City & State New York 10032016

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HOUSE of CUOMO CAN HE RECOVER FROM THE SCANDAL?

BOROUGH 50:

MANHATTAN’S MOST INFLUENTIAL LEADERS THE JOKER:

PREET’S BEST ZINGERS

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CIT YANDSTATENY.COM October @CIT YANDSTATENY 3, 2016


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City & State New York

October 3, 2016

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EDITOR’S NOTE / Contents A year ago, a lawmaker told me he didn’t think New York needed more ethics reforms. The reason? U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara was already doing a good job policing Albany. Since then, two legislative leaders have been convicted of corruption, while Joe Percoco, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s longtime confidant, is facing bribery charges. Those are just the highlights of Bharara’s record. But as he made clear in an address at City & State’s 10-year anniversary celebration, he needs help. “We can’t do our jobs alone,” he said. “I have often said that no serious social problem or political problem can be solved by prosecution.” What’s more, Bharara is not guaranteed any job security. If Donald Trump recovers from his lackluster performance at the presidential debate at Hofstra University and wins in November, he’s certain to appoint a Republican. Even a President Hillary Clinton could install her own pick. Whoever it is, Bharara’s successor might well shift the focus away from state-level misconduct.

JON LENTZ Senior editor

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HOUSE OF CUOMO Can the governor survive his administration’s biggest scandal?

8.

THE GREAT DEBATE

36.

Concluding arguments from the history-making presidential debate at Hofstra University.

SLANT

Bruce Fisher on the upside of the upstate economic development scandal, and Richard Brodsky on the real Donald Trump.

MANH AT TA N

18.

MANHATTAN BOROUGH 50

The 50 most influential leaders in the borough.


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CityAndStateNY.com

October 3, 2016

A DECADE DELIVERING THE NEWS City & State celebrated its 10th anniversary last week with a star-studded celebration at Vermilion in Midtown. The packed event featured some of New York’s most prominent politicians – including U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, who gave the keynote speech – and some of our accomplished alums, including former editors Edward-Isaac Dovere, Adam Lisberg and Morgan Pehme.


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PREET’S PRONOUNCEMENTS

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“You’re all much better than you look in those wiretap applications.” “I want to congratulate all of you also on being – after only Town & Country – the second-most-popular periodical named after two required fields on a mail-order form. City & State, I’m really looking forward to the launch of Street & ZIP Code.” “The venue was changed to this terrific spot, Vermilon, which I understand to be Indian fusion. I’m kind of Indian fusion myself! Just think, if it had been Mayor de Blasio, we’d all be eating at the Park Slope YMCA. And there would be pizza with a knife and fork.” “People were saying that Preet is deciding to prosecute somebody of his own background and culture ‘to prove himself to his white masters.’ Presumably, Eric Holder and Barack Obama.”

UPCOMING EVENTS: ANDREW KIST

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

EVA’S EMPTY SEATS: THE MISSING CHILDREN OF SUCCESS ACADEMY By Michael Mulgrew, President, The United Federation Of Teachers If Eva Moskowitz addresses a charter school rally in Prospect Park this Wednesday, she will no doubt complain that the city is not providing more seats for her charter schools.

Success charter schools regularly suspend a far larger percentage of students than do most traditional public schools; Success Academy Fort Green suspended nearly one-fourth of its entire student body in the 2013-14 school year, according to most recently available state suspension data.

She will probably neglect to mention an awkward truth – Success Academy charter schools have plenty of vacant seats because more than 800 children have disappeared from Success’ rosters and have never been replaced.

Thirteen parents have gone so far as to file a federal civil rights complaint against Success Academy alleging the charters refused to provide special education services, suspended students multiple times without due process, and harassed parents to transfer children out of Success charters and into neighboring public schools.

Who were these children? Why did they leave? Where did they go?

What does Success gain when students disappear?

Because of Success’ penchant for secrecy and its resistance to outside audits, the answers are not easy to find. But a look at city data does show a disturbing trend.

The city’s Independent Budget Office in 2014 made it clear that “leavers from charter schools have lower test scores than stayers.” And while students who leave public schools (and some charters) are replaced by others, Success charters do not generally accept new students after the early grades.

The 60 third-graders at Success Academy Harlem 1 had in 2009 dwindled to just 32 eighth-graders by 2014, a drop of 47%. Success Academy charter schools had 482 third graders in 2012. By the time that group of children reached seventh grade in 2016, their cohort had shrunk by nearly a third, down to 327 students, according to city Department of Education records. Success counted a total 1,079 third graders in 2015, but only 948 fourthgraders this year, a drop of 12% in a single year. Why do Success’ students leave in such numbers? Is it because of the demeaning attitude toward children demonstrated in a viral video of a Success Academy “model” teacher humiliating a second grader? Is it because children can be repeatedly suspended for minor misbehavior, or placed on an errant principal’s “Got to Go” list like the one that became public last year at one Success Academy charter in Brooklyn?

As a result their student cohorts get smaller and smaller over time, and – following the logic of the IBO report – as the number of struggling students goes down, the average reading and math scores of each class presumably go up, and charter cheerleaders can point to their “success.” A pro-charter advocacy group, Democracy Builders, last year called on the charter industry to stop this disturbing practice, which falsely allowed some charters to “maintain the illusion of success.” Charter schools claim to be public schools, but if the less successful students continue to vanish and charters refuse to fill the empty seats, they shouldn’t be rewarded with more space in already overcrowded public buildings, or larger rentals paid for by taxpayers in private space.


CityAndStateNY.com

October 3, 2016

LAST WEEK’S ROUNDUP NEW PENN STATION LURCHES FORWARD It’s nothing but blue skies for Manhattan commuters – because they’ll be on LED screens. Cuomo unveiled big plans for a $1.6 billion Penn Station redevelopment at an ABNY lunch Tuesday, including a long-awaited expansion into the old Farley Post Office building. Commuters in the current station will get wider walkways and the fake blue skies. Looks like The Garden is staying put, too – good news for Cuomo pals James Dolan, Joe Percoco and Billy Joel.

SOAM / VOLLEY

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SEOUL MATE

SHORRIS GETS GRILLED Deputy Mayor Tony Shorris faced some tough questions from the City Council Thursday while testifying about the lifting of deed restrictions on Rivington House, the Lower East Side nursing home sold to a private developer. Shorris held himself accountable while denying the influence of lobbyists, but another controversy followed, with dueling press releases over whether his office lied about having to catch a flight to Oklahoma in order to limit his testimony.

A Q&A with Seoul Mayor

PARK WON-SOON C&S: YOU’RE IN MANHATTAN TO PROMOTE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SEOUL AND NEW YORK. HOW COULD IT BE IMPROVED? PW: Seoul is the capital city, not only in administration and politics, but also in business. So even though the capital of politics is (elsewhere) in the U.S., New York is the capital city in business in the whole world. So there are so many things to get, benefits, in exchanging with New York City. Also, New York is the home of culture and arts, including fashion. Seoul is also becoming a global city and a hub for arts and the so-called Korean Wave, so exchanging with each other will be giving some benefits with each other. C&S: HERE IN NEW YORK, THERE ARE CONSTANT BATTLES OVER PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. SOUTH KOREA HAS BEAUTIFUL PUBLIC TRANSIT. HOW DOES TRANSIT FUNDING WORK THERE? PW: In the process of building the subway, the central government has the burden of a certain ratio of cost. But they do not want to take the burden to support the maintenance costs. And also, there is a policy by central government to provide free rides to the elderly. It’s decided by the central government, but the cost of the policy, they do not assume. So in that case we are always asking them to take the responsibility, but they do not assume. C&S: WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE SEOUL PUN? DO YOU GOT SOUL? ARE YOU A SOLDIER? PW: Seoul mate! We tried new brand(ing). There were three potential candidates for the Seoul brand. Originally I liked “Seoul Mate.” But hundreds of thousands of citizens living in Seoul and abroad voted together and they chose “I Seoul U.” It was chosen for (the Red Dot Design Award). So through that, I got the lesson that the citizen is more important than me. This interview has been edited for clarity. Read the full interview on CityandStateNY.com

KALOYEROS FALLOUT The scandal as big as the alleged corruption by some of Cuomo’s closest friends and donors hasn’t lost its intrigue. Cuomo tried to pass some of the blame to the SUNY procurement process Wednesday, and SUNY Poly scrubbed all references of its accused former president, Alain Kaloyeros. And just as the “ziti” jokes were getting stale, it was reported that Joe Percoco’s nickname “Herb” originated from obscure 1990 gubernatorial candidate Herb London.

POLITICALLY

THE CRAZIEST THINGS OUR READERS HAVE OVERHEARD IN THE POLITICAL WORLD:

INCORRECT

POLITICS ISN’T ROCKET SCIENCE. CAPITAL FUNDING WHICH IS WHY IS FAKE MONEY. YOU MIGHT HAVE A FUTURE IN IT.

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HOW MANY COMPTROLLERS CAN WE HAVE IN A ROOM AT ONE TIME?

YOUR TURN: What’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve heard someone in the political world say this week? We won’t publish any names (yours or theirs). Send submissions to features@cityandstateny.com.

THE

Kicker

“IT’S A CHEAP NIXONIAN STUNT FROM ED COX AND THE PARTY OF DEAN SKELOS.”

- Cuomo spokesperson Rich Azzopardi, via the Daily News, reacting to negative ads linking the governor to a federal criminal complaint Get the kicker every morning in CITY & STATE’S FIRST READ email. Sign up at cityandstateny.com.


City & State New York

October 3, 2016

FROM THE

WEEKLY PODCAST

A (COURT) DATE WITH THE MAYOR THE NEW YORK POST’S YOAV GONEN JOINS THE SLANT PODCAST TO DISCUSS HIS LAWSUIT AGAINST DE BLASIO Mayor Bill de Blasio promised the most transparent administration in New York City history, but the press corps would disagree. New York Post City Hall Bureau Chief Yoav Gonen is one of those who’s had enough – his paper, along with NY1, is suing for access to emails between de Blasio and consultants the mayor has deemed “agents of the city.”

“It’s hard to know if there’s anything scandalous in there or something that’s going to be mildly embarrassing for the mayor, but either way it serves his interest to postpone certainly past this election. And I don’t know what kind of schedule the lawsuit is going to go, but conceivably he can postpone until after his re-election. So that might be a factor (in a delay).”

YOAV GONEN

“I think the mayor has kind of been disengaging from the press for a while now, many months. I think initially when he came in he made an effort to try and engage us even outside of the scope of our work. … I’m not sure what’s changed for (de Blasio), maybe he’s just gotten fed up, maybe he feels like he’s been treated unfairly and he’s decided to speak up about it, but he certainly has been less willing to let things that are troubling him sit quietly.”

Listen, subscribe and review this week’s podcast by searching for “New York Slant” on iTunes, Stitcher or your favorite podcast app.

A Truly International City Responding to Growth & Climate Concerns B Y R I C H A R D T. A N D E R S O N

New York City has just welcomed world leaders for the annual United Nations General Assembly, a gathering that took place against the backdrop of the City’s Climate Week. This is no coincidence: If the City is to combat the threats posed by global warming, sustained international efforts are necessary.

the midst of a construction boom. A recent analysis by the New York Building Congress found more than 20 million square feet of office space in 23 new buildings is expected to be completed in Manhattan by 2021. This will bring at least 25.8 million square feet of new office space this decade (2010 - 2019), compared to 19.4 million between 2000 and 2009. The growth is not limited to Manhattan. According to Cushman & Wakefield, 13.4 million square feet of office space is either under construction or in the planning stages in Brooklyn and Long Island City, Queens, with nearly three-quarters of that space expected to be ready for occupancy by 2020.

