By Emily Ngo and Nick Reisman

Andrew Yang has left behind is personal political aspirations in favor of his new Forward Party, a political party he hopes makes waves across the U.S. | Emily Ngo/POLITICO

Andrew Yang said he’s not running for president again.

“By the numbers, if I were to run, I would probably increase the chances of Trump winning,” he told Playbook. “And so I’m not going to do that.”

Yang, who lost his bids for mayor in 2021 and president in 2020, is still very obviously a data wonk, but he now wears a “FWD” lapel pin where his “MATH” one used to be.

He founded the Forward Party, a centrist alternative, after leaving the Democratic Party. It’s his new political home.

And Manhattan remains his literal home.

Playbook caught up with him in Hell’s Kitchen, where he discussed, with an iced matcha latte in hand, how he’s been traveling to advocate for a “genuinely representative, multiparty system” and promoting his new political thriller, “The Last Election.”

He seeks, with the Forward Party, to change the national political landscape.

Nudged to talk about challenges more locally, in the city he once sought to govern, Yang bit.

“I don’t think Mayor Adams’ recent rhetoric on immigrants was helpful at all,” Yang said. “I mean, you have a situation that warrants national attention, but then, being sensationalist in your language about it isn’t going to house or feed anyone.”

It was a reference to the mayor’s comment that the crisis will “destroy” the city.

Yang pitched a solution for more efficient spending. Math again factored in.

He took Adams’ $12 billion estimate for the cost of the crisis and divided it by 100,000 migrants.

“So, by my math, that’s $120,000 a head,” Yang said, noting the “cost structure” is higher in New York City. “So, if you were to go to the rest of the country and say, Hey, guys, if you want to help with the migrants, we will send you $30,000, there may be communities and organizations that see that, and say, Wow, that’s something that we can help with.”

But Yang said he hasn’t spoken to the mayor.

And like so many others in the city, Yang concluded that what would help it most is federal funding.

HAPPY FRIDAY and HAPPY ROSH HASHANAH. Have a great weekend and thanks for reading! Got news? Send it our way: Jeff Coltin, Emily Ngo and Nick Reisman.

WHERE’S KATHY? Speaking at a groundbreaking for the Hispanic Heritage Cultural Institute in Buffalo and making a public safety announcement in Rochester.

WHERE’S ERIC? Doing an nterview on La Mega 97.9 FM, making a culture-related announcement with Sean Combs, going to a ribbon cutting event for the reopening of a steakhouse in FiDi, attending a flag-raising ceremony for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, delivering remarks at a Tribeca synagogue for the start of Rosh Hashanah, going to a celebration of Mexican Independence Day and, lastly, speaking at the Chinese Business Association of New York 33rd anniversary.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Who was on the line during Covid? It was immigrants… That showed that they need us. They need our young generation to come here. But they don’t want to help them to have the papers?” — Formerly undocumented immigrant Sophie Kouyate, who received assistance with her legal status from African Communities Together, a nonprofit helping New York’s African immigrants.

A message from Uber:

Every Uber trip in New York City helps pay for public transit.
The MTA gets $2.83 from a $25 Uber trip in Manhattan below 96th street.

Mayor Eric Adams denied any involvement in former buildings commissioner Eric Ulrich's corruption scandal. | AP Photo/Mary Altaffer

ADAMS KEEPS DISTANCE FROM ULRICH: Adams underscored a day after his former buildings commissioner was arraigned on bribery charges that he himself is not implicated, insisting that he wasn’t party to any alleged misdeeds.

The mayor is referenced repeatedly in the charging documents, which say Adams met with former aide Eric Ulrich and some of Ulrich’s co-defendants.

Adams responded Thursday that all his meetings blur together.

“It is really challenging to a person like me that’s all over the place,” the mayor said. “I mean, I’m in so many meetings, conversations, visits. Something could happen here and somebody could say, you know, ‘Hey, Eric was on the waterfront also.’”

A mayoral spokesperson had said Adams has “never” spoken to Ulrich about the probe. But in an alleged exchange confirmed by Playbook and first reported by the New York Daily News, Adams warned Ulrich on May 6, 2022, to “watch your phones.”

