSITY

CREWS COLOR

HAVE NEW YORK CITY’S BUILDING TRADE UNIONS TURNED THE CORNER ON RACE? By BOB HENNELLY

A WELL-DRESSED African-American woman, clenching her purse, kneels on a piece of cardboard in the path of a dump truck at the construction site of Brooklyn’s Downstate Medical Center. Her act of civil disobedience, captured in a 1963 news photo that was recently republished, was in protest of the lack of African-American and Hispanic construction workers – a struggle that did not get the national attention of the Selma marches but was no less contentious. At that time, 92 percent of New York City’s union tradesmen were white, even though the white population had slipped to just 61 percent of the city’s overall population. In 1964, after significant protest, the state Department of Labor mandated the end of closed apprenticeships, ordering that the unions openly advertise periods of recruitment and testing. But the battle has raged on for decades. Despite massive protests, legislative initiatives and never-ending litigation, informal social networking kept the wellcompensated construction trades all in the family between father and son, nephew and uncle.

BOB ADELMAN

City & State New York

November 7, 2016

“ON THE WORKFORCE SIDE, THE UNION MEMBERS EMPLOYED

FOR GARY LABARBERA, president of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York, which represents the city’s construction unions, Adams’ take on the industry is badly dated and bears no resemblance to the 21st-century building trades union workforce. “Many, many years ago, 20 years ago, there was no question that diversity was a challenge in the trade,” LaBarbera told City & State. “Today it is a very different picture, and I will tell you frankly that the current membership is extremely diverse. Our estimates are that there is over 50 percent diversity within the trades currently, over 50 percent, which is a very good number.”

This is what winning $1.7 million in city contracts looks like.

BY BTEA CONTRACTORS ARE HIGHLY DIVERSE. TODAY, THERE ARE ABOUT 8,000 APPRENTICES, WITH 65 PERCENT BEING AFRICAN-AMERICAN, LATINO AND WOMEN, (AND) 75 PERCENT ARE NYC RESIDENTS.”

them,” and that “few of the workers live in any of the boroughs, let alone in mine.” “For the under-employed residents who walk by the backhoes and cranes, the exclusion from these well-paying jobs is a daily source of frustration,” Adams wrote. “While Brooklyn grows right in front of them, their path to the middle class seemingly shrinks.”

– LOU COLETTI, president and CEO of the Building Trades Employers’ Association of New York City

Under the Dinkins administration, the city’s Commission on Human Rights issued a 1993 report entitled “Building Barriers,” which described as “a profound failure in social policy” the three-decade effort to diversify the building trades. The commission found that 19 percent of the city’s building trade unions were people of color and only 1 percent were female. The authors of the report lamented that the city’s failure was nationally broadcast: A month before the report was issued, “The Late Show” host David Letterman brought on stage all the workers who had participated in the remodeling of the Ed Sullivan Theater, and the stage filled with “a virtually all white all male crew.” Even today, the debate continues to rage over how diverse that sector of organized labor really is. Earlier this year, Brooklyn President Eric Adams argued that little had changed and that the city’s construction unions do not reflect the diversity of the communities they work in. In a Crain’s op-ed, Adams claimed that in his borough, “crews lack the rich diversity found in the communities around

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“MANY, MANY YEARS AGO, 20 YEARS AGO, THERE WAS NO QUESTION THAT DIVERSITY WAS A CHALLENGE IN THE TRADE. TODAY IT IS A VERY DIFFERENT PICTURE.”

ment per student, the graduates of the program were projected to earn $1.6 million more over their work lifetime than a classmate who found work as a short-order cook. The collaboration between unions, contractors and the Department of Education was placing the program’s graduates into industry positions that paid $67,110 per year, on average. The authors of the study, “Expanding Opportunity for Middle Class Jobs in New York City,” called the program the “most successful construction industry pre-apprenticeship program in the country.” According to 2011 U.S. Census data cited in the Columbia study, 57 percent of both the union and non-union construction workforce in New York City is made up of minorities: 36 percent is Hispanic, 13 percent African-American, 7 percent Asian and 1 percent multi-racial. “When my family first heard about this they were a little uneasy, because they didn’t understand the opportunity I had,” said 20-year-old Washington Mayancela, who is in his second year of an apprentice-

– GARY LABARBERA, president of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York

