BERGER TO HOST WASTE SORTING WORKSHOP SEPT. 17:
Assemblyman Sam Berger will host a Waste Sorting Workshop in collaboration with Councilwoman Vickie Paladino on Thursday, September 17, from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM at the Poppenhusen Institute, 114-04 14th Road in College Point. The workshop will provide residents with clear information about New York City’s waste-sorting requirements and give community members an opportunity to learn directly from the New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY). DSNY representatives will present the City’s waste-sorting rules in both Mandarin and English and provide educational materials and resources in several languages. Community organizations will also be on hand to connect residents with additional services and resources.
ADDABBO OFFERS PROSTATE SCREENINGS SEPT 19:
Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. is partnering with Long Island Jewish Forest Hills | Northwell Health to offer free prostate screenings at his District Offices during Prostate Cancer Awareness Month in September and Men’s Health Month in November. The screening involves a simple PSA blood test. Those seeking to have a prostate cancer screening must make an appointment by filling out the form at: redcap.link/Senatoraddabbo
Woodhaven: September 19th – 11 am – 2 pm. Senator Addabbo’s Woodhaven Office, 84-16 Jamaica Avenue, Woodhaven.
114th COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEETING SEPT. 22:
Your voice matters. Your presence counts. Guest speaker: Seth Lynch, NYPD 114th Pct Commanding Officer. Tuesday, September 22 at 7:00 pm at The Marquee Astoria, 25-22 Astoria Blvd.
LEE TO HOLD FLOOD PREPAREDNESS TOWN HALL SEPT. 22:
Council Member Linda Lee: “In response to recent flooding events, our office is working with DEP to ensure our communities are prepared. Join us and DEP representatives at the Cross Island Y, 238-10 Hillside Avenue, on Tuesday, September 22 at 6:00 pm for a Flood Preparedness Town Hall … Do you live in a 1-4 family home or basement apartment? Have you experienced flooding? Join DEP for an educational presentation and take home a free flood preparedness kit. RSVP required. On.nyc.gov/queens-district23-flood-prep
BATTERY FARM COMMUNITY FORUM SEPT. 23:
What could a battery energy storage facility mean for your neighborhood? Residents deserve answers about safety, emergency response, and how decisions about these facilities are made. Join the Queens Civic Congress for an important public forum featuring expert perspectives, elected officials, and residents living near an operating facility. Bring your questions and join the discussion. Wednesday, September 23. Doors open at 7:00 PM; program ends at 8:30 PM. Hillcrest Jewish Center, 183-02 Union Turnpike, Flushing. Free and open to all.
RICHARDS ON 9/11:
Borough President Donovan Richards, Jr.: “It’s almost impossible to believe that it’s been exactly 25 years since that clear blue sky over our city on September 11, 2001 was pierced by unimaginable terror and unfathomable loss. In what seemed like the blink of an eye, our city lost two of its most iconic towers and more than 2,600 of our family members, friends and neighbors. But in the midst of the chaos came countless examples of courage, heroism and selflessness. First responders and ordinary civilians alike moved heaven and earth to save total strangers, sometimes at the cost of their own lives. When I think back to the attacks, those stories are the ones that stick with me the most. But for tens of thousands of New York families, 9/11 wasn’t just a single day 25 years ago. It’s an ongoing catastrophe that appears in the form of debilitating recovery-related illnesses that continue to claim lives to this day. So as we mark the anniversary of the attacks today, it is incumbent on us to do two things. First, we must always continue to be a city that is welcoming and warm, where we believe that our diversity is our strength. The attacks of 9/11 were meant to divide us, but we will continue to be defined by what unites us as New Yorkers and not our differences in demographics or background. Second, we must all continue to advocate for our 9/11 heroes battling illness to receive the healthcare and benefits they deserve. We are forever indebted to them and our government must always pay that debt down in the form of care. To everyone involved in that fight, I’m proud to stand alongside you. It is my hope that our young people who were not yet born on 9/11 learn today what happened 25 years ago, but most importantly, how we responded as a city. And to everyone grieving the loss of a loved one on that fateful day, our hearts are with you.”
MAMDANI OPENS CITY’S 9/11 RECORDS TO THE PUBLIC:
Ahead of the 25th anniversary of the horrific September 11th terrorist attacks, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani announced the release of more than 170,000 pages of City records documenting the government’s response to the attacks and their aftermath, as well as the settlement of two lawsuits brought by 9/11 Health Watch, ending a multi-year legal battle over records concerning air quality and health concerns following September 11th.
