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Testing Turmoil
June 20th, 2006

When tests scores for fourth graders rose sharply last year, the Department of Education ballyhooed the results, and city editorial writers rushed to praise Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s education reforms. This spring, the news is not as good – and theres a lot less noise.

Preliminary scores for state standardized tests found that about 10 percent of New York City third, fifth and seventh graders will have to go to summer school or repeat the grade. While there were gains among third and seventh graders, 15.2 percent of fifth graders face being left back. This is the very same group of kids who, as fourth graders, showed sharp gains last year.

The education department clearly hoped no one would notice. Instead of holding a triumphant news conference, they e-mailed the scores to some reporters Friday afternoon. Theres no announcement of the scores readily apparent on the departments web site.

But education experts who did respond said the scores cast further doubts about last springs rise. Calling last year’s rise the meteoric and suspicious looking Robert Tobias, former director of testing for the city schools and now a professor at New York University, told the Times, ”This is exactly what I would expect to see if there were problems with the fourth-grade test last year.”

Schools Matter faults the whole idea of testing: 8,900 fifth graders are about to be branded failures because of the stupidity and hubris of know-nothing politicians who refuse to recognize the sham of high stakes testing. As the adults argue over explanations for the poor test results, these kids will be scarred forever by a system that continues to leave them behind.

The scores themselves are not the only problem. While students took the tests in January and March, they still do not have complete results — and wont for months. The New York Sun found that New York State has the worst record in the nation in terms of the length of the gap between the time that children take the tests and the point at which the scores become available. According to Mark Alter, also a professor at NYU, such late results are “pedagogically useless…. How can teachers pick the correct remediation programs for at-risk students when the results come to the school after the child has moved on to the next grade or even left the school?”

The controversy over this years tests comes as the Department of Education plans to institute more student testing — or assessments — next year. Tonight, opponents of the plan will hold a meeting to discuss how to fight it.

By Gail Robinson on June 20, 2006, 8:23 am
In category: Education, Gotham City | 1 Comment »

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Blogging the Bush/Bloomberg Backslap
June 19th, 2006

The city’s blogs are enjoying a photo-op between President George W. Bush and Mayor Michael Bloomberg on the tarmac at J.F.K. International Airport this morning – and debating the significance of the brief meeting between the two Republicans.

The Empire Zone wonders what Bloomberg said to Bush. “Was it over homeland security funding? The 2008 race?”

The Daily Politics dubs it “Bloomberg’s post-election willingness to be caught in the same frame as President Bush.”

Gothamist offers a few alternative captions for the photo, including “Tell me more about this ‘terrorist threat’ to NYC” and “Get your hands off me, Cootie Man!”

Urban Elephants, a Republican blog, sees the most meaning in the event. “This is very significant in that Bloomberg is swinging his non-partisan scales back to the right a bit, if only just for show,” writes Scott Scala. “It may greenlight some others to do the same. It may also remind New Yorkers, such as the numerous good government non-partisan voters, that there’s still some Red in this Blue State mayor.”

By Mark Berkey-Gerard on June 19, 2006, 1:22 pm
In category: Electoral Politics, Gotham City | No Comments »

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Columbia's Expansion
June 19th, 2006

The Daily News editorial board is backing an expansion plan by Columbia University, which has purchased most of the properties west of Broadway between 125th and 133rd Streets and is seeking to have the area rezoned. The plan to build a medical research institute, relocate its business school, construct housing for faculty and students, and create a new park “would be a boon to the city at large and to Harlem in particular,” the editorial board writes.

But some neighborhood residents and business owners, who say they will be driven out of the area, are opposed to the plan. The opposition is being tracked by NoLandGrab.org, a Web site dedicated to fighting the Atlantic Yards project in Brooklyn.

By Mark Berkey-Gerard on June 19, 2006, 7:06 am
In category: Community Development, Gotham City, Land Use | 1 Comment »

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Secret Pork Barrel
June 19th, 2006

On Friday, Fred LeBrun of the Albany Times Union called on Albany County District Attorney David Soares to start poking and prying into the state legislatures secretive pork barrel spending projects.According to LeBrun hundreds of millions of dollars each year go to projects that dont ever receive the light of day.

Pork barrel projects, known as member items in the New York State legislature, are commonly believed to be rewards that legislators give to the donors who fund their campaigns. And theserewards are funded with taxpayer dollars.

As LeBrun points out, many of these projects may be worthwhile, and many legislators who request funds for them may be well meaning.Butthe justification for these projects– and the allocation of money for them — are shrouded in secrecy.