LaBarbera credits a collaboration between the unions and the Building Trades Employers’ Association of New York City on an apprenticeship program created more than 10 years ago that helps the unions and contractors tap into a broad cross-section of New York City high school seniors willing to commit to the trades. The Edward J. Malloy Initiative for Construction Skills, along with the city’s Department of Education, offer eligible seniors the chance to enter into a threeto five-year training program that will lead directly to a well-paying apprenticeship. “On the workforce side, the union members employed by BTEA contractors are highly diverse,” said Lou Coletti, president and CEO of the BTEA. “Today, there are about 8,000 apprentices, with 65 percent being African-American, Latino and women, (and) 75 percent are NYC residents.” In 2014 Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs conducted a comprehensive examination of the program and found an 80 percent retention rate and that almost 90 percent of the graduates were black, Hispanic or Asian. Between 2001 and 2013, the program had produced 1,443 graduates directly into union apprenticeships. For what amounted to a $7,500 invest-

November 7, 2016

ship with Steamfitters Local 638. “They wanted me to go the conventional route to college.” The young Latino says he is the first in his family to go into construction. “In the third year I will be making $36 and change and every year it goes up, and I am learn-

CityAndStateNY.com

November 7, 2016

“I CAME IN SO YOUNG, THESE GUYS TAKE CARE OF ME AND TREAT ME LIKE I WAS THEIR SON.”

– WASHINGTON MAYANCELA, who is in his second year of an apprenticeship with Steamfitters Local 638

ing a skill nobody can ever take from me,” Mayancela said. As for any potential racial discrimination on the job, Mayancela said, “I came in so young, these guys take care of me and treat me like I was their son.” According to LaBarbera, it is not only high school students who see the building trades as a path to a solid middle-class living, but also college graduates. “We are starting to see more and more people who have started college educations, or completed a four-year degree and found it has been very difficult for them to find meaningful employment,” LaBarbera said. “When you go into an apprentice program, whether it is three or five years, the average cost is $50,000, (but) it is a $50,000 education” jointly funded by the union and employers. Richard Weiss, a representative of the Mason Tenders District Council, says the union’s apprenticeship program is also contributing to its diversity. The group’s apprenticeship includes everything from site maintenance to building demolition, and puts an emphasis on worker safety. “Our apprenticeship program currently is comprised of 85 percent minority mem-

bers,” Weiss said. “Prior to our enrollment period, we advertise and post the openings on the DOL website. We also work with community-based groups to ensure that the apprenticeship opportunities are publicized in the communities.” RESOLVING THE LEGACY of prejudice and racial exclusion is an ongoing challenge. Several minority members of Local 14 of the Union of Operating Engineers were re-

cently in court over allegations that they are regularly passed over for work because of their race and gender. (A Local 14 representative did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.) And just last year the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announced a $12 million partial settlement over allegations of union discrimination against people of color by Local 28 of the Sheet Metal Workers International Association. The case had been opened in 1971. Opening up the industry to women also remains a work in progress. Nationally, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, fewer than 1 in 10 of almost 10 million construction workers are female. In New York City, LaBarbera said the construction unions are committed to making sure at least 10 percent of the apprenticeship slots go to women. “We work very closely with Non-Traditional Employment for Women, which is an organization that is a direct entry program, and since its inception they have placed almost 1,500 into the trades,” LaBarbera said. “I find we have a lot of single mothers and getting a career in the trades gives them the opportunity to provide a middle-class life for their children as well as retirement security and health benefits.”

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GRADUATE SCHOOL In an effort to inform our readers and the future leaders of New York about the many opportunities available at the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great centers of higher education, City & State is proud to continue our Graduate and Continuing Education Series. Whether you work at a nonprofit, a Fortune 500, or for city or state government, there are many educational programs to help you achieve your goals. By QUENTIN DUPOUY

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IF SEEKING AN MPP/ MPA OR MBA There are so many paths to a career in government and politics that getting started can seem daunting to someone considering a future of public service. Public officeholders, political operatives and government employees represent an extraordinary diversity of educational backgrounds and work experiences. A few have nothing but a high school degree, some have only an associate or bachelor’s degree, while others have advanced degrees. Among the various advanced degrees that public servants hold, three stand out as the most common. Anyone contemplating a career in public service may have taken

a moment to wonder if pursuing a master’s of public policy/administration (MPP/MPA) or a master’s of business administration (MBA) might offer the tools and advantages they need to succeed. These three degrees can be an excellent choice for your career, but each offers specific advantages and lends itself to certain paths. If you are pursuing a future in government and politics and have considered investing time and money in an advanced degree, it can be hard to know which is the right one for you. In this section, we profile these degrees and feature tips from public service insiders on the pluses and minuses of each.

