Maria Baez

In her clearest remarks to date about the slush fund scandal at the City Council, Christine Quinn told reporters today, “I am not a target of the investigation.”

The remark came during a Q&A with reporters following her announcement that legislation would be passed later today in order to rezone Harlem and create a permanent office of long-term sustainability.  read more »

Congestion pricing just passed the City Council Committee on State and Federal Legislation, 6-4. Members who voted in favor included Maria Baez, Melissa Viverito, Larry Seabrook, Joel Rivera, Mike McMahon and Hiram Monserrate. Those opposed included Lew Fidler, Joe Addabbo and Erik Dilan.

It goes to the full council tonight.

On March 8, The New York Times published a survey of where some of the City Council's 51 members stood on congestion pricing. At the time, 20 were against, 12 were for, and 19 were either undecided or did not respond to the survey.  read more »

The new Yankee stadium plan passed the City Council subcommittee (3-0) and committee (22-1) today and is awaiting near unanimous approval before the full body this afternoon. Council Member Tony Avella voted 'aye,' changing his mind from when he talked with us Monday for the article in today's paper. It was the Metro-North station that made him do it, he said.

Charles Barron voted nay; Helen Foster will also oppose it before the full Council but she is not on Land Use.

The community benefits agreement was not, Committee Chairwoman Melinda Katz kept reminding members, the issue on the floor, and yet it had a way of creeping into people's endorsements of the project. After the vote, Maria Baez, the "dean" of the Bronx delegation, told reporters that the agreement had not been signed yet but was complete. Final terms: The Yankees will contribute $1.2 million a year (up from $700,000) for nonprofit organizations and for park maintenance, a certain percentage of which must be in Community Board 4; $1 million a year for four years for a job training and apprenticeship program; and 15,000 game tickets to borough residents.

So who will sign this thing, and when? Baez told us Yankees President Randy Levine and Borough President Adolfo Carrion along with some council members, hopefully before the final vote this afternoon. We'd be surprised: in the past, these C.B.A.'s have avoided having any officials' signatures to make clear they are outside the city's land use process.

Outside, as in, being hashed out outside the City Council chambers and downstairs in the private conference room.

-Matthew Schuerman