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Public education,
NOT
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private profits! Stop the governor's backdoor voucher scheme!
Our public schools are NOT piggy banks for the rich! Governor Cuomo and his hedge fund cronies need to stop acting as though public school funds are their personal piggy banks. Under the governor’s backdoor voucher scheme, hundreds of millions of dollars that should go to public schools and services would be siphoned off to fund a shady private school tax credit benefitting the privileged elite.
Until the state pays its outstanding debts to public schools — the schools that serve everyone — it’s outrageous to even consider a bunch of new tax giveaways for exclusive private schools that can pick and choose their students.
Stop the governor’s latest backdoor voucher scheme.
And the price tag? $450 million in the first three years alone! Albany has already shortchanged public school kids by nearly $5 billion under the Campaign for Fiscal Equity lawsuit and the Gap Elimination Adjustment.
Representing more than 600,000 professionals in education, human services and health care.
www.nysut.org
REJECT
the Education Investment Incentive Act! M124C_15_PiggyBanks_CityandStateAd.indd 1
5/27/15 11:21 AM
FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK
June 8, 2015
CONTENTS
Michael Gareth Johnson Executive Editor
F
CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Cuomo faces pushback on reforms
12.......
By Jon Lentz
7......
By Ashley Hupfl
ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT
Senate Republicans promote Common Core, testing reforms
The push for cleaner energy solutions
By Ashley Hupfl
By Wilder Fleming Bills take aim at microbeads, toxic toys By Wilder Fleming
10.......
18......
TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE
Senate Republicans in no hurry to fund MTA, reform Port Authority
EDUCATION
Legislators seek to slow incoming teacher evaluation changes
HOUSING
Expiring rent regulations, 421-a dominate the conversation By Ashley Hupfl
22......
By Jon Lentz
LABOR
Things look bleak for minimum wage hike, paid family leave By Michael Gareth Johnson
28......
HEALTH CARE
The fight to get medical marijuana to patients who need it most By Ashley Hupfl
30.......
CIT YANDSTATENY.COM
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Cover: Illustration by Guillaume Federighi
BACK & FORTH
A Q&A with former Jamaican bobsled team member Devon Harris
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city & state — Ju n e 8, 2015
6.......
or many New York residents, keeping track of state government is hard to do. Most are more inclined to follow the hyper-local developments in their towns, villages, community boards or cities. Or to keep tabs on the highest levels of government—what the president and Congress are up to. State government often gets lost in the middle, in part because the issues Albany lawmakers tackle aren’t seen as captivating. Since taking office, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has worked with the state Legislature to pass a lot of legislation, but the bills that have resonated with casual followers have been controversial measures like marriage equality or the SAFE Act. I am sure some would argue that the property tax cap and education reforms are also controversial and have piqued the interest of many normally unengaged voters as well, but they clearly haven’t generated the same buzz as the other measures. What many New Yorkers don’t realize is that you don’t necessarily have to spend time each day following the movements in Albany. Whether by design or institutional structural flaws—that’s a separate debate—Albany has for the most part made it easy. You really just have to tune in twice a year: at the end of March when the budget is being decided and NOW, in June, when everything else lawmakers are planning on passing gets dealt with in a mad dash before the Legislature adjourns for the rest of the year. I don’t want to give the impression that lawmakers are sitting idle the rest of the year. There is plenty of discussion, strategy sessions and bill language being massaged throughout the other months. Legislation goes through committees and often reaches the floor for a vote in the respective Senate and Assembly chambers. But that is all prep work. It’s like a sous chef getting all the ingredients organized ahead of the restaurant opening. The kitchen has a sense of what customers will order, but it is when they finally arrive that they learn the details and have to move quickly to make sure food gets to the plate. In our Session Countdown special issue we have detailed the actions of the political sous chefs, recapping the top agenda items up for debate. To do this we relied on conversations with Senate and Assembly committee chairs and other members with the goal of separating out what is noise and what realistically could get done in the final days.
61 Broadway, Suite 2235 New York, NY 10006 Editorial (212) 894-5417 General (646) 517-2740 Advertising (212) 894-5422 info@cityandstateny.com
CITY AND STATE, LLC Chairman Steve Farbman President/CEO Tom Allon tallon@cityandstateny.com
IT’S THE FINAL COUNTDOWN 4
Like the Wicked Witch of the West’s hourglass or a ticking bomb in a Bond movie, the session is mercilessly, inexorably nearing its end … and our protagonists don’t have much time!
PUBLISHING Publisher Andrew A. Holt aholt@cityandstateny.com Vice President of Advertising Jim Katocin jkatocin@cityandstateny.com Events Director Jasmin Freeman jfreeman@cityandstateny.com Director of Marketing Samantha Diliberti sdiliberti@cityandstateny.com Business Development Scott Augustine saugustine@cityandstateny.com
EDITORIAL Executive Editor Michael Johnson mjohnson@cityandstateny.com
2015 JUNE
Senior Correspondent Jon Lentz jlentz@cityandstateny.com Web Editor/Reporter Wilder Fleming wfleming@cityandstateny.com Albany Reporter Ashley Hupfl ahupfl@cityandstateny.com Buffalo Reporter Justin Sondel jsondel@cityandstateny.com Staff Reporter Sarina Trangle strangle@cityandstateny.com Editor-at-Large Gerson Borrero gborrero@cityandstateny.com Copy Editor Ryan Somers rsomers@cityandstateny.com
PRODUCTION
city & state — June 8, 2015
Art Director Guillaume Federighi gfederighi@cityandstateny.com Senior Designer Michelle Yang myang@cityandstateny.com Marketing Graphic Designer Charles Flores cflores@cityandstateny.com Web Manager Lydia Eck leck@cityandstateny.com Illustrator Danilo Agutoli
City & State is published twice monthly. Copyright ©2015, City and State NY, LLC
cit yandstateny.com
The Tale of Two de Blasios MAYOR de BLASIO
LANDLORD de BLASIO
• “Rent is the number one expense for New Yorkers.”
• His tenants pay $100,000 in rent.
• Wants stricter Albany rent laws and a rent freeze that prevents landlords from paying the bills.
• He can cover his bills by raising his tenants’ rent.
“ I provide affordable housing for 8 families on the Upper West Side.”
“I provide affordable housing for dozens of families in Bed Stuy and Crown Heights.”
“I provide affordable housing for 15 families in Chelsea.”
A de Blasio rent freeze and his push for stricter Albany rent laws is not only one big contradiction, it will destroy affordable housing for the millions of New Yorkers who depend on it.
“I provide affordable housing for 8 families in Park Slope.”
“I provide affordable housing for 6 families in Bay Ridge.”
“I provide affordable housing for 5 families in Harlem.”
CRIMINAL JUSTICE
CALLS TO ACTION
city & state — June 8, 2015
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By JON LENTZ
T
he chokehold death of Eric Garner, a black man, at the hands of a white New York City police officer. The fatal shooting of two NYPD officers months later. Police killings of other black suspects in Ferguson, Missouri, Baltimore and South Carolina. The violent incidents have spurred loud calls for action across the country and in New York, although state officials are still hashing out how to respond with time to pass legislation running out. In his State of the State address, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced a legislative package that would provide body cameras for police, fund new bulletproof vests and patrol cars, and take steps to increase transparency and improve police-community relations. Noting that New York is one of just two states that treat all 16- and 17-year-old suspects as adults, the governor said the threshold in the majority of crimes should be raised to 18. Cuomo also called for an independent monitor to review cases in which police kill unarmed civilians. Local district attorneys would still be able to convene a grand jury for cases in their jurisdictions, although the monitor could step in if cases are not
presented to a grand jury or there is no indictment and recommend the appointment of a special prosecutor. “Under my proposal, the district attorneys are given the benefit of the doubt and are not superseded until a reason exists that suggests bias or wrongdoing,” Cuomo said in a letter to lawmakers last month. “Thus, I would initially leave such cases to the district attorneys to present to a grand jury. However, I would also reform the grand jury system to increase transparency by mandating that in such cases there is public disclosure of the district attorneys’ instructions to the grand jury as to which charges they should consider.” Lawmakers agreed to designate funds in this year’s budget to cover changes associated with raising the age of criminal responsibility to 18, including new diversion programs and housing of juveniles away from adult facilities. But they have yet to come to an agreement on other details and have failed so far to reach a compromise on the governor’s broader criminal justice reform package. Assemblyman Joe Lentol, the chairman of the Codes Committee, said he was optimistic that an agreement would be reached on raising the age.
“I’m encouraged by the fact that the governor has indicated a willingness to do something on this issue,” Lentol said. “The question is always, what is the Senate going to do? They haven’t been very interested in the concept, so I don’t know if the governor can bring them on board, or if he can’t. They certainly haven’t been able to agree with us on any proposal of ‘Raise the Age.’” Proponents of the legislation note that the status quo disproportionately impacts minorities and point to evidence indicating that the change would reduce crime and recidivism. Senate Republicans, meanwhile, have focused on ensuring 16- and 17-year-olds are incarcerated in separate facilities. State Sen. Patrick Gallivan, the Republican chairman of the Crime Victims, Crime and Correction Committee, said that federal law already requires those under the age of 18 to be separated from adult prisoners, and that New York is not fully in compliance. “So first and foremost, the most pressing need is the housing of these 16- and 17-year-olds to ensure that they are not housed with 18-yearolds and older,” Gallivan said. “I just don’t think we can make a change overnight without really looking at it, determining if a plan is warranted and planning it out over the future. Having said that, clearly there is a need to address the housing of 16- and 17-yearolds, and I think that is something we should focus on first.” Nor have the two houses reached a deal on the governor’s special prosecutor proposal. Lawmakers from both houses have noted that the governor already has the power to appoint a special prosecutor; Cuomo could have taken that step after Staten Island’s district attorney failed to indict an NYPD officer in the Eric Garner case, but chose not to. Lentol said he supports the creation of an independent monitor to review cases and decide which ones to refer to a special prosecutor, but that the
monitor would need to have more access to the details of a case than originally proposed. “From the way it’s drafted, it really doesn’t give that person very much power to do anything,” Lentol said. “For example, it doesn’t talk about whether he has access to the grand jury minutes or whether or not he can independently question witnesses. If a special prosecutor were appointed, they would have all of that power, but an independent monitor won’t. So it would be hard for the independent monitor to make a decision as to how to advise the governor if he doesn’t have all the facts in the case.” But Gallivan said he was concerned that police officers already face significant scrutiny with the grand jury process and, at times, reviews by the U.S. Justice Department. “I don’t know that I’m completely comfortable creating another level of review and treating police differently than every other person,” he said. “My concern when we’re talking about changing a system, when we single out the instances of where police use force that results in the death of an unarmed civilian, it’s a very narrow perspective, and now we’re treating a group of people, in this case the police, as different than every other citizen,” Gallivan said. “The idea is that everybody’s required to follow the law, including the police.”
