>>> TONIGHT, ON THE FRONT PAGE FORECAST, THE MANHUNT FOR THE GUNMAN TARGETING HOMELESS NEW YORKERS, PLUS WHAT LED TO SATURDAY'S STABBING AT THE MOMA?

HOW THE CITY AND STATE ARE CONFRONTING THE VIOLENCE.

"METROFOCUS" STARTS RIGHT NOW.

♪ >>> THIS IS "METROFOCUS," WITH RAFAEL PI ROMAN, JACK FORD AND JENNA FLANAGAN.

>>> "METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND, BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION.

AND BY -- >>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE "METROFOCUS" FRONT PAGE FORECAST.

I'M JENNA FLANAGAN.

IN THIS WEEK'S LOOK AHEAD AT THE MAJOR HEADLINES, A VIOLENT WEEKEND IN NEW YORK LEADS TO A MANHUNT FOR A KILLER SUSPECTED OF SHOOTING SEVERAL HOMELESS MEN SLEEPING ON THE STREETS OF MANHATTAN AND WASHINGTON, D.C. AS OF OUR MIDDAY TAPING, THE SEARCH IS STILL ONGOING AND THE CITY IS WORKING TO GET PEOPLE INTO SHELTERS.

THE NYPD WAS ALSO INVESTIGATING SATURDAY'S STABBINGS AT MOMA, WHERE POLICE SAY TWO MUSEUM WORKERS WERE ATTACKED BY A FORMER MEMBER.

UP IN ALBANY, WHERE THE APRIL BUDGET DEADLINE IS FAST APPROACHING, GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL AND THE LESL LEGISLATURE LOOKING AT WHAT TO DO ABOUT THE ESCALATING WAR IN UKRAINE.

FOR MUCH MORE ON THESE STORIES AND THEIR TAKE ON WHAT ELSE MIGHT MAKE NEWS THIS WEEK, LET'S WELCOME FIRST L. JOY WILLIAMS, L. JOY, OF COURSE, IS A POLITICAL STRATEGIST WHO HAS WORKED WITH SOME OF THE BIGGEST NAMES IN NEW YORK POLITICS.

SHE ALSO HOSTS THE SUNDAY CIVICS PODCASTS AND CIVIC EDUCATION.

GREAT TO HAVE YOU ON THE SHOW.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO WELCOME BACK BEN MAX.

BEN IS, OF COURSE, EXECUTIVE EDITOR OF GOTHAM GAZETTE AND HOST OF THE MAX POLITICS PODCAST ON NEW YORK POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT.

BEN, GREAT TO HAVE YOUTHANKS, J.

>> AND FOR THE FIRST TIME, WE'D LIKE TO WELCOME TOM DOHERTY TO THE MONDAY ROUNDTABLE.

HE IS A VETERAN POLITICAL STRATEGIST AND PARTNER AT MERCURY, THE PUBLIC STRATEGY FIRM.

HE'S SERVED AS A SENIOR ADVISER TO FORMER GOVERNOR GEORGE PA TICK CAN I.

SO GREAT TO HAVE YOU.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

SO, BEN, FIRST, LET'S START WITH, AS I MENTIONED IN THE LEAD, THE VIOLENT INCIDENTS OF CRIME WE SAW OVER THIS WEEKEND.

FIRST, CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT WHAT UNFOLDED AT MOMA?

>> IT LOOKS LIKE A DISGRUNTLED FORMER MEMBER OF THE MUSEUM CAME BACK AND STABBED TWO EMPLOYEES.

A VERY TROUBLING SCENE AND A CHAOTIC SCENE UNFOLDED AS THEY SEEM TO HAVE EVACUATED THE MUSEUM, AND AS FAR AS I KNOW, AT THE TIME WE'RE TAPING THIS DISCUSSION, THAT INDIVIDUAL HAS NOT BEEN APPREHENDED, EITHER.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT PLUS WHAT YOU MENTIONED IN TERMS OF THIS INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS APPARENTLY BEEN TARGETING HOMELESS PEOPLE AND SHOOTING THEM, POTENTIALLY IN TWO DIFFERENT CITIES, THOSE ARE AMONG THE LATEST INCIDENTS THAT ARE REALLY, YOU KNOW, CAUSING TROUBLE IN THE CITY AND MAKING PEOPLE FEEL UNSAFE IN VARIOUS SETTINGS AND IT'S A TROUBLING TREND THAT'S BEEN GOING ON A KPLE OF YEARS NOW AND SOMETHING THAT OBVIOUSLY MAYOR ERIC ADAM WAS ELECTED ON TO FIX AND HE'S ROLLING OUT SOME OF HIS NEW POLICIES THIS WEEK TO TACKLE IT.