According to a recent U.N. report, the world will need $90 trillion in capital over the next 15 years to meet this challenge, an amount that exceeds global gross domestic product.

While this is positive for the City’s economy, as Superstorm Sandy taught us, New York is uniquely vulnerable to the effects of climate change, and rising sea levels could spell disaster for our city of islands.

While these facts seem paralyzing at first, we can tackle this problem as we have so many others, by implementing solutions at the local level and scaling them up to meet economic realities. Here in New York City, it is no secret that we are in

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, buildings alone were responsible for nearly half (44.6 percent) of U.S. CO2 emissions in 2010. In New York City, it’s closer to 75 percent. That is why Mayor de Blasio’s OneNYC plan calls

for an 80 percent reduction in emissions from buildings by 2050. Clearly, we must balance a growing and robust economy with the reduction of harmful carbon emissions. The New York Building Congress has long supported the continued development of new clean, efficient, and affordable energy generating sources in order to power our growing skyline and economy. The low-carbon future to which we are dedicated also relies on maintaining and strengthening our commitment to existing clean power sources. There is no other way to meet the challenges of global warming while consolidating and building upon the economic gains we have enjoyed. About the Author: Richard T. Anderson is the president of the New York Building Congress and an advisory board member of New York AREA. A copy of the report on office construction by the Building Congress can be found at www.buildingcongress. com/outlook/ SPECIAL SPONSORED SECTION

WWW . A R E A - A L L I A N C E . O R G

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GROUNDS for

DEBATE

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Photos by MARISOL DIAZ

THE FIRST PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump was held last week at Hofstra University, which set a record as the first institution to host one of the contests three cycles in a row. But New York wasn’t just the backdrop – at times, it took center stage. The widely anticipated event packed the Nassau County venue, attracted busloads of demonstrators to the Hofstra campus and drew millions of viewers for the first big face-to-face showdown between the two major-party nominees. Among the protesters were a few hundred supporters of Green Party nominee Jill Stein, whose poll numbers weren’t high enough to qualify for the debate – and who was escorted off campus when she came anyway. That didn’t deter Richard Fuller, who showed up to register his displeasure with both major-party candidates. “She is so different from the Republicans and Democrats that people say a vote for Jill is a wasted vote,” Fuller, a retired elementary school teacher, said of Stein. “Baloney! She says, if all those banks and financial institutions can be bailed out, so can those college students trying to get an education.” During the debate, New York came up at least half a dozen times, which according to one count was more mentions than any other state. Trump claimed that stop-and-frisk policing would help turn around high-crime areas in cities like Chicago because it “worked very well in New York.” Clinton shot back that the tactic was ruled unconstitutional in New York City, and that crime had continued to decline even after the practice was dramatically reduced. Trump also said LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy airports looked like they were “from a Third World country.” While Vice President Joe Biden has made similar comments about LaGuardia, JFK is targeted less frequently – and in fact, Trump reportedly considered developing the old TWA terminal at JFK back in 2014. Two additional references came with Trump mentioning his father having “a real estate company in Brooklyn and Queens” and Clinton praising law enforcement in New York and New Jersey following a question from moderator Lester Holt about the recent Chelsea bombing. Alas, despite Hofstra hosting the debate, Long Island was never mentioned.


October 3, 2016

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October 3, 2016

MARISOL DIAZ

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Closing arguments A Q&A WITH HOFSTRA PRESIDENT AND DEBATE HOST STUART RABINOWITZ HILLARY CLINTON WAS widely viewed as getting the better of Donald Trump in the first presidential debate of the 2016 general election, but the former first lady, New York senator and secretary of state wasn’t the only winner. Hofstra University, a private institution in Nassau County, had the distinction of hosting the historic debate – and also set a mark by having a presidential debate on its campus three cycles in a row. City & State’s Jon Lentz spoke with Hofstra University

President Stuart Rabinowitz about the debate, its impact on the university and the Cuomo administration’s record on economic development. C&S: There has been plenty of commentary on how the first presidential debate went. From your perspective as the host, how did it go? SR: It was perfect. I thought it was fabulous. The students have been energized since they found out that we were going to

be the host this time, which was not too long ago. We had run some pre-debate programs, as we always do, discussing the issues. We had Eugene Robinson, Steve Hayes, David Axelrod and Bobby Jindal and different programs around the campus. Those programs were packed! You could just sense then that there was a buzz in the air and everybody was excited. It’s the students that matter, so we do this for our students. It was like a huge political tailgate party. On the day of the debate,


City & State New York

October 3, 2016

C&S: Hofstra has its Peter Kalikow Center for the Study of the American Presidency. What role does that play in the debates? SR: This is the third time we’ve done it, and in 2008, the first time, we made them aware in our application that we have a history of specializing in the American presidency. The university has done major conferences beginning in the FDR administration and going all the way through George W. Bush, so they knew we wanted this not just as an advertising thing, that this was part of one of our academic niches, so I think that helped. Interestingly enough, once they came, it motivated Peter Kalikow to help out and give us more recognition in this. There was the Kalikow Center for the Study of the American Presidency, which came right around the first debate, and then there was a professorship in the presidency, and just this fall Peter endowed a separate school of government, public policy and international relations. The rest of it was because we did such a good job the first time. HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT STUART RABINOWITZ

students were out early in the morning and discussing things and cheering and even cheered me when I walked to the CNN set on campus, and that’s odd for college students to cheer their president. There was just so much excitement that it was a huge success for our students. And our students got tons of compliments from everybody involved for being helpful and polite and not rowdy and civilly discussing different sides of the same issue. C&S: How many journalists were on campus? SR: In the last debate in 2012, I think we gave out someplace between 3,000 and 3,500 media credentials. For this debate, I believe we gave out 5,000 media credentials. We have this huge gym which we turned into the media center, and it wasn’t big enough! So we had to let the media use the auditorium in our new medical school to have a place to sit. The other thing was a much larger contingent of foreign media than I’ve ever seen at any of these debates. They’re from all over Europe, Asia, Vietnam, Korea, China, all over. This was a great branding opportunity for the university by showing off its students at an important event not just in the United States but around the world.

C&S: Hofstra was the first institution to host a debate three times in a row. Have enrollment applications gone up as a result? SR: The three times really matters. When you have an event that draws a lot of attention, it’s not unusual to get a bump in applications the following year. It’s also not unusual for it to go back to normal. But somebody once referred to us as “Debate U.” Branding is a longtime thing, you need a lot of patience to get the world to understand how good you really are. We sit here and we think, “Gee, we’re going great.” But none of that matters unless a lot of people agree with us. So three in a row is no fluke. It’s not a one-time show. It’s not like you win the basketball tournament once and next year all your seniors graduate. It’s a long time for us to be in the center of presidential elections. So I’m really proud and pleased and pretty optimistic that it will have a long-term branding effect. With better credentials, students from around the world over time will look at Hofstra differently because of all three of these. It’s much better than your traditional advertising where you yourself say, “Hey, I’m great,” and then have to pay for this. Everybody recognizes how important this event was, and that’s the branding: Really important events happen at Hofstra University. C&S: Do you anticipate applying to

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host a debate in 2020? SR: Right now, everybody on campus is so tired. Everybody’s helping to clean up and break down equipment. So right now it seems like, gee, I don’t know. I’d have to think about that. We’ll have to see. C&S: Hofstra was initially a backup host. How did you find out that you’d be getting a debate this year? Were you surprised? SR: I was very surprised. I got an email from the Commission on Presidential Debates which said, “When convenient, give us a call. Nothing urgent.” It was in the late afternoon in the middle of July, and I said to myself, “That’s odd.” I figured they probably wanted to ask one of our people who are really experienced to go out and help maybe Wright State or something like that. Looking at the email, I did not believe that we would actually be the host. So I called up and found out that Wright State was going to withdraw and we had promised to be the alternate. When you apply for a presidential debate, you have to promise that whatever you get you will accept. We were selected as the alternate a year ago. Every day that went by and I didn’t hear anything, I thought, “OK, better luck next time.” So I was surprised, but really thrilled. I’m not sure another school could have done it in 80 days. We were the go-to school on short notice. C&S: You have worked with Gov. Andrew Cuomo on economic development as co-chairman of the Long Island Regional Economic Development Council. Does the recent criminal complaint by U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara on the state’s upstate investments give you any pause in how the Cuomo administration has worked with you and others in your region? SR: I have seen nothing but integrity, goodwill and principled decision-making. It’s not like the council is close to the governor, although I admire him for coming up with this idea of REDCs. We do our thing on Long Island and work with the local ESD people who are terrific, and we compete with the other 10 regions and then we await the decision. Look, we won four out of five times, so we think they make very wise decisions. I have no second thoughts about it. I think it has drawn together Nassau and Suffolk in a way that I’ve never seen before. Nobody likes to see potential corruption in government, but that doesn’t have impact down here.


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DANGEROUS GAMES Unpacking the upstate scandal

In the second season of “The Sopranos,” Tony Soprano hosts an exclusive, high-stakes game of poker. Tony allows his old friend Davey to join in and even loans him 45 “boxes of ziti,” or $45,000, but Davey loses it all. Even worse, a rival of Tony’s named Richie shows up and angrily confronts Davey over another $8,000 he is owed in poker losses – another eight “boxes of ziti.” The other players abruptly end the game, humiliating Tony. The scene seems to have resonated with Joe Percoco, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s longtime friend and former executive deputy secretary, and Todd Howe, a lobbyist who served under Cuomo at the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development. According to federal prosecutors, the two men borrowed the term “ziti” from the TV show as a code word for the money they were raking in through a bribery scheme involving several companies and state agencies. “herb -- need 7500 boxes of zitti!!” Howe wrote in an email to Percoco in 2012, according to the federal criminal complaint released last month. “yes 7500/month is her old salary,” Percoco replied, referring to payments he allegedly sought from an energy company that would be paid to his wife. Howe later emphasized to Percoco how important it is to “keep the ziti flowing.” Another time, Howe wrote, “We don’t need an interruption in that Zitti delivery or else well really be up the creek.” Up the creek is exactly where Percoco and Howe now find themselves, thanks to the charges brought by the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. According to the complaint, Percoco took hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes from an energy company and upstate developers while wielding his influence on their behalf in Albany. Howe was the middleman, connecting lobbying clients to Percoco. Alain Kaloyeros, until recently the president of the State University of New York Polytechnic Institute, rigged bids on projects he controlled to benefit certain upstate developers. Five business executives involved in the alleged bribery schemes were also charged. Cuomo himself was not accused of any wrongdoing – a point U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara made clear – but it’s unclear what the political fallout will be. The governor responded quickly, hiring his own investigator when his office was subpoenaed and distancing himself from Howe and Percoco, who left the administration at the beginning of the year. He expressed disappointment at the charges against Percoco, his former right-hand man, calling them “reprehensible” and saying they would have broken the heart of his father, former Gov. Mario Cuomo. And last week, he sought to pivot by announcing flashy new plans to overhaul Penn Station and the adjacent Farley Post Office Building. Yet it remains a serious blow for the governor, who has made ethics reform a prominent goal of his administration. In the following pages, we recap how other elected officials have fared in the wake of similar scandals, check in with experts on how the scandal might alter Cuomo’s future, and identify the potential candidates who could run for governor if Cuomo steps aside.

