[WEBINAR] Who Does What? Defining Proper Roles for Staff and Elected Officials
Ethics Laws and the Importance of Transparency for Public Officials
Hochul Calls for National “Assault Weapon” Ban- Following the tragic mass shooting in Manhattan this past week, Governor Kathy Hochul urged federal lawmakers to strengthen national gun safety laws. The gunman entered a...more
The New York City Charter Revision Commission voted this week to place five proposed amendments on the November ballot. The first bill would create a more streamlined process for reviewing publicly financed affordable...more
On July 21, 2025, the New York City Charter Revision Commission (CRC) voted to include five proposed amendments to the City Charter on this year’s New York City general election ballot, including measures that would expedite...more
On June 20, 2025, the Adams Administration and the Department of City Planning (DCP) initiated public engagement for the 'Manhattan Plan,' a proposal to add 100,000 new homes in Manhattan over the next decade. The Plan aims...more
Mayoral Candidates Debate as Early Voting Opens - In the final Democratic mayoral debate, Andrew Cuomo and Zohran Mamdani debated over experience and ethics. Cuomo, Mamdani, Brad Lander, Adrienne Adams, Zellnor Myrie, Scott...more
Early voting for the NYC Primary will begin this Saturday, June 14 and conclude on Sunday, June 22. The primary election will be held on Tuesday, June 24. The primary will include races for the Mayor, Comptroller, Public...more
Adams Appoints Rodriguez-Rosa as New NYC Parks Commissioner - Mayor Adams has appointed Iris Rodriguez-Rosa as the new Commissioner of NYC Parks. Rodriguez-Rosa previously served as the Bronx Borough Parks Commissioner, and...more
FY26 Budget Negotiations Entering HOME Stretch - Thursday marks the final opportunity for the City Council to advance bills—including those tied to Mayor Cherelle Parker’s $6.7 billion proposed budget and Housing...more
NYC Council Sues Over ICE Office at Rikers Island - The New York City Council has filed a lawsuit against Mayor Adams over the opening of a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) outpost on Rikers Island. The...more
Several 2025 mayoral candidates attended a candidate forum last Wednesday on the Upper West Side. Topics included child care, police officers in the subway, mask bans, and regulation of Airbnb. Incumbent Eric Adams and...more
The NYC Campaign Finance Board has denied public campaign funds for Eric Adams’ reelection bid. The Board cited “detrimental” conduct from Adams in their denial. This ruling means that Adams will be ineligible to receive...more
The Adams administration has officially announced the formation of a 14-member commission to rewrite the City Charter in 2025, continuing its focus on expanding housing opportunities. This commission aims to propose...more
City of Yes for Housing Opportunity Approved by the Council - On December 5, 2024, the New York City Council approved with modifications the NYC Department of City Planning’s (DCP) City of Yes for Housing Opportunity, the...more
Yesterday, the City Council (by a vote of 31 to 20) approved the modified City of Yes for Housing Opportunity text amendment (COYHO), which aims to combat the housing crisis by making it possible to build a little more...more
On Friday, November 15, the Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies New York team held an election debrief. Key insights from our team are below. Presidential Race Donald Trump will enter the White House in January and has promised...more
Mayor Adams Trial Scheduled- Mayor Eric Adams’ trial has been scheduled for April 21. Mayor Adams has been accused of corruption and bribery, and has pleaded not guilty. Council Unveils “City for All” Response to “City...more
Two new candidates have entered the field for NYC Mayor: Zohran Mamdani, New York State Assemblymember, and Jim Walden, New York attorney. Mamdani, who is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, has called on Mayor...more
Last Tuesday, First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright resigned her position, making her the seventh senior official to leave the Adams administration in recent weeks. Wright’s resignation followed that of her husband David Banks,...more
NYPD Commissioner and Adams Chief Counsel Resign- Over the weekend, NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban and Mayor Adams’ Chief Counsel, Lisa Zornberg, resigned their positions. Caban resigned at the request of City Hall, shortly...more
Last Tuesday, New York City Council held a hearing for the nomination of Randy Mastro to Corporation Counsel. Mayor Adams nominated Mastro to the position, and he must be confirmed by the Council in order to serve as the...more
Mayor Adams has appointed Robert Tucker as the new Commissioner of the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY). Tucker succeeds Laura Kavanagh, who served in the role for less than two years. Tucker was most recently...more
Mayor Eric Adams has nominated Randy Mastro as Corporation Counsel, the Administration’s top lawyer who presides over the Law Department. Adams’ previous Corporation Counsel, Sylvia Hinds-Radix, departed in May. Mastro is a...more
Overhaul of the NYS Office of Cannabis Management- Governor Hochul has directed an operational overhaul of the state’s Office of Cannabis Management (OCM). This follows a 30-day assessment by the Office of General Services,...more
Last Thursday, the NYC Council convened a Stated meeting, where they passed and introduced multiple pieces of legislation. The Council passed legislation prohibiting provisions in employment agreements that shorten the period...more
Last Monday, the New York City Council released its response to the Mayor’s FY25 Preliminary Budget. The response identifies $6.15B in newly available funds, citing higher-than-expected tax revenue from both the current and...more