WHAT GOT DONE * Funding the budget expenses tied to Raise the Age
WHAT’S ON THE DOCKET * Implementation of Raise the Age * Creating an independent monitor to appoint a special prosecutor when police kill unarmed civilians * Grand jury transparency
cit yandstateny.com
A KATZ / SHUTTERSTOCK
CUOMO FACES PUSHBACK ON REFORMS IN WAKE OF CHOKEHOLD DEATH, PROTESTS
INITIATIVES WOULD GENERATE A CLEANER, MORE EFFICIENT NEW YORK
By Richard Roberts Caithness Energy and Long Island ratepayers recently achieved a significant legal victory in the battle to build a new power plant in Yaphank, when a State Supreme Court Judge dismissed a lawsuit against the Town of Brookhaven’s environmental review of the project. Caithness, with local roots, currently operates a 350-MW natural gas electricity plant, and wants to add a needed 752-MW Caithness II power plant, adjoining its current facility. The Town of Brookhaven supports and understands that construction of the low-emissions plant would result in an investment of $1.09 billion as well as supply local electricity to the LIPA territory by 2018. Before LIPA was controlled by PSEG of New Jersey, it was projected the bi-county region faced a 1,200 MW shortfall.
ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT
POWERING AHEAD
The Power Within (New York)
ANTON VIOLIN/SHUTTERSTOCK
The New Jersey operator of Long Island’s grid, since January 2014, has pronounced no new power would be needed by Long Island until 2024. That seems to be the biggest, boldest lie on powerstarved Long Island! On April 30 the State Public Service Commission advertised a public notice from yet another New Jersey company, Poseidon Transmission 1, LLC, seeking approval for a nearly 90-mile long, 500 MW high voltage power line snaking from South Brunswick, NJ to Melville in Suffolk County. If Long Island truly has no need for any additional electricity supply for another nine years, why would any private investor take the economic risk to build a power line? This makes the recent Suffolk County legal decision so important.
S
ome of the most prominent initiatives in New York energy policy emerge from within the executive branch: the Reforming the Energy Vision plan, for example, is Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s signature initiative to fundamentally restructure the way energy is produced and distributed in New York State. And a recent 10-year, $1.5 billion proposal to invest in large-scale renewable power generation such as wind farms and vast solar arrays comes down from the Energy Research and Development Authority—a state authority under the governor’s control. But state lawmakers are pushing some energy reform legislation of their own as the session winds down. Both houses have already passed bills that would require the Public Service Commission to create a central repository for all competitive requests for proposal on electricity generation projects in the state—a transparency measure to ensure that all potential bidders are aware when opportunities become available. “We had heard from the industry that when they were trying to bid, when the bids were posted, they weren’t posted as publicly as they needed to be,” said Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, who chairs the Committee on Energy. “So not everybody was finding out about projects that were being put forth by the PSC and so forth.” “Everybody seemed on board with that,” Paulin continued. “Because all it does is encourage more bidders, which is good for the whole system.” Other bills have yet to clear the Legislature but stand a fair chance, according to Paulin. cit yandstateny.com
They are: • A community solar pilot program, which would allow power utilities to develop solar arrays on their own land. Customers would sign up to access the power on a first-come, first-served basis and pay a fixed rate for a certain number of years. Some subscriptions to the program would be reserved for low- and moderateincome ratepayers, and all participants would be exempt from system benefit and other surcharges on their electric bills. This bill has no equivalent in the Senate. • A commercial on-bill repayment program for energy efficiency retrofits. This would allow businesses that perform such retrofits to spread out payments for the job on their utility bills over time, much as residential ratepayers do. An identical version of this bill is sponsored by state Sen. Joseph Griffo, who chairs the Committee on Energy and Telecommunications in the Senate. • Solar power purchasing agreements for school districts. This measure would allow school districts and other public entities to enter into long-term (35-year) purchasing agreements with power providers. An identical version of this bill is sponsored by Griffo in the Senate. Griffo and Paulin have also sponsored a bill that would require local planning regulations to accommodate for the use of renewable energy sources in new buildings. Another piece of legislation from Griffo would establish a personal income tax credit for the installation of residential energy storage systems, a measure that has a matching sponsor in Assemblyman Steve Englebright, chair of the Environmental Conservation Committee in the Assembly.
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New York State is already overly reliant on out-of-state electricity from Canada, New England and the Mid-Atlantic. Perhaps it’s why the Empire State is one of America’s largest importers of electricity and why residential electricity costs here are 68% higher than the national average and 50% more than Pennsylvania. Newsday recently wrote that something must be done to address Long Island’s high cost of living, which is chasing businesses and families away from New York. Instead of exporting our powergeneration jobs and energy dollars, let’s cut the cord and build capacity and produce power here to empower New York’s economy. Richard Roberts is the Business Agent at Large for the 8,000 member Steamfitters Local 638. Steamfitters design, install and maintain critical piping, heating, ventilation and cooling systems in tens of thousands of high-occupancy buildings throughout New York. He is a Long Island resident and customer of PSEG L.I. SPECIAL SPONSORED SECTION
The New York Affordable Reliable Electricity Alliance (New York AREA) is a diverse group of business, labor, environmental, and community leaders working together for clean, low-cost and reliable electricity solutions that foster prosperity and jobs for the Empire State.
WWW . A R E A - A L L I A N C E . O R G
city & state — June 8, 2015
By WILDER FLEMING
The Caithness II power plant would save ratepayers $1.4 billion in fuel costs over the coming 20 years and coupled with its existing facility, would generate 1,100 MW locally. The project would introduce new, clean energy technology, produce goodpaying construction and permanent jobs at the plant, and generate significant economic and tax revenue on Long Island for decades. Caithness II results in vital in-state power generation as opposed to more outsourcing.
ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT
HIDDEN HAZARDS
BILLS WOULD MITIGATE MICROBEADS, TARGET TOXIC TOYS
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city & state — June 8, 2015
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s this chaotic legislative sessions winds to a close, two highly visible environmental measures are still under consideration: a bill to regulate the use of hazardous chemicals in toys and other children’s products, and legislation that would ban the sale of beauty products, soaps and toothpaste containing microbeads—tiny plastic particles used for their exfoliating properties— which have been inundating New York waterways in recent years. Versions of both bills have passed the Assembly and now await action in the Senate. For state Sen. Thomas O’Mara, chairman of the Environmental Conservation Committee, the push to prohibit products that contain microbeads is the top priority. “I’d first and foremost like to see an agreement on the microbeads legislation that’s out there,” O’Mara said. “We’ve got different versions and we’ve been working towards trying to reach an agreeable compromise on that.” Steve Englebright, who chairs the Environmental Conservation Committee in the Assembly, agrees that the time is right. “There is a broad consensus that the public wants this ban,” Englebright said. “This is ripe for action based on all the dialogue and public conversation.” The version of the microbeads bill that passed in the Assembly, state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman’s Microbead-Free Waters Act, would place an outright ban on all beauty and hygiene products containing the plastic particles. But O’Mara has since introduced slightly different legislation in the Senate—and it remains to be
seen if a compromise between the two will be worked out before the end of the session. One difference between the bills is timing: Schneiderman’s would take effect on Jan. 1, 2016, for beauty products and Jan. 1, 2017, for products regulated as a drug by the Federal Drug Administration, while O’Mara’s suggests a more gradual phaseout, from the end of 2017 to the end of 2019. O’Mara’s bill also includes the term “non-biodegradable” in its definition of microbeads, but fails to define what “biodegradable” would mean in this instance—an omission that he has admitted needs resolving, and one that some environmentalists have called a loophole in the proposed law. (Legislation containing a vague definition of microbeads identical to the one in O’Mara’s bill has already passed in Illinois.) “We’ve been in discussions with the A.G.’s office and with (Assemblyman) Steve Englebright’s staff and with the second floor, and I know the second floor is interested in hopefully getting to a resolution,” O’Mara said. Meanwhile, prospects for the bill to regulate chemicals in toys, the popular Child Safe Products Act, look dim this session, according to O’Mara. “I’m probably not too optimistic about that,” said O’Mara, who has held up a vote on the legislation. “It is a very, very broad bill that would allow DEC to add to the list of banned chemicals year after year at their discretion.” The bill has already passed the Assembly and enjoys 40 sponsors in the Senate, but O’Mara says he is working on a compromise that would be more accommodating to manufacturers, who he says would be
VALERIY MININ/SHUTTERSTOCK
By WILDER FLEMING
cit yandstateny.com
WHAT GOT DONE * Brownfields reform * From the executive budget: $50 million in matching funds available for drinking water and sewer infrastructure upgrades, and $75 million in each of the next two budgets * Oil Spill Fund cap increases from $25 to $40 million; fees paid into the fund, which come from the industry, increase
WHAT’S ON THE DOCKET * Microbeads * Child Safe Products Act * Bill to establish a paint stewardship program * An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to the upholstered furniture safety act
cit yandstateny.com
By Bruce Reingold The Bronx serves as a critical artery for New York’s arts, education, history, cultural institutions and 50% of the New York region’s meat supply, on its way to favorite restaurants, supermarkets, hotels, schools and even hospitals. The Hunts Point Cooperative Market and the 52 companies operating there directly generate $670 million in annual economic output and some 3,000 jobs. 77% of workers live in New York City. The Market supplies over 2.5 billion pounds of meat each year resulting in $2.7 billion in annual sales and millions in tax revenue. All of these major Bronx attractions share a common focus on clean energy, a green environment, and cost savings.
