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Good Morning, New York! A Democratic Nassau County DA candidate is under fire for encouraging convicts to apply to work on her campaign, New York’s overtime spending continues to rise, and state lawmakers are working on a bill to ban law enforcement from wearing face masks. This is your Tammany Times AM Briefing for Monday, July 21st, 2025.

WHERE’S KATHY: In Albany and NYC for a roundtable on implementing distraction-free schools.

WHERE’s ERIC: No public schedule available.

TIPS? Email me: [email protected]

Front Pages

Hall Monitors

NYC wants the cannabis crown. Mayor Adams declared his ambition for the city to be the 'cannabis capital of the globe' at a Harlem fair, aiming to cut red tape for businesses. However, some entrepreneurs say they're still facing bureaucratic hurdles and financial strain while trying to get their legal dispensaries up and running. (amNY)

Talk about a waste of money. A brand-new jail unit at Bellevue Hospital, costing a cool $241 million, is sitting empty. The reason? It was supposed to replace the Rikers Island jail ward, but plans changed and now there's no clear use for the expensive facility. (The City)

Staten Islanders are still waiting for answers about express bus improvements. Borough President Vito Fossella is catching heat for staying quiet after discussions with the MTA about the 'worsening' service. Riders are demanding better service for the $7 fare, while watchdogs want more transparency from officials. (amNY)

Capitol Gains

Are the voter rolls in Mount Vernon a mess or is something fishy going on? A City Council candidate is suing, alleging the rolls are padded with dead people and even residents born in the 19th century. The lawsuit claims the number of voters spiked by 30% in just over a year, heavily favoring Democrats, and the Board of Elections hasn't addressed the concerns. (NY Post)

New York lawmakers are trying to unmask ICE agents, proposing a bill to ban law enforcement from wearing masks. The move follows increased arrests by masked ICE agents, sparking fear among immigrant communities, but critics say masks protect officers' safety amid rising assaults. If passed, the bill could face legal challenges and would be similar to legislation proposed in California and at the federal level, aiming to increase accountability and transparency. (Gothamist)

New York state's overtime spending jumped over 10% last year, costing taxpayers a whopping $1.3 billion. Comptroller DiNapoli's report pointed to understaffing and recruitment issues at agencies like Corrections, Mental Health, and Developmental Disabilities as the primary drivers of the surge in hours. While the state is trying to boost hiring, overtime costs are still climbing. (Times Union)

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Trail Mix

AOC just hit upstate New York, and things got spicy! She and Rep. Paul Tonko rallied a crowd in Plattsburgh to flip a Republican-held House seat, blasting Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" and incumbent Elise Stefanik. Stefanik fired back, welcoming the "radical far-left socialist" as a boost to her own support. (WCAX)

Cuomo is blaming his mayoral primary loss on young, pro-Palestinian Jewish voters who supported Zohran Mamdani. He claims Mamdani's stance on Israel and the 'globalize the intifada' slogan fed into antisemitism, and he plans to draw a sharper contrast with Mamdani in the general election. (Forward)

A New York DA candidate is catching heat for posting a job ad that "encourages" convicted criminals to apply. Republican incumbent Anne Donnelly blasted Nicole Aloise's job posting as "dangerous" and evidence of a "criminal-first agenda." Aloise's campaign downplayed the controversy as a "cheap shot" from Donnelly and deflected by citing increased crime rates under Donnelly's leadership. (NY Post)