♪ >>> THIS IS "METROFOCUS," WITH RAFAEL PI ROMAN, JACK FORD AND JENNA FLANAGAN.

>>> "METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, SYLVIA A.

AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM, THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND, BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION.

AND BY -- JANET PRINDLE SEIDLER, JODY AND JOHN ARNHOLD, CHERYL AND PHILIP MILSTEIN FAMILY, JUDY AND JOSH WESTON, DR. ROBERT C. AND TINA SOHN FOUNDATION.

>>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE "METROFOCUS" FRONT PAGE FORECAST, I'M RAFAEL PI ROMAN.

IN THIS WEEK'S LOOK AHEAD AT THE MAJOR HEADLINES, NEW YORK GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL DECLARES A STATE OF EMERGENCY IN RESPONSE TO THE NEWLY DISCOVERED OMICRON COVID VARIANT.

WHILE IT HAS NOT BEEN DETECTED IN THE TRI-STATE AREA SO FAR AS WE TAPE, HOCHUL SAYS OMICRON IS COMING AND SHE AND FEDERAL OFFICIALS INCLUDING DR. FAUCI ARE SOUNDING THE ALARM ABOUT THE NEW VARIANT, WHICH WAS DISCOVERED IN SOUTH AFRICA AND APPEARS TO BE MORE TRANSMISSIBLE THAN OTHERS.

IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN IF IT CAUSES MORE SEVERE ILLNESS.

BUT WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT THIS NEW VARIANT HAS EMERGED DURING A PERIOD OF TRANSITION FOR NEW YORK CITY WITH MAYOR-ELECT ERIC ADAMS A MONTH AWAY FROM TAKING OFFICE AND COUNCIL MEMBERS GETTING READY TO DECIDE THE NEXT COUNCIL SPEAKER.

AND FOR THE LATEST ON THESE STORIES AND MORE, WE'RE JOINED BY OUR PANEL OF TRI-STATE EXPERTS.

DRAFT CHRISTINA GREER IS A PROFESSES SOR AT FORDHAM UNIVER.

SHE'S MODERATING A VIRTUAL FORUM WITH THE SPEAKER CANDIDATES TOMORROW NIGHT.

JOSEPH PINION IS A GOP STRATEGIST, CHAIR OF THE CONSERVATIVE COLOR COALITION AND HOST OF THE CABLE NEWS PROGRAM "SATURDAY AGENDA."

AND JEFF COLTIN IS A SENIOR REPORT FOR "CITY AND STATE," A NEWS ORGANIZATION AND WEBSITE FOCUSED ON NEW YORK POLITICS AND POLICY.

WELCOME ALL.

PLEASURE TO HAVE YOU.

>> GOOD TO BE HERE.

>> SO, JEFF, LET ME START WITH YOU.

LAST FRIDAY, GOVERNOR HOCHUL DECLARED A STATE OF EMERGENCY AS I I MENTIONED, BECAUSE OF RISING COVID CASES AND MORE IMPORTANTLY BECAUSE OF THE NEWLY IDENTIFIED OMICRON COVID VARIANT.

WHAT ARE THE KEY ELEMENTS OF THE STATE OF EMERGENCY?

>> SO, THE MAJOR PARTS ARE, THIS ALLOWS HOSPITALS AND OTHER HEALTH CARE FACILITIES TO STOP ELECTIVE SURGERIES.

WE SAW THIS HAPPEN EARLIER IN THE PANDEMIC, WHERE HOSPITALS WANTED TO ONLY FOCUS ON CONTAINING COVID, SO, THEY STOPPED ALL ELECTIVE SURGERIES.

NOW THEY CAN DO THAT AGAIN.

AND THIS ALSO KIND OF SPEEDS UP THE CONTRACTING AND PROCUREMENT PROCESS FOR STATE GOVERNMENT.

BASICALLY, ALLOWING CONTRACTS TO COME THROUGH FASTER AND WITH A LITTLE LESS VETTING THAN USUAL.

OF COURSE, LOOK, WE SAW STATE OF EMERGENCIES LAST FOR, GOSH, I THINK IT WAS BASICALLY THE FIRST 18 MONTHS OF THE PANDEMIC UNDER GOVERNOR CUOMO.

AND THE STATE LEGISLATORS FELT THAT CUOMO WAS REALLY TRYING TO HOARD ONTO POWER THERE.

THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN BECAUSE OF THE EXISTING POWER IMBALANCE AND UNHAPPINESS WITH CUOMO.

BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOCHUL, STILL A NEW GOVERNOR, HOW THE STATE LEGISLATURE FEELS ABOUT THIS AND IF THEY'RE OKAY WITH HOCHUL'S, YOU KNOW, GRABBING OF SOME POWERS HERE, THINKING THAT IT'S HELPFUL TO THE CAUSE OF CONTAINING COVID OR WHETHER THEY FEEL THIS IS ALSO A POWER GRAB.

>> NOW, GRDR.

GREER, OVER THE WEEKEND, DR. FAUCI WAS SAYING SOME SCARY THINGS ABOUT THE POTENTIALS OF THIS NEW VARIANT, BUT I SAW THIS.

AND THIS IS WHAT DTHE SOUTH AFRICAN DOCTOR WHO FIRST SPOTTED THE NEW COVID VARIANT, THIS IS WHAT SHE SAID IN A BBC INTERVIEW, AND I QUOTE.

SO FAR, WE HAVE SEEN VERY, VERY MILD CASES.

BODY ACHES AND PAINS WITH A BIT OF HEADACHE, NOT REALLY A SORE THROAT, MORE OF A SCRATCHY THROAT.

NO COUGH AND NO LOSS OF SMELL OR TASTE SO I'M NOT SURE WHY WE ARE ALL UP IN ARMS.

NOW, I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY PERHAPS PRESIDENT BIDEN MIGHT WANT TO BAN OR RESTRICT TRAVEL FROM THE COUNTRIES WHERE THIS VARIANT DISCOVERED, BUT WHY A GOVERNOR OR A STATE -- HAS ANY OTHER GOVERNOR DONE THIS AND DO YOU THINK THAT MAYBE SHE MAY HAVE JUMPED THE GUN A LITTLE BIT?

>> WELL, WE'VE SEEN OTHER GOVERNORS IN THE PAST OBVIOUSLY DECLARE STATES OF EMERGENCY.

I THINK KATHY HOCHUL IS TRYING TO DO A FEW THINGS AT ONCE.

ONE, YOU DON'T WANT THE OMICRON VARIANT TO COME AND IT'S VERY SERIOUS IN NEW YORK AND THEN KATHY HOCHUL IS ACCUSED OF NOT BEING PREPARED.

SO, MAYBE SHE MAY BE JUMPING THE GUN, BUT WE ALSO KNOW WE JUST HAD THANKSGIVING HOLIDAYS.

WE HAVE HANUKKAH, CHRISTMAS, KWANZAA AND OTHER HOLIDAYS COMING UP, AND SO IF THIS VARIANT IS TRANCESMISSIBLE IN WS WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE GATHERING AND PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'RE PASSING ON THE VARIANT, MAYBE THAT'S WHY SHE'S BEING SO SERIOUS ABOUT THIS.

AND TO TACK ONTO JEFF'S POINT, I THINK GOING TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE, WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW SHE UTILIZING HER LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR.

PART OF HER CHOOSING BRIAN BENJAMIN WASN'T JUST BECAUSE HE'S AFRICAN AMERICAN AND FROM HARLEM AND HE'S FROM DOWN STATE AND HE CAN ADD TO THE TICKET IN THOSE ROBUST WAYS, KATHY HOCHUL ACTUALLY DIDN'T REALLY HAVE AN IN WITH THE LEGISLATURE IN ALBANY.

AND SO IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW SHE UTILIZES HER LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR TO HELP HER GET THIS MESSAGE ACROSS, TO MAYBE MOVE AWAY FROM SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HER AS A POWER GRAB, ESPECIALLY DURING AN ELECTION SEASON.

>> JOE, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE STATE OF EMERGENCY?

DO YOU SHARE SOME OF YOUR REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES SUSPICIONS ABOUT HOW -- HOW IT MAY BE USED IN ORDER TO GET PEOPLE WHO AREN'T VACCINATED TO GET VACCINATED AS SOME HAVE SUG SUGGESTED?

>> LOOK, I THINK, FIRST AND FOREMOST, PEOPLE SHOULD GET VACCINATED, SO, I THINK THAT'S JUST THE REALITY.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO BE USED TO HAVE ANYMORE FORCEFUL EXECUTION OF VACCINATIONS THAN ARE ALREADY OCCURRING.

PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY JSUGGESTED O BE KICKED FROM THEIR HOMES AND FIRED FROM JOBS, SO I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH MORE CAN YOU GET.