Across several mayoral administrations, first responders, elected officials and families of victims of 9/11-related illnesses have demanded the release of these records. Mayor Mamdani’s FY27 budget includes $34 million to create and maintain the public records portal.
The portal, available now at nyc.gov/sept11docs, features an initial release of approximately 170,000 pages of records concerning health concerns, air quality and the City’s response to September 11th. The records include the frequently referenced Harding Memo, the “68 boxes” of records that were not located until 2025 despite multiple Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) requests, and a collection of records concerning World Trade Center 7.
Law Department officials worked directly with 9/11 Health Watch to identify and include many of the records sought by plaintiffs in the initial release, while limiting omissions to those necessary, including the redaction of personally identifiable information. The portal will be updated regularly as the Law Department reviews additional City records over the next 12 months. The City expects substantially more documents will be released in the coming year as they are reviewed, and personally identifiable information is removed.
The Mamdani Administration will also appoint dedicated personnel at the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) and New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) to coordinate the retrieval of records for New Yorkers seeking to establish their presence in the New York City Exposure Zone and access assistance through the two Federal Programs established under the Zadroga Act, the World Trade Center Health Program and the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund. The Mamdani Administration will work to promote participation in both programs for responders and survivors.
“The very least our city owes the families, survivors and first responders whose lives were forever changed by the September 11th attacks is transparency and accountability. That is why I am proud that our administration has launched the City’s first public records portal dedicated to the environmental and health impacts of 9/11 and reached a settlement in these lawsuits,” said Mayor Mamdani. “For too long, New Yorkers have had to fight for access to records that should have been available to them in the first place. This portal is part of our administration’s enduring commitment to honor those we lost, care for those living with lasting health consequences and give thousands of New Yorkers the answer they’ve been asking for.”
“For 25 years, first responders, survivors, families, and people who lived, worked and went to school in Lower Manhattan have lived with the health consequences of 9/11 while critical pieces of the City’s own record—HOW they got sick—remained out of reach,” said Council Member Gale A. Brewer. “On the Council, I fought for an independent DOI investigation (using a city charter provision for the first time, that’s now fully funded thanks to Speaker Menin and my colleagues) because New Yorkers deserve to know what their government knew, when it knew it, and what decisions were made. This portal is a great first step toward giving the public access to that record, one that has been denied them under previous administrations until Steve Banks, Corporation Counsel, and Mayor Mamdani got involved.”
“For 25 years, I have fought for the first responders, survivors and families who were told the air was safe and later learned otherwise. They deserved the truth then, and they deserve the full truth now,” said former Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney. “I commend Mayor Mamdani and Corporation Counsel Banks for releasing approximately 170,000 pages of records that belong to the people of New York and that will help survivors prove their presence in the Exposure Zone and secure the benefits they are owed. I fought to create and permanently fund the World Trade Center Health Program and September 11th Victim Compensation Fund because our obligation to the 9/11 community does not expire. Government records about September 11th belong to the people of New York.”
DSNY PAYS TRIBUTE TO MEMBERS WHO HAVE DIED OF 9/11 RELATED ILLNESSES:
To honor the more than 150 Department of Sanitation employees who have died of illnesses related to their work following the terrorist attacks on 9/11, DSNY leadership, staff, retirees and family members gathered Friday afternoon in Lower Manhattan for the Department’s annual Reading of the Names ceremony. This year’s ceremony included the dedication of a new public memorial plaque bearing the names of those who have died on the facade of the Spring Street Garage overlooking One World Trade Center.
In addition, to mark the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and the years-long recovery that followed, DSNY has illuminated its iconic Spring Street Salt Shed with a visual tribute highlighting the contributions of New York’s Strongest to cleanup and recovery efforts both in Lower Manhattan and at Fresh Kills.
DSNY will also premiere a new documentary film on September 24th at Cooper Union featuring archival footage and interviews with Sanitation members detailing the Department’s efforts to clean up Lower Manhattan in the immediate aftermath of the attacks, to support rescue, recovery and debris removal efforts at Ground Zero, and to perform the solemn task of screening debris from the attacks for human remains, personal effects and other evidence before its final disposition.
