The Thorn

Local News

A panel appointed by the New York City Council and Mayor de Blasio will propose a bailout for thousands of taxi drivers trapped in exploitative loans. The drivers, most of whom are immigrants, face rapidly mounting debt - a result of industry leaders selling taxi medallions at artificially inflated prices and creating a massive speculative loan bubble.
The Department of City Planning and Mayor’s Office rejected the Bushwick Community Plan, which may spell the end of the City’s Bushwick rezoning proposal.
In its first four years, Mayor De Blasio’s Mandatory Inclusionary Housing program has created only 2,000 housing units. The plan was designed to produce between 12,000 and 80,000 units over eight years.
In light of Governor Cuomo’s announcement that cities and localities will have to cover the State’s Medicaid budget shortfall, Mayor de Blasio warned of anticipated cuts and longer wait times to City services, especially in its Health + Hospitals system.
Gov. Cuomo and State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli reached an agreement to restore oversight powers on SUNY and CUNY contracts. Cuomo previously stripped that authority from the comptroller’s office in 2011.

Assembly Member Rodneyse Bichotte (D-Flatbush) is set to replace Frank Seddio as head of the Brooklyn Democratic Party. Bichotte has received large donations from groups her bills have helped.
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams outraised his competitors for the 2021 mayoral race, ending the filing with $437,099, compared to City Council Speaker Corey Johnson’s $329,472 and Comptroller Scott Stringer’s $294,455.
In the last six months, Governor Cuomo raised $4.5 million for his re-election…in 2022.
Rafael Espinal has dropped out of the race for Brooklyn Borough President.
New York State Senate Democrats are welcoming contributions from charter school lobbyists ahead of the 2020 election.