Dear Neighbor,

I was heartened two weeks ago to participate in the No Kings march in New York City, along with upwards of seven million patriotic Americans marching across our country. In spite of detractors trying to brand it as anti-American, it was anything but that. Rather, it was a joyful and determined outpouring of solidarity, a celebration of the American values of democracy, civic engagement, and diversity in the face of those who would make our country more insular, small-minded, authoritarian, and cruel. In the words of the activist Cleve Jones, who spoke at the rally in San Francisco, "We do not despair. We will not surrender, and we will not comply. This is our country."

Below you will find governmental updates, recent actions by the Trump Administration impacting New Yorkers, and upcoming events and other useful information affecting our district.

Today's message is a long one, but there is a great deal of pertinent information directly affecting our district, so if you don't have time to read to the end, I encourage you to look at the table of contents below to see what may be of interest to you.

As always, if you have any questions or need assistance, please email or call my office at [email protected] or 212-490-9535.

Liz Krueger

State Senator

What's In This Newsletter?

Governmental Updates:

• Update on Trump Administration Impacts
• Governor Signs Bill Supporting IVF and IUI
• Governor Vetoes Bill Prohibiting Commercial Rent Minimums
• Senator Krueger Introduces Legislation To Establish Cryptocurrency Mining Excise Tax
• New Edition of Older Adult Resource Guide
• Senator Krueger’s Virtual Older Adult Roundtable Series

Helpful Information

• Early Voting Runs Through Nov. 2
• Important Update on Changes to SNAP Benefits
• Your Chance to Say No to Another Con-Ed Rate Hike
• MTA Fare and Toll Increases to Take Effect January 2026
• Assemblymember Rosenthal Hosts Virtual Town Hall on the National Guard in U.S. Cities
• ACA Open Enrollment Help from CSS Navigator Network
• Middle School Applications are Open Through December 12th

Community Updates:

• DOROT's Thanksgiving Package Delivery Event
• Thanksgiving Day Student Showcase
• Roosevelt Island Domestic Violence Resource Fair

Update on Trump Administration Impacts

Below is a very small sample of actions the Trump Administration has taken that have had concrete, negative impacts on New Yorkers. Click on the links for more details. Here is some of what the Administration has been up to:

• President Trump destroyed the entire East Wing of the White House to make way for his "Billionaire Ballroom." The original East Wing was built by Theodore Roosevelt, with the modern version upgraded by Franklin Roosevelt. Trump also leveled the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden that dates back to 1913. Although the president claims his ballroom, which would dwarf the White House itself, will cost $300 million and be paid for by private donations from tech oligarchs, the actual cost may be significantly more and paid for by taxpayers long into the future.

• For the first time in the history of US federal government shutdowns, President Trump has instructed his agencies to cut off federal funding for SNAP (formerly called food stamps). This is in spite of the fact that there is a $6 billion contingency fund that could be used to support continued benefits during the shutdown, and the Department of Agriculture can use other funds to provide further support, as it has done in previous shutdowns. More than 42 million Americans, including 1.8 million New York City residents, rely on SNAP to feed themselves and their families. Governor Hochul declared a declared a State of Emergency yesterday in response. See the SNAP section below for more details.

• President Trump increased the import taxes (also called tariffs) that Americans will have to pay on Canadian goods because he was personally offended by an ad produced by the government of Ontario that quoted Ronald Reagan's opposition to tariffs. You can view the ad by clicking here. Although Trump said the ad misrepresented Reagan's position, PolitiFact rated that claim "mostly false."

• It turns out that one particular provision in H.R.1, the Big Ugly Bill passed by Congress earlier this year, will raise Medicare drug costs almost twice as much as previously thought. The provision, which widens exemptions from Medicare's prescription drug negotiation program, will cost the program $8.8 billion dollars, 80% more than the original $4.9 billion estimate, and increase costs by thousands of dollars every year for individuals who take the affected medications.

• President Trump is demanding that the Justice Department pay him $230 million of our taxpayer dollars in compensation for two FBI investigations into his misdeeds, including collusion with Russia during the 2016 election and illegally hoarding classified documents at Mar-a-Lago. The Justice Department officials who would have to sign off on the payout include several who previously worked as Trump's private defense attorneys. As Bennett Gershman, an ethics professor at Pace University, put it: “The ethical conflict is just so basic and fundamental, you don’t need a law professor to explain it.”

