Latest news with #MichaelGianaris
NBC News
29-07-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
New York Democrats unveil their own mid-decade redistricting scheme, targeting future elections
As Texas Republicans slowly move forward with plans to redraw congressional maps mid-decade, Democrats in New York on Tuesday plowed ahead with their own scheme intended to counter any GOP redistricting efforts. But the effort faces a long, arduous path forward and wouldn't be scheduled to come into effect for years, illustrating the limited options at Democrats' disposal as they hunt for ways to counter the GOP redistricting play in Texas. Legislative Democrats in the blue stronghold unveiled a bill that would allow state lawmakers in Albany to conduct mid-decade redistricting — but only if another state were to do it first. The proposal would, if enacted, effectively set up the prospect of a national redistricting tit-for-tat between Republicans and Democrats, with control of the House of Representatives in Washington potentially on the line. However, there are key differences between what's happening in New York and what's happening in Texas, including the timing of any actual map changes. Texas Republicans are looking to immediately enact new district boundaries for the 2026 elections. The bill in New York, which is technically a legislatively referred constitutional amendment, would allow the state legislature to redraw congressional districts in the event that another state engages in mid-decade redistricting. It would have to pass the legislature in two consecutive sessions — and then still must be approved by voters in a ballot measure after. In theory, that means that whatever new maps that would be created wouldn't be in place until the 2028 elections. 'New York will not sit idly by as other states work to disenfranchise voters,' New York state Senate Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris, who introduced the bill in his chamber, said in a statement. 'States must play by the same rules for a legitimate democracy to exist, and if red states are intent on corrupting the redistricting process, New York will respond.' Democrats in the state Assembly introduced an identical measure in their chamber. The redistricting process in states typically occurs at the start of each new decade, when new census data is available. In New York, that process has since 2014 been controlled by the state's Independent Redistricting Commission — a bipartisan body charged with creating fair maps for the legislature to approve. The commission was created when New York voters passed a constitutional amendment changing the redistricting process. Previously, the legislature controlled the entire process for legislative and congressional maps. Gianaris' office said the effort is a direct response to the ongoing attempt by Texas Republicans to redraw their own congressional maps ahead of schedule — a scheme that could help pad the GOP's narrow majority during next year's midterms. A fight with national implications but different state-by-state rules At the urging of President Donald Trump, Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott convened a special legislative session that kicked off last week that includes on lawmakers' formal to-do list congressional redistricting. The session, which runs 30 days, is ongoing. Texas lawmakers haven't yet publicly unveiled their preferred choices for the redrawn maps. The unscheduled effort has triggered a ripple effect, with governors across the country floating the possibility of following suit to either add to or counter the plan — depending on their party affiliation. That could include potential actions benefitting congressional Republicans in Florida and Ohio. In the case of New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul said last week — in a precursor to the introduction of Gianaris' bill on Tuesday — that 'all's fair in love and war' and that she'd 'closely' consider any proposed actions. In response to questions about whether Hochul supported the proposal, spokesperson Emma Wallner referred NBC News to comments last week on 'The Jim Acosta Show.' 'It's something we're looking at very closely,' Hochul said on that podcast. 'We're watching what's happening there. And I do not like a scenario where we are disadvantaged when we're following the rules. More to say on that later.' Another big blue state where Democrats have signaled they could move forward with early redistricting is California, where Gov. Gavin Newsom, a potential 2028 presidential contender, has raised the idea. As is the case currently in New York, an independent commission empowered by the state constitution controls the redistricting process in California. Undoing that process would be similarly complicated, much more so than in states where redistricting is just a matter of passing a new state law, though Democrats are talking up the idea anyway. Before congressional lawmakers left Washington for a five-week summer recess, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries privately huddled with members of the California delegation. The meeting included a discussion about whether Democrats in California should redraw its congressional lines in response to Texas, said a source in the room, who added that Jeffries' message was that every option should be considered. In recent interviews with NBC News, California members of Congress indicated they'd support such a plan. 'If Texas is going to rig the system, then I think we can't just sit back and watch it and do nothing and say we're going to have our hands tied,' said Rep. Nanette Barragan, D-Calif., a member of Jeffries' leadership team and the former chair of the Hispanic Caucus. 'We'll have to keep our eyes on Texas, but I think we need to look at all options.' Another California Democrat, Rep. Ami Bera, a member of the leadership team for House Democrats' campaign arm, agreed Democrats shouldn't sit by and do nothing. 