Latest news with #Suozzi
Politico
3 days ago
- Politics
- Politico
How Democrats could gerrymander New York
With help from Amira McKee WHAT COULD BE ON TAP FOR 2028: There's never been a full-fledged partisan gerrymander on the books for New York's congressional districts. Democrats and Republicans have split power in Albany during most modern redistricting cycles. When they didn't in 2024, the lines drawn by Democrats after a series of court battles were nowhere near as aggressive as some partisans hoped. Gov. Kathy Hochul now wants to change that in response to similar Republican efforts in Texas. Redrawing the lines would be complicated in the Empire State. It couldn't happen until 2028 at the earliest, and even then, it could only move forward if voters approve a constitutional amendment to permit a mid-decade gerrymander. But that begs a big question: What would an all-out New York gerrymander look like? The political realities of 2028 are tough to predict. Some incumbents will be gone by then, and political shifts could come to various pockets of the state. And if President Donald Trump has his way, a new Census could throw the current mapmaking calculus out the window. But as things stand now, at least two Republicans have reason to fret, and maybe as many as four. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis has topped 60 percent in the past two elections. Her district currently encompasses Staten Island and merges it with portions of Brooklyn mostly to the east of the Verrazzano Bridge, most of them Republican-friendly. In 2022, Democrats wanted to extend the district further north into Brooklyn to include portions of the left-leaning enclave of Park Slope. Enacting such a plan would turn the district into a battleground. A more aggressive approach — harkening back to a map used in the 1970s — would merge Staten Island with parts of Manhattan. In Westchester, Democratic Rep. George Latimer has a lot of breathing room — he received 72 percent of the vote in 2024. Republican Rep. Mike Lawler doesn't — he received 52 percent. There are towns, such as the ones immediately south of the Tappan Zee, that could be swapped from Latimer's district to Lawler's, growing the number of Democrats in the Republican's seat. The four Congressional seats on Long Island are currently split between Democratic Reps. Laura Gillen and Tom Suozzi and Republican Reps. Nick LaLota and Andrew Garbarino. 'You could pull Suozzi's district more into the city. You could pull Gillen's district more into Gregory Meeks' territory,' Hofstra University's Larry Levy said, referring to the Queens Congress member. That would allow for some portions of the Suozzi and Gillen districts to be merged with the Democratic strongholds currently situated in Republican districts: 'You probably could make either Garbarino or LaLota more vulnerable, but not both,' Levy said. In the western half of upstate, Democratic Rep. Tim Kennedy and Republican Reps. Claudia Tenney and Nick Langworthy each received around 65 percent of the vote in 2024. Democratic Rep. Joe Morelle got 60 percent. There might be a path to joining slices of the Kennedy and Morelle seats with Democratic-friendly towns like Geneva and Oswego, allowing the Tenney district to become a bit more competitive. But there's not much to work with. 'Kennedy and Morelle are kind of islands of Democrats in a sea of Republicans,' one Buffalo Democrat said. With that in mind, the end result might just be jeopardizing two Democrats without actually making the Tenney seat winnable. — Bill Mahoney FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL MAMDANI TURNS UP PRESSURE: Zohran Mamdani sought to press his advantage today among Democrats who have yet to support him by leveraging a New York Times report that rival Andrew Cuomo and President Donald Trump have discussed the mayoral race. 'My administration will be Donald Trump's worst nightmare,' Mamdani declared, predicting his policies to boost working-class New Yorkers would show how Trump has failed those communities. The Democratic nominee for mayor accused Cuomo of 'conspiring' with Trump. He spoke to reporters in Lower Manhattan outside 26 Federal Plaza, where federal immigration agents have been detaining migrants outside of court. Mamdani, who defeated Cuomo by 12 points in the June primary, stood with the leaders of labor unions that have endorsed him after previously backing Cuomo. 'We know that Andrew Cuomo will sell working people out for his interests, for the interests of the billionaires that support him, for the interests of Donald Trump,' Mamdani said, 'because all of those interests are lining up as one and the same.' Cuomo, who's running an independent general election bid, told reporters in Midtown Manhattan that he doesn't remember the last time he spoke with Trump and knocked the story as 'palace intrigue.' The former governor said he did 'leave word' with the president after an assasination attempt. 'I've never spoken to him about the mayor's race,' Cuomo said, denying the Times report. 