Yesterday was a day for Albany. Gov. Hochul put forward a $216-billion state budget — and a flush one at that — and has raised so much money for her primary in June (NY Times) that even ex-Mayor de Blasio (who, honestly, never met a race he didn't think he could win) listened to the deafening silence of his tiny band of supporters and bowed out. (NY Post, NY Times).
But don't worry, de Blasio fan or fans — the former second most important official in America says he will stay committed to reducing inequality in the state with "every fiber of my being." That's a lot of fibers.
I am not going to be running for Governor of New York State, but I am going to devote every fiber of my being to fighting inequality in the state of New York. pic.twitter.com/cBZ03BpO0s
— Bill de Blasio (@BilldeBlasio) January 18, 2022
And former Gov. Cuomo has $16 million in campaign cash just sitting around. Idle funds are the consultant's playground.
In other news:
- First, a public service announcement for anyone who is thinking of applying for his or her local community board (wait, don't turn the page!). Our colleagues at Open Plans are hosting an online information session tonight at 6:30 for all of the "empathetic, forward-thinking, sustainability-minded, solution-oriented, data-driven" people out there who can help inform our elected and appointed officials "on the needs of our communities." It's free! Here's the Zoom link.
- Lots of outlets covered DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez's first press since taking over the agency, but most of us struggled to find an angle. Guse of the Newsuh went with Rodriguez deflecting blame for a tiny Citi Bike price increase, the Post skipped it, Harlem World went with the Citi Bike press release, and Streetsblog went with the kitchen sink.
- More subway lines are coming back (but alas poor W, not you yet). (NYDN, NY Post, Gothamist)
- Facing his first crisis — more crime, and even more perception of crime, on the subway — Mayor Adams is flailing. After first downplaying the toll that fear of crime is having on subway ridership, Hizzoner admitted on Tuesday that he doesn't feel safe when he rides (which at least he does). (NY Post, NYDN)
- Speaking of the still-rare cases of people being pushed onto the tracks, perhaps spending billions and billions of dollars on platform gates could help. (NY Post)
- A woman who was struck by a school bus driver last month has died of her injuries — one day after a teenager was struck and killed by a different bus driver. (NYDN)
- A Bronx community board doesn't want DOT's safety fix for a notorious Riverdale intersection. (Riverdale Press)
- In a paywalled Crain's op-ed, Erich Arcement, a consultant, said New York needs lots of mobility options (ya think?). The takeaway? "It is critical that the mobility issues facing our city be seen as interrelated, not in silos."
- Finally, from the assignment desk: Mayor Adams will make a "transportation-related announcement" at the intersection of Caton and Coney Island avenues at 10 a.m. Perhaps he's been reading Streetsblog about one of the most dangerous places in the city? Hint...
