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#Adams heads to Albany to press NY priorities —but leaders may be in Buffalo

“Adams heads to Albany to press NY priorities —but leaders may be in Buffalo”

Mayor Eric Adams is traveling to Albany Tuesday to lobby key Democratic lawmakers on his end of session priorities such as extending mayoral control of the city’s public schools. 

“On the number of meetings, the team is still putting that together to make sure we speak with as many of my former colleagues and new colleagues as possible,” Adams told reporters Monday afternoon when asked who he’s scheduled to meet with. 

“Anytime I go to Albany, I like to sit down with Andrea and Carl, and, even you know, outside of Albany, so we don’t know the exact number,” Adams said of his desire to sit down with the state legislature’s powerful leaders — state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-Westchester) and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (D-The Bronx).

Adams has delayed the trip once already – blaming scheduling difficulties – and it remains unclear if he will get to meet any of the top three Albany leaders on Tuesday as Gov. Kathy Hochul, Stewart-Cousins and Heastie all plan to join President Biden in Buffalo in the wake of last weekend’s horrific, racially motivated mass shooting.

Heastie said he’ll head to Buffalo on Tuesday to “show solidarity” with the victims of the hate-filled massacre, but his schedule has yet to be finalized so it’s possible he could find time before or after to meet with the Big Apple mayor, according to a spokesman.

A rep speaking for Stewart-Cousins confirmed to The Post that she’ll also travel to Buffalo, but did not return a request for comment as to whether she’ll meet with Adams.

Hochul is on track to remain in the Queen City, as Biden will arrive sometime in the early morning or afternoon, sources said. 

Adams said he wants to speak with "as many of my former colleagues and new colleagues as possible" at the state Capitol.
Adams said he wants to speak with “as many of my former colleagues and new colleagues as possible” at the state Capitol.
Photo by HANS PENNINK/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and other Democrat leaders will be in Buffalo for President Biden's visit following the mass shooting.
State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and other Democrat leaders will be in Buffalo for President Biden’s visit following the mass shooting.
AP Photo/Seth Wenig

Adams’ approach to courting Albany has been criticized as dysfunctional, as both he and his administration have relied on advocating for issues via public press conferences instead of hearing directly from lawmakers in the state Capitol, sources previously told The Post.

Sources did say Adams’ agenda for the Tuesday trip to Albany includes addressing members of the typically left-leaning Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus at 10:30 a.m.

“Mayoral accountability is important – I mean, we see the great things we’re doing, from dyslexia screening with all of our students to the investments our college funds, to building out the pipeline with gaming,” said Adams Monday.

The Legislative session ends on June 2.

Adams will ask lawmakers for more funding for the New York City Housing Authority on his trip.
Adams will ask lawmakers for more funding for the New York City Housing Authority on his trip.
Christopher Sadowski

Adams also said he wants more funding for NYCHA, the city’s embattled housing authority that is currently being run with a federal overseer due to decades of mismanagement, as well as the extension of the real estate-backed 421a program amounting to $1.8 billion in property tax breaks for new construction that offers rent-stabilized housing that could expire if not renewed by June 2.

“We would love to get speed cameras,” he added, of the city’s push to have the power to regulate its speed and red-light cameras without having to get approval from Albany. 

“The head of the committee in the assembly stated he didn’t hear enough from us, which I don’t quite understand,” he added, griping that Assembly Transportation Committee Chair Bill Magnarelli (D-Syracuse) told him the proposal is unlikely to happen. 

Adams will also continue to push for the city to get more control over speed cameras.
Adams will also continue to push for the city to get more control over speed cameras.
Dennis A. Clark

“Speed cameras save lives. You see the rash of crashes that have fatalities and lives being lost. We should not play politics with saving lives. Let’s get this bill to the floor. Let’s get up or down vote.”

However, allies have said they’d support a simple extension of the current program.

Asked whether he’ll join officials in Buffalo, Adams said he’s still considering a trip to Erie County.

“We’re going to try to see if the schedule allow me to go to Buffalo as well.”

— Additional reporting by Zach Williams

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