News in New York – District Maps, NYSCA Grants, and Cozen Expansion

New York State Court Upholds Assembly Maps

Last week, the New York State Court of Appeals rejected a challenge to the new Assembly district maps. After rejecting the Congressional and State Senate maps several weeks ago, the judge upheld the Assembly maps, citing in his decision a lack of time before the primary and a bipartisan push to keep the Assembly maps as is. As a result, the Assembly primaries are now still scheduled for June 28, the same day as the primaries for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and U.S. Senate. However, the Congressional and State Senate primaries will be held on August 23. The court-ordered maps for Congressional and State Senate districts are set to be completed and released this week.

Governor Hochul Announces Arts and Cultural Funding Opportunities Through New York State Council on the Arts

Last Wednesday, Governor Kathy Hochul announced that applications are now open for arts and culture grant funding through the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA). The Governor announced that the agency’s first five grant opportunities for FY23 are now open for artists and cultural organizations, which are as follows: Support for Organizations, Support for Artists, Support for Special Opportunities, Regrowth and Capacity Enhancement, and Support for Partnerships. This marks the second year of record funding for NYSCA, as the agency’s FY23 appropriation includes $50 million in recovery funds, $50 million in capital projects support, and a base grant-making budget of $40 million. Guidelines and the NYSCA Application Manual for recovery funds are now available on the NYSCA Website, and the application portal for NYSCA’s Capital grants will be available this fall.

Rose Christ and Katie Schwab Elevated to Co-Chair Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies NY Leadership Team

Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies is pleased to announce the elevation of long-term political operatives Rose Christ and Katie Schwab to co-chairs of the New York practice group. Christ and Schwab bring decades of experience both inside and outside of government and have led hundreds of city and state policy campaigns throughout New York. Christ and Schwab’s collaborative approach and dedication to hiring, mentoring, and empowering the next generation of top lobbyists fosters an environment that attracts the best up-and-coming talent, including the practice’s newest hire, long-time New York City Council finance veteran Nathan Toth. Christ and Schwab succeed longtime Chair Stuart Shorenstein, who co-founded the New York Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies practice in 2009 and has chaired the New York practice for the past dozen years. Shorenstein will continue to serve clients in a senior role on the New York team.

Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies Adds Nathan Toth, Former Deputy Director of N.Y. City Council’s Finance Division

Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies is pleased to announce Nathan Toth — long-time deputy director of Finance for the New York City Council — has joined Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies’ fast-growing New York City practice. Toth, a veteran government official who played a leading role in overseeing the city’s massive $103 billion fiscal 2022 budget, joins Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies as a principal and will work out of its Manhattan office. With some 21 years of city government service — including 11 years of helping the New York City Council manage the largest municipal spending package in the country — Toth will now represent a wide range of Cozen O’Connor clients, helping them better understand and navigate the often complex, inner workings of the city’s budgeting and legislative and contracting processes.