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Good Morning, New York! Hochul bans striking prison workers from ever working for the state again, rat sightings are surging in Queens, and state budget negotiations are officially underway. This is your Tammany Times AM Briefing for Wednesday, March 12th, 2025.

WHERE’S KATHY: In NYC, delivering remarks at the funeral service of Dr. Hazel N. Dukes.

WHERE’s ERIC: No public schedule yet.

TIPS? Email me: [email protected]

Front Pages

Hall Monitors

— Rats are throwing a party in one Queens neighborhood, despite citywide efforts to curb the vermin. Jamaica Hills is seeing a staggering 119% surge in rat sightings, leaving residents feeling helpless and blaming poor sanitation. Meanwhile, other areas like Sunset Park and Flatbush in Brooklyn are also experiencing unwelcome increases, even as other NYC neighborhoods see improvement. (NY Post)

— Andrew Cuomo's lawyers, who were paid millions in taxpayer dollars to defend him against sexual harassment allegations and a COVID-19 probe, are now hosting a fundraiser for his mayoral campaign. The event is being held at the Manhattan office of Morvillo Abramowitz, whose lawyers defended Cuomo and his top aides during the scandals. While Cuomo's camp defends the fundraiser, stating the lawyers 'saw firsthand the injustice,' critics are renewing calls for Cuomo to return the taxpayer funds. (NY Focus)

— The gloves are off between the NYPD and the Bronx DA! Commissioner Jessica Tisch pushed for a return to broken windows policing, but DA Darcel Clark fired back, insisting it's not the answer to public safety. Clark argued that the focus should be on addressing the root causes of crime, not just cracking down on minor offenses. (NY Daily News)

Capitol Gains

— New York's budget negotiations are officially underway, with the state Senate and Assembly releasing their responses to Governor Hochul's proposal. Both chambers are pushing back on Hochul's proposed changes to discovery laws, meant to ensure defendants have faster access to evidence, setting up a potential battle. The Senate also wants to limit Hochul's rebate checks to seniors, while the Assembly nixed her plan to ban cellphones in schools, teeing up a showdown as Hochul vows to fight for the phone ban. (City & State)

DETAILS: Gov. Hochul is doubling down on her push for phone-free schools in New York, advocating for a 'bell-to-bell' ban. Citing studies on social media's impact on mental health and academic performance, Hochul, backed by Common Sense Media, is urging lawmakers to support the legislation. (1010 WINS)

— Gov. Hochul signed an executive order barring the 2,000 recently terminated correction officers from ever working for a New York state agency again. The officers were fired for striking, which has led some to call the move clear retaliation. (Times Union)

— Gov. Hochul and Mayor Adams are dodging questions about the arrest of pro-Palestinian Columbia protester Mahmoud Khalil, with both claiming a lack of information. This silence contrasts sharply with other Democrats who are decrying the arrest as an attack on free speech by the Trump administration. Mayoral candidates are seizing the opportunity to highlight the issue, with some directly criticizing the mayor and former Gov. Cuomo's silence. (Gothamist)

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Trail Mix

— Despite low poll numbers and a campaign team that's 'virtually nonexistent,' Eric Adams insists he'll launch his reelection bid "very soon." He's brushing off concerns about losing support to Andrew Cuomo, claiming his message will win voters over. Also, Adams says he’s stopped reading the news to combat 'mental obesity' amid his federal bribery case. (Politico)

— The union for NYC deputy sheriffs, who padlock illegal pot shops, is backing Andrew Cuomo's mayoral bid. The union head says the illegal cannabis shop boom wouldn't have happened under Cuomo, despite the fact that he legalized recreational marijuana as governor. The endorsement comes as the union gripes about stalled contract negotiations with Mayor Adams and a DOI probe into the sheriff's office handling of cash seizures from illegal shops. (NY Post)

— The American Jewish Congress is backing Cuomo's candidacy and slamming Brad Lander and Zohran Mamdani, accusing them of supporting antisemitism and anti-Israel groups. Lander (who is Jewish) fired back, calling the move a political trick by Cuomo. (NY Post)