“When the Twin Towers fell and our city was buried in dust and debris, Sanitation workers showed up. For nine months, they cleared 1.6 million tons of material from Lower Manhattan, sifting through the wreckage left behind by the deadliest terror attack in our city’s history,” said Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani. “That service came at a profound cost. More than 150 Sanitation workers have died from 9/11-related illnesses. As we mark 25 years since that terrible day, we mourn those we have lost and reaffirm our commitment to the workers who put their lives on the line to care for this city. We will never forget their service.”
Much of the material removed from the site was carefully placed onto barges and sent across the harbor to Fresh Kills. There, a forensic team that included NYPD and the FBI sifted every piece of material through a quarter-inch mesh sieve. Working together, this team helped to identify and recover more than 54,000 personal items and the remains of more than 300 victims of the attacks. DSNY’s work assisting in the largest crime scene investigation in history continued until July 26, 2002.
Learn more at https://on.nyc.gov/DSNY9-11.
GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCES RESOLUTION COMMEMORATING 25th ANNY OF 9/11:
On the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand led a group of her colleagues in announcing a Senate resolution honoring the victims, first responders, and survivors of 9/11, as well as the service members who defended the United States in the aftermath. The resolution pays tribute to the 2,977 individuals killed in Lower Manhattan, at the Pentagon, and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. It also honors the 343 firefighters, 72 law enforcement officers, 8 emergency medical technicians and paramedics, and 55 military personnel at the Pentagon who sacrificed their lives responding to the attacks, alongside the passengers and crew of United Airlines Flight 93. The resolution also recognizes the charitable foundations, nonprofit organizations, labor organizations, faith-based organizations, and community groups that have faithfully served survivors and families of victims.
“Twenty-five years ago, our nation experienced tragedy, but in our darkest hour, we saw the extraordinary courage and resilience of the American people,” said Senator Gillibrand. “As we mark 25 years since September 11, 2001, we owe it to the victims, the heroes who ran into the burning towers, and the military personnel who answered the call to serve to ensure their sacrifices are never forgotten. This resolution reaffirms our commitment to standing with survivors and their families, supporting the programs that continue to provide critical care, and vowing to never forget.”
HOCHUL ANNOUNCES $2.2 MILLION FOR 9/11 MEMORIAL:
As New Yorkers mark the 25th anniversary of 9/11, Governor Kathy Hochul today announced $2.2 million in funding to support expanded free admission to the 9/11 Memorial Museum for all New Yorkers every Sunday, year-round. Currently, the New York First Sundays program allows individuals who live and study in New York to receive free admission during the afternoon on the first Sunday of each month. New York First Sundays is a program initially funded by the Andrew Carnegie Foundation. Beginning in October, for one year, thousands more New Yorkers can visit every Sunday, many for the first time.
“The events of 9/11 and those we lost that day should never be forgotten and every New Yorker, especially those too young to remember the attacks, should have the opportunity to visit the 9/11 Memorial Museum,” Governor Hochul said. “By expanding New York First Sundays to include every Sunday throughout the year, we are ensuring that more New Yorkers can experience the Museum, honor those we lost, and reflect on the courage, resilience and unity that sustained our state and our nation on one of our darkest days. I am proud to support the 9/11 Memorial & Museum as it continues to preserve these stories for future generations.”
GILLIBRAND STATEMENT ON RELEASE OF CITY RECORDS:
In response to new reports underscoring that New Yorkers were misled about dangerous air quality after the terror attack in New York City on September 11, 2001, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand issued the following statement:
“In the aftermath of 9/11, our first responders and survivors were told the same thing over and over: prove it. Prove that the dust and smoke you breathed for months at Ground Zero made you sick. Prove that your cancer, your lung disease, your colleague’s death was connected to the cleanup. Dying heroes had to travel to Washington to beg members of Congress to look them in the eye, believe them, and help them.
“I have spent my Senate career fighting for these families: passing the Zadroga Act to establish the World Trade Center Health Program, permanently funding the Victim Compensation Fund, and fixing the health program’s funding shortfall. Together, we had to fight to prove what we already knew, and what it appears some officials knew from the very beginning.
“I want to thank Mayor Mamdani and his administration for releasing these initial public records regarding the toxins present during and after the attacks, and for their commitment to fully review and publicize more records over the next year.