BUT I THINK WE'RE WITNESSING THE WORST OF AMERICAN POLITICS, THE WORST OF NEW YORK POLE TICKS AND MAYBE POLITICS IN NEW YORK AS THE STATUS QUO.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENED HERE WITH THIS VARIANT, A VARIANT WHICH, TO MOST ESTIMATES, BY MOST EXPERTS, HAS NOT CAUSED THE TYPE OF ROBUST SICKNESS THAT YOU WOULD ASSOCIATE WITH SOMETHING LIKE THE DELTA VARIANT, WHERE WE HAD DEAD BODIES WASHING P ON THE SHORES OF INDIA, THIS IS, TO ME, NOT THE TYPE OF ACTUAL BEST PRACTICE YOU WANT TO PUT IN PL PLACE.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT A NATION OF SOUTH AFRICA, HAVING THIS TYPE OF CONDITION PLACED UPON THEM, WHAT MOTIVATION DO YOU HAVE FOR OTHER SMALLER NATIONS THAT MIGHT FIND THEMSELVES IN THE SAME SITUATION TO REPORT A NEW VARIANT?

IN MANY WAYS, IT FEELS THAT THE INCENTIVES ARE NOW BACKWARDS.

IF WE DRILL DOWN TO WHAT'S HAPPENING IN NEW YORK STATE, AS FAR AS WHAT KATHY HOCHUL IS DOING, I THINK, AGAIN, WE'VE SEEN FOR MANY INSTANCES THAT WHEN WE DO THE STANDARDS FOR THE PROCUREMENT PROCESSING, FOR PPE AND OTHER NEEDS, BAD THINGS HAPPEN.

YOU HAVE SMALL CENTERS THAT GET DEFRAUDED, YOU HAVE MAJOR HOSPITALS THAT HAVE BEEN DEFRAUDED.

SO, I THINK IN MANY WAYS, IF YOU LOOK AT THE LACK OF ELECTIVE SURGERIES, WE'VE SEEN A DECREASE IN CANCER SCREENINGS THAT HAVE LED TO LATER -- PEOPLE BEING FURTHER AND FURTHER ALONG WITH VIRUSES AND ILLNESSES THAT IN MANY WAYS CAUSE THEM GREAT HARM.

SO, I THINK WE JUST HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT THE UNI UNINTENDED OUTCOMES OF THE OPTICS OF TRYING TO BE STRONG ON COVID, BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY, MANY UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES THAT WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN THAT I THINK ARE NOT BEING TAKEN INTO CAREFUL CONSIDERATION RIGHT NOW.

>> SO, OVER, TAKING JOE'S POINT, IT'S A GOOD POINT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I WAS WATCHING THE PRESS CONFERENCE OF MAYOR DE BLASIO EARLIER AND I SAW HOW HE WAS COORDINATING VERY FRIENDLY AND VERY WELL KW WITH THE MAYOR-ELECT AND THEY WERE BOTH WORKING VERY WELL WITH THE GOVERNOR AND IT SEEMED TO ME, WITH ALL THE PROBLEMS, THAT IT WAS KIND OF LIKE -- A BREATH OF FRESH AIR COMPARED TO WHAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.

IS THAT JUST WINDOW DRESSING OR IS IT REAL, THIS CAMARADERIE?

>> THIS IS -- THIS IS REAL, I MEAN, THE TRANSITION OF POWER FROM BILL DE BLASIO TO ERE IFK ADAMS IS GOING TO BE MUCH MORE FRIENDLY AND -- THEY'RE GOING TO WORK TOGETHER A LOT BETTER THAN DE BLASIO DID WITH BLOOMBERG, WHO REALLY DID NOT LIKE EACH OTHER DURING THAT TRANSITION EIGHT YEARS AGO AND WE'RE ALSO GOING TO SEE A MAYOR, ERIC ADAMS WHO IS REALLY EXCITED TO WORK WITH KATHY HOCHUL, THE NEW GOVERNOR.

SO, THINGS ARE VERY DIFFERENT THAN WHEN THIS PANDEMIC FIRST HIT IN MARCH OF 2020 AND IT'S NOT JUST BECAUSE OF THE LEADERSHIP, THOUGH, IT'S ALSO BECAUSE, YES, NOW THE DISEASE IS LESS DEADLY THANKS TO ADVANCES IN HEALTH CARE, KNOWING HOW TO WORK WITH IT.

VACCINATION RATES ARE WAY UP.

AT THE BEGINNING, WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT MASKING WOULD HELP, NOW WE DO KNOW.

SO, IT'S -- YOU KNOW, AS WE SEE THIS KIND OF, ALMOST A RESET, ALMOST A RESTART OF THE STATE OF EMERGENCY, STATE OF DISASTER, IT'S A VERY DIFFERENT SITUATION AND MOST LIKELY A MUCH BETTER ONE, SO, IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE IF THE STATE DOES FOLLOW THE SAME PLAYBOOK AS IT DID 18, 20 MONTHS AGO, OR WHETHER IT'S FUN FUNDMENTALLY DIFFERENT.