October 3, 2016


City & State New York

October 3, 2016

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EXPERT OPINION

WHAT DOES THE SCANDAL MEAN FOR CUOMO?

Sid Davidoff

Stephen Greenberg

Christina Greer

SENIOR PARTNER, DAVIDOFF HUTCHER & CITRON

POLLSTER, SIENA COLLEGE RESEARCH INSTITUTE

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE, FORDHAM UNIVERSITY

What is the impact on the governor? I think because of Joe Percoco and some of the other people, it was personal. It’s unfortunate, but the one good thing about this governor is he’s resilient. You see him several days after that announcement on a stage talking about a multibillion-dollar program that’s going to make it better for the city and the state. In the long term this governor is going to survive whatever happens. What advice would you give him? He’s doing exactly what needs to be done. He’s distanced himself from the investigation. He expressed his sorrow for some of the people that were involved, and the surprise, and his statement about how Mario Cuomo would not want to be here this day. And then he goes right on to say this is New York and we have to get up and keep building. Will he run for re-election? If so, will he win? Let’s first get through the presidential. Then we’ve got the mayoralty. I’m not going to speculate.

What is the impact on the governor? It’s way too early to know. The governor has been in a very narrow range. For the last two years, his favorability has been somewhere in the low- to mid-50s, his job performance has been in the low- to mid-40s. This month, his favorability was up a little, his job performance was down a little. Last month, his job performance was up a little, his favorability was down a little. Does this change how voters feel about him? It could. It may not. This does not seep through to the public. The 80page complaint may have been a must-read for Albany insiders. It was not for the average New York state voter. Will he run for re-election? If so, will he win? The governor has said he is looking at re-election. He is certainly raising money. He has a 2018 campaign committee. I have no idea whether he will or he won’t. That election is 26 months away. That said, until he announces that he’s not running, I would make the assumption that he is running.

What is the impact on the governor? I do think there are going to be some repercussions, especially because, at least to my estimation, his obsession with the mayor in New York City makes it such that he has not been watching the store. But there are clearly things that have gone on in Albany where I think if he had been paying a little more attention, I don’t know if it would have gotten to this level. Will he run for re-election? If so, will he win? There are a few scenarios. Hillary wins, she essentially rescues him and he leaves office. Hillary wins, she doesn’t decide to take him for whatever reason, and he stays, this is where we have the question mark. Because when Zephyr Teachout ran, there are a lot of prominent organizations that were afraid of the governor. So they went with the same old, same old. I don’t know if that will necessarily be the case this time around, especially if it’s someone who can make connections across the counties and is a dynamic person and who can say I don’t have any scandals.

T HE

D E S U C C A JOSEPH PERCOCO

Former executive deputy secretary to Gov. Andrew Cuomo Accused of: conspiracy to commit extortion under the color of official right, extortion under the color of official right (two counts), conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and solicitation of bribes and gratuities (two counts).

ALAIN KALOYEROS

SUNY Polytechnic Institute president and CEO Accused of: conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

TODD HOWE

LOUIS CIMINELLI

Consultant and lobbyist with ties to Cuomo Accused of: conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, conspiracy to commit extortion under the color of official right, extortion under the color of official right, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit bribery and tax fraud.

LPCiminelli chairman and CEO Accused of: conspiracy to commit wire fraud and payment of bribes and gratuities.


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October 3, 2016

Lee Miringoff

DIRECTOR, THE MARIST COLLEGE INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC OPINION What is the impact on the governor? Clearly, one of his pledges when he first ran was to clean up corruption and to bring about a turnaround on the ethical climate in Albany. Now, if you look at his to-do list, he’s checked off many things he wanted to accomplish. Clearly, this is not one of them. And the difference between these latest revelations and earlier cases, is this one is closer to his office. It puts a dagger into the notion that he’s been successful on cleaning up Albany. What advice would you give him? He’s not responsible for every act that’s been taken, even those by senators or assemblymen or even closer, as in this case, on his watch. But these things do tend to get laid at the doorstep of the chief executive. And especially since it was one of his major tenets when he ran, it becomes more problematic for him. I think he needs to keep talking about transparency and meeting with the press and talking about the accomplishments he has. When the economy gets better, people tend to overlook these things. Will he run for re-election? If so, will he win? I don’t know, and I don’t know. to speculate.

Manfred Ohrenstein

SENIOR PARTNER, OHRENSTEIN & BROWN; FORMER STATE SENATE DEMOCRATIC LEADER What is the impact on the governor? It’s concerning. No high government official likes to have these kinds of accusations about some of his closest staff. I’ve had a relationship with Andrew Cuomo since he was 23 and worked for his father. I was there until about 20 years ago. I find that he is incorruptible. I know him as a person. I’m sure he is very saddened by this, and the justice system will play itself out. I don’t think it will have a long impact on his career. What advice would you give him? Keep going, keep doing what you’re doing. The United States, and New York in particular, needs to have plans for the future, and he’s just outlined it for the Northeast. This is not just a plan for New York City or the metropolitan region or even New York. This is a plan for the Northeastern region, which is still the leading economic center of the country and needs to have a new inspired goal, and that’s what he did here. Will he run for re-election? If so, will he win? How could he announce this and not be around while it’s all happening? I’m absolutely sure he’s going to run for re-election. And he will not only win, he will emerge, in my opinion, as a leader in the Democratic Party.

Jessica Proud

GOP CONSULTANT; PARTNER, THE NOVEMBER TEAM What is the impact on the governor? It’s going to have a huge impact because he came into office promising to clean up corruption and now he’s finding himself knee deep in it. It’s not believable to think that he had no idea what was going on right under his nose in his own administration. Even if he didn’t know, he certainly is responsible for creating a culture with an unnecessary obsession with power. He’s responsible either way. Will he run for re-election? If so, will he win? It certainly sounds like he’s not going to let this deter him. But it would be very difficult. He’s going to have to change the way he raises his money, and that’s a huge part of it. He was only able amass a $45 million war chest because he used tactics like doling out state contracts or tax breaks to his donors. This wasn’t the only instance of this. And what’s the case for re-election? You’re knee deep in corruption, the state continues to rank dead last in the country on economic outlook, business friendliness, highest taxes, second-highest energy costs. There’s so many reasons to point to why he hasn’t done a good job.

STEVEN AIELLO

MICHAEL LAIPPLE

JOSEPH GERARDI

KEVIN SCHULER

PETER GALBRAITH KELLY JR.

COR Development Company president Accused of: conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, payment of bribes and gratuities (two counts), conspiracy to commit wire fraud and false statements to federal officers.

LPCiminelli Infrastructure Division president Accused of: conspiracy to commit wire fraud and payment of bribes and gratuities.

COR Development Company executive vice president and legal counsel Accused of: conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, payment of bribes and gratuities (two counts), conspiracy to commit wire fraud and false statements to federal officers.

LPCiminelli senior vice president Accused of: conspiracy to commit wire fraud and payment of bribes and gratuities.

Competitive Power Ventures Holdings lobbyist Accused of: conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and payment of bribes and gratuities.


City & State New York

October 3, 2016

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DODGING SCANDALS How other local elected officials fared when scandal struck their associates

1

THE EXECUTIVE: New York Gov.

NELSON ROCKEFELLER

THE SCANDAL: L. Judson Morhouse, the state of GOP chairman who got Rockefeller elected, was convicted for taking $18,000 in bribes in exchange for helping the city’s Playboy Club get a liquor license. THE OUTCOME: Rockefeller was re-elected several times and later became vice president.

3

2

THE EXECUTIVE: New York Lt. Gov.

MARIO CUOMO

THE SCANDAL: William Cabin, Cuomo’s chief of staff, was convicted of stealing $178,000 from the state through a payroll-padding scheme. THE OUTCOME: Cuomo went on to be elected governor.

THE EXECUTIVE: New York Gov.

HUGH CAREY

THE SCANDAL: Carey appointed Patrick Cunningham as state Democratic chairman when he was elected in 1974, but in 1976 Cunningham was indicted on corruption charges (which were dismissed) and convicted of income tax evasion in 1982. THE OUTCOME: Carey was re-elected to a second term but declined to run for a third in 1982.

THE EXECUTIVE: New York City Mayor

ED KOCH

4

THE SCANDAL: Queens Borough President Donald Manes committed suicide, and Bronx Democratic Chairman Stanley Friedman and Brooklyn Democratic Chairman Meade Esposito were convicted for their roles in the Parking Violations Bureau scandal. All three were close to Koch. THE OUTCOME: Koch was not implicated, but lost to fellow Democrat David Dinkins when he ran for a fourth term.

5 THE EXECUTIVE: New Jersey Gov.

CHRIS CHRISTIE

THE SCANDAL: Christie appointees shut down lanes on the George Washington Bridge in 2013 as retribution against a local Democratic mayor as the governor was running for re-election. THE OUTCOME: Two Christie associates are on trial; another pleaded guilty. Christie has not been charged. He is term-limited out, but could join a potential Trump administration.


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AWORLD

CityAndStateNY.com

A Product of

October 3, 2016

City & State’s opinion content is edited by Nick Powell. Read more at nyslant.com.

How hard will this scandal hit the governor? We handicap a Cuomoless 2018 race

Gov. Andrew Cuomo says the recent criminal complaint has not changed his thinking about running for re-election. But if he decides not to run for any reason, the race for governor in 2018 would be a wide open field. So, who would the favorites be? The Slant editorial board takes a look.

WITH

5/2

Kirsten Gillibrand

The popular politician could spend the next two decades in the U.S. Senate and maybe one day be as powerful as senior senator Chuck Schumer. If that’s not motivation to run for governor, we don’t know what is.

3/1

5/1

Preet Bharara

Politicians who have pledged to clean up Albany have done very well when running for governor. Think of what would happen if someone who has an actual record of cleaning up Albany ran.

Eric Schneiderman

In recent history, the attorney general-to-governor path has been very successful. No reason to think Schneiderman wouldn’t at least think about following in the footsteps of these folks.

15/1

Zephyr Teachout

She has the experience of running already. And, if she is a member of Congress, she’d have added clout for a run. Yet in a crowded field, she may still be a longshot in a Democratic primary.

6/1

Tom DiNapoli

Comptroller to governor might be a tough jump, but DiNapoli is likeable and popular with the unions that make up much of the Democratic base. If the field is right, he could find a path to victory in a Democratic primary, and then he'd be a favorite in the general election.

C


City & State New York

October 3, 2016

6/1

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10/1

John P. Cahill

In 2014, Cahill struggled to get media attention in his race for Astorino lost in a landslide to attorney general against Eric Cuomo in 2014, but he didn’t Schneiderman, in part because have a ton of name recognition the race for governor sucked and the environment was not up all the air. The Pataki-era friendly to Republicans. The veteran and political talent Westchester county executive could do better just seeking the could find a slightly better path state’s highest office. to victory in an open race in 2018, but it will still be tough for any Republican.

