ConnectALL Municipal Infrastructure Grant Program Introduces New “Band” of Connectivity
Last Friday, Governor Kathy Hochul announced that she plans to allocate more than $70 million to the ConnectALL Municipal Infrastructure Grant Program. Part of a $228 million federal investment, the initiative aims to optimize connectivity between Central New York, Southern Tier, Finger Lakes, and North County Regions. The award dollars will pave the way for the construction of more than 800 miles of public broadband infrastructure. The announcement comes as part of Hochul’s broader commitment to connect New Yorkers from all parts of the state. Estimates suggest that 25,000 homes and businesses could reap the benefits of the broadband infrastructure investment.
NYC Charter Revision Commission Announces Proposals
Last Tuesday, the Charter Revision Commission convened by Mayor Adams released its final ballot proposals. The five proposals, which were unanimously approved by the Commissioners, range in topics from public safety to sanitation to MWBE’s. In addition, some of the proposals seem to strip away some of the power from the Council, including one that will require a fiscal impact statement for all proposed legislation, as well as another that would require additional steps in the legislative process for bills impacting the police, fire, or corrections departments. The proposals garnered fierce criticism from the NYC Council, as well as Comptroller and potential Mayoral candidate Brad Lander.
Mayor Adams Celebrates NYC Increase in Employment Among Blacks and Latinos
Last Tuesday, Mayor Adams announced that unemployment is down 30% among Black and Latino individuals since the start of his administration. Since entering office Mayor Adams’ administration has launched “Jobs NYC,” a streamlined approach to breaking down the barriers of employment, and “Run This Town” an advertisement initiative aimed at helping young New Yorkers see the possibilities of working city government jobs. The administration has invested hundreds of millions into creating jobs across all five boroughs. All efforts included since January 1, 2022, Black unemployment is down from 10.7% to 7.3%, a 31.7% decrease, and Latino unemployment is down from 9.1% to 6.5%, a 28.6% decrease.
