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Nick Garber

@nickgarber.bsky.social

Politics reporter, New York Focus | Formerly Crain's New York, NYC Patch | Tips: nick[at]nysfocus.com, or DM for Signal

2,805 Followers  |  204 Following  |  73 Posts  |  Joined: 25.08.2023
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Posts by Nick Garber (@nickgarber.bsky.social)

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the memo also lists all the cost shifts and cuts that the mayor's office wants to reverse β€” a likely part of any ultimate deal with Gov. Kathy Hochul β€” and puts a price tag on them: $2.3 billion
nysfocus.com/2026/03/06/m...

06.03.2026 13:41 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Mamdani's office circulated this list of revenue proposals in recent days after some lawmakers complained they still weren't sure exactly what he was asking for.

Besides income + corporate tax hikes, it includes a property tax surcharge on homes over $5M and a bigger mansion tax

06.03.2026 13:41 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 1
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Mamdani's team believes the new plan is more politically viable, per people who've been briefed on it. It would raise the NYC Business Corporation Tax, rather than the statewide corporate tax, as he'd campaigned on.
nysfocus.com/2026/03/06/m...

06.03.2026 13:40 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Mamdani’s New Albany Asks: Smaller Corporate Tax Hike, Fees on Pricey… The mayor narrowed his big business tax proposal in the hopes of making it easier to pass.

new: Mayor Mamdani is asking Albany for a smaller corporate tax hike than he'd campaigned on: a 1.8-point increase on NYC businesses to raise $1.75B, down from $5B in his campaign proposal.

He's also voicing support for a range of new taxes on pricey real estate:
nysfocus.com/2026/03/06/m...

06.03.2026 13:40 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 2
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Adams' plan would've lowered property taxes for 275K homeowners and raised them on another 168K, by shifting assessed values toward market value. But it did nothing to fix the high tax bills on apartment buildings β€” a disparity that Mamdani has pledged to address.
nysfocus.com/2026/03/02/m...

02.03.2026 14:28 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Can Mamdani Fix Property Taxes After Adams Failed? As Zohran Mamdani prepares to unveil property tax reforms, he must weigh a plan he inherited from his predecessor.

New: Eric Adams quietly pitched state lawmakers on a plan to fix NYC's broken property tax system. We've published it for the first time.

But no lawmaker was even willing to sponsor the billβ€”a warning sign for Mayor Mamdani as he prepares his own plan:
nysfocus.com/2026/03/02/m...

02.03.2026 14:26 β€” πŸ‘ 8    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 1
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πŸ“°πŸ”πŸ‘€Today's my first day at @nysfocus.bsky.social, where I'll be covering the people and policies shaping New York, the Mamdani agenda in Albany, and hopefully lots of other big, weird, complicated stories.

Get in touch: nick[at]nysfocus.com.

20.01.2026 16:00 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0

State people, please get in touch (and NYC people, please stay in touch!) and add me to your lists: nick[at]nysfocus.com.

12.01.2026 13:14 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

πŸ’₯Professional newsπŸ’₯: after 3 great years, Friday is my last day at Crain's New York.

Next week I'm joining @nysfocus.bsky.social as a politics reporter, covering the people and policies shaping New York, as well as the Mamdani agenda in Albany. Can't wait to tackle some big, thorny stories.

12.01.2026 13:14 β€” πŸ‘ 23    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 5    πŸ“Œ 0
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Mamdani shakes up city’s economic development approach, with Lina Khan’s input The mayor put the Economic Development Corp. under a new deputy mayor, and enlisted Khan to interview potential leaders.

New: Mayor Mamdani is starting to shake up NYC's approach to economic development:
β€’ Enlisting Lina Khan to interview potential heads of the Economic Development Corp.
β€’ Putting EDC under a new deputy mayor
β€’ Talking with EDC about city-owned grocery stores:
www.crainsnewyork.com/politics-pol...

08.01.2026 15:04 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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The City Council has a new website & leaflets blasting the mayor's housing ballot questions as giveaways to developers.

