| | | | |  | | By Joseph Spector, Danielle Muoio Dunn and Zachary Schermele | | | |  Asylum seekers arrive to the Roosevelt Hotel on Friday, May 19, 2023, in New York. | Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/AP Photo | Crime and economy were front of mind for voters in the New York City suburbs last year – and Republicans won key U.S. House races on the two issues. Now the battleground suburbs are being dominated by the city's migrant crisis that has led Mayor Eric Adams to bus asylum-seekers to the Hudson Valley and beyond. This has angered Republican leaders and fueled backlash in the same communities that Democrats will need in 2024 if they have any hope of winning back the House. “This is a humanitarian issue, and I think we forget that too often,” state Democratic Committee Chair Jay Jacobs said in an interview Thursday with POLITICO. “Now of course Republicans are going to do what they always do,” he continued. “They either scare the public or make them angry, and in this case, they are going to be using these legal asylum applicants to do that. And they've been doing that with some success.” The movement of several hundred migrants to Dutchess, Orange and Sullivan counties, along with Yonkers, has become a rallying cry largely for Republican county executives. They’ve raised concern about having new people in their communities – whether it be how long the visitors will stay or the impact on local services. Rockland County Executive Ed Day, a Republican, said Thursday that 36 of 57 counties outside of New York City have declared states of emergency over the issue. It’s a way to help them have greater control over local ordinances to potentially block hotels from accepting migrants from the city. “Putting profit above people, hotels are now challenging these orders across municipalities, ignoring the fact that hotels and motels cannot legally operate as shelters as it violates not only local zoning law but also New York State rules and regulations for shelters,” Day said in a statement. He has successfully blocked about 350 migrants from coming to Rockland County. Some local leaders have criticized Gov. Kathy Hochul for not doing more to either provide municipalities with additional resources, or prevent Adams from bussing migrants out of the city. She has vowed to find suitable locations for the thousands of new asylum-seekers coming to the city each week, whether it be in “welcoming communities” or in state or federal facilities. Hochul urged local governments to embrace the opportunity to help others, while calling on the federal government to expedite the migrants’ work authorizations. “To parts of our country and our state who are enacting bigoted policies based on fear and intimidation, join us. Join us,” Hochul urged in a speech with Adams at her side Monday. “Let people know the true story of what New York is.”
| | | | A message from the Seneca Nation: The Seneca Nation’s gaming Compact has been transformational for the New York economy. In 20 years, the Compact has generated historic private investments, created tens of thousands of jobs, and provided crucial funding for services like education, healthcare, housing, infrastructure, and more. Fair and honest negotiations on a new Compact are in everyone’s best interest. It’s time to Stand with Seneca. Tell New York’s leaders to pass bill S7117/A 7358. Visit StandWithSeneca.com today. | | | HAPPY FRIDAY. WHERE’S KATHY? In Erie County, with no public schedule. WHERE’S ERIC? In New York City, signing legislation to ban discrimination on the basis of a person’s height or weight. He will also make a new appointment, discuss community-led planning in Queens and raise the African Union Flag. PROGRAMMING NOTE: We’ll be off this Monday for Memorial Day but will be back in your inboxes on Tuesday. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Our working relationship is… interesting right now.” — City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, talking about Mayor Eric Adams.
| | | | DON’T MISS POLITICO’S HEALTH CARE SUMMIT: The Covid-19 pandemic helped spur innovation in health care, from the wide adoption of telemedicine, health apps and online pharmacies to mRNA vaccines. But what will the next health care innovations look like? Join POLITICO on Wednesday June 7 for our Health Care Summit to explore how tech and innovation are transforming care and the challenges ahead for access and delivery in the United States. REGISTER NOW. | | | | | |  | ABOVE THE FOLD | |
Adams defends decision to weaken right to shelter law, by POLITICO’s Joe Anuta: After accepting tens of thousands of asylum seekers into its care, Mayor Eric Adams wants to suspend a 40-year-old law that guarantees a right to shelter within New York City — an extraordinary step he hopes will spare the local shelter system from collapse and staunch the flow of migrants who have been coming to the five boroughs from the southern border.
| | What City Hall's reading | |
“NYPD to eliminate nearly 500 crossing guard jobs in cost-cutting move,” by Daily News’ Chris Sommerfeldt, Thomas Tracy and Cayla Bamberger
“Daniel Penny Plans to Testify Before Grand Jury in Subway Chokehold Case,” by The New York Times’ Jonah E. Bromwich and Michael Wilson: “The man, Daniel Penny, would testify in his own defense next month. The move appears to reflect his lawyers’ confidence that Mr. Penny, a Marine veteran, can shape the way jurors view the highly publicized and politically charged episode on an F train earlier this month.” “Why does Eric Adams oppose legislation that could free up shelter space?” by City & State’s Annie McDonough: “The Adams administration said on Wednesday afternoon that it supported eliminating the 90-day rule for just families, and said that they presented that as a standalone proposal to the council in April. But the City Council and City Hall offered contrasting versions of what kind of proposal was presented." “City could lower speed limits below 25 mph under new bill,” by Crain’s New York’s Nick Garber: “The bill is based on the finding that people struck by cars moving at 25 miles per hour are far more likely to die or be seriously injured than those hit by cars moving even slightly more slowly.”