MPA/MPP: THE LOYAL PUBLIC SERVANT Regardless of which you choose, either degree, from any institution, will prepare you for a career in any public service field, including government, nonprofits, consulting firms, and the private sector. State Sen. Liz Krueger earned her MPP from the University of Chicago’s Harris Graduate School of Public Policy. Without a doubt, she says, “I have found that that specific degree from that specific school

Consider an MPA or MIA from UAlbany The Rockefeller College Master of Public Administration (MPA) and Master of International Affairs (MIA) programs develop leaders, managers, and advanced analysts who excel in public service within local, state and federal government.

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City & State New York

November 7, 2016

was a very good training for most of the things I’ve ended up doing.” Krueger has represented Manhattan’s East Side since 2002. Prior to her election, she led a distinguished career in the nonprofit world as the founding director of the New York City Food Bank and then as associate director of the Community Food Resource Center (CFRC). She points to her particular program’s rigorous quantitative training, which included courses in accounting and budgeting, as being “of particular use,” even though at the time she found them grueling. Back then she never anticipated going into politics. She found that her MPP degree and the quantitative skills it gave her were helpful when she was running her own nonprofit and contracting with the government. “It was helpful then and also over the years as I shifted into politics. I sort of pride myself as

LIZ KRUEGER

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being one of the legislators up there who can work her way through a state budget (and who) can ask reasonable questions about revenue and expenditures.” “I absolutely believe my education … helped me enormously in tackling these pretty complex, big picture issues,” Krueger emphatically declares. Krueger was not alone in her enthusiasm. Rosemary Powers, deputy director of state operations

for the Cuomo administration, credited her MPA with jump-starting her career by signaling to employers she was prepared for a public-sector post at the managerial level. She added that the MPA “exposed me to the strategies and management tools that I have relied upon as a public manager.” An MPA/MPP can make you a more effective policy developer and executor, transforming you into a powerful change agent and leader.

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November 7, 2016

It can also provide a big career boost by making you a more attractive job applicant and opening doors to higher-level leadership positions. However, for some considering MPA/MPP programs, business

school might also seem tempting. In business school one can develop many of the same analytical, managerial and administrative technique, while maintaining more flexibility to pivot to the private sector.

PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES NOVEMBER 7, 2016

For reservations and rates please email:

PUBLIC INNOVATOR MBA programs are designed for aspiring business leaders. They focus on skills such as human resource management, strategic thinking, management analysis, accounting, financial analysis, consumer targeting and operations. MBA graduates tend to be prepared for careers in fields such as marketing, financial advising, entrepreneurship and consulting, but a small percentage of MBA graduates also choose to go into the public and nonprofit sector. Some government agencies such as the IRS and the Department of Commerce reportedly make efforts to recruit MBA students to work in public sector jobs. New York’s Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) created the Office of Citywide Recruitment in order “to educate the public on (the) multitude of career opportunities that exist within the city.” DCAS actively recruits people of all educational levels to fill vacant jobs, but for certain positions they might target MBAs. Many civil service titles list a wide variety of advanced degrees for an applicant to meet the minimum qualifications for the position, but “an agency seeking to fill some of its positions in administration, finance or procurement may list an MBA as preferred,”

legalnotices@cityandstateny.com or call 212-268-0442, ext. 2017

said DCAS spokeswoman Cathy Hanson. MBAs most commonly fill positions in information technology, administration, labor relations, analysts, emergency preparedness, budget, and finance, among others. Hanson said that other city agencies may also actively recruit MBA graduates for certain positions. An MBA can be a great foundation for a public service career, offering many of the same skills that an MPA/MPP provides. However, it is worth noting that an MBA is tailored to a career in private industry, which comes with different objectives and constraints. While a business leader generally has relative autonomy and the aim of profit, managers in public service capacities must execute their decisions within a complex web of contending interests and objectives, including the preferences of citizens, politicians and governments. MBA programs offer no instruction on how to be an effective manager in such complex, political environments. In contrast, an MPA/MPP is specifically designed to prepare students for careers in public service. While most MBAs remain exclusively in the private sector, many MPA/MPP grads have diverse careers that range across the public, nonprofit and private sectors.

