New York Honors His Holiness Pope Francis
Governor Kathy Hochul directed flags to be lowered to half staff this week to honor the life and legacy of His Holiness Pope Francis. Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta.
“I join everyone around the world in mourning the loss of His Holiness Pope Francis, as his leadership transcended religious boundaries,” Governor Hochul said. “He embodied the values Christ taught us every day: helping the less fortunate, calling for peace, and ensuring every person is treated as a child of God. Pope Francis led with compassion, humility and inclusivity, emphasizing that God does not disown any of his children, and reminded us of our collective responsibility to protect this beautiful planet, our shared home. We should all strive to carry on his legacy.”
In The News-New York State
Governor Hochul & Attorney General James Announce Lawsuit Against Trump Administration for Imposing Tariffs
New York and 11 States Sue To Stop Tariffs That They Assert Will Slow Economic Growth, Increase Unemployment, Raise Inflation, and Risk Recession
Governor Kathy Hochul and New York Attorney General Letitia James on Wednesday announced that New York State and a coalition of 11 other states are suing the Trump administration for illegally imposing tax hikes on Americans in the form of tariffs issued under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
The lawsuit, filed in the United States Court of International Trade, asserts that President Trump has no authority to impose tariffs as he has. While the president has declared emergencies and invoked IEEPA to justify these tariffs, not once has any other president used IEEPA to impose tariffs like this in the five decades since it became law.
The coalition argues in the lawsuit, the law was not designed to allow the president to unilaterally impose worldwide tariffs indiscriminately. Also, the coalition argues that the Trump administration has overstepped its authority and violated the Constitution and the Administrative Procedure Act by imposing these tariffs.
With this lawsuit, the coalition is seeking a court order declaring the Trump administration’s IEEPA tariff orders to be in violation of the law and ordering the administration to stop implementing or enforcing these tariffs.
Joining Attorney General James in filing this lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, and Vermont.
The lawsuit argues the IEEPA tariffs will increase unemployment, raise inflation, and threaten Americans’ wages by slowing economic growth. The president’s tariffs will harm the states and their residents by making important goods ranging from electronics to building materials more expensive and scarce.
State Comptroller DiNapoli’s Analysis Finds NY Received $1.06 for Every $1 Sent to DC in 2023
Federal pandemic relief funds resulted in New York having a positive balance of payments with Washington, with the state ranking 42nd in federal fiscal year (FFY) 2023 on a per capita basis, according to a report issued by State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli.
According to the Comptroller, this is the fourth year in a row that New York has had a positive balance of payments, after a long history of sending more tax dollars to Washington than it receives back. For every tax dollar paid to Washington in FFY 2023, the state received $1.06 in return; the national average was $1.32.
New Jersey, Massachusetts and Washington were the only states to have a negative balance. Prior to the pandemic, New York consistently ranked among the states with the largest negative balance of payments.
Key findings in Comptroller DiNapoli’s report include:
- In FFY 2023, federal expenditures for each U.S. resident were on average $4,089 more than they paid in federal taxes; for New York residents, it was $912 per capita.
- New York generated $16,355 per capita, ranking it 3rd in per capita contribution to the federal treasury, and received $17,266 per capita, ranking it 21st in per capita federal spending.
- Federal expenditure areas where New York ranks high include Medicaid ($3,082 per capita, 2nd), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP ($533 per capita, 4th), rental assistance and public housing ($295 per capita, 1st), and Supplemental Security Income ($238 per capita, 6th).
- Federal expenditure areas where New York ranks low include federal employee wages and salaries ($459 per capita, 42nd), veterans’ benefits ($445 per capita, 49th), federal employees’ retirement ($216 per capita, 50th), and highways ($103 per capita, 49th).
New York generated approximately $320.1 billion in tax collections, 7.5% of all U.S. tax collections in FFY 2023, while the state represented 5.8% of the nation’s population. At $16,355, New York’s per capita contribution to the federal treasury was 27.8% more than the national level, and New York’s per capita tax contribution ranks highly in most tax categories.
Individual income taxes represent the largest portion of taxes paid; New York’s were $8,745 per capita – 35.9% higher than the national average of $6,433. The second largest component of federal revenues reflects payments for social insurance taxes and contributions, including sources that finance programs for Social Security and Medicare, among others. New York’s per capita contribution for such payments, $5,472, was 14.2% above the national level of $4,792, ranking it 7th. The state ranked first on per capita corporate income taxes with $1,840, 47% higher than the national per capita level of $1,252.