| | | | A message from the Seneca Nation:   | | | | | WHAT ALBANY'S READING | |
“Will New York Stop Letting Prisons Police Themselves?” by Victoria Law for New York Focus: “A bill introduced this month by Senator Julia Salazar would authorize the state inspector general to investigate sexual assault complaints made by people in prison — rather than leaving it up to the prisons themselves. It passed the committee that oversees prisons, which Salazar chairs, on Tuesday.”
“Inspector General: New York's 'generous' prison guard benefits result in fraud,” by Times Union’s Roger Hannigan Gilson “Top New York Republican wants Hochul to consider alternate sites for housing migrants,” by Spectrum News’ Nick Reisman: “The top Republican in the New York state Senate on Thursday in a letter to Gov. Kathy Hochul raised concerns with plans to potentially house migrants north of New York City at State University of New York campuses as well as hotels and motels. Separately, a group of Democratic lawmakers in a different letter to Hochul called on her to consider as many dormitories at SUNY campuses as possible in addressing the housing issue. The two letters underscore the divergent concerns for lawmakers from both parties as Hochul's administration grapples with the influx of people into the state.” #UpstateAmerica: Here’s all you need to know about Buffalo Marathon weekend.
| | | | GET READY FOR GLOBAL TECH DAY: Join POLITICO Live as we launch our first Global Tech Day alongside London Tech Week on Thursday, June 15. Register now for continuing updates and to be a part of this momentous and program-packed day! From the blockchain, to AI, and autonomous vehicles, technology is changing how power is exercised around the world, so who will write the rules? REGISTER HERE. | | | | | | | AROUND NEW YORK | |
— Got milk? State Republican legislators want more types of it served in schools.
— Former New York Mayor Bill de Blasio opined about the concept of political spouses in a New York Times story about the influence of Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis on her husband. — A Hebron man accused of killing a woman last month after she turned around in his driveway claimed gunfire from hunters is to blame instead. — Via Times Union: “Last week’s freeze wrought havoc on upstate grapes, apples." | | SOCIAL DATA BY DANIEL LIPPMAN | | HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Vox’s Noel King … NBC’s Tom Ranzweiler … Mike Harney … Sabrina Alvarez-Correa … Gwen Rocco … Jonny Dach … Devon Spurgeon … Derek Wallbank … (was Thursday): Micha Tomkiewicz MAKING MOVES — Peter Orszag has been selected as the next CEO of Lazard. He currently is CEO of financial advisory at Lazard and is a former director of the Office of Management and Budget in the Obama administration. … Noam Bramson has been named the next executive director of Sustainable Westchester. He currently is the mayor of the city of New Rochelle and will take up the job next January. MEDIAWATCH — “2 Top Editors to Depart Wall Street Journal,” by NYT’s Katie Robertson: “Two of The Wall Street Journal’s top editors will leave the publication, its new editor in chief, Emma Tucker, said on Thursday. In an email to the staff, Ms. Tucker said Neal Lipschutz and Jason Anders, both deputy editors in chief, would depart ‘after many years of distinguished service.’ ‘A new deputy editor will be announced in due course,’ Ms. Tucker wrote.” WEEKEND WEDDING — Sam Michelman, senior manager for business operations at LinkedIn, on Saturday married Ashley Leineweber, director for go-to-market at Joy and a Google alum. The couple met working as consultants on the same project team at Deloitte in 2018. Pic
| | | | A message from the Seneca Nation: Safe, affordable housing for all is a priority issue in New York. For generations of Senecas, the dream of owning their own home was kept beyond their reach because banks would not grant traditional mortgages on the Seneca Nation’s sovereign territory. This left most Seneca families virtually no path to buying houses on the lands they call home. The Seneca Nation helped remove this barrier and made the dream of home ownership a reality. Using gaming revenues, the Seneca Nation created a Nation-funded mortgage program. Since 2005, more than 300 mortgages have given Seneca individuals and families the opportunity to live among family, friends, and community. Along with the mortgage program, the Nation has improved housing stock and programs on its territories. A fair and equitable gaming Compact is critical to continue meeting the Nation’s growing housing needs. Let New York’s leaders know that you #StandWithSeneca. Visit StandWithSeneca.com today. | | | | | Real Estate | | “NYC expands rental assistance to more people – including its asylum-seekers,” by Gothamist’s Giulia Heyward 5 World Trade Center advances amid affordable housing fight, by POLITICO’s Ry Rivard | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