HE'S BEEN IN OFFICE JUST 2 1/2 MONTHS.

SO, IT'S TIME FOR HIM TO IMPLEMENT HIS POLICIES AND SHOW SOME RESULTS.

>> ALL RIGHT, WELL, SPEAKING OF MAYOR ADAMS' POLICIES, WE KNOW HE'S GOING TO BE, AS BEN SAID, ROLLING THEM OUT, BUT I'M WONDERING, L. JOY, WHAT DOES THE STATE OF THE CITY, AT LEAST WHAT WE'VE SEEN HAPPENING, BECAUSE THESE ARE THE LATEST CRIMES, IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY WEEK, WE START THE ROUNDTABLE TALKING ABOUT ANOTHER WEEK OF VIOLENT CRIME THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE.

WHAT IS THIS TELLING YOU ABOUT THE STATE OF THE CITY RIGHT NOW?

>> WELL, I TRY TO KEEP IN PERSPECTIVE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT'S BEING REPORTED AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S BEEN ON TV VERSUS WHAT'S -- WHAT PEOPLE ARE FEELING AND WHAT'S HAPPENING AND WHAT PEOPLE NEED.

AND I THINK THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THOSE WHO ARE IN ELECTED OFFICE IS WHILE YOU WANT TO ADDRESS THE VERY REAL PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERNS THAT PEOPLE IN THE CITY HAVE, YOU ALSO HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO LOOK FORWARD AND ALSO GET TO THE ROOT OF SOME OF THESE ISSUES.

I'VE BEEN ON A NUMBER OF TIMES AND TALKED ABOUT THIS.

WE KNOW SOME OF THE ISSUES, THE ROOT CAUSES AS TO WHY PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND ON THE STREETS AND WE NEED TO ADDRESS THAT, NOT JUST BY K SCURRYING FAST TO GET PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, OFF THE STREETS BECAUSE THERE IS A POTENTIAL THREAT.

THERE'S A POTENTIAL THREAT EVERY DAY OF MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE ADEQUATE HOUSING, MAKE SURE THEY HAVE ADEQUATE HEALTH CARE AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE A LIVING WAGE.

SO, THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE ELECT PEOPLE TO DO.

IT'S NOT TO JUST GOVERN BY HEADLINES, BUT TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE LOOKING FORWARD AND HELPING TO REBUILD A CITY THAT HAS BEEN HURTING SIGNIFICANTLY FINANCIALLY, HEALTH-WISE, AND IN ADDITION TO PUBLIC SAFETY.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A HISTORIC DECLINE IN PUBLIC -- IN VIOLENCE BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, WE'RE CREEPING BACK UP NOW THAT EVERYBODY IS OUT IN THE STREET.

AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE NOT OVERCRIMINALIZE, BUT WE ACTUALLY DO WHAT A NUMBER OF ACTIVISTS HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR SOME TIME, WHICH IS ADDRESSING THE ROOT CAUSES, OTHERWISE WE'LL HAVE A REAL PRETTY CITY, BUT PEOPLE WON'T BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO STAY HERE.

>> ALL RIGHT, SO, TOM, THIS IS REALLY WHERE I WANT TO GET YOUR TAKE, BECAUSE IF YOU WERE ADVISING MAYOR ADAMS, WE HAVEN'T HEARD HIS LATEST PLAN, BUT HE'S GETTING A LOT OF CRITICISM THAT HE HASN'T DONE ENOUGH.

>> WELL, I MEAN, AS BEEN POINTED OUT, HE'S BEEN MAYOR FOR TWO MONTHS NOW, AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE REASONS HE WON THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY WAS BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE KIND OF CONCERNED WITH, YOU KNOW, THE PROGRESSIVE TAKE THAT DE BLASIO HAD WHEN IT CAME TO CRIME, AND TO JOY'S POINT, THERE NEEDS TO BE A COUPLE OF THINGS WE LOOK AT.

ONE IS THAT WE HAVE CLEARLY ON THE STREETS OF NEW YORK, WE HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEM WHEN IT COMES TO HOMELESS PEOPLE THAT WE FWHE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF.

IT'S NOT JUST SHOVING THEM INTO A SHELTER AND ACTING LIKE THEY'VE GONE AWAY.

THEY NEED MENTAL HELP.

WE DON'T NEED TO BE BUILDING MORE PRISONS, WE NEED TO PUT MORE MONEY INTO EDUCATION, WHICH LEGISLATURES ARE LOOKING AT, BOTH IN THE SENATE AND THE ASSEMBLY SIDE.