Rob Astorino

HOUT 8/1

Chris Gibson

He says he is not running for governor. And, if Rep. Gibson is anything, he is generally a man of his word. Heck, he term limited himself to eight years in Congress and stuck by that promise, even though national GOP figures wanted him to run again and hold on to his seat. If he did decide to run, he’d be an intriguing candidate and potentially the frontrunner for the GOP nomination.

12/1 Peter King

The blunt-speaking Republican congressman will likely never abandon his position as a power player in the House of Representatives to run for governor, but if he did consider doing so he’d definitely be a formidable opponent who’d start with a strong base of GOP support from Long Island and Manhattan.

16/1

Harry Wilson

Wilson lost by a neck to Comptroller Tom DiNapoli in 2010. Of the 4.5 million votes cast, he got just 200,000 fewer than DiNapoli. It’s the closest a Republican has gotten to winning statewide since George Pataki was re-elected in 2002. There’s little indication he wants to jump back into politics, but if he did he’d have a lot of supporters.

CUOMO


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#1

MANH AT TA N ALICIA GLEN

MEET THE BOROUGH’S MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE The borough of Manhattan is home to some of the most powerful people in the world, which made crafting this list difficult at times. We didn’t want to recognize the most internationally influential people who happen to own property in Manhattan; we wanted to find the people whose work has the most impact on the borough’s economy, development, culture and the daily lives of the 1.6 million people who call Manhattan home. The list includes powerful city officials, heads of nonprofits, leaders of some of the world’s best hospitals, political power players and others, all who live in Manhattan. We did not include elected officials. We instead focused on others in the community we felt have the most visible impact on the borough’s intricate environment. Of our five borough lists, we are sure this one will garner the most criticism, simply because we had to leave so many deserving people off, but we hope it provides our readers with an honest picture of the community power structure in Manhattan.

Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development Many New Yorkers associate Manhattan with economic and real estate development, which just so happens to be Alicia Glen’s portfolio as one of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s top deputies. Any and every proposal for a residential or commercial building, or a company that wishes to open up shop in the city, comes across Glen’s desk at some point. And with so much of de Blasio’s legacy staked on the success of his comprehensive affordable housing plan, the pressure is on Glen to see that the administration reaches its 200,000unit goal without a hitch. On the economic development front, Glen has been instrumental in promoting Manhattan as the next frontier for tech investments, launching the Urban Tech NYC initiative, which will offer space, equipment, pilot opportunities and shared resources to entrepreneurs looking to address the city’s most pressing challenges. The Made in NY initiative has also been a boon for the city’s arts, fashion and culture scene, encouraging film, TV, technology and fashion companies to make their projects in the city.


City & State New York

October 3, 2016

#2

#3

#4

BILL RUDIN Chairman, Association For A Better New York There are few families that have had as much impact on the borough of Manhattan as the Rudins. The fingerprints of billionaire real estate mogul Bill Rudin are visible all over the city with massive development projects, but this is just a small part of his influence. As chairman of ABNY he is a leader when it comes to the planning of New York. The organization focuses primarily on development issues, but has also been an active advocate for combating homelessness and improving education. Each year, its breakfast events host the most prominent politicians in the city and state, where the topics often vary, though never stray from the overarching theme of how to improve New York. In the years after the 9/11 attacks, Rudin was also instrumental in the rebuilding of lower Manhattan, serving as a strong advocate for federal funding as well as a cheerleader for businesses to return to the area. Many people have become very wealthy doing business in Manhattan, but from that list there are far fewer dedicated to fiercely fighting to make the borough better. Of the latter, Rudin tops the list.

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ROB SPEYER ANTHONY SHORRIS

Chairman, Real Estate Board of New York

First Deputy Mayor

Real estate is king in New York. It is king in political influence in state politics. It’s even more influential in city politics. And when it comes to the borough of Manhattan, the industry wields even more power. The center of that influence is the Real Estate Board of New York, and the person who drives the powerful organization more than anyone else is Rob Speyer. He has close ties to people at all levels of government. He is smart not to make enemies of politicians, and advocates strongly for rules and regulations that will benefit his members, as well as his own booming business, which includes many properties, most prominently Rockefeller Center. Speyer often features on both our New York City and state power lists, but it was impossible not to include him on this list, where his power and influence clearly has the most visible impact – especially when you factor in his outside endeavors as a board trustee at NewYorkPresbyterian Hospital and as co-chairman of the St. Patrick’s Cathedral Landmark Foundation’s construction committee.

The power and influence that Anthony Shorris wields is fairly visible. As the first deputy mayor, he is responsible for keeping the city running. He coordinates with all the city’s commissioners and divisions, implements the mayor’s visions and policies, and is called on to be a public face of the administration whenever a new initiative is rolled out. The Manhattan resident got to this point after a distinguished career that included running the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, as well as serving as chief of staff at NYU Langone Medical Center and several roles in higher education, mostly focusing on health and transportation policy. His institutional knowledge and breadth of experience makes him one of the most valuable members of city government. There are few, if any, major decisions that don’t pass by his desk, giving him great say on a wide variety of policies that impact the whole city, as well as the borough of Manhattan.


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#6

JAMES MILLIKEN Chancellor, City University of New York With 11 of its premier campuses in the borough as well as its headquarters, Manhattan is the heart of the CUNY system. The institution has by far the largest student body and is one of the biggest employers in the borough, as well as the city. But beyond that, CUNY is literally a feeder system for government power. Its Manhattan campuses include John Jay College, leading the way on criminal justice; Hunter College, a leader on urban policy, with a specific focus on health, the biggest part of the city and state budget; Baruch College, which has educated some of the city’s most prominent political leaders in their school of Public and International Affairs – and that’s just to name a few of the system’s remarkable facilities. As head of CUNY, Milliken has enormous influence over tens of thousands of the brightest up-and-coming minds in the city. He also has a say in the physical development of several neighborhoods in Manhattan, with the colleges’ campuses being powerful influences in smaller subcommunities in the borough.

#7

SHOLA OLATOYE Chairwoman & CEO, New York City Housing Authority The New York City Housing Authority has long been plagued by mismanagement, but Shola Olatoye has restored a measure of credibility to the agency since taking over in 2014, slowly but surely whittling away the authority’s yawning budget deficit. Rather than throw up her hands at the agency’s $17 billion capital deficit, Olatoye and the de Blasio administration, with the help of the federal government, have outlined a new approach – dubbed NextGen NYCHA – to fix the city’s public housing, in part by leasing NYCHA land to developers to raise money to address capital needs. Manhattan has more public housing developments than any other borough, several of which will serve as potential test cases for the federal government’s Rental Assistance Demonstration program, pending NYCHA’s application. The RAD program converts buildings from public housing to the Section 8 rental-subsidy program, and turning partial control over to private operators in partnership with NYCHA. Any success Olatoye will have in helping to keep NYCHA solvent will largely hinge on the efficacy the NextGen plan.

CARL WEISBROD Chairman, New York City Planning Commission You would be hard-pressed to find an individual more widely respected in government, business and real estate than Carl Weisbrod. His experience in those three sectors made him a natural fit to head the City Planning Commission, where he has a huge say in shepherding development projects through the government process. Having worked in real estate, Weisbrod proved valuable in winning support for Mayor Bill de Blasio’s affordable housing plan from the development community. In his role leading the real estate arm of Trinity Church, Weisbrod was renowned for his ability to bring together land-use planners, architects, economists, property owners and community boards in order to further development projects. The Midtown East rezoning, which has become a subject of much debate between the administration, City Council and Real Estate Board of New York, will be a major test for Weisbrod. In return for selling air rights to developers to rezone the area, Weisbrod has been trying to negotiate a commitment for necessary infrastructure upgrades in the area.


Congratulations to Verizon’s Leecia Eve and other honorees for being recognized by City & State Magazine’s inaugural Manhattan Borough Power 50 List.

Leecia Eve, Vice President State Government Affairs NY, NJ and CT

CS0016_FP.indd 1

9/30/16 1:31 PM


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#9

#10

TIMOTHY DOLAN STEVEN CORWIN President & CEO, NewYork-Presbyterian Not only is NewYork-Presbyterian the biggest hospital in Manhattan, it is also arguably the best. Annually listed as the No. 1 hospital in New York, and one of the top 10 in the nation, the facility is definitely elite, and Steven Corwin is one of the main reasons. He’s come up through the ranks at the hospital since he joined in the late ’70s and played a large role in the hospital’s vast expansions in the past decade. Each year, the hospital provides care to more than 2 million patients, makes worldshaking advancements in medical research and provides tens of thousands of jobs in the borough of Manhattan. Recently, Corwin was also named president of the board of directors at the Greater New York Hospital Association – a politically powerful trade union that wields tremendous influence over city and state government.

Archbishop of New York According to a report by the Association of Religion Data, there are roughly 560,000 Catholics living in Manhattan. To put that in perspective, that’s almost the entire population of Milwaukee, which coincidentally is where Timothy Dolan was archbishop until 2009. As archbishop of New York, Dolan’s electric personality has made him a political force regionally, nationally and internationally. But, he also wields tremendous influence in Manhattan. Not only is he a thought leader to the more than half a million Catholics in the borough, he also oversees a massive operation of charitable works, and is responsible for nearly 100 churches in Manhattan, making difficult decisions about merging or closing facilities. When it comes to politics, Dolan is not shy to speak up and advocate for the church’s tenets, but he is also quick to collaborate with politicians and community leaders to champion a cause he feels is a worthy endeavor.

LEECIA EVE Vice President of Government Affairs for the Tri-State Region, Verizon Leecia Eve is no stranger to politics. She is the daughter of legendary Buffalo politician Arthur Eve, was once highly considered as a lieutenant governor candidate, and for several years served as the deputy secretary for economic development for Gov. Andrew Cuomo. She is also an accomplished attorney whose resume includes stints working for Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden. Now, in her role at Verizon, one of the biggest employers in the borough of Manhattan, she uses the lifetime of government knowledge she has accumulated to help the Fortune 500 company land contracts with the city and state, as well as navigate regulations. There are few people in the nexus of government, politics and business as connected and competent, and while the scope of her work extends far beyond Manhattan, her influence in the borough cannot be denied.


City & State New York

October 3, 2016

#11

LEE BOLLINGER

President, Columbia University Many people have said Manhattan is a borough made up of villages and neighborhoods. Well, Columbia University is basically its own village. Over the years the campus has grown as the Ivy League school has increasingly become a leader in the borough. And the school is just getting started, with a $6 billion expansion under construction. Bollinger has been at the forefront of the school’s growth as the longest serving president of an Ivy League college. He was on the front lines dealing with the community and city officials to greenlight the school’s ambitious expansion.

#12

EMILY RAFFERTY

President Emerita, Metropolitan Museum of Art For decades Emily Rafferty has been at the center of Manhattan’s vibrant community of arts, culture and tourism. She was the longtime president, and now president emerita, of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, easily the borough’s (and arguably the nation’s) preeminent art museum. If that wasn’t enough, she had her hands in many other activities, including serving as chairwoman of NYC & Company’s board of directors. She is also a member of the board of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and is a powerful voice in the debate over the future of Manhattan.

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#13 SURI KASIRER President , Kasirer Consulting For a decade, Suri Kasirer has been one of the top lobbyists in the city, serving hundreds of clients, most of them based or focused in Manhattan. In the real estate industry, she has served as a go-to person for developers in the borough to navigate government and get clearance to build. In the nonprofit world, she has helped dozens of organizations secure contracts. And for other businesses operating in Manhattan, whether it be in tech, transportation, entertainment, unions or even media, her firm has been a successful force in getting things done.

