NYS and NYC News

Question 1

What has governor Hochul (2021) refused to do regarding the COVID-19 nursing home death scandal?

Answer 1

She has refused advocates’ requests to conduct a bipartisan investigation into the actions and actors which contributed to the unnecessary deaths of thousands.

Question 2

What has the redistricting commission of NYS come under fire fore as of recently (October/November 2021)?

Answer 2

The Redistricting Commission released two sets of maps along partisan lines but Commission Chair David Imamura says it is just a part of the process. Imamura claims that releasing this partisan two set of maps will allow the public to weigh in better.

Question 3

Does the Redistricting Commission approve the redistricting maps they draw?

Answer 3

No the Legislature signs it.

Question 4

What elections are still ongoing in the City of New York as of November/ October 2021?

Answer 4

We’re in the race for NYC Council speaker. As of October 18th 2021 the primary candidates are Keith Powers, Carlina Rivera, and Justin Brannan.

Question 5

Who is Keith Powers?

Answer 5

Keith Powers is a city councilman who chairs the Criminal Justice Committtee of NYC, he is currently (OCT and NOV 2021) running in the primaries for City Council Speaker

Question 6

What is Keith Powers known for doing>?

Answer 6

Being a “bridge-builder”. Though uncontroversial, Keith Powers is not a policy lightweight nor soft-spoken. In fact Keith Powers ran on a 22-point government reform agenda in 2017.

Question 7

What does Keith Powers suggest doing after Rikers shuts down (if he were to succeed in that plan of his)?

Answer 7

He wants to replace Rikers with borough-based jails which is unpopular withj progressive democrats. He also voted in favor of the 2021-fiscal year budget after admitting that the Council had to reevaluate the NYCPD’s budget. The left has criticized this budget for its lack of significant reduction to police funding
`

Question 8

What seats of power were decisive in electing Corey Johnson? What will council speaker canndidates have to compete for?

Answer 8

Bronx and Queens county leaders. City Council Speaker candidates will have to balance between the new progressive waves in NYC and the extremely moderate candidacy of Eric Adams.

Question 9

What did the NYS legislature achieve in April of 2021 regarding education? What is AMy Hochul’s update on this achievment?

Answer 9

TRhe state legislature approved full funding for Foundation Aid, the state funding formula that distributes more resources to high-needs schools. The legislature appropriated $1.4 billion more towards Foundation Aid for 2021-2022. After that year it will become permanent. Hochul has voiced her commitment to fully funding foundation aid.

Question 10

What was the 2006 state court decision Fiscal Equity vs. State of New York?

Answer 10

The State’s highest court, the Court of Appeals, after a lawsuit filed against the state by Campaign for Fiscal Equity as led by a parent in Washington Heights called Robert Jackson., decided that Robert Jackson was right. That the State of New York was in fact violating student’s constitutional right to a sound and base education.

Question 11

How does the NYS school funding process go?

Answer 11

In march of every year, the assembly, the state senate, and the governor’s office decides what the budget for school funding looks like and then this goes to the school districts. These districts in the cities give out to the individual schools. In March 2020, MNN NYC claimed i

Question 12

Why is the 1.8 billion approved towards funding the FoundationAid not as much of an achievment as it initially seems?

Answer 12

In March 2020, MNN NYC claimed that what was really necessary was a 3.8 billion dollar check which the State of New York “owes to NYS public school students). This is founded upon the court decision Campaign for Fiscal Equity vs State of New York

Question 13

For 2021’s NYS public school funds, how much is being input form the Fedral Government through the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief?

Answer 13

9 billion will be divvied out by the DOE . The NYC School district is projected to recieve nearly 12 billion from the stae plus another 7 billion in federal rescue plan funding over the next three years.

Question 14

What is a point of criticism againnst the April State budget regarding Foundation Aid funds?

Answer 14

There is no real thought behind the money, in other words tehre is no planning or set goal that the state has to equitize public education in new York city.

Question 15

What is a provision set by the State Legislature regarding use of funding?>

Answer 15

Any school earning over 10% increase or 10 million dollars in aid will have to consult paerents and teachers over how the moeny is to be used.

Question 16

What is a major example of just how disorganized and thoughtlessly this money is going to be given?

Answer 16

In Spetmeber, Cindy Gallagher, a representative of the the School Administrators Association of New York State, testified to lawmakers that many schjools do not have any plan on how they will be using the funds on their website.

