Cuomo Administration Corruption Trial Begins, Syracuse Green Gets Press, and The NY Times Spotlights Congestion Pricing

A coalition of progressive groups sent a letter calling on Gov. Cuomo to cancel all state permits for the Competitive Power Ventures (CPV) natural gas power plant that is central to the trial of Joseph Percoco, the governor's long-time friend and former aide. The trial started Monday. CPV is accused by federal prosecutors of bribing Percoco and giving his wife a no-show job. The groups also called on the governor to return the millions of dollars of donations he's received from real estate companies for his re-election campaign, much of that coming from the so-called LLC loophole that Cuomo claims he wants to close.

Read more in the NY Daily News

Syracuse Green Serena "Rahzie" Seals, a Black Lives Matter activist and 2017 Common Council Candidate, got a great shout-out for the community event she is planning where hundreds of local kids will see the new Black Panther movie in a rented theater. "We're talking about black people being depicted in a positive light," Seals said. Her goal is $10,000 and she's raising money through YouCaring.org

Read more in the Syracuse Post-Standard

The New York Times editorial page comes out in favor of congestion pricing, a measure that GPNY has championed for years: "The simple fact is that mass transit needs the money and the central city needs relief from snarled traffic that, according to some estimates by business groups, costs the New York metro economy $20 billion a year. It’s long past time to discourage the many motorists who drive into Manhattan every day as a matter of choice, not necessity."

Read more in the New York Times

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