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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Aimsley Management Group LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 9/12/2016. Office location: NEW YORK County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against it may be served. The Post Office address to which the SSNY shall mail a copy of any process against the LLC served upon him/her is: Aimee Berger. The principal business address of the LLC is: 225 E 34th St. Apt 8J NY NY 10016 Purpose: any lawful act or activity.

Office location: NY County. SSNY designated agent upon whom process may be served against LLC to principal business address: 42 Wadsworth Terrace, # 3C, NY, NY 10040. Purpose: any lawful act.

Notice of Qualification of Law Offices of Morton & Associates LLLP. Auth. filed w/ SSNY on 7/5/16. Office: NY Cnty. LLLP formed in FL on 5/12/16. SSNY designated as agent of LLLP upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to princ. bus. addr. of LLLP: 246 W. Broadway, NY, NY 10013. NOTICE IS HEREBY Name/addr. of genl. ptrs. GIVEN THAT AN ON available from SSNY. Cert. PREMISE WINE & of LLLP filed w/ SSFL, LIQUOR LICENSE. #TBA R.A. Gray Bldg., 500 S. HAS BEEN APPLIED Borough St., Tallahassee, FOR BY DOKA INC FL 32399. Purpose: any D.B.A. DOKA SQUARE lawful activity. TO SELL BEER, WINE AND LIQUOR AT RETAIL IN A RESTAURANT Notice of formation of E S TA B L I S H M E N T. SHOWREELS LLC Art. of FOR ON PREMISES Org. filed with the SSNY CONSUMPTION UNDER on October 7, 2016. Office: THE ABC LAW 51 53 New York County. SSNY DELANCEY STREET, designated as agent of the NEW YORK, NY 10002. LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of NOTICE OF FORMATION process to the LLC 1412 of Constance Artistry Care, LLC. Arts of org Broadway FL 21, New York NY 10018. Purpose: filed with Secy. of state of Any lawful purpose. NY (SSNY) on 9/15/2016.

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Notice of formation of JAE Tech, LLC. Art. of Org. filed w/ Secy. of State of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/4/16. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent for service of process. SSNY shall mail process to 155 E. 49th St. #6B, NY, NY 10016. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

SYSTEMS, LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 10/14/2016. Office loc: NY County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: The LLC, Attn: Michael Vitale, M.D., 34 North Brook Lane, Irvington, NY 10533. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.

November 7, 2016

SSNY designated agent upon whom process may be served and shall mail copy of process against LLC to principal business address: 20 W 64th St., #43O, NY, NY 10023. Purpose: any lawful act.

