On Wednesday, Democrats in the New York state Assembly are expected to reelect Carl Heastie as their speaker.

It will be the beginning of his 11th year as house leader; he was elected to the post after former Speaker Sheldon Silver was arrested and had to step down in February 2015.

This year promises to be a challenging session in Albany, and not only because a Republican will be in the White House.

Capital Tonight had a chance to sit down with Heastie to discuss affordability, the death of Robert Brooks at Marcy Correctional and the hole in the MTA’s $68 billion capital plan.