In the last round of budget negotiations, Senate Democrat Liz Krueger called out the State Senate on this issue and forced Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno to agree to provide an accounting of these projects — after budget negotiations were completed.

Krueger’s action wasa good first step. Now, taxpayers and voters should demand that both housesprovidemore sunshine andbetter accounting for taxpayer dollars by requiring reportingbefore thebudget is finalized. A little help from District Attorney David Soares wouldn’t hurt.

By Doug Israel on June 19, 2006, 1:50 am
In category: Eye on Albany | No Comments »

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It's Not Even Green!
June 16th, 2006

Brand-new newspaper City Hall takes a tough stand on an important issue in its first-ever editorial: The Green Book, the directory of city government employees.

“First of all,” the newspaper writes, “it is not even green.” (The current book is saffron, in honor of the Gates). From there, it suggests posting the information online.

Stay tuned for more cutting commentary.

By Joshua Brustein on June 16, 2006, 3:46 pm
In category: Gotham City | No Comments »

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Albany's Unfinished Business
June 15th, 2006

The State Legislative session ends in less than a week and some blogs are urging lawmakers to complete key bills before their summer break.

On the DMI blog Mark Winston Griffith urges the State Senate to pass the so-called Home Equity Theft Protection Act, a bill that would make it illegal for speculators to bail out homeowners who are having financial difficulty by taking over the deed to their homes.

The Brennan Centers blog Reform NY looks at how Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver blocked a bill that would have changed the way public employees can recover money from municipalities in personal injury lawsuits.

And on Gotham Gazette’s Albany Matters, Blair Horner urges lawmakers to to deal with ethics and campaign reform. “Sixworking days is not a lot of time, but there is still a lot to accomplish,” writes Horner. “Lawmakers ran for re-election in 2004 promising to reform New York State.Time will tell if they deliver on those promises.”

By Mark Berkey-Gerard on June 15, 2006, 3:04 pm
In category: Albany, Gotham City | No Comments »

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The 11th Congressional Race
June 15th, 2006

New York’s political blogs are having a lot of fun with the campaign for the 11th Congressional District, where four candidates – Yvette Clark, Carl Andrews, Chris Owens, and David Yassky – are ally vying for the seat of U.S. Rep Major Owens, who retires this year.

The Empire Zone reports on a meeting of Brooklyn elected officials who are seeking to come up with strategies to make sure that the successor to Owens is black.

On Room Eight, Rock Hackshaw defends David Yassky, who has been criticized for running in a district where 80 percent of the voters are African American.

The Politicker routinely runs polls from the race.

And the 51st State features an interview with U.S. Rep Charlie Rangel who argues that its better to have fewer black candidates in the race. “And all this stuff about giving voters the most choice, that’s ridiculous,” Rangel said. “We don’t have that anywhere in a primary, where you want to bring in more black candidates into a primary for purposes of choice. You know it and I know it.”

Correction:Nick Perry dropped out recently.

By Mark Berkey-Gerard on June 15, 2006, 8:08 am
In category: Gotham City, Governing | 3 Comments »

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Giuliani Watch
June 14th, 2006

Over the weekend, political junkies were weighing the likelihood of a presidential bid by Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Now the attention has shifted to the aspirations of his predecessor, Rudolph Giuliani.

Last night, Giuliani held a fundraiser for Republican candidates, raking in $2 million.

But Giuliani also delved into policy yesterday, delivering delivering a
speech on energy that chided the Bush administration for not having an energy policy. Giuliani wants more nuclear power plants and hybrid cars, and to increase the supply of ethanol, according to the Times. As his Cadillac Escalade reportedly idled outside, Giuliani said he did not does not think conservation can pay much of a role.

Ben Smith in the Daily Politics was not impressed. The speech itself was right out of the briefing book, uncertain at times, and with none of the mastery Giuliani displays on subjects he cares about… It’s just a reminder that Giuliani faces a steep learning curve on his way to a national stage And Smith linked to a 2003 memo from Giuliani Partners announcing it “has been retained by Entergy Nuclear Northeast to review and provide advice on emergency planning and security matters relating to Entergy’s five nuclear plants, including Indian Point .

In the Observer, Jason Horowitz surveys Giulianis odds, commenting, In the five years since the country rallied around his display of gutsy leadership, Americas Mayor has inhabited something of a political paradise. But he goes on to quote University of Virginia professor Larry Sabato: The second he declares his candidacy, the dam breaks He is fair game, and things get ugly fast.