19958. Cert. of Form. filed Notice of Qualification with DE Secy. of State, of Cerberus Redwood John G. Townsend Bldg., Levered Opportunities 401 Federal St., Dover, GP B, LLC. Authority filed DE 19901. Purpose: Any with NY Dept. of State on lawful activity. 9/30/16. Office location: NY County. Princ. bus. addr.: 875 3rd Ave., NY, Notice of Qualification NY 10022. LLC formed in of CROISIC BUILDING, DE on 9/15/16. NY Sec. of LLC Appl. for Auth. filed 210 THE LLC. Art. of State designated agent of with Secy. of State of Org. filed with the SSNY LLC upon whom process NY (SSNY) on 10/05/16. on 10/14/16. Office: against it may be served Office location: NY County. New York County. SSNY and shall mail process Notice of Qualification of LLC formed in Delaware designated as agent of the to: c/o CT Corporation ATLAS ASSET ADVISORS (DE) on 09/27/16. SSNY LLC upon whom process System, 111 8th Ave., NY, Notice of Formation LLC Appl. for Auth. filed designated as agent of against it may be served. NY 10011. DE addr. of of INTEGRATED with Secy. of State of NY LLC upon whom process SSNY shall mail copy of LLC: c/o The Corporation PERFORMANCE (SSNY) on 10/19/16. Office against it may be served. process to the LLC, 210 Trust Co., 1209 Orange SOLUTIONS LLC Arts. location: NY County. LLC SSNY shall mail process West 77th Street, New St., Wilmington, DE of Org. filed with Secy. formed in Delaware (DE) to c/o Dino & Sons Realty York, NY 10024. Purpose: 19801. Cert. of Form. filed of State of NY (SSNY) on on 10/10/16. Princ. office Corp., 1590 Troy Ave., Any lawful purpose. with DE Sec. of State, 401 10/11/16. Office location: of LLC: 1251 Ave. of the Brooklyn, NY 11234. Federal St., Dover, DE NY County. Princ. office Americas, Ste. 4600, DE addr. of LLC: 2711 725 ELEVENTH AVE LLC. 19901. Purpose: all lawful of LLC: 911 Park Ave., Ste. NY, NY 10020. SSNY Centerville Rd., Ste. 400, Art. of Org. filed with the purposes. 2C, NY, NY 10075. SSNY designated as agent of Wilmington, DE 19808. SSNY on 09/26/16. Office: designated as agent of LLC upon whom process Cert. of Form. filed with New York County. SSNY Notice of Qualification LLC upon whom process against it may be served. DE Secy. of State, Div. of designated as agent of the of Cerberus Redwood against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process Corps., 401 Federal St., LLC upon whom process Levered Opportunities SSNY shall mail process to c/o Corporation Service Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. against it may be served. GP A, LLC. Authority filed to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, Purpose: Any lawful SSNY shall mail copy of with NY Dept. of State on Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. DE addr. activity. process to the LLC, 128 9/30/16. Office location: NY 12207-2543. Purpose: of LLC: 2711 Centerville East 70th Street, New NY County. Princ. bus. Any lawful activity. Rd., Ste. 400, Wilmington, York, NY 10021. ATTN: addr.: 875 3rd Ave., NY, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. Notice of Qualification of Downing Realty. Purpose: NY 10022. LLC formed in filed with Secy. of State, CAITHNESS SERVICES Any lawful purpose. DE on 9/15/16. NY Sec. of Div. of Corps., John G. LLC Appl. for Auth. filed CAPPAWORLD, LLC. State designated agent of Townsend Bldg., 401 with Secy. of State of Articles of Organization LLC upon whom process Notice of Formation of Federal St. - Ste. 4, Dover, NY (SSNY) on 10/14/16. filed with the Secretary of against it may be served meemama productions DE 19901. Purpose: Any Office location: NY County. State of New York (SSNY) and shall mail process LLC. Art. of Org. filed with lawful activity. LLC formed in Delaware on 07/07/16 Location: to: c/o CT Corporation the SSNY on October 6, (DE) on 10/04/16. SSNY New York County. SSNY System, 111 8th Ave., NY, 2016. Office: New York designated as agent of designated as agent for NY 10011. DE addr. of County. SSNY designated LLC upon whom process service of process on LLC, Notice of Qualification of LLC: c/o The Corporation as agent of the LLC upon against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy to: 22-12 JACKSON OWNER Trust Co., 1209 Orange whom process against SSNY shall mail process CAPPAWORLD, LLC 19 LLC Appl. for Auth. filed St., Wilmington, DE it may be served. SSNY to c/o Corporation W 8th Street, Apt. 7, New with Secy. of State of 19801. Cert. of Form. filed shail mail copy of process Service Co., 80 State St., York, NY 10011. Purpose: NY (SSNY) on 10/20/16. with DE Sec. of State, 401 to the LLC, 150 West Albany, NY 12207-2543. Any lawful act or activity. Office location: NY County. Federal St., Dover, DE End Ave, 9F, New York, DE addr. of LLC: 2711 LLC formed in Delaware NY 10023. Purpose: Any 19901. Purpose: all lawful Centerville Rd., Ste. 400, (DE) on 05/19/16. SSNY purposes. lawful purpose. SAR 17, LLC Articles Wilmington, DE 19808. designated as agent of of Org. filed NY Sec. of Cert. of Form. filed with LLC upon whom process State (SSNY) 10/12/16. DE Secy. of State, 401 against it may be served. Notice of Forma LLC. Art Notice of Qualification of Office in NY Co. SSNY Federal St., Dover, DE SSNY shall mail process or Org filed with Secy. CRAFTSTONE CAPITAL, desig. agent of LLC upon 19901. Purpose: Any to c/o Adam America of State of Ny (sony) LLC Appl. for Auth. filed whom process may be lawful activity. Real Estate, 850 Third 0n 10/20/2015. Office with Secy. of State of served. SSNY shall mail location: Ave., 47th Fl., NY, NY NY county. NY (SSNY) on 10/11/16. copy of process to c/o Notice of formation of 10022. DE addr. of LLC: SSNY designated agent Office location: NY County. Cornicello, Tendler & Pristine Credit Solutions, 2711 Centerville Rd., upon whom process may LLC formed in Delaware Baumel -Cornicello, LLP, LLC. Arts of Org filed Ste. 400, Wilmington, DE be served and shall mail (DE) on 11/30/15. SSNY 2 Wall St., 20th Fl, NY, with Secy of State OF 19808. Cert. of Form. filed copy of process against designated as agent of NY 10005. Purpose: Any NY (SSNY) on 8/10/16. with Jeffrey W. Bullock, LLC. to: Us Corp. Agents, LLC upon whom process lawful purpose. Office loc: NEWY. SSNY Secy. of State, John G. Inc. 7014 13th Ave, Set. against it may be served. designated agent upon Townsend Bldg., 401 202, Brooklyn, NY 11228 SSNY shall mail process whom process may be Federal St., Dover, DE Purpose: any lawful act. to c/o Corporation Service Notice of formation of served: 7014 13th Ave 19901. Purpose: Any Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY A TUS PIES, LLC. Ste 202 Bkyn NY 11228 lawful activity. NY 12207-2543. DE addr. filed with the Secy. of Principal business addess Notice of Formation of NK of LLC: Harvard Business State of NY (SSNY) :300 E75 St 3O NY NY Grant Writing & Nonprofit Services, Inc., 16192 on 10/07/2016. Office 10021. Consulting LLC. Arts Coastal Hwy., Lewes, DE location: NY County. VERTEBRAL ANCHOR of Org filed with Secy.

