It was an eventful week in Albany as Mayor Eric Adams raised some big questions about parts of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s budget proposal, saying it would harm New York City financially. But while the mayor was testifying, the state Senate made the surprise move to vote on Hochul’s controversial judicial nominee, Hector LaSalle. NY1’s Zack Fink, Courtney Gross and Emily Ngo weighed in on the very busy day in Albany and discussed how LaSalle’s rejection will affect the state court system in the coming months.

After that, the City Council’s Progressive Caucus shrank this month from 35 members to 20, after a statement of principles updated by the left-leaning group called for reducing the size of both the NYPD and the Department of Correction. The statement has been criticized by many, including Adams, who likened it to defunding the police. The team looked at this change within the Progressive Caucus and at how its power within the City Council may shift because of it.

We want to hear from you, especially what you think of the mayor’s trip to Albany.

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New York City Mayor Eric Adams dropped the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for municipal workers earlier this week. Almost 1,800 city workers lost their jobs for refusing to get vaccinated and they now can apply for jobs again with their former departments. This decision has been met with some criticism, with experts saying that it is necessary to have a high percentage of adults in the city vaccinated to keep people alive and the health system functioning. NY1’s Zack Fink, Juan Manuel Benítez and Courtney Gross weighed in on the mayor’s decision and discussed what it may mean for public health in the future. 

After that, the city’s Department of Social Services commissioner Gary Jenkins resigned this week amid much controversy, as the Adams administration has struggled to handle the growing homeless crisis in New York. The team weighed in on Jenkins’ departure and evaluated how the city has dealt with the influx of asylum seekers, which has driven the city’s homeless population to over 77,00 people.

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Gov. Kathy Hochul proposed a $227 billion state budget this week, addressing problems from New York City’s migrant crisis to devising a plan to bail out the subway system. NY1’s Zack Fink, Juan Manuel Benítez and Emily Ngo weigh in on the budget plan and the funding for the MTA, which includes a boost from casinos. The team also talks about Hochul’s interest in lifting the cap on charter schools, which will undoubtedly be met with resistance from some of Hochul’s fellow Democrats. They also take a look at why congestion pricing wasn’t included in the governor’s proposal.

After that, the migrant crisis continues to roil in New York City. A recent plan to move migrants from a hotel in Hell’s Kitchen to a Brooklyn terminal in Red Hook led to a standoff between asylum seekers and the city. Advocates have claimed the conditions in Red Hook are like that of a detention center. The team examines the current crisis, particularly the role that activists play, whom Mayor Eric Adams has referred to as “agitators.” 

 We want to hear from you, especially what you think of Hochul’s state budget proposal.

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From more composting to fighting crime, Mayor Eric Adams delivered his annual State of the City address with an unexpected guest, Gov. Kathy Hochul. NY1’s Zack Fink, Juan Manuel Benítez and Courtney Gross weigh in on the speech and touch on how Adams’ vision differs from his predecessors. 

After that, the governor has issued a statewide proposal to ban gas stoves in some new construction by 2025 and larger projects in 2028. The Hochul administration is expected to present more details on how it would work in the coming weeks. Unsurprisingly, not everyone is loving the new initiative. The team examines the many subsidies that will be available to people as New York aims to lessen its dependence on fossil fuels, and discuss the public’s reaction to the announcement.

We want to hear from you, especially what you think of the mayor’s State of the City address. 

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For the first time in New York State history, a governor's pick for chief judge has been rejected by lawmakers.

Judge Hector LaSalle was nominated by Gov. Kathy Hochul to lead New York’s judiciary and would have made history as the first Latino Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals. But after a five hour hearing, LaSalle did not receive enough votes from the Judiciary Committee in the state Senate to advance his nomination.

Unsurprisingly, Hochul is not pleased, and it’s unclear what her next move will be.

NY1’s Zack Fink, Juan Manuel Benítez and Courtney Gross weigh in on this unprecedented decision, which comes very early in Hochul's first elected term as governor.

After that, Mayor Eric Adams took an unexpected  trip to the Texas border city of El Paso this weekend, to survey the asylum seeker crisis first-hand. Adams called on city mayors across the country to join forces and help handle the issue. He followed his Texas visit with a trip to the U.S. capitol, where he called for a “national response to the migrant crisis.” The team takes a look at Adam’s surprising approach to this matter.