New York University congratulates all of today’s honorees including our president

ANDREW HAMILTON on receiving a Power 50 award.


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#14 STEPHEN ROSS Chairman & Founder, Related Companies With the portfolio of projects Related Companies has in Manhattan, it would be hard to keep their company off this list. Their signature development is at Hudson Yards, which is already getting praise even though it is still under construction. But Stephen Ross is also a powerful voice in the political debates surrounding real estate policy. He is the chairperson emeritus at the Real Estate Board of New York, and infamously got in a heated exchange with current chairman Rob Speyer earlier this year. Ross is also a trustee of Lincoln Center and of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.

October 3, 2016

#15 CHRISTINE QUINN

#16

JAMES CAPALINO

President & CEO, WIN

CEO, Capalino + Company

After two successful terms as City Council speaker and an unsuccessful run for mayor, Christine Quinn is now doing important advocacy work as the president and CEO of WIN, the largest nonprofit serving homeless women and their families in the city. Shortly after being hired, Quinn put aside past differences with Mayor Bill de Blasio, teaming with the administration to help address over 12,000 code violations in the city’s shelter system. Her political future remains a hot topic, and she has dipped her toes back in the political waters as a highly visible surrogate for Hillary Clinton.

James Capalino has benefitted from his close ties to and early support of Bill de Blasio by becoming the top lobbyist in the city. His company’s portfolio of work is vast, including helping dozens of developers with projects that are shaping the borough. He also represents some of the premier companies and institutions headquartered in Manhattan, spanning everything from tech to arts to nonprofits and other businesses. A veteran of the Koch administration, Capalino has been active in city government for decades, bringing loads of experience to his work.

DREAMING OF CARNEGIE HALL The Board and Staff of the Alliance for Downtown New York congratulates the entire City & State Power 50 and our very own Jessica Lappin

Nisan Ak

Queens College/CUNY Master of Music Performance in Orchestral Conducting, 2016

HER STORY Born in Turkey, Ak came to Queens College’s Aaron Copland School of Music for a conducting workshop in 2014 and stayed for a master’s degree.

GOAL To be a role model for women conductors in this male-dominated field.

cuny.edu/welcome

www.DowntownNY.com


City & State New York

October 3, 2016

#17

H. CARL MCCALL

Chairman, SUNY Board of Trustees

#18

JOHN CATSIMATIDIS CEO, Red Apple Group

#19

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JESSICA LAPPIN

President, Alliance for Downtown New York

H. Carl McCall has worn many hats over the years in state government, but he got his start as a state senator representing upper Manhattan. His roots in the district have never weakened, even when he served as state comptroller, commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey or in his current role as chairman of the SUNY Board of Trustees. He is politically connected, has deep ties to corporate America, and is a fierce advocate for making the borough better, specifically when it comes to education.

The billionaire founder of the Gristedes supermarket franchise and 2013 mayoral candidate made our list for a host of reasons, the biggest of which is that he has been a mainstay of business and politics in the borough for more than four decades. His prolific fundraising for both Republicans and Democrats has made him friends with many of the most powerful people in the city, and his opinions on the direction of the borough often find their way to decision-makers. If that wasn’t enough, he also hosts a weekly radio show where he gets to weigh in on the week’s news.

Jessica Lappin took over at the Alliance for Downtown New York at a great time for lower Manhattan. The alliance reported a record 14 million tourists visited the area last year, which has helped drive $17 million in annual revenue for the city’s largest business improvement district. A former City Council member, Lappin has leveraged her legislative experience into an agreement to let landlords rent 110,000 square feet of designated public space to commercial retailers, which should help her achieve her goal of turning lower Manhattan into a shopping destination to rival Midtown.

#20

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#22

EVA MOSKOWITZ President & CEO, Success Academy Charter Schools

On the City Council, Eva Moskowitz chaired the Education Committee, but it was when she became CEO of Success Academy that her ambitions truly began to take shape. Her schools embed themselves in the city’s lowest-achieving neighborhoods, and, freed from district restrictions, implement unique approaches to learning that put her at odds with the mayor and teachers unions. Her schools are among the highest performing in the state and currently educate 14,000 students across the city.

KENNETH DAVIS

HENRY GARRIDO

President & CEO, Mount Sinai Health System

Executive Director, District Council 37

When Kenneth Davis took over as CEO of Mount Sinai Medical Center in 2003, the hospital was far from the gem of quality and efficiency that it is now. He is credited for improving the culture, implementing more accountability, and vastly improving the hospital’s research facilities. In 2016, it was named the 15th best hospital in the country by U.S. News and World Reports, with higher rankings for cardiology and heart surgery. As head of the entire Mount Sinai Health System since 2013, Davis is a true leader in the field of health care – one of the borough’s biggest industries.

Since taking over as head of District Council 37 in 2014, Henry Garrido has made it his mission to build up his union membership. The union says its has added 4,000 employees to its already robust ranks that make it the largest public employees union in New York City. Most of those members work in Manhattan, and many are paid low wages, something Garrido has made a priority to address wherever possible. In addition to his role as union boss, Garrido sits on the board of the Dominican Day Parade and serves on the board of the New York City Employees Retirement System.


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#23 BASIL SMIKLE

#24

Executive Director, New York State Democratic Party The Harlem native is at the center of Democratic politics right now. He is a former aide to Hillary Clinton, and as executive director of the state party he works closely with Gov. Andrew Cuomo. While the scope of his work far exceeds what is happening in Manhattan, he is still a power broker in the borough, where he has been a fierce advocate for improving public education. In his spare time, he is an adjunct lecturer at Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs. Project1:Layout 1

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TONY MARX

President & CEO, New York Public Library One of the cultural jewels of Manhattan is the New York Public Library system. Since 2011, Marx has headed up the nearly 90 branches of the institution. In that time, he has made it his mission to provide more free services to all. He partners with the city Department of Education to expand learning outside of school hours, he advocates for more city funding, and has pushed to provide low-income children with more access to quality books.

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Chairman & CEO, Battery Park City Authority Dennis Mehiel has been around New York politics for decades, including a run for lieutenant governor in 2002. Now the successful businessman and former manufacturing mogul heads up the BPCA, the public-private partnership that oversees development in the lower Manhattan neighborhood with a goal of making sure there is a wellbalanced community. He is also a big fundraiser for city Democrats. Earlier this year he held a highdollar fundraiser for Mayor Bill de Blasio at his Upper East Side home where attendees had to dish out $4,950.

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City & State New York

October 3, 2016

#26 BRADLEY TUSK CEO, Tusk Holdings

Recently, Bradley Tusk has been in the news for his not-so-subtle endeavor to find a mayoral candidate to challenge Bill de Blasio in 2017. But his influence and power was clear long before that. In his career he has worked in various roles in government and politics, as well as the corporate world. Now, his joint endeavours as venture capitalist and strategic planner for some of the nation’s top companies put him right in the nexus of New York City government and business, where he is uniquely placed to impact the future of the city.

#27

ANDREW HAMILTON

#28

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JESSICA WALKER

President, New York University

President, Manhattan Chamber of Commerce

Andrew Hamilton is only in his first year as president of New York University, but he has already pledged to build upon the university’s commitment to being an urban partner and leader that is more part of Manhattan than just a campus in Greenwich Village. As part of that mission, he has made it a priority to make the school more affordable for students. He has also put a large focus on improving diversity at the school, creating a chief diversity officer position.

With a background working for nonprofits, government affairs and the corporate world, Jessica Walker brings unique talents and a diverse CV to her role as head of the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce. With roughly 15,000 members in the borough, the chamber serves as one of the most prevalent voices for small and middle-sized businesses that traditionally have struggled to be heard in a city where so many Fortune 500 companies have an oversized presence. In Walker, MCC has a leader with vision and experience to get its message delivered.


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MARISSA SHORENSTEIN President, AT&T New York

October 3, 2016

#30

CRAIG THOMPSON

President & CEO, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

#31

SID DAVIDOFF

Principal, Davidoff Hutcher & Citron

Marissa Shorenstein is a veteran of Democratic politics in New York, having worked for Andrew Cuomo, David Paterson and H. Carl McCall to name a few. But she also has experience translating her political background into the corporate world. In her current role, she is a driving force for AT&T’s efforts to make Manhattan more tech friendly through innovation, government partnerships and by advocating for regulatory changes. The borough is on the cusp of a potential tech boom, and Shorenstein is a key player in that movement.

In a borough with some of the world’s best medical facilities, MSKCC stands out as an international leader in cancer treatment, research and prevention. If you live in Manhattan and are diagnosed, your first choice is MSKCC. Since taking over as CEO in 2010, Craig Thompson has pushed for improvements to the hospital, thanks in part to securing massive gifts from some of the city’s most prominent philanthropists. Under his watch, the hospital also entered into a collaboration with IBM utilizing its supercomputer Watson to work on cutting-edge tools to better diagnose patients.

The former staffer to Mayor John Lindsay (yes, Lindsay) has been a power broker in New York City politics for literally five decades, serving in various capacities. In his current role as a prominent attorney, consultant and lobbyist, he uses his vast experience in government to help clients navigate bureaucracy. He has a special focus on development projects, with the bulk of his work centered in Manhattan. Davidoff’s close ties to Mayor Bill de Blasio only add to his influence.

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#34

PATRICIA HARRIS

SHEENA WRIGHT

AMMIEL HIRSCH

CEO, Bloomberg Philanthropies

President & CEO, United Way of NYC

Senior Rabbi, Stephen Wise Free Synagogue

Patricia Harris, the former first deputy mayor to Michael Bloomberg, has in many ways continued the billionaire’s legacy by overseeing all of his charitable giving. While the cash flows all over the world to improve education, protect the environment and cultivate the arts, a significant amount stays in Manhattan, helping boost the nonprofit community. For anyone looking for support to promote an innovative new idea to make the borough better, Harris is someone you should know.

In 2012, Sheena Wright became the first female president and CEO of United Way of New York City in its 75-year history. Her passion for the work is fueled by her personal experience of being raised by a young single mother whose sacrifices helped Sheena enter Columbia University at age 16. United Way of New York City counts over 670 corporate partners among its funders, makes grants to over 500 communitybased organizations and provides invaluable infrastructure support through initiatives like BoardServeNYC.

More than 300,000 Jews living in Manhattan, and while there isn’t a single spiritual leader for all of them, Senior Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch is the borough’s most influential voice for the faith. He speaks passionately about the trends of Jewish culture in America, focusing on the positive impact of Jews who have integrated into Western society. He also is a leading voice on the importance of the Israeli state, an issue of vital importance to many Jews living in Manhattan, offering a balanced and nuanced opinion that the debate is often missing.


Be part of something

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SUNY stands for the largest, most comprehensive system of colleges and universities in the state and the nation. SUNY stands for medical breakthroughs, technological innovations, inspirational art, and ground-breaking start-ups. SUNY stands for excellence, for value, for access, for diversity, and for huge ideas. Visionary leaders like H. Carl McCall ensure

SUNY stands for all New York.

