“I mean, if this really is our last ride, what if we make up some new routines?” – Magic Mike
Happy Sundae Snowday. Maybe you enjoyed outside as I once did on a snowday 10 years ago… when Brother Jimmy’s was the meeting spot to ‘drink the bar dry’ and it took 60 minutes to hike from the 40’s to the 30’s in what my memory recalls as waist-high snow banks… or maybe you spent the day cleaning and organizing like I did today. I actually have to move this week and am excited to stay in the same apartment building, just moving units! Still a lot of work and haven’t hired a mover since I’m determined to ‘figure it out’… because we can do anything we put our minds to, right?
Just ask Andrew Rigie, Executive Director of the New York City Hospitality Alliance, who was rumored to have been asked by Channing Tatum himself to try out for Magic Mike Live in Times Square this week – yes, with his crutches and all…
The Mamdani era is only weeks old, but you can already feel people mapping the system—who’s running point, where the choke points are, and which Council committees will become the real stage. Keep these names handy because they matter: Julie Menin is Speaker, Dr. Nantasha Williams is Deputy Speaker, Shaun Abreu is Majority Leader, and David Carr is Minority Leader; and here are your committee chairs:
| Aging | Susan Zhuang |
| Subcommittee on Senior Centers and Food Security | Darlene Mealy |
| Children and Youth | Althea Stevens |
| Civil and Human Rights | Sandy Nurse |
| Civil Service and Labor | Shirley Aldebol |
| Combat Hate | Yusef Salaam |
| Consumer and Worker Protection | Harvey Epstein |
| Contracts | Lincoln Restler |
| Criminal Justice | Selvena Brooks |
| Cultural Affairs and Libraries | Nantasha Williams |
| Disabilities | Shahana Hanif |
| Economic Development | Virginia Maloney |
| Education | Eric Dinowitz |
| Subcommittee on Early Childhood Education | Jennifer Gutiérrez |
| Environmental Protection and Waterfronts | Jim Gennaro |
| Finance | Linda Lee |
| Fire and Emergency Management | Joann Ariola |
| General Welfare | Crystal Hudson |
| Governmental Operations, State & Federal Legislation | Gale Brewer |
| Health | Lynn Schulman |
| Higher Education | Rita Joseph |
| Hospitals | Mercedes Narcisse |
| Housing and Buildings | Pierina Sanchez |
| Immigration | Elsie Encarnacion |
| Land Use | Kevin Riley |
| Subcommittee on Landmarks, Public Sitings, Resiliency and Dispositions | Chris Marte |
| Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises | Farah Louis |
| Mental Health and Addiction | Tiffany Cabán |
| Oversight and Investigations | Shekar Krishnan |
| Parks and Recreation | Ty Hankerson |
| Public Housing | Chris Banks |
| Public Safety | Oswald Feliz |
| Rules, Privileges, Elections, Standards and Ethics | Sandra Ung |
| Sanitation and Solid Waste Management | Justin Sanchez |
| Small Business | Shanel Thomas |
| Technology | Carmen De La Rosa |
| Transportation and Infrastructure | Shaun Abreu |
| Veterans | Frank Morano |
| Women and Gender Equity | Amanda Farías |
| Workforce Development | Julie Won |
And remember, as we learn our new leaders and their new language in real time: businesses best come to NYC government with asks framed in a way that makes sense for government and NYC residents.