AWA CONDEMNS CHANGE TO SHSAT:
Asian Wave Alliance (AWA), a nonpartisan political club representing Asian American New Yorkers, strongly condemns Council Members Nantasha Williams and Lincoln Restler’s proposals, the “Specialized High Schools: Excellence and Integration Plan” as well as City Council Resolution 167. These proposed changes are an attack against merit and are blatantly racist and engineered to reduce the number of Asian students at Specialized High Schools by: 1. Replacing the transparent, objective Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT) with a subjective “holistic” admissions process for the five Specialized High Schools that were established during the Bloomberg administration; 2. Limiting eligibility for the Discovery program to low-income students from only 15 high-poverty school districts when in reality low-income students exist in all schools and districts citywide; and 3. Urging Albany to repeal the Hecht-Calandra Act, which established the SHSAT as the sole admissions criterion for Stuyvesant High School, Bronx High School of Science, and Brooklyn Technical High School.
“Asian exclusion is disguised as integration. The top 15 districts were chosen purposely and nefariously to exclude Asians. Based on 2025 NYC Public Schools demographic data, the 15th-ranked low-income district is less than 5% Asian, while the 16th-ranked district jumps to 22% Asian. With 32 overall districts, it’s hard to not see this as an Asian-exclusion agenda,” said Yiatin Chu, president of Asian Wave Alliance.
GONZÁLEZ-ROJAS CELEBRATES SIGNING OF LANDMARK PERSONNEL RECORDS LAW:
Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas celebrated Governor Kathy Hochul’s signing of legislation guaranteeing workers across New York access to their personnel records, delivering a major victory for labor and for working people across New York State.
A.2107/S.3460, sponsored in the Assembly by Assembly Member González-Rojas and in the Senate by Senator Andrew Gounardes, ensures that employees can access the personnel files maintained by their employers and requires employers to notify workers when negative information is added to their records. The law will give workers a meaningful opportunity to understand and respond to information that could affect their employment. The legislation was signed on September 9th at Governor Hochul’s annual Labor Appreciation Reception at the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies, coming just days after Labor Day and underscoring New York’s commitment to strengthening protections for working people. New York now joins at least 17 other states that guarantee employees access to their personnel records. “Every worker deserves to know what is in their personnel file and to have a meaningful opportunity to understand and respond to information that could impact their livelihood. For too long, workers have been left in the dark when negative information is added to their files, creating an unfair power imbalance between employees and employers. With the signing of the Access to Personnel Records bill, we are bringing greater transparency and accountability to the workplace and ensuring workers have a meaningful voice in their employment records. I am proud to have championed this legislation with Senator Gounardes and grateful to Governor Hochul for signing it into law. This is a victory for workers across New York and another step toward building workplaces where dignity, fairness, and respect are not optional, they are the standard,” said Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas.
RALLY AGAINST BROTHELS IN JACKSON HTS::
The Restore Roosevelt Avenue coalition marched and held a rally at a dozen Brothel/prostitution locations to highlight the rampant human trafficking and criminality in the community. They also marched to demand more public safety from the Governor and Mayor. They specifically called for more enforcement and vacate orders across the Roosevelt Avenue corridor to put these criminal operations out of business! Since September of 2024 this coalition has rallied for more public safety. The two-hour march began at 76th Street and ended at 90th Street on Roosevelt Avenue.
District Leader Hiram Monserrate, who has been a leading voice on the issue of the lack of public safety on the troubled corridor, stated, “We need our local reps, the Governor and the Mayor engaging on Roosevelt Avenue. Roosevelt Avenue is an Urban Crime Zone and any improvements made in the past are now long gone. Back to basics! Moreover, we need all our law enforcement to enforce the law and hold unscrupulous landlords accountable. Clearly, these landlords choose to rent to these brothels and are complicit in promoting criminal enterprises.”
RAGA JOINS CRUZ IN CALL FOR TPS FOR COLOMBIA:
New York State Assemblymember Steven Raga joined Assemblymember Catalina Cruz and other New York elected officials in a letter calling on the Trump Administration to designate Colombia for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) following the devastating August 10 earthquake.
The letter, generated by Assemblymember Cruz, calls on the Department of Homeland Security to grant Colombia an initial 18-month TPS designation, providing temporary protection to eligible Colombian nationals already living in the United States while the country recovers from the disaster.
The magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia, with its epicenter in Chocó and impacts extending to Cali, Pereira, Quibdó, Manizales and surrounding communities. At least 265 people have died, nearly 500 remain missing, thousands have been injured and more than 25,800 families have been affected, according to the letter.