THE STATE UNIVERSITY F NEW YORK H. Carl McCall Chairman, SUNY Board of Trustees

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CONGRATULATES

David P. Jones

our President & CEO ON HIS CITY & STATE MANHATTAN POWER 50 HONOR WWW.BOWERY.ORG

CONGRATULATES David

P. Jones

ON BEING A CITY & STATE MANHATTAN POWER 50 HONOREE

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City & State New York

October 3, 2016

#35 ELINOR TATUM Publisher & Editor-inChief, Amsterdam News

#36 ALAN STEEL President & CEO, Jacob K. Javits Convention Center

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#37

MICHAEL WALROND JR.

Senior Pastor, First Corinthian Baptist Church

In the media capital of the world, there are surprisingly few publications that have true influence over the issues that matter on a local level in the borough of Manhattan. One exception is the Amsterdam News. It is one of the oldest publications in the country that focuses on the AfricanAmerican population and the issues that matter to its core audience – the historically black communities in Harlem. Elinor Tatum has guided the publication for nearly 20 years, establishing herself as one of the most respected opinion makers in the borough, and the city.

In the crowded borough, convention space is much sought after. That makes the efficient and functional operation of the 1.8 million-square-foot Javits Center all the more important – especially when it accounts for roughly $2 billion in business annually for the borough. Under Steel, the center has gone through massive renovations to make the facility more high-tech, so it can continue to compete with the world’s premiere centers. The facility is also a leader in sustainability with the recent installation of one of the nation’s largest green roofs.

In the heart of Harlem, the Rev. Michael Walrond Jr. has established himself as a leading voice for thousands of people seeking faith that fits into the modern world. In his more than a decade as the head of First Corinthian Baptist Church, membership has skyrocketed, and his voice on social justice issues and politics carries true power in the community. In 2014, Pastor Mike tested that power when he challenged Rep. Charles Rangel in a crowded field. He finished a distant third, but the foray into politics didn’t curtail his growing popularity and influence in the community.

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#39 JULIE MENIN

#40

BRENDA ROSEN

DAVID SALTZMAN

President & CEO, Breaking Ground

Commissioner, New York City Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment

Executive Director, The Robin Hood Foundation

Brenda Rosen works across the spectrum of homelessness to build a more affordable city for those who need it most. Breaking Ground, the city’s largest supportive housing provider, owns or operates more than 19 properties, six of them in Manhattan, with over 3,530 apartments. It is also the largest provider of street homeless outreach teams for the mayor’s Home-Stat initiative. Breaking Ground is at the forefront of the city’s shift to the “housing first” philosophy, and their flagship Times Square site is the nation’s largest permanent supportive housing development.

In the 15 years since 9/11, one of the hardest-working advocates for rebuilding lower Manhattan has been Julie Menin. In that time she served as a nonprofit leader and chairwoman of Community Board 1 and ran for borough president, all the while speaking passionately about the need to help the community recover. Her work has shifted in recent years, serving as the head of the Department of Consumer Affairs and now as head of the office of Media and Entertainment. But her commitment to making the borough of Manhattan better is always at the forefront of her mind.

David Saltzman was one of The Robin Hood Foundation’s five founders in 1988 and helped build a charity known for using meticulously gathered data to identify the most promising anti-poverty initiatives in the city. Their board is a who’s who list of the rich and famous and the foundation’s gala is “Wall Street’s favorite charity event.” The board covers all of the organization’s administrative costs and has raised over $2.5 billion since the charity opened. Just last year the selfacclaimed “largest poverty-fighting organization in New York” gave away $132 million to 210 city programs.


The Amsterdam News staff congratulates its Publisher, Elinor Tatum on being included in the inaugural City and State “Manhattan Power 50� list. And congratulations to the other 49 honorees! STAFF New York Amsterdam News www.amsterdamnews.com

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City & State New York

October 3, 2016

#41

KEVIN SHEEKEY

Chairman, Bloomberg Government

#42 DAVID JONES President & CEO, The Bowery Mission

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#43

HANK SHEINKOPF

Political Consultant

A veteran of government, Kevin Sheekey remains a power broker in Manhattan, even though his current job allows him wide influence over national and international affairs. As one of Michael Bloomberg’s closest and most respected aides, Sheekey is often quoted saying things one would expect to come from Bloomberg’s mouth, if the former mayor could say them without creating a media firestorm. It’s clear the Bloomberg team still cares deeply about the future of the city, and Sheekey is a leading and influential voice in any and all debates that impact its direction.

Since 1879, the Bowery Mission has been one of New York City’s most effective nonprofits combatting homelessness and hunger, with much of its work focusing on the Manhattan neighborhoods near where the mission still resides on Bowery Street. Jones took over as head of the nonprofit in 2015, and immediately made efforts to provide more shelter to those in need. He has also expanded the nonprofit’s geographic reach, recently opening a new community resource center in East Harlem that provides free legal, medical and career services.

With decades of experience running campaigns and advising politicians, it is easy to see the influence that Hank Sheinkopf has over the political discourse in Manhattan and beyond. He’s a go-to person for members of the media looking for comment on pretty much anything related to New York City politics, not only because of his knowledge but also because he understands how to deliver a memorable quote or soundbite for TV crews. As a consultant, he is sought after by top clients, many with a focus on Manhattan, because of his record of success.

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#46

GEORGE MCDONALD

ADELE MALPASS

MILTON TINGLING

Founder & President, The Doe Fund

Chairwoman, Manhattan Republican Party

New York County Clerk

McDonald’s winning formula moves homeless and formerly incarcerated men to lives of sobriety and gainful employment in social entrepreneurship ventures providing everything from catering services to pest management. His Doe Fund is named after a homeless woman he befriended in Grand Central Terminal who later died of exposure one winter night. Over 25 years later, his program’s bid to end homelessness and recidivism serves about 2,000 individuals a year and their “men in blue” can be seen cleaning over 170 miles of New York City streets each day.

Manhattan is clearly a blue borough. But you’d be mistaken if you dismiss the influence of the Manhattan GOP. In her role as chairwoman of the party, Adele Malpass plays a key role in organizing fundraisers and events for some of the nation’s most important Republicans, as well as anyone seeking statewide office in New York, or looking for the GOP line in a run for mayor. She also provides a respected conservative perspective on what’s happening in Manhattan and New York City, which often reaches many lawmakers far outside the borough, shaping national perspective.

Traditionally the office of county clerk doesn’t command tremendous power, but Milton Tingling is changing that. Since taking over as clerk in 2014 the former judge has been on a mission to diversify the jury pool, empowering communities of color to register to vote or take other steps that would make them eligible to sit on a jury. Tingling is also tasked with keeping one of the busiest legal systems in the world running efficiently, while understaffed. Delays at the clerk’s office can have a real impact on businesses and services, making his often overlooked job far more influential than it may seem.


The Board of Directors and staff of United Way of New York City extend their heartfelt congratulations to our President & CEO

Sheena ,0 00000Wright 00000< for this important recognition!

Y

our leadership, innovative spirit, and commitment to our City is an inspiration.

United Way of New York City would also like to congratulate all of City & State's

2016 manhattan

POWER 50

for their incredible work. We are honored to partner with so many of you as we work to build a City of possibility for all New Yorkers.

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City & State New York

October 3, 2016

#47 BARRY DILLER Chairman, IAC, Expedia

#48

JANE ROSENTHAL

Co-Founder, Tribeca Film Institute

There are plenty of wealthy businessmen in Manhattan, but few care as much about shaping the borough as Barry Diller. The business mogul and his wife, fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg, have donated millions to improving parks in New York City. They were a driving force behind the creation of the High Line, and now they have set their sights on a new project: the controversial Pier 55 development, a one-of-a-kind park and concert hall that floats on the Hudson River. Now that the project has cleared some court hurdles, it could be completed by as soon as 2019.

Actor Robert De Niro is often given credit for revitalizing the Tribeca neighborhood of Manhattan in the aftermath of 9/11, by being a spokesman and face of the Tribeca Film Festival, which launched in 2002. But the person who was pushing him to launch the endeavor and who has overseen its success for the past 15 years has been co-founder Jane Rosenthal. The successful film and television producer, along with the help of her husband, real estate investor Craig Hatkoff, have created an internationally famous event that has had a noticeable impact on the recovery of the borough.

#49 HENRY TIMMS

#50 AVA FARKAS

Executive Director, 92nd Street Y In 2014, Henry Timms rocked the boat when he became the first non-Jewish executive director of the 92nd Street Y community center in the organization’s 140year history. But the goy was a smart pick. He’s continued to grow the nonprofit’s reach with over 300,000 annual visitors to its centers and millions more engaging online. All of this came after Timms cemented his influence over the nonprofit sector by helping to create #GivingTuesday, which galvanized the nation in support of charity organizations to the tune of over $45 million in donations last year.

Executive Director, Metropolitan Council on Housing Real estate and housing is issue No. 1 in Manhattan. For more than 50 years, the Metropolitan Council on Housing has been at the forefront of the fight for affordability, organizing tenants to stand up for their rights and to advocate for safe and clean dwellings. Ava Farkas took over as head of the council in 2015, bringing her experience as an organizer, advocate and political aide to the nonprofit. In her short time in charge, she has been a staunch fighter for strengthening rent regulations that impact hundreds of thousands of people in New York City.

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NYSlant.com

October 3, 2016

A fresh perspective on opinions/ Edited by Nick Powell

HERE’S HOPING THE SCANDAL LETS INNOVATORS GET THEIR FOOT IN THE DOOR IN BUFFALO

GOV. ANDREW CUOMO SITS NEXT TO ERIE COUNTY EXECUTIVE MARK POLONCARZ AT AN AUGUST 2015 “TOPPING OFF” CEREMONY AT THE SOLARCITY GIGAFACTORY, WHICH WILL MANUFACTURE SOLAR PANELS AT THE RIVERBEND SITE IN SOUTH BUFFALO. he price of doing business in Buffalo just went down, thus giving the Rust Belt’s favorite renaissance story a very big boost. Because of the criminal complaint from U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara last month, future competition for public money will be cleaner, and waged with sharper pencils between those whose credentials will no longer include pledges of huge campaign contributions or hefty consulting deals for former political staffers or expensive jobs for spouses. The rule book for what not to do is

spelled out in the email trail left by Buffalo-based developer Lou Ciminelli and two of his top executives, indicating their personal involvement in rigging bids for Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s prized Buffalo Billion initiative. Cuomo was emphatically not charged by either state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman nor U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, the prosecutors whom Buffalo commentator Alan Bedenko refers to as today’s “New Untouchables.” Indeed, Cuomo visited Buffalo on Friday to proclaim that the Buffalo

PHILIP KAMRASS/OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR

By BRUCE FISHER


October 3, 2016

Billion program – the transformative public investment to kick-start a new industrial economy in this iconic Rust Belt town – will proceed as surely as the wheels of justice will grind. Like Eliot Spitzer before him, Cuomo set out to achieve the improbable – leveraging private investment in a city that was once America’s foremost center of innovation in aerospace and medical research, one of its greatest hubs of international trade and steel-making, and, long ago, even the “City of Light,” due to its early access to widespread electrical lighting, thanks in no small part to the original Nikola Tesla. Now Cuomo is bringing Tesla to town in the person of Elon Musk and his SolarCity. Buffalo and Western New York need it. Though the latest numbers from the federal Bureau of Economic Analysis show that Buffalo’s diverse and resilient economy continues its modest “Obama recovery” expansion, the desperation for economic rescue is based in persistently negative realities. The regional population