THE POLITICS AND THE OPTICS ARE, THE DEMOCRATS RUN A REAL RISK IF THEY DON'T SOLVE CRIME IN NEW YORK CITY.

AND AGAIN, IT'S NOT JUST BAIL REFORM, WHICH I THINK THEY NEED TO LOOK AT AGAIN, BECAUSE WHILE YOU WANT TO PUT MONEY INTO GETTING PEOPLE A GOOD EDUCATION, BECAUSE I'VE ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO GET PEOPLE OUT OAF A LIFE OF CRIME, GETTING THEM EDUCATED, YOU CAN'T HAVE PEOPLE CONTINUALLY BEING ARRESTED, 10, 20, 30, 42 TIMES RECENTLY, AND THINK THAT THAT'S OKAY.

THAT'S NOT GOING TO WORK IN A CITY LIKE NEW YORK.

WE SAW THAT YEARS AGO, ONE OF THE REASONS GIULIANI WON WAS BECAUSE THE PERCEPTION THAT CRIME WAS OUT OF CONTROL.

SO, THERE'S A LOT OF BALLS TO BE JUGGLED HERE, BUT I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT ONE SHOE FITS ALL IN THIS CASE.

THERE ARE MANY LEVELS TO TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, HOW DO WE MAKE THE STREETS OF NEW YORK SAFE, AT THE SAME TIME, TAKING CARE OF SOME PEOPLE THAT REALLY NEED TO BE TAKEN CARE OF.

AND SO I THINK THAT THE MAYOR IS GOING TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF LEEWAY TWO MONTHS IN, BUT FOR THE GOVERNOR AND THE MAYOR, THEY NEED TO WORK TOGETHER TO FIGURE OUT HOW THE PERCEPTION, AT LEAST RIGHT NOW IS THAT YOU CAN GET ON A SUBWAY AND FEEL SAFE ABOUT IT, BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T FEEL THAT WAY.

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, SPEAKING OF THE GOVERNOR, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WE ARE IN AN ELECTION CYCLE AND THE GOVERNOR DOES HAVE CHALLENGERS FROM BOTH THE LEFT AND THE RIGHT AND I GUESS THE CENTER, IF WE'RE COUNTING CONGRES CONGRESSMAN.

WHEN SHE GAVE HER STATE OF THE STATE, THERE WAS FOCUS ON HOUSING AND EDUCATION, BUT IS CRIME GETTING ENOUGH ATTENTION AND ENOUGH FUNDING THAT IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED, DEPENDING ON WHO YOU'RE ASKING, FROM THE LEGISLATURE?

AND SO, BEN, FROM WHAT WE KNOW OF BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> WELL, AS YOU MENTIONED, WE'RE IN THE FINAL WEEKS OF STATE BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS, A BUDGET IS DUE BY THE APRIL 1st START OF THE NEW FISCAL YEAR.

THE GOVERNOR AND THE TWO HOUSES NEED TO COME TOGETHER IN AN AGREEMENT ON A FINAL SPENDING PLAN, WHICH WILL PROBABLY HAVE POLICY IN IT, IF ALBANY TRADITION HOLDS.

THERE'S A QUITE A BIT OF MONEY THE GOVERNOR PUT FORWARD, THE EXECUTIVE BUDGET THIS YEAR, THE FINAL BUDGET WILL BE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, PROBABLY MORE THAN THAT, AND THERE WILL BE A BUNCH OF MONEY IN IT, TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, PROBABLY, FOR ANTI-GUN VIOLENCE AND VIOLENCE PROGRAMMING THROUGHOUT THE STATE, LAW ENFORCEMENT MONEY, COMMUNITY MONEY, YOU KNOW, TARGETING -- TARGETING THESE ISSUES TO GET AT ROOT CAUSES AND SORT OF MORE IMMEDIATE ACTION.

I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST QUESTION MARKS WILL BE WHERE ANY OF THE DECISIONS AROUND POTENTIAL CHANGES TO SOME OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORMS OF THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS COME DOWN, THE GOVERNOR HAS BEEN VERY QUIET ON THESE ISSUES WHILE MAYOR ADAMS HAS BEEN PUSHING FOR CHANGES, OTHER DEMOCRATS AND MANY REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN PUSHING FOR CHANGES TO THE BAIL LAW, TO THE RAISE THE AGE LAW AND THEN LOTS OF DEMOCRATS, INCLUDING THE LEADERS OF THE STATE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY SAYING, WE DON'T NEED TO MAKE CHANGES TO THESE LAWS, THERE'S LOTS OF OTHER THINGS WE NEED TO DO TO TACKLE THE INCREASES IN CRIME OVER THE PAST COUPLE YEARS, BUT IT'S NOT THAT.

