New York Slant Network

By merely jumping into the Democratic primary for governor, actor Cynthia Nixon is already having an impact on New York politics. Some say Governor Cuomo's sudden push for the dissolution of the senate's Independent Democratic Conference is a result of being challenged from left. Nick Reisman is the capitol correspondent for Spectrum News and blogger for New York State of Politics. He joins NY1 statehouse reporter Zack Fink to break down what this all means.

Last week was one of the more exciting weeks in recent New York state Senate history, with secret steakhouse meetings culminating in a public handshake that reunited the breakaway Independent Democratic Conference with the mainline democrats. State Sen. Jose Peralta has been a member of the IDC since the beginning of 2017. He joins us today to talk about what reunification means for the state and why it is happening now. We also asked him if his 14-month foray in the Senate majority was worth it, even though the DREAM act, which he sponsors, has failed to pass.

As state lawmakers and Governor Cuomo hash out the state's budget ahead of the April 1st deadline, one major point of debate is how to fund New York City's dilapidated subway system. Real estate developer Scott Rechler, a Cuomo-appointed MTA board member, sat down with us to talk about his support for a congestion pricing plan, and to discuss a controversial proposal to collect revenue for the MTA by taxing property near subway stations. Rechler also gives us his take on the Gateway program, and tells us why he believes his political donations to Cuomo don't conflict with his position on the MTA board.

While he was not implicated, Governor Andrew Cuomo certainly loomed large in the corruption trial that found his former close aide Joe Percoco guilty of three charges. And with another corruption trial set for June, will these court cases ultimately hurt Cuomo in his upcoming reelection campaign? We're joined today by Jesse McKinley of The New York Times and Erica Orden of The Wall Street Journal to break this all down. We'll also talk about actor Cynthia Nixon, and what a primary challenge from her would mean for Cuomo amidst this year's charged political atmosphere.

New York City is one of the finalists to house Amazon's second headquarters, although not everyone thinks it's the right match for the city. Joining us to make the case for Amazon is James Patchett, the president and CEO of the New York City Economic Development Corporation. Patchett also discusses the growing challenges in achieving the city's ambitious affordable housing goals, defends the city's investment in ferry services, and updates us on the status of two long-delayed projects: the Willets Point development in Queens and the Kingsbridge Armory in the Bronx.

The issue of congestion pricing has been a sticking point between Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio. Cuomo supports the idea but Mayor de Blasio has been a tougher sell. While the mayor was initially against it, New York City Department of Transportation commissioner Polly Trottenberg tells us that the mayor - and his administration - seem to be coming around to the idea, and could support some version of it. Trottenberg joins us to discuss that issue, progress on Vision Zero, and much more.

The Albany Angle is our brand new podcast where we discuss the highs and lows, the wins and losses, and lift the curtain on the New York State political scene in Albany and New York City. The podcast is hosted by NY1 statehouse reporter Zack Fink. In our inaugural episode, we're joined by Daily News Albany bureau chief Ken Lovett, and Laura Nahmias of Politico New York to talk about the ongoing feud between Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio, including the debate over who is responsible for transit in New York City. We'll also touch on the electoral picture as we head toward campaign season for Governor Cuomo.

The Grammys are back in New York City this Sunday. Leaving its usual home Los Angeles, the popular music industry awards show is returning to New York’s Madison Square Garden for the first time in more than a decade. Julie Menin, commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, stopped by the Slant Podcast to talk about how she lured the show back to New York.

New York City Councilman Ritchie Torres is heading a newly expanded committee that some see as an effort to assert the council’s independence from Mayor Bill de Blasio. The Oversight and Investigations Committee plans to hire 10 to 15 new staffers to increase its investigatory reach. Torres dropped by the Slant Podcast to talk about his new role, and how it will be different from other watchdog efforts in New York City.

During his State of the State address last week, Governor Cuomo spoke at length about his proposal to reform bail and other criminal justice policies in New York. At the center of his pitch on bail reform was Kalief Browder, who committed suicide after spending three years at Riker's Island while awaiting trial for allegedly stealing a backpack. Akeem Browder, Kalief's brother who has become an outspoken criminal justice advocate, was recognized by the Governor during his speech. Akeem Browder joins us today, alongside Gabriel Seyeigh of the Katal Center, to discuss their hopes for where the bail reform discussion goes from here, and what they'd like to see from Governor Cuomo and lawmakers in Albany.