>> ALL RIGHT, SO, LET'S CHANGE THE SUBJECT, ONE A LITTLE LESS POTENTIALLY DEPRESSIVE.

IT'S THE NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL SPEAKER CONTEST THAT'S COMING UP.

IT'S ALREADY TAKING PLACE.

PEOPLE ARE ALREADY ELBOWING EACH OTHER.

THE ELECTION WILL BE -- OR, THE SELECTION WILL BE IN JANUARY.

LET WE STAY WITH YOU.

THIS IS CLEARLY AN IMPORTANT SELECTION.

I CALL IT SELECTION, BECAUSE OF 51 COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE GOING TO VOTE, NOT THE REST OF US.

BECAUSE, AS YOU HAVE WRITTEN AND OTHERS HAVE WRITTEN, THE CITY COUNCIL SPEAKER IS ARGUABLY THE SECOND-MOST POWERFUL ELECTED OFFICIAL IN NEW YORK CITY.

TELL US WHY THAT POSITION IS SO POWERFUL.

>> SURE, THEY LEAD THE CITY COUNCIL, WHICH HAS OVERSIGHT OVER THE WHOLE MAYOR'S ADMINISTRATION.

THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, ALL OF THE AGENCIES AND EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS IN THE CITY.

AND THEN ALSO, A BIG SAY ON THE BUDGET.

ABLE TO ADJUST IT AND NEGOTIATE WITH THE MAYOR AND OF COURSE NEW YORK CITY'S BUDGET IS MASSIVE, IT'S LARGER THAN, LIKE, 47 STATES, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT $100 BILLION AND THE CITY COUNCIL SPEAKER HAS A REALLY BIG SAY, SECOND, REALLY, ONLY TO THE MAYOR AND THEIR TOP ADVISERS, OF WHERE THAT MONEY GOES.

SO, CITY COUNCIL SPEAKER IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.

AND YES, IT IS CHOSEN BY THE 51 CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS IN AN INTERNAL VOTE, SO, ALL THAT WE CAN DO ON THE OUTSIDE IS JUST KIND OF WATCH AND WAIT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

>> SO, DR. GREER, AS I SAID IN THE INTRODUCTION, YOU HAVE A FORUM OF THE SPEAKER CANDIDATES TOMORROW.

SO, TELL US, WHO ARE THOSE CANDIDATES AND IS THERE A FRONT-RUNNER AMONG THEM?

>> WELL, IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY WEEK, THE FRONT-RUNNER KEEPS MOVING AND SHIFTING, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, PART OF IT, PART OF THE CONVERSATION IS, DOES ERIC ADAM WANT TO PUT HIS THUMB ON THE SCALE AND HAVE SOMEONE THAT HE'S USED TO WORKING WITH?

JUSTIN BRENNAN, WHO MANY FELT IS A FRONT-RUNNER, HE BARELY SURVIVED HIS RE-ELECTION RACE.

CAROLINA HERRERA, FOLKS THINK SHE MAY BE TOO PROPROGRESSIVE, A WOMAN AND A LATINX LEADER.

DO WE WANT THAT KIND OF R REPRESENTATION IN THAT WAY?

THERE'S GALE BREWER, WHO WAS A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER FOR TWO TERMS, GOT TERM LIMITED OUT, MANHATTAN BOROUGH PRESIDENT FOR TWO TERMS AND NOW SHE'S BACK IN THE CITY COUNCIL.

SHE CLEARLY KNOWS NEW YORK.

DOES ERIC ADAMS WANT SOMEONE LIKE THAT?

DOES HE REALLY HAVE MUCH OF A SAY?

IS HE GOING TO START LOBBYING DIFFERENT FOLKS?

WILL WE SEE THE QUEENS/BROOKLYN ALLIANCES LIKE WE SAW IN THE PAST, OR BRONX AND MANHATTAN TRY TO FIGURE SOME THINGS OUT?

THAT'S WHY THESE FORUMS ARE PRETTY INTERESTING.

AS YOU AND JEFF HAVE BOTH STATED, THEY'RE REALLY IMPORTANT FORUMS, HOWEVER, WE DON'T GET TO VOTE.

THE VOTE IS AMONG THE 51 MEMBERS AND WE CAN THINK ABOUT OTHER MAJOR CITIES WHO HAVE CITY COUNCILS OF, NINE, TEN MEMBERS.

WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, A DWINDLING NUMBER OF REPUBLICAN MEMBERS.

THREE BARELY.

AND SO THESE CONVERSATIONS -- >> I'M SORRY?

>> FIVE NOW.

>> FIVE NOW.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S GROWING, BUT THESE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHO THE LEADER SHOULD BE OFTENTIMES ARE DECIDED BEFORE THE ACTUAL VOTE.