SO, THOSE -- THE FUNDING WILL BE THERE.

THE QUESTION REALLY IS ON TSOME OF THE LAWS AND IF THOSE WILL BE CHANGED, AS WELL, AND WE HAVEN'T SEEN THE GOVERNOR REALLY COME IN PUBLICLY WITH HER STANCE ON THESE AND THERE'S DEFINITELY NEGOTIATIONS HAPPENING BEHIND THE SCENES.

THIS IS BOTH A VERY INTERESTING, PRACTICAL POLICY MATTER FOR ALL INVOLVED INCLUDING THE MAYOR AND ALSO REALLY IMPORTANT POLITICALLY AS IT IS AN ELECTION YEAR.

>> OF COURSE.

YOU KNOW, L. JOY, WHEN IT COMES TO THE BUDGET, IT SEEMS, AGAIN, PERHAPS TO A LAY PER PERSON, THAT THE STATE CAN ALWAYS COME UP WITH MONEY FOR LAWN ENFORCEMENT AND THINGS THAT MIGHT BE MORE PUNITIVE WHERE A LOT OF THE THINGS I'VE HEARD YOU ADVOCATE FOR DON'T ALWAYS GET THE FUNDING A LOT OF ADVOCATES BELIEVE THEY DESERVE.

DO YOU THINK THAT'S A FAIR STATEMENT OR NOT?

>> I'M GOING TO TAKE YOU ON A TOUR WITH ME.

YES.

I DO THINK THAT'S THE CASE.

I WANT FOLKS THAT ARE WATCHING TO THINK ABOUT THIS.

WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FUNDING TO ADDRESS PUBLIC SAFETY, TO ADDRESS INEQUITIES, TALKING ABOUT INCREASED FUNDING FOR CHILD CARE, TALKING ABOUT INCREASED FUNDING FOR SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAMS, FOR BUILDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR FOR SERVICES FOR BUILDING UP A MENTAL HEALTH NETWORK IN THE STATE THAT HAS BEEN BROKEN FOR SOME TIME, ALL OF THOSE THINGS CONTRIBUTE TO PUBLIC SAFETY.

IT DOESN'T JUST HAVE TO BE EARMARKED FOR CRIME, MORE POLICE, FOR IT TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES OF PUBLIC SAFETY, RIGHT?

AND SO, OR INEQUITIES.

SO, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE HISTORIC NATURE OF THE INVESTMENT IN CHILD CARE THAT SO FAR THE LEGISLATURE IS PUSHING, I THINK IT'S LIKE $4 BILLION OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS, THAT IS SIGNIFICANT.

IN ADDITION TO SOME OF THE POLICY PIECES THAT BEN MENTIONED, LIKE CLEAN SLATE, RIGHT?

SO, YOU KNOW, REALLY USING THE BUDGET PROCESS AS, YOU KNOW, A MORAL DOCUMENT GOING FORWARD, THAT WE'RE GOING TO INVEST NOT JUST IN CRIMINALIZATION, BUT WE'RE GOING TO INVEST IN THE OVERALL WELLNESS FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OVERALL.

>> OF COURSE.

TOM, LAST QUESTION ON THIS POINT.

IF THE DEMOCRATS PERHAPS ADDRESS THE BUDGET THE WAY THAT HOCHUL WANTS, DO YOU THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE THE RIGHT APPROACH FOR WHAT NEW YORK STATE NEEDS RIGHT NOW, WITH CRIME BEING SO HIGH ON SO MANY PEOPLE'S AGENDA RIGHT NOW?

>> WELL, THERE'S GOT TO BE A BALANCE, JOY POINTED OUT A BUNCH OF VERY, VERY GOOD PROGRAMS THAT WE NEED, BUT YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW, SHE IS GETTING A LOT OF PUSH-BACK ON BAIL REFORM OF FROM INNER CITY DEMOCRATS, SUBURB BAN DEMOCRATS WHOSE CONSTITUENTS GOING INTO THE CITY TO WORK EVERY DAY SCARED, YOU KNOW, IS THAT THE RIGHT WORD?

BUT CERTAINLY CONCERNED ABOUT CRIME IN THE CITY AND, YOU KNOW, THE -- THE WAY THE DEMOCRATS, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING IS POLITICS, RIGHT?

THEY'RE ELECTED OFFICIALS.

AND THERE'S A STATEWIDE ELECTION COMING UP.

