Central Park just broke ground on its water recirculation system! This will help reduce flooding across Harlem, limit the park’s reliance on the city’s drinking water and improve water quality for visitors.
Speaker Julie Menin
@speakermenin.bsky.social
Proud mom and Speaker of the New York City Council
Yesterday, we made history. With Romanch's Law, we're protecting animals, workers, and the public.
A HUGE WIN FOR NYC'S HORSES 🎉🐴 After decades of campaigning, NYC has voted to end horse-drawn carriages, thanks to @speakermenin.bsky.social's and @mayor.nyc.gov's leadership and the support from animal advocates! We're pledging $50,000 to help them retire to greener pastures!
As the late Jonathan Sacks said: “Faith is not certainty, but the courage to live with uncertainty." And the courage of our community is one thing I’ll always be certain about.
The NYC Council is making our streets safer for all New Yorkers. That’s why we’re looking to introduce new technology that can identify which e-bikes and e-scooters are illegal. We don’t just need stronger enforcement, we need smarter enforcement.
OpenAI says it supports the regulation of AI, but that’s not what campaign spending by its president says.
When whistleblowers come forward with concerns about the safety of AI, they should be listened to, not sidelined. The NYC Council is pursuing legislation that would provide incentives for insiders with critical information to speak out.
"Tasteful nudity is acceptable and is the goal" — SpaceXAI whistleblower
Within seconds, Grok can generate a sexualized image of anyone — including me — despite SpaceXAI testifying that it has “strict controls” in place. This is deeply disturbing and unacceptable. We need independent safeguards and accountability.
On Wednesday, October 14, I’ll be joining Politico at their Economic Forum to talk about affordability and economic development in NYC, and the important work the City Council is doing on both.
AI poses too many potential risks for the companies simply to self-regulate. Jake Tapper and I discussed the legislative solutions the NYC Council is pursuing.
Raise your hand if your company has insurance for catastrophic risk.
"I don't know." OpenAI , in response to my question about quantifying AI's catastrophic risk potential.
Whether AI will become a force for good or ill depends on us.
Jacob Coxon quit Anthropic after he came to believe that AI could pose a risk to humanity. Shortly, he will testify at a City Council hearing, along with fellow industry whistleblowers Daniel Kokotajlo and Alex Turner, on the risks of accelerating AI progress. nymag.com/intelligence...
What Would You Do If Your Employer Could Destroy the World?
Exit interviews with defectors from OpenAI, Anthropic, and DeepMind.
nymag.com
Happy Birthday Reverend Al Sharpton! What a wonderful celebration at today’s National Action Network Rally. His dedication to public service and commitment to fighting for civil rights inspires us and reminds us that even in the darkest moments, we must keep moving toward justice.
The NYC Council allocated $3 million to Penn South in this year's budget to fund upgrades that will make residents’ lives more comfortable and secure. This investment will help older residents stay in the community and ensure that younger families can enjoy their homes for decades to come.
As NYC Climate Week comes to a close, we're shouting out the climate leaders we recently celebrated — the people who have been on the frontlines fighting for progress. And it’s so important that we all join the fight for climate and environmental justice: our kids are all counting on us!
In this year's celebration of the harvest festival, we're wishing everyone a joyful time with friends, family and food inside the Sukkah. Chag Sukkot Sameach!
Too many New Yorkers’ pets suffer from a lack of food and the overcrowding of animal shelters. The NYC Council has allocated $1.5M to invest in pet food pantries and free and low-cost spay and neuter treatments. We will continue to fight for animals and the families that love and care for them.
Amid a severe psychiatric bed shortage, the NYC Council is proud to announce the allocation of $25.6M to modernize Bellevue Hospital’s adult psychiatric units. The funding will add 40 much-needed hospital beds, strengthening the City’s ability to provide essential mental health care to patients.
On Sunday, City Council Members showed up to and celebrated culture, heritage, and unity at the African American Day Parade! https://x.com/NYCCouncil/status/2102439103606186083?s=20
New York City Council (@NYCCouncil) on X
Harlem showed up. 🖤💚❤️ The first African American Day Parade stepped off in Harlem in 1969. Fifty-seven years later, it's still one of the largest Black parades in America. The Council was so proud to march on Sunday.
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The NYC Council is investing $24 million in the construction of Ittner Park Place. That means new parks, recreation, and revitalized green space under the Cross Bronx Expressway. And even better — we’re launching the Park Neighborhood Plan to make sure that these changes are accessible to everyone.
We’ve sent additional letters to Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk and Sunder Pichai requesting their participation in our October 5 hearing on the potential risks of AI. The NYC Council will look at how this rapidly evolving technology is affecting NYC and what safeguards are needed to protect the public.
Annie McDonough (@Annie_McDonough) on X
New in First Read: The City Council sent letters to Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk and Sundar Pichai requesting their companies' participation in an AI hearing on Oct. 5. The council sent letters to Anthropic and OpenAI earlier this week. https://t.co/1pxxgimGzy
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On October 5, all 51 members of the NYC Council will convene for a hearing on the potential risks of AI. I’ve asked Sam Altman of OpenAI and Dario Amodei of Anthropic to join us.
Today marks 25 years since September 11, 2001. We remember the 2,977 lives taken from us, the extraordinary courage of the heroes who answered the call, and the resilience of New Yorkers in the days and years that followed. We will never forget.
New York City’s engineering community and their countless contributions not only help us thrive today, but have for years, including during the 9/11 attacks. To the American Council of Engineers, you have led the charge. Thank you for all you do to keep our city moving and thriving every day.
Following the 9/11 attacks, nothing inspired me more than the stories of those who channeled their hope and resilience — their humanity and kindness — to strengthen and rebuild our community. I want to see more of this today.
