NYC NOW - Morning Headlines: Gov. Hochul Proposes $252 Billion State Budget, NJ Towns Back in Court Over Affordable Housing Mandates, and Annual Cupid’s Undie Run Returns

Episode Date: January 21, 2025

Get up and get informed! Here’s all the local news you need to start your day: Gov. Kathy Hochul has proposed a $252 billion state budget. Meanwhile, 27 New Jersey towns are back in court to challenge state-mandated affordable housing quotas. Plus, the “Cupid’s Undie Run” returns to NYC in February to raise funds for neurofibromatosis research.

Welcome to NYC Now. Your source for local news in and around New York City from WMYC. It's Tuesday, January 21st. Here's the morning headlines from Michael Hill. Governor Kathy Hokel is proposing a $252 billion state budget today in Albany. W&MIC's Jimmy Vielkind reports. The new spending plan includes $3 billion for tax rebate checks, more money for schools, and a tax cut affecting about three quarters of New Yorkers.

The budget relies on a $5.3 billion surplus that's come from a strong economy and solid profits on Wall Street. The Democratic governor also wants school districts to develop policies to keep kids off their phones from, quote, bell to bell, according to budget director Blake Washington, he said the proposed budget includes money to help schools pay for pouches or other ways to keep phones secure. Hockel will spend the next several months negotiating with the Democratic-controlled legislature about her proposals. Their deadline is March 31st. A group of New Jersey towns are heading back to court yet again this week to try to stop the state from mandating they build affordable housing. 27 towns are asking a judge to put the law on hold before January 31st deadline. That's when all New Jersey municipalities must either agree to build the amount of housing the state has assigned them,

or propose a new amount. The group is suing the state arguing the mandates violate the New Jersey Constitution. Their first attempt to halt a law was denied this month. A new hearing is this Thursday. Some New Yorkers will be running around downtown in their underwear next month. This is February 8th as part of an annual fundraise called the Cupid's Undy Run. It aims to support those affected by neurofibromatosis, which causes tumors to grow on nerve tissues, Brooklyn 9 Adam Slackman was diagnosed with NF about 10 years ago. He says the run helps raise awareness about a little known condition. I have a lot of scars all of my body, probably 12 feet of scars,

and I get to bear that and sort of people can understand my condition a little bit more is the idea. We're trying to make NF visible by removing our clothing. Cupid's under run will begin and in at the D.O. Claw, Oklahoma, Delancey and Ludlow Street on February 8th. 13 right now and clear in the city on the way to a high of 20 degrees with increasing clouds. And yes, it's going to be cold. As cold as five degrees, it's going to feel like. And then tomorrow's sunny and cold again, 24, a high wind chill as cold as five degrees.

Thanks for listening. This is NYC now from WNYC. Be sure to catch us every weekday, three times a day. for your top news headlines and occasional deep dives, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. See you this afternoon.