Good Morning, New York! New York finally has a 2026 budget after weeks of delay, Eric Adams is now calling his budget proposal the “best ever,” and Stefanik sweeps in a NYGOP primary poll. This is your Tammany Times AM Briefing for Tuesday, April 29th, 2025.

WHERE’S KATHY: In Albany, with no publicly scheduled events.

WHERE’s ERIC: No publicly available schedule.

TIPS? Email me: [email protected]

Front Pages

Hall Monitors

— Mayor Adams is calling his upcoming budget the "best ever," touting millions in investments for NYCHA, supportive housing, and tenant protection. The plan includes $350 million for NYCHA renovations and $46 million to construct and preserve supportive housing units. However, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams is also taking credit, saying the investments resulted from the Council's negotiations and the restoration of previous budget cuts. (amNY)

— NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, despite being an outspoken critic of Israel, believes he can win over Jewish voters who are seeking an alternative to frontrunner Andrew Cuomo. Mamdani's strategy hinges on his transparent policy stances and a focus on issues Jewish voters prioritize, like elder care and affordable housing. However, opponents like Cuomo will likely be more effective using Mamdani's views on Israel to attack him, accusing him of fostering antisemitism. (Forward)

— Andrew Cuomo is promising to scrap NYC's controversial Medicare Advantage plan for retirees if he's elected mayor. He's following the lead of other mayoral candidates who oppose the plan, which would move 250,000 municipal retirees into a privatized healthcare system. While Adams claims the plan would improve care and save money, retiree groups fear it would dilute their benefits. (NY Daily News)

Capitol Gains

— New York's new $254 billion budget is finally here, and she got most of what she wanted. Gov. Hochul's plan includes a ban on cell phone use in schools, rebates for middle-class families, and a new crime for wearing a mask while committing a crime. While Hochul touts increased public safety and affordability, some critics argue it doesn't do enough to curb spending amid potential federal funding cuts. (Gothamist)

— Could "Trump Station" become a reality? Not if one NYC lawmaker has anything to say about it. State Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal is mulling a bill to ban naming public buildings after convicted felons, an apparent move to block any potential effort to rename Penn Station after the president. (NY Post)

— The top federal prosecutor in Albany wants telecom companies to scan your texts! Interim U.S. Attorney John Sarcone III is considering a lawsuit to force companies like AT&T and Verizon to monitor user conversations for signs of sexual predation. Legal experts are already raising concerns about potential violations of the Fourth and First Amendments. (Gothamist)

Trail Mix

— Could Elise Stefanik be New York's next governor? A new poll says the congresswoman would be a Republican front-runner and the strongest candidate to challenge Gov. Kathy Hochul in 2026, leading potential primary rivals by a wide margin. Stefanik wins 44% of the vote, with the next closest candidates earning 7% (Lawler) and 6% (Blakeman). The poll also reveals that Hochul leads Stefanik in a hypothetical head-to-head matchup, 46% to 40%. (NY Post)

— Andrew Cuomo's mayoral campaign is using a tactic called "redboxing" to guide a super PAC, Fix the City, that has already raised $6.2 million. Cuomo is posting preferred messaging on his campaign website, hoping the super PAC will use them in TV ads and door-to-door canvassing. While critics call the tactic a circumvention of campaign finance laws, the FEC has effectively endorsed it. (Politico)

— Airbnb is doubling down on NYC politics, pledging to spend $10 million in local elections through its PAC. The move comes after the city significantly restricted short-term rentals in 2023, leading to a battle with homeowners and support for candidates open to relaxing the rules. Airbnb previously committed $5 million. (City & State NY)