MORNING BULLETIN: SUPREME COURT SNUBS RENT CONTROL CASE, MORE ON BIRD POISON

Photo by mattjiggins via flickr.

April 23, 2012 Weather: AM Clouds, PM Sun, High of 55 Degrees.

Notices:
Monday’s events are up. More to come.

The MTA is performing track work on the A, C and E, and service will be shut down below Columbus Circle from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. through Friday morning.

News:
The Supreme Court declined to hear arguments in a case brought by Upper West Side landlord James Harmon challenging New York’s rent stabilization laws this morning. Over the weekend, BusinessWeek offered some interesting stats that challenge the notion that most people benefiting from rent laws are rich: “[T]he median income for those in the 987,000 rent-stabilized households last year was just $37,000, according to the city’s most recent housing and vacancy survey, released in February. And only 4 percent of households in rent-stabilized units had incomes of $150,000 or more in 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.” (NY Times and BusinessWeek)

Six birds (a bluejay and five pigeons) have died after apparently ingesting cracked corn laced with illegal poison.The poison makes can make its way up the food chain: “While some may not mourn for lost pigeons, Heidgerd said the presence of the toxin in the neighborhood poses a threat to all urban wildlife, including the red-tailed hawks beloved by many New Yorkers. Hawks often feed on pigeons, and a pigeon that’s flying off-kilter because it’s just ingested Avitrol is tempting prey, Heiderd said.” (DNAinfo and NBC News)

NY Attorney General (and Upper West Sider) Eric Schneiderman is “the man the banks fear most.” (American Prospect)

Two pollsters heard a 79-year-old woman having a diabetic attack during a polling call about Mayor Bloomberg and called 911, possibly saving her life. She was grateful to the pollsters, but she has “nothing positive to say about Mayor Bloomberg.” (NY Post)