Gotham Gazette

City Hall

Mayor Bill de Blasio is back in Albany this week – this time, he’s not taking in Governor Cuomo’s budget address, he’s testifying about it. This will be on Tuesday as de Blasio and other city officials testify in front a joint legislative budget hearing.

First, the week starts with a major City Council hearing Monday morning at 10 a.m., at which the new, eight-bill Criminal Justice Reform Act will be heard – details here.

On Tuesday, de Blasio and other city officials head to Albany to testify – other officials giving testimony and fielding questions from Assembly members and state Senators will include Comptroller Scott Stringer, City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, and Council Finance Committee Chair Julissa Ferreras-Copeland. Many are watching to see what de Blasio and others prioritize in their testimony and how de Blasio is received by Albany lawmakers. City officials get to respond to Governor Cuomo’s Executive Budget in front of the legislature – how de Blasio approaches Cuomo’s budget could lead to a significant response from the governor, something else to watch for. We know that the governor has several proposals that the mayor has praised, including on the minimum wage, paid family leave, and supportive housing, along with several he has concerns about, including proposed cuts to funding for CUNY and Medicaid. Other topics likely to come up include mayoral control of city schools, the expired 421-a real estate/affordable housing tax break, and homelessness.

As always, there’s a great deal happening all over the city, with many events to be aware of – read our day-by-day rundown here.