NYC NOW - Morning Headlines: Striking Corrections Officers Face Deadline, Mayoral Candidates Target Cuomo, and Lawmakers Push for Parking Ticket Cameras

Episode Date: March 3, 2025

New York state corrections officers on strike have until this Monday to return to work or risk losing their health care coverage. Meanwhile, candidates in the New York City mayoral race are sharpening their attacks on former Governor Andrew Cuomo, with City Comptroller Brad Lander accusing him of ignoring his role in the city’s subway issues. Plus, a group of Albany lawmakers is pushing for new traffic cameras to automatically ticket drivers for illegal parking.

Welcome to NYC Now, your source for local news in and around New York City from WMYC. It's Monday, March 3rd. Here's the morning headlines from David First. Some striking New York State corrections officers are facing a serious deadline, return to work today or lose health care coverage. WNYC's Phil Corso has more. New York's prison system head Daniel Marticello says workers, who don't report for duty will have their health insurance and their dependents revoked retroactively

to the start of the strike. He visited prisons over the weekend, urging officers to return and promising continued dialogue on safety concerns. The 11-day strike ended after a mediated deal secured some key wins for workers, including boosted overtime pay and a review of staffing shortages. The job action had strained prison operations across the state, forcing Governor Hogle to call in the National Guard. A spokesperson for the officers union did not immediately respond to request for comment. Candidates for New York City Mayor are ramping up attacks on former Governor Andrew Cuomo, the newest entrant into the race.

City Comptroller Brad Landers says Cuomo is talking about problems like with the city subway system, but he's not talking about his role in causing them. When he was governor, he cut funding for the New York City Subways. That's why we had the summer of hell, and even sent funding that the MTA had dedicated for New York City Transit to upstate ski resorts. In March 2016, Cuomo ordered the MTA to send nearly $5 million to three upstate ski resorts operated by the Olympic Regional Development Authority. A spokesperson with the governor's budget office at the time called the maneuver an accounting measure.

A group of Albany lawmakers is pushing four new cameras to automatically ticket drivers who park a league. Six assembly members want 150 cameras that would target vehicles that are double-parked, left in a no-parking zone or blocking a bike lane. They want the state to include $35 million in the budget to launch the program. South Brooklyn State Senator Simka-Felders says the proposal is outrageous. You want to save lives? You do what they've done for years successfully and save lives. You have cops sporadically giving out summonses with points. The city's transportation department supports the effort. They say it would improve street safety and reduce congestion.

Right now, 23 degrees. It will be sunny today, just getting up to a high of 36. 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.