Podcast episode Education

118,997 with James Merriman

August 13, 2019
118,997 is the number of students enrolled in charter schools in NYC in 2019. That enrollment has grown 66 percent since 2014 and applications continue to surpass the number of available seats. James Merriman, CEO of the New York City Charter School Center, joined the pod to discuss the politics, policies, promises, and pitfalls of charter schools.
Podcast episode Education

98,000, with Riley Edwards

July 19, 2019
98,000 is the number of seats for public school students constructed by the NYC School Construction Authority - about twice as many as in Yankee Stadium. Riley Edwards discusses alternative strategies for solving the crowding problem.
Podcast episode City Budget

$3.2 billion, with NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer

July 03, 2019
$3.2 billion is the amount NYC spends on homeless services, double what was spent in 2014, earning the agencies providing these services a spot on NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer's Agency Watch List. Learn more about this list and the Comptroller's assessment of the City budget, rent regulation reform, and more.
Podcast episode Housing

6/15, the Rent Regulation Edition

June 07, 2019
6/15 is the date when NYS rent laws are set to expire. Strengthening rent regulation is a top priority for the Governor and state lawmakers in the closing days of the legislative session. Listen to REBNY President John Banks and Assemblymember Harvey Epstein share their perspectives.
Podcast episode Transportation

1.28 cents, with Patrick Orecki

May 23, 2019
1.28 cents is the amount New York collects in fuel taxes for every vehicle mile driven. A recent CBC report "Switching Gears" explored the implementation of an innovative approach to finance highway and bridge improvements: a vehicle-miles traveled fee. What’s a VMT, and how does it work? CBC's Patrick Orecki joined the podcast to discuss what a VMT might look like in New York.
Podcast episode City Budget

125,323, with Meera Joshi

May 09, 2019
125,323 is the number of vehicles licensed by the NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission in 2018. The dramatic rise of for-hire vehicles has posed new challenges, and at the forefront of using data to tackle these challenges was former TLC Commissioner Meera Joshi, now a visiting scholar at NYU Wagner.
Podcast episode City Budget

$92.5 billion, with Yoav Gonen

April 30, 2019
$92.5 billion is the size of the NYC Executive Budget for FY 2020, an increase of 29% in total spending since Bill de Blasio's first year as Mayor. Joining the podcast to review budget highlights is Yoav Gonen, City Hall reporter for The City.
Podcast episode City Budget

$175.5 billion, with David Friedfel and Patrick Orecki

April 02, 2019
$175.5 billion, the size of the NYS Budget for FY 2020 enacted by the Legislature. The budget includes several notable policy changes, such as funding and new reforms at the MTA. CBC's David Friedfel and Patrick Orecki discuss the key takeaways.
Podcast episode City Budget

5, with Alicia Glen

March 26, 2019
5 is the number of years Alicia Glen was the Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development under Mayor Bill de Blasio. She joins the podcast to reflect on her tenure as Deputy Mayor, the state of the city in 2014, where it stands now, and where it should be heading.
Podcast episode City Budget

202, with Polly Trottenberg

March 21, 2019
202 is the number traffic related fatalities in NYC in 2018, a record low. NYC DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg joined the podcast to discuss the success of Vision Zero, her approach to managing city transit, and her role on the MTA Board.
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