| | | | |  | | By Emily Ngo, Nick Reisman and Jeff Coltin | | Presented by |  | | | With Timmy Facciola
| | 
Rep. Elise Stefanik, of North Country, was floated as a running mate to the president-elect. | Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images | New Yorkers have an outsized presence in President-elect Donald Trump’s first batch of administration appointments. Trump appointed House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and former Rep. Lee Zeldin as administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. And the president-elect chose New York native and former New York state police officer Tom Homan as his “border czar.” Stefanik and Zeldin have very limited experience in either foreign or environmental policy, but they are two of Trump’s most loyal surrogates and were among the 147 GOP House members who voted to overturn the 2020 election results. And they, like Trump, are New Yorkers. “People who make it here in New York — in any part of New York — have to be very strong individuals,” New York State GOP chair Ed Cox told Playbook. State Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt told Playbook Stefanik and Zeldin will remind the country and world that there are leading Republicans in conventionally blue New York. “You’ve got to have a strong personality to be here and survive here, especially with Democrats being as numerous as they are here,” Ortt said. “That makes a certain kind of Republican come out of New York.” Stefanik, of North Country, was floated as a running mate to the president-elect. When she took office in 2014, at the age of 30, she was the youngest woman ever elected to Congress and then became the youngest woman to serve in House leadership. The House member is a fierce critic of the U.N., calling for a “complete reassessment of U.S. funding” to the entity. Zeldin, of Long Island, raised his profile when he came within 6 points of defeating Gov. Kathy Hochul in 2022. Trump’s early focus on the EPA reveals he’s intent on energy deregulation. Trump’s decision to look to New York for his first personnel choices, of course, also reflects his roots in the state and city. “The president is from New York, he lived in New York, he wants to see New York be made great again,” Rep. Nicole Malliotakis told Playbook. “And now New York will have access within his Cabinet with these two selections. All is great in the world.” The Staten Island Republican’s buoyant mood was one shared by many in the New York GOP, whose leaders expect there will be still more New Yorkers selected to work in all levels of the Trump administration. (Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman and central New York Rep. Brandon Williams, who lost his bid for reelection last week, are two of the many names being floated.) Rep. Nick Langworthy of upstate New York called it no surprise that Stefanik and Zeldin were selected. And he used the same adjective as his GOP colleagues in describing what a Trump presidency would look like: “strong.” — Emily Ngo HAPPY TUESDAY: Got news? Send it our way: Jeff Coltin , Emily Ngo and Nick Reisman.
| | | | A message from Uber: Study Reveals Uber Drivers Make More than EMTs: NYC Uber drivers now earn an average of $52,900 annually after expenses, outpacing the salaries of many essential city employees, including EMTs and sanitation workers. Despite delivering vital services, these workers struggle with stagnant wages while Uber drivers have benefited from five TLC-mandated pay hikes since 2020. Read more on the wage disparity impacting NYC’s workforce. Learn More. | | | WHERE’S KATHY? In Albany for two announcements and holding a briefing in Orange County on wildfires. WHERE’S ERIC? Delivering remarks at a commemoration for American Airlines Flight 587, which crashed in Queens on November 12, 2001, and later holding his weekly press conference. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “A lot of what you learn in leadership in the House of Representatives carries over to how you put together a coalition in New York — it’s the same skill set.” — Peter Yeo, senior vice president of the U.N. Foundation on Stefanik’s selection as the ambassador to the organization.
|  | ABOVE THE FOLD | | | 
Lee Zeldin ran for governor in 2022 on a platform that was almost exclusively about tackling crime in New York. | Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/AP | HEAT FOR ALBANY: Environmental activists are not happy with Zeldin leading the EPA. And they’re turning up the pressure on Hochul, his erstwhile political opponent, to counter his potential policies at the agency. “If the governor wants to meet New Yorkers where they are, she should lead on the type of work that New Yorkers voted for overwhelmingly: climate action that also reduces energy bills and provides clean air for our communities right away,” said John Raskin, the Spring Street Climate Fund, an advocacy organization. The group has been pressing Democrats in Albany to give final approval to measures like the HEAT Act, a proposal meant to end subsidies for new gas hookups. Hochul has embraced some aspects of the legislation. But she’s also been proverbially burned by issues like regulating gas appliances in homes — an idea that was caught up in a broader culture war over the issue. Zeldin ran for governor in 2022 on a platform that was almost exclusively about tackling crime in New York. But he also backed an end to the fracking ban in New York that then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo established in 2014. The fracking issue was a cause celebre for environmentalists and the ban was vehemently opposed by business interests. — Nick Reisman
| | CITY HALL: THE LATEST | | | | 