City & State New York

gladly accepted campaign contributions from Ciminelli is fervently praying that Cuomo’s $750 million gamble on Elon Musk pays. Starting in 2017, the city will see new jobs, a new industry cluster, a new support for the “ecosystem” of engineers, manufacturers and follow-on entrepreneurs who will take advantage of Buffalo’s slice of the fastest-growing energy/industry shift since John D. Rockefeller and his friends started pumping oil out of Pennsylvania, just 80 miles away. So the hopes are high that the factory Ciminelli built in Buffalo will still be successful even if this well-known political player goes to the big house. Ciminelli’s construction company’s signs are all over Buffalo, because along with the SolarCity plant, Ciminelli won the bids to build the $300 million dormitory project for Buffalo State College, the $300 million new campus of the Medical School, the $1 billion Buffalo Public Schools systemwide rehab project that turned into a $1.4 billion systemwide project, the $200 million Erie

EVERY BUFFALO-AREA ELECTED OFFICIAL WHO GLADLY ACCEPTED CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS FROM CIMINELLI IS FERVENTLY PRAYING THAT CUOMO’S $750 MILLION GAMBLE ON ELON MUSK PAYS. is down since 2000 and is actually below what it was in 1970. Half of the region’s African-American men aged 18-64 are out of the workforce, and the childhood poverty rate is growing. In recovering from the 2008 financial crisis, most of the new jobs pay less than $10 an hour. Almost 70 percent of taxpayers report less than $30,000 in annual income, and the median household income in Western New York counties is anywhere from about $8,000 to $16,000 less than the statewide median. Housing prices in a few census tracts are up smartly, but with the population stagnating and aging out, oversupply looms even as suburban sprawl marches every farther outward from the spiffed-up, photogenic Buffalo waterfront party center. Every Buffalo-area elected official who

County infirmary project in Buffalo, and an as-yet-untallied redevelopment of an inner-city shopping plaza with public funds involved. Ciminelli’s name is as ubiquitous on public projects as it is on financial disclosure statements for public officials. Ciminelli has long been a fulcrum of this bipartisan political economy. He was a major donor to Republican Gov. George Pataki, who appointed him to the head of the New York Power Authority. His younger brother Paul Ciminelli, who heads Ciminelli Development Corporation, was a major fundraiser for both Govs. Spitzer and Cuomo, and was an appointee to the Empire State Development Corporation board even while Ciminelli firms did business with the state. Can it change? A scant $5 million was

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carved out of the Buffalo Billion for a business plan competition that has been resoundingly successful in raising the spirits of innovators here, and the hopes of Buffalo citizens who are depressed about the same insiders getting the same make-work projects. Everybody wants out from under the old deal, except, of course, the subsidy profiteers. The 43North competition, now in its third year, is birthing a new sense of possibility. It’s modeled on the wildly successful competition that Pittsburgh used to leverage its own transformation from Rust Belt depression to an international knowledge and best-practice center for IT entrepreneurs. The best hope for Cuomo, of course, is that despite his allies’ allegedly dirty hands, his project of economic engineering succeeds. But stay tuned. As one reads the email threads, it becomes clear that the former LPCiminelli executive, whom Ciminelli hired from the Buffalo Niagara Partnership (the local chamber of commerce), was completely guileless in editing the bid specs, as was his boss. The business community in Buffalo has long profited from the current ecology, in which they pronounce their hatred for government and then write checks to politicians whose staff go forth and bring back the Albany-financed projects. Ciminelli served as head of the Buffalo Niagara Partnership, which has long sponsored a lobbying campaign with the title Unshackle Upstate, whose principal advocacy is to get government off the backs of business here. The Buffalo Niagara Partnership has long taken its cues from Robert Wilmers, CEO of M&T Bank, who loudly denounced Wall Street manipulation of mortgage-backed securities as the 2008 collapse unfolded, yet whose own bank was found guilty of fraud in selling $275 million in mortgage-backed securities. Buffalo’s culture of impunity is now on display. One hopes that a little sunshine interrupts its persistence long enough for the new, hopeful culture of innovation and entrepreneurship to grow.

Bruce Fisher is director of the Center for Economic and Policy Studies, and visiting professor in the economics and finance department at Buffalo State College.


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NYSlant.com

October 3, 2016

E

AT HOFSTRA, AMERICA SAW THE REAL DONALD TRUMP. WILL IT MATTER?

verything wrong with the 21st century was on display during last week’s presidential debate. The primacy of image, the erosion of language and the wasting away of politics was the lesson. Woe is we. The Donald’s continuing ability to say outrageous and dishonest things without suffering any consequence is puzzling. It shouldn’t be. He isn’t trading in ideas, or even in traditional notions of leadership and vision. He’s an avatar of fury, a vengeful god who will smite the unbeliever and save the people from the Old Queen. We don’t hold avatars to the same standards as the rest of us. And we certainly don’t rebuff them with careful, reasoned explanations. So the night began as before. Hillary explains, precisely. Donald attacks, rudely. His bluster and dishonesty are on full display but, again, it doesn’t

JONATHAN HEISLER/HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY

By RICHARD BRODSKY


AL

October 3, 2016

seem to matter. She is the old and failed leader, she is the one who got us into this mess, and Donald is the voice of the New Order, sweeping all before him. It works, in a strange way. Hillary is no dope and no marshmallow. She was looking for a way to spill blood, and eventually found several wounds to probe. Out came a set of visceral, personal attacks on Trump: his father’s loan, his Obama birther lie, his tax dodge and the coup de grace, “pigs, slobs and dogs.” You don’t have to be Clarence Darrow to figure out that Trump has no defense to such stuff. As the debate proceeded Hillary thrust repeatedly, with growing impact. Finally, she slipped the shiv into his ribs with neither mercy nor hesitation, and twisted it. The Alicia Machado story resonates with any person who has been taunted about his or her looks, and any woman who had to endure gratuitous insults from a powerful boss. By that time Trump was emotionally exhausted and let people see the side of him no one likes. The key word is “see.” It was the accumulated visual images of a scowling, reactive bully that burned into the consciousness of the viewer. The split screen saved Hillary. She might have emerged from the debate a consolation prize-winner, gifted with a series of “wellplayed” compliments or “gotcha” moments. Instead she has a library of clips of the Donald that speak louder than any transcript of his verbal idiocies. In the end, you don’t pay much of a political price for being a jerk. But it does cost you when you look like a jerk. That’s not how it should be. We’re taught that character and ideas matter more than image. That may no longer be true generally and it certainly isn’t true for Trump. No need to feel sorry for him; as Hyman Roth said to Michael Corleone, “This is the business we chose.” Trump has ridden years of bizarre images to the top of the Republican heap, be it “you’re fired” or mimicking a disabled reporter, or pointing out folks at rallies for retributive justice. But his immunity to verbal gaffes doesn’t extend to bad images. Live by the sword, die by the sword. It didn’t seem like Hillary had this planned out. There was sort of an intuitive sense her verbal attacks were working, to a point. She didn’t intend to turn the debate into a contest of dueling images. But that’s where she ended up. She got where she needed to go. The Donald can recover, without a lot of

City & State New York

IT WAS THE A C C U M U L AT E D VISUAL IMAGES OF A SCOWLING, REACTIVE BULLY THAT BURNED INTO THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF THE VIEWER. ... IN THE END, YOU DON’T PAY MUCH OF A POLITICAL PRICE FOR BEING A JERK. BUT IT DOES COST YOU WHEN YOU LOOK LIKE A JERK.

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difficulty, by riposting with a counter-image. If he makes good on his threat and brings Gennifer Flowers – who had an affair with Bill Clinton – to the next debate, he will present us with an image almost as distasteful as his own angry, sneering countenance. Don’t think he won’t. He can’t let the debates slip into the control of Hillary. He’ll be looking for something that unnerves her to the same extent that Alicia Machado unnerved him. Hillary has had her own problems, mostly self-inflicted wounds that opened a chasm of distrust. Some of her visuals have been equally damaging, from clips of her denying the undeniable to the pneumonia wobble. But she didn’t have to depend on Trump’s meltdown at the debate. She looked good, strong and warm. That’s not a surprise. She tends to bounce in the polls when the American people get a good look at her, unfiltered by the chattering class and unfavorable spin. There’s every reason to think she can manufacture more strong images and continue to get under Trump’s skin. The primacy of the visual in American politics seems to me to be a bad thing. Lincoln taught us that how one looks is never so important as what one thinks and does. But, it is what it is. We can’t blame “deplorables” and computer nerds. Even advanced progressive politics seem energized by cultural concerns that emphasize what we look like. We’re all products of the modern, byte-driven reality, and politicians can either adapt or die. So it’s come to this: There is a real chance that a truly unbalanced know-nothing could become the most powerful person on earth. We’ve exhausted the conventions of political discourse, and what the candidates say has less and less impact on the outcome. We are tumbling down a rabbit hole, hoping that some indelible image re-awakens the people, and elects a flawed, but competent and decent woman. It is not the choice they taught us about in school.

Richard Brodsky is a former assemblyman who is in the private practice of law and serves as a senior fellow at both Demos and NYU’s Wagner School. He is a regular columnist for the Albany Times Union and The Huffington Post.


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CityAndStateNY.com

October 3, 2016

NOTICE OF FORMATION of GRS Lab USA LLC. Arts of Org filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 8/5/2016. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated agent upon whom process may be served against LLC to: US Corp. Agents, Inc. 7014 13th Avenue, Suite 202, Brooklyn NY 11228. Purpose: any lawful act.

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NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Slow Sugar, LLC. Art. of Org. filed with SSNY on 07/15/16. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated agent upon whom process against it may be served. Principal business address: 860 Park Avenue, NY, NY 10075. Purpose: any lawful purpose. NOTICE OF FORMATION of SHADMOOR, LLC. Arts of Org filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 9/28/2016. Office location: New York County. SSNY designated agent upon whom process may be served and shall mail copy of process against LLC to: 652 Grandview Avenue #2R, Ridgewood, New York 11385. Purpose: any lawful act. Notice of Formation of Broadsheet Communications LLC. Art. of Org. filed with SSNY 9-1-16. Office Location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC for service of process. SSNY shall mail a copy of any process to c/o The LLC, P.O. Box 427, NY, NY 10272. Purpose: To engage in any lawful act or activity. Notice of Formation of Mrs. Gallery, LLC. Arts of Org filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 7/14/2016. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated agent upon whom process may be served against LLC to: 26 Apollo St., #2, Brooklyn, NY 11222. Principal business address: 60-40 56th Drive, Maspeth, NY 11378. Purpose: any lawful act. NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NOBLE HOUSE USA LLC Articles of Organization were filed

with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) 9/21/16. Office location: NY County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail a copy of process to NOBLE HOUSE USA LLC, 708 Third Avenue, 5 Fl., New York, New York, 10017, attention Rubin Ferziger. Purpose: for any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of Drake Communications, LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 3/2/2016. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated agent upon whom process may be served and shall mail copy of process against LLC to 7014 13th Ave, Suite 202, Brooklyn, NY 11228. Principal business address: 113 Nassau St, New York, NY 10038. Purpose: any lawful act. Notice of Formation of Marisa Terol llc. Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 7/12/2016. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated agent upon whom process may be served and shall mail copy to principal business address: 189 west 89 Street 18L NY, NY 10024. Purpose any lawful act. Notice of formation of 57Crickets60Elm, LLC, Arts of Org filed with Sec of State of NY (SSNY) on 7/01/16. Office location:NY County. SSNY designated agency upon whom process may be served against LLC. Principal business address is 3 Wash Square Village, 2-O, NY NY 10012. Notice of formation of David R Head Jr LLC. Arts of Org filed with Secy. of State NY (SSNY) on 6/9/2016. Office location NY County. SSNY designated agent upon whom process may be served against