• An Upstate New York man who was pardoned by President Trump after participating in the January 6th, 2021 violent insurrection against the US government, was arrested for threatening to kill Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, saying, "I cannot allow this terrorist to live."

• President Trump's nominee to lead the Office of the Special Counsel, 30-year-old Paul Ingrassia, was forced to withdraw his nomination after it was revealed that he claimed he has "a Nazi streak," and used an ethnic slur for African-Americans to say that holidays like Kwanzaa, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and Juneteenth should be "eviscerated." He also referred to King as "the 1960s George Floyd."

• President Trump claimed that $18 billion in federal funding for the Gateway Tunnel and the Second Avenue Subway extension had been "terminated," though other administration officials didn't appear to have gotten the memo, saying that funding will continue for these regionally critical infrastructure projects.

• The Trump Administration defunded the NYPD to the tune of $187 million by cutting funding to New York's counterterrorism operations, before being blocked from doing so by a judge, and finally reversing the cuts after claiming the president was unaware of them. The cuts appear to be part of an effort by the Administration to move counterterrorism funding away from states that voted against Trump in the last election, toward those that supported him.

• President Trump fired almost all employees at the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, which oversees the legal requirement (created during the Ford Administration) that children with disabilities receive free and appropriate education, and that distributes $15 billion in funding for special education services.
  
• The Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Population Affairs (OPA) was also targeted by President Trump, who fired all but one employee. This action essentially dismantled OPA, which administers the Title X Program, a critical source of birth control, STI testing, and basic infertility care for low-income individuals and families.

• The Labor Department warned that the Administration's mass-deportation policies will lead to an increase in food prices due to agricultural labor shortages. Perversely, the Labor Department's solution to this labor crisis is to lower wages for seasonal agricultural workers who hold H-2A visas.

• Particularly timely in the context of the recent national No Kings rallies, President Trump has doubled and tripled down on spending and withholding money without Congressional authorization, one of the central grievances laid out in the Declaration of Independence against King George III.

• President Trump has murdered 57 people by illegally ordering several military strikes on boats carrying people that he claims were smuggling drugs, violating US and international law. No evidence has been presented in any legal forum to support these claims, and no efforts were made to extend any kind of due process prior to the killings. Trump has made clear his intention to continue violating the Constitution by not seeking approval from Congress for using the military in this way, or, as the Declaration of Independence puts it, "He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power."

• Bright Line Watch recently released a report showing that "current expert ratings of U.S. democracy are closer to those of a mixed or illiberal democracy than a full democracy or countries often considered as relevant comparisons such as Great Britain and Canada." At the same time, Steady State, a group of 340 former US intelligence officials, released an intelligence assessment that concluded the US is "on a trajectory" toward authoritarianism. All in time for the president, with no apparent sense of irony, to put his own face on both sides of a new $1 coin commemorating the 250th anniversary of the founding of our republic.

While the Trump Administration continued to engage in authoritarian-like actions that threaten the wellbeing of millions of Americans, resistance activity remained strong. Over 100,000 participated in 'No Kings' protests in New York City on October 18th and New Yorkers were quick to protest when ICE agents conducted a raid on October 21st, targeting Canal Street vendors. 

• Millions turned out for anti-Trump 'No Kings' protests across US (BBC)
• Military-Style Immigration Sweep Hits NYC as Masked Federal Agents Arrest Canal Street Vendors (The City)
• Boycotts, strikes and more protests: organizers on what's next for No Kings (The Guardian)
• Pope Leo Is Becoming Increasingly Vocal About Defending Immigrants From Trump's Crackdown (TIME)

And don't forget that knowledge is power. Read a piece from The Marshall Project titled, "The ICE Protest Frogs Have a Long History of 'Tactical Frivolity' Behind Them," which discusses the strategy of "tactical frivolity" when protesting authoritarianism.

Governor Signs Bill Supporting IVF and IUI

This month the governor signed my bill, S.698, that supports prospective parents using in-vitro fertilization or intrauterine insemination, by allowing an insurance product called "credit insurance" to be sold in New York State. Credit insurance will allow New Yorkers participating in IVF or IUI to recoup some amount of their expenses if the procedure is not successful.