SO, IN JANUARY, MANY WAYS, IT'S SYMBOLIC.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE ANY SURPRISES.

BUT THIS TRANSITION PERIOD, FOR THEM TO FIGURE OUT WHO THEY WANT TO BE IN CHARGE.

WE SAW CORY JOHNSON, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE CERTAIN TIMES WHEN HE WAS SPEAKER OF CITY COUNCIL.

SOME MEMBERS FELT THAT THEY WERE PENALIZED IF THEY DIDN'T VOTE A PARTICULAR WAY, THAT SOME OF THEIR BUDGET AND SOME OF THEIR MONEY WAS TAKEN AWAY FROM THEM.

SO, IT'S AN INCREDIBLY POWERFUL POSITION AND EACH WEEK, I TALK TO DIFFERENT EXPERTS AND UP IN THE AIR AS TO WHO THE SPEAKER COULD BE.

>> YEAH, REALLY.

SO, JOE, LET ME GIVE YOU SOME NUMBERS.

31 OF THE 51 MEMBERS OF THE NEW COUNCIL WILL BE WOMEN.

I BELIEVE AROUND 32, JEFF, CORRECT ME IF I'M YOWRONG, 32 WL BE NEW MEMBERS, FIVE REPUBLICANS, ADDITIONAL TWO, AND TWO CONSERVATIVE DEMOCRATS.

HOW WILL THESE NUMBERS LIKELY IMPACT THE VOTE?

WHO WILL BENEFIT AND WHO WILL BE HURT BY THESE NUMBERS?

>> LOOK, I THINK IF WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT THINGS HISTORICALLY, IF PAST IS PROLOGUE, THIS WOULD BE A DECISION ABOUT POWER AND NOT THE PEOPLE.

IN MANY WAYS, IT APPEARS, AND WHETHER YOU WANT TO CALL IT THE INEVITABLE OUTCOME OF ONE PARTY RULE OR IF YOU WANT TO JUST CALL IT THE INEVITABLE NATURE OF BEING IN A VACUUM, THESE DECISIONS, THAT WE'VE HAD PEOPLE COMPLAINING WE'VE NOD HAT MINORITY LEADERSHIP AND A ROBUST MINORITY VOICE INSPITE OF THE NUMBERS OF MINORITIES THERE, IT BECOMES IN MANY WAYS A CRAB IN A BARREL MENTALITY, WHERE THE ROBUST PRESENCE OF MINORITIES TO CHOOSE FROM PREVENTS ONE OF THOSE MINORITIES FROM CARRYING THE DAY.

SO, LOOK, I THINK ULTIMATELY, YES, I THINK INCLUSION IS GOOD.

I THINK THAT IT'S HEARTENED TO SEE WE HAVE SO MANY WOMEN WHO ARE THERE AND WANT TO HAVE THEIR VOICE BE HEARD.

I THINK SLOWLY BUT SURELY WE DO HAVE MORE CRACKS IN THIS BLUE ARMOR, SO TO SPEAK, WHEN IT COMES TO NEW YORK, ABOUT HAVING MORE DIVERSE THOUGHT BEING PRESENT WITHIN CITY COUNCIL, BUT ULTIMATELY, IF I'M LOOKING AT THE TEA LEAVES HERE, THIS IS REALLY JUST GOING TO COME BACK TO INSIDE POLITICS AND REALLY TO MY COLLEAGUE'S POINT, THE MAIN KIND OF ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM WILL BE, WILL THE INCOMING MAYOR DECIDE TO PUT HIS THUMBIN INON SCALE OR NOT.

>> IS THERE ANY CHANCE THAT HE WON'T?

IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR HIM.

IS THERE ANY CHANCE HE WON'T?

>> LOOK, I THINK THE -- YOU CAN MAKE THE ARGUMENT HE PROBABLY WILL, IF YOU LOOK AT KIND OF HIS GENERAL NAIL NATURE HERE.

I THINK THERE'S A DANGER IF HE DOES PLACE HIS THUMB ON THE SCALE, AGAIN TO MY COLLEAGUE'S POINT, THERE MAY BE SOME RETRIBUTION.

IF YOU PICK WRONG, YOU COULD FACE A SCENARIO WHERE YOUR ENTIRE FIRST YEAR, ENTIRE FIRST TERM IS IN PERIL.

SO, I'M NOT ENTIRELY SURE WE'RE GOING TO SEE THE OVERT PLACING OF THE THUMB ON THE SCALE THAT WE MIGHT EXPECT FOR A POSITION OF SUCH IMPORTANCE.

>> OKAY, I WITH US GOING TO ASK YOU TO GUESS WHO IT'S GOING TO BE, BUT NOBODY KNOWS AT THIS POINT.

