Republicans want same maps

Feb 05, 2024

With help from Irie Sentner

The New York Conservative Party gathers

The Republicans said the maps are just fine the way they are and argued it’s too late in election season to overhaul the lines without creating mass confusion. | Bill Mahoney/POLITICO

Top New York Republicans came together today to call on lawmakers to keep the congressional maps that were drawn by a court two years ago on the books for the rest of the decade.

They said the maps – which helped Republicans win 11 of the state’s 26 congressional seats in 2022 – are just fine the way they are. And they argued it’s too late in election season to overhaul the lines without creating mass confusion.

“At the rate they’re going, there’s going to be two petitioning periods and two primaries,” Conservative Party Chair Gerard Kassar said. “We’re not there yet, but we are really, really at the cusp of that being an undeniable reality.”

And holding dual primaries would be “an unnecessary doubling of costs in a state that is really tight with money,” he said.

The Court of Appeals restarted the redistricting process with a decision in December. The state’s Independent Redistricting Commission has until the end of this month to draw new lines; the Democratic-dominated Legislature will then be able to approve them or draw their own.

There has been some chatter that there might actually be room for a compromise. Republicans could accept maps that aren’t as bad for them as a full-fledged Democratic gerrymander might be, while Democrats could accept maps less aggressive than they might like, but less likely to lead to more chaos in the courts.

Still, top Republicans said that any overhaul would simply embolden Albany leaders to continue acting policy without being held accountable.

“This state is falling to shit,” former Long Island Rep. Lee Zeldin told reporters.

Zeldin pointed to Albany’s Pearl Street, where conservatives were gathered for a state convention: “You know what it looked like just a few years ago. You see it inside of cities across this state. How much power do you need to give the Democrats in Albany? How much more are they allowed to abuse? How much more erosion of quality of life is OK?”

The commission’s five Democrats and five Republicans are due to wrap up their draft in three weeks, yet have not scheduled a public meeting since a gathering a few days after Christmas. They’ve issued few public signals about what their plans are.

Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt, who appointed two of the commissioners, joined the calls for keeping the map as is. He said he doesn’t believe he has the power to “direct” these commissioners to vote a certain way, but “they understand where I am on this.”

Petitioning to get on the congressional ballot is due to start on Feb. 27. And with no signs that the redistricting issue will be settled too long before then, candidates will thus need to prep for their runs without knowing exactly where they’re running.

“I’m pushing ahead as charged,” said Alison Esposito, Rep. Pat Ryan’s Republican challenger in the Hudson Valley, who was not part of the news conference but attended the Conservative Party gathering. But, she said, mapmakers “could do anything.”

“If they really wanted to keep Pat Ryan safe, they risk making [Mike] Lawler and [Marc] Molinaro safe” in neighboring districts, Esposito said. But they could try something like “giving Lawler half of the Bronx. They could change it any way they want.”

From the Capitol

Assemblymember Kenny Burgos addressed reporters at the Capitol today calling for the passage of the End Predatory Court Fees Act.

Assemblymember Kenny Burgos addressed reporters at the Capitol today calling for the passage of the End Predatory Court Fees Act. | Shawn Ness/POLITICO

IF IT DON’T MAKE DOLLARS, IT DON’T MAKE SENSE: Sen. Julia Salazar and Assemblymember Kenny Burgos, the two sponsors of the “End Predatory Court Fees Act” (S. 3979C / A. 2348B), spoke to reporters at the Capitol today about the importance of passing the bill.

The bill would work to eliminate state court fees and probation fees, as well as mandatory minimum fines and punishments for unpaid fees. Fees that are commonly attached to civil infractions like speeding tickets can total hundreds of dollars. Those fees come on top of the fine that traditionally comes with the crime. The fees are typically given to offenders who likely don’t have the additional cash, putting them in further legal peril, the lawmakers said.

“They [judges, prosecutors and defense attorneys] see every day who walks through that court system, and we know for a fact the poorest people in our state are the ones who find themselves in the New York courts. And that is only the surface level of this problem,” Burgos, the Bronx Democrat said.

Roughly 60 percent of New York residents are unable to afford a fee of only $245 without having to take money from an allotted budget that would go to grocery or gas bills, the lawmakers said. The collection rates of the fees are not strong either, ranging from 28 to 56 percent that are actually procured.