IF CRIME CONTINUES TO BE A PROBLEM, THAT'S A PROBLEM FOR THEM IN A STATEWIDE ELECTION AND REALLY, QUITE FRANKLY, THE ONLY THING THAT POSES THEM A REAL PROBLEM IS CRIME.

AND SO, THE MAYOR, THE GOVERNOR, I THINK, IN LARGE PART, ARE GOING TO DIFFER FROM THE LOCAL ASSEMBLY CANDIDATE OR ASSEMBLY WOMAN OR PERSON IN THE BRONX, BUT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET THAT RIGHT OR THAT'S GOING TO BE A STATEWIDE PROBLEM WHERE THE SUBURBS, WHICH HAVE TENDED TO GO MORE DEMOCRAT IN RECENT YEARS, COULD VERY, VERY EASILY SWING BACK IN THE REPUBLIC COLUMN AND THAT WOULD BE A PROBLEM FOR THEM.

>> OF COURSE.

BEN, I'M SORRY, WHAT WERE YOU GOING TO SAY?

>> CAN I JUST SAY QUICKLY, YOU KNOW, IF SOME OF THE CRIME NUMBERS CHANGE BY THE TIME YOU GET, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THE PRIMARY IN JUNE, THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE A LOT OF CHANGE BY THEN, BUT THAT'S ALSO THE INTRAPARTY DISCUSSIONS AND SOME OF THESE POLICIES ARE VERY IMPORTANT THERE, BUT SO MUCH OF WHERE THIS IS GOING TO PLAY OUT IS BETWEEN THE JUNE PRIMARIES AND NOVEMBER AND THERE IS A REAL OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME OF THOSE, YOU KNOW, CRIME TRENDS TO CHANGE BY THEN, ESPECIALLY AS MORE PEOPLE ARE GETTING BACK TO WORK AND MORE PEOPLE ARE BACK AT SCHOOLS AND SO FORTH AND THEN SOME OF THESE POLICIES THAT COULD BE IN THE STATE BUDGET RELATED TO CHILD CARE AND HOUSING AND SO MUCH MORE, COULD HAVE A REAL IMPACT FROM THE GOVERNOR AND THEN ALL THE WAY DOWN THE BALLOT.

I THINK BAIL REFORM HAS BECOME THIS BOOGEYMAN WHICH HAS BEEN MISINTERPRETED AS THE GUN VIOLENCE SPIKES, BUT NO MATTER WHAT, IT'S BECOME ITS OWN SORT OF ANIMAL AND DEMOCRATS ARE REALLY GOING TO HAVE TO DECIDE HOW THEY COUNTER THAT MESSAGE WHEN YOU GET TO THE GENERAL ELECTION.

>> WELL, IT ALL DOES COME DOWN TO MESSAGING.

I DO WANT TO LEAVE THIS SUBJECT AND TURN, OF COURSE, TO -- WE ARE AT THE TWO-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

AND BEN, CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT, IF ANYTHING, THE CITY IS DOING TO MARK THIS -- THESE TWO VERY, VERY DIFFICULT YEARS FOR NEW YORK CITY?

>> WELL, I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF FORMAL EVENTS PLANNED, MAYOR ERIC ADAMS PUT OUT A STATEMENT TODAY AND ANNOUNCED LIGHTING OF SOME CITY LANDMARKS TO COMMEMORATE THE TWO-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST FATALITY, WE'RE NEARING 40,000 IN NEW YORK CITY, COVID DEATHS ESTIMATION.

THERE'S PROBABLY BEEN MORE THAN THAT IN TERMS OF PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, EARLY ON, WHO WERE NOT CLASSIFIED AS COVID DEATHS.

SO, I'M SURE IN THE COMING DAYS AND WEEKS THERE WILL BE PEOPLE HOLDING DIFFERENT RE THEM BRANCES.

MORE IMPORTANTLY, FAMILIES WHO LOST LOVED ONES MARKING THOSE OCCASIONS.

BUT THE MAYOR PUT OUT A STATEMENT EARLIER TODAY AND I KNOW THERE ARE LOCAL OFFICIALS WHO WILL BE MARKING OCCASIONS AND GIVING IF REMEMBRANCES.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS FROM A LARGER SORT OF POLICY QUESTION IS WHETHER AT THE STATE LEVEL OR THE CITY LEVEL, ANYBODY IS REALLY GOING TO LAUNCH SOME SORT OF LANG-TERM STUDY, SOME SORT OF COMMISSION TO REALLY LOOK BACK AT ALL THE MISTAKES THAT WERE MADE IN NEW YORK, WHICH COULD TIE TO FEDERAL MISTAKES, AS WELL.

WE KNOW THERE WERE PLENTY, PLENTY, PLENTY OF THOSE.