'I had spoken to him when I was governor dozens and dozens, if not hundreds of times. We went through Covid together.' Cuomo told reporters he would defend New York City against Trump 'with every ounce of my strength.' The Times additionally reported today that Cuomo has told business leaders he's not 'personally' looking for a fight with the president. In Brooklyn, Mayor Eric Adams, who's also running as an independent, said he's never discussed the campaign with Trump and that his 'conversations with the president is about bringing resources to the city.' Mamdani told reporters today that he's willing to talk with Trump and keep an open dialogue but only to improve the lives of New Yorkers. 'If he wants to actually act upon the cheaper groceries that he told us he would deliver, that is a different conversation,' the candidate said. — Emily Ngo, Joe Anuta and Amira McKee 'LOOK ON THE HAT': The first borough office of Adams' uphill reelection campaign is borrowing the headquarters of one of Brooklyn's old-guard political clubs. The self-titled 'child from Brownsville' cut the ribbon at his new Mill Basin office Thursday, announcing that the Thomas Jefferson Democratic Club headquarters — now plastered with 're-elect Eric for Mayor' posters — will serve as the nerve center for the campaign's Brooklyn efforts. 'Why Brooklyn?' Adams said at the Thursday event, gesturing to his cap. 'Brooklyn is the place I was born. When you look on the hat, it says Brownsville. It was the place that shaped and made me. It was the place that taught me the fortitude that I have right now to lead this city.' Adams' team said today it expects to unveil more offices across the five boroughs — just a day after the New York City Campaign Finance board denied the incumbent millions of dollars in public matching funds, putting him at a weighty financial disadvantage against Mamdani. This isn't the first time Adams has encountered trouble with the CFB, whose public matching fund program requires strict adherence to reporting mandates and individual donation limits. A 900-page CFB audit of Adams' 2021 campaign found more than 150 fundraising events that the Adams campaign said they paid for but did not document how much was spent and by whom — a red flag for potentially prohibited in-kind contributions. The campaign declined to address those irregularities in its official response. POLITICO reported in 2021 that Adams also intermittently used office space occupied by the Democratic Party's law firm without disclosing the relationship in campaign finance filings. When asked about how much his campaign was spending to rent the home of one of New York's oldest and most influential Democratic clubs, Adams shrugged. 'Every payment we do is listed on the campaign finance so you can look at that,' he said. Despite the CFB denying his funding request for the tenth time yesterday, Adams said he was unfazed, dodging questions about whether he would shake up his campaign staff or forgo the matching program to accept larger donations. 'The life of a person born in Brownsville, you're always meeting obstacles,' Adams said, again gesturing to his cap. 'But in all those obstacles, what happened? I'm the mayor, because I'm a working class, resilient, hard working New Yorker, and we're used to obstacles.' — Amira McKee From City Hall DEPARTMENT OF WISHFUL THINKING: City Hall is asking agencies to contribute ideas for Mayor Eric Adams' 2026 State of the City address — a request that assumes the mayor will win reelection despite poll numbers suggesting otherwise. On Wednesday, Deputy Mayor for Communications Fabien Levy blasted out a message encouraging agencies to submit ideas for the theoretical address by Aug. 11, according to a copy of the missive obtained by Playbook. The request comes as Adams, who is running as an independent, remains a longshot contender for a second term. The incumbent is running as an independent in an overwhelmingly Democratic town. The Campaign Finance Board appears determined to deny him millions of dollars in public matching funds. And the latest poll had the mayor winning just 7 percent of the vote, coming in behind Mamdani, Cuomo and GOP nominee Curtis Sliwa. Regardless, Levy is bullish on the mayor's odds. 'New York City's public servants are at their best when putting politics aside and staying focused on the work — and that is exactly what we are doing,' he said in a statement. 'The State of the City takes months of thoughtful planning, and we intend to deliver a speech in early 2026 that is as groundbreaking as ever.' Despite the aura of futility, some municipal workers are treating the exercise as a job preservation strategy, according to one city employee who was granted anonymity to discuss internal thinking. Should Mamdani win the general election, as polling currently indicates, senior staffers would have a readymade plan to pitch to the new administration and prove their worth. 