We are all friends now: Gov. Kathy Hochul has vowed to work with a future administration of Andrew Cuomo if her former boss’s bid for mayor is successful.
Asked if he supported speculation that Cuomo might run for mayor, the governor said, “My personality is to work with whoever takes office, whether it’s the president, another governor, or the mayor.” ” he said.
“I plan to continue on that path,” she added.
Hochul was on Long Island to unveil a proposal to provide free lunch to all K-12 students in the state (more on that later), suggesting Cuomo will continue to attend. Commented shortly after new POLITICO reporting. A piece to run for mayor.
Thursday’s report details how Mr. Cuomo plans to hire Charlie King, a partner at Manhattan-based consulting and lobbying firm Mercury Public Affairs.
Mr. Hochul has a good relationship with Mayor Eric Adams, even as he battles federal corruption charges that could escalate into more dire charges. After his indictment in September, she chose not to oust him because of his power, instead of ousting his scandal-stricken aides.
“My job as governor of this great state is to work with whoever the voters elect to be mayor of New York,” Hochul said in response to a question from Cuomo. “I’ve demonstrated that. I’ve probably had a better relationship with the mayor of New York than any of my predecessors. I’ve been cooperative because I recognize one thing. That means we both represent the same people.”
Mr. Cuomo, whose petty feud with former Mayor Bill de Blasio has become legendary, declined to comment for this article. His team is trying to find out if the flurry of news about his campaign, which appears to be in the early stages of a mayoral race, means he is actually running. continues to avoid.
(Jewish Insider also reported in november Mr. Cuomo’s team is preparing to run and is establishing an independent spending group.)
“It’s too early to say this, but Andrew Cuomo will continue to be a boy from Queens who loves New York, cares deeply about the direction of New York, and will help in any way he can,” Azzopardi said. I told our colleague Nick Reisman. Reaction to Mercury Public Relations News. He also claimed that “nothing has changed and the glory of the rumor mill is clearly gone.”
When asked if she would rank Adams at the polls in June, Hochul hesitated. “I’m not a New York City voter,” she said, dodging the hypothetical.
The governor’s comments about President-elect Donald Trump, Mr. Adams and Mr. Cuomo (whom Mr. Cuomo insists are all the same) come after he quickly abandoned his stance of resisting Mr. Trump, nay, inviolable relations with all of them. The announcement comes amid continued hints of an agreement.
As you may recall, the day after Election Day, Hochul hosted the following event: Press conference bashing Trump Speaking with Attorney General Letitia James, James said the two were “ready to fight back again.”
But while her stance softened soon after, her privilege appeared to be cemented by a “long,” “honest” and “very productive” phone conversation with President Trump the next day.
Since their friendly conversation, the governor has vowed to cooperate with the Trump administration’s efforts, not to obstruct them, and when asked about President Trump’s plans for mass deportations, has said that He even promised to “call ICE first” to have him deported.
Although she has been friendly with the three men facing criminal investigation, she has nonetheless sought to fuel speculation that they may campaign against her in the 2026 gubernatorial race. He must fend off challenges from Democratic Rep. Richie Torres and Republican Rep. Mike Lawler, both of whom are doing their best. .
“Mr. Cuomo’s change of heart is the latest flip-flop from a leading figure in New York politics,” Torres texted Playbook. “Just as Kathy Hochul was for congestion pricing before she was for it and before she was against it, Hochul was for Cuomo before she was against it.”
Lawler agreed, saying, “Governor Hochul’s new “Kumbaya Cathy” behavior is ridiculous.” “Reasonable people in both parties know that she won’t work with or listen to anyone who opposes her or her bad ideas. If she had done that, we would have had congestion charges. You won’t have to deal with settings, sanctuary cities, cashless bail, etc.” Jason Bieferman
you have lunch and you Let’s have lunch… : New York will become the ninth state in the nation to offer free lunch and breakfast to all K-12 students, regardless of income.
“I’m proposing free school lunches for every student in New York City, giving kids the food they need and putting more money back in parents’ pockets,” the governor said today.
The announcement is the final of three affordable proposals Hochul is announcing ahead of his State of the Union address.