By Gail Robinson on June 14, 2006, 6:41 pm
In category: Electoral Politics, Environment, Gotham City | No Comments »

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Taxi Tragedy
June 14th, 2006

Responding to the death of Danielle Ricco — and the injury of her three fellow passengers — in an out-of-control taxi cab Sunday, the New York Post wants the city to take a tougher stand against dangerous cabbies. While this incident is particularly awful, the paper says, Daredevil drivers… make getting around town far more dangerous than it needs to be. The Post, which is inviting readers to email it their taxi horror stories, calls on Mayor Michael Bloomberg to restore a measure of sanity to the industry through such measures as more tickets and increased inspections.

By Gail Robinson on June 14, 2006, 9:17 am
In category: Transportation | 1 Comment »

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6 “Working Days” Left
June 14th, 2006

With just6 “working days” left until the formal end of the legislative session, one key reform hangs over the heads of the Governor and legislative leaders ethics reform.

The ethics reform that cries out for action is elimination of the personal use of campaign contributions by elected officials. A sizable majority of state lawmakers rarely face a serious electoral challenge. So when they raise big campaign warchests, what do they do with the money? Too often its spent on activities that have nothing to do with running for office. Its spent on cars, trips, meals and other non-campaign activities.


Should donations given to lawmakers to campaign for office be spent on luxury cars, country club memberships or trips to exotic locales? Should lawmakers be allowed to collect taxpayer-provided subsidies to cover housing and meals when they are in Albany and then use campaign contributions to cover those very same meals as well?

No, they should not. And in much of the rest of the country, personal use of campaign funds by state lawmakers would not be allowed. In a recent survey released by civic groups, it was revealed that at least 30 states have stronger restrictions on the “personal use” of campaign money by elected officials than New York.

Why does it matter? The vast bulk of the campaign contributions come from groups with issues before government. Should these special interests be allowed to subsidize the lifestyles of policymakers? They should not. Yet in New York they are allowed to do so. According to what the State Board of Elections told the Albany Times Union about the personal use of campaign contributions by officeholders, “Unless you out-and-out stick it in your pocket and walk away, everything’s legal.”

It shouldn’t be.


Of course thats not the only ethics issue that needs to be changed. Lawmakers need to end Albanys pay to play culture by banning campaign contributions from lobbyists and those seeking government contracts. They need to tighten the states gift ban, prohibit honoraria, and improve ethics disclosures and training.

And lastly, lawmakers should create an independent ethics commission. Right now legislators meet in secret to hear ethics complaints against their colleagues. A commission in which the Governor appoints three of the five members investigates complaints against the executive branch. New Yorkers deserve an ethics cop that is independent and free from even the appearance of political pressure. An independent ethics commission provides just such an ethics cop.

Sixworking days is not a lot of time, but there is still a lot to accomplish. Lawmakers ran for re-election in 2004 promising to reform New York State. Time will tell if they deliver on those promises.

By Blair Horner on June 14, 2006, 8:47 am
In category: Eye on Albany | 1 Comment »

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Hospitals Cost
June 13th, 2006

An editorial in the New York Times, entitled Curing New York Hospitals, comments on the governors commission to address the financial crisis facing the state’s health care facilities. Though its recommendations are not scheduled until December, the commission has already done important work in prodding troubled facilities to make changes on their own. But more changes are necessary, because it’s impossible to duck the fact that New York’s health care costs appear to be spinning out of control. Long term care is the most expensive in the nation, thanks to generous Medicaid coverage and fraud that has mostly gone uncurbed. Hospital costs are driven up by huge numbers of uninsured 1.3 million in the state in 2005, about a third of that number in the city Any hospital closing is painful to the community involved, and particularly to the staff that works there, and it’s far from certain that closings will do as much to curb costs as the commission hopes. But the issue needs to be addressed.

By Jonathan Mandell on June 13, 2006, 12:01 am
In category: Health, Public Finance | 3 Comments »

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Notable Lobbying County by County
June 12th, 2006

Teachers often seek illustrative examples that are comprehensive enough to tie all the school year’s lessons together into one final lecture or exam question. In time for finals this legislative session, Mike Spano, HAVA and circumstance have provided us with just such an elegant story.

