Colby Hamilton

Brandishing a new report that advocates say shows banks have scaled back investing in New York City neighborhoods--despite increases in local deposits--members of the city council and others toasted lenders for growing "distant from the local community" and being "less responsive to local credit needs.”

“Banks can play a critical role in supporting and improving communities,” Council Speaker Christine Quinn said in a statement. “We at the council appreciate their many positive impacts in working class neighborhoods, but we want to ensure that New Yorkers deposits are reinvested into local communities to the maximum extent possible."

According the report, State of Bank Reinvestment in NYC: 2011 prepared by the Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development, banks in New York City saw a $38 billion increase in local deposits over the past two years but pulled back $4.4 billion in investments, such as home mortgages, multi-family apartment lending, community development lending and investment, and mortgage modifications.

"Given their role in creating the nation’s recent economic crisis, we hope that banks will renew their commitment to develop innovative programs that catalyze community development and be strong partners in the city’s efforts to build affordable housing," said the Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development's deputy director, Dave Hanzel, in a statement.

Legislation, The Responsible Banking Act, has been introduced by Councilmembers Domenic Recchia, Jr. and Al Vann that aims to make banks more accountable. It would require banks to submit a community reinvestment plan and progress reports that will be used by the city's Banking Commission to rate banks that want to hold city deposits.

"The Responsible Banking Act offers communities all over the city a first step in creating a new vision for our lives," Rev. Cheri Kroon, the associate pastor of Flatbush Reformed Church and a member of Brooklyn Congregations United, which supports the legislation, said. "The Act simply asks banks to let us know what actions they are taking in our communities.”

A copy of the report is below:
State of Bank Reinvestment in NYC 2011

Governor Andrew Cuomo said the second largest state worker's union should reconsider its decision to reject a contract with concessions aimed at avoiding layoffs.

Councilman James Sanders, Jr., left, and Councilman Eric Ulrich (Courtesy of Councilman Ulrich's office)

First Eric Ulrich's special election victory in 2009. Then Bob Turner's special election win earlier this month. Maybe city officials will start taking the Rockaway peninsula seriously.

Certainly the members of the mayoral-appointed Rockaway Task Force hope so. The group, chosen by City Councilmen Eric Ulrich and James Sanders, Jr., released its report today. Among the report's recommendations for improving the quality of life for the area's 120,000-odd residents included significant transportation improvements, improved beach access and concern over what the report calls "the alarmingly slow pace of economic development."

UPDATE: Governor Cuomo's Director of State Operations Howard Glaser just released a statement with this ominous line:

Members of the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA), who agreed to a layoff protection as part of their ratified collective bargaining agreement, will not be subject to the approximately 3,500 layoffs that will begin today.

It seems clear Cuomo's office is making good on its layoff promise, even as PEF President Ken Brynien has said he hopes the governor's negotiators will "immediately return to the bargaining table to work out an agreement which our members will ratify."

Governor Andrew Cuomo's statement on PEF membership's rejection of the contract agreement struck between the union's leadership and the Governor's office:

The members of the Public Employee Federation (PEF) have made their decision on a contract that would have protected them against the state needing to lay off their workers in order to achieve the required workforce savings passed as part of this year's budget.

In this economic reality, rising state workforce costs are unsustainable, as the members of the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA), the state's largest union, recognized when they overwhelmingly passed an identical contract. The Legislature passed a budget that made clear that reducing these costs would be achieved either through the collective bargaining process or through layoffs.

I urge them to reconsider.

Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer (Colby Hamilton / WNYC)

Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer has been on a roll lately. Over the weekendhe spoke at a national symposium on rethinking incarceration policies, calling on the mayor to do just that when it comes to the police department’s controversial stop-and-frisk policy.

Good timing:the day before Police Commissioner Ray Kelly issued a directive to officers to not make arrests for marijuana possession during the procedure. And earlier this month, when a group of city council members announced they were allowing their constituents to vote on how discretionary funds were spent in-district, Stringer’s recent report calling for a major overhaul of the process ends up looking pretty prescient in hindsight.

Yesterday, Stringer was downtown at a stalled construction site turned temporary public space to tout a new report he’s released. He’s calling on the city to help turn some of the 646 other stalled sites into temporary places for public use, like parks or art galleries, like the one at the corner of Varick Street and Canal.

“Imagine a city where stalled construction sites are not simply inactive, dead vacant lots, but one where they boost the health and vitality of a neighborhood,” Stringer said in a statement. “That’s the kind of sidewalk renaissance we need in New York City.”