>> IT WOULD BE A GUESS.

>> IT'S WIDE OPEN.

WIDE OPEN RIGHT NOW.

>> AND IT CHANGES WEEKLY, IT APPEARS.

>> RIGHT.

OKAY, SO, BESIDES SELECTING THE NEW SPEAKER, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE ISSUES OF THE NEW COUNCIL, LIKELY TAKING UP IMMEDIATELY?

OR DO THEY DEPEND -- OR DOES THAT DEPEND ON WHO THE NEW SPEAKER IS, DR. GREER, LET ME START WITH YOU ON THAT ONE.

>> I'LL DEFER TO JEFF FOR THE NITTY-GRITTY, BUT OBVIOUSLY, WE ALWAYS HAVE BUDGETS ON, YOU KNOW, DO WE WANT TO HAVE MORE CRIME PREVENTION AND OBVIOUSLY WITH COVID SERVICES, ALSO DRUG REHABILITATION SERVICES, STILL GOING TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT RIKERS AND WILL THEY BE WORKING WITH THE MAYOR HOW WE FUND MORE LOCAL JAILS.

EVEN TRASH AND TRANSPORTATION.

THIS IS AN ISSUE FOR ERIC ADAMS WHEN HE WAS BROOKLYN BOROUGH PRESIDENT, RAT IRRADICATION, THAT'S IN LOTS OF COMMUNITIES, NOT JUST SORT OF OUTER BOROUGH COMMUNITIES, THAT ARE REALLY STRUGGLING WITH INFESTATIONS OF RODENTS AND VERMIN.

THESE ARE KIND OF MY KNEW THAT ISSUES, BUT FOR PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOODS, THEY'RE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT HURRICANES AND, YOU KNOW, WATER CONSERVATION, IN PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE LOW-LYING.

WILL CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS BE ABLE TO GIVE CERTAIN AMOUNTS OF POCKETS OF MONEY TO PARTICULAR COMMUNITIES THAT ARE REALLY STILL STRUGGLING FROM BAD STORMS?

OBVIOUSLY WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A HARD WINTER IN FRONT OF US.

SO, I THINK THE PRIORITIES, HONESTLY, RUN THE GAME MUTT, FROM WHAT I'VE BEEN HEARING.

BUT JEFF, I DEFER TO YOU, SORT OF FOR THE TOP THREE AGENDA ITEMS, I THINK YOU'D KNOW BETTER THAN I.

>> SO, JEFF, DO YOU KNOW?

>> WELL, LOOK, THE FIRST THING THAT'S GOT TO BE ON THE CITY COUNCIL'S AGENDA IS THE CITY BUDGET.

AND MAYOR-ELECT ADAMS HAS TALKED ABOUT REDUCING EACH AGENCY'S BUDGET BY 3% TO 5%, IF I RECALL HIS NUMBER.

THAT'S PRETTY SIGNIFICANT.

THAT IS A BIG CUT.

AND I THINK THE CITY COUNCIL IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE WORKING ON WHERE THESE CUTS GO AND ALSO WHETHER THEY EXPECT THAT, 3% TO 5% CUTS ON EVERYTHING.

DEEPER ON SAME, LESS SIGNIFICANT ON OTHER AGENCIES, WHO KNOWS?

ONE IN PARTICULAR THAT ERIC ADAMS HAS FOCUSED ON IS THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, SAYING THAT THERE'S TOO MUCH BLOATING AND TOO MUCH BUREAUCRACY THERE, SO, THEY WANT TO CUT DOWN ON THAT.

BUT LOOK, THE ONE BIG PRIORITY THAT I'M INTERESTED IN RIGHT NOW IS NONCITIZEN VOTING.

THAT MIGHT ACTUALLY GET DONE BEFORE THE END OF THIS YEAR WHILE DE BLASIO IS STILL IN OFFICE, WHY THIS CURRENT CITY COUNCIL IS STILL IN OFFICE.

THAT'S BEEN A HOT POLITICAL P TOPIC.

IT WOULD BE ALLOWING GREEN CARD HOLDERS IN NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK CITY RESIDENTS WHO ARE NOT CITIZENS, TO VOTE IN MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

THIS IS A VERY CONTROVERSIAL BILL AND DE BLASIO HAS KIND OF SHIED AWAY FROM IT.

BUT RIGHT NOW, THE CITY COUNCIL IS ONBOARD.

SPEAKER CORY JOHNSON JUST SAID LAST WEEK THAT HE IS IN ON THIS AND IT'S GOING TO BE VERY INTERESTING TO SEE IF THERE'S A PUSH FOR THAT.