IVF and IUI are extremely expensive and many intended parents require multiple rounds to have a child. Many intended parents incur substantial expenses (often in the form of debt) without obtaining a successful result (i.e. the birth of a child). These intended parents are less likely to attempt additional rounds of IVF or IUI if early rounds are unsuccessful, especially when they are saddled with substantial debt.

New York law requires that basic infertility treatments be covered under individual, small group, and large group comprehensive health insurance policies. This includes coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of correctable medical conditions causing infertility and for other basic infertility treatments such as intrauterine insemination. New York law also requires health insurers covering large employer groups (i.e.,

groups of more than 100 employees) to provide coverage for three rounds of IVF. While this mandatory coverage will undoubtedly help many intended parents have a child, unfortunately, many intended parents who reside in New York and who would make use of such coverage do not have it because either they do not get their health insurance through their employer, or their health insurance is an ERISA plan or otherwise not subject to New York law and thus is not required to provide coverage.

Governor Vetoes Bill Prohibiting

Commercial Rent Minimums

Unfortunately, this month Governor Hochul chose to veto a bill I carry with Assembly Member Bobby Carroll, S.1163/A.174, to prohibit commercial rent minimums. This bill would have allowed for landlords to rent space for less than the

minimum stipulated in their mortgage and would render any terms in the mortgage

which would cause a mortgagor to be penalized for not setting a high enough rent

to be void and unenforceable as against public policy. Eliminating the minimum

rent requirement for mortgagors would give landlords the flexibility to rent

properties at a lower rate and not risk penalties or defaulting.

Small businesses in New York face enough challenges without banks dictating unrealistic rents. This bill would have provided commercial building owners the flexibility to negotiate rental terms with tenants that reflect real market conditions. It would have supported small businesses, decreased commercial vacancies and reduced artificial barriers-to-entry in high-demand commercial areas across the State.

Senator Krueger Introduces Legislation To Establish Cryptocurrency Mining Excise Tax

This month I was joined by Assemblymember Anna Kelles in introducing new legislation to impose an excise tax on proof-of-work cryptocurrency mining facilities that consume massive amounts of energy at the expense of New Yorkers. The bill ensures that the companies driving up New Yorkers’ electricity rates pay their fair share, while providing direct relief to families struggling with rising utility costs by using the significant potential revenue raised to support Energy Affordability Programs.

New Yorkers are facing enormous burdens resulting from the unregulated growth of proof-of-work cryptocurrency mining operations, but are receiving very few benefits, if any, from them. These cryptomining operations disrupt surrounding communities, fail to deliver jobs, and underpay for their own electricity usage.

Frustratingly, New Yorkers are on the hook for the massive energy demands of cryptomining – they are being forced to pay higher electricity bills and directly or indirectly subsidize these operations. Cryptomining operations place a significant strain on the grid and divert energy away from homes and other businesses. The cost burden of generating and delivering this additional electricity falls on all ratepayers. In fact, several localities in New York State have seen their electricity prices increase substantially when proof-of-work cryptocurrency miners move to town.

Through preferential rates, tax abatements, and competitive contracts, New York State is providing cryptocurrency mining companies with direct and indirect subsidies. For example, under a New York Power Authority contract, TeraWulf’s Lake Mariner Facility in Somerset, NY currently receives between 90 and 500 MW of electricity from NYPA and appears to pay less than 5 cents/kWh. Digihost in North Tonawanda pays the equivalent of 3 cents/kWh, and cryptominers in Plattsburgh paid approximately 2 cents/kWh before the town instituted a new rate to protect their community.

Meanwhile, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, in 2023:

• Residential ratepayers in New York paid an average of 22.25 cents per kilowatt hours (kW/h) for their electricity.
• Commercial ratepayers in New York paid an average of 18.01 cents/kWh.
• Industrial ratepayers in New York paid an average of 6.87 cents/kWh.

Increasing electricity bills contribute to an unaffordable cost of living for too many New Yorkers, leading to high amounts of consumer utility debt, increasing numbers of utility service shutoffs, and hardship as families struggle to also afford housing, food, medicine and healthcare.

The climate impacts of cryptocurrency mining will be felt globally, but the operations have disproportionate and damaging impacts on local communities and environments. The continued operation of cryptomines threatens the State’s climate mandates and pollutes New York’s air. The intense energy demands from cryptomining have also led to extending the life of gas-fired power plants in New York. Cryptomining operations also consume significant amounts of freshwater, create noise pollution, and generate massive amounts of e-waste.

