Office of the New York State Comptroller - Kingston Is Investing in Its Future

 

City of Kingston Is Addressing Infrastructure and Affordable Housing Needs 

The City of Kingston’s investments in its infrastructure, institutions and local amenities have enhanced its status as a regional destination for arts, culture and history, even as the city addresses housing affordability and budgetary constraints, according to a report by Comptroller DiNapoli.

“Kingston has implemented innovative strategies and investments to promote economic growth and meet today’s challenges. It has embraced its role as a destination city and is home to historic buildings, a maritime museum, parks, art galleries and a wide variety of small businesses,” DiNapoli said. “While the city’s finances have been stable, effectively managing budget pressures and making sustainable investments in infrastructure and services will be key to Kingston’s continued long-term fiscal health. I commend Mayor Noble on his creative vision for Kingston’s future and his able stewardship of the city’s finances.”

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Local Governments Should Improve Accessibility for New Yorkers

Municipalities should consider improving physical accessibility to their facilities for people with disabilities, according to a report released by Comptroller DiNapoli. Visits to selected public facilities including libraries, meeting halls and government offices in 20 cities, towns and a village found parking lots, building entrances and bathrooms where accessibility could be improved to prevent potential hardships for individuals with disabilities.

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Celebrating Public Service Recognition Week

Comptroller DiNapoli proudly leads a team of more than 2,600 dedicated public servants. For Public Service Recognition Week, the Comptroller has been showcasing the importance of public service and how each division in the Office contributes to its mission.

This week, divisions in the Comptroller’s Office were spotlighted across social media platforms, and a behind-the-scenes look at the work of the Office was shared via Facebook and Instagram story takeovers.

Follow Comptroller DiNapoli to learn more about who we are, what we do, and how we serve New Yorkers. Division story takeovers will run each Wednesday through mid-June.

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Comptroller DiNapoli Releases Statement on the Enacted Budget 

Comptroller DiNapoli’s statement on the Enacted Budget for State Fiscal Year 2025-26: “Deep uncertainty surrounding tariffs, the economy and actions in Washington casts a long shadow on this budget.”

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ALSO IN THE NEWS THIS WEEK

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• New York state comptroller visits Kingston, declares city fiscally stable
  
  
• NY Comptroller DiNapoli touts Kingston investments in fiscal profile
  
  
• Glens Falls shows off downtown improvements with $10 million state grant
  
  
• NYS owes Long Islanders more than $1B in unclaimed funds. Are you on the list?
  
  
• ‘Staggering’ number of NYC kids rely on food pantries as providers, new report finds

Post of the Week
Office of the NYS Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli

DEC Releases Draft Adirondack Brook Trout Pond Management Plan for Public Comment and Announces New 'Trek for Trout' Event

 

Public Comments Accepted through June 13 on Draft Management Plan

Citizen Science Project to ‘Trek For Trout’ on May 17 

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Acting Commissioner Amanda Lefton announced the release of the draft Adirondack Brook Trout Pond Management Plan. The draft plan, now available for public comment, represents years of contribution from the angler and scientific community and is the first management plan revision for Adirondack pond-dwelling brook trout in nearly 50 years. It reflects the many changes to the trout fishery that have taken place over the past five decades and guide DEC’s Adirondack brook trout pond management for the next 15 years. To continue engaging the public on current and future management, DEC also announced the May 17 “Trek for Trout” initiative to collect citizen-driven observations of these backcountry fisheries.

“Brook trout are an iconic Adirondack species and this new roadmap will guide DEC’s efforts as we work to address challenges and secure a successful future for this valuable ecological and recreational resource,” Acting Commissioner Lefton said. “The proposed plan was collaboratively developed by DEC fisheries experts after collection and analysis of four decades of scientific data and feedback from anglers, local businesses, and a stakeholder focus group.” 

The brook trout is New York’s state fish and an iconic symbol of the Adirondacks. In the U.S., pond-dwelling populations of brook trout are extremely rare outside the states of Maine and New York. Brook trout ponds are an important component of the natural heritage of the Adirondacks, providing a unique angling opportunity in an often-secluded location.

Once ubiquitous on New York’s northern landscape, up to 90 percent of the lacustrine brook trout habitat has been lost due to anthropogenic factors, including poor silvicultural practices, acid-precipitation, and incompatible and detrimental fish species introductions. Pond-dwelling brook trout are a key element of the Adirondack ecosystem and retaining this resource is imperative if New York State is to successfully preserve our Adirondack natural heritage.