NONCITIZEN VOTING THAT IS A BIG, CONTROVERSIAL TOPIC AND ONE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL MAY TRY TO GET DONE BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.

>> AND RAFAEL, CAN I JUST INTERJECT REALLY QUICKLY?

I THINK THAT TOPIC GOES TO JOE'S POINT ABOUT THE VARYING SHADES OF BLUE IN NEW YORK CITY.

THERE ARE A LOT OF DEMOCRATS HERE, BUT THERE ARE LOTS OF LIBERAL DEMOCRATS AND WELL-MEANING DEMOCRATS WHO ARE OBVIOUSLY NOT IN SUPPORT OF THIS BILL AND THE PRESSURE THEY'RE GOING TO PUT ON THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO VOTE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.

SO, LEAVING THE LEGALITY OUT OF IT, I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF DEMOCRATS THAT THINK IT'S A FANTASTIC IDEA AND A STRONG NUMBER OF DEMOCRATS THAT THINK IT'S A BIT OF AN OVERREACH.

>> JOE, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I THINK THAT IT WAS DECIDED THAT THE VOTE WILL HAPPEN NEXT WEEK, THAT THEY CUT A DEAL SOMEHOW AND -- >> YEAH, IT DOES APPEAR THIS IS GOING TO COME TO A VOTE LONG BEFORE THE NEW ADMINISTRATION TAKES OFFICE.

I THINK THERE ARE MULTIPLE PROBLEMS.

I THINK TO MY COLLEAGUE'S POINT, OO I'M NOT ENTIRELY SURE THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET THAT VOCIFEROUS PUSH-BACK FROM THE PUBLIC BUT FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN THE PUBLIC HAS BEEN CONDITIONED TO BELIEVE THAT WHATEVER IS GOING TO HAPPEN IN CITY COUNCIL IS GOING TO HAPPEN.

I THINK THAT IS ALSO REFLECTED IN THE TURNOUTS THAT WE HAVE SEEN IN OUR OFFYEAR ELECTIONS, IN THE NEW YORK CITY PROPER ELECTIONS.

WE JUST HAVEN'T SEEN THE ROBUST TURNOUT, BECAUSE I THINK THAT PEOPLE VIEW NEW YORK CITY POLITICS AS A FOREGONE CONCLUSION.

I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME LEGAL CHALLENGES THERE, BUT JUST FROM A STRUCTURAL STANDPOINT, EVEN IF YOU AGREE THIS IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO, I THINK WHAT MANY PEOPLE WOULD PUSH BACK ON, WE HAVE A, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY A BOARD OF ELECTIONS, WHICH IS PROVEN ITSELF TO BE INCAPABLE OF MANAGING ELECTIONS AS THEY ARE CURRENTLY CONSTITUTED WHAT IS GOING TO BE PUT IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE, WHO THEY HAVE NOT ALLOWED TO VOTE IN MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, ARE NOT GOING TO VOTE IN REGULAR ELECTIONS?

I WAS JUST VOTING IN YONKERS THIS PAST ELECTION CYCLE, I MEAN, THEY HAD THE SCREEN READING OUT WHETHER PEOPLE WERE A REPUBLICAN OR A DEMOCRAT.

IT SEEMS LIKE AN INNOCUOUS THING, BUT AGAIN, IT DOES UNDERMINE THE FULL-FACING CREDIT OF SECRET BALLOT.

SO, I THINK JUST IN GENERAL, WE HAVE SEEN TIME AFTER TIME, THERE ARE MANY PROBLEMS WITH THE MANAGING OF THE ELECTORAL PROCESS AND I THINK THE NOTION THAT WE'RE GOING TO OPEN UP ELECTIONS TO 800,000 PEOPLE AND THINK THAT THERE ARE GOING TO BE NO SNAFUS, NO HICCUPS WITHOUT ACTUALLY DEMONSTRATING WHAT ROBUST PROTECTIONS ARE GOING TO BE PUT IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THESE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE RESTRICTED TO THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS THEY'RE INTENDED TO BE VOTING IN, I THINK IT SETS A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT.

I THINK THE COURTS WILL HAVE A SAY IN THIS LONG BEFORE PUBLIC OPINION PLAYS A MEANINGFUL ROLE.

>> OKAY.

MOVING ON, JEFF, LAST WEEK, MAYOR-ELECT ADAMS ASKED CONGRESSMAN TOM SWOZ SI FROM LONG ISLAND TO BECOME ONE OF HIS DEPUTY MAYORS.

HE TURNED HIM DOWN AND NOW WE KNOW WHY, BECAUSE HE'S DECIDED TO RUN FOR GOVERNOR AGAIN.

