Mayor Down on Congestion Pricing, Debate Over the Debate Continues: Campaign Headlines for August 22

“We want candidates who are going to be part of debates to have proven they’re serious candidates, so those rules are in place. The sponsors will figure out how to interpret those rules.”
Mayor de Blasio on the debate line-up, per WNYC

Leading District 8 Candidates Split Big Endorsements, Agree on Most Issues
Gotham Gazette
The story: “While the two can perhaps call it even in backing from key politicians, [Diana] Ayala had significantly more money than [Robert] Rodriguez for the remainder of the campaign, at least as of the most recent filings with Campaign Finance Board. …And, though Ayala has the endorsement of the City Council Progressive Caucus and other progressive groups, the two candidates have few disagreements on the key policy issues in the race—the two top contenders posit themselves similarly on charter schools and the East Harlem rezoning, along with affordable housing, generally.”

De Blasio Sticks to Millionaires’ Tax, Disses Congestion Pricing
Politico
The story: “Mayor Bill de Blasio believes his proposal to tax the wealthy to fund the MTA is more politically viable than congestion pricing, even though the latter has generated a groundswell of support in recent years and has even won a vague nod of approval from Governor Andrew Cuomo. On Monday, de Blasio said the notion that Albany would approve congestion pricing is ‘inconceivable.’ … De Blasio is, for whatever reason, expressing far more optimism about his proposal to derive more MTA funding by taxing the wealthy, a proposal that others widely consider to be politically inconceivable.”

Mayoral Hopeful Presses to Join First TV Debate
WNYC
The story: “The city’s Campaign Finance Board rules say candidates need to have raised and spent $174,225 by August 11 to debate in the primary. Mike Tolkin, a 32 year old entrepreneur, lent his own campaign $175,000 — and then forgave the loan. This led the Finance Board to turn the decision over whether to include Tolkin in the debate to the sponsors, which include NY1 and WNYC. The sponsors said no, because Tolkin isn’t part of the campaign finance program and hasn’t really been out on the street campaigning. But Tolkin struck back at a news conference Monday, saying voters need to know their choices.”

Even Wealthier Nabes are Sending More Families to Homeless Shelters
Daily News
The story: “The number of families forced to move into homeless shelters jumped 23% over four years — with spikes seen even in some middle class and upper income neighborhoods, according to a new report. Families also stayed longer in shelters — an average of 431 days, up from 243 — meaning there are even more families with children in city homeless shelters today than at the height of the Great Recession, according to the Citizens’ Committee for Children analysis. The number of families who went into shelters rose from 10,878 in fiscal year 2012 to 13,311 in 2016.”

Behind-the-Scenes Feuds Shape Brooklyn Council Race
Kings County Politics
The story: “As the race for the open 44th City Council seat between Democrat Kalman Yeger and ‘Our Neighborhood’ party candidate Yoni Hikind heats up, several interesting side battles and story lines are also coming into play. Among these is the continuing battle for political control of the frum (yiddish for pious) Jewish Orthodox and Hasidim community of the Borough Park area between longtime Assemblyman Dov Hikind and City Councilman David Greenfield.”