The Thorn

Local News:

The City Council passed a slate of bills to regulate ride sharing companies like Uber and Lyft, three years after similar legislation was killed by heavy lobbying. The Independent Drivers Guild issued a statement of support for the three bills proposed by City Council that set a minimum wage for drivers, set a cap on registering any new for-hire-vehicles, and authorized the City to regulate car-hailing services like Uber and Lyft.
The contested proposal to rezone Inwood has been approved by the city council. On Wednesday, three CUNY professors placed a Daily News op-ed, agreeing with City Council member Francisco Moya’s call for a moratorium on neighborhood rezonings until more extensive risk assessments are conducted. (In contrast, the Daily News editorial board published a pro-rezoning op-ed on July 29).
Mayor De Blasio announced plans to turn a long-planned proposal for 100% new affordable housing units, on NYCHA property in Hell’s Kitchen, into 75% market rate apartments.
Council Member Richie Torres (District 15, Central Bronx) has rejoined the City Council Progressive Caucus, which he quit last year after watering down the Right to Know Act. He cited Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s win as inspiring the move.
Cuomo and De Blasio both oppose amending the Taylor Law to allow public employees to strike. DSA-endorsed candidates Cynthia Nixon and Julia Salazar have both advocated for this proposal in their platforms.

The Working Families Party and CWA endorsed Julia Salazar over Martin Dilan in the 18th State Senate District (North Brooklyn). A Brooklyn judge also rejected Sen. Dilan’s attempt to keep Salazar off the ballot.
De Blasio endorsed Zellnor Myrie and Jessica Ramos against incumbent, former-IDC members of the State Senate in District 20 (Central Brooklyn) and District 13 (Central Queens). These were advertised as the Mayor’s first endorsements of the 2018 elections, but he also appears to have quietly endorsed Martin Dilan over Julia Salazar in District 18 (North Brooklyn).
Cuomo’s reunification deal of Senate mainline Democrats with their IDC counterparts has broken down, as many major forces in the State’s Democratic establishment have endorsed IDC challengers in next month’s primary. All four of Brooklyn’s Democratic Congress Members have endorsed Zellnor Myrie over Jesse Hamilton, and even Rep. Adriano Espaillat, the Manhattan Congress Member who was previously seen as one of Marisol Alcántara’s (District 31, Upper Manhattan) strongest allies, has refused to make an endorsement in her race this fall.