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Tech:NYC Digest: March 31

Tech:NYC Digest: March 31

March 31, 2021 • Estimated Reading Time: 11 minutes

Wednesday, March 31, 2021As the vaccination rollout progresses and NYC continues to respond to the pandemic, this digest focuses on the resources that help you make decisions about your businesses and your lives as New Yorkers.Was this digest forwarded to you? Subscribe here.

The latest: Biden unveils $2T infrastructure plan, $100B set for universal broadband; Cuomo signs cannabis bill, legalizes recreational adult use cannabis effective immediately; Biden administration approves MTA to conduct congestion pricing review, unblocking Trump-era jam; some experts predict companies will see increased turnover when pandemic ends.

By the Numbers:

New York State: 1,858,432 (+8,382)
New York City: 832,259 (+4,185)
Statewide Fatalities: 40,513 (+62)
NYC Positivity Rates:
- NYS reports: 4.3 percent (+0.1 percent)
- NYC reports: 5.9 percent (-0.3 percent)
Vaccine Progress:
- NYS first doses administered: 6,068,998 (+97,603)
- NYC first doses administered: 2,175,891 (+43,320)

General Updates:

With yesterday’s expansion in eligibility, about 14.2 million people statewide can now get the vaccine, bringing further hope to New Yorkers that the end is in sight. But there’s still reason for concern: new COVID-19 cases surged in New York last week more than any other state, up a staggering 64 percent. (Democrat & Chronicle)
- New case levels in NYC have leveled off at a “high plateau,” often around 25,000 per week. (New York Times)
- And public health experts aren’t exactly sure what’s behind the new surge. (The Daily Beast) It’s most likely a combination of several trends: there’s still a high level of spread among variant strains; restrictions on public and social activities continue to loosen; and the populations most testing positive are also the ones who also have the least access to the vaccine.
On the heels of the American Rescue Plan, Pres. Biden unveiled a $2 trillion infrastructure plan today, which includes new spending on everything from renewable energy to broadband access. (Washington Post) Among the plan’s proposals:
- $621 billion for transportation — the largest chunk of the plan — including $85 billion for public transit. (New York Times)
- $100 billion to connect every American to high-speed broadband in the next eight years. (The Verge)
- The plan also zones in on a swath of ocean between New York and New Jersey as a new offshore wind zone creating 30 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2030, as well as thousands of clean energy jobs in the metro region. (New York Times)
In vaccine news: new data shows the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is 100 percent effective in children aged 12 to 15. Currently, the Pfizer dose is approved for individuals aged 16 and older, but the drugmaker plans to seek regulatory approval for children in time for the beginning of the next academic school year. (ABC News)

The latest results: With today’s expanded eligibility, there are very few people left who can’t sign up for a vaccine in New York. At the same time, appointment slots are too few to handle the increased demand, so there will still be days, if not weeks of waiting for many. Were you able to schedule a vaccine appointment today?

Today's poll

: Today, President Biden unveiled

a $2 trillion infrastructure plan

, which he hopes to pass this summer. If the recent COVID stimulus package is any indicator, New York is poised to get a fair share of it. Of the following infrastructure items, which do you think should be top priority in New York?

*|SURVEY: Roads, tunnels, and bridges|*
*|SURVEY: Railroads, airports, seaports, and mass transit|*
*|SURVEY: High-speed internet access|*
*|SURVEY: Renewable energy sources and environmental protection|*
*|SURVEY: Schools, affordable housing, and community services|*

Find the poll results from all previous editions of this newsletter here.

The deadline for finalizing the New York State budget is tomorrow, but it’s increasingly unlikely lawmakers will get everything squared away by then. Negotiations are ongoing tor each agreement on items for COVID-19 recovery, unemployment benefits funding for excluded workers, and tax changes. (New York Daily News)
- (Note: When we’re a bit closer to the finish line, we’ll make sure to provide a roundup of everything you need to know about the budget.)
Gov. Cuomo signed into law today a bill legalizing recreational marijuana statewide. (New York Times) Certain parts of the law are in effect immediately: individuals are now allowed to possess up to three ounces of cannabis for recreational purposes or 24 grams of concentrated forms of the drug, such as oils, and New Yorkers are permitted to smoke it in public wherever smoking tobacco is permitted.
New York received approval from the Biden Administration to move forward with the next step in its plan to implement congestion pricing in Manhattan below 60th Street. (POLITICO) The federal approval gives the state permission to undertake an environmental assessment of the program, which city officials say could generate $1 billion in tolls each year to help fund the city’s public transit systems. (Gothamist)
The US Dept. of Education announced an expansion of the pause on the collection of student loans, to those with loans in default, through Sept. 30th. (Axios)