BUT THAT'S AN INTERESTING THING ON THE TWO-YEAR ANNIVERSARIES THAT I'M LOOKING AT, WHAT KIND OF RETROSPECTIVE TO INFORMED POLICY MIGHT BE DONE.

>> OF COURSE.

L. JOY, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT, I MEAN, THE MASK MANDATES ARE BEING LIFTED, SO ARE THE VACCINE MANDATES TO GET INTO A LOT OF PLACES, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT A MAP OF NEW YORK CITY, THE VACCINE DISTRIBUTION AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN VACCINATED ISN'T EQUAL IN ALL NEIGHBORHOODS.

DO YOU SEE THAT POSING A PROBLEM FOR US GOING FORWARD, LIKE, HOW RELAXED, I GUESS, SHOULD EVERYONE BE, REALIZING YOU ARE NOT OFFICIALLY A HEALTH PROFESSIONAL.

>> AH, YES, I WAS GOING TO START WITH THAT DISCLAIMER.

I AM NOT A HEALTH PROFESSIONAL, BUT SORT OF TO BEN'S POINT ABOUT A RETROSPECTIVE, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT A RETROSPECTIVE HAPPENS FROM OUR HEALTH CARE DELIVERY SYSTEM IN THE STATE AND IN THE CITY OVERALL, BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME GLARING MISTAKES THAT WE CAN -- AND SOME SUCCESSES THAT WE CAN LEARN FROM, IF POSED WITH ANOTHER HEALTH CHALLENGE IN THE FUTURE.

AND WE KNOW THAT THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

HOPEFULLY IT DOESN'T HAPPEN SOON, BUT WE KNOW IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

AND PRIMARILY BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE HEALTH CARE DELIVERY SYSTEM, IF YOU LOOK AT THAT MAP WHERE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE INEQUITIES OF VACCINES OR EVEN TESTING WHEN WE WERE IN THE TESTING PHASE, IS THAT WE KNOW THE COMMUNITIES AND WE KNOW THE AREAS THAT NEED -- THAT YOU COULD JUST LOOK AT THE MAP AND KNOW THAT NEED GREATER INVESTMENT AND STRATEGIC COORDINATION.

AND SO, WHAT ARE WE DOING AND THIS GOES BACK TO HAVING ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO ARE ALSO LOOKING FORWARD, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO CONTINUE TO INVEST IN THAT I INFRASTRUCTURE AND BUILD IT UP, RIGHT?

SO THAT PEOPLE AREN'T USING EMERGENCY ROOMS AS THEIR HEALTH CARE, BUT WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO ACTUALLY BUILD UP MORE PRIMARY CARE WELLNESS IN THOSE COMMUNITIES, LOOKING AT THAT MAP?

THERE'S A LOT THAT CAN BE DONE, JUST LOOKING AT THE MAP.

AND NOT BEING A HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL, IN TERMS OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, THAT YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE DESERTS ARE IN TERMS OF HEALTH CARE DELIVERY SYSTEMS AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO GOING FORWARD.

>> OF COURSE.

WELL, THE HEALTH CARE AND THE HEALTH OF NEW YORK WILL ALWAYS BE AN ONGOING ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED, BUT I DO WANT TO TURN, HOWEVER, TO THE WAR IN UKRAINE.

TOM, WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOUR FORMER BOSS, GOVERNOR PATAKI, IS ACTUALLY, I BELIEVE HE'S EITHER NEAR UKRAINE OR IN UKRAINE HELPING REFUGEES.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT WHAT HE'S UP TO?

>> WELL, HE'S BEEN OVER THERE, OBVIOUSLY, TO RAISE ATTENTION TO THE FOOD AND THE MEDICAL PROBLEM AND HE'S HAD NEW YORK HOSPITALS SEND OVER LARGE SUPPLIES OF MEDICAL STUFF AND HE'S JUST REALLY USING IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, LOOK, THERE ARE PEOPLE ON THE GROUND HERE WHO NEED FOOD AND MEDICAL SUPPLIES, AND JUST BEEN OVER THERE TRYING TO HELP IN THAT REGARD.

HE'S HAD A LOT OF SUPPLY SHIPPED OVER FROM NEW YORK TO HELP THAT CAUSE, YOU KNOW, HE'S HUNGARIAN BACKGROUND, THE BORDER THERE, POLAND, ET CETERA, HE'S THROUGHOUT THE REGION AND JUST, YOU KNOW, DOING HIS BEST JUST TO HELP PEOPLE WHO OBVIOUSLY ARE IN NEED OVER THERE AT THE MOMENT.