ARTHUR “JERRY” KREMER Chairman, New York Affordable Reliable Electricity Alliance
W
hy do New Yorkers, from Buffalo to Bay Shore, pay among the highest electricity costs in the country? A big reason is the spate of direct and hidden electricity taxes which account for approximately 25 percent of a typical bill. It is time to cut these taxes and put the money back in the pockets of consumers who need a break and businesses that will use the money to hire new employees. Using data available from various government agencies, a March 9 New York AREA study very conservatively estimates that New Yorkers pay $1.6 billion annually in such taxes. One easy place to start is by eliminating the 18-a surcharge and returning $400 million to taxpayers in fiscal years 2016 and 2017. These funds should be offset by the state’s $1.5 billion in unbudgeted financial settlements. Indeed, 18-a shows how electricity taxes can easily get out of control. It was originally a modest tax to fund the Public Service Commission. Then, as part of the Great Recession in 2009, the tax was quintupled to 2 percent of every electricity user’s bill, a truly regressive and onerous tax. There are several off-budget fees and other electricity charges designed to promote environmental and related objectives which are also very significant. These include the Systems Benefit Charge, the Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. The taxes in these programs need to be more fully disclosed, as do their sizable expenditures. This same scrutiny must be applied to Reforming the Energy Vision, a wide-ranging initiative that would fundamentally change how electricity is produced and consumed in New York. John DeFrancisco, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, has introduced legislation that addresses REV, which “would require a fiscal analysis and provide more transparency for what has the potential to be a multibillion-dollar initiative.” It is an important measure that deserves full and prompt consideration. Before we even think about going down the REV road, we need to make sure that all costs are disclosed, that New Yorkers are not gouged for hidden subsidies, and that the bottom line is that New York will have more affordable and reliable electricity.
ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT
EXPERT OPINION
New York’s SkyscraperSized Refrigerator
Consider needing to power over one million square feet of refrigeration and freezer space 24 hours a day, seven days a week and the electricity expenses for that. It’s a necessary cost of Meat Market companies doing business to have cold storage facilities— the size and capacity of a large skyscraper—to store meat for tensof-millions of people living in our region and 54 million annual tourists visiting the food capital of the world. It’s why our market is so focused on energy efficiency. What is very challenging to the owners is that the Meat Market’s annual electricity expenses have tripled since 2003, adding $3.1 million in annual operating expenses just to keep the lights and refrigerators running. Needed investments in improved technology, maintenance and upgrades to current facilities as well as modern power generation, adding solar capacity, can combat climbing energy and maintenance costs projected to rise about 6% every year for the foreseeable future. That far exceeds the rate of inflation.
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Clean, affordable electricity is but one piece of the puzzle. Supplying food in a major metropolitan region means hundreds of trucks travel in and out of Hunts Point, delivering over 6.8 million pounds of product every day. If businesses here could add the capability to refuel trucks with cleaner, longer-lasting Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), it would result in better air for New York. LNG, in comparison to diesel, emits less greenhouse gases and can more than double fuel efficiencies and vehicle range, according to the Department of Energy. Fuel cost savings could reach 50% to pass along to consumers and create jobs. Being energy-efficient is critically beneficial for businesses, consumers, our environment and economy. Modernizing with green, sustainable technology allows business incubators like ours to lead by example. Bruce Reingold is the General Manager of the Hunts Point Cooperative Market. SPECIAL SPONSORED SECTION
New York AREA’s membership includes some of the state’s most vital business, labor and community organizations including the New York State AFL-CIO, Business Council of New York State, Partnership for New York City, New York Building Congress, National Federation of Independent Business and many more.
WWW . A R E A - A L L I A N C E . O R G
city & state — June 8, 2015
unfairly burdened by the ban as it is currently written. “I have an overriding concern in my position with being rational, reasonable and fair to businesses because we have manufacturers of these products here in New York,” O’Mara said. “The chemical industry doesn’t want limitations whatsoever, but I think the toy industry has been more reasonable at looking at this and trying to work toward some common ground that perhaps would work.” This year, a push at the county level to ban toxic chemicals from children’s toys has seen laws enacted in both Albany and Westchester counties, where the sale of toys containing a similar roster of chemicals, including mercury, arsenic and lead, will soon be prohibited. Just last week, Suffolk County similarly approved a resolution to limit such chemicals in new toys. Englebright says this patchwork crusade has made manufacturers more open to embracing a statewide ban. “They are basically being outflanked by the reality at the county level,” he said. “I think they see the handwriting on the wall; this has broad popularity and broad support and resisting is ultimately not going to be a productive strategy.” But would it happen this year? “I just don’t think it’s workable right now,” O’Mara said.
SENATE REPUBLICANS IN NO HURRY TO FUND THE MTA, REFORM THE PORT AUTHORITY
By JON LENTZ
S
tate lawmakers passed several transportation measures in the state budget this year, but two of the biggest issues have yet to be resolved: what steps, if any, to take to reform the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and how to fully fund the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s $32 billion capital plan. And with just days left in this year’s legislative session, both questions are likely to go unanswered for at least another year. Senate Republicans are in no hurry to address these issues—and no other major transportation bills are top priorities with the end of the session looming. A spokesman for state Sen. Joseph Robach, the chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, said “there’s nothing big that’s going to be coming down between now and the end of session.” But Assembly Democrats say action is urgently needed on both fronts, even if it’s unlikely to happen. In the case of the MTA, officials are facing a $14 billion shortfall in its current five-year capital plan, which started this year and runs through 2019. It is unclear where all the money will come from to maintain and upgrade existing subway lines and to continue major expansion projects, such as the Second Avenue Subway. The MTA has called for more funding from the city and the state. Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio have earmarked some money, but MTA officials say it is not anywhere near enough to close the funding gap. “We think that it is not in the public interest for the Legislature to leave Albany without trying to address the shortfalls in the capital plan because the five-year window has already begun and they are 43 percent unfunded,” said Assemblyman James Brennan, a Democrat who chairs the
Assembly Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions. “So the risk is, commitments being made by the MTA to do long-term purchases or long-term construction might get broken up and disrupted without funding in place. The next time we come back, after June, is January, so it’s not good.” Brennan said the state could provide some of the needed funding by enacting a small income tax hike for those making between $500,000 and $2 million and requiring a larger contribution from New York City. That would provide $600 million, along with about $8 billion through bonding, he said. “Then it’s my belief that some increased state support from the
general fund and some small MTA borrowings could come pretty close to handling the state shortfall,” Brennan said. Another top priority has been to pass comprehensive reforms at the Port Authority. The bi-state authority has been under scrutiny ever since New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s administration and appointees were caught up in the Bridgegate scandal, in which traffic on the George Washington Bridge was blocked for hours, allegedly to politically punish a local mayor. Both legislative houses in New York and New Jersey approved a series of reform measures last year to improve governance and transparency and combat patronage and dysfunction at
the beleaguered authority. However, Cuomo and Christie vetoed the measure in late December, announcing their own reform package instead. The Port Authority’s board approved some of the reforms on its own earlier this year, but lawmakers continued working on a compromise measure to enact changes in law that are stronger and more permanent. “We are going to amend our Port Authority bill to include the proposals of Christie and Cuomo with respect to leadership selection that they have proposed back in December at the time of the veto, and do some very minor streamlining of the bill that had passed all four houses of the Legislature and then attempt to re-pass it,” Brennan said. The Assembly and state Senate met with Cuomo administration officials earlier this year, but the parties have yet to arrive at a new compromise following last year’s vetoes. The New Jersey Legislature has also been developing a new reform package, although New York lawmakers have raised concerns with it as well. “In part, these are the result of some meetings with the governor’s office and the Senate and Assembly held in March,” Brennan said. “We’ll see what happens with that.”
WHAT GOT DONE * Two-year extension of design-build project bidding * $250 million for four new Bronx Metro-North stations * Funds for road and bridge maintenance and upstate transit
WHAT’S ON THE DOCKET * Funding the MTA capital plan * Port Authority reform
cit yandstateny.com
SONGQUAN DENG/SHUTTERSTOCK
INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRANSPORTATION city & state — June 8, 2015
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CROSSING THAT BRIDGE
EDUCATION
GETTING AN EXTENSION
By ASHLEY HUPFL
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city & state — June 8, 2015
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fter Gov. Andrew Cuomo got much of what he wanted on teacher evaluations in the state budget, both Assembly Democrats and state Senate Republicans are now seeking to delay implementation of many of the measures passed in March. The 2015-16 state budget includes changes that give more weight in teacher evaluation scores to student performance on state tests and require classroom observations be performed by outside observers, not principals. The state Education Department faces a June 30 deadline to submit a plan to change the teacher evaluation system, and school districts must put the new measures in place by Nov. 15. However, both Assembly Education Committee Chairwoman Catherine Nolan and former Senate Education Committee Chairman— now state Senate Majority Leader— John Flanagan have pushed back to slow the changes to the teacher evaluation system. The Assembly in late May passed a bill that would extend the deadline for the state Education Department from June 30 to Nov. 17 and extend the deadline for school districts to implement the new measures by a year—to Nov. 15, 2016. “I’m very optimistic we’re going to try to work with Senator Flanagan and (newly appointed Senate Education Committee Chairman Carl) Marcellino on (an extension for teacher evaluations),” Nolan said. “Look, teacher evaluations are an ongoing issue. We’re talking about it this year and I can guarantee we’ll be talking about it again next year.” Despite the tentative consensus in the Assembly and state Senate, Cuomo has said he does not support a blanket
extension of the teacher evaluation system, but is open to a hardship provision. “An extension would allow the Board of Regents more time to get it right. In the end, that should be goal one,” Marcellino said in a statement to City & State. “There is an opportunity for meaningful change and I am hopeful that we can come to an agreement with the Assembly and the governor before the end of session.” Outside of the teacher evaluation debate, the state Senate Republicans and Assembly Democrats are mostly staked out on opposite sides of the remaining education issues. Legislators face another deadline with mayoral control of New York City schools set to expire June 30. The Assembly originally planned to push for a seven-year extension, but eventually backed down and passed a straight extension of mayoral control for another three years. Mayor Bill de Blasio pushed for a permanent
extension, which Cuomo called a “non-starter” in Albany. Marcellino predicted there would be an extension, but said the length of the extension has not yet been determined. “For the moment, I’m comfortable with a straight extension,” Nolan said, adding that additional changes to mayoral control could be taken up next year, once the extension is secure. “Maybe we should, for example, have more parent representation on the (New York City) Board (of Education). I think these issues could be taken very seriously and move forward on their own merits.” The DREAM Act and the education investment tax credit were tied together in Cuomo’s 2015-16 budget proposal, but ultimately did not make it into the final budget agreement. Recently, Cuomo has staged a large public push with Cardinal Timothy Dolan to pass the EITC before the end of the session.
