Gale Brewer
Coverage of Gale Brewer in the Nexus archive.
- Team Mamdani’s Pied-à-Terre No-Show Has Lawmakers Fuming
Lawmakers criticized the Mamdani administration for missing a key hearing regarding the rollout of the new pied-à-terre tax. Simultaneously, the number of households admitting they were wrongfully targeted by the surcharge grew by 21%, prompting owners to file lawsuits alleging procedural failures. The City Council also expressed concern that thousands of New Yorkers were required to prove residency when officials claimed the city already had existing data.
- City Council leaders float a raft of bills to curb e-bike and other micromobility device crashes
City Council leaders announced 17 bills aimed at reducing crashes involving e-bikes, e-scooters, and other micromobility devices. The proposals include requiring delivery apps to obtain licenses, banning e-bikes exceeding 25 mph with throttle assistance, and mandating safety equipment for drivers, but exclude a registration and license plate system for devices.
- Die-Hard New Yorkers Blanche at Mamdani’s Pied-A-Terre J’Accuse
Mayor Zohran Mamdani's administration published a list of 900,000 properties potentially subject to a new pied-a-terre tax on luxury second homes, triggering anxiety among New Yorkers. The list included homes of officials like Mamdani's finance commissioner Richard Lee and former mayor Bill de Blasio. Homeowners received letters demanding proof of primary residency to avoid the tax, with critics accusing the administration of inadequate due diligence.
- NYPD policy statement on radio access is ‘vague’ and ‘a violation of the law’, say press advocates
Press advocates criticize the NYPD's proposed policy on encrypted radio access as 'vague' and violating Local Law 46, which mandates real-time access to non-sensitive police radio feeds for credentialed journalists. The NYPD's plan includes delayed broadcasts without specifying the delay, while Manhattan City Council Member Gale Brewer and media lawyer Robert Roth argue the policy fails to comply with the law and introduces unnecessary restrictions.
- NYC officials’ 18% salary hike gets support of fiscal watchdogs – but also a warning
New York City lawmakers approved legislation granting elected officials an 18.2% salary increase retroactive to January 1, 2026, supported by fiscal watchdogs but criticized for a provision allowing automatic future raises. The bill, sponsored by Deputy Speaker Nantasha Williams, raises salaries for officials including the mayor, Council members, and district attorneys, based on recommendations from the Quadrennial Advisory Commission.