Good Morning, New York! Congestion pricing will remain in place until the fall under new agreement, the budget is now a week overdue with a new extension, and Hochul wants to change how the Lt. Gov is selected. This is your Tammany Times AM Briefing for Tuesday, April 9th, 2025.

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

WHERE’s ERIC: No public schedule yet.

TIPS? Email me: [email protected]

Front Pages

Hall Monitors

— Trump's tariff plans could send the MTA's already-high construction costs into the stratosphere, according to MTA Chair Janno Lieber. Even though the agency assembles subway cars in New York, they rely on parts imported from countries now subject to tariffs. An NYU professor warned that a potential recession sparked by the tariffs could simultaneously drive down ridership and threaten state and city finances. (Gothamist)

— Is NYC ready for government-run grocery stores? Mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani's plan to launch city-owned supermarkets has drawn an interesting offer from Gristedes CEO John Catsimatidis -- he'll let the city experiment with one of his stores, but only if they cover shoplifting losses. Critics, including other grocers, are blasting the proposal as a "Soviet" idea with limited choices. (NY Post)

— Looks like NYC congestion pricing isn't going anywhere just yet. Despite Trump's vow to kill the program, the feds and transit officials have agreed to postpone any final decision until the fall. While the Trump administration has been pushing to end the toll, the MTA says the feds won't seek emergency relief for now, and early data suggests it is shortening commute times. (NY1)

Capitol Gains

— Still no deal in Albany: New York's state budget is almost a week overdue, with lawmakers passing yet another extension to keep things afloat. Criminal justice reform, immigration, and mask mandates are major sticking points between Gov. Hochul and the Legislature. Plus, with Passover approaching, the pressure's on to reach an agreement ASAP. (State of Politics)

— Gov. Hochul wants to shake up how New York picks its Lieutenant Governor. She's pushing to scrap the separate primary elections and let gubernatorial candidates choose their running mates before the primary, just like a presidential ticket. The move comes amid a rocky relationship with her current Lieutenant Governor, leading some to see it as a power play, though some lawmakers are concerned by the move. (Politico)

— Tesla raised eyebrows after spending $1.6 million in taxpayer money to build a cafeteria at its Buffalo Gigafactory. The funds came from a state "slush fund" initially intended for solar energy production, but now largely used for car charging stations and battery refurbishment, leading to criticism that Tesla is misusing the money. Now, a state senator wants to redirect the remaining $25.8 million to the city of Buffalo instead. (Investigative Post)

Trail Mix

— A recent poll shows Kathy Hochul leading potential Democratic primary challengers by a significant margin, with 51% of the vote. While Ritchie Torres and Antonio Delgado trail behind at 11% each, the real question is whether they can boost their name recognition and challenge Hochul's lead before the election heats up. (Data for Progress)

— Eric Adams is throwing shade and nicknames at his mayoral challengers at the Inner Circle charity show. Jabbing at everyone from "Scott can't get any stranger" Stringer to "Jessica Vamos please get out of the race" Ramos, Adams's routine even took aim at Andrew Cuomo's former aides. No one was safe from the mayor's jokes, except maybe Adrienne Adams, who he claimed "everyone forgets about." (City and State)

— The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee announced that they are targeting Mike Lawler’s NY-17 district, aiming to flip it in 2026 and reclaim a House majority. While Lawler, who flipped the seat in 2022, touts his bipartisan approach, the DCCC accuses him of siding with the Trump agenda, as several Democrats already expressed interest in challenging Lawler in 2026. (Lohud)