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October 3, 2016

LLC to: 7014 13th Ave Set 202, Brooklyn, NY 11228. Principal business address: & E 14th St. #1219, NY, NY 10003. Purpose: any lawful act. NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Trep Spirit, LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 7/26/16. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to the LLC to: Trep Spirit, LLC, PO BOX 325, New York, NY 10024. Purpose: For any lawful purpose. Notice of Formation of Batelion, LLC Org filed with the Secy. Of State of NY (SSNY) on August 17th, 2016. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated agent upon whom process may be served against LLC to: United States Corporation Agents, Inc., 7014 13th Ave, Suite 202, Brooklyn, NY 11228. Business address: 412 E 116th Str, #2, New York, NY 10029. Purpose: any lawful act. Notice of formation of Sara Byworth LLC. Art. Of Org. filed with SSNY on 31st May 2016. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated agent upon whom process may be served against LLC to. 102 Saint Marks Place #2, Brooklyn 11217. Principal address. 102 Saint Marks Place #2, Brooklyn 11217. Purpose: Any lawful activity. Notice of formation of Somerset Regent LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 8/5/2016. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail copy of any process served against the LLC to c/o Law Office of Z Tan

PLLC, 110 E 59th St, Ste 3200, New York, NY 10022. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of Katonah Yoga Bowery LLC. Articles of Organization filed with Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 5/2/2016. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated agent upon whom process may be served against LLC to: 41 Carmine St. NY, NY 10014. Principal business address: 302 Bowery, 2nd Fl, NY NY 10012. Purpose: any lawful act. Notice of Qualification of HAWKING LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/08/16. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 06/10/16. NYS fictitious name: HAWKING DE LLC. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC, 125 Cambridgepark Dr., Ste. 301, Cambridge, MA 02140. DE addr. of LLC: Incorporating Services, Ltd., 3500 S. Dupont Hwy., Dover, DE 19901. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State, John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity. Notice of Qual. of Galeon Navigation Management (USA) LLC, Auth. filed Sec’y of State (SSNY) 7/29/16. Off. loc: NY Co. LLC org. in DE 6/24/16. SSNY desig. as agent of LLC upon whom proc. against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of proc. to CSC, 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207. DE off. addr.: 2711 Centerville Rd., Ste. 400, Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. on file: SSDE, Townsend Bldg., Dover, DE 19901. Purp: any lawful activities.

of State of NY (SSNY) on June 6, 2016. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail copy of process to LLC at: 7014 13th Avenue, Suite 202, Brooklyn, NY 11228. Purpose: any lawful act or activity. NOTICE OF FORMATION OF ORESTE DRAPACA ARCHITECT, PLLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Sec’y. of State of NY (SSNY) on 27 JUN 2016. Office location: NEW YORK County. SSNY designated agent upon whom process may be served against PLLC to principal business address: 419 PARK AVE SOUTH 7 FLR NEW YORK NY 10016. Purpose: any lawful act or activity. Notice of Formation of MATTHEW BERNSTEIN, M.D., PLLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/07/16. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of PLLC: 406 Massachusetts Ave., Arlington, MA 02474. SSNY designated as agent of PLLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o Abrams Fensterman, et. al., LLP, 1111 Marcus Ave., Ste. 107, Lake Success, NY 11042. Purpose: Medical purpose. Notice of Formation of SkyFloat LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/14/16. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o Gonen Productions & Talent, Inc., 105 E. 34th St., Ste. 240, NY, NY 10016. Purpose: Mobile device accessory manufacture, sales and distribution.

Notice of Formation of BitsyBoho, LLC. Art. of Org. filed with the Secy.

Notice of Formation of T/S 221 EAST 17, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with

Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/15/16. Office location: NY County. Princ. office of LLC: 221 E. 17th St., NY, NY 10003. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Brad M. Kaplan, Esq., The Kaplan Law Group, PC, 51 John F. Kennedy Pkwy., Ste. 1E/RXR, Short Hills, NJ 07078. Purpose: Any lawful activity. Notice of Qual. of 500 Seventh Mezz Funding LLC, Auth. filed Sec’y of State (SSNY) 8/5/16. Off. loc: NY Co. LLC org. in DE 8/3/16. SSNY desig. as agent of LLC upon whom proc. against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of proc. to NRAI, 111 Eighth Ave., NY, NY 10011, the Reg. Agt. upon whom proc. may be served. DE off. addr.: 160 Greentree Dr., Ste. 101, Dover, DE 19904. Cert. of Form. on file: SSDE, Townsend Bldg., Dover, DE 19901. Purp: any lawful activities. Notice of Qual. of 500 Seventh Funding LLC, Auth. filed Sec’y of State (SSNY) 8/5/16. Off. loc: NY Co. LLC org. in DE 8/3/16. SSNY desig. as agent of LLC upon whom proc. against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of proc. to NRAI, 111 Eighth Ave., NY, NY 10011, the Reg. Agt. upon whom proc. may be served. DE off. addr.: 160 Greentree Dr., Ste. 101, Dover, DE 19904. Cert. of Form. on file: SSDE, Townsend Bldg., Dover, DE 19901. Purp: any lawful activities. Notice of Qual. of 333 East 22 Lessee LLC, Auth. filed Sec’y of State (SSNY) 7/19/16. Off. loc: NY Co. LLC org. in DE 7/15/16. SSNY desig. as agent of LLC upon whom proc. against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of proc. to NRAI, 111 Eighth Ave., NY, NY 10011, the Reg. Agt. upon whom proc. may be served. DE off. addr.: 160 Greentree Dr., Ste.

101, Dover, DE 19904. Cert. of Form. on file: SSDE, Townsend Bldg., Dover, DE 19901. Purp: any lawful activities.ver Notice of Formation of 55 HAUS LLC. Art. of Org. filed with the SSNY on July 14, 2016. Office: New York County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to the LLC, 220 E. 25th St 4A, NY, NY 10010. Purpose: any lawful act. Notice of Qualification of OBBP PARKING OWNER LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 08/18/16. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 08/10/16. Princ. office of LLC: Vanke Holdings USA LLC, Attn: General Counsel, 130 W. 42nd St., 16th Fl., NY, NY 10036. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC at the addr. of its princ. office. DE addr. of LLC: Corporation Service Co., 2711 Centerville Rd., Ste. 400, Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State, Corps. Div., John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Arts of Organization filed with the SSNY on June 13,2016. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated agent upon whom process may be served against LLC to: 7014 13th Ave Ste. 202 Brooklyn, NY 11228. Principal business address: 121 W 36th St. NY, NY 10018. Purpose: Any lawful act. Notice of Formation of 7A MADISON SQUARE LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on August 08, 2016. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of any process served against the LLC, 262 WEST 38TH STREET ROOM 1701, and NEW YORK, NEW YORK, 10018. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of RPA RIVINGTON, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 08/03/16. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207. Purpose: To hold real and personal property and any other lawful activity. Notice of Formation of RatetheBiz, LLC.

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CityAndStateNY.com

October 3, 2016

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

Who was up and who was down last week

LOSERS JIM HEANEY – At City & State’s 10th anniversary gala, U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara credited investigative journalists with turning him on to irregularities in the bidding process for the Riverbend project in Buffalo, and that tip ultimately led to last week’s wide-ranging criminal complaint. Most observers interpreted Bharara’s praise as a nod to Heaney and his Investigative Post, the first outlet to highlight the oddly specific requirements in the project’s request for proposals.

OUR PICK

OUR PICK

WINNERS

A 2011 New York Times profile of Fred Dicker noted that he had in his office a mock Page 1 of the Post with the headline “Dicker Quits/Cuomo Declares Holiday.” Well, Dicker officially ended his Monday morning must-read column in the Post, but the governor couldn’t call any holidays after the week he had. Read on to see who feels like calling a parade and who’s lying low.

EDITORIAL - editor@cityandstateny.com Editorial Director Michael Johnson mjohnson@ cityandstateny.com, Senior Editor Jon Lentz jlentz@ cityandstateny.com, Albany Reporter Ashley Hupfl ahupfl@ cityandstateny.com, Buffalo Reporter Justin Sondel jsondel@cityandstateny.com, City Hall Reporter Sarina Trangle strangle@cityandstateny.com, Managing Editor Ryan Somers, Associate Copy Editor Sam Edsill, Web/ Engagement Editor Jeremy Unger, Editorial Assistant Jeff Coltin SLANT Slant Editor Nick Powell npowell@cityandstateny.com, Editor-at-Large Gerson Borrero gborrero@cityandstateny. com, Slant Columnists Nicole Gelinas, Bruce Fisher, Richard Brodsky, Karen Hinton CREATIVE - creativedepartment@cityandstateny.com Creative Director Guillaume Federighi, Senior Graphic Designer Alex Law, Marketing Designer Charles Flores, Junior Graphic Designer Kewen Chen DIGITAL - digital@cityandstateny.com Digital Manager Chanelle Grannum, Digital Content Coordinator Michael Filippi

ANDREW CUOMO – It’s hard for the governor to walk away damage-free from the recent arrests of several confidants and former aides – and trying to lay all the blame on SUNY isn’t fooling anyone. On top of voters showing their frustration with the state of affairs – only 40 percent currently approve of him – Cuomo also has to deal with some cyberbullying from suspended SUNY Poly President Alain Kaloyeros.

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

Vol. 5 Issue 38 October 3, 2016

HOUSE of CUOMO CAN HE RECOVER FROM THE SCANDAL?

THE BEST OF THE REST JEFF BLAU & STEVEN ROTH – Related and Vornado still get to

THE REST OF THE WORST GLADYS CARRIÓN – ACS under

develop Penn Station

LAUREEN JACOBS – Maziarz

BERTHA LEWIS – de Blasio pleases

files suit against former campaign

advocate with new MWBE target

treasurer

TOM PRENDERGAST – MTA’s

STEPHANIE MINER – Syracuse

finances improving

mayor removed from DNC

CHUCK SCHUMER – override

TONY SHORRIS – skewered by

lets families of 9/11 victims sue Saudi

council over Rivington deal

BOROUGH 50:

MANHATTAN’S MOST INFLUENTIAL LEADERS THE JOKER:

PREET’S BEST ZINGERS

fire after death of Zymere Perkins

Arabia

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

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CIT YANDSTATENY.COM October @CIT YANDSTATENY 3, 2016

Art Direction Guillaume Federighi

CITY & STATE NEW YORK (ISSN 2474-4107) is published weekly, 48 times a year except for the four weeks containing New Year’s Day, July 4th, Thanksgiving and Christmas by City & State NY, LLC, 61 Broadway, Suite 2235, New York, NY 10006-2763. Application to Mail at Periodicals Prices is pending at New York, NY and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to City & State New York, 61 Broadway, Suite 2235, New York, NY 10006-2763. General: (212) 268-0442, info@cityandstateny.com Copyright ©2016, City & State NY, LLC


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