It is necessary to ensure that the costs are being paid by cryptomining companies, not subsidized by New Yorkers. The bill does not impose a ban on cryptocurrency mining. Rather, it ensures that the negative externalities created by these cryptomining operations are captured and paid for by the operators, rather than New Yorkers. Through this excise tax, New Yorkers will benefit from more affordable electricity bills and less pollution.

New Edition of Older Adult Resource Guide

My office has just released the latest edition of our Older Adult Resource Guide, with information on a broad range of organizations and resources that can be helpful for older adults in our district. Click on the button below to view the guide online, or call my office to request a physical copy.

Senator Krueger’s

Virtual Older Adult Roundtable Series

Session III - Social Security, SSI, and SSD

Thursday, November 6th 2 pm – 3:30 pm

Over 70 million people receive Social Security. Most of us have paid into Social Security all of our lives. We rely on Social Security for stability in retirement, in case of disability, or if we lose a working spouse. Clearly, these funds are vital, particularly since half of older adults rely on Social Security for the majority of our income.

Learn about the impact of the federal budget cuts to Social Security, SSI, and SSD, what can be done to fight the cuts, and what needs to be done to keep the Social Security system solvent for the future.

Presenters:

Tracey Thomas Gronniger

Managing Director, Economic Security and Housing, Justice in Aging

Emilia Sicilia

Managing Attorney, Disability Advocacy Program (DAP), Empire Justice

Michelle Spadafore

Senior Supervising Attorney, NYLAG

In addition to attending the event on Zoom, you will also have the option to view online through Facebook. Please note that you do not need a Facebook account or profile to view the event through Facebook. 

If you do not have access to a computer, tablet, or other electronic device, you can listen in by telephone. 

**After you register, a confirmation email with the Zoom link and the call-in information will be sent immediately from Zoom.** 

The event will feature a question-and-answer session with the presenters. If you have questions about cuts to Social Security, SSI or SSD, please RSVP for the event on November 6th. Attendees will be able to submit questions through Zoom and Facebook during the event but are *strongly* encouraged to submit them in advance. 

The event will be recorded and available online approximately one week afterwards. A link to the recording and resources will be emailed to everyone who RSVPs.

Please let us know if you plan to attend the Thursday, November 6th Roundtable and RSVP to https://nysenate-gov.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_mEylVXj-RRK25W26fTGs0w.

Early Voting Runs Through November 2nd

Early Voting runs through this Saturday, November 2nd.

Election Day is Tuesday, November 4th.

Remember, November 4th is your last chance to vote in this year's General Election, but there are opportunities to cast your ballot before that date, either by voting by mail or voting early. If you need assistance with checking whether you are registered to vote, requesting an early mail ballot or an absentee ballot, or tracking your ballot, please call my office at 212-490-9535.

Voting Resources

• Check if you are registered to vote: https://www.vote.nyc/page/am-i-registered
• Request an early mail ballot or absentee ballot in person at your county board of elections through November 3rd for the November 4th General Election: https://vote.nyc/page/contact-us
• Track your early mail ballot or absentee ballot: https://requestballot.vote.nyc/tracking
• Look up your Early Voting and Election Day poll sites and view a sample ballot: https://findmypollsite.vote.nyc/
• Check the wait time to vote at your Early Voting poll site: https://vote.nyc/page/wait-time-map
• NYC Board of Elections: 1-866-868-3692 

Voting Tips

• Whether you are voting in person or by mail, remember to flip over your ballot to weigh in on six ballot proposals, one amending the New York State Constitution and five amending the New York City charter. The state ballot proposal, Proposal 1, would amend the New York State Constitution to allow for a land swap in the State Forest Preserve. The rest of the Proposals were placed on the ballot by the mayor's charter commission, with 2-4 dealing with changing the process for building new housing, 5 relating to digitizing the city's mapping process, and 6 relating to moving city elections to even numbered years. Information about all six of the ballot proposals is available on the NYC Campaign Finance Board's website and included in the official voter guide mailed to all voters. Guides to the proposals have also been produced by The City, Gothamist, and the New York Times.
• Important: If you request an early mail ballot or absentee ballot, you may not cast a ballot in-person on a voting machine for that election.
• If you do not want to worry about the NYC Board of Elections receiving your early mail ballot or absentee ballot by mail before the deadline, early mail ballots and absentee ballots can be dropped off in person at the Manhattan Board of Elections office, as well as at Manhattan Early Voting and Election Day poll sites.
• If you requested an early mail ballot or an absentee ballot for the June 24th Primary and you wish to vote by early mail ballot or absentee ballot for the November 4th General Election, you must request an additional early mail ballot or absentee ballot (the deadline is November 3rd to request an early mail ballot or absentee ballot in person at your county board of elections).
• Early Voting is quicker and less crowded.
• If you have problems at the polls, you can call the NYS Attorney General at 1-866-390-2992 or the League of Women Voters/Common Cause at 1-866-687-8683