Opening the report reveals a list of other dozens of other reports, going back as far as 2006, that demonstrate how the non-legislative position of Borough President can be used as bully pulpit. As his office pointed out, these issues aren’t (entirely) flimsy publicity papers—see above.

In a crowded 2013 Democratic mayoral field, Stringer is padding his resume with think tank-like ideas for improving the city and addressing major social issues. He'll likely be citing these as examples to show he can get the city to respond to issues in a way City Council Speaker Christine Quinn can't, as she’s hemmed in by her position in the council and proximity to the current mayor. It will also allow him to list proactive agenda items—a difficult thing for a Borough President—that shows Comptroller John Liu and Public Advocate Bill de Blasio aren’t the only reformers vying for mayoralty.

Assemblyman Peter Lopez (Courtesy of the Assemblymen's office)

As first reported by Liz Benjamin at YNN, Assemblyman Peter Lopez is planning on asking Governor Cuomo to call a special session of the legislature. Lopez said in a phone interview that his primary concern is dealing with the immediate needs of those hit hard by Irene and Lee.

"I think there would be enough of a critical mass of issues and recognizable need to justify a speial session," Lopez said. The Assemblyman is currently in the process of identifying "issues that are worthy of legislative attention" to present to the Governor as reasons for calling a special session.

It's worth noting that, should a special session get called, there's certain to be pressure from good government groups like Citizens Union to use the special session to bring independent redistricting. Lopez said he hopes to present Cuomo with a letter asking for the special session by week's end.

Had he gotten any sense of support for the idea from the Assembly leadership? "You're still ahead of me," Lopez said. "I haven't gotten that far."

In a blow to Governor Andrew Cuomo's string of labor victories, the Professional Employees Federation--New York State's second largest union--announced its membership had rejected the agreement reached between its leadership and the governor's office.

With nearly 70 percent of the membership voting, the union rejected the measure 54 percent to 46 percent.

“The decision to reject the tentative agreement was made by our rank-and-file members who clearly feel they are being asked to sacrifice more than others, particularly in light of the pending expiration of the state’s millionaire’s tax," said PEF's President Ken Brynien in a statement. “We are calling on the governor to resist laying off thousands of our members as he has threatened and, instead, work with us to identify savings that would preserve the state’s depleted workforce and services, especially during this economic downturn and in light of the recent flooding."

The governor's office has threatened the union with layoffs if the contract, which included three years with no raises, was not approved.

Speaking at the statewide conference of regional economic councils, Governor Andrew Cuomo today announced a $4.8 billion research and development investment for upstate New York. A group of five big name tech companies will invest $4.4 billion over the next five years in nanochip technology research, the governor said. Additionally the state will invest $400 million in the SUNY Institute of Technology campus in Utica to help support the potential growth in the sector.

"This unprecedented private investment in New York's economy will create thousands of jobs and make the state the epicenter for the next generation of computer chip technology," Governor Cuomo said in a statement. "In the last nine months, my administration has worked to create a more confident environment for doing business in New York, and major deals like this one prove that the state is truly open for business."

The governor said the plan will create an estimated 6,900 jobs, with 2,500 of those coming in the form of high-tech jobs in the firms involved in the deal. Five international computer technology firms, led by IBM, are part of the deal that will create new opportunities in Albany, Utica and elsewhere upstate.

Governor Andrew Cuomo's approval ratings continue to remain high, according to a new Siena poll, despite an overwhelming feeling among those polled feel Albany is no more transparent than it was when the Governor took office.

“After nine months in a difficult economic climate, it’s impressive that Governor Cuomo has 72 percent of voters viewing him favorably. However, even more impressive is the consistency with which voters from different regions and demographic groups view him,” said Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg in a statement. “He is viewed favorably by 71 percent of voters upstate and in New York City, and by 73 percent of downstate suburban voters."

Meanwhile, both of New York's Senators have seen their approval ratings slip from recent highs. Senator Charles Schumer's approval rating is at 59 percent, down from 67 percent in November of last year. Meanwhile, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand's 46 percent approval rating is down from an all-time high of 57 percent in February.

Perhaps more concerning for the junior Senator are the number of voters who say they'd prefer someone else in the job. More than a third of respondents continue to say they'd like to see Senator Gillibrand gone.

“Is the junior senator vulnerable? At this point only 37 percent of voters both view her favorably and are inclined to re-elect her while 21 percent see Gillibrand unfavorably and prefer someone else," said Greenberg. "Right now Gillibrand is ahead but she is well below 50 percent of strong supporters while a sizable percentage of New York voters currently do not know where they stand and could go either way come November 2012."

