Governor Hochul Releases FY24 Executive Budget-
Last Wednesday, Governor Hochul released her Executive Budget for Fiscal Year 2024. The state’s $227 billion budget includes no significant tax raises, and Governor Hochul...more
Mayor Adams Delivers State of the City-
Last Thursday, Mayor Adams delivered his second State of the City address. In his address, Mayor Adams outlined a “Working People’s Agenda” focusing on jobs, safety, housing, and care....more
CHICAGO — Chicago Biotech Startup Unveils AI to Speed Up Breakthrough Drugs-
In the wake of Evozyne's hiring of a seasoned tech-company executive as CEO, the Chicago-based biotech company announced it has developed an AI...more
1/31/2023
/ Affordable Housing ,
Artificial Intelligence ,
Asylum ,
Cameras ,
Commercial Buildings ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Homeless Issues ,
Ports ,
Property Valuation ,
State Budgets ,
State Elections ,
State Funding ,
Traffic Laws ,
Unemployment ,
Wastewater
Senate Judiciary Committee Votes No on LaSalle-
The New York State Senate’s Judiciary Committee voted against advancing Justice Hector LaSalle to the full Senate for a vote. The newly-expanded 19-member Committee voted very...more
During her State of the State address last week Governor Kathy Hochul announced a strategy to build 800,000 new homes across New York over the next decade. The strategy, known as the New York Housing Compact, includes...more
Gig Economy & Technology-
CHICAGO —
University of Chicago Commits Millions to Startups The University of Chicago is stepping up its efforts to create more startups, committing more than $20 million to launch three new...more
1/12/2023
/ Affordable Housing ,
Artificial Intelligence ,
Bureau of Labor Statistics ,
Campaign Contributions ,
City Councils ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Crime Victims ,
Dispensaries ,
Employer Mandates ,
Fair Workweek ,
General Assembly ,
Homeless Issues ,
Life Sciences ,
Minimum Wage ,
Nurses ,
Property Tax ,
Public Transportation ,
Real Estate Market ,
Strike ,
Tax Increases ,
Technology Sector ,
Uber ,
Vaccinations ,
Wage and Hour ,
Wage Theft ,
Work Schedules
NYC Council Holds Charter Meeting-
Last Wednesday, the NYC Council held their Charter meeting, where they introduced multiple pieces of legislation. The Charter meeting is the first Stated meeting of the calendar year. The...more
First Legal Cannabis Dispensary Opens On-
December 29, New York State’s first legal cannabis dispensary opened for business. Housing Works Cannabis Company has formally opened its doors in lower Manhattan, operated by the...more
NYC Council Passes and Introduces Legislation-
Last Wednesday, the NYC Council convened a Stated meeting, where they passed and introduced multiple pieces of legislation. The Council voted on the Language Access Act, which...more
LOS ANGELES — Proposition 22: California Gig Companies, Workers Get Their Day in Appeals Court-
For more than a year, the California voter-approved gig economy law known as Proposition 22 has hung in the balance after a...more
12/21/2022
/ Affordable Housing ,
California ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Delivery Drivers ,
Early Retirement ,
Gig Economy ,
Homeless Issues ,
Independent Contractors ,
Property Tax ,
Public Health ,
Real Estate Market ,
State and Local Government ,
Technology ,
Unemployment
Mayor Adams and Governor Hochul Launch “Making New York Work for Everyone”-
Last Wednesday, Mayor Adams and Governor Hochul released “’New’ New York: Making New York Work for Everyone.” The plan consists of a set of 40...more
Massachusetts’ Energy Facilities Sitting Board approved a special permit for a controversial electrical substation in East Boston. The permit allows the project to circumvent 14 final environmental permits. 84% of Boston...more
12/15/2022
/ Affordable Housing ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Gig Economy ,
Homeless Issues ,
Minimum Wage ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Political Candidates ,
Property Tax ,
Residential Real Estate Market ,
Small Business ,
Starbucks ,
State Health Departments ,
Technology ,
Unions ,
Vaccine Passports ,
Work Schedules
Mayor Adams Launches “Get Stuff Built”-
Last Thursday, Mayor Adams unveiled a new effort to address the affordable housing crisis in New York City. The City will be taking 111 actions, recommended by the Building and Land...more