On May 9, according to an indictment, Ulrich, co-defendant Michael Mazzio and a third man met but placed their cell phones “on a windowsill approximately 10 feet” away.

“My administration did nothing wrong,” Adams said in his first remarks since indictments against Ulrich were unsealed. “The administration wasn’t accused of doing anything wrong.” — Emily Ngo and Joe Anuta

GO INSIDE THE WORLD’S BIGGEST DIPLOMATIC PLATFORM WITH UNGA PLAYBOOK: The 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly will jam some of the world's most influential leaders into four city blocks in Manhattan. POLITICO's special edition UNGA Playbook will take you inside this important gathering starting Sept. 17 — revealing newsy nuggets throughout the week and insights into the most pressing issues facing global decision-makers today. Sign up for UNGA Playbook.

New waste management initiatives, like composting in schools, are diverting hundreds of millions of pounds of waste away from landfills and giving the city something to brag about. | Spencer Platt/Getty Images

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Less in the landfill is something to boast about for the city, which will report Friday that a record 200 million pounds of organic waste was diverted from landfills in the last fiscal year.

The statistic, a 30 percent increase over the previous fiscal year, will come amid grimmer ones from other agencies in the annual Mayor’s Management Report, Playbook has learned.

The increase was made possible by a composting initiative in schools, curbside collection in Queens and newly installed “smart bins” for easy drop off.

It’s about making composting accessible, but it’s also about the messaging, Sanitation Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.

“When we talk to the masses, we don’t talk with them about methane,” she said. “We speak to the masses about rats, about what they can do with the leaves that fall in their yards.” – Emily Ngo

More from the city:

— Biden's team said eliminating the city’s right to shelter may have helped its case for aid. (NBC New York)

— City Council gave final approval to a 5-year permit for Madison Square Garden, the shortest extension its received. (Gothamist)

— Aqueduct Racetrack reopened Thursday, but it’s racing days are numbered. (The City)

A message from Uber:

State Sen, James Sanders (D-Queens) and other progressives in Albany are hoping Gov. Kathy Hochul will sign legislation to launch a commission to study reparations. | Hans Pennink/AP Photo

ACTION URGED FOR COMMISSION: Dozens of state and local lawmakers on Thursday in a letter to Hochul urged her sign into law a bill to create a commission to study reparations remedies for New York’s role in the slave trade.

The letter was released by Sen. James Sanders’ office, part of his latest effort to highlight the proposed commission.

“New York and America cannot fully heal the wounds of slavery and discrimination until justice applies to everyone,” Sanders, (D-Queens), said in a statement. “Gov. Hochul should do the right thing and sign the reparations commission legislation into law.”

Sanders told Playbook last month he plans to discuss the proposed commission at forums around the state.

A similar commission in California for reparations approved its own set of recommendations in June. — Nick Reisman

More from Albany:

— Attorney General Tish James’ office says a pending local measure could restrict the rights of Orthodox Jews in the community. (Spectrum News)

— Rep. Elise Stefanik warns a pending measure to change when local elections are held could have a detrimental effect. (Democrat and Chronicle)

Enter the “room where it happens”, where global power players shape policy and politics, with Power Play. POLITICO’s brand-new podcast will host conversations with the leaders and power players shaping the biggest ideas and driving the global conversations, moderated by award-winning journalist Anne McElvoy. Sign up today to be notified of the first episodes in September – click here.

In a letter to the FCC, GOP Rep. Marc Molinaro asked the agency to crackdown on the state government's use of funds from cell phone bill fees for non-emergency services. | Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/AP Photo

911 FEES: Republican House lawmakers want federal regulators to block New York from continuing what has long been a long-standing complaint for emergency service providers: Diverting surcharges on a person’s cell phone bill from 911 services to other purposes.

Rep. Marc Molinaro wrote this week in a letter to the FCC that regulators should force New York to end the practice.