Some ethics experts say they comes dangerously close to electioneering. A council member called them a "waste of taxpayer dollars"

Story:
www.crainsnewyork.com/politics-pol...

19.09.2025 12:43 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1
Affordable Housing Is on the Ballot
YouTube video by Coalition for New York's Future Affordable Housing Is on the Ballot

here's the ad, which is technically issue-neutral since the group behind itβ€”the Coalition for New York's Futureβ€”is nonprofit.

@opennewyork.org and the Charter Commission itself are expected to mount their own efforts. Labor unions are considering a vote-no campaign.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeZg...

29.08.2025 12:15 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Business lobby puts up money to boost pro-housing ballot measures The Partnership for New York City is putting money behind the charter revision questions that would speed housing reviews.

NYC's pro-housing ballot measures are getting a boost from the city's biggest businesses.

The Partnership for NYC, through an affiliate, is spending $750K on a campaign about the Charter questions, including TV ads already airing. More campaigns will follow:
www.crainsnewyork.com/politics-pol...

29.08.2025 12:13 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Times Square casino bidder offers millions to an affordable housing complex. Tenants are wary SL Green and Caesars surprised Manhattan Plaza tenants by pledging $1.5 million a year for the Hell’s Kitchen development.

the Manhattan Plaza Capital Trust will be set up as a charity and governed by a three-person board β€” but with no explicit limits on how the money can be spent
www.crainsnewyork.com/politics-pol...

06.08.2025 13:33 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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the efforts by SL Green, Caesars Palace and Roc Nation to woo Manhattan Plaza tenants have included multiple visits by Alicia Keys, a Roc Nation artist who grew up in the complex.

06.08.2025 13:33 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Times Square casino bidder offers millions to an affordable housing complex. Tenants are wary SL Green and Caesars surprised Manhattan Plaza tenants by pledging $1.5 million a year for the Hell’s Kitchen development.

New: the developers of the Times Square casino bid are trying to win over the influential affordable housing complex Manhattan Plaza with an unusual $22.5M gift, plus a cut of annual profits.

Tenants aren't sure what to make of it.
www.crainsnewyork.com/politics-pol...

06.08.2025 13:32 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 1
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Skinny UES development site with towering potential sells for $8M Architect Nory Hazaveh bought the site, which could support a 15-story β€œsliver” tower from Taconic Partners.

skinny "sliver" buildings legalized by City of Yes are starting to take shape, beginning with a recently sold UES townhouse that could become a 15-story tower, CJ Hughes reports:
www.crainsnewyork.com/real-estate/...

30.07.2025 13:20 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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​Office conversion boom on track to create 17K homes, comptroller finds The 467-m tax break may produce much-needed housing but at a cost of $5B in tax revenue.

NYC's office-to-apartment conversions are booming, w/ 44 known projects slated to produce 17K homes, per a new @nyccomptroller.bsky.social report

But the design of the 467m tax break means the city may spend billions on conversions that would've happened anyway
www.crainsnewyork.com/politics-pol...

17.07.2025 13:37 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Trump law boosts New York housing, but looming cuts could blow it up The One Big Beautiful Bill expanded the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, but cuts to federal housing programs could devastate renters.

the Big, Beautiful Bill includes long-sought changes to affordable housing funding that could boost NY developers and create some 73K extra housing units statewide over 10 years.

BUT... that silver lining could evaporate if Trump's huge HUD cuts are passed:
www.crainsnewyork.com/politics-pol...

09.07.2025 18:30 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Why are corporate giants pouring millions into low-profile council races? Real estate developers and labor groups are backing little-known City Council candidates in hopes of gaining influence.

So why spend all the money for Mealy and other council incumbents? They’re likely to win but might be nervous, so it’s an easy way to curry favor.

β€œThe best is where I’m not even taking a gamble, but it kind of feels like I am,” said a PAC strategist.
ebx.sh/5Y76KI

18.06.2025 13:08 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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The beneficiaries of PAC money are an odd bunch: archrivals Airbnb and the hotel union HTC are backing the same Queens candidate. And no council candidate is getting more money than Darlene Mealy, who’s been accused of rarely showing up to her job.
www.crainsnewyork.com/politics-pol...

