NYC NOW - Morning Headlines: Comptroller Candidate Targets Tesla Over Musk’s Role in Federal Cuts, Hochul Pushes Criminal Justice Changes, and Council Members Call to Expand Mobile Mental Health Teams

Episode Date: March 25, 2025

City Councilmember Justin Brannan says he’ll push to divest city pension funds from Tesla if elected comptroller, accusing CEO Elon Musk of targeting NYC over migrant funding. Meanwhile, Governor Hochul wants to ease discovery requirements for prosecutors, saying it will reduce case dismissals. And New York City Council members say more funding is needed for mobile mental health treatment teams, with nearly 700 people currently on the wait-list.

Welcome to NYC Now. Your source for local news in and around New York City from WMYC. It's Tuesday, March 25th. Here's the morning headlines from Michael Hill. Elon Musk's sweeping federal budget cuts are drawing a backlash aimed at Tesla, the electric car company he leads. WNYC's Elizabeth Kim reports a Democratic candidate for city controller says he'd have the city ditch every one of its stake in the company's stock.

Justin Brannon says if elected, he'll lead an effort to have the city pension system divest from Tesla stock, valued at over $1 billion. Why should we be investing retirees, hard-earned pension funds, in a guy who's already shown that he's got New York City in the crosshairs? Like, why would we do that? The federal government last month clawed back $80 million from the city at Musk's urging. The money was meant for migrant housing. Brandon is facing Mark Levine, the Manhattan Borough president in the June primary.

In addition to managing the city's pensions, the controller also conducts audits of city agencies. Governor Kathy Hokel is pushing to change New York's criminal justice laws as part of state budget negotiations. WNIC's Jimmy Vielkind explains. Hockel says she wants to reduce the amount of material district attorneys need to share with defendants before a criminal trial. She says these changes to what's known as the discovery process, will mean fewer cases are dismissed. We're talking about letting there be more understanding and conversation and not an automatic dismissal because one little piece of evidence showed up later.

The State District Attorney's Association backs the plan, but many Democratic lawmakers say prosecutors shouldn't get more discretion. Hockel says negotiations are heading into overdrive, but her administration has never made the April 1st budget deadline. New York City Council members are calling on the City Health Department and to reduce the wait list for mobile mental health programs that provide treatment and help connect to housing. City health officials say the wait list has nearly 700 people for intensive mobile treatment teams, which serve transient people with serious mental health issues.

The city spends more than $40 million on these teams each year, but some council members say the teams need more money in the upcoming budget to meet the need. Now here's that forecast. We're at 47 with clear skies right now. mostly sunny and 57 for a high today, breezy and gusty. And then tomorrow's slim chance of some afternoon rain. It's early afternoon. Mostly sunny and low 50s.

Thursday's sunny and low 50s again. And it'll be gusty. 47 and clear now. Thanks for listening. This is NYC now from WMYC. Catch us every weekday three times a day for your top news headlines and occasional deep dives. And subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. more soon