Reinvent Albany

This week's Subsidy Sheet highlights the five ways that corporate/economic development subsidies fuel racial inequality, by @goodjobsfirst.org Greg LeRoy in @npquarterly.bsky.social

Read it here:

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...

New analysis: Shrinking NYC Anti-Corruption Agencies Need Independent Budgeting

FY26 Budget Again Provides No Inflation Increase, Risking Future Staffing Cuts

Council Charter Commission must ask voters to approve independent budgeting for DOI, COIB.

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We and three groups asked the Governor to clarify changes made to public campaign finance in the budget.

Read it:

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Trump's budget bill is packed with giveaways:
🤑 84% of OZ funds went to top 10% of projects
✂️Medicaid cuts threaten NY’s budget
❌ $30M Syracuse grant canceled
🛩️ Massive subsidies for private jet owners

And (sadly) more. Read about it here: buff.ly/04PliJR

Trump's Opportunity Zone tax break is now permanent. The Governor and Assembly can follow the State Senate's lead and end NY's OZ tax break, or subsidize out-of-state luxury housing – forever.

Our statement:

buff.ly/FUDMZxS

Charter Testimony: Ranked Choice Voting Works, Let’s Use It Fully - Reinvent Albany Testimony to NYC Charter Commission on Government ReformManhattan Public Input Session Ranked Choice Voting Works, Let’s Use It Fully   July 7, 2025   Good evening. I’m John Kaehny, executive…

Here's our testimony for tonight's Charter Revision Commission hearing. Ranked Choice Voting works – let's use it fully!

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This week in Subsidy Sheet:

🔢 NJ city data shows subsidies aren't helping locals
🟥 Red ink likely for proposed Niagara stadium
🤯 Nukes

Read it:

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Today the Council heard my bill, Int. 1235, to bring transparency and reform to NYC’s FOIL process. New Yorkers deserve timely access to public records without waiting months or years.
@ReinventAlbany
@NYCLU
@LegalAidNYC
Read below!
council.nyc.gov/gale-brewer/...

This week in Subsidy Sheet:

🏢 Albany County seeks $54m expansion of already-heavily-subsidized convention center
☢️ How much will new upstate nuke plant add to NYS’s $7b subsidy for its old ones?

Check it out: buff.ly/tGlPJqH

Today we testify to NYC Council in support of @galeabrewer.bsky.social 's bill to codify and expand the NYC OpenRecords portal, the public's current tool to submit and track Freedom of Information Law requests.

Check out how the bill would improve NYC FOIL responses: buff.ly/vD20bg2

Fair Fares Coalition to Mayor Adams: Stop Kicking the Can and Expand Fair Fares to 200% of the FPL - PCAC June 26, 2025 Honorable Eric AdamsMayor, City of New YorkCity HallNew York, NY 10007 Dear Mayor Adams, As New York…

NEW: We joined @cmbrookspowers.bsky.social along with 17 @council.nyc.gov members and groups including @cssnyorg.bsky.social, @ridersalliance.org, @rpa.org, & @reinventalbany.bsky.social in calling on Mayor Adams to expand Fair Fares to 200% of FPL and the railroads in NYC. pcac.org/fair-fares-c...

+ @lwvnyc.bsky.social @nypirg.bsky.social @nycbarassociation.bsky.social @freedom.press @commoncauseny.bsky.social

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!

We will testify tonight again to the Mayor's Charter Revision Commission about how Top 4 makes the best use of Ranked Choice Voting -- particularly given that past mayor's races in New York City have had ~9 candidates in the primary. See more here: buff.ly/rMTRTDM

We sent written testimony for tonight's Council charter revision hearing, asking the Commission to:

✅ Further strengthen oversight agencies
✅ Put mayoral removal before the voters
❌ Not allow ballot proposals in low-turnout special elections

Read it: buff.ly/2HMPoPY

This week in Subsidy Sheet:

🤑 Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" looks to overhaul Opportunity Zones, still looks to be more of the same money transfer to the rich
🛣️ Road upgrades to help Micron's development estimated to cost $375 million

Read it:

buff.ly/wypf9CW

We appreciate the NYS Legislature passed five of our priority FOIL, anti-corruption, and voting bills.

At the same time, we're also disappointed that the Legislature has yet again failed to end wasteful corporate subsidies.

Our statement:

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We thank @nyassemblymajority.bsky.social for passing S2520-B (Skoufis) / A3425-A (Raga) – and for leading the way on FOIL in 2025 by passing 3 out of 4 priority bills.

Our statement:

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EDITORIAL: Give citizens faster access to public records You know what happens when you expect something and it doesn’t arrive right away, or it doesn’t arrive at all.

"The FOIL Timeline Act establishes new strict deadlines for the amount of time government agencies can take to respond to most FOIL requests ... The Assembly should join the Senate in passing this vital piece of pro-citizen legislation before the Legislature adjourns this week."

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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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This week in Subsidy Sheet:

🏙️📄 OZ report
🍕🦹‍♂️ Pizza thief
📦💰 Amazon handouts

Read it:

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For today's City Council hearing on the Department of Investigation, we asked the Council to restore DOI's staffing and funding.

We also support the Council's Charter Commission proposals to increase DOI independence.

Read the full testimony here: buff.ly/O3M4hqr

.@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

A scathing new report from the NYU Furman Center shows that OZs mainly subsidize luxury housing, and do nothing for those in need.

@nyassemblymajority.bsky.social must follow the Senate's lead and pass S3340 (Gianaris) / A3246 (Dinowitz).

buff.ly/Ks8XcFs

Testimony to Mayoral Charter: New Data on Age, Race, Sex of NYC Unaffiliated Voters - Reinvent Albany Testimony to NYC Charter Commission on Government Reform Bronx Public Input Session   New Data on NYC Voter Demographics Show Young People of All Races Much More Likely to be Unaffiliated   Plus,…

Our testimony to Mayoral Charter: New Data on Age, Race, Sex of NYC Unaffiliated Voters. Plus, our recs for four options to improve voter turnout and empower unaffiliated voters: buff.ly/I5dLWlB

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

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...