Senate Republicans have staked their opposition to the DREAM Act and pushed to raise the charter school cap and funding for non-traditional public schools, while Assembly Democrats have criticized the EITC and the push to raise the charter school cap, arguing they would take money away from public schools and taxpayers. Given the opposing interests, it’s possible the end-ofsession negotiations could lead to a compromise that would allow both sides to achieve their top priorities. “Every issue should be evaluated on its own merits,” Marcellino said in a statement. “That being said, the reality is the end-of-session negotiation process will continue to be a give and take. The Senate, the Assembly and the governor all have priorities and all three will need to find common ground or nothing will be accomplished.”
WHAT GOT DONE * The 2015-16 state budget included $25.5 billion in education funding, not including $75 million in additional funding for 27 struggling schools * The budget also included changes to tie tenure protections for teachers to their performance on the annual evaluations
WHAT’S ON THE DOCKET * Extension of mayoral control * Passage of the DREAM Act and education investment tax credit * An extension on implementation of the teacher evaluation system changes passed in the budget
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MATEJ KASTELIC / SHUTTERSTOCK
LEGISLATORS SEEK TO SLOW IMPLEMENTATION OF TEACHER EVALUATION CHANGES
YANLEV/SHUTTERSTOCK
LAWMAKERS SEEK TO REVIEW STANDARDS, REDUCE TESTING
By ASHLEY HUPFL
G
rowing increasingly frustrated with the role of standardized testing in the classroom, many parents around New
York State this year protested by opting their children out of the state tests. A New York Times analysis found at least 165,000 children sat out of the tests in April. Responding to the criticism of
testing from parents in mostly suburban, wealthier school districts, state Senate Republicans are pushing to reform the Common Core standards and reduce the use of tests. “As part of the effort to address the (annual teacher evaluations), it is crucial that we pass some common sense measures that will help address Common Core issues,” Senate Education Committee Chairman Carl Marcellino said in a statement. “We need to reduce testing, allow the teachers to talk about them, release more of the questions back to teachers and students, make sure the testing is age appropriate, get the test results out quicker and have the Regents review and revisit the current standards.” Bipartisan legislation co-sponsored by Assembly Education Committee Chairwoman Catherine Nolan and former Senate Education Committee
Chairman John Flanagan that would delay the teacher evaluation system also would require the state education commissioner to “conduct a comprehensive review” of the Common Core standards, while seeking input from education stakeholders. The review would have to be completed by June 20, 2016. Afterwards, the state Board of Regents would be forced to “consider the findings of the review and vote to accept or reject the recommendations made by the commissioner within 60 days.” “New York’s approach so far has led to an over-reliance on invalidated testing that has proven to be an unfair burden on New York State students and their families,” Nolan told City & State in March. “No one thinks overtesting our students prepares them to be successful college students or members of the workforce.”
EDUCATION
THE CORE OF THE MATTER
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In 2015, NYC’s charter schools received over 249,689 applications for 22,010 seats, leaving tens of thousands of parents on waiting lists to get into the public charter school of their choice. Despite parent demand, there is a cap on the number of charter schools allowed to open in NYC.
Tell New York State’s Legislature –
Learn more and get involved at
NYCCharterSchools.org
cit yandstateny.com
city & state — June 8, 2015
It’s time to eliminate the cap on great public charter schools.
EDUCATION
A PATH HOME FOR INCARCERATED KIDS
EXPERT OPINION
by Harriet Karr-McDonald
We tend to think about a young person’s education as a straight line; a series of steps measured in grade levels and ages. But for young people who are exposed to the very adult world of criminal justice, things aren’t so simple. Their educations aren’t just interrupted— they’re stopped dead. And a terrible cycle begins. Recidivism becomes the rule rather than the exception; and poverty, drug use, and homelessness are more likely outcomes than a diploma or employment. The school-to-prison pipeline is real. Our society built it. And yet we’ve given virtually no thought to the return trip. When they do make it home, they exist in two worlds: the outside world of adult expectations and the internal world of adolescent pain. And we haven’t equipped them with the tools or resources to manage either.
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We see the consequences every day in our Young Men’s Program. The 18-26 year olds we serve may be past the threshold of adulthood, but in many ways they’re still children. Their personal and social skills resemble middle schoolers’. 1 in 5 reads at or below the fifth grade level. 70% have abused drugs or alcohol. Yet a quarter have kids of their own. When we look at the data, it’s clear that we as a society failed these children long before their first arrest. We already know what the consequences will be to society if we don’t intervene on their behalves, repair their broken educations, and provide a pathway to employment. Their children will grow up in poverty. They’ll drop out of school. Then prison. And the cycle will start all over again. But it doesn’t have to be that way. In New York State, we already have some of the infrastructure and mechanisms in place to care for and restore these young people’s lives— we just haven’t used them creatively enough. We need the education community, the criminal justice community, and social service agencies to work together and address their needs holistically.
city & state — June 8, 2015
Charter schools, for example, show enormous promise. Augmenting an existing model with a residential component, vocational training, and wrap-around social services would provide the intermediary step these kids need. In a specialized, immersive environment, we could repair the damage of incarceration, complete educations, and truly prepare them to enter the workforce and achieve what every young person aspires to: independence and self-sufficiency. If we’re serious about permanently breaking the cycles of incarceration and poverty in our communities, it starts with young people returning from prison. But they don’t just need a path home, they need guides along that journey. That can only happen when we, as a community of education, criminal justice, and social service professionals, come together to light the way.
JAMES MERRIMAN CEO, New York City Charter School Center
W
hen it comes to Albany, nothing is ever easy. But, as session draws to a close this year, lawmakers have an opportunity to pass a simple fix to a persistent statewide problem in public education, and they should grab it. Eliminating the arbitrary cap on the number of great charter schools that can open in New York is a strong solution to an ongoing crisis. In communities where poverty is persistent, parents have united around a proven option. Seeing a way out of chronically underperforming district schools, they have applied by the tens of thousands to charter schools— public schools which are publicly funded, but independently managed. Charter schools are free to make simple changes and pursue choices that traditional district schools can’t, such as emphasizing more classroom time via a longer school day and school year. The results? Charter schools have emerged as some of the highestperforming public schools in the state. The problem is, New York City is about to run out of charters. Luckily, the solution is right in front of lawmakers. In fact, Gov. Andrew
Cuomo and the Senate are already in support of a measure to raise the number of charters by 100 and get rid of a nonsensical geographic barrier that mandates the number of charters that can open upstate versus in New York City. It’s time that the Assembly—controlled by members in whose districts demand is highest—get on board. Eliminating the cap on the number of charter schools that can provide a high-quality education to underserved kids in greater numbers not only ensures that families have a choice, but it also enables more great public school seats to be added into our struggling school system more quickly. I’m not alone in wanting more charter schools. Just this week a Quinnipiac poll revealed that support for charters is at an all-time high, with a majority of New York City parents—a whopping 62 percent—calling for more and better public school options via a cap lift. It’s time lawmakers listened and used this simple solution to allow more high-quality public schools to flourish where they are needed the most. Let’s eliminate the charter cap by the end of the session.
Harriet Karr-McDonald is Executive Vice President of The Doe Fund and co-founder of the Ready, Willing & Able transitional work program. Learn more at doe.org and twitter.com/thedoefund .
cit yandstateny.com
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KAREN E. MAGEE President, New York State United Teachers
t a series of art auctions last month, investors purchased a record $1 billion worth of paintings and sculptures. Picasso’s “Women of Algiers” sold for nearly $180 million, while a collector purchased Giacometti’s “Pointing Man” for $141.3 million. News coverage about the art purchases shared space with a political story that affects the rest of us more directly: Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s introduction of the deceptively named “Parental Choice in Education Act,” which is actually a rebranded voucher scheme that would provide tax breaks to those who donate to or send their children to private schools. Parents have the right to choose a private school education for their child, of course. But why should taxpayers subsidize that choice? New York’s constitution— and the Court of Appeals’ decision in the Campaign for Fiscal Equity
case—mandates that the state properly fund its public schools, which serve all children, no matter their race, religion or socioeconomic standing. While the state has failed to honor the court’s mandate in the CFE case to fully fund public schools, the governor is instead touting his initiative, the latest giveback to his wealthy donors. Simply put, private schools do not serve all children; public dollars are best used to strengthen public schools that serve all children. The governor’s plan promises huge tax credits—75 percent of the donation, or up to $1 million—and requires a complicated pre-authorization process that favors those with professional accountants. The biggest beneficiaries, therefore, will be those wealthy enough to afford a cadre of financial professionals to avail themselves of these tax breaks—NOT working parents sending their children to neighborhood parochial schools.