>> WELL, THERE'S ALSO BEEN A LOT OF TALK ABOUT THE WAY THAT NEW YORK CAN HELP.

NOW, WE KNOW THAT NEW YORK HAS A SIZABLE UKRAINIAN COMMUNITY.

DO YOU KNOW IF THERE IS PERHAPS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL SOME SORT OF SUPPORT THAT'S BEEN PUSHED FOR, THE PRESIDENT TO ALLOW MORE UKRAINIANS TO BE ABLE TO COME IN, AT LEAST IF THEY HAVE FAMILY HERE IN THE U.S. DO YOU KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS BEING FAST TRACKED, AT LEAST FOR NEW YORKERS?

>> I HAVE NOT HEARD AND I'M CERTAINLY NOT AWARE OF.

I'M SURE THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO GET PEOPLE INTO THE COUNTRY WHO NEED TO BE IN THIS COUNTRY, BUT YOU KNOW, LOOK, I THINK -- YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO HAVE A BETTER POLICY, I THINK, RIGHT?

I MEAN, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT IS OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE UKRAINIANS WHO ARE SUFFERING AT THE MOMENT.

WE SEEM, AT TIMES, TO PICK AND CHOOSE WHO WE CARE ABOUT A LITTLE BIT.

YOU KNOW, THERE ARE CERTAIN GROUPS OF PEOPLE, COME, THERE ARE CERTAIN GROUPS OF PEOPLE, WE DON'T WANT HERE.

AND THAT'S NOT THE WAY WE SHOULD BE RUNNING OUR COUNTRY.

THERE SHOULD BE A COMMON POLL SILL THAT WHEN PEOPLE, WHETHER THEY'RE FROM THE POOREST OF POOR AFRICAN COUNTRIES OR THE POOREST OF POOR CENTRAL AMERICAN COUNTRIES, IF YOU'RE SUFFERING, YOU'RE SUFFERING, AND WE SHOULD HAVE AN OPEN POLICY TO GET THEM IN OUR COUNTRY TO TAKE CARE OF THEM.

I KIND OF FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT THAT.

EVERY TIME THERE'S AN ISSUE LIKE THE UKRAINE, AND WE SHOULD CERTAINLY BE HELPING THOSE PEOPLE, BUT WE SHOULDN'T BE TURNING OUR BACKS ON OTHER PEOPLE.

AND SO, THAT GETS ME RILED UP A LITTLE BIT, BECAUSE WE TEND TO DO WHAT'S IN FRONT OF US AND NOT LOOK AROUND TO SAY, THERE IS A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO NEED OUR HELP ON A DAILY BASIS.

>> BEN, WERE GOING TO ADD SOMETHING?

>> JUST, YEAH, JUST BRIEFLY, YOU KNOW, PRESIDENT BIDEN, WHEN HE WAS RUNNING, PROMISED TO UNDO THE MASSIVE DECREASE IN THE REFUGEE ADMITTANCE CAP THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP HAD REDUCED REALLY SIGNIFICANTLY AS PART OF A SWEEP OF NATIVIST AND WHAT HE CALLED AMERICA FIRST POLICIES AND REALLY DECIMATED REFUGEE ADMITTANCE TO THE UNITED STATES, BOTH IN TERMS OF DECLARED POLICY AND THEN ALSO JUST SORT OF TRYING TO DISCOURAGE AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE FROM MANY PLACES, NOT ALL, TO COME INTO THE UNITED STATES.

PRESIDENT BIDEN RAN ON INCREASING THAT CAP BACK UP SIGNIFICANTLY, BUT THEN SORT OF BACKTRACKED ON THAT A LITTLE BIT AND THIS IS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS ONE OF THESE NEW TESTS FOR HIM IN TERMS OF WHAT THOSE POLICIES WILL LOOK LIKE.

NOT JUST FOR PEOPLE COMING FROM UKRAINE, BUT OTHER PLACES, AS WELL.

>> WELL, WHAT WE DO KNOW AND WHAT WE'VE HEARD PROPOSED, AT LEAST ON "METROFOCUS" A COUPLE OF TIMES, IS THAT NEW YORK ADD TO THE FIGHT AGAINST RUSSIA BY TAKING BACK OR TAKING OWNERSHIP OF SOME PROPERTIES THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE OWNED BY RUSSIAN OLIGARCHS.

BEN, I'M WONDERING FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, DO YOU SEE THAT AS SOMETHING THAT NEW YORK IS EVEN CAPABLE OF DOING, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING EVEN FIGURING OUT WHO OWNS THE PROPERTIES CAN BE A DIFFICULT TASK.