'Zohran's people are going to gravitate to those who have an agenda that aligns with his populism,' another city staffer, also granted anonymity, told Playbook. Levy is convinced there will be no changing of the guard. 'We have appreciated POLITICO's coverage of our past four State of the City addresses, and we look forward to their continued coverage of Mayor Adams' next four,' he said in his statement. — Joe Anuta IN OTHER NEWS — MEGABILL CUTS: New York's social service providers are bracing for deep federal funding cuts as poverty rates rise among the state's elderly. (New York Focus) — ANOTHER LAWSUIT: A former top NYPD lawyer is suing the department, accusing top brass of firing her for investigating Adams' former Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey. (Gothamist) — SLOW DOWN: New York City has instituted a new e-bike speed limit, but local officials don't have the teeth to enforce it. (The Wall Street Journal) Missed this morning's New York Playbook? We forgive you. Read it here.
The Hill
6 days ago
- Business
- The Hill
The CIRCLE Act: A blueprint for revitalizing American manufacturing through recycling
As Congress prioritizes American manufacturing and global trade, it is time to recognize one of our most overlooked resources: the valuable materials sitting at the end of every driveway. Each year, 37 million tons of recyclable household materials in the United States are landfilled or incinerated. That loss weakens our supply chains, drives up costs for American manufacturers and wastes taxpayer-funded resources. If we are serious about revitalizing domestic production, keeping dollars in local economies and strengthening U.S. competitiveness, we must modernize our recycling system and scale access for every household. Recycling already delivers for American industry. Recycled content makes up 40 percent of U.S. manufacturing inputs. People across the country are doing their part: setting out blue carts, dropping off batteries, returning pallets. But the system supporting them is uneven. More than 41percent of Americans still lack access to basic recycling services, and billions in raw material value is lost each year as a result. Congress has a clear opportunity to lead. The bipartisan CIRCLE Act, introduced by Reps. Suozzi (D-N.Y.) and Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), is a targeted, practical solution. It would create a 30 percent investment tax credit for businesses, nonprofits and individuals building or upgrading recycling infrastructure — from curbside collection to sortation and processing. The model is proven. Like the tax credits that fueled growth in solar and semiconductors, this approach will drive innovation, reduce risk for private investors, and build a stronger, more resilient domestic supply chain. We already know this investment pays off. According to The Recycling Partnership, a $17 billion commitment to universal recycling access would create more than 200,000 U.S. jobs, return $8.8 billion in materials to the economy and save taxpayers nearly $10 billion in five years. Few investments can match that return. Global momentum is also building. As nations convene to negotiate a global treaty on plastic pollution, the U.S. has a chance to lead from a position of strength. Investing in domestic recycling infrastructure is not just good policy, it is essential to showing global leadership on waste, sustainability and economic development. We cannot afford to waste valuable glass, metals, plastics and paper. Nor can we ignore the growing need for extended producer responsibility policies that require producers to fund better systems, as already seen in seven U.S. states and across the globe. The EPA's Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling grant program offers a strong foundation. First passed with bipartisan support during the Trump administration, it has already attracted more than 450 applications. These investments are popular, cost-effective and widely supported by both Republicans and Democrats. As the EPA turns its focus to the Great American Comeback, continued funding for the Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling grant program is a smart and strategic move. But policy must go further. As more recycled plastic moves through our economy, Health and Human Services should ensure materials are safe for use in food, health and household products. Regulatory clarity is critical as manufacturers increase their use of recycled content. Protecting public health should go hand-in-hand with accelerating circularity. Recycling is one of the rare areas that unites rural, suburban and urban interests. It creates jobs, reduces waste, lowers costs for businesses and delivers environmental returns. At a time when Americans expect real solutions, this is one Congress and the administration can act on now. Passing the CIRCLE Act would send a clear message: the U.S. is ready to lead the world in smart, sustainable manufacturing. Recycling is a proven path to jobs, resilience and economic strength. Let's stop wasting potential and start investing in it.