In The News – New York City
Annual Construction Safety Report Highlights NYC’s Safest Building Construction Sites in 10 Years
Report Details Building Construction Safety Trends in 2024,
Highlights 30 Percent Drop in Worker Injuries Compared to 2023
New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) Commissioner Jimmy Oddo today released DOB’s annual New York City Construction Safety Report, providing an analysis of building construction trends, safety incidents on construction sites, and enforcement actions by DOB in 2024.
The report highlights the Adams administration’s work to keep New Yorkers safe on building construction sites, specifically spotlighting that worker injuries dropped by 30 percent in 2024 compared to 2023, while construction-related incidents fell by 24 percent. In addition, worker injuries reached a nine-year low and construction-related incidents reached a 10-year low; additionally, worker fatalities remained at a 10-year low.
According to the Mayor, this progress follows multiple initiatives by DOB to protect New Yorkers working on construction sites, including new oversight mandates for construction superintendents, new licensing requirements for operators of smaller crane devices, new technology to help track work site safety compliance, and more.
In 2024, DOB also conducted 416,290 total field inspections – the most inspections of building construction sites since the department began tracking the critical datapoint. Finally, the report underscores the ongoing strength of the building construction industry, with initial permits for new building projects increasing by over 24 percent in 2024 compared to 2023.
“New Yorkers deserve safe workplaces, and that includes our city’s construction sites. Thanks to the hard work of DOB, we are making significant progress towards that goal, with inspections of construction sites at historic highs and incidents at a 10-year low,” said Mayor Adams. “Nevertheless, we know that even one death at our construction sites is unacceptable, which is why our administration will continue to implement historic safety initiatives and keep up the fight for safer construction sites across the city.”
10 Year Look Back at Construction-Related Incidents, Injuries, and Fatalities
| Year | Incidents | Injuries | Fatalities |
| 2015 | 1,011 | 472 | 12 |
| 2016 | 1,162 | 603 | 12 |
| 2017 | 1,212 | 671 | 12 |
| 2018 | 1,193 | 759 | 13 |
| 2019 | 960 | 594 | 14 |
| 2020 | 796 | 502 | 8 |
| 2021 | 712 | 505 | 9 |
| 2022 | 752 | 554 | 11 |
| 2023 | 841 | 692 | 7 |
| 2024 | 638 | 482 | 7 |
The report highlights increased construction activity in New York City throughout 2024, with total initial permits for new building projects increasing by over 24 percent compared to 2023. The 103,592 initial construction permits issued by DOB in 2024 is the highest in five years.
In 2025, according to the Mayor, DOB will establish a new enforcement unit to proactively inspect potentially dangerous buildings. The new unit, which was created with legislation from the New York City Council and $5 million from the Adams administration, will use predictive analytics to identify derelict buildings and unsafe contractors, prioritizing them for inspection to keep New Yorkers safe.
“This report is a clear sign that New York City’s construction industry is moving in the right direction. Builders, contractors, and skilled workers across the five boroughs are embracing a culture of safety, and it’s literally saving lives,” said New York Building Congress President & CEO Carlo A. Scissura, Esq. “The Building Congress and its members will always be a consistent voice for safer job sites, and we applaud Commissioner Oddo and the Department of Buildings for working alongside the industry to raise standards and protect lives. Together, we’re building a safer New York.”
Bills Passed by the City Council
Int 0026-2024 , sponsored by CM Amanda Farías, Prohibits non-essential helicopter flights that do not meet certain federal noise standards from taking off or landing at city-run heliports.
Int 0860-2024 , sponsored by CM Alexa Avilés, Establishes an annual Community Hiring Report that shall be submitted to the Council and the Mayor and posted on the New York City Economic Development Corporation’s website.
Int 0861-2024, sponsored by CM Avilés, Requires New York Economic Development Corporation (“EDC”) to include in its annual report certain details regarding any commitments by a person or organization to provide community benefits to residents of a neighborhood effected by an EDC project.
Int 1150-2024 , sponsored by CM James Gennaro, Requires the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to develop a comprehensive stormwater plan that recommends capacities at which the stormwater system should be able to convey rainfall across New York City.
Int 889-2024, sponsored by CM Crystal Hudson, Requires the Department of Finance to provide an e-mail notification to each Council Member when a document is recorded against any real property in the Council Member’s district that has been continuously owned by the same party for 30 years or more.
Int 1086-2024 , sponsored by CM Nantasha M. Williams, Requires the Department of Finance (DOF) to notify interested parties by postal mail and, if elected by the interested party, by e-mail or text message, or both, when a deed-related or mortgage-related document has been recorded for the property.
Int 1263-2025 , sponsored by CM Lincoln Restler, Amends the New York City Charter to preserve the right of former public servants to communicate with City agencies or government offices as part of an appearance in a legal proceeding in front of another agency, office, or court.
