In The News-New York State
Blue Wave Takes New York
This year’s general election saw significant victories for Democrats across the state and country, granting Democrats new powers in D.C., and stronger majorities in the state. Governor Kathy Hochul (59.1%), Comptroller Tom DiNapoli (62.8%), and Attorney General Letitia James (58.8%) will all return to office next year, joined by Adrienne Adams as the newly elected Lieutenant Governor.
In New York City, both parties maintained their seats in the House of Representatives, but four new Democrats will be taking office: Claire Valdez (80.4%), Brad Lander (80.4%), Micah Lasher (75.3%), and Darializa Chevalier (81.9%), in NY-7, NY-10, NY-12, and NY-13, respectively. In the State Senate, Democrats flipped one seat in the City. Larry He (55.8%) is expected to win in the 17th District. In the State Assembly, Democrats flipped three seats in Brooklyn. Joey Cohen Saban (59.7%) won in the 45th District, Chris McCreight (53.8%) won in the 46th District, and Joyce Xie (50.3%) won in the 49th District.
Across the rest of the state, Democrats picked up a seat in the house with Cait Conley’s anticipated victory in NY-17. Results are close in NY-1 (2.2%) and NY-2 (2.2%), but incumbents Nick LaLota (49.97%) and Andrew Garbarino (49.7%) are expected to win their respective seats. One new Republican is expected to take office, with Anthony Constantino (49.8%) winning NY-21 with a margin of 2.0% of the vote. In the State Senate, Democrats are expected to flip five seats outside of the city, with some of the races within a tight margin. Christopher Murray (50.5%) is expected to flip the 1st District with a margin of 3.3%. Lisa Malkie Vider (49.7%) is expected to flip the 9th District with a margin of 2.4%. Other Democrats boast stronger margins as they flipped seats, such as Joseph Rand (52.4%) in 38th District, Lisa Kaul (54.9%) in the 39th District, and Sarah Rogerson (51.5%) in the 44th District. Incumbent Republican Jake Ashby (49.3%) currently leads his democratic opponent in the 43rd District with a 0.1% margin within automatic recount territory. In the State Assembly, Democrats are expected to flip six seats outside of NYC, but some lead by tight margins. Joshua Slaughter (49.7%) leads in the 3rd District with a margin of 2.3%, Craig Herskowitz (58.7%) leads in the 12th District with a margin of 3.1%, Kim Keiserman (50.4%) leads in the 16th District with a margin shy of 4.0%, Chloe Pierce (50.9%) leads in the 107th District with a margin of 3.6%, Ian Phillips (49.3%) leads in the 126th District with margin of 0.4%, within recount territory, and Ryan Taughrin (49.7%) leads in the 143rd District with a margin of 1.2%. Assembly Republicans flipped one seat, with Michael Gentile (52.5%) winning in the 119th District. Election results are still pending in some seats around Westchester, as a relatively low number of districts have reported following the county’s difficulty with ballot scanning on Election Day.
As session starts next year, Senate and Assembly Democrats will see their highest total population in either house, and largest majorities in modern history. This cycle also saw a significant number of legislators retiring or losing their primary elections. If current results hold, Albany will see thirteen new State Senators seated next session and thirty-nine new Assembly Members, in addition to a new Lieutenant Governor in Adrienne Adams.
At the national level, Democrats won majorities in both houses of Congress and a majority of the gubernatorial races. Preliminary results in House races show significant shifts to the Democratic party in all but one seat. Senate Democrats flipped at least seven seats and are expected to have a majority of at least 54 seats, with Alaska and Mississippi leaning Democratic but too close to call. Senate Republicans have held 13 seats and are expected to enter next session with 44 seats total. House Democrats have won at least 253 seats, while Republicans won at least 157. Twenty-five House seats are still too close to call. Democrats also flipped at least five gubernatorial seats and are leading in two more that have not yet been called. Democratic wins continued further down the ballot in state legislatures. Democrats have taken control of the upper houses in at least four states and the lower house in at least six. Next year, Democrats will hold complete control of the Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Minnesota state legislatures, where control was previously split, and completely flipped the New Hampshire state legislature.
All results discussed above are based on unofficial election night numbers and do not include mail-in or affidavit ballots yet to be counted. All results will be finalized and certified by the local Boards of Election in the coming weeks.
Attorney General James Wins Lawsuit Against Nassau County Over Illegal Trans Athlete Ban
NY Appeals Court Strikes Down Nassau County’s Ban on Transgender Athletes
The New York Appellate Division, Second Department, ruled Nassau County’s law banning transgender girls and woman for participating in women’s sporting event at County facilities illegal, ruling that New York Human Rights Law and Civil Rights Law “expressly prohibit the County from restricting access to places of public accommodation based on a person’s gender identity or expression, including whether the person identifies as transgender.”