November 7, 2016

City & State New York

of State of NY (SSNY) NY, NY 10024. Sec. of 8/5/2016. Office location: OF LIMITED LIABILITY of GTW Partners L.L.C. on 7/1/2016. Office State designated agent of NY County. SSNY Authority filed with NY COMPANY. NOBLE location: NY County. LLC upon whom process designated agent upon HOUSE USA LLC Articles Dept. of State on 7/5/07. SSNY designated agent against it may be served whom process may be Office location: NY of Organization were upon whom process and shall mail process to: served against LLC to: filed with the Secretary of County. LLC formed in DE may be served against Belnord Holdings LLC, c/o US Corp. Agents, Inc. State of New York (SSNY) on 5/31/07. NY Sec. of LLC to principal business Talbert & Talbert LLC, 80 7014 13th Avenue, Suite State designated agent of 9/21/16. Office location: address: 308 W. 103rd Maiden Lane, Ste. 1506, 202, Brooklyn NY 11228. NY County. SSNY has LLC upon whom process St., #10E, NY, NY, 10025. NY, NY 10038. Purpose: Purpose: any lawful act. against it may be served been designated as agent Purpose: any lawful act. all lawful purposes. and shall mail process to: of the LLC upon whom process against it may be c/o National Registered NOTICE OF FORMATION Agents, Inc. (NRAI), 875 served and shall mail a Notice of Qualification Notice of Formation of OF Slow Sugar, LLC. Art. copy of process to NOBLE Ave. of the Americas, Ste. of Comprehensive Belnord Hotel Operating of Org. filed with SSNY on 501, NY, NY 10001. DE HOUSE USA LLC, 708 Hospitalists of Florida, LLC. LLC. Arts. of Org. filed 07/15/16. Office location: NY address of LLC: NRAI, 160 Third Avenue, 5 Fl., New Authority filed with Secy of with NY Dept. of State on County. SSNY designated Greentree Dr., Ste. 101, York, New York, 10017, State of NY (SSNY) on 7/19/16. Office location: agent upon whom process Dover, DE 19904. Cert. of attention Rubin Ferziger. 7/7/2016. Office location: NY County. Princ. bus. against it may be served. Form. filed with DE Sec. Purpose: for any lawful NY County, LLC formed addr.: 209 W. 87th St., Principal business address: of State, 401 Federal St., purpose. in FL on 5/13/11. SSNY NY, NY 10024. Sec. of 860 Park Avenue, NY, NY Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: designated agent upon State designated agent of 10075. Purpose: any lawful all lawful purposes. whom process may be LLC upon whom process purpose. NOTICE OF served and shall mail copy against it may be served of QUALIFICATION ElleMad129st, LLC. Art. of of process against LLC and shall mail process to: FGMK, LLC. Authority NOTICE OF FORMATION Org. filed with the SSNY on to: 11 Eighth Ave, New Belnord Hotel Operating filed with Secy. Of State of of SHADMOOR, LLC. Arts 09/08/16. Office: New York York, NY 1011. Principal LLC, c/o Talbert & NY (SSNY) on 4/7/2016. of Org filed with Secy. of County. SSNY designated business address: 200 Talbert LLC, 80 Maiden Office location: NY State of NY (SSNY) on as agent of the LLC upon Corporate Blvd. Lafayette, Lane, Ste. 1506, NY, NY County. LLC formed in 9/28/2016. Office location: whom process against it LA 70508. Certificate of 10038. Purpose: all lawful IL on 11/17/1994. SSNY New York County. SSNY may be served. SSNY shall LLC filed with Secy of State purposes. designated agent upon designated agent upon mail copy of process to of FL Located at: 1200 S whom process may be whom process may be the LLC, 1930 Broadway, Pine Island Rd, Plantation, served and shall mail copy served and shall mail copy Name of LLC: SIGN Apartment 22F, New York, FL, 33324. Purpose: any of process against LLC to of process against LLC to: Networks LLC. Arts. of NY 10023. Purpose: Any lawful act. principal business address: 652 Grandview Avenue Org. filed with NY Dept. lawful purpose. 