Int 1200-2025 , sponsored by CM Tiffany Cabán, Requires the Mayor’s Office of Equity and Racial Justice (MOERJ) to provide publicly available information on the legal rights and resources available to TGNCNBI individuals, including information on protections against discrimination and harassment related to gender, including gender identity, or sexual orientation.
Int 1201-2025, sponsored by CM Shahana K. Hanif, Expands a person’s private right of action for interference with reproductive or endocrine medical care when a lawsuit is commenced against the person on the basis of this care, to explicitly include all forms of gender-affirming care.
Int 1203-2025 , sponsored by CM Chi A. Ossé, Requires the mayor’s office of immigrant affairs to conduct an assessment to support migrants who are transgender, gender non-conforming, non-binary, or intersex and to develop a phased implementation plan to address gaps in supports.
Briefs
Fiscal Policy Institute: State Ends Year with $6 Billion over Projections
New York State’s fiscal year 2025 ended on March 31 with receipts totaling $6 billion higher than forecasts in January 2025, and $12.3 billion over forecasts from the beginning of the fiscal year in May 2024, according to report released this week by the Fiscal Policy Institute.
In May 2024, when the budget for the current fiscal year was enacted, the State forecast total receipts for the fiscal year of $136.0 billion. This outlook was upgraded to $142.3 billion of total receipts in January 2025, and, at the end of the fiscal year – March 31, 2025 – actual receipts had come in at $148.3 billion.
Growth in expected receipts over the course of the year was driven by higher-than-expected revenue from the personal income tax, which generated $4.1 billion more than originally forecast, business taxes, which generated $2.0 billion more than originally forecast, and miscellaneous receipts (e.g., gaming fees, licensing fees, etc.) which ended the year $5.6 billion over the original forecast.
The State’s estimated expenditures for fiscal year 2025 also exceeded projections. At the beginning of the fiscal year, the State forecast annual operating expenses of $132.0 billion and ended the year with actual operating expenses of $133.7 billion.
Governor Hochul Announces Chobani to Make $1.2 Billion Investment in NY’s Mohawk Valley
$1.4 Million Square Foot Facility Brings Over 1,000 Jobs to Rome’s Griffiss Business & Technology Park
Cementing its position as the number one yogurt producer in the country, Chobani announced it will build a 1.4 million square foot, $1.2 billion facility in Rome, Oneida County, capable of producing over one-billion pounds of dairy products per year.
The company opened its first plant in New York in 2005. The expansion will add more than 1,000 jobs to the region and nearly double Chobani’s total New York State workforce.
“New York is where Chobani’s journey began,” founder and CEO Hamdi Ulukaya said. “It was the perfect spot to start Chobani 20 years ago, and it’s the perfect place to continue our story. Working with dedicated dairy farmers and the resilient community, we built something truly special — something bigger than the food we make..When you invest in people, in local communities, you’re not just building a business — you’re building a future.”
Empire State Development (ESD) has agreed to provide Chobani up to $73 million in performance-based Excelsior Jobs Program tax credits to support the creation of more than 1,000 jobs at the Rome location. Additionally, the company has pledged to collaborate with ESD to develop workforce training that aims to train and provide job opportunities at Chobani to underserved populations.
Chobani manufactures its products in New York, Idaho, Michigan and Australia.
NYC Comptroller Lander’s Audit Finds Racial Gaps in Building Code Enforcement Based on 311 Complaints
Audit finds that homeowners in Black and Hispanic, low and moderate income neighborhoods face the highest fines for DOB code violations
In a new audit of the Department of Buildings (DOB), Comptroller Brad Lander found “significant” racial disparities in the enforcement outcomes for one- and two-family homeowners. The audit found that in the 10 community districts with the highest assessed penalties, homeowners in Black and Hispanic neighborhoods faced high fines for building violations.
Comptroller Lander asserted that homeowners in these communities often faced fines for illegal conversions and default judgments as a result of DOB’s “over-reliance” on anonymous 311 complaints and DOB’s failure to account for systemic inequities in its enforcement practices.
“The Department of Buildings’ lack of strategic enforcement and overreliance on anonymous 311 calls directly contributed to inequitable levels of fines in New York City’s communities of color. We need a process that protects communities from overenforcement while also supporting compliance and safety, not arbitrary enforcement that unfairly impacts Black and Hispanic homeowners,” said Comptroller Lander.
While auditors acknowledged DOB’s mandate to inspect all 311 complaints, the report urges the agency to reform its handling of anonymous 311 complaints by collaborating with the Office of Technology and Information to monitor complaint sources and implement safeguards to protect vulnerable communities and homeowners from targeted complaints.