There are better uses for the $150 million in tax credits proposed for the first year. That money could be used to rehire some of the dedicated teacher’s aides and assistants laid off because of past budget cuts, or to put a nurse in every school. The state could increase funding to residential schools for students with special needs; fund more libraries and librarians; invest more in SUNY, CUNY and community colleges; and increase support for school districts serving our most vulnerable students. Instead, we have the specter of the governor’s plan, which shamefully diverts public dollars to support private choice, enabling the wealthy to avoid their obligations to pay taxes that support the public good. They appear to have a staunch ally in a governor who is all too willing to help legalize another tax dodge for the rich, freeing up their cash for a down payment on another Picasso.
EDUCATION
EXPERT OPINION
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city & state — June 8, 2015
The Must-Read Morning Roundup of New York Politics and Government
EDUCATION
EXPERT OPINION
L
KEVIN S. LAW President and CEO, the Long Island Association
et’s start with this undeniable fact: The 2 percent property tax cap enacted by Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the state Legislature, with support from the Long Island Association and the statewide business community, is working. Municipalities throughout New York State, including school districts, which are the biggest driver of high property taxes, have by and large responded to the cap with prudent budgeting, more efficiency and restrained spending. In essence, our counties, towns, villages and schools have learned to do more with less. The LIA Research Institute demonstrated the effectiveness of the cap with its recent study, “Long Island’s Projected Property Tax Rates over the Next Decade if the Property Tax Cap is
not Extended.” In it, we analyzed historical property tax trends on Long Island in the decades before the cap was implemented and projected what property taxes would be in the next decade if the cap is not extended. Our study showed that property taxes on Long Island are likely to increase almost 60 percent in the next ten years without the cap in place. Specifically, if the cap is not extended, the average residential property tax in Suffolk County in 2025 is projected to increase $3,796 annually, while in Nassau County it would jump $4,222 (a regional difference of $4,004, or 58 percent, annually). It is clear that such a trajectory is unsustainable for Long Island and the impact would be similarly deleterious for
other regions of the state. The LIA supports the state Senate’s passage of legislation that would make the property tax cap permanent and urges the state Assembly to follow suit. At minimum, the cap should be extended for another five years. There is no need to try to fix something that isn’t broken; or perhaps more aptly in this case, it would be foolish to let a law lapse that has proven extremely successful. The cap is helping homeowners and businesses on Long Island and throughout the state. Reducing the high cost of doing business in our region is one of the LIA’s top priorities. Extending the property tax cap must be the Legislature’s top priority this session.
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HOUSING
‘AIN’T NOTHIN’ GOIN’ ON BUT THE RENT’
EXPIRING RENT REGULATIONS, DEVELOPER TAX BREAKS DOMINATE THE END-OF-SESSION CONVERSATION
By ASHLEY HUPFL
city & state — June 8, 2015
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PAVEL L PHOTO AND VIDEO / SHUTTERSTOCK
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s state Legislators face the rapidly approaching end of session on June 17, another key date is also coming up: the expiration of the rent control laws for New York City and the 421-a tax break for developers, both on June 15. In 2011, the renewal of the rent control laws was tied to a 2 percent property tax cap the state Senate Republicans had championed. Now, Assembly Democrats have made renewing and strengthening the expiring rent control laws their No. 1 priority before the end of the session, while state Senate Republicans push to make the 2 percent property tax cap permanent. Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie has said the two priorities could eventually be linked, and a deal could include the extension of the 421-a tax break. The 421-a break has become a controversial talking point for both sides of the debate this year. Proponents of the tax break, such as New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, argue the tax break is necessary to promote affordable housing, while critics consider the tax break a “sweetheart” deal for developers that does little to promote affordability. Recently, de Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo ramped up their political rivalry—which both insist doesn’t exist—by trading public barbs over 421-a. Adding fuel to the debate are the recent arrests of then-Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and thenSenate Majority Leader Dean Skelos. Both federal indictments involve big real estate developers that benefit from 421-a. The corruption accusations flying around the state Capitol have made legislators leery of the issue. Both sides agree something needs to be done with the expiring housing laws, but political observers are
hesitant to guess what a deal would ultimately entail, and what changes, if any, will be made. It’s possible the state Legislature will approve a straight extension of the 421-a tax break and a renewal of the rent regulations so legislators can leave the chaotic session behind. 421-A The current version of the 421-a tax break requires developers receiving the exemption to set aside 20 percent of apartments as affordable for 20 years, which has been criticized as a handout to developers that does not promote enough affordable housing in New York City. De Blasio released a 421-a plan that would require developers receiving the break to set aside 25 to 30 percent of units as affordable and extend the abatement by 10 years, to 35 years. His plan does not require construction workers on 421-a projects to be paid a
prevailing wage, a provision promoted by many major unions. Cuomo has criticized de Blasio’s plan and has called it a “giveaway” for developers, although he signed off on the current version of the 421-a tax break in 2011 and has raked in millions in campaign contributions from real estate companies. The governor and major unions have criticized any form of 421-a that does not guarantee a prevailing wage for workers. “421-a is very unclear right now because there is a great deal of disagreement between the governor and the mayor,” state Senate Housing Committee Chairwoman Cathy Young said. “However, 421-a has been proven to be effective in building affordable housing, so we’ll see how the negotiations go.” Weighing in on the 421-a debate, Heastie told reporters he would let the state Senate Republicans and Cuomo fight it out, though on June 2, Assembly Housing Committee Chair
Keith Wright introduced a new 421-a bill which includes prevailing wages for construction workers and provisions for 20 percent affordable units in 421-a developments. Last week, state Sen. Jack Martins, a Republican, introduced a bill that would require a prevailing wage for construction workers only if the developer sets aside less than 50 percent of units as affordable, and it would only apply to developments with more than 50 units. Martins’ bill is an amendment to the existing 421-a bill and is set to expire on June 15, 2018. RENT REGULATIONS In May, Assembly Democrats passed a bill that extends and strengthens the rent control laws. The bill also included provisions that would repeal vacancy decontrol, strengthen tenant protections and require rental increases associated with major capital improvements and individual cit yandstateny.com
PROPERTY TAX CAP
KET-SMM / SHUTTERSTOCK
Senate Republicans passed a bill that would permanently extend the 2 percent
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WHAT GOT DONE * The 2015-16 state budget included $100 million for the New York City Housing Authority
WHAT’S ON THE DOCKET * Extending the rent regulation laws and 421-a tax break for developers set to expire June 15 * Making the property tax cap permanent
EXPERT OPINION
HOUSING
property tax cap that was originally tied to the rent regulation laws in 2011. State Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan previously said passing the legislation would be a top priority for the conference. “We strongly support making the tax cap permanent because it’s been proven to be effective in stopping harmful property tax increases that drive people and jobs out of the state,” Young said. “(The expiring rent regulations and the property tax cap were) already linked together— and that happened four years ago. So a straight rent regulation extender would be most appropriate.” Cuomo has expressed support for making the property tax cap permanent, but Assembly Democrats have said it should be subject to periodic renewal. “I think if we adhere to our responsibilities as legislators, I think in a perfect world we might be able to get some good pieces of legislation concerning both,” Wright said. “But sometimes politics does get in the way.”
JOSEPH STRASBURG President, Rent Stabilization Association
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y a 59-0 vote, Senate Democrats and Republicans recently passed proposed legislation (S.5056-A) that would provide rent increase exemptions to tenants with annual incomes of less than $50,000 and who pay at least half of that income in rent. Like existing rent subsidy programs for senior citizens and the disabled, it would provide rent relief to tenants, keep families in their homes, and preserve and protect New York City’s affordable housing. Yet, Mayor Bill de Blasio, the Assembly Democratic leadership and the tenant lobby show no sign of advocating for an Assembly version of this sweeping legislation. Instead, de Blasio declares war on the city’s largest supply of existing affordable rental housing—1 million rent-stabilized apartments. His proposals, echoed by the Assembly, would eliminate rent increases when apartments become vacant, prohibit deregulation of stabilized units and limit improvement-driven rent increases. But this revenue is needed to preserve rent-stabilized housing—the same housing that in 2014 produced $19 billion in economic activity, including 153,000 local jobs, and generated nearly $3 billion in city taxes to fund municipal services like police, fire and sanitation.
Landlords are hit annually with increases in real estate taxes and water and sewer charges, which make up onethird of building operating costs. These costs are set to increase again in July. De Blasio knows it takes revenue to operate rental properties. But unlike rent-stabilized apartment owners, de Blasio’s three apartments are not rent-regulated, which means he can freely raise his tenants’ rents to cover increases in operating expenses. Talk about hypocrisy. Last year, the Rent Guidelines Board, which de Blasio controls, allowed a 1 percent rent hike despite a 5.7 percent increase in landlords’ costs. This year, the RGB is poised to set an even lower increase, possibly even a rent freeze. The mayor says the city has lost hundreds of thousands of rentstabilized apartments. But a recently released RGB report shows a net increase in rent-stabilized apartments over the past two years. Tenants are burdened not by excessive rents, but by inadequate incomes. It’s time that de Blasio and Assembly Democrats take the politics out of affordable housing and start supporting sound policies—like a tenant rent increase exemption program—that would immediately provide protections to the rent-burdened constituency they claim to be protecting.
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city & state — June 8, 2015
HOUSING
apartment improvements be separately designated and billed as surcharges. Additionally, the legislation would establish the crime of second-degree harassment of a rent-regulated tenant if a landlord intentionally makes housing uninhabitable, unsafe or unhealthy or causes a tenant to vacate. “Ain’t nothing going on but the rent,” Assembly Housing Committee Chairman Keith Wright said. “Senate Republicans seem to have their heels dug in, but this is not about a political fight—this should be a fight about equity, justice and fairness, but we have some very powerful forces working against us.” Senate Republicans instead have passed the Tenant Rent Increase Exemption bill, which is modeled after the senior citizen rent increase exemption program and would freeze rent for people who earn less than $50,000 annually and spend more than 50 percent of their income on rent. “We would like to encourage the Assembly to pass the TRIE program,” Young said. Like the expiring 421-a tax break, rent regulations are likely to be renewed in some form, even if it is a straight extender. When City & State asked Wright in early May what would happen if the rent control laws were not renewed, Wright compared the prospect to a natural disaster. “Do you remember the impact the tsunami had on those folks in Asia? It would be something like that,” the Manhattan Democrat said. “It would be devastating.”