TPS is a temporary humanitarian protection and does not itself provide permanent residency or citizenship. The letter asks the Administration to designate Colombia for TPS for the maximum initial period of 18 months, establish a continuous-residence date protecting Colombian nationals residing in the United States on or before August 10, and provide clear, multilingual guidance on eligibility, registration and employment authorization.
HUNDREDS OF NEW 15MPH SLOW ZONES:
Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Mike Flynn today welcomed New York City students back to school with new measures designed to make the streets around schools safer for children, families and all New Yorkers.
From hundreds of new 15 MPH School Slow Zones and school street redesigns to the return of Open Streets and the city’s first gated school Open Street, the administration is expanding proven tools to slow traffic, create more space for pedestrians and make getting to and from school safer.
“Every student deserves to feel safe when they make their way to school, and every parent deserves the same peace of mind,” said Mayor Mamdani. “From Sammy’s Law and Open Streets to installing street redesigns near 300 City schools, our administration will continue to take action to ensure our streets are safe, especially those surrounding our children’s schools.”
Earlier this year, Mayor Mamdani announced the City would reduce speed limits to 15 MPH at every eligible school location during his first term using the authority granted to New York City under Sammy’s Law. NYC DOT has already installed more than 200 15 MPH School Slow Zones this year, with roughly 800 expected to be in place by the end of 2026 as part of the first year of the administration’s commitment.
LEAD PIPE REPLACEMENT PROGRAM:
Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) free lead service line replacement program has saved more than 900 Bronx and Queen homeowners more than $10,000 each.
Supported by $96 million in State and Federal funding, including a recent grant of an additional $14 million from the State and $10 million from the Federal government, the program is anticipated to remove up to 7,000 lead service lines from private properties in low-income neighborhoods and neighborhoods disproportionately burdened by environmental pollution and the impacts of climate change.
“We are going door to door to make sure New Yorkers can safely bring our city’s world-class drinking water from reservoirs upstate to their dining tables without having to choose between their health and a $10,000 bill,” said Mayor Mamdani. “In partnership with Governor Hochul, we are replacing lead pipes with new, safe copper lines at no cost to eligible New York City homeowners.”
“Ability to pay should never be an impediment to clean, safe drinking water,” said Governor Hochul. “Since taking office we have made $10.6 billion available for water infrastructure projects across the state, and in the Bronx and Queens, that investment is saving eligible homeowners over $10,000. Working with Mayor Mamdani, we will continue to protect public drinking water in New York City by empowering residents to put their health first by getting the lead out cost-free.”
Water service lines connect homes to the City’s water mains. These lines are privately owned, meaning property owners are normally responsible for replacing them — a job that can cost homeowners more than $10,000. DEP’s program replaces lead or galvanized steel service lines with new copper pipes at no cost to eligible homeowners. DEP’s records indicate there are approximately 121,100 known lead or galvanized service lines across the city.
Replacements are now underway in neighborhoods across the Bronx, as well as Flushing, Murray Hill, Queensboro Hill and East Flushing in Queens.
Eligible property owners receive letters directly from DEP with instructions on how to sign up for the lead service line replacement program.
MAMDANI OVERHAULS NYCPS PROCUREMENT SYSTEM:
Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and Chancellor Kamar H. Samuels today announced a sweeping overhaul of the New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) procurement system, bringing long-overdue reforms to the nation’s largest school district.
“In the past 20 years, we’ve gone from dial-up to broadband, made revolutionary advances in renewable energy and put computers in nearly every pocket. And yet the largest school system in the nation is still relying on a procurement system built for 2006. That ends now,” said Mayor Mamdani. “We are bringing our schools procurement system into the 21st century, saving taxpayers more than $100 million and making sure our educators have what they need to give our kids the education they deserve.”
“For too long, our procurement process has forced schools to navigate unnecessary red tape instead of focusing on what matters most: our students,” said Schools Chancellor Samuels. “We are investing in our people, modernizing our systems and creating clear, transparent processes so that every dollar works harder for our classrooms. This is what an accountable school system looks like. and it’s what our students and educators deserve.”
The reforms will save the City more than $100 million over the current fiscal year and the next by eliminating unnecessary contracts, rebidding where appropriate and strengthening active contract management. They will also modernize outdated technology, provide comprehensive procurement training for staff and establish clear, transparent timelines for vendors.
The changes will ensure that students and educators get the resources they need, when they need them, while making sure every public dollar is spent responsibly.
First introduced by Chancellor Samuels at the start of the year, the newly created Division of Finance, Administration and Human Resources, led by Deputy Chancellor Lindsey Oates, is consolidating this important work under one division to streamline oversight, strengthen accountability and improve operations.
