Buildings commish resigns from office

Eric Ulrich resigned from his position as commissioner of the city buildings department last week after his phone was seized by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office as part of an investigation into mob-related illegal gambling operations.

Ulrich, a former city councilman, was questioned by authorities last Thursday in connection to the year-long gambling probe. While many of the details have yet to be released, the probe focused, in part, on whether Ulrich had used his political position to help pay off debts owed to organized crime families, according to the New York Post.

Mayor Eric Adams reportedly became aware of the probe into Ulrich only the press began reached out to his administration for comment.

Push to switch
retiree health care 

The Adams administration sent a letter to a group of municipal unions, saying it intends to switch all Medicare-eligible city retirees in a cost-saving Medicare Advantage plan and eliminate all other retiree health plans. Many municipal retirees are concerned about this switch, worried that the new plan will offer inferior health benefits.

Following the release of the letter, a group representing the retirees urged Eric Adams to appoint a “blue ribbon commission” to address healthcare costs and potential savings for retirees, out of fear that this potential switch would disproportionately impact them.

“The unions are desperate and have been putting out disinformation about the Health Stabilization Fund and the cost of protecting seniors’ healthcare,” said Marianne Pizzitola, the head of NYC Organization Of Public Service Retirees, in a statement.

“And they have been telling active workers that if they don’t contact their city council members and ask that 12-126 be changed, the active (members) will have to pay $1,500 in premiums — pitting actives against retirees. Enough fake news: let’s deal with real facts, real choices, and real savings.”