HOUSING city & state — June 8, 2015
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EXPERT OPINION
EXPERT OPINION
RAFAEL E. CESTERO President & CEO, The Community Preservation Corporation
PAT PURCELL Executive Director, Greater New York City Laborers-Employers Cooperation and Education Trust
he affordable housing crisis is no longer a vague, intangible worry of our future—for an overwhelming majority of New Yorkers, it’s their primary concern today. With New York City set to hit 9 million residents by 2040, we need to leverage all available tools to their maximum potential to meet our city’s needs immediately. The 421-a tax abatement program has created over 70,000 affordable rental housing units and we cannot afford to lose this essential tool. With the current 421a program set to expire on June 15, we have a real opportunity to make serious improvements to a program that has long been integral to creating affordable housing. Created in the 1970s when many New Yorkers were fleeing to the suburbs, 421-a served as a tool to stimulate residential housing development. As the need for affordable housing grew, 421-a was updated to require developers to set aside a percentage of affordable units in order to receive a tax abatement. Mayor Bill de Blasio recently proposed reforms that would mandate a higher percentage of units set aside for affordable housing and shift the focus away from the development of luxury condos to rental developments, in
which the majority of New Yorkers live, among other changes. These are timely and reasonable improvements that have and will help reverse the direction of New York City’s housing crisis. As the deadline for action on 421-a approaches, some have argued that a straight extension of the current legislation will suffice. However, this would be a lost opportunity to make important revisions to the current program that will result in more affordable units in more neighborhoods. Others argue that a prevailing wage mandate should be tied to all 421-a construction. Prevailing wage is a union wage that is significantly higher than a living wage, and a mandate would drastically increase the cost of construction of new rental developments. It would also burden the small, outer-borough developers who hire within their local community and whom the program aims to incentivize. Now more than ever, we need to pass an improved 421-a program that would not only translate into more affordable units but also encourage the development of more rental housing for all New Yorkers. The mayor has put forth a realistic, forward-looking plan, and 421-a must be revised to keep New York City affordable.
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or the remainder of the session UP4NYC will be advocating in Albany to address income inequality and the city’s housing crisis by fixing the 421-a tax program. Our goal is to pass meaningful legislation that requires developers who receive 421-a tax breaks to pay their workers prevailing wages, while also building more affordable housing. The current publicly financed profit model of private developers receiving million-dollar tax breaks is not working for New Yorkers. Developers receiving 421-a abatements for market-rate and luxury housing, while paying workers poverty wages, has failed us for too long. Public funds require public responsibilities. The 421-a tax exemption has become the city’s largest property tax break, and a sweetheart deal for wealthy developers that cost taxpayers over $1 billion last year. Moreover, the program has failed to deliver on its housing goals: About 130,000 housing units received 421-a benefits in 2014, only 4.4 percent of which were subject to affordability restrictions. Further, certain developers receiving
421-a benefits often hire contractors that have well-documented histories of wage theft and subjected their workers to poor labor conditions. As reported in the Daily News, developers like Galaxy Construction, L+M Development Partners, and Lemle & Wolff frequently rely on subcontractors that cheated workers out of millions of dollars in wages—while reaping millions more in tax breaks under 421-a. Some workers were paid as little as $12 an hour. UP4NYC’s campaign established the facts about 421-a and we are beginning to receive a tremendous response from Albany. Gov. Andrew Cuomo recently spoke up in support of working families by refusing to back a deal that didn’t protect workers. Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie also publicly announced support for prevailing wages. In addition, Assemblyman Keith Wright and Sen. Jack Martins have both introduced bills in their respective chambers that address our issues. Up4NYC looks forward to productive conversations with the governor, legislative leadership and other stakeholders as the session concludes.
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LABOR
WORKING IT OUT
END OF SESSION EXPECTED TO BE QUIET ON THE LABOR FRONT
By MICHAEL GARETH JOHNSON
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CHAMELEONS EYE / SHUTTERSTOCK
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he 2015-2016 budget was a mixed bag for organized labor. They were able to block several proposals they opposed, but also struggled to successfully lobby for the passage of bills benefitting workers. As we head into the end of the session, there is little reason for more optimism, as the dynamics in the respective Assembly and Senate chambers don’t appear to have shifted dramatically, despite the shake-up in leadership. Topping the list of topics for labor groups has been the extension of the 421-a tax abatement program for developers—something we explore at length in our housing session countdown. Several other high-profile agenda items are receiving a lot of attention in the media, though they are not likely to be tackled in the final days of the session, when labor issues will take a back seat to the items lawmakers are forced to address.
city & state — June 8, 2015
MINIMUM WAGE Under current state law the minimum wage is $8.75 an hour. It will rise to $9 an hour at the end of the year. And while there has been little support among state Senate Republicans for boosting the minimum wage, public polls showing support for an increase have opened the door for some discussion about a bump in the hourly wage for workers. In his budget proposal, Gov. Andrew Cuomo proposed increasing the minimum wage to $11.50 in New York City and $10.50 for the rest of the state, but that initiative was left out of the final version of the spending plan. He then called for the wage to be increased to $10.10 starting in July. His plan would also allow municipalities, primarily New York City, to increase the minimum wage up to 30 percent above the state wage—which would work out to $13.13 an hour.
Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan has said his conference has no appetite to increase the minimum wage until the current round of increases take effect at the end of this year. Nationally, there has been a push for a $15-an-hour wage that has been led in part by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who called on Albany to take action in his budget address. The Democratic-led state Assembly did pass a $15-an-hour minimum wage, but Cuomo and Flanagan have both said $15 an hour is not a viable option. A further sign that an increase in the state minimum wage is unlikely for
the end of the session was Cuomo’s decision in early May to bypass lawmakers and push to specifically increase the wage for fast food workers to $15 an hour through an executive action. Cuomo instructed the state Labor Department to empanel a Wage Board to hold hearings and make a recommendation. In an op-ed appearing in The New York Times, Cuomo took aim right at the CEOs of fast food companies. “Nowhere is the income gap more extreme and obnoxious than in the fast-food industry,” he wrote. “Fastfood C.E.O.s are among the highestpaid corporate executives. The average
fast-food C.E.O. made $23.8 million in 2013, more than quadruple the average from 2000 (adjusting for inflation). Meanwhile, entry-level food-service workers in New York State earn, on average, $16,920 per year, which at a 40-hour week amounts to $8.50 an hour.” If the Wage Board votes to recommend an increase, the hike would target only larger multibilliondollar organizations, and leave small businesses immune from an increased minimum wage—a move that has helped silence Cuomo’s critics on the left and provide state Senate Republicans some political cover. cit yandstateny.com
cit yandstateny.com
WHAT’S ON THE DOCKET
* Assembly and Senate passed a package of pay equity bills that Gov. Andrew Cuomo has promised to sign
* Prevailing wage requirement for 421-a projects * Bill allowing veterans to buyback up to 3 years of pension credits
*Both Assembly Labor Chairwoman Michele Titus and Senate Labor Chairman Jack Martins declined multiple requests to speak with City & State about their endof-session priorities for this section.
LABOR
In 2009, then-Gov. David Paterson vetoed a pension bill. At the time, the state was in a financial crisis and he thought the additional benefits would be bad for the long-term fiscal health of New York. That veto had an unintended consequence: It cut the disability benefit payout for new uniformed employees—firefighters, police officers and sanitation workers. Now, if a first-year firefighter is injured on the job and cannot return to work, they will walk away with less than $30 a day. Typically, in order for this to be reversed in New York City, the City Council would have to issue a homerule amendment that would allow Albany to pass a correction. But the de Blasio administration has been criticized for holding up this process, and it responded by saying more time was needed to put forth an amended plan. When that plan was released, increasing the disability payouts for new hires but not to the pre-2009 levels, the backlash was fierce. In a joint letter, the New York City Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association and the Uniformed Firefighters Association said the mayor’s proposal “was fashioned without any input from the PBA and UFA and would not provide equal disability benefits, and may in-fact worsen the inequality.” Late last week, de Blasio amended his plan to match pre-2009 levels, offering pensions equal to 75 percent of injured workers’ salaries, but the unions said it just wasn’t enough. As the public fight plays out, the state Legislature is considering moving ahead without the City Council’s approval. The state Senate passed bills to fix this loophole by a vote of 56 to 0. The Assembly has been waiting for the home-rule bill, but is starting to indicate it may not wait any longer. At a City Council hearing on the matter last month, Assemblyman Peter Abbate, chairman of the Committee on Governmental Employees, took aim at the mayor, saying he is trying to run out the clock at the end of the session. “They are delaying, delaying, delaying. They don’t want to do this. I hope the (City) Council doesn’t fall for what they are doing anymore,” Abbate said. In a follow-up interview, Abbate told City & State that he really doesn’t want to act without the City Council’s approval, because “if we do that, there is no purpose to have a City Council.”
WHAT GOT DONE
SMART | DYNAMIC | CARING | DEDICATED
LOCAL 1000 AFSCME, AFL-CIO DA N N Y D O N O H U E , P R E S I D E N T
On the line every day. We’re family, friends and neighbors doing the work that matters.
