Good Morning, New York! The MTA is spending an eye-popping $250M on consultants for the next phase of the Second Avenue Subway, NYC schools could be shortchanged in a new funding formula, and Sticker Mule CEO Anthony Constantino mulls a third party bid for NY-21 in a move that could lead to a Democratic victory. This is your Tammany Times AM Briefing for Thursday, March 27th, 2025.

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Front Pages

amNY had not published an issue as of 6:20 AM on Thursday, March 27th.

Hall Monitors

— The MTA is catching flak from U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who claims the agency is 'horribly run' and crime is scaring riders. MTA Chair Janno Lieber fired back, citing stats showing subway crime is down and congestion pricing revenue is exceeding expectations. Lieber also suggested Duffy is trying to undermine congestion pricing and questioned why the 'pro-cop' administration in Washington is going after the NYPD, which is responsible for subway safety. (NY1)

— Lawmakers are freaking out over Governor Hochul's proposed changes to the state's education funding formula, which they say could shortchange city schools by $350 million. Advocates are also worried about potential federal funding cuts under the Trump administration, adding another layer of financial stress to the city's education system. (Gothamist)

— The MTA is throwing around money again. Despite claiming they’re broke, the board just approved nearly $250 million for consultants to work on the Second Avenue subway extension. That contract, worth $255 million, is up from the originally budgeted $120 million. Consultants are often blamed for MTA cost overruns, with the First Phase reportedly costing $656 million in consultant fees, or more than twice as much as what was spent on construction for the subway tunnel. (NY Post)

Capitol Gains

— Looks like Gov. Hochul is about to score a win in the state budget battle. Lawmakers are finally on board with her plan for a statewide all-day ban on cellphones in schools. It has fallen down the list of controversial issues, as the legislature is grappling with issues ranging from mask-wearing restrictions to changes in discovery laws, and of course looming federal budget cuts that threaten to shake up state finances. (State of Politics)

— Lawmakers are declaring war on the Public Service Commission, claiming the utility rate regulator is a "pathetic excuse" that fails to curb costs for consumers. The plan is to dismantle the PSC and replace it with an entity that can more tightly regulate utility companies, though the specifics are still under discussion. While Democrats want to overhaul the regulatory structure, Republicans argue the problem lies in the state's renewable energy mandates in the first place. (Times Union)

— Fifteen prison workers are now persons of interest in the investigation into the death of an inmate at Mid-State Correctional Facility. While no one has been determined to be involved, three correction officers have been suspended without pay. The other 12 are on administrative leave pending the results of an internal review. (State of Politics)

Trail Mix

— After the Conservative Party endorsed state Sen. Dan Stec, Sticker Mule CEO Anthony Constantino is considering a third-party run for Elise Stefanik's congressional seat. Constantino, who claims to be the true GOP frontrunner, has criticized Stec as 'anti-Trump' and suggests he'll run as an independent to champion Trump's agenda if Stec is chosen. A third-party bid could complicate the race for Republicans in the reliably red district. (Times Union)

— Schenectady City Council GOP candidate Jacob Dobbs dropped out after it was revealed he'd been charged with falsely reporting an incident last year, a charge related to a dispute with his ex-girlfriend. Dobbs apologized to the party for the trouble and for not disclosing it earlier, and the GOP is now scrambling to find a replacement and will now conduct criminal background checks for future prospective candidates. (Times Union)

— The latest poll from Emerson shows Cuomo with a commanding lead: Andrew Cuomo: 38% (up from 33%), Zohran Mamdani: 10% (unchanged), Eric Adams: 10% (up from 8%), Jessica Ramos: 6% (unchanged), Brad Lander: 6% (unchanged), Scott Stringer: 5% (down from 8%), Undecided: 17% (down from 25%). Many minor candidates (A. Adams, Myrie, Tilson, Blake) all get below 5%, with Myrie falling the furthest from 6%. (Emerson College Polling)

— Another poll from Data for Progress shows even stronger results for the former Governor: Cuomo polls at 39% and Mamdani snags 15%, incumbent Eric Adams is lagging behind at only 7%. In a head-to-head, ranked-choice simulation, Cuomo trounces Mamdani 70% to 30%. (Data for Progress)