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Dear New Yorkers,

Citing financial issues, New York’s local Planned Parenthood chapter says that starting on Sept. 3, it will not provide abortions at 20 weeks or beyond.

It will also temporarily be unable to provide “deep sedation” for patients who request it for the insertion of intrauterine devices or surgical abortions.

New York allows abortions up to 24 weeks or longer if the health of the pregnant person is at risk or if the pregnancy will not survive.

Planned Parenthood’s Manhattan Health Center on Bleecker Street is the group’s only location in the city or state offering deep sedation and abortions at 20-plus weeks.

A spokesperson called it a “difficult” decision that was made due to budgeting constraints, and noted that other providers in the city still offer the services.

“We are one of numerous abortion providers in NYC,” the spokesperson said. “We are fortunate to be part of an ecosystem of local care options.”

Read more here about Planned Parenthood’s pause on those services.

Weather scoop by New York Metro Weather Tuesday's Weather Rating: 2/10. Not a terrible start, but getting increasingly bad as the day goes on. Periods of showers and storms which could produce heavy rain and flooding, especially later tonight. Oh, and it's warm and humid too. The vibes are getting bad.

Our Other Top Stories

New Yorkers will vote on a referendum in November that would allow the Department of Sanitation to enforce street vending regulations in city parks. But advocates are calling the language of the ballot question, which was approved by a city commission reviewing the City Charter last month, “manipulative” — since it does not mention vending at all. Outdoor dining structures became a common sight on city streets during the pandemic. But last Saturday was the deadline for restaurants to either submit applications to make their outdoor seating structures legal under a new system, or demolish them. While 12,000 restaurants participated in the outdoor dining program over the last four-and-a-half years, barely 2,500 applied for permanent permits. The deadline to take down the old sheds has passed, and restaurants that didn’t apply for a permit but kept their structures up are now facing fines. Public Advocate Jumaane Williams joined FAQ NYC for an extended interview on Monday about how “the law-and-order mayor chooses not to follow the laws that are passed,” the very different conversations he used to have with Eric Adams when the mayor was Brooklyn’s borough president, the merits of ranked-choice voting and much more. Listen here.

Reporter’s Notebook

How a Bear Market Could Slam the City

If the stock market meltdown of the last couple of days turns into a bear market (generally speaking, a prolonged decline of 20% or more from peak), the fallout will ripple through the New York economy and state and city budgets.

When the stock market dips, investors stop trading which costs Wall Street commissions on trades. In addition, when lucrative Wall Street businesses like mergers and acquisitions, which produce multi-millions fees, come to a halt, that slashes profits and eventually bonuses and then jobs.

While the economy has diversified in the past few decades, Wall Street still accounts for 16% of all economic activity in the city, 28% of state tax revenue and 7.5% of city tax revenue, all numbers that would decline in a sustained downturn.

In addition, the state budget would be hard hit by a decline in capital gains, the profits investors make by selling stocks, bonds and other assets. Capital gains are a volatile part of income taxes, totaling as much as $6 billion or 10% of all the state income taxes.

The ripple effects of layoffs would be significant. While Mayor Eric Adams likes to tout the city’s record number of jobs, most of the increases have come from low-paying healthcare jobs that average $31,000 a year. The average salary on Wall Street is just under $500,000, meaning each job lost has the potential economic impact of almost 15 health care jobs.

And a recession would damage Adams’ talking point that the economy has prospered under his tenure — and lead to a budget squeeze which would be politically problematic.

— Greg David

Council Counsel Fight Set for Late August

The City Council has set a hearing date later this month to discuss the possible confirmation of Randy Mastro, Mayor Eric Adams’ pick to be the city’s next top lawyer.

A former deputy mayor and chief of staff for Rudy Giuliani, Mastro will testify Aug. 27 at City Hall, according to the Council’s schedule.

Mastro was officially nominated last week but reports of him replacing Judge Sylvia Hinds-Radix as the administration’s “corporation counsel” first emerged in April. Council members immediately spoke out against the selection, while Adams launched a push for his pick both in the media and behind the scenes.

Adams praised Mastro last week, calling him “a world-renowned attorney” with decades of experience as a federal prosecutor and in public service.

Meanwhile, Council Speaker Adrienne Adams said in a statement the upcoming hearing will allow “for thorough examination, public comment, and due consideration.”

The Council was given the authority to approve the mayor’s pick for corporation counsel in 2019.

— Katie Honan

Summer & THE CITY brings you the best of summer, by and for New Yorkers. It’s a free, weekly newsletter to help you enjoy — and survive — the hottest months in the five boroughs.

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Things To Do

Here’s what’s going on around the city this week.

Tuesday, Aug. 6: An outdoor film screening of The Princess Bride (1987). Free from 7 to 10 p.m. at Van Cortlandt Park in The Bronx. Friday, Aug. 9: A Game Devs of Color Expo hosted by the New York Public Library. This in-person meetup includes a showcase of 10+ new games by local talent. Free ($20 suggested donation) from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library in Manhattan. Saturday, Aug. 10: A community science event hosted by Brooklyn Bridge Park staff and marine biologists, during which they’ll use a seine net to catch and release organisms living below the surface of the East River. Free from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Pier 4 in Brooklyn Bridge Park.

THE KICKER: Speaking of bears, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. says he once dumped a dead cub in Central Park. Here’s what you’re actually supposed to do with dead animals in New York City.

Thanks, as always, for reading. Make it a great Tuesday.

Love,

THE CITY

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