“The governor has repaired his poll numbers, but there’s still a sense he’s really vulnerable in a primary. I don’t know, quite frankly, if de Blasio is the guy to beat him, but those (primary results) show it would be a serious race.”
Some de Blasio Fans Think Primary Showing Boosts Case for Run vs. Cuomo
“De Blasio received 326,321 votes last Tuesday in his victory over Sal Albanese while Cuomo, his chief political foe, picked up 361,380 statewide — including 202,943 in the city — in 2014 in a run against little-known and underfunded Fordham Law Prof. Zephyr Teachout. That has left some giddy de Blasio progressive supporters suggesting the mayor should consider challenging Cuomo from the left in a primary next year, even as others say he was helped by a slight uptick in turnout thanks to anti-President Trump fervor and several contentious City Council races.”
Rising Concern About Domestic Violence in NYC
“On Monday, the Council’s Committee on Courts and Legal Services will hold an oversight hearing on New York’s Domestic Violence Courts and Integrated Domestic Violence Courts, which dedicate specific judges, counselors, and other resources to domestic violence cases. The committee, chaired by Council Member Rory Lancman, has indicated the hearing comes ‘as the number of domestic violence crimes in New York City continue to rise and domestic violence has become the leading cause of homelessness in the City.'”
Report: Mayor’s Housing Plan not Doing Enough for the Neediest
“With the city’s homelessness crisis unabated, housing advocates are asking why most of the units created or preserved under Mayor Bill de Blasio’s affordable housing plan fail to target the city’s low-income New Yorkers who need help the most. The de Blasio administration has developed or preserved more than 77,650 units of “affordable” housing in the past four years as it works toward its 200,000-unit goal. So far, however, just 11,000 of those units — or 14 percent — targeted households earning about $25,770 for a family of three (which is 30 percent of the Area Median Income), according to a report released Thursday by the Real Affordability for All coalition (RAFA).”
New Scrutiny of Rules That Empower Political Bosses to Pick Candidates
“The rules are a crucial part of what empowers party bosses in a state that regularly outpaces the nation in corruption. They encourage ambitious politicians, even the most independent ones, to pledge fealty to county political leaders, lest they get passed over if and when the time comes for possible advancement.”