The new plan replaces the previous Brook Trout Pond Management Plan authored 46 years ago. While some of the management strategies outlined in the 1979 plan remain highly relevant, many aspects of the management environment have changed considerably. These include updates to the scientific knowledge base, the need for more integrated and structured management, the views and expectations of the angling public, reductions in acid precipitation, and new threats to pond-dwelling brook trout, including climate change.

DEC’s updated plan builds upon the lessons learned over the past four decades, while incorporating current science to address emerging challenges to the fishery. DEC developed an assessment, “Historical Perspectives on Adirondack Brook Trout Management,” which is available on the DEC website and presents what has been learned during the past four decades.

Expected benefits associated with the proposed management plan include:

• Protection of existing and establishment of new self-sustaining populations;
• Safeguarded hatchery brook trout production for fishing and restoration;
• Maintenance and expansion of heritage broodstock waters;
• Consistent and standardized sampling, data collection and data management;
• Greater structure in our approach to management that includes:

• Consideration of climate change in management actions;
• Decision support tool for management actions;
• Management metrics for “put, grow, and take” fisheries;
• Creation of a citizen science brook trout pond angler partnership program;

• Increased awareness about the value of ponded brook trout populations and human and ecological threats to the security of those populations; and

• Reduced spread of incompatible and detrimental fish, including baitfish.

DEC encourages the public to comment on the Draft Adirondack Brook Trout Pond Management Plan which will be published in the ENB on May 14, and is also available on DEC's website. Public comments will be accepted through June 13, 2025. Following a review of public comments received and further evaluation early this summer, DEC will finalize the plan and begin implementation.

Trek for Trout

One important objective of the draft Adirondack Brook Trout Pond Management Plan is to increase DEC’s knowledge about brook trout pond fisheries. The dispersed and remote nature of the collective fishery makes it very difficult to obtain estimates of fishing pressure, catch and harvest rates, and other parameters of interest using conventional onsite angler survey methods.

On May 17, 2025, a one-day partnership event, Trek for Trout, will be held to support Brook Trout Conservation in the Adirondacks. DEC will be partnering with Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, Trout Unlimited, Trout Power, Native Fish Coalition, Paul Smith’s College, and the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry to post signs at brook trout ponds as part of a citizen science initiative to collect angler data and protect these fisheries. The signs will contain a unique QR Code that anglers can use to access a survey that will provide DEC with key angler use information.

The sign also has important messaging to protect brook trout ponds by reminding anglers that the use of baitfish is prohibited. DEC biologists will be present at seven posting hubs to provide volunteers their signs and answer questions about the new Adirondack Brook Trout Pond Plan. More information about this partnership event can be found at Management of Adirondack Brook Trout Ponds webpage.

Weekly News from State Senator Gustavo Rivera!

 

SENATOR RIVERA´S STATEMENT ON THE 2025-2026 NEW YORK STATE BUDGET

Senator Rivera urges Bronx tenants to testify in the upcoming Bronx Public Hearing of the Rent Guidelines Board on June 12, and inform the Board about the impact these proposed hikes could have in our communities.

Bronx Public Hearing

When: Thursday, June 12, 2025

Time: 5:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M.

Location: Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture 

Hostos Community College/CUNY 

450 Grand Concourse, Bronx

Click here for more info

SENATOR RIVERA JOINS THE MORRIS HEIGHTS HEALTH CENTER'S (MHHC) BI- MONTHLY COMMUNITY WALK & CLEAN UP!

Last weekend, Senator Rivera joined neighbors at the Morris Heights Health Center's (MHHC) bi-monthly Community Walk & Clean Up! The Senator got to work with many of his constituents to keep our streets clean and safe. Click here to see more photos on Senator Rivera's Instagram.

Are you media savvy and interested in public service?

Apply for our Communications Summer Internship and help Senator Rivera’s team to shape the message behind the mission.

We will accept applications on a rolling basis but we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

Send us your resume and cover letter at grivera@nysenate.gov

JustFix, in partnership with the Housing Justice for All coalition, has launched Good Cause NYC a powerful new tool designed to help NYC tenants take advantage of their new protections. 

By analyzing public data from multiple sources, the tool helps cut through the confusion, making it easier for tenants to learn if they’re covered to fight back against unjust rent hikes and eviction.