Mr. Hochul has long emphasized affordability at his Albany location, but his recent emphasis on “putting money back in your pocket” comes after Mr. Trump’s decisive victory over Vice President Kamala Harris. This comes after it became clear that Democrats were losing support from working-class voters across most demographic groups.
“This is just a statement of our values,” Hochul said. “We are helping parents and families put more money in their pockets in countless ways, and this is just one of the other efforts we will be announcing at Tuesday’s State of the State.”
The governor’s new initiative, known as Universal Free School Lunch, would eliminate income requirements and expand eligibility to nearly 300,000 additional students.
Approximately 2.7 million students will now be entitled to free meals thanks to investments in the state’s Free Student Meals Program, which Rep. Jessica González-Rojas and State Sen. Michelle Hinchey have fought to expand for the past two years. I can.
“Reducing stigma is very important,” Rojas said. “I’ve heard stories of a lot of kids who are made fun of, and families who are embarrassed to do this kind of work and get attention. They just want their kids to learn. , because we don’t want them to focus on the challenges that they face,” Rojas said. .
“These arbitrary limits we put on things, just because you don’t qualify doesn’t mean your family is on the brink and suffering,” Hinchey said. he said.
The initiative is expected to cost $340 million and be implemented in the 2025-2026 fiscal year, according to the governor’s office. — Jason Bieferman and Madina Touré
Exists or not: Adams is open to attending President Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20, but his Albany allies remain steadfast.
Hochul campaign spokeswoman Jen Goodman confirmed today that the governor will not attend President Trump’s swearing-in ceremony in Washington.
Mr. Adams and Mr. Hochul are moderate Democrats who have worked together. But Adams, who is fighting five federal felony charges, was treading lightly in Trump’s world.
Unlike the governor, Adams was not the spokesperson for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris when they took over for the top position. Mr. Adams also spoke with President Trump’s next border czar, Tom Homan, who has criticized Mr. Biden’s handling of immigration policy. (Hochul has effectively aligned himself with the Biden administration on this issue, blaming Republicans for the derailment of last year’s border security bill.)
The inauguration coincides with Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and prominent New York officials typically unite for a celebration honoring the civil rights leader with the Rev. Al Sharpton at the National Action Network in Harlem. .
Hochul has not announced his plans for Jan. 20, but he is scheduled to give a state budget presentation in Albany the next day. — Nick Riesman
Fierce tax battle: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is drawing the line in the fierce battle to eliminate caps on state and local tax deductions (SALT) as House Republicans meet with President Trump on Saturday to advocate for increases. There is.
Mr. Schumer wants a complete repeal, a complete halt.
New Jersey and California Reps. Mike Lawler, Nick Larota, Nicole Malliotakis, and Andrew Garbarino and their colleagues argue that a significant increase in the current $10,000 per household limit would require an update to the system. The company considers this to be a realistic first bid, taking into account the controversy surrounding the deal. A broader tax relief package.
But other Democrats, including Mr. Schumer and Mr. Hochul, have advocated a complete recovery as their position. The senior senator previewed the Democratic strategy Friday in remarks to the pro-business Long Island Association.
“President-elect Trump and many Southern and Midwest members of Congress who pushed up an unwarranted SALT cap in the 2017 tax bill are now having second thoughts. We need to take advantage of that,” he said. He spoke to the business community in a crowded suburban area. is a very big deal. “There’s been a lot of talk this week about various potential increases to President Trump’s SALT limits, but remember: If we don’t update the limits, the Trump SALT limits will It expires…and this attack on New York taxpayers ends forever.”
House Republicans from high-tax states are making the case for SALT while also making sure to blame Democratic leaders in those states, including Mr. Hochul, for the high taxes that make the deduction so important in the first place. — Emily Ngo
— Guilty plea: Erden Alkan, a Turkish-American construction company executive, pleaded guilty Friday to donating straw to Mayor Eric Adams’ campaign. (POLITICO)
— It’s not that bad 2: Parents in the city have launched a campaign asking city hall to fund free universal childcare for children as young as two. (daily news)
— Don’t give shelter: The city has closed 10 migrant shelters as asylum seeker arrival rates continue to hit record lows. (new york post)
Did you miss this morning’s New York Playbook? Forgive me. read here.