The reforms address longstanding delays, red tape and bureaucracy in the NYCPS procurement and contracting system.
HOCHUL ANNOUNCES RFP TO BUILD NEW BUSES:
Governor Kathy Hochul announced today the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) will be releasing a request for proposals (RFPs) from bus manufacturing companies to build 650 new buses, the biggest single upgrade to the fleet since 2013. When the full order has been completed, these new buses will represent more than 10 percent of the MTA’s bus fleet and will serve more than one million daily riders. These buses will be purchased with funding secured by Governor Hochul in the MTA’s historic 2025-29 Capital Plan and will fulfill the MTA’s commitment to modernize its bus fleet made in the Next Stop: Faster Buses, Better Service plan announced in partnership with Governor Hochul and New York City Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani this summer. The buses will use Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), a cheaper, greener alternative to diesel fuel. The new buses, which will replace aging CNG buses already in service, will improve fleet reliability, reduce emissions and improve air quality.
“We promised New Yorkers a historic partnership with City Hall to move buses faster and more reliably, now we are delivering by moving full speed ahead with the single largest purchase of new MTA buses in over a decade,” Governor Hochul said. “Modern, reliable buses can spend more time on the road and less time in the shop than the old vehicles they will replace, a win for riders who depend on frequent, reliable service to get around.”
Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani said, “Working New Yorkers depend on our buses to get to work, get their kids to school, get home and get where they need to go. This investment will help us deliver the faster, more reliable and more affordable bus service New Yorkers deserve while modernizing our fleet and moving to cleaner, greener fuel. I’m proud to partner with Governor Hochul and the MTA to make that vision a reality and build a transit system that works for every New Yorker.”
This RFP is part of the MTA’s new Rolling Stock Program, which approaches rolling stock procurement contracts differently by encouraging innovation by giving manufacturers greater flexibility to propose new ideas. This results in a streamlined contract that will ensure the Authority can deliver quality cars and buses in a timely manner, while giving riders the best value for their tax dollars.
Proposals are due October 19, 2026.
HOCHUL ANNOUNCES DFS REGULATION PROPOSAL:
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) has proposed a regulation amending the process for filing private passenger auto insurance rates, implementing reforms enacted in the Fiscal Year 2027 Budget to help bring down the cost of auto insurance in New York State. The regulation will increase transparency by requiring insurers to receive prior approval for any private passenger automobile rate increase requests. The enacted FY27 Budget delivers sweeping reforms to address key factors driving up auto insurance premiums, including insurance fraud and excessive litigation costs. The proposed regulation issued by DFS is an important step in enacting these reforms.
“New Yorkers deserve a transparent, fair and accountable auto insurance market that puts customers first,” Governor Hochul said. “This regulation delivers on our commitment to strengthen consumer protections and give policyholders greater confidence that insurance companies are being held to clear standards. As we continue to work to lower costs, combat fraud and make New York State more affordable, we are helping families and businesses make informed decisions and ensuring insurers remain accountable to their customers.”
Assemblymember David Weprin said, “New Yorkers deserve relief from rising auto insurance costs, as well as greater transparency and accountability when rates change. Requiring insurers to receive prior approval before raising private passenger auto rates is an important consumer protection and a key part of the reforms we enacted in this year’s State Budget. I commend Governor Hochul and the Department of Financial Services for moving swiftly to implement these measures, and I look forward to continuing our work to combat insurance fraud, reduce unnecessary costs and make auto insurance more affordable for New York drivers.”
HEALTH INSURANCE RATE HIKES CUT BY 71%:
Following a letter led by Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas and State Senator Gustavo Rivera and signed or supported by 76 additional New York elected officials, the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) has substantially reduced the health insurance rate increases initially requested by insurers for the 2027 plan year, saving New Yorkers hundreds of millions of dollars.
Insurers had requested an average 20.6 percent rate increase in New York’s individual health insurance market. The DFS cut those requested increases by 71 percent, approving an average increase of just 6.0 percent for 2027 and saving consumers an estimated $324 million. The decision follows growing pressure from elected officials, consumer advocates, and New Yorkers concerned about the affordability of health coverage. In their letter to DFS, Assembly Member González-Rojas and Senator Rivera urged state regulators to reject or substantially reduce excessive rate increases and closely scrutinize insurers’ projected costs, profitability, and use of premium dollars.
