Good Morning, New York! Hochul spoke with Trump on congestion pricing, wildcat strikes cause death of inmate, and the Roosevelt Hotel will cease migrant shelter operations. This is your Tammany Times AM Briefing for Monday, February 24, 2025.

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Front Pages

Hall Monitors

— NYC's Roosevelt Hotel, which has served as a key migrant intake center since May 2023, is shutting down shelter operations. Mayor Adams is calling it a victory, saying the move will save taxpayers millions as migrant arrivals decline. The closure comes after the feds seized $80 million in FEMA funds, citing concerns about criminal activity at the hotel, which the city is contesting in court. (CBS News)

— The CUNY professors union just pulled a U-turn on its Israel boycott plan citing voting "irregularities." The initial resolution, which narrowly passed, aimed to cut off union reserves from Israel, but faced intense backlash. A revote overwhelmingly defeated the measure, with 113 against and only 63 in favor, leading one professor to celebrate the rescission as a victory against antisemitism. (NY Post)

— Con Ed's looking to hike electricity bills way up, and congressional Democrats have come out against the increase. They're urging state regulators to reject the double-digit rate increase, arguing it would hurt working-class New Yorkers who are already struggling. Con Ed defends the proposal, saying it’s needed to maintain infrastructure and meet clean energy goals, while also pointing to discounts for low-income customers. (Gothamist)

— NYC Councilmember Vickie Paladino is sounding the alarm about a bill that would erase the city's gang database. Paladino claims the bill will undermine law enforcement efforts against violent gangs, including notifying gang members of their inclusion on the database and giving them the right to sue the city over it. She's urging action, but with the bill close to passing, she thinks the federal government needs to step in. (X/VickiePaladino)

Capitol Gains

— Gov. Hochul took her case for NYC congestion pricing straight to Trump in a private meeting at the White House. It does not appear like Trump shared her viewpoint, because she still anticipates the fate of the tolling plan will ultimately be decided in the courts. She also said that she believed New York would be victorious in the courts, and that congestion pricing would remain in effect. (AP)

— Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal is trying to ban flavored nicotine pouches like Zyn, arguing they're hooking kids, despite the FDA saying they can help adults quit smoking. Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal is introducing a companion bill to ban nicotine pouches in the other chamber. The company that makes Zyn is pushing back, saying a ban would hurt smokers trying to quit and could fuel a black market. (NY Post)

— The wildcat strike by corrections officers at Auburn Correctional Facility took a tragic turn with the death of an inmate, Jonathan Grant, who allegedly didn't receive medical care the night before he was found unresponsive. Activists are blaming the striking staff for the death, prompting calls to temporarily close affected prisons and transfer inmates. Meanwhile, state officials are docking striking officers' pay and threatening disciplinary charges, as negotiations continue. (NY Daily News)

Trail Mix

— Mike Lawler is taking his Trump impersonation to primetime. The New York GOP rep sang a tweaked version of the Beach Boys' "Kokomo" on CNN, poking fun at the former president's expansionist ambitions, which include acquiring Greenland and the Gaza Strip. He sang a similar version at the Washington Press Club Foundation Annual Congressional Dinner earlier this month. (NY Post)

— Pat Hogan just snagged the Syracuse Democrats' endorsement for mayor, but the race is far from over. He'll have to fend off primary challenges from Deputy Mayor Sharon Owens and Common Councilor Chol Majok in June. While Owens has a significant fundraising lead, Hogan hopes the endorsement will boost his campaign. (Syracuse.com)

— The Post Editorial Board endorses former Giuliani staffer Randy Mastro for deputy mayor, saying he “would be a fit answer to the far-left screams” about Adams’ administration. (NY Post)