2801 Lakeside Drive, Third #2R, Ridgewood, New of State: 5/1/15. Office Floor, Bannockburn, IL York 11385. Purpose: any Notice of Formation of loc.: NY Co. Sec. of State 60015. Certificate of LLC lawful act. Aten Lighting Design, designated agent of LLC filed with Secy. Of State LLC. Articles of Org. filed Notice of Formation of upon whom process of IL located at: 213 State with Secy. of State of Airplane Mode LLC. Art. against it may be served Notice of Formation Capitol, Springfield, IL NY (SSNY) on July 18, of Org. filed with the Secy. and shall mail process of Broadsheet 62756. Purpose: any lawful 2016. Office location: NY Of State of NY (SSNY) to: James P. Healy, Jr., Communications LLC. Art. act. County. SSNY has been on October 5, 2016. 200 E. 10th St., Ste 719, of Org. filed with SSNY Office: NY County. SSNY designated as agent upon NY, NY 10003, regd. agt. 9-1-16. Office Location: whom process may be designated agent upon upon whom process may Notice of Qualification of NY County. SSNY served and shall mail copy whom process may be be served. Purpose: any IOWN LLC. Authority filed designated as agent of the of process against LLC to served against LLC to: lawful act. with NY Dept. of State on LLC for service of process. principal business address: 200 E. 69th St. 26A NY, 10/28/16. NYS fictitious SSNY shall mail a copy of 350 Cabrini Blvd., Apt 3H NY 10021. Purpose: Any name: IOWN1 LLC. Office any process to c/o The 315 Rose Hill Holdings NY, NY 10040. Purpose: lawful act. location: NY County. Princ. LLC, P.O. Box 427, NY, LLC â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Arts of Org. filed any lawful purpose. bus. addr.: 51 Madison NY 10272. Purpose: To with Secy. Of State of Ave., 31st Fl., NY, NY engage in any lawful act or ADVERTISE HERE NY (SSNY) on 7/18/2016. 10010. LLC formed in DE activity. Notice of formation of Office location: New York on 1/26/16. NY Sec. of SempreLei LLC. Art. Of Co. LLC address c/o State designated agent of Org. filed with SSNY Ganfer & Shore LLP, 360 Notice of Formation of Mrs. LLC upon whom process 6/8/2016. Office: NY Lexington Avenue 13th Gallery, LLC. Arts of Org against it may be served County. SSNY designated Flr., New York, NY 10017. filed with Secy. of State of and shall mail process to: agent upon whom process SSNY designated as NY (SSNY) on 7/14/2016. CT Corporation System, may be served and shall agent of LLC upon whom Office location: 111 8th Ave., NY, NY mail copy of process to process against it may NY County. SSNY 10011, regd. agent upon business address: 246 be served. SSNY shall designated agent upon whom process may Mott Street, NY, NY 10012. mail process to: Ganfer & whom process may be be served. DE addr. of Purpose: any lawful act. Shore LLP, 360 Lexington served against LLC to: 26 LLC: 1209 Orange St., Ave., 13th Flr, New York, Apollo St., #2, Brooklyn, Wilmington, DE 19801. NY 10017. Purpose: any NY 11222. Principal Cert. of Form. filed with Notice of Formation of lawful activities. business address: 60DE Sec. of State, 401 Belnord Holdings LLC. 40 56th Drive, Maspeth, Federal St., Dover, DE Arts. of Org. filed with NY 11378. Purpose: any 19901. Purpose: all lawful NY Dept. of State on NOTICE OF FORMATION lawful act. purposes. 7/19/16. Office location: of GRS Lab USA LLC. NY County. Princ. bus. Arts of Org filed with Secy. addr.: 209 W. 87th St., of State of NY (SSNY) on NOTICE OF FORMATION Notice of Qualification