>> THAT'S ONE OF THE KEY POINTS THERE.

I DON'T KNOW THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NEW YORK CAN TAKE A LOT OF ACTION ON WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT DIRECTION FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN COORDINATION WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

THERE'S BEEN CALLS LOCALLY FOR SOME OF THAT TYPE OF ACTION, BUT I THINK THAT WOULD REALLY HAVE TO COME FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FIRST.

I DON'T KNOW OF ANY SPE SIFLIC EFFORTS AT THE STATE OR CITY LEVELS TO DO IT ON NEW YORK'S OWN, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY A CONVERSATION THAT'S HAPPENING.

AND THIS WOULD PROBABLY BE VERY MANHATTAN-FOCUSED, BUT AT THIS POINT, IT'S NOT SOMETHING I'VE SEEN MOVING AHEAD, BUT IT COULD HAPPEN AT ANY TIME.

>> WELL, WE SHALL SEE.

MARK LEVINE IS DEFINITELY PUSHING FOR THAT IDEA.

L. JOY, WE'VE GOT ABOUT TWO MINUTES LEFT, BUT I WANTED TO GET YOUR TAKE BACK TO POLITICS, BECAUSE WHILE WE'VE SEEN, OF COURSE, CAMPAIGN COMMERCIALS FROM THE CONGRESSMEN AND THE GOVERNOR, IT APPEARS FORMER GOVERNOR CUOMO IS BACK.

CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT -- DOES HE HAVE A SHOT AT THE GOV GOVERNORSHIP AGAIN?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, I THINK I SAID THIS HERE ON "METROFOCUS" BEFORE, BEN AND I WERE ON TOGETHER AND SAYING NOT TO UNDERESTIMATE CUOMO AND HIS CAMPAIGN WAR CHEST BEING IN THE CYCLE AT ALL AND WHETHER OR NOT HE'S RUNNING FOR THIS, ATTORNEY GENERAL, OR JUST SPENDING DOWN HIS MONEY BY BEING A WRINKLE TO EVERYONE THAT HE FEELS THAT HAS WRONGED HIM, WHICH I THINK IS WHAT IS, YOU KNOW, HAPPENING RIGHT NOW AND, YOU KNOW, I DO THINK THERE ARE, UNFORTUNATELY, A SIZABLE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WHO DO BELIEVE THAT HE WAS WRONGED IN SOME WAY AND HE STILL HAS SOME SUPPORT FROM FOLKS, BUT WHETHER OR NOT THAT WILL RISE TO THE OCCASION OF HIM ACTUALLY DECLARING CANDIDACY FOR GO GOVERNOR, ATTORNEY GENERAL, OR FOR ASSEMBLYMAN WHEREVER HE LIVES, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT -- YOU KNOW, I CAN'T PUT MYSELF IN THE MIND OF A CUOMO, I'M JUST NOT THAT NARCICISSTIC TO DO THAT IN TERMS OF THE GOVERNOR, BUT I DO BELIEVE HE HAS A SIZABLE CAMPAIGN WAR CHEST THAT HE WILL DECIDE ON A WHIM WHAT TO DO WITH.

>> TOM, ABOUT A MINUTE LEFT, I'LL GIVE YOU THE LAST WORD ON YOUR THOUGHTS ON GOVERNOR CUOMO.

>> I THINK IT'S WAY TOO SOON.

I THINK THE APPETITE FOR THAT TYPE OF RACE, YOU KNOW, SO MUCH OF THIS IS EGO, HE FEELS HE WAS WRONGED, ET CETERA, HE IS SITTING ON $17 MILLION, $18 MILLION AND I THINK THAT HE PROBABLY, IF HE WAS SMART, WOULD VIEW THIS AS ANOTHER PERSON ENTERING THAT RACE PROBABLY ALL BUT GUARANTEES THE INCUMBENT, BECAUSE THE MORE THE MERRIER FOR AN INCUMBENT IN ANY PRIMARY.

HE GETS INTO THE RACE, HE STARTS SPLITTING THE VOTE AND SHE WINS THE PRIMARY, SO, I THINK HE, YOU KNOW, DABBLES IN IT, HE DOES SOME SPEAKING ENGAGE EMENTS AND HE LOOKS TO THE FUTURE AND SEES WHAT HE CAN DO DOWN THE ROAD.

>> ALL RIGHT, WELL, WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO THANK MY ROUNDTABLE GUESTS, L. JOY WILLIAMS, BEN MAX, AND OF COURSE, WELCOME AGAIN TO THE ROUNDTABLE TOM DOHERTY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANKS.

>>> "METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND, BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION.

AND BY --