“It is unbelievable. Unbelievable, that we continue to burden low income New Yorkers with the mandatory surcharge with these fines and fees. They are effectively a regressive tax on New Yorkers,” Salazar said. — Shawn Ness

‘MAJOR CHANGES’ FOR CANNABIS: Hochul signaled today she is weighing an overhaul of the state’s cannabis regulatory office after a highly criticized start to its marijuana marketplace.

“I’m not satisfied. I want more enforcement,” she told reporters after an unrelated stop in Syracuse. “I am looking at leadership; I’m looking at opportunities to make major changes.”

Hochul has increasingly aired her frustrations with how New York has handled the rollout of the recreational sales over the last two years.

She has previously called the implementation of the state’s legalization law “a disaster” and sought to strengthen enforcement to crack down on shops that sell cannabis without licenses.

Hochul last month proposed beefing up the enforcement powers of the Office of Cannabis Management as well as local law enforcement agencies to make it easier for them to padlock businesses that sell marijuana without a license.

The licensing process itself was seen as too slow and cumbersome. It was hampered, too, by legal challenges to how state regulators were doling out licenses.

“We lost nine months because greedy out-of-state people in the cannabis industry shut us down,” Hochul said. “That’s been frustrating as well. We’re going to work through this.” — Nick Reisman

MAKING ROUNDS: Jihoon Kim has left his post as Hochul’s deputy secretary for human services and mental hygiene to serve as CEO of InUnity Alliance.

The nonprofit, which was created by a merger last year of the Coalition for Behavioral Health and the Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Providers of New York State, represents 250 behavioral health organizations.

“Under my leadership, InUnity Alliance will advocate to ensure that every New Yorker who needs timely care for a substance use and/or mental health disorder can access and afford it,” Kim said in a statement Monday. — Maya Kaufman

FROM CITY HALL

Dwayne Montgomery smiling.

Dwayne Montgomery (left) pleaded guilty to one conspiracy charge under the terms of a deal with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. | Steve Mack/Alamy Live News

STRAW MAN: A former colleague of Mayor Eric Adams pleaded guilty Monday to orchestrating a straw donor scheme that pumped illicit cash into the mayor’s 2021 campaign.

Dwayne Montgomery — a former deputy inspector whose career in the NYPD overlapped with Adams — pleaded guilty to one conspiracy charge under the terms of a deal with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who in July charged Montgomery and several others in a brazen straw donor scheme.

As part of the plea deal, which must be approved by a Manhattan Criminal Court judge, Montgomery would be released provided he performs 200 hours of community service and pays a $500 fine. He would also be subject to a yearlong ban on hosting political fundraisers, soliciting donations for candidates and acting as an intermediary with donors.

Neither the mayor nor his campaign have been accused of wrongdoing, and at an unrelated press conference, Adams outlined the compliance measures his campaign undertook to ensure the integrity of contributions.

“We returned back tens of thousands of donations that did not follow that muster,” he said. “And so the campaign did its job.” — Joe Anuta

On the Beats

A graph displaying changes in local sales tax collections between 2019 and 2023.

The rise is largely attributed to an increase in sales tax collected in New York City, which grew by 5.9 percent, two-fifths of the statewide total. | New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli

SALES TAX: Sales taxes collected by local governments rose 4.2 percent last year, reaching a grand total of $23 billion, according to a report released by state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli.

The amount of sales tax collected by counties and cities is critical to their livelihood: It’s their top revenue source, even more than property taxes.

“The fluctuations in sales tax collections that characterized the pandemic period have subsided. Local officials should plan for sales tax revenue with more stable and modest growth rates,” DiNapoli said.

The rise is largely attributed to an increase in sales tax collected in New York City, which grew by 5.9 percent, two-fifths of the statewide total. That number got a boost from the large amounts of domestic and international tourism to the region, which is finally approaching its pre-pandemic levels.

Outside the city, 50 out of the 57 counties saw a year-over-year increase, with the state’s smallest counties reporting the largest growth. — Shawn Ness

ALL COLA, NO COKE: A group of state senators and Assembly members rallied in the Capitol today to push for the passage of a 3.2 percent cost-of-living-adjustment (COLA) for health care workers dealing with mental health patients.

The increase would be tied to a 2023 consumer price index and advocacy groups pressed for a $500 million investment in mental health and substance use disorders included in the upcoming budget.