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city & state — June 8, 2015
PENSION DISABILITY REFORM
People working together to make a better New York for all. 9145_7.458x10 Clr_CS.indd 1
6/2/15 1:09 PM
Federal law allows all employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid family leave. But for most families, going without a paycheck is not a realistic option. At a hearing in March, Senate Independent Democratic Conference Leader Jeff Klein said, “I think we can all agree that most families cannot afford to take one week of unpaid family leave, let alone 12 weeks.” In a surprise move, Klein was able to insert a paid family leave bill into the Republican-controlled state Senate’s one-house budget bill. His plan did not go as far as the Assembly’s version, passed weeks earlier, and eventually the plan was dropped from budget negotiations. As the session comes to an end, the measure is still being debated—but it looks unlikely that the technical details will be hammered out in the final days. Last Wednesday, advocates for the Assembly’s version of the bill, which calls for 12 weeks of paid leave at twothirds regular salary, rallied outside the Senate chamber to urge their colleagues to pass their version of
ASHLEY HUPFL
LABOR
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PAID FAMILY LEAVE
State Sen. Brad Hoylman, center, flanked by supporters of the Assembly’s paid family leave bill at a rally last week at the Senate chamber.
Public EmPloyEEs FEdEration 2015 lEgislativE PrioritiEs
Other PEF Priorities include legislation for:
city & state — June 8, 2015
✓ Providing continuation of state-operated services ❏
to OPWDD Consumers in state-operated community settings ✓ Strengthening whistleblower protections for ❏ public and private sector employees ✓ ❏ Cancer screening for all types of cancer ✓ Expanding the definition of the term “agency” ❏ for oversight purposes-FOIL ✓ ❏ Enacting pension justice for families of deceased retirees ✓ ❏ Preserving retirees’ health insurance benefits
The union that cares for the community
New York State Public Employees Federation
, AFL-CIO
Representing 54,000 professional, scientific and technical employees www.PEF.org
Susan M. Kent President
Carlos J. Garcia Secretary-Treasurer
cit yandstateny.com
LABOR
The chambers’ proposals also differ in how the paid time off would be funded. The Assembly is calling for a tax in paychecks of about 45 cents a week. While this would impact workers, the Assembly sponsors argue it would not impact businesses. The Senate version would have been partially funded through the state general fund. Senate Republicans and the Independent Democratic Conference have not submitted a new bill after the plan was dropped from the budget, and they say adopting the Assembly’s plan is a non-starter because of the funding model.
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COMPARING PAID FAMILY LEAVE BILLS ASSEMBLY: - 12 weeks of paid leave to care for sick family members or newborns - Employees receive two-thirds of their regular salary while on leave - Workers contribute 45 cents a week to policy * Passed by the Assembly in March SENATE: - Six weeks of paid leave to care for sick family members or newborns - Employee receives half of their regular salary while on leave - $125 million from state general fund would be used to partially subsidize the cost * Included in one house budget bill
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cit yandstateny.com
city & state — June 8, 2015
LABOR
the bill. Assemblywoman Shelley Mayer, a member of the Assembly’s Labor Committee and sponsor of the paid family leave bill, dismissed talk of reaching compromise with the plan floated by the Senate before the budget—which calls for six weeks of paid leave at half regular salary— saying there is overwhelming political support for the Assembly version. “I don’t see a compromise as being necessary at all,” Mayer said. “(The Assembly) passed a totally reasonable, business-friendly, positive bill for every constituent, every member. This is a really great bill. They should just do it.”
LABOR
Rebuilding our Infrastructure the Right Way
EXPERT OPINION
By Mario Cilento, President, New York State AFL-CIO
Fix 421-a for Workers,
The $5 billion state Economy budget the surplus has Rebuilding our Taxpayers andInfrastructure the spurred an endless supply of creative ideas Right By MarioWay Cilento, President, New York State
on how to spend New York’s newfound AFL-CIO By Mario Cilento, President, New York State settlement windfall.wages Most of those proposals have centered on Discussions about raisingAFL-CIO for low income earners are echoing throughout
addressing physical is certainly the hallways of governing infrastructure bodies all across thisdeficiencies, great nation. Thewhich minimum wage for tipped workers was rightly raised in New York State earlier this year. a necessary and worthwhile proposal. knowing what The $5 billion state But budget surplus hasto spend There is currently a wage board in place to explore the possibility of increasing spurred an industry. endless supply creative ideas money on iswage notinenough, we must And rebuild our infrastructure the the minimum the fast food effortsof are underway to raise the minimum wageon for all working New Yorkers. how to spend New York’s newfound right way.
settlement windfall. Most of those proposals have centered on Even as these discussions are being had and the calls to raise wages are addressing infrastructure whichto isgrow. certainly being heard,physical income inequality in thisdeficiencies, continues And In investing public dollars intocountry infrastructure – both settlement a nowhere necessary worthwhile proposal. But City, knowing what to spend is itand more glaring than in New York particularly when it comes to the program. money and beyond, wewemust be sureourtoinfrastructure create goodthejobs with money on is 421-a not enough, must rebuild adequate right way. labor protections tied to every dollar spent. From The 421-a program allows wealthy developers to benefit from billions in tax
SUSAN M. KENT President, New York State Public Employees Federation
A
s president of the Public breaks without them labor to createagreements, good paying middle-class jobsand in workers prevailing raterequiring to project the public Federation, I theinvesting process. public dollars into infrastructure – both settlement In alike need assurance that the best skilled and trained labor will be Employees represent 54,000 money and beyond, we must be sure to create good jobs with These developers are currently enjoying tax breaks to build luxury housing used. professional, scientific and technical
26
adequate labor protections to out every dollar From for even wealthier people, whiletied carving a very smallspent. percentage as employees in state and local prevailing rate to project labor agreements, the public and workers affordable housing. governments. Day in and day out and We must ensure there are protections beyond thewill construction alike needalso assurance that the best skilled and trained labor be in times of crisis, our members provide The 421-a program doles out more than $1 billion in tax breaks every year to the vital services our citizens depend phase. There should be Buy American requirements built into used. developers. What is lacking is a fair return on the taxpayer’s investment.
on, like caring for the state’s mentally procurement, so that any iron and steel sourced from these projects ill and developmentally disabled, If allowed to continue as is, are theprotections program willbeyond drive down wages in the We mustjobs also ensureatthere the construction creates here home. We must ensure the infrastructure our designing the state’s roads and construction industry andbe lower for allrequirements workers. phase. There should Buystandards American built into bridges, protecting our environment, families take to school and work every day is built with quality procurement, so thatsupports any iron andthe steel sourced these protecting public health and so much The labor movement fixing program. Wefrom fall on the projects side of American craftsmanship. can never again allow a repeat more. of taxpayers, those in need of affordable housing, and the hard-working men and creates jobs here at home. WeWe must ensure the infrastructure our women fighting good, solid, middle-class jobs.dayiniswhich the Verrazano embarrassment, the quality MTA sent $34PEF’s legislative priorities focus on families take toforBridge school and work every built with the quality and delivery of services to million to ifcraftsmanship. China steel in thetaxagain bridge’s repair. American We never a repeat We believe the statefor is going to used becan providing breaksallow to developers thenof the people of New York State, and
the Verrazano Bridge in which MTA sent those benefiting from the embarrassment, tax breaks have an obligation to the provide good jobs.$34 improving million to China for steel used in the bridge’s repair. members. Also, any permanent jobs created should be protected, by ensuring
the working lives of our
Simply put, prevailing wages should be required for all workers on 421-a
projects; including the men andstaffed women who provide services in the buildings that public services are through civil service, and that any Also, anymen permanent be protected, by ensuring and the and womenjobs whocreated constructshould the buildings. IMPROVING WORKING non-construction, private jobs that may and result that public services are staffedsector through civil service, thatare anysubject to CONDITIONS AND BENEFITS Requiring prevailing wages forsector construction workers is result not and only publicto adequate labor standards in terms of may wages benefits. non-construction, private jobs that aregood subject • For employees working in health policy, it is essential to helping workers achieve a higher standard of living, a
city & state — June 8, 2015
adequate labor standards in terms of wages and benefits. better quality of life and resulting in an improved economy for all.
care facilities, there is a need to protect patients’ and employees’ safety. In the Finally, the focus on infrastructure should not distract us from the 2014 session, PEF lobbied for the Safe We should all want programs that support lifting up workers and middleFinally, the focus on infrastructure should not to distract us healthcare, from the other budgetary needs. From education public New Patient Handling and Safe Nurseclass jobs. And we should all want more affordable housing for those who other budgetary needs. From education to public healthcare, New Patient Ratio legislative bills. Safe need must it most.reinvest in strong public services, many of which have York York must reinvest in strong public services, many of which have Patient Handling was passed in the been cut toto the bone years. Public Services and those Reforming thethe 421-a program is recent a step in the right direction toward budget in 2014. This year we, along been cut bone in in recent years. Public Services andclosing those the gap between the haves have-nots. Let’sstrengthens fix programs thatour exacerbate who provide them an asset community.with our coalition partners, call for who provide them areare anand asset that that strengthens our community. income inequality. passage of the Safe Nurse-Patient Ratio. If wealthy developers want to take advantage of tax breaks then they have • The Parole Officers Workplace an obligation to give something back to the taxpayers – affordable housing Parity Bill was passed by both houses and strong middle-class jobs. of the Legislature last year, but vetoed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo. We have worked on ways to improve and amend For more information on the New York State AFL-CIO, this bill, to not only ensure legislative For more information on the New York State AFL-CIO, visit www.nysaflcio.org
passage once again, but also ensure that this year Cuomo signs the bill into law. • PEF and our coalition partners urge the Legislature to again pass the Veterans Buyback Bill this year. The governor vetoed this bill and said it should be included in the budget. However, the enacted 2014-15 budget did not include this important bill. ENSURING QUALITY SERVICES • We urge the Legislature to support our efforts to ensure that New York State does not relinquish its responsibility to continue to provide the services the public needs and deserves delivered by professional public employees by passing the Lupardo/ Libous OPWDD Consumer Bill. FIGHTING PRIVATIZATION OF THE STATE WORKFORCE • This session we have continued our efforts to educate legislators and the public about why the governor’s continued effort to privatize government threatens the job security of PEF members and the quality services they provide to the citizens of New York State. We urge the Legislature to support good, sound public policy and pass a cost-benefit analysis measure for New York State personal service contracts. Legislators, we urge you to support our positions. Together we can maintain quality, cost-effective public services for the citizens of New York State.