With this new tool they're putting knowledge and power back in the hands of tenants.

How does Good Cause NYC help?

• Eligibility Screener: Enter your address and answer a few short questions to find out if you are covered.

• Your Rights: No matter what result you get, they offer next steps to learn about the protections you have and how to assert your rights.

• Rent Increase Calculator: If you know you’re covered by Good Cause, you can use their new rent increase calculator to learn if your rent hike is considered “unreasonable” by the law.

Visit Good Cause NYC here for more information

THE NYPL BRONX LIBRARY CENTER: FREE EVENTS AND CLASSES IN MAY!

Justice Department and City of Albuquerque Seek Termination of Consent Decree Covering the Albuquerque Police Department

 

The Justice Department and the City of Albuquerque filed a joint motion seeking U.S. District Court approval to terminate the federal consent decree covering the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) since 2015. The joint motion follows a long record of findings that APD has maintained full compliance with the decree.

“This consent decree has run its course successfully,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We are proud to stand by the men and women of the Albuquerque Police Department and ask the court to terminate this consent decree. Albuquerque Police operates constitutionally. It is now appropriate to end federal oversight and return full control of local law enforcement to the city.”

“The Albuquerque Police Department has made meaningful progress toward constitutional policing and a culture of accountability,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison for the District of New Mexico. “This progress builds on nearly a decade of hard work and partnership with the community, laying a strong foundation for the future and opening the door to a new chapter. This chapter demands leadership that listens, a community that stays engaged, and a department committed to doing what is right, even when it is difficult, in service of a safer, more just Albuquerque for all.”

Georgia Man Charged With Gun Trafficking Approximately 47 Firearms And Drugs To New York City

Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Bryan Miller, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”); and Jessica S. Tisch, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced the arrest and filing of a criminal complaint charging DAVID MORRIS with trafficking 47 firearms and numerous rounds of ammunition from Georgia to Lower Manhattan.  MORRIS was arrested while following the sale of 17 firearms and cocaine to undercover officers.  The defendant was before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stewart D. Aaron. 

U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said: “As alleged, David Morris illegally trafficked dangerous drugs and 47 firearms from Georgia to New York City.  The unchecked flow of illegal firearms is a threat to every New Yorker.  Anyone who is thinking about illegally trafficking guns to New York City should know that our Office and our law enforcement partners are watching, and we will hold you accountable for jeopardizing the safety of our streets.” 

ATF Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller said: “This arrest serves as a notice to those who think they are above the law and can illegally traffic guns into our communities.  The men and women of ATF NY will never waver in our commitment to protect the public and to aggressively target firearms traffickers.  I thank our partners at NYPD and SDNY for their diligent work and tireless dedication to our shared public safety mission.”

NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch said: “David Morris trafficked illegal firearms, ammunition, and narcotics into our city—but our brave officers were one step ahead, stopping these weapons and drugs from ever reaching the streets.  Gun traffickers fuel violence in our communities, and the NYPD will never stop working to shut down these pipelines.  I’m grateful to the ATF and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their partnership in this critical case.”

According to the allegations contained in the Complaint:

On or about March 28, April 18, and May 9, 2025, MORRIS sold 47 firearms and numerous rounds of ammunition to undercover law enforcement officers with the New York City Police Department in the vicinity of Catherine Slip and South Street in Lower Manhattan.  MORRIS transported the firearms from Georgia and stated that he works with a team of other individuals in Georgia, has been selling firearms for approximately ten years, and has access to machine gun conversion devices, which are used to convert semiautomatic pistols into fully automatic weapons.

MORRIS also trafficked narcotics to the undercover officers on or about April 18 and May 9, 2025. On or about April 18, MORRIS provided one of the undercover law enforcement officers a “sample” of a substance that contained cocaine.  On or about May 9, MORRIS sold to one of the undercover officers’ plastic baggies of white powder consistent with, and that MORRIS represented to be, cocaine.  A photograph of the contraband seized from MORRIS is depicted below:

MORRIS, 31, of Georgia, is charged with one count of unlicensed dealing of firearms, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; one count of firearms trafficking, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison; and one count of using and carrying a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, which carries a maximum sentence of life and a mandatory minimum of five years in prison.

The statutory maximum and minimum sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. 

Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the ATF and the NYPD’s Joint Firearms Task Force and the 5th Precinct’s Field Intelligence Office.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Justice Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Wheelock is in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.