Important Dates and Deadlines

• October 25 – November 2:  Early Voting for the November 4th General Election. If you are voting by early mail ballot or absentee ballot, you can deliver your early mail ballot or absentee ballot to an early voting poll site in your county during voting hours on these days.
• November 3:  Last day to apply in-person at your county board of elections for an early mail ballot or absentee ballot for the November 4th General Election.
• November 4: If you are voting by early mail ballot or absentee ballot, this is the last day to deliver your ballot in person to the Manhattan Board of Elections office or to any poll site in Manhattan by 9 p.m. If you are mailing your early mail ballot or absentee ballot, it must be postmarked no later than November 4th.
• November 4:  General Election Day, polls are open from 6 a.m. – 9 p.m. to vote in-person.
• November 12: Deadline for the NYC Board of Elections to receive absentee or early mail ballots.

Early Voting poll sites may be different than they have been in the past. If you are going to vote at an Early Voting site, please make sure to verify which location is your designated Early Voting site in case there are any last minute updates and changes. You can find your Early Voting site at: https://findmypollsite.vote.nyc/

Important Update on Changes to SNAP Benefits

Earlier this month the federal government ordered states not to issue SNAP benefits beginning November 1st due to the federal shutdown. Benefits from prior months that have been issued but not yet been spent will still be available in November. This unprecedented pause in benefits is set to make the almost 42 million Americans – including almost 3 million New Yorkers – who rely on SNAP food insecure overnight. Most SNAP beneficiaries in New York are children, older adults, or people with disabilities.

Last Friday, Governor Hochul called on the Secretary of Agriculture to take immediate action to ensure SNAP recipients receive November benefits. On Tuesday, NY Attorney General Letitia James and 24 other state leaders and the District of Columbia sued the USDA for unlawfully suspending SNAP benefits during the federal government shutdown. Yesterday, the Governor declared a State of Emergency, announced additional State funding for emergency food assistance, and mobilized support for local food banks in response to the Trump administration's refusal to release contingency SNAP funding.

A federal judge is scheduled to rule today (October 31st) in the case filed by the multistate coalition of AGs and Governors, including New York, on whether to order the federal government to continue to fund SNAP.

If you need immediate food assistance, visit the NYC Food Finder or Food Bank for NYC Food Map to locate food pantries and free meals near you. A new state website was also launched this week to connect New Yorkers impacted by federal cuts with food assistance resources. The Plentiful website and app make it easy to find food pantries across NYC and make advance reservations.

If you would like to help your fellow New Yorkers facing food insecurity, consider donating to the NYC Food Bank or volunteering your time.



UPDATE ON CHANGES TO SNAP DUE TO HR1:

H.R.1, enacted by Congressional Republicans and President Trump, is estimated to cut hundreds of billions of dollars in spending on SNAP over the course of ten years in order to pay for tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans (68% percent of Trump’s tax cuts are exclusively benefitting the wealthiest 20% of Americans). H.R.1 increased the share of SNAP administrative costs that states must pay, shifted benefit costs to states for the first time ever, cut future benefit increases, further limited SNAP eligibility for non-citizens, and expanded the strictest form of work requirements and time limits on participation. 

While many of these changes will not go into effect until 2026 and 2027, the federal government is requiring all states to implement the new work requirements much sooner than expected. The Trump Administration abruptly revoked waivers that had previously been granted to New York and many other states that enabled the states to exempt many groups of people from the work requirements though early 2026. All states and localities now must implement the work requirements starting on November 1, 2025. Starting in November, states and localities are also required to make changes to how utility allowances are calculated for SNAP recipients, which is expected to lower benefit levels for many participants. More details on who is subject to the new work requirements and steps SNAP recipients must take to comply and/or seek exemptions is below.

