Rachael Fauss

Gov. is backing away from clean energy targets and slashing programs to help NYers save on electric bills. Cheap power aplenty for data centers and chip plants!

And:
🎬 Film Subsidies 2025: First One to the Bottom Wins!
🎭 Broadway’s $400M tax credit fund is tapped out

Read it: buff.ly/qxJ9Zkt

We submitted testimony to the Conflicts of Interest Board on their proposed regs for clean contracting disclosures.

We support the intent, and offer recommendations to further strengthen reporting given past scandals and irregular procurements.

Check it out: reinventalbany.org/2025/07/test...

Oh by the way, amid all the mayoral campaign transit proposals, two more congestion pricing lawsuits against the @mta.info were dismissed. #traffic #transit #congestionpricing

Check out my latest analysis, complete with colorful charts 📊📉📈

13 Groups Support Bill to Improve NYC FOIL Responses - Reinvent Albany MEMO OF SUPPORT   Intro 1235 of 2025 (Brewer)   Requires NYC agencies to publicly report FOIL logs   TITLE OF BILL A Local Law to amend the New York city charter, in relation to the creation of a…

NEW: 13 groups support @galeabrewer.bsky.social bill to improve NYC FOIL responses, better hold agencies accountable

Thanks to partners @legalaidnyc.bsky.social @stopspyingny.bsky.social @beta.nyc @earthjustice.org @nyclu.org @citizensunionny.bsky.social + more!

Oopsie: Hempstead Lawyers Forgot They Are Suing Over Congestion Pricing - Streetsblog New York City Disorder in the court! Lawyers representing the Town of Hempstead in its efforts to throw out congestion pricing did not show up to a scheduled court hearing on Tuesday morning, and claimed that they ...

Breaking congestion pricing news: Lawyers for the Town of Hempstead, who are still suing to stop the traffic toll, failed to show up for a hearing today on their suit and then claimed they didn't know it was happening nyc.streetsblog.org/2025/06/17/o...

ICYMI - A3425 by @stevenraga.bsky.social would substantially improve FOIL response times, including for NYC agencies with FOIL requests as old as 9 (!) years.

NYers shouldn't have to wait years to obtain public records from state and local governments.

Let's go, @nyassemblymajority.bsky.social!

Cheers to the Assembly for notable work this session passing bills strengthening FOIL.

We urge Speaker Heastie to keep up the momentum and join the Senate in passing six common-sense bills strengthening transparency and reducing corporate handouts.

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.@speakercarlheastie.bsky.social and @nyassemblymajority.bsky.social: Please pass A3425-A/S2520-B, which just passed the Senate, to improve FOIL response times.

The 2025 Assembly has led on FOIL, and we’re asking you to bring this crucial transparency bill across the finish line.

buff.ly/Sh3XOuP

Ed Boards Call on Senate to Pass FOIL Bills - Reinvent Albany Editorial Boards to NY Senate: Pass the Transparency Bills! Fix the Ailing Freedom of Information Law   Assembly passed three FOIL bills – the Senate ZERO   Editorial boards across the state are…

Editorial Boards to NY Senate: Pass the Transparency Bills! See our list of editorials from @nydailynews.com‬ ‪ @buffalonews.com‬ @dgazette.bsky.social‬ calling on the Legislature to pass bills to show they want a Freedom of Information Law that actually works: buff.ly/KWx5atP

There are only a few days left in session – the NY Legislature must pass these key transparency and accountability bills.

Our statement:

buff.ly/ia0KkMN

Public access to public records: Albany must reform the Freedom of Information Law The Legislature, with the agreement of Gov. Hochul (who unfortunately went along), betrayed the New York public and put off for another two years any limits on legislators’ outside income, a …

NY Daily News nails it on the need for both houses to pass FOIL reformss:

"But, as we all know, passage by only one chamber isn’t enough. Both partners are required for the reform dance and it’s too often the case that one side will duck out."

www.nydailynews.com/2025/06/11/p...

N.Y.’s broken system of government transparency In February 2024, the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (S.T.O.P.) filed a public records request with the NYPD to understand how they use surveillance technologies in connection with prote…

Great op-ed by @stopspyingny.bsky.social‬'s Alicia Abramson on one our of priority FOIL bills to reduce the time agencies can take responding to records requests:

"The FOIL Timeline Act would transform FOIL from a black hole into a meaningful tool for public accountability."

buff.ly/ohjDbt3

We thank Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Sen. Gianaris, and the @nysenate.bsky.social for continuing to pass a bill ending NY's tax break for Trump's OZ program.

@speakercarlheastie.bsky.social and the @nyassemblymajority.bsky.social must pass this bill and save NY $400m a year.

buff.ly/Q0HPtlr

📑What we're reading: @EarthJustice.org's "Falling Through the Cracks."

In addition to showing Syracuse's failure to enforce its lead ordinance, the report highlights woefully inadequate FOIL response times. It is unacceptable to wait 2 years for lead paint violation records. buff.ly/Wyy9GVj

ICYMI - we released an in-depth report, "Listening to FOIL" that evaluates 5 NYS agencies' compliance with the freedom of information.

👀 And no, journalists, you aren't imagining it -- your FOIL requests sometimes do take longer than others'.

Read it here: buff.ly/cxdIOXJ

Please read my latest report! Lots of cool graphics, and might be of particular interest to reporters - note we break down response times for the press vs businesses, etc.

It was pretty obvious in the oral arguments where this was headed - the TRO is more proof of how weak the feds' case is.

Let's go! 😎

The @nysenate.bsky.social and @nyassemblymajority.bsky.social can show their commitment to transparency by passing the same FOIL bills this session:

1️⃣ Report FOIL activity
2️⃣ Limit Commercial FOIL exemption
3️⃣ Strengthen FOIL attorneys fees

Our statement:

buff.ly/vpPajjc

.@nysenate.bsky.social‬ and @jamesskoufis.bsky.social‬, it's time to move Sen. Hoylman-Sigal's FOIL reporting bill S452!

This bill will be a huge step forward for NYS FOIL, which is why it's supported by 18 media, watchdog, and transparency groups.

Read our joint memo of support:

buff.ly/UZcuFnM

Good to see no votes, instead of "AWR" -- it's much better for Senators to actually go on the record.

Today, we re-issued a memo of opposition to S533 which would repeal the successful congestion pricing program. We ask Senators to vote NO. A vote of “Aye Without Recommendation” is unacceptable; it would be an embarrassment for this bill to move. buff.ly/0FGi6aF

🔥The devil is always in the details, and I am still waiting to read the fine print. Specifically, tallying up the MTA money to make sure we really are fully funding the 2025-2029 capital plan🔥

Now that I live in NYC, I have the freedom of getting practically anywhere for $2.90, and not being a slave to alternate side parking.

I had no car when I was in grad school in Albany, NY. I took the bus to work, school, rode my bike. A coworker asked if I felt like I didn't have any "freedom" without a car.

I said it was pretty freeing to not be in more debt than I already was from student loans.

Did the Federal DOT just accidentally file a letter containing legal advice from the DOJ, instead of a letter addressed to the Judge, in the MTA v Duffy case?

The cameras are staying on.

NEW report: NYC Government Flouting Freedom of Information Law

Requests for records from NYC agencies are skyrocketing, along with delays in response times.

The report also highlights a new @galebrewernyc.bsky.social bill to codify and expand the OpenRecords portal. buff.ly/oHjYice

As the writer of these comments, the 🤓 is for me, really.