'I'm a fan of independent redistricting commissions, but the fact that Republicans are playing by a different set of rules, I think it doesn't make any sense that we're disarming ourselves,' Bera said. 'If they're going to play by a set of rules and put politics above everything, we've got to play hardball too.' Bera said he'd be fine giving up some Democratic portions of his district to give an edge to Democrats facing tougher races. 'I'm willing to give up some voters to get the majority again," he said. Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., said that it 'can't be the case that only Republican controlled states can maximize the mid-decade redistricting.' But many officials in California, and elsewhere — and not just Republicans — strongly oppose any and all efforts to circumvent the commission, which was created by voters via a ballot measure. 'You can't fight gerrymandering with more gerrymandering. It is a short sighted plan,' Patricia Sinay, a member of the California Citizen Redistricting Commission, said on a call with reporters Tuesday. 'Handing the power to incumbent legislators, lobbyists and special interests will bring back the political gamesmanship that brought us to independent redistricting in the first place.' Other opponents of efforts in California to redraw maps early said that doing so would likely strip black and brown voters of adequate representation. 'Redistricting is not as cut and dry as some are purporting it to be,' said Russia Chavis Cardenas, the deputy director of the California branch of government watchdog group Common Cause. 'We know that gerrymandering hurts Black, brown and poor communities the most — so for our communities of color, this is not a partisan issue, this really is a representation issue.' 'We cannot let the Trump administration bait us into abandoning our communities of color in the name of political gamesmanship,' she added. 'By responding to fire — the efforts in Texas — with fire, Democrats risk permanently damaging their relationship with Black and brown voters and ultimately diluting the voting power of Black and brown voters.'
New York Times
28-07-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
In Fight for House, New York May Follow Texas in Redrawing Maps
If Texas lawmakers follow through on President Trump's call to redraw state congressional maps to help the Republican Party, New York leaders say they want to be ready to respond in kind. Democrats in the State Assembly and Senate will introduce a bill on Tuesday that would allow New York to redraw its own congressional lines mid-decade — instead of every 10 years, linked to the U.S. census — if another state does so first. 'Republicans have made it clear that they will stop at nothing to use this process to advance their political agenda,' said State Senator Michael Gianaris, the deputy majority leader sponsoring the bill in the Senate. 'If other states are going to do this, we shouldn't stand by and watch the Congress be lost.' Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas has cited 'constitutional concerns' in his call for Texas to draw new lines, but the actual motive seems political. Mr. Trump has suggested that Texas's redistricting could help Republicans gain five House seats in their mission to keep control of the chamber after the 2026 midterms. Currently, Republicans have a seven-seat edge in the House, with four seats vacant. To make Mr. Trump's desire a reality, Republican state lawmakers have begun a special legislative session, and public hearings on redistricting are underway. New York's response is the latest counterattack from Democratic-led states and organizations. The main super PAC supporting House Democrats has seeded a new fund with about $20 million to go after congressional Republicans in Texas if the state's legislators follow through on the redistricting effort. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
New York Post
09-06-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Controversial tax credit to save Downtown Manhattan on verge of getting renewed: sources
The push by real estate dealmakers for Albany to renew a controversial tax-credit critical to saving Downtown Manhattan turned into a real 'cliffhanger' – but appears poised for approval, The Post has learned. The citywide Relocation Employment Assistance Program and a similar one specifically for Lower Manhattan, known as LM-REAP, provide tax credits of up to $3,000 per employee to companies that relocate from out of the city or from parts of Manhattan to designated areas in the outer boroughs or to Downtown Manhattan. Tens of thousands of jobs and the future of scores of Lower Manhattan office buildings would be at risk if the little-known REAP programs were not renewed when they expire on June 30, according to landlords and business advocates. 3 Tens of thousands of jobs and the future of scores of Lower Manhattan office buildings would be at risk if the little-known REAP programs were not renewed when they expire on June 30, according to landlords and business advocates. Christopher Sadowski The measures were left out of the state's budget plan announced in April and appeared doomed as lawmakers in the state Senate and Assembly were set to escape for their summer break. But there was movement on an extension over the weekend, a knowledgeable Albany source told The Post on Monday. 'It finally got key approvals in the Assembly, and it's looking good tomorrow in the Senate, which was where the hangup was,' the source said. Michael Gianaris, the State Senate Deputy Majority Leader from Queens, among others, had argued that REAP cost the city too much in foregone taxes — up to $33 million by 2033, according to the Department of Finance — to justify the economic benefits the additional jobs would bring. 