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn continues to lead the pack of 2013 Democratic mayoral contenders, according to a new NY1-Marist poll released today. Were the Democratic primary held today, 20 percent of those polled said they would support the council speaker. Following four points behind her was Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, who has said he has no interest in running for mayor.

While she might have the most dedicated support, one-in-four of those polled said they were still undecided.

“With 25 percent of Democrats undecided and the field lacking a dominant top tier of candidates, this is a campaign story still to be told,” said Marist College's Institute of Public Opinion President Lee Miringoff in a statement.

But there's trouble on the horizon for Quinn, whose support from Mayor Michael Bloomberg in the race is an open secret. Bloomberg's support would make 48 percent of those polled less likely to vote for the candidate the mayor backs.

“Those looking to succeed Mayor Bloomberg might welcome his support. But, if the numbers hold, don't expect anyone to make his endorsement the centerpiece of their campaign,” Miringoff said.

The rest of the field break down:

• Former New York City Comptroller Bill Thompson: 12 percent
• Comptroller John Liu: 10 percent
• Public Advocate Bill de Blasio: 7 percent
• Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer: 6 percent
• Manhattan Media Publisher Tom Allon: 2 percent

Update: Crosstabs below.
EMBARGOED_Complete September 26, 2011 NYC NY1-Marist Poll Release and Tables

Manhattan DA Cy Vance announced the indictment of the United Hispanic Construction Workers, Inc. earlier today. The organization's president and chief lieutenant were accused of extortion and forced hiring for 17 years.

So, of course, the first thought was, which politicians have they donated money to?

The only recent filings that popped up were from November 16, 2009. The organization gave two separate $500 donations. To whom? That would be New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli's reelection campaign.

DiNapoli certainly received a lot more money from a lot of people. But his campaign was the only one the now-indicted group bothered to fund in recent memory, according to the state Board of Elections. Their last major donation before that appears to be during Mayor David Dinkins's 1989 bid.

Update: A spokesperson for the comptroller's office said that DiNapoli intends to return the money donated by the United Hispanic Construction Workers.

By Daniel Robison/WNED of Innovation Trail

SUNY officials are under financial pressure to fill their science, technology, engineering, and math classrooms. The long term plan: Get American students interested at a young age in science and technology. While SUNY waits for that effort to pay off, they’ll recruit more ready-made STEM enrollees, like international students from places like India, China and Russia.

“It’s a no-brainer that we should be recruiting those students in these programs. Because the programs will then have students, faculty will be employed, and the programs continue to prosper and grow,” said Mitch Leventhal, SUNY Vice Chancellor for Global Affairs.

International students pay two and a half times more tuition than in-state students which SUNY admits helps subsidize falling American enrollment in math and science programs. Only 12 percent of SUNY degrees last year were awarded to students in so-called STEM fields: science, technology, engineering and math. That’s well below the national average.

Leventhal and other state education officials sing the same refrain of using SUNY as an economic driver, mostly with its STEM graduates. But there’s a downside to the international recruits. They return home. With poor job prospects stateside and student visas expiring not long after graduation, many now opt to leave.

SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher offers a few possible fixes: “Incentivize their staying here. Help them buy their houses. Invest in their research. Hook them up with other entrepreneurs. There are things we can do without a great deal of cost that pay attention to our need to keep international students here. Because conditions have changed and they can go home.”

No one can say Kenneth Adams, the head of the Empire State Development Corporation, doesn't have guts. His office announced he's accepted an invitation to join local elected officials, civic leaders and block association heads to discuss the status of the ever-controversial Atlantic Yards project tonight.

Adams has been visibly out in front on a number of ESDC-related projects, most notably Governor Cuomo's regional economic development council's. Now, the former Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce president will step into the lions den to talk about the status of the mega project he's been supportive of in the past. ESDC is currently appealing a July court order to redo its study of the project's impact on the community.

Adams can certainly expect questions about the status of the study tonight from the ever restless crowds that come to these events. The meeting starts at 6PM at Brooklyn Borough Hall.

New York State Public Employees Federation, the state's second-largest public employees union, is scheduled to announce the results of its contract ratification vote tomorrow at at 2pm. Governor Cuomo has threatened pink slips if the union doesn't accept the contract, which, among many slimmed-down agreements, would see union employees go without pay raises for the next three years.

By Karen DeWitt, New York Public Radio Capital Bureau Chief

Governor Cuomo says he’s not changing his position on a threat to veto any legislative and congressional redistricting lines now drawn by an independent commission, though the co-chair of a legislative commission on redistricting remains skeptical that Cuomo will follow through.