In his decision, Justice Darrell M. Joseph wrote that the New York State Human Rights Law and Civil Rights Law prohibit Nassau County from restricting access to school sports teams “based on a person’s gender identity or expression.”
New York Attorney General Letitia James and the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) filed independent lawsuits against Nassau County and County Executive Bruce Blakeman in July 2024.
New York Readies for the FY2027 Budget Quick Start Budget Meeting to be Held Monday, November 9th
A public “Quick Start” budget meeting between representatives from the Division of the Budget, the Senate Finance Committee, the Assembly Ways and Means Committee, and the Office of the State Comptroller will be held on Monday, November 9th to present each agency’s revenue and spending projections for FY 2027 and begin early consensus-building on the state budget.
Prior to the meeting, the Division of Budget, Senate Majority Finance Committee, and the Assembly Ways and Means Committee released their projections for 2027-2028 budget cycle.
State Budget Director Blake Washington’s FY 2027 Enacted Budget Mid-Year update showed that New York State’s financial outlook has significantly improved from the FY 2027 Enacted Budget Financial Plan, in large part due to a resilient economy and proactive fiscal management.
Specifically, the MidYear Financial Plan Update projects a $9 billion surplus for the current fiscal year and drops the State’s projected multi-year budget gaps nearly in half — reducing them from $31.7 billion to $17.6 billion. These temporary resources will be used to strengthen the State’s fiscal position by continuing the practice of prepaying debt to reduce future costs and building back up Principal Reserves to protect essential public services during future economic downturns.
While the near-term fiscal outlook is bright, according to the Division of Budget, the State must remain cautious. Potential economic headwinds — such as rising interest rates, stock market volatility, and growing costs in public health insurance (Medicaid) and social safety net programs — could slow growth in the years ahead. The State’s current fiscal health provides a stable foundation to address these future challenges. The State still faces projected budget gaps in the coming years: $2.9 billion in FY 2028, $5.8 billion in FY 2029, and $8.9 billion in FY 2030.
The Senate Majority Finance Committee, in its 2026 Midyear Report on Receipts and Disbursements, was similarly positive, projecting that General fund numbers will come in $1.1 billion above the Executive in 2026-2027 and $1.3 billion above the Executive numbers in 2027-2028.
The Assembly Majority Ways & Means Committee’s Mid-Year Update showed even more growth. Specifically, the Committee’s 2026-2027 All Funds revenue estimate is $1.5 billion above the Executive’s estimate at mid-year, entirely attributable to significant positive variance in All Funds tax receipts. The 2027-2028 Committee’s All Funds revenue forecast is $2.5 billion above the Executive’s estimates, entirely due to a $2.6 billion positive variance in All Funds tax receipts.
In The News-New York City
Office of the NYC Comptroller Releases Fiscal Year 2026 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report
The Office of New York City Comptroller Mark Levine issued the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026 with Comptroller Levine noting that the report comes amid growing economic uncertainty in the near-term, due in part to the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), changes in federal economic policy, stricter immigration enforcement, and geopolitical conflicts.
“The ACFR provides a clear-eyed accounting of how New York City’s public dollars are spent each year,” said Comptroller Levine. “We are on solid financial ground, but sustaining this requires a principled and disciplined approach to future budgets. Structural imbalances continue forcing New York City to spend more money than it’s taking in, and our reserves lack the funds to weather the fiscal shock of a recession….”
During Fiscal Year (FY) 2026, Comptroller Levine explained that the City experienced considerable economic growth resulting in a 7.4% increase in General Fund tax revenues, primarily driven by AI-related investment activity, high asset prices, continued concentration of high-income earners, and strong business profitability. Persistent budgetary issues including the deterioration of the General Fund surplus, governmental funds balance, as well as the available fund balance metrics used by rating agencies in assessing the City’s credit all serve to undermine the current financial position.
However, two large cost increases between FY 2025 and FY 2026 signal the need for concrete plans to control reoccurring expenses. Over the course of the fiscal year, rental assistance expenditures grew 40.5% (from $1.34 billion to $1.88 billion) and the New York City Department of Education’s special education due process case expenditures more than doubled from $1.14 billion to $2.36 billion. Failing to establish clear controls for these budget items would create further uncertainty for future financial plans.
Additional highlights of the FY 2026 ACFR include:
General Finances
- General Fund revenues were $6.171 billion higher than in FY 2025, an increase of 5.2%. The growth in revenues was driven by an increase of $5.916 billion in tax revenues.