Hochul’s budget included a COLA increase of 1.5 percent, which advocates say is not enough to address rising costs of operating programs and services like gas, food, and utilities.

“An increase so low is a cut to funding because it doesn’t allow mental health housing providers to keep pace with inflation,” Sebrina Barrett, executive director of the Association for Community Living, said in a statement. — Shawn Ness

WAGE GAP: A report today from the New York Legal Services Coalition contends the pay gap between civil legal service attorneys’ salaries compared to their government counterparts is driving a legal services crisis.

In Hochul’s executive budget, she outlined a plan to move funding from the Interest on Lawyers Account to the general fund. The plan could harm low-income New York residents seeking legal aid, some lawmakers and legal aid groups said.

“If New York is to close the justice gap, we must ensure that we’re properly funding the legal services organizations and programs that are dedicated to helping those in need,” Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal said in a statement.

IOLA funds are designed to make up for an estimated $1 billion gap between public and private sector lawyers.

“In order to close the 'Access to Justice' gap, we must strengthen and grow the dedicated civil legal aid workforce that is providing direct representation and counsel to clients,” Tina Foster, the group’s board president, said in a statement. — Shawn Ness

PUBLIC SCHOOL ENROLLMENT CONTINUES TO FALL: The number of students in New York’s public school classrooms dropped to the lowest point it's been since the 1950s, according to a report by Empire Center.

The state Education Department’s preliminary data shows a 1 percent decline in enrollment in public schools — that’s including charter schools — statewide over the past year.

The enrollment losses were felt most deeply in New York City, which saw a 2.4 percent decline or a loss of 21,310 students last school year — that’s despite the sudden increase in migrant students who moved to the area. Outside New York City, Long Island gained 409 students, and the rest of the state had a loss of 3,404 students or a 0.3 percent decline.

Every county had an enrollment decline from the 2018-19 school year to the 2023-24 school year with the exception of Rockland County. Enrollment has seen year-to-year declines every year over the course of the past decade. That’s a point Hochul has used to justify her budget proposal that reduces state aid for 337 school districts that she says have experienced enrollment declines.

Since 2018, the state’s largest districts have experienced between 9 percent to a 20 percent decline. During that time period, Buffalo lost 11.3 percent of its students; Rochester 20.9 percent; Yonkers 9.5 percent; Syracuse 12.6 percent decline and New York City was down 12.2 percent.

According to the Empire Center, the enrollment drop is the result of declining fertility rates, outmigration and a recent surge in homeschool that took off during the pandemic. — Katelyn Cordero

HOCHUL PUSHED BACK AGAINST SCHOOL AID CRITICISM: Hochul’s proposal for school aid has united lawmakers and school advocates on both sides of the aisle in opposition.

On Monday, she pushed back against that opposition and defended her decision to reduce funding in areas with declining populations. She touted the historic increases in funding last year — $5 billion over two years — but noted that the levels of funding are not sustainable with declining student populations.

“I think we need to talk about and be honest about this, and the fact that a lot of our schools are sitting on surpluses,” Hochul said in Syracuse.

“So, if you have surplus money, either spend more in the schools, give more to teachers for their resources or give it back to the taxpayers. That's all I'm talking about, my friends.” — Katelyn Cordero

FIELD TAKES SHAPE IN 1ST SENATE DISTRICT: Democratic former Suffolk County Legislature Sarah Anker launched a campaign on Monday for the Senate seat held by Republican Anthony Palumbo.

The district, on the eastern end of Suffolk County, has been eyed by Democrats since Ken LaValle retired after 22 terms in 2020. Palumbo won with less than 52 percent of the vote in 2020, though wound up topping 56 percent as Republican fortunes improved on Long Island two years later.

“From working to reduce our county deficit to focusing on public safety issues, I’ve taken an active role in improving the quality of life here in Suffolk County,” Anker said in a statement. “Now, it’s time to take on Albany.” — Bill Mahoney

AROUND NEW YORK

— New York City’s congestion pricing plans could result in longer commutes for Long Island drivers. (Newsday)

— Six members of the Senate panel on cannabis sent a letter to Cannabis Control Board and Office of Cannabis Management urging them to “do better” with their retail marijuana rollout. (Times Union)

— Hochul committed a bunch of money during her trip to Syracuse today. (Spectrum News)

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