DAYS THE BUDGET IS LATE: 31
BLAKEMAN’S DAY IN COURT: Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman appeared in an Albany County courthouse this afternoon as he continues his fight to participate in the state’s new public campaign finance program.
The legal dispute involves technical issues, such as whether separately submitted duplicate copies of a “PCF-22” form should be treated as a single submission.
The stakes are high for Blakeman, who is trying to gain traction as an underdog candidate in a predominantly Democratic state. A favorable ruling would inject $3.5 million into his campaign, potentially making him one of the best-funded Republican candidates for state office in recent history. It would also give him an advantage over Democrats who dominate the political scene in Albany.
The Republican argument is that Democrats have established unmanageable criteria for joining the program. Blakeman’s attorney, Adam Fusco, pointed out that none of the gubernatorial candidates who applied are expected to receive funding.
“There is a hidden ball trick,” Fusco remarked. “And everyone who tried to do this failed to do it correctly: 0-7. It sounds like my high school baseball career.”
Blakeman was removed from the program in March. In December, he received a letter indicating acceptance into the program, but during the same week, the Public Campaign Finance Board introduced a new rule requiring gubernatorial candidates and their running mates to apply jointly.
The board failed to provide the necessary form for submission and did not inform Blakeman of the need for a signature from his running mate, Todd Hood, who is vying for lieutenant governor. This requirement was not mentioned during a training session Blakeman attended in January, nor in a recent update to the campaign finance handbook. Consequently, due to the missing form, the board’s Democratic majority ruled Blakeman ineligible.
Democratic attorney Chris Massaroni dismissed claims of partisan bias, emphasizing that any serious gubernatorial campaign should stay informed of evolving regulations.
“It wasn’t a sort of casual, quick determination,” Massaroni explained. “It was a careful consideration that we have to apply the rules carefully, and we can’t appear to be giving exceptions. … If we start bending these election rules once, we don’t know where that’s going to end.”
Justice Denise Hartman, originally nominated to the bench by Andrew Cuomo, expressed dissatisfaction with the board’s failure to produce the required form.
“This is very problematic that there was no joint form,” she remarked.
She further questioned, “Under the board’s own regulation, the board shall — it’s a shall — produce a joint form for the candidates. Why hasn’t that happened?”
She also observed that Hood’s failure to make any filing attempt was concerning.
Fusco is asking the court to mandate the board to create a form for Blakeman and Hood to complete jointly and to establish a new “window for filing that form.”
Hartman promised a swift decision within the next week or two, allowing for appellate court arguments before the end of May, increasing the likelihood of resolution before the summer judicial recess. — Bill Mahoney
From the Capitol
THE END IS NEAR: Gov. Kathy Hochul is optimistic about reaching a state budget agreement soon, telling reporters that a deal is within reach.
“Our teams are going to continue working day and night for the entire weekend,” she stated in an impromptu briefing.
The governor acknowledged ongoing hurdles, including discussions over a pied-à-terre tax on high-value secondary homes in New York City. Additional education funding for New York City is also being negotiated as Mayor Zohran Mamdani and City Council Speaker Julie Menin advocate for more state revenue. Additionally, a potential rebate check program is part of the legislative negotiations.
The budget is now over a month overdue, missing its March 31 deadline. The delay has been attributed to Hochul’s efforts to modify a 2019 climate law and revamp the state’s car insurance regulations. — Nick Reisman
THE RINGS: During the same briefing, Hochul hinted at a potential bid to bring the Olympics to New York.
“We had a very productive meeting today to launch our exploratory committee for the Olympics,” she announced.
However, she provided no further details. Her announcement follows years of efforts by New York officials to host the Olympics in the state. Lake Placid was the last New York location to host the Winter Games, in 1980.
Earlier this year, Assemblymember Bobby Carroll proposed a Lake Placid-New York City Winter Games, akin to Italy’s approach with Milan and Cortina. — Nick Reisman
FROM CITY HALL
ZO GO GO: Speaking at the Regional Plan Association’s annual assembly, Mayor Zohran Mamdani addressed the issue of faster bus services.
With free buses off the table this year, the mayor is focusing on delivering quicker bus services through street redesigns and plans to expedite buses along numerous routes. The goal is to reduce commute times by six minutes each way.
“I say that as someone who, when I went to Bronx Science and I got off the 1 train and I knew that I’d missed the bus, if I ran fast enough, I could catch up to it three stops later,” Mamdani shared.
He also expressed intentions to work closely with the RPA, drawing on the collaborative history between the group and Mayor Fiorello La Guardia in the past. “Together, they turned ideas into action, delivering on transitways, parks, and a more livable New York City,” Mamdani said. “A century later, let us do the same.”
Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia received an award from the RPA. New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill also spoke, highlighting the challenges faced by New Jersey Transit due to insufficient investment. — Ry Rivard
CONGESTION PRICING APPEALED: The Trump administration has filed an appeal against a court ruling that blocked its attempt to terminate New York City’s congestion pricing program.
“Appealing congestion pricing once again is just a waste of everyone’s time,” said Sean Butler, a spokesperson for Hochul. “Sean Duffy can keep trying, but traffic will stay down, business will stay up, and the cameras will stay on.”
A judge from the Southern District of New York previously ruled against the Department of Transportation in March, stating that the federal government could not unilaterally end an agreement with state and city agencies that permitted the tolling initiative.
Donald Trump’s social media activity did not aid the federal government’s position.
“CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED. LONG LIVE THE KING!” Trump posted in February 2025, coinciding with the MTA’s lawsuit against the DOT.
Justice Department lawyers filed an appeal Friday to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. — Mona Zhang
IN OTHER NEWS
— BILLIONAIRE BOOST: Crypto billionaire Chris Larsen is injecting $3.5 million into a super PAC supporting Alex Bores, raising the stakes in a primary battle with AI regulations becoming a focal point. (POLITICO)
— ACROSS THE AISLE: New York City Council Member Lincoln Restler’s wife, Anna Poe-Kest, taking a senior position at the Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget, has sparked scrutiny as it places them on opposite sides of budget negotiations. (City & State)
— WASTE WARS: The Council has introduced a series of bills to address dog waste following a winter surge, with plans to enhance bag availability, composting, and outreach to pet owners. (THE CITY)
Missed this morning’s New York Playbook? We forgive you. Read it here.