visit www.nysaflcio.org
cit yandstateny.com
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HEALTHCARE
THE WAITING GAME
LEGISLATORS STILL FIGHTING TO GET MEDICAL MARIJUANA TO PATIENTS WHO NEED IT MOST
By ASHLEY HUPFL
city & state — June 8, 2015
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ATOMAZUL/SHUTTERSTOCK
T
he health agenda for both houses includes some key reforms to the medical marijuana program and an array of low-profile bills aimed at promoting healthier New Yorkers. After becoming the 23rd state to legalize medical marijuana last June, New York legislators are now watching the implementation of the new system carefully. Assembly Democrats are pushing a bill that would make it easier for the state Department of Health to provide critically ill patients emergency access to medical marijuana. “(The governor) has sent emphatic letters to the health commissioner in the last year calling for immediate availability of medical marijuana for these children and others—and still no one has gotten medication,” Assembly Health Committee Chairman Dick Gottfried said. “This bill is an effort to try to get the executive branch to move on the issue.” State Senate Health Committee Chairman Kemp Hannon also supports immediately implementing medical marijuana for children with severe epilepsy, though he believes it should be done through administrative changes. Currently, the state’s medical marijuana statute is due to take effect in January. “There was a statement by the (state Health Department) Commissioner (Howard Zucker) that they were anticipating a trial program being implemented when the commissioner was recently before the health committee for the confirmation process,” Hannon said. “I think we should be looking forward to that, more than any statute.” Both Hannon and Gottfried support legislation to curtail and regulate health care services provided by retail stores, such as CVS, Price Chopper and Wal-Mart. However, Hannon called
the Assembly bill “very complicated” compared with the Senate bill. They also support legislation that would bring electronic cigarettes under the purview of the state’s Clean Indoor Air Act. Gottfried this year achieved his top priority when the Assembly passed a single-payer health care bill he spearheaded. The move was mostly symbolic, as the Republican-controlled Senate is not expected to take up the bill. The Assembly Democrat also listed as a priority some of the recommendations from the governor’s Ending the Epidemic Task Force to combat HIV and AIDS, as well as the Hospital and Nursing Home Safe Staffing bill, though he admitted the latter faces an “uphill battle.” On the Senate side, Hannon would like to advance legislation that would expand organ donation in New York by clarifying forms at the state DMV
and allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to declare a preference to donate, with parental permission. On the lighter side of state politics, the Senate recently passed a bill that would change state health law to let restaurants allow dogs in outdoor dining areas. “With a large percentage of New Yorkers being dog owners, many restaurants would like to accommodate their guests and permit canine companions to join them,” Hannon said in a statement. “However, the current health code prohibits restaurants that wish to make such accommodations from doing so or they will face non-issuance, suspension, or forfeiture of their license if they do allow dogs in outdoor dining areas.” While the bill has not yet passed the Assembly, Gottfried has expressed support for the bill and said he expects it to pass before June 17.
WHAT GOT DONE * The 2015-16 state budget included $400 million over four years to support debt restructuring and other capital projects for health care systems * The budget also included $700 million in capital funding to stabilize the health care delivery system of central and east Brooklyn, and $300 million to create an integrated health care delivery system in Oneida County
WHAT’S ON THE DOCKET * Speeding up the implementation of the medical marijuana program * Expanding organ donation * Bringing e-cigarettes under the provisions of the state’s Clean Indoor Air Act
cit yandstateny.com
N
DENNIS WHALEN President, Healthcare Association of New York State
ew York State’s health care system is undergoing a tremendous transformation. Our hospitals and health systems have embarked on the challenge of improving the quality of care, establishing healthier communities and reducing the cost of care. While we thank Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the Legislature for their partnership in this transformation and investment, the financial condition of our health care system is among the worst in the country and more must be done to ensure the stability of our hospitals and health systems—small community hospitals, critical access hospitals, specialty hospitals, long-term care partners, and large systems and academic health centers
all play essential roles in serving their communities throughout the state. These providers are taking on significant reforms: shifting care from inpatient to outpatient settings; testing new models of care and payment; participating in quality and patient safety collaboratives to improve care and outcomes; exploring risk-based payment methodologies; adopting health information technology systems; and focusing on population health management—all at the same time. HANYS continues to strongly advocate for more reform of regulations to enable these changes to occur in a timely way and without cumbersome and overly bureaucratic rules and requirements that were designed for a different time and different models of care. For example,
establishing tighter time frames for construction applications, keeping opportunities fair for providers and plans, and allowing for workforce flexibility would greatly accelerate providers’ ability to transform. Proposals that will push our health care system in the wrong direction must not be enacted. Despite a regulatory landscape that creates innovation-stifling hurdles and incredible financial challenges, we are moving toward the health care system of tomorrow—one that emphasizes preventive, patient-centered care delivered by a collaborative team of providers across all settings, areas and levels of clinical expertise. We look forward to working with the governor and Legislature as this vision is realized.
HEALTHCARE
EXPERT OPINION
29
New York’s Hospitals
transforming health Inside our hospitals, babies are born, bodies are mended, and patient-focused care is provided around the clock.
city & state — June 8, 2015
In our communities, we bring our care to you through outpatient clinics, wellness programs, mobile cancer screenings, and telemedicine— helping New Yorkers live healthy and stay healthy. Learn more at www.hanys.org/3a
hanys_half page horizontal_060415.indd 1 cit yandstateny.com
6/3/2015 2:03:26 PM
‘IT’S BOBSLED TIME!’ T
30
he Jamaican national
bobsled team was formed in 1987 and took the world by surprise at the 1988 Olympics in Calgary, Canada, where a promising run ended in a crash but nonetheless won the four-man squad widespread acclaim. Popularized in the 1993 film “Cool Runnings,” the team has continued to compete on the world stage, including at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Devon Harris, one of the team’s original members who also competed in the 1992 and 1998 Olympics before retiring from the sport, recently traveled to Albany to push for legislation that would help secure funding for the team. Harris, who is now a motivational speaker and author, spoke with City & State Senior Correspondent Jon Lentz about training at Lake Placid, living in New York and helping schoolchildren back in Jamaica. The following is an edited transcript.
city & state — June 8, 2015
City & State: You were in Albany this year to meet with state lawmakers. Why? Devon Harris: We came there to ask the lawmakers to authorize a special Jamaican bobsled team license plate. Jamaica bobsledding actually has a really long history with New York State. This is the first state and the first bobsled track we ever visited when our team got formed back in 1987. Ever since we have been coming to Lake Placid, what we would call our home track. Actually, there are three former members of the team, two of the original members and one of the guys from the 1992 team, who have lived in New York State now for more than 20 years. There’s been a long history. C&S: So Lake Placid was your first time on ice? DH: When we got to Lake Placid, it was too early to be on the track. It was in September of 1987. But the first time I pushed a bobsled was in Lake Placid. It was on the ice rink training with the U.S. team at the time.
C&S: “Cool Runnings” popularized the team. What did you think of the film? DH: I thought it was a good humaninterest story. They did a good job in depicting the spirit of the team and fighting to overcome. Of course, they took a lot of liberties with many of the facts, but they got the spirit of the time right. The movie had so many powerful life lessons that all of us can apply to our lives.
A Q&A WITH
DEVON HARRIS C&S: And you live in New York now. DH: Yes. I’ve been living here since December 1992. C&S: How did you end up here? DH: My time in the army came to an end in 1992, and I thought I should move to the U.S. My parents at the time lived and still live in New Jersey, and I was looking for other options. I just kind of chose New York. It was close to Jamaica, a four-and-a-halfhour flight. There’s a large Jamaican population here in New York. I started studying hospitality management at New York Tech in Brooklyn. My parents lived nearby, but I didn’t want to live in Jersey. C&S: The proposed Jamaican bobsled team license plates in New York would help fund the current team, right?
DH: Yes, that’s the goal. We created the Jamaica Bobsled Foundation. The idea is to create this Jamaica bobsled team license plate that would eventually create a funding stream for the current team. C&S: So you’re still helping out the team? DH: Yes. My role with the federation now is what we call a secretary general, so I’m responsible for developing and finding funding for our program. C&S: How good is the team now? How talented? DH: Talented, yes. Jamaica still has talented athletes. But they are brand new, novice bobsledders. This past season was their very first season on ice, so they had a chance to learn the sport and now we’re looking to gather funding so we can get them going next season.
C&S: How did Jamaica actually start a bobsled team? DH: Back in 1987, two Americans who lived in Jamaica at the time saw a pushcart, that wooden cart that Sanka Coffie was racing in the movie. We actually do do that in Jamaica. In bobsledding, a big part of the race is the start, so you need sprinters, and of course we have tons of sprinters. But the guys on the summer team didn’t want to do it. So they came to the army and they came to ask me. At the time I was a young lieutenant, and my colonel “suggested” that I try out for the team. I had Olympic aspirations back then as a middle-distance runner. So this seemed like a good opportunity to fulfill a dream of mine, which was represent my country at the Olympic Games. C&S: You also founded the Keep on Pushing Foundation. What does it do, and how is it going? DH: I’m from one of the rougher neighborhoods in Kingston, so my foundation started with work at my old elementary school providing a breakfast program and school supplies in that school and then in several other schools in the neighborhood. We have been getting good results in terms of attendance, punctuality, test scores, general improvement in students’ performance. So I’m encouraged.
To read the full interview with Devon Harris go to www.cityandstateny.com
cit yandstateny.com
:21 AM
70 years of rent control has not solved New York City’s housing shortage.
Let’s Rethink Housing Affordable Housing means fairness for ALL tenants and owners.
For too long, New Yorkers have lived with a broken housing system. It’s time for stakeholders to come together and reframe the conversation. A clear, workable, and ethical plan is needed to restore an adequate supply of housing so that New Yorkers of all income levels can find and afford quality homes. Contact info@chipnyc.org for more information.
RIGHT THIS WRONG - SUPPORT THE DATE OF DISCOVERY LAW (S.911 - Libous / A.285 - Weinstein)