As New York City has become an epicenter of the Coronavirus pandemic, local governments’ ability to serve constituents has been curbed by the state order for nonessential employees to work from home. The NYC government has launched an online COVID-19 tracker for members of the public to report their symptoms or the status of others with/in contact with the virus. For other questions and concerns, the public can contact their local officials through email, phone or social media in lieu of being able to walk into a neighborhood office.
The New York City Council has suspended all meetings and hearings, leaving City Hall and 250 Broadway empty as city officials work from home. City Council Member Andrew Cohen represents District 11, which Fieldston is in, and has been keeping up constituent services virtually. Residents of the district have been facing issues with local government upkeep like mail collection, and grappling with the new economic policies that are still largely unclear. These include rent relief, unemployment benefits and free wifi for students trying to access virtual learning. As an intern for the Council Member, I have been working remotely as well, mostly obtaining information and sending emails. The upkeep of local government services is essential because while the federal government is passing massive stimulus packages, the interpretation and implementation is left to local officials. Additionally, disseminating information to the public about how to receive these benefits and how they apply to each individual is a large undertaking.
Local life in New York State has been widely disrupted by the virus, and many governmental procedures have been pushed back. The presidential primary has been moved back from April 28 to June 23 because of the stay-at-home order. This shift means that the June 23rd ballot will include Congressional, State Assembly and State Senate primaries alongside the Presidential vote. New York State has similarly extended tax filing deadlines, and extended car safety and emission inspections deadlines.