- New York City’s job market grew by 71,100 jobs from June 2025 to June 2026. The total number of jobs in the City exceeded the pre-pandemic level by 145,000 (3.1%), with jobs in education and health services driving the lion’s share of growth.
- In contrast to previous fiscal years, jobs in the City’s office-using industries grew, led by a turnaround in the Professional and Business Services sector, which added 17,000 jobs after having lost about 10,000 in the prior fiscal year.
- New York City’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate averaged 5.6% over the 12 months of FY2026, an increase over the 4.9% average over the two prior fiscal years.
- The Manhattan office vacancy rate fell by more than 3 percentage points in FY 2026 to 19.3%, the lowest level in five years.
Pension Fund Performance
- As of the end of FY 2026 the City’s pension funds saw an aggregate return net-of-fees of 13.0%, greater than the 7.0% actuarial target for FY 2026.
- Outperformance will lower required pension contributions by an estimated $4.302 billion through FY31.
- The five Systems held a combined portfolio value of $326.26 billion as of the end of FY 2026.
- The funds are 96.1% funded to meet their long-term obligations.
The full Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) for Fiscal Year 2026 is available at https://comptroller.nyc.gov/reports/annual-comprehensive-financial-reports/.
Mayor Mamdani Applauds New Yorkers for Voting to Make Government Work Faster
Mayor Zohran Mamdani applauded the passage of all five ballot proposals put forward by the Commission on Government Efficiency (COGE), the 2026 New York City Charter Revision.
“Tonight, New Yorkers voted for a government that moves as fast as they do,” said Mayor Mamdani. “From opening outdoor dining faster to speeding up street safety projects to accelerating housing production, we are cutting red tape that will directly address the affordability crisis and help New Yorkers stay in the city they love. Now comes the work of turning these votes into results.”
Per the Mayor, the Five Ballot Proposals will:
Question 1: Save small businesses time and money by making it easier to open outdoor dining and build accessible ramps.
- Cuts the outdoor dining application process by 75%, from eight months to two months
- Saves small businesses up to $1,800 in application costs and thousands of dollars in staff time.
- Speeds up the approval process for accessible entrance ramps and lifts by two months.
Question 2: Speed up City contracting so small businesses and nonprofits can deliver services more quickly.
- Reduces administrative burdens on small businesses and nonprofits that contract with the City.
- Saves City contractors like small businesses and nonprofits up to 30 days in the contracting process.
Question 3: Fast-tracks street safety projects and generates revenue from surplus City property.
- Speeds up street safety projects, including bike lanes, by at least 33%.
- Unlocks more than $200 million in potential City revenue through the sale of small surplus lots and unused air rights over City-owned landmarks.
Question 4 simplifies construction permitting to speed up housing.
- Brings 40 approvals from 18 separate offices and agencies into one place, saving builders time and frustration.
Question 5 sets a rainy-day savings target to strengthen the City’s long-term fiscal stability.
- Establishes a savings target of 12% of total tax revenue to help strengthen the City’s financial position over the long term.
Briefs
Federal Judge Denies NY Sheriffs’ Request to Block State Immigration Enforcement Law
A federal judge has denied a request from 15 New York county sheriffs to temporarily block enforcement of New York’s Local Cops, Local Crimes Act, a law that restricts cooperation between local law enforcement agencies and federal immigration authorities.
In a decision issued Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino denied the sheriffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction. The lawsuit, led by Rensselaer County Sheriff Kyle Bourgault, challenged the law on constitutional grounds and argues it interferes with existing federal agreements and the authority of independently elected sheriffs.
Judge D’Agostino ruled that the sheriffs had not demonstrated they were likely to have the legal authority to bring their constitutional claims against the state. Under New York law, local governments and their officials generally cannot challenge state legislation on constitutional grounds unless they qualify for limited exceptions. The judge found the sheriffs had not sufficiently established that those exceptions applied to their request. The court did not resolve the underlying constitutional arguments.
The law prohibits local law enforcement agencies from entering into or maintaining certain agreements with federal immigration authorities, including agreements under Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Those agreements allow trained local officers to perform certain federal immigration enforcement functions under federal supervision.
Governor Kathy Hochul and New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced that the Office of the Attorney General’s (OAG) Office of Immigrant Trust (OIT) sent a letter to county executives and sheriffs across New York State providing them with guidance about their legal obligation to end any agreement to house or detain people for federal civil immigration violations by November 25, 2026. Under the Local Cops, Local Crimes Act local governments are prohibited from housing civil immigration detainees in local correctional facilities on behalf of federal immigration authorities, and have until November 25 to unwind those agreements.