3 Michael Gianaris, the State Senate Deputy Majority Leader from Queens, had argued that REAP cost the city too much in foregone taxes to justify the economic benefits the additional jobs would bring. Hans Pennink But renewing the program 'is critical to COVID recovery, preserving affordable office space and promoting job growth in small and medium-size businesses,' argued a rep for the Alliance for Downtown. Supporters say LM-REAP costs the city a negligible $5 million a year — a pittance weighed against the tax benefits it helps generate in property and incomes taxes, although those figures are harder to quantify. REAP began in 1987 to stem an exodus of tenants to New Jersey. The Lower Manhattan plan, launched in 2003, is credited with supporting 16,000 city jobs and helping to lease hundreds of thousands of square feet of office space in a market that's had more downs than ups since 9/11. One source predicted a fresh wave of flight to New Jersey if REAP is allowed to die. 'They're actively recruiting New York businesses with programs offering up to $8,000 per job and $250,000 relocation grants. It's clear that if New York steps back, New Jersey will step in,' the source said. The REAP renewals, as well as creation of a new program called the Relocation Assistance Credit for Employees (RACE), are backed by Gov. Kathy Hochul. But fearing that the measures would be allowed to die, local congressional representatives threw their voices into the fray. 3 The REAP renewals are backed by Gov. Kathy Hochul. Lev Radin/Shutterstock Gregory Meeks, Grace Meng, Ritchie Torres, Thomas Suozzi and Adriano Espaillat wrote to State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stweart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie that with 'record high office vacancies downtown, 'Now is not the time to end LM-REAP.' The REAP programs have also brought jobs to Dumbo, MetroTech and the Navy Yard in Brooklyn and to Long Island City in Queens. But the heat's mostly on Lower Manhattan, where more than 20% of nearly 90 million square feet of offices in the nation's second-largest commercial district stand vacant — and it might get worse. 'I believe the numbers being cited for current and future vacancies are too low, especially on Water Street,' said one Downtown executive who asked for anonymity told The Post. 'The REAP program is essential to keeping downtown competitive.'
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New York legislators vote to preserve media access to encrypted police radio communications
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York state lawmakers have passed a bill to preserve media access to police radio feeds as law enforcement agencies increasingly encrypt their communications. The proposal, which was approved Thursday, would require police departments to grant journalists and emergency services organizations access to their encrypted radio communications. The bill allows for exemptions of information deemed 'sensitive." The state will need to come up with exact rules on how access will work under the proposal. The measure is a victory for media organizations whose reporters and photographers often tune in to police radio chatter and then zip over to crime scenes or other big happenings in search of stories. 'Preserving access to police radio is critical for a free press and to preserve the freedoms and protections afforded by the public availability of this information,' said Senate Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris, a Democrat sponsor of the legislation. The New York Police Department said encrypting radio feeds is meant to protect officers and victims. 'Encrypting police radio communications is necessary for both the safety of law enforcement, as well as to protect the privacy interests of victims and witnesses,' the department said in a written statement. 'Requiring the NYPD to provide real-time access could jeopardize officer safety and victim privacy.' The proposal now heads to the desk of Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul. Her office said she would review the bill.
Washington Post
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
New York legislators vote to preserve media access to encrypted police radio communications
ALBANY, N.Y. — New York state lawmakers have passed a bill to preserve media access to police radio feeds as law enforcement agencies increasingly encrypt their communications. The proposal, which was approved Thursday, would require police departments to grant journalists and emergency services organizations access to their encrypted radio communications. The bill allows for exemptions of information deemed 'sensitive.' The state will need to come up with exact rules on how access will work under the proposal. The measure is a victory for media organizations whose reporters and photographers often tune in to police radio chatter and then zip over to crime scenes or other big happenings in search of stories. 'Preserving access to police radio is critical for a free press and to preserve the freedoms and protections afforded by the public availability of this information,' said Senate Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris, a Democrat sponsor of the legislation. The New York Police Department said encrypting radio feeds is meant to protect officers and victims. 'Encrypting police radio communications is necessary for both the safety of law enforcement, as well as to protect the privacy interests of victims and witnesses,' the department said in a written statement. 'Requiring the NYPD to provide real-time access could jeopardize officer safety and victim privacy.' The proposal now heads to the desk of Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul. Her office said she would review the bill.