18.06.2025 13:07 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Corporate giants are pouring millions into low-profile council races Real estate developers and labor groups are backing little-known City Council candidates in hopes of gaining influence.

Below the radar of the mayoral race, corporate giants & others have spent a record $11M on City Council primaries. Among them: a little noticed PAC whose #1 funder is Bill Ackman.

I spoke to super PAC strategists about why that money is flowing to some unexpected candidates.
t.co/mYq8sf5h8h

18.06.2025 13:06 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 1
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Coney Island casino puts leading comptroller candidate in hot water At a June 12 hearing, Justin Brannan will grill the same casino developers spending thousands to boost his campaign.

candidates are barred from coordinating with PACs; experts say there's no reason to think Brannan will break rules by speaking at hearing.

Still, he faces competing pressure to oppose the casino rezoning (by neighborhood groups) or support it (by the HTC union)
www.crainsnewyork.com/politics-pol...

04.06.2025 19:05 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Coney Island casino puts leading comptroller candidate in hot water At a June 12 hearing, Justin Brannan will grill the same casino developers spending thousands to boost his campaign.

New: the Coney Island casino bid has put @justinbrannan.bsky.social in an unusual political pickle.

At a council hearing next week, Brannan may question the same casino developers spending $30K on an outside super PAC to support his comptroller campaign:
www.crainsnewyork.com/politics-pol...

04.06.2025 19:01 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Overturning City of Yes would cause β€˜havoc’ for housing market, city tells judge The Adams administration urged a judge not to gut the landmark zoning plans.

new: the Adams administration has filed its response to the lawsuit seeking to overturn City of Yes. City lawyers say doing so would "cause havoc" in the housing market with many projects already underway, and also say the complaint is riddled with errors:
www.crainsnewyork.com/politics-pol...

02.06.2025 16:23 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Billionaire Tisch family boosts Manhattan council candidate with a super PAC East Side candidate Rachel Storch will benefit from an independent expenditure funded by Sam Tisch.

we have a new super PACβ€”Manhattan City Council candidate Rachel Storch is being boosted by an independent expenditure funded by Jessica Tisch's brother, Sam. Sam's wife Eliana is an officer.

Storch is opting out of matching funds and has raised $433K:
www.crainsnewyork.com/politics-pol...

28.05.2025 20:39 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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DoorDash banks $2M to boost council candidates, after big Cuomo donation The delivery giant is supporting likely speaker candidates and four other β€œpro-local economy” contenders.

Exclusive: DoorDash has formed a super PAC and plans to spend $2M on City Council primaries, fresh off its $1M donation to the pro-Cuomo PAC.

It's considering supporting possible speaker candidates Julie Menin and Kevin Riley, plus 4 open-seat contenders:
www.crainsnewyork.com/politics-pol...

27.05.2025 23:37 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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new, long-awaited data on NYC's 485x housing tax break validates some early fears: zero projects proposed with 100+ units and only 2 in Lower Manhattan, where wage rules are higher.

Developers have signaled interest in 118 total projects worth 2,600 units:
www.crainsnewyork.com/politics-pol...

27.05.2025 17:38 β€” πŸ‘ 15    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 3
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Adams administration seeks new brokers after Cushman & Wakefield lease scandal Cushman & Wakefield is no longer representing the city, which is looking for five new tenant representatives.

the Adams administration says it quietly stopped doing business with Cushman & Wakefield in the wake of the lease scandal involving Jesse Hamilton and others.

Instead, the city is extending its contract with another firm, CBRE, as it seeks 5 long-term brokers:
www.crainsnewyork.com/politics-pol...

19.05.2025 16:43 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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interestingly Uber's support for Yanna Henriquez in Queens' District 21 pits them against the one other big-money group involved in that race: REBNY, whose PAC is backing rival candidate Shanel Thomas-Henry
www.crainsnewyork.com/politics-pol...

15.05.2025 21:30 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0