WHAT ARE HIS CHANCES AND HOW IS THAT GOING TO SHAKE UP THE CONTEST OVERALL?

>> SO, TOM SUOZZI IS CONSIDERED TO BE A VERY LONG SHOT FOR GOVERNOR.

HE RAN IN 2006, HE CHALLENGED ELIOT SPITZER, WHO ENDED UP WINNING, AND LOOK, I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS IN FRONT OF ME, BUT HE DIDN'T DO VERY WELL.

HE'S BEEN A MEMBER OF CONGRESS FOR, I WANT TO SAY FOUR, FIVE, SIX YEARS ALREADY, TOM SUOZZI.

SO, NAME RECOGNITION IS A LITTLE BIT BETTER.

AND HE'S GOING TO BE RUNNING MOST LIKELY AS THE MOST MO MODERATE, THE MOST RIGHT-LEANING OF THE DEMOCRATS IN THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY.

HE IS DEFINITELY RUNNING ON A MORE MODERATE PLATFORM AND CERTAIN L LLY THE OTHER DEMOCRA THAT ARE GOING TO MAKE WHAT IS LOOKING TO BE A PRETTY CROWDED DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY.

SO, SUOZZI DOES HAVE A LANE THERE.

HE'S SUBURBAN, FROM LONG ISLAND.

KATHY HOCHUL IS THE GOVERNOR, LETITIA JAMES IS POPULAR.

S THEY'RE CONSIDERED THE FAVORITES.

SUOZZI IS A REAL OUTSIDE CONTENDER.

>> SO, JOE, IF SUOZZI HAS LASTING POWER, IF HE GETS THE NOMINATION, THAT'S GOING TO PUT A DAMPER ON THE REPUBLICANS WHO WANT TO BE GOVERNOR, RIGHT?

>> LOOK.

I THINK THE REALITY IF WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS, BIG PICTURE, THE BIG WINNER HERE IS LETITIA JAMES, THE BIG LOSER HERE IS KATHY HOCHUL.

KATHY HOCHUL IS TRYING TO TALK OUT OF BOTH SIDES OF HER MOUTH, IF ANYONE IS PAYING ATTENTION.

SHE WANTS TO BE THE TRUE BLUE PROGRESSIVE DOWNSTATE, SHE WANTS UPSTATE, REMEMBER ME, I'M THE OLD KATHY THAT WAS ENDORSED BY THE NRA AND NOT THE CRAZY T LIBERAL THAT EVERYBODY WANTS ME TO BE.

SHE'S GOING TO HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME WITH TOM SUOZZI IN THE RACE AND HAVING A NAME, SIMPLY BY NOT BEING THE JEMANI WILLIAMS AND THE LETITIA JAMES OF THE WORLD.

THAT'S THE READ THAT I HAVE ON THIS.

I THINK, AGAIN, PEOPLE TALK ABOUT LETITIA JAMES, I OFTEN TRY TO REMIND PEOPLE, IF YOU ADD UP THE VOTES THAT WERE IN THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S RACE, THEY ECLIPSE WHAT SHE WAS ABLE TO GET, EVEN IF THEY BROKEN 70/30, SHE WOULD NOT WBE THE TROERNS.

I THOUGHT SHE WAS SET TO BECOME A VICTIM OF THE SAME FORMULA THAT PUT HER IN POWER IN THE FIRST PLACE, WITH TOM SUOZZI IN PLACE, I THINK HE IS THE LIFELINE THAT GIVES LETITIA JAMES ENOUGH OF THE EDGE TO BE MORE COMPETITIVE THAN SHE OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE BEEN, BUT AGAIN, THESE ARE DECISIONS MADE BY THE VOTERS AND I THINK SLOWLY BUT SURELY, REPUBLICANS ARE JUST COUNTING ON THE FACT THAT DEMOCRATS WILL EAT THEIR YOUNG AND THEY WILL HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO MAKE THEIR CASE WITH THE VOTERS WHILE DEMS APPEAR TO BE IN DISARRAY ALL THE WAY FROM JANUARY THROUGH JUNE.

>> ALL RIGHT, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO END IT THERE, BECAUSE WE'RE ALMOST OUT OF TIME.

YEAH, YEAH, WE'RE OUT OF TIME.

SORRY, I HAD ONE MORE QUESTION, BUT I DON'T.

LISTEN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY.

IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE TALKING WITH YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>>> "METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, SYLVIA A.

AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM, THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND, BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION.

AND BY -- JANET PRINDLE SEIDLER, JODY AND JOHN ARNHOLD, CHERYL AND PHILIP MILSTEIN FAMILY, JUDY AND JOSH WESTON, DR. ROBERT C. AND TINA SOHN FOUNDATION,