There were a variety of issues raised during the Monday, July 6, public comment period of the Albany Common Council. A major focus was support for a resolution in favor of having Governor Hochul sign the legislation for a one-year moratorium on new data centers in the state, which the council approved. Speakers also urged the council to either adopt a local moratorium on data centers or outright reject the proposed data center at Kenwood Commons. That issue is not yet before the council. Several speakers also spoke in favor of the proposal for Ranked Choice Voting. However, the Council failed to take any action on this issue, which makes it unlikely that it would be approved in time for a public vote in the November election. One concern is the legality of ending primaries, which is included in the proposal. The end of primaries has generated opposition from the Democrats and Working Families Parties. Others spoke in opposition to the continued presence of Flock Cameras in the city to read license plates, which has generated concerns both about mass surveillance and its potential abuse by ICE. Several residents urged the Council to support the efforts by residents of the apartment buildings on Willett Avenue adjoining Washington Park – the so-called Hippie Hotel, to form a tenant’s union and improve building conditions. We hear from Bryan Paz-Hernandez of Indivisible, Alexandra Armanino, Madeline Reilly, and Andrew M Co-Chair of the Capital District DSA. By Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Magazine.