“This decision demonstrates the importance of strong oversight and putting consumers first in our health insurance system. New Yorkers are already facing skyrocketing costs, and they should not be forced to absorb unjustified increases in the cost of staying insured,” said Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas. The approved rates will be further reduced for consumers who qualify for federal premium tax credits through NY State of Health. Approximately 58 percent of individuals currently enrolled in Qualified Health Plans through NY State of Health receive federal premium tax credits to help lower their monthly premiums. Approximately 224,000 New Yorkers are currently enrolled in individual commercial health insurance plans.
The DFS decision also significantly reduced requested rate increases in the small group market. Insurers had requested an average 23.7 percent increase for small group plans, which cover employers with up to 100 employees. DFS cut that increase by 66 percent, approving an average increase of 8.0 percent for 2027 and saving small businesses an estimated $1.25 billion. More than 630,000 New Yorkers are currently enrolled in small group plans. Some small businesses may also qualify for tax credits that could further reduce their health insurance costs, including the federal Small Business Health Care Tax Credit. Separately, the 2027 rate decisions do not include the Essential Plan, which is available through NY State of Health at no premium to eligible lower-income New Yorkers. The significant reductions approved by DFS reflect the importance of rigorous review of insurers’ rate requests and the need to protect consumers and small businesses from excessive health care costs. Assembly Member González-Rojas and Senator Rivera will continue to advocate for affordable, accessible health coverage for all New Yorkers.
BERGER HOSTS BACK TO SCHOOL EVENT:
Assemblyman Sam Berger (D-Queens) hosted a Back-to-School Event alongside community partners and local organizations to help students and families prepare for the upcoming school year. The event brought together community organizations and partners to provide students with essential school supplies and educational resources to help them start the school year on the right foot. Families had the opportunity to connect with local organizations and learn about resources available to them throughout the year.
“As the new school year approaches, I want to make sure that every student in our community has the tools and resources they need to succeed,” said Assemblyman Sam Berger. “I’m proud to partner with local organizations that are committed to supporting our families and investing in the future of our children. A new school year should be an exciting time, and we are happy to do our part to help students and families begin it with confidence.”
Events like these are a reminder of what we can accomplish when our community comes together to support one another. Assemblyman Berger is proud to work alongside local organizations and community partners who share a commitment to helping our children and families succeed. As students head back to the classroom, he looks forward to continuing to bring people together, connect families with valuable resources, and build a stronger, more supportive community for everyone in Queens.
*** CRIME BLOTTER ***
FLUSHING MAN SENTENCED TO 25 YEARS TO LIFE:
Victim Paralyzed from Gunshot Injuries and Died Three Months Later; Defendant Fled the Country
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Damion Howell was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for the August 2022 murder of Julian Askew in Jamaica. Howell was convicted by a jury of fatally shooting the 29-year-old after the men got into an argument in a bodega over crude remarks the defendant made to Askew’s girlfriend.
District Attorney Katz said: “Damion Howell brazenly shot a young man after propositioning the victim’s girlfriend for sex. When Julian Askew died three months later from his injuries, the defendant fled the country in a futile effort to evade justice. Howell was apprehended, tried and convicted for this senseless murder. I hope today’s sentence helps Askew’s family and friends as they continue to mourn his loss.”
Howell, 42, of Flushing, was convicted by a jury in August of murder in the second degree and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree. Queens Supreme Court Justice Ushir Pandit-Durant sentenced him today to 25 years to life in prison.
According to the charges and trial testimony, on August 5, 2022, at approximately 1:11 a.m., Howell was inside a bodega at 106-32 Sutphin Boulevard in Jamaica, approached Julian Askew’s girlfriend and propositioned her for sex. The woman told Askew about Howell’s remarks and the two men got into an argument before the defendant left the store. About a half hour later, Howell returned to the bodega wearing different clothing and approached Askew. The two men walked to the end of the block. When they arrived at the corner of Waltham Street, Howell produced a gun and shot Askew in the torso. He then fled the scene. The victim’s girlfriend observed the shooting and called 911. Askew was taken to a local hospital for treatment. He was paralyzed from the waist down and died three months later, on November 14, 2022, from gunshot injuries.
Eleven days after Askew died, Howell fled the country to the United Kingdom. He was apprehended at Kennedy Airport in May 2023 when he returned to the United States on his own.
—With contributions by Augusta Luger
This column was originated by John A. Toscano.