The pilot program to give migrant families prepaid debit cards for food and baby supplies will end next month. | Jason Beeferman/POLITICO | A FOCUS ON IMMIGRANTS: The surge of migrants that once overwhelmed New York City’s resources has abated as Biden administration restrictions at the southern border and Adams administration limits on shelter stays have taken effect. A new immigration-related crisis looms on the horizon with Trump’s promise of mass deportations, but the slowdown of new arrivals is offering the city a period of respite, however brief. Shelters that once served as temporary homes for migrant families have closed or are closing, including the tent complex on Randall’s Island. The pilot program to give migrant families prepaid debit cards for food and baby supplies will end next month. In preparation for what comes next, City Hall officials are pledging to protect immigrants, though they don’t yet have specifics. “I want to reassure people that they do not need to self-deport, they do not need to hide, go in the shadows, and that they can continue to use our city services, especially emergency services, like our police department, our hospitals and so on,” Manuel Castro, commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, said last week. “The biggest threat right now is, again, the fear that’s setting in.” — Emily Ngo More from the city: — Mayor Eric Adams has asked a federal judge to move up his criminal trial to better accommodate a run for reelection next year. (POLITICO) — A guide to finding housing with a voucher in New York City. ( THE CITY) — Mayoral candidates lobby donors and supporters at the annual SOMOS political conference with Adams missing. (NY1)
| | | | A message from Uber:   | | | | | NEW FROM PLANET ALBANY | | | 
Rep. Mike Lawler has perhaps the clearest path to the Republican gubernatorial nomination. | Hans Pennink/AP | AP Photo | AND THEN THERE WAS ONE: Zeldin being tapped by Trump to lead the Environmental Protection Agency is good news for any Republican who may want to run for governor in 2026. Zeldin, the party’s 2022 gubernatorial nominee, received 46 percent of the vote against Hochul — the best showing for a Republican seeking that office in a generation. Meanwhile, Blakeman — sometimes spoken of as a potential statewide candidate — is being eyed by the Trump transition team for an appointment as well, according to three Republicans familiar with the discussions. But with Zeldin (and maybe Blakeman) presumably out of the state’s political picture for the next two years, Rep. Mike Lawler has a clearer path to the nomination. Lawler was reelected to a second term last week after he handily defeated Democrat Mondaire Jones in a swing seat race. The Hudson Valley lawmaker did not rule out a campaign when he spoke with reporters after declaring victory. “We’ll look at what comes next, but obviously the bottom line is we have a lot of challenges in New York and across the country,” Lawler said, “and I’m focused on what I can do to address those challenges.” — Nick Reisman More from Albany: — A federal lawsuit challenging New York’s ban on bulletproof vests can proceed. (Spectrum News) — Members of Rep. Tim Kennedy’s staff remained on the state payroll after he left the state Senate. (Buffalo News) — Hochul has been asked to declare a health emergency by the opioid advisory board. (Times Union)
| | | | The lame duck session could reshape major policies before year's end. Get Inside Congress delivered daily to follow the final sprint of dealmaking on defense funding, AI regulation and disaster aid. Subscribe now. | | | | | | | KEEPING UP WITH THE DELEGATION | | — Sen. Chuck Schumer says he’s confident the CHIPS and Science Act will remain intact. (Spectrum News) — House Democrats, including Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, are strategizing ways to put a damper on the Trump administration’s sweeping plans. (Axios) — Without Kamala Harris in the White House, Democrats look to Jeffries for leadership. (The Grio)
| | NEW YORK STATE OF MIND | | — A Manhattan judge is set to decide today whether to let stand the hush-money guilty verdicts against Trump. (Daily News) — Cannabis farmers suing New York warn their industry is facing a collapse. (Times Union) — The “ghost plates” problem is getting worse, the MTA says. (Newsday)
| | | | A message from Uber: Study Shows Uber Drivers making over $52k while NYC Heroes Get Left Behind
A new study reveals a growing wage divide in New York City: Uber drivers are making an average of $52,900 a year after expenses, while city employees like EMTs and sanitation workers starting salaries are below $44,000. Since 2020, rideshare drivers have received five pay increases through TLC mandates while many frontline city workers face stagnant wages amid rising living costs. This gap underscores an evolving dynamic in NYC’s workforce, where gig workers see consistent earnings growth while essential city roles lag behind. This pay disparity is raising questions about the city’s priorities and the need for equitable wages in public service amidst the affordability crisis.
Read the full story to see how gig work earnings are reshaping NYC’s labor landscape. Learn More. | | | | | SOCIAL DATA | | Edited by Daniel Lippman MAKING MOVES: Tracy Burnett has joined Morrison Cohen to be a partner in the firm’s white-collar and regulatory enforcement practice. She most recently was a partner at McLaughlin & Stern. … Leia Galasso has joined Lowenstein Sandler as a partner in its emerging companies and VC group, based in the firm’s NYC office. She most recently was a partner at Buhler Duggal & Henry LLP. … Teddy Himler has founded Optimist Ventures, a NY-based VC fund focused on investing in tech companies that optimize labor with technology. He most recently was a partner at Antler and is an alum of SoftBank and Comcast Ventures. … Public-private partnership specialist Christian Loubeau is now a vice president on Kasirer's corporate team. WEEKEND WEDDING: Peter Sterne, editor at City & State NY, and Emily Joshu, health reporter at the Daily Mail, were married Sunday at the New York Botanical Garden. They met five years ago on Bumble, had their first date at Barcade in Brooklyn and bonded over their mutual love of board games and cats. Spotted at the party: Zohran Mamdani, Ralph Ortega, Holly Pretsky, Sophie Krichevsky, Chloe Chik and Jack Sterne. Pic ENGAGED: Paul Ancin, senior consultant at IT consulting firm Qvest, on Friday proposed to Sophia Templin, a director at FGS Global. The couple got engaged at sunset at Pier 17 and he surprised her with their families waiting in the lobby of their apartment building before a dinner at The Fulton. The couple met on Hinge in 2022 with a first date at Bocca Cucina for dinner followed by crashing one of her girlfriends on her own first date with her now-fiancé. Pic HAPPY BIRTHDAY: NYC Council Member Linda Rosenthal … White House chief of staff Jeff Zients … Bennett Richardson … Lauren Peikoff of MSNBC … Marguerite Sullivan of Latham & Watkins … Olivia Lange … Tim Urban … Josh Britton … Ross Baird … Peter Wise Missed Monday’s New York Playbook PM? We forgive you. Read it here.
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