We want to hear from you, especially what you think of the chief judge nomination being rejected. 

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Gov. Kathy Hochul this week unveiled a laundry list of plans for 2023 in her first State of the State address since being elected to a four-year term. In her 45-minute address, Hochul tackled a wide array of issues — from housing to mental health to the controversial issue of bail reform. Hochul also promised not to raise taxes while linking the minimum wage to the rate of inflation. In the end, Hochul made 147 proposals, and NY1’s Zack Fink, Juan Manuel Benítez and Courtney Gross highlight the notable proposals and share their own takeaways. 

After that, the nurses’ strike at two New York City hospitals came to an end on its fourth day — sending roughly 7,100 nurses back to work. The new agreement calls for higher pay, and perhaps more importantly, better working conditions. The team takes a look at how the situation between the hospitals and nurses reached their settling point.

Finally, Courtney Gross discusses her two-part series on mental health on Rikers Island, which premieres on NY1 this week. Her story can be found here: http://specne.ws/iMegMb

We want to hear from you, especially what you think of the State of the State address. 

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Gov. Kathy Hochul last month nominated Hector LaSalle to be New York State’s chief judge, a decision which almost immediately faced significant resistance from several key members of the Democratic party. Progressive activists and influential labor unions oppose LaSalle, saying he has often ruled conservatively. Can LaSalle survive confirmation hearings in the State Senate?  NY1’s Zack Fink, Juan Manuel Benítez and Courtney Gross weigh in on the controversy and discuss potential solutions.

Additionally, Congressman-elect George Santos arrived on Capitol Hill this week amid a growing scandal. Adding drama to an already chaotic week on the Hill, Santos’ story continues to develop as his resume has been proven to be a series of lies. He’s also facing legal troubles as Brazilian prosecutors have decided to reopen a fraud case against him. The team discusses the current situation surrounding Santos.

We want to hear from you, especially what you think of the chief judge nomination. 

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As asylum seekers continue to arrive in New York City in record numbers, Mayor Eric Adams appears to be losing his patience. But buying City Hall some time, Congress is now expected to give the city a substantial portion of $800 million in federal aid for the migrant crisis. NY1’s Zack Fink, Emily Ngo and Kelly Mena weigh in on this complicated issue and what help lies ahead for the city.

Additionally, pay for state lawmakers will reach $142,000 next year — making New York the highest paid state legislature in the country. The team, which met before the pay raise was officially approved, looks at the proposal and also discusses the controversy surrounding the residency of Assemblyman-elect Lester Chang.

We want to hear from you, especially what you think of the migrant crisis. 

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This week, Mayor Eric Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul appeared together to announce a new plan to jumpstart New York City. Their willingness to align their vision is a welcome change for New Yorkers who grew tired of the constant bickering between former Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Their joint action plan is titled “The New New York: Making New York Work For Everyone.” NY1’s Zack Fink, Courtney Gross and Juan Manuel Benítez weigh in on the new proposal and take a look at what it will truly take for a plan like this to work.

Additionally, the team looks at the City Council’s potential ban on automatically including plastic utensils in takeout order. If the new bill is enacted, customers would need to specifically request utensils and condiments as the city aims to​​ decimate the amount of plastic utensils New Yorkers get with their takeout.

New York City has an ambitious goal of zero waste to landfills by 2030. The team takes a look at the habit-changing initiative, and shares their thoughts on whether the legislation is likely to move forward.

We want to hear from you, especially what you think of “the new New York.” 

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New York State Attorney General Letitia James broke her silence this week amid increasing pressure to respond to the allegations of sexual harassment against her Chief of Staff, Ibrahim Khan. James has been accused of suppressing information until she was re-elected this past November. NY1’s Zack Fink, Courtney Gross and Juan Manuel Benítez weigh in on this highly complicated issue and take a close look at the attorney general’s recent interview on “Inside City Hall.”

Additionally, rats are in the news. New York City’s longstanding war with rats is no secret, but pressure is mounting about how to fight the rodents. Does the city hire a rat czar? Is Mayor Eric Adams taking his own personal views on this issue too far? Will changing the city’s rules around household trash do the trick? The team digs in and sees what they can uncover.

We want to hear from you, especially what you think of James’ response. 

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