CNBC
25-07-2025
- Business
- CNBC
New bill in Congress would reward companies that give stock to rank-and-file employees
A bipartisan bill introduced in Congress this week would create a new tax incentive for public companies to distribute stock to their rank-and-file employees. The new SHARE Act would give a 3 percentage point discount on the corporate tax rate to large companies that distribute at least 5% of their stock to the lowest paid 80% of employees. It is cosponsored by eleven members of the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee, both Republicans and Democrats. "The bottom line is that right now in America, the top 10% of wealthy people in the country own 93% of the stock, and the lowest 50% people in the United States of America own 1% of the stock," said Rep. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., a sponsor of the bill, on CNBC's Squawk Box Friday. According to Suozzi, the Share Holder Allocation for Rewards to Employees (SHARE) Plan Act, when fully implemented, could result in nearly $4 trillion in stock value being transferred to almost 40 million middle-class Americans. For the idea to work, companies would likely have to dilute, issue or buy back their shares to distribute them to employees, said Suozzi. But he argued the cost of that would be firmly offset by the 3% tax rate cut. "It's a big idea," Suozzi said. "It'll result in some initial dilution of their share price, probably, but once they get the tax rate discount, it'll result in an increase." The new bill could also incentivize employee loyalty, he added, because more workers would hold a stake in the companies that employ them. For companies with massive market caps, like Amazon or Walmart, Suozzi said they could cap the awards at $250,000 worth of stock per employee, instead of giving the full 5%, depending on which makes more sense economically for the company. The lower tax rate would be available to companies in a year where they granted at least 1% of their stock, or after they have cumulatively granted at least 5%, according to a fact sheet on the bill. The value of those distributions would be tax deductible for the companies, and the value of the stock granted to each employee would not be counted as part of that person's gross income for tax purposes. Suozzi said the bipartisan support for the bill shows how Republicans and Democrats are coming together to "stop attacking each other and start attacking the problems that we face." "We need to expand the ownership society in our country so that people who go to work every day can participate in the great success of this great country," said Suozzi.
The Hill
06-07-2025
- Business
- The Hill
Suozzi says Mamdani ‘tapped into the same thing' as Trump
Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.), a moderate Democrat, said President Trump and Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani 'tapped into the same thing' that catapulted their respective underdog campaigns to victory. In an interview on CBS News's 'Face the Nation,' Suozzi noted that both Trump and Mamdani, a democratic socialist who officially clinched the New York City mayoral nomination last week, focused their campaigns on affordability. 'I disagree with Mr. Mamdani. I have to make that very clear that, you know, I'm a democratic capitalist. I'm not a democratic socialist,' Suozzi said. 'But you have to recognize that he tapped into something,' he continued. 'He tapped into the same thing that Donald Trump tapped into, which is that people are concerned that the economy is not working for them. Affordability and the economy is the number one issue in the country.' Suozzi said 'too often,' people perceive Democrats as prioritizing reproductive rights and LGBTQ protections over issues related to economic mobility and affordability. The former two issues are 'important issues,' Suozzi continued, 'but they're not the issues that people think about every night when they're lying in bed thinking about paying their bills or when they're talking about how they're going to send their kids to school.' Suozzi said Democrats can learn from Trump's and Mamdani's diagnoses of the problem — even if not their proposed solutions. 'Democrats have got to do a better job learning from both Trump and Mamdani, not with their solutions, which I think are wrong, but with the diagnosis of the problem — that we're frustrated, we're concerned.' 'Everybody in America — whether you're a right-wing conservative or a left-wing progressive — should believe that, in return for working hard, you make enough money so you can live a good life. You can buy a home, you can educate your children, you can pay for your health insurance, you can retire one day without being scared,' Suozzi said. 'People don't feel that currently, and we have to do a better job of communicating that,' he added.