You can take it from me and my storytelling lens, or you can take it from the following powerhouses that commanded a room of 200 business leaders at a Crain’s Breakfast this week: Suri Kasirer, Bradley Tusk, Evan Thies (co-founder of Pythia Public Affairs), and Emma Wolfe (former NYC Deputy Mayor for Administration and former Chief of Staff to Mayor de Blasio) all landed on the same basic advice: don’t show up to lecture City Hall – show up to build trust, build coalitions, and frame asks around helping government deliver…
Delivery is sometimes about jokes too – like Council Member Virginia Maloney got laughs talking about a photo her mom, former Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, took—“I hope Mayor Mamdani knows that’s a blurry photo.” It was funny because it was true, and also because this city’s political class is still, at heart, families and friendships and little human moments that make us smile. Bonus detail: another former Rep. Maloney connection: her former deputy chief of staff, Tricia Shimamura was newly appointed NYC Parks Commissioner…
As we still decide what ‘affordability’ means… Rebecca Seawright, Chair of the Assembly Aging Committee, is pushing an expansion of rent-freeze protections (SCRIE/DRIE), tied to Governor Kathy Hochul’s proposal to raise eligibility to $75,000, and hosted a senior services forum with State Aging Director Greg Olsen, previewed a fraud-prevention tool called “SilverShield,” and had teams helping people enroll on-site for rent-freeze and benefits.
REBNY’s Jim Whelan, is basically signaling we’re in, but we want the math to work—affordability is serious, the question is whether the policies become workable deals. Senator John Liu gave line-item approval: classroom staffing, cheaper childcare, vaccine access, keeping ICE out of schools—while setting expectations for enforcement and bigger legislative commitments, including NY4All. Republican Assemblyman Scott Bendett offered the skeptical counterpoint: yes, the Governor named the right problems (child care, energy, housing, auto insurance), but speeches don’t fix a crisis years in the making—he wants the “real work” version with tax cuts, infrastructure investment, and tighter controls on spending, waste, and state debt.
Former TLC Commissioner Matt Daus and the Citizens for Affordable Rates coalition lined up behind Hochul’s push to lower auto insurance rates, joined by Ira Goldstein, Executive Director of The Black Car Fund, and Cira Angeles, representing livery base owners. Their message is clean: fraud crackdowns, updated rules, and safe-driver tech discounts that reduce premiums.
Upstate, Assemblymember John McDonald III kept it grounded: yes we all want affordability, but local implementation fights can become existential. His example was Schenectady’s showdown with the Office of Court Administration—Mayor Gary McCarthy says OCA is blocking more than $10 million in state funds over court-facility demands, enough to threaten missed bond payments and even a state control board. McDonald is backing Senator Pat Fahy and Assemblyman Phil Steck on a legislative update so cities aren’t stuck paying for state court mandates…. We’ll be up in Albany for Caucus Weekend next month, and in March: Taryn Duffy is working on Bronx Day in Albany with Lisa Sorin and the Bronx Chamber, then of course SOMOS Alabny in April…
Across the river, New Jersey leaned into its own brand of political personality at Governor Mikie Sherrill’s inaugural “mall” moment inside the American Dream Mall (next to MetLife). Full power roster: First Gentleman Jason Hedberg, Lieutenant Governor Dr. Dale Caldwell, Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, and Middlesex County Surrogate Claribel Cortes. Alec Lewis—there in his capacity as Regional Manager, Government Affairs for Natera (clinical genetic testing in cancer, women’s health, and organ health)—was part of the mix. Believe it or not, Governor Sherrill took the stage in a “Jersey by Nature” hoodie, joining hip-hop group Naughty By Nature and together performed their 1991 smash hit “O.P.P.” – which only means one thing: NOW WE NEED A RAP BATTLE MIKIE SHERILL VS KATHY HOCHUL! OMG THAT’S PERFECT PREGAME SHOW FOR FIFA WORLD CUP … NOT KIDDING.
Speaking of QUEENS….. Pesach Osina launched a Democratic campaign to replace retiring Assemblymember Stacey Pheffer Amato, with her endorsement. He’s getting visible support from Assemblymember Kalman Yeger and community leader Yaakov Kaplan, positioning himself as a public-safety and quality-of-life pragmatist. His primary opponent is attorney Mike Scala, and the expected general election angle includes Republican Thomas Sullivan.
Then, in a different kind of Queens room, the 36th Annual UNCF MLK Breakfast felt steady and grounded. Ebony Young was there representing Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, with Senator Chuck Schumer and Assemblyman Clyde Vanel also in the room.