Question 17

What is characteristic of NYC schools regarding DOE oversight?

Answer 17

NYC schools are rarrely under scrutiny by the DOE and have a. great amount of discretion on how they use extra funding.

Question 18

What have state lawmakers said about the complaints recieved by public advocacy groups, schools, and parents, about the vagueness and aimlessness of teh new funding?

Answer 18

They say they may revisit and strengthen the budget language to improve and provide direction and create benchmarks.

Question 19

Who is Brian Benjamin?

Answer 19

Lieutenant Governor for NYS.

Question 20

What is so surprising about Brian Benjamin’s rise to posweR?

Answer 20

He became an elected official just 4 years ago, now he is in teh upper echelons of state power.

Question 21

What have been setbacks and concerns regarding the new Lieutenant Governor?

Answer 21

He came in fourth place in his first competitive election, running for NYC comptroller. Journalists have also raised a series of questions regarding his conflicts of interests as an investor, the source of some of his campaign donations, and how he spent the campaign cash in a previous run.

Question 22

What has Brian Benjamin said about taking any new jobs outside of working as lieutenant governor?

Answer 22

He will not be doing so supposedly and he will be having a new compliance team that will be vetting any future fundraising.

Question 23

Is Eric Adams the first black mayor of New York city?

Answer 23

No he is the second. The first black mayor was David Dilkins

Question 24

How many black city council members are set to take office? (NOV 2021 CURRENT WRITING)

Answer 24

17, up from 14 currently.

Question 25

Who is State Senate Majority Leader in NYS?

Answer 25

Andrea Stewart-Cousins, a black woman whose 2021 priorities were keeping tenants housed by putting eviction moratoriums in place.

Question 26

What has Assembly speaker Carl Heastie achieved?

Answer 26

Became the first ever African American Assembly speaker in New York’s history in 2015. He oversaw the impeachment probe of governor Cuomo, which included sexual harassment allegations and COVID-19 cover-ups.

Question 27

What has Assembly Majority Leader Crydtal Peoples-Stokes achieved?

Answer 27

She supported the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act as well as working on acquiring funds to create more affordable housing for seniors.

Question 28

What has been so important about New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams?

Answer 28

He is exploring a gubernational run for 2022, is a distinguished advocate for criminal justice reform, and advocates for the passage of the Clean Slate Act, which would conceal conviction records of a person once they have finished their sentence and are no longer on parole.

Question 29

What has State Senator and Bronx Democratic Party Chair Jamaal Bailey achieved?

Answer 29

He is distinguished for his advocacy for criminal justice reform, was a top candidate for Hochul’s appointment of Lieutenant Governor, andis basically the party boss in the Borough. He is helping elevate more women into power and is also a bridge-builder among moderates nad progressives

Question 30

Al Sharpton, founder and president of the National Action Network, what close tie does he have and what news program does he host? Furthermore, what has been a major area of interest for him?

Answer 30

Voting Rights was his primary focus in 2021, he has connections with Eric Adams, and he has used his position in MSNBC’s PoliticsNation to push forward the end of the fillibuster andto advocate for voting rights.

Question 31

What has Assembly Member and Brooklyn Democratic Party Chair Hermelyn been advocating for? (B100)

Answer 31

She has close connections with DeBlasio and supported Eric Adams, she has also publicly spoken out about the treatment of Haitian immigrants.

Question 32

What is distinct about Congress member Ritchie Torres?

Answer 32

Ritchie Torres is a moderate Democrat who endorsed Yang during his bid for Mayor, is one of the two first openly-gay Black members of Congress, and he recently put out a resolution denouncing state-level anti-trans bills across America.

Question 33

Congresswoman Yvette Clark, what has she achieved (B100)?

Answer 33

She has spent much of her time in Congress advocating for emergency compensation for her constituents, including pushing FEMA to reimburse city hospitals for emergency spending during the pandemic. She is also battling facial recognition software in public housing.

Question 34

Meisha Porter, Chancellor of NYC Department of Education, has distinguished herself for what?

Answer 34

She took control from Richard Carranza, and has been at the frontlines of adaptive measures that schools are taking in NYC such as mask mandates and no remote learning. She also got the DeBlasio to announce a discontinnuation of the gifted and talented program.