New York Post
06-07-2025
- Business
- New York Post
NY Democrat voted against Trump's ‘big, beautiful' bill but admits he agrees with 75% of it
US Rep. Tom Suozzi stood by his decision to vote against the One Big Beautiful Bill Act despite acknowledging that he agrees with roughly three-quarters of the megabill. 'Because those things that I just mentioned are so devastating,' Suozzi (D-NY) told CBS News' 'Face the Nation' Sunday when pressed about his opposition to the megabill. 'I like the idea that we're investing more money to secure the border,' said Suozzi, who represents Long Island and part of Queens. 'I like the idea that we are providing tax breaks to lower-income folks and hard-working middle-class folks and people aspiring to the middle class.' Advertisement Host Weijia Jiang had pointed to his recent comments about favoring the bulk of President Trump's marquee agenda bill. Last month, Suozzi told Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, 'I agree with 75% of the stuff that's in the big bill that you guys talk about.' But the Empire State Democrat argued that preserving the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act's lower rates for the wealthy, the Medicaid cuts and the deficit impact of the megabill were too much for him to stomach. 3 Rep. Tom Suozzi acknowledged that he agreed with a lot of the provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Anadolu via Getty Images Advertisement 3 President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act into law last Friday. REUTERS 'When the economy is doing as well as it has been over the past several years, why would we be providing a tax decrease — tax breaks for some of the wealthiest Americans in our country, while blowing a massive hole in the deficit?' Suozzi added on 'Face the Nation.' Republicans slashed taxes across the board in 2017 and placed a strong emphasis on reducing the burden on businesses. Proponents of the cuts on the top income tax brackets argued that it will affect small businesses that pay their bills to Uncle Sam as pass-throughs. High-income taxpayers are forced to pay into every tax bracket, so cutting every tax bracket reduces their obligations to the government. Advertisement However, there is some evidence that the top 1% of households paid a larger share of federal taxes after the 2017 tax bill than before it, meaning that taxes were about to go up across the board. If Congress failed to act, many key provisions of the 2017 tax cut would expire at the end of the year. Suozzi also ripped into the GOP's inclusion of work requirements on Medicaid, noting that '92% of the people that are able to work are currently working, and the 8% that are not are often people that are taking care of disabled children.' 3 The New York Democrat has put a heavy emphasis on bipartisanship during his tenure in Congress. Getty Images Advertisement 'Why would we be taking health insurance and food benefits away from some of the most needy Americans while we're providing what I believe is an unnecessary tax break for some of the wealthiest Americans,' he complained. House Republicans narrowly squeezed the megabill through the lower chamber last week and President Trump signed it into law on Friday during the Fourth of July. The megabill featured an extension of the 2017 tax cuts, increased energy production, bolstered border security, defense modernization efforts, spending cuts and a slew of other conservative wish list items. Suozzi also reiterated his concerns that socialist Zohran Mamdani's shock win in the New York City mayoral Democratic primary should be a wake-up call for his party. 'I disagree with Mr. Mamdani. I have to make that very clear that, you know, I'm a Democratic capitalist. I'm not a Democratic socialist,' Suozzi said. 'But you have to recognize that he tapped into something. He tapped into the same thing that Donald Trump tapped into, which is that people are concerned that the economy is not working for them.' The Queens and Long Island rep contended that Democrats are often perceived as being 'focused on reproductive rights and on LGBT protections' and need to do a better job of addressing affordability concerns.