Legislative Redistricting Task Force Co-Chair Assemblyman Jack McEneny says he doesn’t believe that Governor Andrew Cuomo will follow through on a threat to veto the legislature’s efforts to redraw legislative and congressional districts.

“I think for any chief executive to say he’s going to veto a bill that’s been legally put together before he’s read the bill is a very bad precedent,” McEneny said.

McEneny says he thinks Cuomo’s stance has been softening in recent weeks, but the governor says his position remains the same.

“I believe independent redistricting is a necessity,” said Cuomo. “I believe it’s time has come.”

The governor says he’s not inclined, however, to call the legislature back to the Capitol for a special session on redistricting reform. McEneny says the task force could present the proposed new lines as early as October.

Update

Floyd hasn't lived in NYC for 12 years, according to David Freedlander over at the New York Observer. I guess he's got some time to find a nice place back in Queens, though the rents aren't getting any lower.

Teamsters Union Local 237 President Greg Floyd has filed papers to run for office in New York City in 2013, according to a spokesperson. NY 1's Errol Louis broke the news via Twitter earlier. Calls to Local 237's office were redirected to Hank Sheinkopf's political shop.

"Mr. Floyd has always been an advocate for working people and middle class families. He wants to explore his political options towards those goals,” said Andrew Moesel, the spokesperson for the fledgling Floyd campaign.

Asked whether Floyd was running specifically for mayor--as Louis's Tweet suggested--Moesel said, "He's keeping his options open. That’s certainly one of them.”

A source familiar with the situation said that, while nothing has been specifically finalized, the thinking was that Floyd was looking to run for mayor.

Governor Cuomo speaking to reporters in Goshen, NY (David Lucas / WAMC)

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, and the governors of Pennsylvania and North Carolina are calling on Washington to put aside politics and fund disaster relief for their states hit hard by recent storms.

"While the flood waters have receded and the storms are passed, the damage to communities, businesses and infrastructure remains significant. Billions of dollars in loss and destruction pose a serious threat not only to local and regional economies, but to the nation’s economic recovery," the statement reads.

It goes on to point out that, after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the Federal government was able to authorize $60 billion within ten days of the storm. It's been nearly a month since Tropical Storm Irene and the remnants of Hurricane Lee caused major rain and flood damage throughout the East Coast.

Federal funds have been held up in Congress. After a surprising defeat earlier this week, the House Republican majority was able to pass a bill that authorized $3.7 billion in disaster funds, only to see the bill defeated in the Senate earlier today.

In an interview with New York State Public Radio bureau chief Karen Dewitt earlier today, Cuomo called the issue "deadly serious" and said the state was not in a position to pick up the tab.

"This is the last issue they should play their politics with," the governor said. "It means the difference between living in a shelter and moving back into your home for some people."

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, left, with Mayor Bloomberg at the 9/11 Memorial on September 22. (Courtesy of the Mayor's office)

By Karen DeWitt, WXXI Capitol Bureau Chief

Governor Cuomo launched a new website today, which he said aimed at making his administration more transparent to the public and as “a new way to get people involved.” It lists events from his public schedule since taking office in January, and will feature on-line chats with top state officials, including, the Governor himself, this coming Saturday.

The site includes information on staff meetings the governor has held, meals at the executive mansion with legislators, and one-on-one meetings with various State Senators in the days leading up to the successful Senate vote to legalize gay marriage. It also shows records of numerous plane trips the governor has taken, some to promote his budget and tax cap agenda. Others to survey storm damages after Irene and Lee.

Cuomo promised during the 2010 campaign for governor to make more details of his personal schedule available to the public, but until now had not followed through on that. Now, with the launch of a new website that includes details from the governor’s day to day schedule and a list of upcoming events by administration officials, government reform groups say Cuomo has taken a major step towards openness.

“I think it’s a very good development,” said Susan Lerner, with Common Cause.

Russ Haven, with the New York Public Interest Research Group, says the Governor has set a standard for transparency that will be hard to retreat from in the future. “It does create a set of expectations,” said Haven. “You can’t un-ring that bell.”

Haven says a major gap in the schedule, or a questionable plane ride, would be open to greater scrutiny.

“If there are any gaps people are going to assume that there’s a story to be told even if there isn’t” said Haven. “I think it really does ratchet up the level of accountability.”

Brian had me on to talk about redistricting about redistricting. Susan Lerner of Common Cause was on as well, and provided a great point of view on her group's efforts in the looming process.