Mayor Adams Appoints Kim L. Yu as Director of the Mayor’s Office of Contract Services & City Chief Procurement Officer
Yexenia Markland to Serve as First Deputy Director
John K. Katsorhis to Serve as Deputy Chief Procurement Officer
New York City Mayor Eric Adams this week announced the appointment of Kim L. Yu as the next director of the Mayor’s Office of Contract Services (MOCS) and city chief procurement officer.
He also announced Yexenia Markland will be promoted to first deputy director, and John K. Katsorhis will join the Adams administration from the Office of the New York City Comptroller as deputy chief procurement officer.
Director Yu currently serves as first deputy director at MOCS. Previously, she held key leadership roles at the New York City Office of the Comptroller, serving as bureau chief and legal counsel in the Bureau of Contract Administration.
She began her career as a legal fellow and law clerk with the Superior Courts of Massachusetts and New Jersey. She holds a J.D. from New England School of Law and a B.A. from St. John’s University.
Coming Up
New York State
Monday, April 28th
Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee Meeting, 124 Capitol, 12 p.m.
New York State Senate Session, Senate Chamber, Albany, 11 a.m.
New York State Assembly Session, Assembly Chamber, Albany
Tuesday, April 29th
Senate Aging Committee Meeting, 904 Legislative Office Building, 9 a.m.
Senate Ethics and Internal Governance Committee Meeting, 509 Legislative Office Building, 9 a.m.
Senate Commerce, Economic Development and Small Business Committee Meeting, 845 Legislative Office Building, 9:30 a.m.
Senate Children and Families Committee Meeting, 804 Legislative Office Building, 9:30 a.m.
Senate Women’s Issues Committee Meeting, 801 Legislative Office Building, 9:30 a.m.
Senate Local Government Committee Meeting, 904 Legislative Office Building, 9:30 a.m.
Senate Civil Service and Pensions Committee Meeting, 123 Capitol, 10 a.m.
Senate Social Services Committee Meeting, 410 Legislative Office Building, 10 a.m.
Senate Housing, Construction and Community Development Committee Meeting, 511 Legislative Office Building, 11 a.m.
Senate Cities 1 Committee Meeting, 124 Capitol, 12 p.m.
Senate Banks Committee Meeting, 710 Legislative Office Building, 2 p.m.
Senate Disabilities Committee Meeting, 708 Legislative Office Building, 2:30 p.m.
Senate Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs Committee Meeting, 123 Capitol, 2:30 p.m.
Senate Finance Committee Meeting, 124 Capitol, 2:30 p.m.
Senate Environmental Conservation Meeting, 123 Capitol, 3 p.m.
New York State Senate Session, Senate Chamber, Albany, 3 p.m.
New York State Assembly Session, Assembly Chamber, Albany, 9 a.m.
Senate Transportation Committee Meeting, 123 Capitol, 3:30 p.m.
Senate Judiciary Committee Meeting, 124 Capitol, 3:30 p.m.
Senate Investigations and Government Operations Meeting, 611 Legislative Office Building, 3:30 p.m.
Senate Health Committee Meeting, 124 Capitol, 4 p.m.
Wednesday, April 30th
Senate Higher Education Meeting, 124 Capitol, 9:30 a.m.
New York State Senate Session, Senate Chamber, Albany, 11 a.m.
New York State Assembly Session, Assembly Chamber, Albany
New York City
Monday, April 28th
Committee on Rules, Privileges and Elections, Committee Room – City Hall, 10 a.m.
Committee on Public Safety, Council Chambers – City Hall, 10 a.m.
Committee on Veterans, 250 Broadway – Committee Room, 14th Floor, 1 p.m.
Tuesday, April 29th
Committee on Housing and Buildings, 250 Broadway – Committee Room, 16th Floor, 10 a.m.
Committee on Technology, Committee Room – City Hall, 10 a.m.
Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises, Council Chambers – City Hall, 10 a.m.
Committee on Higher Education, Committee Room – City Hall, 1 p.m.
Wednesday, April 30th
Temporary Task Force on Tax Liens, 250 Broadway – Committee Room, 14th Floor, 10 a.m.
Committee on Children and Youth, Council Chambers – City Hall, 10 a.m.
Committee on Contracts, Council Chambers – City Hall, 10 a.m.
Committee on Land Use, 250 Broadway – Committee Room, 16th Floor, 11 a.m.
Committee on Environmental Protection, Resiliency and Waterfronts, Committee Room – City Hall, 1 p.m.
Thursday, May 1st
Committee on Consumer and Worker Protection, Council Chambers – City Hall, 11:30 a.m.
City Council Stated Meeting, Council Chambers – City Hall, 1:30 a.m.