And in the Bronx on MLK Jr. Day, $5 million announcement made by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Bronx BP Vanessa Gibson and NYCHA’s Executive Vice President of Property Management Operations, Daniel Greene regarding the upgraded plumbing system in the Patterson Houses development – with much more money needed for many more upgrades throughout NYC
And on Long Island, Mariah Dignan has been promoted to Labor Engagement Manager, US & UK at National Grid, where she’ll lead external labor relations and strategy across the company’s global portfolio, continuing work with organized labor to build transmission networks, invest in resilient generation, and maintain critical energy infrastructure.
JEWISH NEW YORK: POLICY, SECURITY, CARE
On Tuesday at the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin announced a Council-led five-point legislative and funding package to combat anti-Semitism—pairing $1.25 million for expanded Holocaust education with new measures to protect entrances to schools and all houses of worship, a needs-based private-school security camera reimbursement program, city-supported security training for religious and community institutions, and a dedicated anti-Semitism reporting hotline housed at the NYC Commission on Human Rights (plus legislation requiring the Department of Education to distribute materials on how social media can contribute to anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, and all forms of hate). The announcement featured support from Jack Kliger, President and CEO of the Museum of Jewish Heritage, Council Member Eric Dinowitz, Chair of the Jewish Caucus, Mark Treyger, CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, and Eric Goldstein, CEO of UJA-Federation of NY, and included a tour of the Holocaust exhibition with students from P.S. 83 Donald Hertz.
Further south, The Jewish Community Council of Greater Coney Island, led by Rabbi Wiener, partnered with L’Oréal USA for “The Beauty of Remembrance,” hosting 18 Holocaust survivors for a day of pampering and connection. It wasn’t about hair and makeup as much as it was about making people feel honored and seen. The backbone here is the daily work: survivor homecare, transportation, case management, and socialization – exactly the kinds of services that keep loneliness from becoming the default. A lot of that survivor social life runs through the monthly gathering of ‘Club 2600’ which is socialization for Holocaust Survivors, spearheaded by a JCCGCI social worker, Zehava Birman Wallace, and Yehuda Zellermaier, Holocaust Survivor Services Managing Director both at JCCGCI. (I personally just learned about these programs and will be attending this week to check it out. Will report back!)
Also on deck: JCRC is gearing up for its annual Congressional Breakfast – this year at Park East Synagogue, with 450+ people expected and about two dozen federal speakers. That’s a room where you can feel the national and local collide in real time—and yes, I’ll be there getting a word with each one on camera. (If you have questions you want asked, send them… and a special thanks to Mark Treyger, Howard Pollack and Kayla Aaron for their continued partnership to build cross-cultural bridges and to humanize Judaism)
Two big dinners this week felt similar on the surface—suits, speeches, the usual ballroom choreography—but the missions were different. At the Perelman Performing Arts Center, ABNY honored retiring Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton. It was the kind of room where people talk in nouns like “region,” “mobility,” and “projects,” and they mean them. In the room: Hersh Parekh (Deputy Chief of Intergovernmental Affairs, Port Authority), Kathryn Garcia (nominated for Port Authority Executive Director), Assemblymembers and Congressional candidates Micah Lasher & Alex Bores, as well as NYC Planning’s Dan Garodnick. The speaking program was short: Governor Kathy Hochul, ABNY Chair Steven Rubenstein, and Rick Cotton. (The significance was straightforward: the Port Authority is one of the few entities that can change your commute – and your economy – without you ever seeing the meeting that made it happen.)
Then, at the REBNY gala at the Waldorf Astoria – which had seating similar to the Alfred E. Smith dinner – you had red carpet meets real estate. Plenty of electeds, including officials from City Hall: Deputy Mayor for Housing Leila Bozorg, her Chief of Staff Genevieve Michel, and Dept of Buildings Commissioner Ahmed Tigani amongst hundreds of power faces, Council Members, real estate moguls and BID leaders like Long Island City Partnership’s Laura Rothrock. And yes, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman spotted chatting with Jim Whelan and Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. (Cross-aisle lines staying open? We see you!)
