March 2nd, 2022 Daily Headlines
The Ithaca Common Council will receive a report from the Reimagining Public Safety Working Group today. The report will provide suggestions to the council on how to implement the City’s new Department of Public Safety. All suggestions made in the report will still have to be approved by the council. The report will be delivered officially at tonight’s Common Council Meeting. You can view the meeting on the city’s Youtube Channel, or view the full report at publicsafetyreimagined.org
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The New York Working Families Party has endorsed Lea Webb’s campaign for State Senate. According to the Ithaca Voice, Webb is a former Democratic Binghamton City Councilor running in the newly drawn 53rd Senate District. The seat includes both Ithaca and Binhamton making it a deeply Democratic seat. The WFP plays an important role in the Democratic coalition, often giving their ballot line to state democrats using New York’s fusion voting system. Webb has racked up a number of endorsements including from former Ithaca City Mayor Svante Myrick. Webb faces two other contenders in the Democratic primary, local activist Leslie Danks Burke and Doctor Ammitai Worob
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On Monday two state lawmakers called for an excise tax on ammunition production. According to Spectrum News, the proposal would use the tax revenue to bolster funding for the state’s gun violence research. The measure was proposed by State Senator Andrew Gounardes of Brooklyn and Assemblymember Pat Fahy of Albany. The proposal comes as New York has seen an increase in crime with Governor Kathy Hochul proposing an interstate effort to crack down on illegal firearms.
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On Monday the campaign account of former Governor Andrew Cuomo began an over $360,000 ad buy. According to the New York Times, the ad frames Cuomo as the “victim” of politically motivated attacks and goes on to say New Yorkers quote “lost a proven leader.” Cuomo resigned as governor last year after allegations of Sexual Misconduct. Though no prosecutors pressed charges against Cuomo, numerous investigations by the state Attorney General, the state Assembly, and local law enforcement found the allegations against him credible.