New Draft Assembly Map Released-
New York State’s Independent Redistricting Commission has voted to move forward with a new draft Assembly map. There are several changes from the map that was used for this year’s elections....more
NYC Agencies Asked to Reduce Vacancies by Half-
Last Monday, Office of Management and Budget Director Jacques Jiha sent a memo to heads of NYC agencies asking them to continue mining their budgets for efficiencies and...more
Soccer Stadium to be Built in Queens by New York City Football Club-
Mayor Adams announced last Thursday that an agreement has been reached to build the City’s first professional soccer stadium in Willets Point, Queens. New...more
In Tuesday’s midterm election, Kathy Hochul won reelection over Lee Zeldin, making her the first woman to be elected Governor of New York State. Statewide incumbents Senator Chuck Schumer, Attorney General Tish James, and...more
LOS ANGELES — Waymo Says It’s Bringing Robotaxis to L.A. Driverless car company Waymo, owned by Google parent Alphabet, said October 19 that it plans to add autonomous taxi fleet operations to Los Angeles. “L.A. is in the top...more
11/11/2022
/ City Councils ,
Collective Bargaining ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Driverless Cars ,
Food Safety ,
Funding ,
Gig Economy ,
Impeachment ,
Misuse or Misdirection of Funds ,
Popular ,
Real Estate Investments ,
Redistricting ,
Residential Leases ,
Restaurant Industry ,
Single Family Housing ,
State Taxes ,
Tipped Employees ,
Transportation Industry ,
Vaccinations ,
Venture Capital ,
Wage and Hour
Eric Ulrich Resigns as Department of Buildings Commissioner-
Eric Ulrich stepped down from his position as the Commissioner for the Department of Buildings (DOB) last Thursday, following reports of an illegal gambling...more
Last Thursday, the NYC Council convened a stated meeting, where they passed and introduced multiple pieces of legislation. The Council voted to pass the Rat Action Plan, which targets the growing rat problem in NYC....more
CHICAGO — Chicago Offering 12 Weeks of Paid Parental Leave to City Employees; New Policy Applies to Birthing, Non-Birthing Parents-
In yet another pre-election sweetener, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced that the city is...more
10/27/2022
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Cyber Attacks ,
Eviction ,
General Elections ,
Housing Market ,
Impeachment ,
Mental Health ,
Minimum Wage ,
Paid Leave ,
Parental Leave ,
Public Health ,
Public Safety ,
Redistricting ,
Transportation Industry ,
Unemployment ,
Wealth Tax
Last Monday, Mayor Eric Adams and Department of Sanitation (DSNY) Commissioner Jessica Tisch announced a proposed rule change to trash pickup in New York City. Currently, trash bags can be placed onto the curb as early as 4...more
BALTIMORE — Northrop Grumman Opens New Baltimore-Area Phased Development, Integrated Testing Facility-
Multinational aerospace and defense technology company Northrop Grumman has expanded its presence in the Baltimore area...more
10/6/2022
/ Asylum ,
Census Bureau ,
City Councils ,
Crime Statistics ,
General Elections ,
Gig Economy ,
Google ,
Green Deal ,
Minorities ,
Property Tax ,
Public Health ,
Public Transportation ,
Recreational Use ,
Redistricting ,
Strike ,
TSA ,
Unions
NYC Redistricting Maps Rejected-
Last Thursday, the New York City Districting Commission voted 8-7 against a new set of proposed City Council maps. The Commission voted no on a plan that would have extended a Staten Island...more
Throughout the country, large municipalities are laboratories of democracy. New and innovative policies introduced in one market are often exported to others, and ultimately replicated at the state and federal level. This...more
9/22/2022
/ Cannabis-Related Businesses (CRBs) ,
City Councils ,
Delivery Drivers ,
Electric Vehicles ,
Fair Workweek ,
Gig Economy ,
Grants ,
Homeless Issues ,
Hospitality Industry ,
Minimum Wage ,
Political Candidates ,
Property Valuation ,
Real Estate Market ,
Starbucks ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
State Elections ,
Strike ,
Tax Revenues ,
Tipped Employees ,
Unduly Burdensome ,
Unemployment ,
Unions ,
Wages ,
Wi-Fi Hotspot ,
Wrongful Termination