“The 911 fee diversion issue is negatively impacting emergency service operations and overall fiscal sustainability for counties, particularly in rural communities,” Moinaro wrote in the letter.

Cell phone bills in New York have a $1.20 fee attached for each device on a contract. The money from those fees is meant to support local emergency operations.

But a significant chunk of the money has been spent elsewhere — an issue state lawmakers in Albany over the last several years have sought to address to no success. — Nick Reisman

A message from Uber:

When you pay $25 for an Uber trip below 96th street in Manhattan, $5 goes to government fees including over half to the MTA

MTA: $2.83

New York City: $.90

New York State: $.80

Black Car Fund: $.55

New York State's Priority Licensing Program for marijuana dispensaries may be jeopardy. | Steve Helber/AP Photo

DISPENSARY LICENSEES LOOK TO COURTS: The fate of New York’s dispensary licensees — who were supposed to have a special opportunity to start weed shops as a means to remedy the harms of marijuana enforcement — lie with the courts. The courts, however, have blocked dispensary licensees from opening up shop, and the entire priority licensing program is in danger.

The latest: State cannabis regulators appealed a preliminary injunction Thursday that is preventing additional dispensaries from opening. The state has also asked an appellate court to stay the injunction as the appeal moves forward.

“The preliminary injunction creates significant economic burdens on … licensees who are unable to move forward with opening their dispensaries,” the motion read.

Only 24 dispensary licensees have managed to open up shop out of more than 460 licensees. About 96 percent of the cannabis produced in New York has gone unsold, according to court documents.

What’s next: Instead of a public hearing originally slated for Friday, the state Supreme Court will hold a private conference with attorneys in the case.

It’s unclear how state regulators’ approval of adult-use rules will impact the case. The judge has shown interest in opening up the licencing to all applicants, including the service-disabled veterans who filed the lawsuit.

“This may resolve the litigation,” said Rob DiPisa, chair of the cannabis law group at Cole Schotz. But the litigation could also continue and lead to a situation where the early priority licensing program is declared unconstitutional.

For now, applicants who have already received dispensary licenses but haven’t yet opened up shop might be better off applying again when the new application period opens up Oct. 4, DiPisa said.

But even that’s no guarantee. Jeffrey Hoffman, a cannabis attorney, pointed out that in the regulations that the Cannabis Control Board just passed requires the board to announce an application period at least 30 days before people can apply.

Given that the board approved those rules Tuesday, it does not seem like enough time for applications to open Oct. 4. Attorneys like Hoffman fear that the provision is another lawsuit waiting to happen. — Mona Zhang

— Child care costs in New York City are soaring, placing an increasing burden on families. (New York Times)

— Many court-appointed lawyers in New York are seeing their hourly rates more than double, costing local governments, like Erie County, millions. (The Buffalo News)

— A bridge in Upstate New York can’t seem to stop getting hit by trucks. (Times Union)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Ashley Parker … Chris Lehmann … NPR’s David Folkenflik … Ben Kamisar … Adam Aigner-Treworgy … McKinsey & Company’s Max Berley … Alex Yudelson … Owen Pataki … Zara Rahim

MAKING MOVES – Michaela Balderston is now head of marketing and communications at Lead Edge Capital. She most recently was a partner at Tusk Venture Partners. … Eric S. Aronson is now a partner in Crowell & Moring’s litigation group in New York. He most recently was at Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP. … Laura Kurup is now principal director for data science innovation at Accenture Federal Services. She most recently was chief data and analytics officer at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

MEDIA MOVES – Jamie Smyth has been named U.S. energy editor at The Financial Times in New York. He most recently was the U.S. pharmaceutical correspondent, where he covered the coronavirus pandemic and the fentanyl crisis.

— The city’s ban on most short-term rentals might mean the end of an Airbnb pilot program that's fighting homelessness for LaGuardia Community College students. (The City)

— A billionaire’s private investment firm is paying $146 million for a portfolio of industrial properties near JFK. (Crain's New York Business)

— Magna Hospitality Group forked over $160 million for a 38-story Midtown building with three Hilton branded hotels under its roof. (The Real Deal)

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