H.R.1 made significant changes to who is considered an Able Bodied Adult Without Dependents (ABAWD) and must comply with work requirements to receive SNAP benefits for more than three months in any 36 month period:

• Adds those ages 54 to 64 to the definition of ABAWD
• Adds those with a child between 14-18 to the definition of ABAWD
• Removes existing exemptions from ABAWD status for homeless individuals, veterans, and individuals under 24 who were in foster care at age 18

Due to newly becoming classified as ABAWDs, hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers will now be subject to work requirements they were not previously required to fulfill in order to receive SNAP benefits for more than three months. Those who are considered an ABAWD must complete 80 hours per month of work, be in a work program for 80 hours per month, or complete 80 hours per month of a combination of work and a work program. ABAWD SNAP recipients can also participate in work experience or a community service activity for a specific number of hours each month depending on the size of SNAP benefit they receive. It’s estimated these changes will impact over 130,000 SNAP participants in New York City alone, and cost the state upwards of $800 million in lost benefits.

All SNAP recipients in NYC who fall within the groups newly classified as ABAWDs who have a mental or physical barrier to employment need to seek exemptions. In order to get a medical or mental health exemption, an individual must get their clinical provider to complete this Medical Statement Form and return it to NYC HRA via the ACCESS HRA app, mail, fax, or by dropping it off in person at an HRA center. Additional information is available from HRA here and from the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance here. 

• For more information on these changes to SNAP work requirements as well as what led to them, Gothamist has written an extremely informative article that can be found here. 
• The Food Policy Center at Hunter College has a helpful FAQ guide for what the new SNAP rules mean for participants online here.

Your Chance to Say No to Another Con-Ed Rate Hike

Con Ed is currently in the process of negotiating the electricity and gas rates that they will charge their customers over the next three years, and the Public Service Commission (PSC), the body that determines the rates that will go into effect, is currently taking comments from the public until November 21st.

I encourage anyone who has been personally affected by Con Ed's soaring rates in the past few years to submit a public comment using this link and selecting "Post Comments" in the top right corner of the page. I will also be submitting my own written testimony to the PSC in the upcoming weeks. The more people who share their negative experiences with Con Ed's existing pricing model, the better chance we have of preventing an extreme rate hike.

MTA Fare and Toll Increases

to Take Effect January 2026

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Board last month approved toll and fare increases, along with a series of fare and ticket policy changes on New York City Transit’s subways and buses, the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), and the Metro-North Railroad. Most of these changes will take effect in January 2026 to align with the full systemwide rollout of the tap-and-ride technology.

These changes were modified following an extensive six-week public comment period – featuring three hybrid public hearings, 22 public comment sessions at remote locations across the system, online comment portal, and other channels provided. The MTA received a total of 1,378 of comments – four times greater than in 2023.

New York City Transit

The base fare for subways, local buses, and Access-A-Ride is increasing 10 cents, from $2.90 to $3. The reduced fare is increasing from $1.45 to $1.50, and the express bus base fare is increasing from $7 to $7.25. Below are the fare policy updates that will take effect next year:

• OMNY seven-day fare-capping becomes permanent. The 7-day rolling fare cap, which allows customers to pay for 12 rides in a 7-day period and automatically ride free for the rest of the week with no pre-payment required, is becoming permanent. No customer will pay more than $35 for subway and local bus rides in a week; reduced-fare customers will pay no more than $17.50 in a week. The prepaid MetroCard 7-Day, 30-Day, and Express Bus Plus unlimited passes will retire and be replaced with the automatic fare cap for all riders.
• Fare-capping extended to express bus network. Express bus customers will pay no more than $67 a week for unlimited express bus, local bus, and subway rides in any 7-day period.
• Tap-and-ride will be required for fare payment on the subway and local and express buses. Beginning later in 2026, coins will no longer be accepted on buses but will continue to be accepted at card vending machines in subway stations and at one of the 2,700 local businesses that sell OMNY cards.
• OMNY charge and trip history available on OMNY.info. Customers are now able to track their trips and associated charges on OMNY.info. The page shows tap-and-ride customers their fare progress to unlimited rides. By mid-2026, the MTA app will include all self-service tools available on OMNY.info.
• Promotional $1 OMNY card fee ends by mid-2026. The fee for a new OMNY card will be $2 when the MTA no longer accepts MetroCard for fare payments. This is still lower than the original $5 fee. OMNY cards are more durable and last for up to 5 years, more than twice as long as the MetroCard.

Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad

For the commuter railroads, an average increase of up to 4.5% will apply to monthlies, weeklies, and one-way peak tickets (excluding City Tickets). There will be no increase to Metro-North’s Port Jervis and Pascack Valley lines. To view the full Metro-North fare table, see here. To view the full LIRR fare table approved today, see here.

Below is a recap of the upcoming ticketing policy changes for the commuter railroads:

• Universal reduced-fare ticket valid for travel at all times. There will be a universal reduced-fare ticket for seniors, people with disabilities, and people on Medicare that will be valid 24/7, including on morning peak trips.
• More affordable trips for families. The eligibility age for a Family Fare ticket will be raised from 11 to 17 years old. Children aged 5-17 will be able ride for $1 when accompanied by a fare-paying adult, including during the morning rush hour.
• One-way tickets will be valid until 4:00 a.m. the next day. All one-way tickets, both paper and mobile, will expire at 4:00 a.m. the day after purchase. Current one-way tickets are valid for 60 days. The new validity period allows riders to plan ahead and purchase tickets before upcoming trips, while limiting the opportunity to reuse an un-scanned ticket for a later trip. Customers still need to activate tickets before boarding.
• New unlimited Day Pass. A Day Pass will be available to purchase for unlimited daily travel, replacing the round-trip ticket, and will be valid until 4:00 a.m. the next day. On weekdays, the Day Pass would cost 10% less than two one-way peak tickets; on weekends, it would cost the same as two one-way off-peak tickets.
• “Pay-as-you-go” mobile discount replaces 10-trip ticket. A new “pay-as-you-go” discount will be available for mobile customers. After 10 peak or off-peak trips in 14 days, mobile customers would get an 11th peak or off-peak one-way trip for free in the same 14-day period. Unlike today’s 10-Trip, which will be discontinued, this new fare product does not require customers to pre-pay upfront to receive a discount.
• Onboard surcharges for late mobile ticket purchases and activations. Customers who repeatedly purchase or activate mobile tickets on board would be subject to an onboard surcharge after an escalating series of warnings. This change is aimed at speeding up fare collection by encouraging customers to have their tickets activated and ready for inspection.

Bridges and Tunnels

One-way passenger-vehicle toll rates will increase between 20 cents to 60 cents at all bridge and tunnel facilities. This includes E-ZPass and Tolls by Mail. The existing toll discount programs for Queens, Bronx, and Staten Island drivers will remain in effect.

For more details on fare and toll changes, visit this webpage.

Assemblymember Rosenthal Hosts Virtual Town Hall on the National Guard in U.S. Cities

Earlier this month, Upper West Side Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal hosted a virtual town hall with New York Civil Liberties Union Executive Director Donna Lieberman, Joseph Nunn, Counsel of the Liberty and National Security Program at the Brennan Center and Los Angeles Council Member Hugo Soto-Martínez to discuss how we can defend democracy.

ACA Open Enrollment Help

from CSS Navigator Network

With federal health funding cuts creating confusion and uncertainty, this year’s Open Enrollment season may feel more overwhelming than ever. But you don’t have to face it alone.

The CSS Navigator Network is here to help New Yorkers make sense of their options and get the coverage they need.

Their trained Navigators provide free, confidential, one-on-one assistance to individuals, families, and small businesses across the state. They’ll help you compare plans, find out if you qualify for free or low-cost coverage, and walk you through every step of enrollment.

Services are available in multiple languages and are always free of charge.

Call (888) 614-5400 or email [email protected] to connect with a Navigator today — and get covered for 2026 with confidence.

Open Enrollment begins on November 1st.

Click here for more information.

Middle School Applications Are Open

Through December 12th

For students applying during the 2025-2026 school year, middle school applications opened on Wednesday, October 15th, and will close on Friday, December 12th.

How can families apply?

1. Online at: MySchools.nyc
2. Through their current school counselor
3. Through a Family Welcome Center (for private or parochial school students)

How can families reach out for help?

• Talk to your school counselor
• Email [email protected]  
• Contact a Family Welcome Center
• Call: 718-935-2009 (Monday to Friday, from 8am to 6pm)

Inform families to help raise awareness about important dates, resources, and how to apply for middle school! 

Learn more: schools.nyc.gov/MS

Thanksgiving Day Student Showcase