Mariana Simões, investigative journalist covering climate and the environment for City Limits, shares her reporting on how cuts to staff working on environmental justice issued within the Environmental Protection Agency are affecting community groups in New York City.

Rent-stabilized tenants may see increases of up to 7.75% on two-year leases, after the Rent Guidelines Board held a preliminary vote on rent increases. David Brand, housing reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, reports on what comes next for landlords and tenants with rent-stabilized apartments.

Kimberly Adams, senior Washington correspondent for Marketplace and the co-host of the Marketplace podcast “Make Me Smart,” talks about the latest news on tariffs, including the end of the de minimis exemption, which may lead to higher prices for consumers. Plus, Arthur Dong, teaching professor of strategy and economics at the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University, offers analysis of the US-China relationship as Beijing is considering whether it should begin to negotiate with President Trump on trade.

Scott Bok, former board chair of the University of Pennsylvania, longtime CEO of the M&A advisory firm Greenhill & Co., and the author of Surviving Wall Street: A Tale of Triumph, Tragedy and Timing (Wiley, 2025), talks about his life and facing crises on Wall Street and, most recently, his resignation from the Penn Board in December 2023.

=>EVENT:  New York Public Library's Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library Event Center at 455 Fifth Avenue, tonight 6-7PM  

In honor of Cinco de Mayo, Maria Ponce Sevilla, director of development at Mixteca Organization Inc., a community-based organization serving Mexican and Latin American immigrant communities, highlights the various regional Mexican communities that can be found all over New York City.

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.

NYC Health Department Braces for Federal Budget Cuts (First) | REAL ID, for Real This Time (Starts at 27:34) | 100 Years of 100 Things: Women in the Military (Starts at 42:14)

If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.

Randy Mastro, first deputy mayor of New York City, discusses the proposals in the $115 billion dollar budget that Mayor Adams announced, including adding seats to free after-school care, and increasing the size of the police force.

Sam Schechner, technology reporter at The Wall Street Journal, talks about his experience of feeling dumber due to relying on artificial intelligence and what he's done to retake his brain.

The Republican House leadership is confronting significant obstacles to passing a sweeping package of the Trump administration's priorities. Kadia Goba, congressional reporter for Semafor, breaks down what's in it and the latest news, including the status of the Trump-backed SAVE Act, which critics say would lead to the disenfranchisement of millions of married women.

Louisa Tatum, Career Services Manager at the New York Public Library, talks about the job and career landscape for people without college degrees—and we'll take calls from listeners who are looking for career advice.

EVENT:
The New York Public Library is hosting a free job fair and career expo at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building's Celeste Bartos Forum. That's on Friday, May 23, 2025, 10 AM - 3 PM. More information at the link below:
https://www.nypl.org/events/programs/2025/05/23/nypls-free-tech-job-fair-expo-2025-connect-learn-get-hired

Support of WNYC’s coverage of economic mobility and opportunity is provided in part by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. For more information about how the Gates Foundation supports economic mobility and opportunity, visit usprogram.gatesfoundation.org.