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CITY & STATE NEW YORK MANAGEMENT & PUBLISHING Chairman Steve Farbman, President/CEO Tom Allon tallon@cityandstateny.com, Vice President of Strategy Jasmin Freeman, Comptroller David Pirozzi dpirozzi@cityandstateny.com, Business & Sales Coordinator Patrea Patterson, Junior Sales Associate Cydney McQuillan-Grace cydney@cityandstateny.com

Who was up and who was down last week

DIGITAL - digital@cityandstateny.com Digital Manager Chanelle Grannum, Digital Content Coordinator Michael Filippi MULTIMEDIA Multimedia Director Bryan Terry

ANTHONY WEINER Does anyone else have potentially costing Hillary Clinton the election on their conscience? The campaign iced him out long ago – way before the FBI stumbled upon a cache of emails potentially relevant to its Clinton probe while looking into Weiner’s sexting. Now Dems are bluntly saying they only tolerated Weiner because of his wife, a top Clinton aide. But at least the shame seems to be sinking in, given that Weiner has checked into rehab.

THE BEST OF THE REST

THE REST OF THE WORST

CARMEN FARIÑA

JAMES BURKE

NYC DOE sees drop in school suspensions, crimes

SARA HOROWITZ & BRAD LANDER Freelance Isn’t Free Act passes

FRANK MORANO & CURTIS SLIWA keep committee spots on Reform Party

BASIL SMIKLE

Dem leader enjoys voter enrollment increase

SLANT Slant Editor Nick Powell npowell@cityandstateny.com, Editor-at-Large Gerson Borrero gborrero@cityandstateny. com, Slant Columnists Nicole Gelinas, Bruce Fisher, Richard Brodsky, Karen Hinton CREATIVE - creativedepartment@cityandstateny.com Creative Director Guillaume Federighi, Senior Graphic Designer Alex Law, Junior Graphic Designer Kewen Chen

LOSERS RUBEN WILLS It’s the perfect move for a lawmaker who’s a possible lawbreaker. While the Queens city councilman is under indictment, he got a bill passed requiring the Department of Correction to hand out ballots to jailed inmates and help them register to vote. It’s a win for voting rights – and will comfort Wills if he ever has to take advantage of the legislation himself.

OUR PICK

WINNERS

Some are calling it the win of the century. A long-suffering fan base finally gets to celebrate great news – and in such an exciting fashion! Yes, all you de Blasi-fans, after years of criticism, the Post has written an op-ed with unequivocal praise for Hizzoner complimenting his plans for an online bail payment system. Not everything is topsy-turvy this week, though: Anthony Weiner is still a loser.

EDITORIAL - editor@cityandstateny.com Editorial Director Michael Johnson mjohnson@ cityandstateny.com, Senior Editor Jon Lentz jlentz@ cityandstateny.com, Albany Reporter Ashley Hupfl ahupfl@ cityandstateny.com, Buffalo Reporter Justin Sondel jsondel@cityandstateny.com, City Hall Reporter Sarina Trangle strangle@cityandstateny.com, Managing Editor Ryan Somers, Web/Engagement Editor Jeremy Unger, Editorial Assistant Jeff Coltin

ADVERTISING Vice President of Advertising Jim Katocin jkatocin@ cityandstateny.com, Account/Business Development Executive Scott Augustine saugustine@cityandstateny.com, Event Sponsorship Strategist Danielle Koza dkoza@ cityandstateny.com EVENTS - events@cityandstateny.com Events Manager Lissa Blake, Senior Events Coordinator Alexis Arsenault, Events and Marketing Coordinator Jenny Wu

Vol. 5 Issue 43 November 7, 2016

ex-Suffolk police chief gets 46 months

DANIEL DERENDA

Buffalo’s top cop blasted for lack of training

MATT DRISCOLL & JOANIE MAHONEY

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November 7, 2016

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Cover by Guillaume Federighi

feds reject state tourism signs

LARRY SCHWARTZ

Cuomo appointee has missed dozens of MTA board meetings

WINNERS & LOSERS is published every Friday morning in City & State’s First Read email. Sign up for the email, cast your vote and see who won at cityandstateny.com.

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Meet Diego. He is a graduate student in Inwood, and sharing his home helps make sure he can focus on his studies. Learn More: strongerneighborhoods.com

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