New Yorkers Can Now Apply for Home Heating Assistance
Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the State is now accepting applications for the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), helping eligible New Yorkers save on the cost of heating their homes this winter amid rising energy costs. The program could provide up to $1,086 this winter to help low- and middle-income households and older adults, depending on how they heat their home.
Households that do not automatically receive assistance through the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP). Applications for assistance are accepted at local departments of social services and can be submitted online, through the mail or in person. New Yorkers can visit ny.gov/HEAP to learn more and apply.
The benefit amounts vary based on income, household size, heating source, and if the household includes a vulnerable member. A family of four can have a gross monthly income up to $6,852, or an annual gross income of up to $82,230, and still qualify for assistance.
Peak Fall Colors Arriving in New York City as State’s Foliage Season Winds Down
New York’s 2026 fall foliage season winds down this weekend with peak foliage beginning to reach New York City, its final destination in the state, according to field reports from volunteer observers for the Empire State Development Division of Tourism’s I LOVE NY program. Most of Long Island and some locations in the lower Hudson Valley will also be at peak. During the week of November 11-17, peak foliage is expected to reach Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island, offering one last opportunity to enjoy optimal colors this year.
Locations with the most significant foliage changes include White Plains, Jefferson Valley and Cold Spring (Hudson Valley); Shelter Island, Valley Stream, West Hempstead and Cold Spring Harbor (Long Island); and The Bronx (New York City).
And the New Inductees to the National Toy Hall of Fame Are…
Pokémon trading cards, Care Bears, bingo and playground slides have joined the ranks of America’s most iconic playthings. They were announced Thursday as the latest inductees into the National Toy Hall of Fame at The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester.
The National Toy Hall of Fame recognizes toys that have been enjoyed for generations. Toys are judged on their longevity and icon status, as well as their ability to foster learning, creativity or discovery and their influence on play or toy design.
The four were chosen from 12 finalists. Nominees that didn’t make the final cut this year were Bop It!, Mahjong, Monster High dolls, Mouse Trap, Polly Pocket, Sorry!, Tickle Me Elmo, and Yahtzee.
9/11 Solidarity Network Helps Claimants Obtain Vital Documentation for 9/11 Compensation Fund Claims
It is becoming increasingly difficult for some claimants to find documents to prove their presence at an eligible location so many years after the attacks. The 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) understands this challenge and encourages individuals who were present in the exposure zone to gather and save their proof of presence documents now, even if they aren’t currently ill or planning to file a claim.
The 9/11 Solidarity Network, developed by Pitta & Baione LLP, directly addresses this challenge by creating a system where members can act as witnesses for one another. This network is especially vital because sworn Witness Presence Statements from people who can attest to a claimant’s presence are accepted as secondary evidence by the VCF when primary documentation is unavailable. By participating, you can provide the crucial testimony a fellow member might need while also securing potential support for your own future claim. This initiative formalizes the collective memory of our members to ensure no one is left to prove their presence alone.
For more information regarding the 9/11 Solidarity Network, please contact Pitta & Baione at 844-901-1262.
Coming Up
New York State
Monday, November 9th
New York State Board of Regents Meeting, 89 Washington Ave – Room 217 – Albany, 8:30 a.m.
Assembly Public Hearing: Automatic License Plate Reader Systems, Hamilton Hearing Room B, Legislative Office Building, 2nd Floor, Albany, 11 a.m.
Assembly Public Hearing: Maternal Mental Health, Assembly Hearing Room, 250 Broadway – 19th Floor, New York, 11 a.m.
Tuesday, November 10th
Assembly Public Hearing: The impact and effectiveness of economic development programs funded in the enacted 2026-27 State Budget, Roosevelt Hearing Room C, Legislative Office Building, Albany, 10 a.m.
New York City
Monday, November 9th
Committee on Rules, Privileges, Elections, Standards and Ethics,250 Broadway – 8th Floor – Hearing Room 1, 10 a.m.
Tuesday, November 10th
Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises, 250 Broadway – 8th Floor – Hearing Room 3, 11 a.m.
Committee on Land Use, 250 Broadway – 8th Floor – Hearing Room 3, 12 p.m.
Thursday, November 12th
Committee on Cultural Affairs, Libraries and International Relations, 250 Broadway – 8th Floor – Hearing Room 1, 10 a.m.
Committee on Veterans, 250 Broadway – 8th Floor – Hearing Room 2, 10 a.m.
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, 250 Broadway – 8th Floor – Hearing Room 1, 10:30 a.m.
Committee on Finance, 250 Broadway – 8th Floor – Hearing Room 1, 11 a.m.
City Council Stated Meeting, Council Chambers – City Hall, 1:30 p.m.
Friday, November 13th
Committee on Parks and Recreation, 250 Broadway – 8th Floor – Hearing Room 2, 1 p.m.