A few more scenes that felt like “keep an eye on this”: Julie Menin joined a Center for an Urban Future discussion on supporting artists and keeping talent in New York—because affordability isn’t just rent, it’s the city’s cultural workforce… Keith Powers had a staff-and-friends get-together marking the end of his eight years in the Council—one of those political lifecycle moments that also reshuffles who’s in the next generation of “City Hall people.”… NYU Langone hosted a Long Island elected officials breakfast featuring Dr. Joseph Greco and Senator Jack Martins—health care always finds its way onto the political calendar when budgets are being written… At Stanley Isaac Houses, Rethink Food Founder/CEO Matt Jozwiak joined Julie Menin delivering hot meals to homebound older adults, with Beatstro as the partner—direct service, no speeches required. Staten Island’s Bini Fund event at Nicotra’s Ballroom put Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, former NYC Council Member Joe Borelli, and Minority Leader David Carr in the same place at the same time on the same island.
Going into February…. Bruce Blakeman is heading into the Nassau GOP’s Garden City Hotel gathering next month positioned to lock down the party nod for governor. Hofstra’s Larry Levy made the key point: statewide ambitions still run through Long Island’s organizing and fundraising machine. Nassau chair Joe Cairo is betting he can export it “all over the state,” while Erie chair Michael Kracker and Bronx chair Mike Rendino are talking up their committee networks. Democrats—via Jay Jacobs—are already arguing Nassau’s political strength is powered by a patronage-style loyalty system that won’t translate statewide with Hochul as the presumptive nominee…
And in NY-10, Dan Goldman’s endorsement pile is starting to look like a real firewall in a crowded primary. The Building & Construction Trades Council of Greater New York—led by Gary LaBarbera—is behind him, along with endorsements from Gov Kathy Hochul and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, with Brad Hoylman-Sigal moving to endorse as well. (In a time like this, endorsements don’t win you the race – but they do shape the path…)
SKYE LIGHTS
Some of the most important work in government is the hardest to document. The story still exists. And if you can’t post it, you tell it. To the few people who can be in the room, who then carry it forward. That’s the job.
I ended the week on Long Island touring East West Industries in Ronkonkoma with CEO Teresa Ferraro—a second-generation, woman-owned manufacturer that builds life-safety equipment for U.S. Military and Navy aircrew. Federal contractor rules meant: no photos, no videos, full stop. Which somehow made it hit harder. A spotless manufacturing floor. A 3D printer. Serious engineering. High-stakes precision. The kind of work that keeps people alive.
They’re connected to aircraft systems like the E-2D, and even work tied to new Black Hawk helicopter design. And here’s the honest truth: if more people could see East West up close, more people would be proud to be American. Not in a corny way. In a real way—because it’s Made in the USA, Made in New York, Made on Long Island, and it’s excellence.
I toured with Katherine Fritz of Long Island Cares and President of IVCi Dawn Cagliano, and yes—I wore my army print outfit because it felt like the obvious move for a military contractor tour. Teresa does two high school tours a week, which might be the smartest workforce development strategy I’ve heard in a while. Kids don’t need another lecture about “pathways.” They need to see what modern manufacturing actually looks like: clean, skilled, mission-driven, real careers you don’t need a four-year degree to access. Start the pipeline earlier. Make it tangible. They even gave me a challenge coin for my collection—my favorite kind of souvenir.
And then there’s another life-saving lane I can’t stop thinking about: Jordan Brackett at Asphalt Green. The Making Waves program got referenced recently at Speaker Julie Menin’s confirmation hearing—colleagues calling out the idea of teaching second graders to swim. Just say it out loud: every NYC second grader learns to swim. That’s a life-saving policy goal hiding in plain sight.
Now zoom out: imagine if NYC DOE could actually promise that. What would it look like? And more importantly—how many partnerships would it take to pull off? Nonprofits, pools, transportation, staffing, scheduling, funding, coordination across agencies. New York is one of the only places where the answer could be: a lot—and still doable.
Different worlds. Same common denominator: life-saving work, and the storytelling that makes it legible to everyone else—whether you’re watching a reel, or you’re just hearing it from someone who saw it with their own eyes.
