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Good Morning, New York! The recently passed budget in the house could leave up to a $20 billion hole in the NY state budget, Adrienne Adams rips Cuomo’s leadership on the anniversary of her father’s death from COVID, and Rep. Garbarino is under fire after sleeping through a critical vote. This is your Tammany Times AM Briefing for Friday, May 23rd, 2025.

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

WHERE’s ERIC: No public schedule available.

TIPS? Email me: [email protected]

Front Pages

Hall Monitors

— Steve Cohen's dream of building an $8 billion casino near Citi Field is one step closer to reality. Despite opposition from a local senator, the bill to re-designate parkland for commercial use is expected to pass the Senate. Meanwhile, with another casino bid withdrawn, Yonkers is urging the state to quickly approve full casino licenses for its existing racinos. (NY Post)

— Fare evasion and lagging ridership are hitting New Yorkers in the wallet. According to a new report, increased taxes and upcoming fare hikes are needed to offset revenue losses. While the MTA is trying to crack down on fare jumpers, real estate taxes haven't been keeping up, putting the squeeze on riders to keep the system running. (amNY)

— On the anniversary of her father's COVID death, mayoral candidate and City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams sharply criticized Cuomo's pandemic leadership, accusing him of mismanaging the crisis and prioritizing politics over community needs. Adams claimed Cuomo diverted resources from hospitals and withheld vaccines from areas run by his political rival, Bill de Blasio. Cuomo's campaign defended his actions, citing support from faith leaders and increased hospital funding during his tenure, while experts debate whether his fiscal decisions impacted COVID mortality rates. (Gothamist)

Capitol Gains

— New York is bracing for some major financial fallout. The recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act could punch up to a $20 billion hole in the state budget, and could force up to 1 million New Yorkers off of Medicaid. However many will also see major tax breaks, with the most impacted being tipped workers like servers, seniors who are taking the standard deduction, and people living in expensive NYC suburbs with high property taxes that will benefit from a quadrupling of the SALT deduction. (The City)

— Amtrak is closing one of the East River Tunnel tubes tonight, initiating a 2.5-year repair project. Despite opposition from the MTA and local leaders, Amtrak insists the full shutdown of each tube is necessary to address corrosion from Hurricane Sandy and other damage. The project could disrupt LIRR, NJ Transit, and Amtrak, but officials are hoping to mitigate the impact on commuters. (NY Daily News)

— Gov. Hochul is having a tough time finding folks to sit on Buffalo's fiscal control board. The recruitment struggles raise questions about the board's future and its ability to oversee the city's finances. (Buffalo News)

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Trail Mix

— Andrew Cuomo's past is catching up with him, as Jeanine Pirro, his former political rival, may now oversee a criminal investigation into his conduct. The investigation focuses on Cuomo's statements to Congress regarding his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, a topic Pirro fiercely criticized him on during her time at Fox News. This twist comes nearly two decades after Cuomo used a criminal investigation against Pirro herself during their heated attorney general race in 2006. (Gothamist)

— NYC mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani is facing heat from pro-Palestine activists after stating that Israel has a right to exist. The Democratic Socialist, already criticized for his stance on Israel, was confronted at an event and accused of hypocrisy for advocating for a "Free Palestine" while also supporting Israel's existence. Despite the backlash, Mamdani, who supports BDS and has accused Israel of genocide, hasn't retracted his statement, as he seemingly attempts to broaden his appeal beyond his progressive base. (Forward)

— Rep. Andrew Garbarino is in hot water after apparently falling asleep and missing a critical vote on Trump's "big beautiful bill." Speaker Johnson joked about strangling him for costing them two votes, and Long Island Republicans are reportedly furious, suggesting a primary challenge might be brewing. The NY Conservative Party called it a concern, while Dems are using it to boost a challenge in the general. (NY Post)