NYC Schools Close + NY State Dems Continue Electoral Wins

Local News

• Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that public schools would shut down in-person schooling from November 19 through Thanksgiving. Dozens of protestors gathered outside City Hall to demand that de Blasio reopen schools, which are relatively unlikely to spread COVID-19, especially compared to restaurants and bars, which remain open. 
• The MTA is seeking a $3 billion loan from the Federal Reserve to cover its 2021 budget gap. Without the loan or a significant increase in state taxes, the agency is reportedly considering massive cuts to balance their 2021 budget, including a 40% reduction in subway service and laying off more than 9,000 transit workers. 
• While the City continues to face a multibillion-dollar budget deficit without a federal bailout or increased revenue from the State, Mayor de Blasio and Comptroller Scott Stringer identified $840 million in unexpected tax revenue, mildly improving budget prospects.
• The NYC Department of Transportation has added new safety requirements for outdoor dining as the City prepares to continue the program through the winter.
• The City is close to securing a 90-day emergency stockpile of personal protective equipment for healthcare workers, but the New York State Nurses Association and some City Council members are concerned that it is too small.
• Over half of the $100 million allocated for New York’s COVID Rent Relief program still has not been spent due to stringent requirements imposed by the State, and will need to be returned to the Treasury Department if not spent by December 30. 
• The $500 million “deep cleaning” program that required the MTA to suspend overnight service in April is not worth it, according to experts who say it has not any appreciable effect on COVID transmission.
• City Comptroller and mayoral candidate Scott Stringer is suing the de Blasio administration for documents and records pertaining to the City’s response to the pandemic.
• Governor Cuomo is getting an International Emmy for his televised COVID-19 briefings.

Elections

• Despite early reports of a strong election night for Republicans in New York City, Max Rose was the only incumbent Democrat representing any part of the City to lose.
• As mail-in votes from this month’s election continue to be counted, two more State Senate races were called for the Democrats, including Andrew Gounardes in South Brooklyn, giving them 41 seats with four races still uncalled. One more victory would give the Democrats a supermajority in the upper chamber, which would mean the legislature could override a gubernatorial veto.
• Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and nonprofit executive Dianne Morales both officially entered the 2021 mayoral race. Adams held an indoor fundraiser to celebrate, even as the city’s COVID rates are rising above the 3% threshold.
• Local election officials are embarrassed by New York State’s exceptionally slow pace in tallying absentee votes.
• The Indypendent breaks down the $35,000 in donations that Councilmember Robert Corenegy (District 36) received from the real estate industry so far in his campaign for Brooklyn Borough President.