After a failed bid for mayor and growing family responsibilties, Mike Spano (R-Yonkers) retired from the state assembly in 2004 after six terms in office. The following year, he joined the Patricia Lynch and Associates lobbying firm and doubled his salary. As a former elected official, Spano is not allowed to lobby the state legislature for two full years, but he has been able to use his clout at another, perhaps more lucrative, level.
Around the same time as Spano was settling into his desk at Lynch and Associates, legislators were slowly implementing legislation in accordance with the Help America Vote Act (HAVA). On the issue of picking the new voting machines, Albany kicked the state decision down to each of the 62 counties in New York.

This manuever allowed Mike Spano, a well-connected former legislator and son offormer Westchester County Clerk Leonard Spano with a brother (Nick Spano) in the state senate for decades, to lobby the counties on behalf of voting machine manufacturer SequoiaVoting Systems, Inc.

Though well positioned to continue in this task, Spano will be campaigning this fall for a return to his old assembly seat, which is currently being vacated by Lou Mosiello, who is seeking a government job. As Phil Reisman of the Journal News writes, Moseillo was tapped in by Nick Spano to fill the gap, and is now being tapped out of the game so Mike Spano can return.

That concludes today’s lesson. For extra credit, see if you can guess what would happen to Mosiello’s pension after three years of service in a new non-assembly position.

By Sydney Beveridge on June 12, 2006, 7:10 am
In category: Eye on Albany | No Comments »

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9/11 Monument
June 12th, 2006

The first large-scale 9/11 monument at ground zero was unveiled Saturday.

By Oates Ritthichai on June 12, 2006, 2:50 am
In category: Gotham City | No Comments »

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From Barbados, Praise for City's Move on Immigrant Health
June 9th, 2006

The Nation Newspaper, a newspaper from Barbados, tells the story of a Mary, a West Indian woman without legal immigration documents or health insurance, as a way to show the importance of the city hospital system’s recent assurance that it will keep its patients’ immigration status confidential. [As Wonkster reported earlier, el Diario has also said good things about this campaign]. Mary suffers from diabetes and hypertension but stays away from public hospitals, only seeking health care when her health “reaches the breaking point”, because she fears deportation.

So the Nation Newspaper takes some comfort in the Health and Hospital Corporation’s statement to employees that they would be fired for illegally violating the confidentiality of patients, even those in the country illegally. The paper would like the city to go further and prosecute any employees who do so, but applaud the city’s step as a crucial one towards maintaining the health of its immigrants.

By Joshua Brustein on June 9, 2006, 7:43 am
In category: Gotham City, Health, Immigrants | 2 Comments »

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The Demise of Handpicked Judges?
June 8th, 2006

The Daily News predicts the “demise of New York’s boss-run judicial-selection system” in an editorial that recounts a recent court hearing at which three judges grilled lawyers for the Democratic Party.

“With one piercing question, [a judge] exposed the absurdity of the party position,” the editorial board writes. “If New York had a Totalitarian Party, would it be constitutional for the Totalitarian Party chief to pick all the judges? Yes, said the lawyer.”

“But what else could the lawyers say?” the editorial continues. “They had to back the Totalitarians because the bosses exert dictatorial control over who gets on the bench in New York through their rigged judicial nominating conventions.”

By Mark Berkey-Gerard on June 8, 2006, 7:08 am
In category: Gotham City, Governing | No Comments »

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Fasos Chances
June 7th, 2006

Although Tom Suozzi continues his quest for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, bloggers and other writers are looking ahead to a contest between Democrat Eliot Spitzer and Republican John Faso in November.

Many see Faso, who bested the early Republican favorite William Weld to get his partys nomination, as facing steep odds. In fact, Daily Politics views Fasos quest as almost Quixotic: An argument circulating among Republicans who support John Faso is that this is a Goldwater moment, or a Goldwater year; not a year to win, but a year [for the party] to return to principles, clarity, and partisan strength.

Now that Weld has withdrawn, Michael Goodwin writes in the News, Faso can spend the summer and fall focusing on Spitzer: He’ll need that time, and maybe more, because of the huge lead Democrat Spitzer has. Try 50 points in the polls and a cushion of millions in the bank — as well as New Yorks strong Democratic bent. Thats too bad Goodwin continues, writing that Faso is bright and articulate, … a budget hawk, against abortion (quietly) and consistent in his belief that New York is headed for a fiscal crash. … He’s right, but people who are right don’t always win elections.

But
News Copy New York
counsels Republicans not to despair: Outside Manhattan, Faso’s candidacy is good news. Outside New York City, Faso’s campaign is a winning proposition. The question is how much of New York City, with 16 years of Republicans grabbing 49 percent or better of the vote in mayoral elections, can be drawn to vote for a mainstream Republican.

And the Democrats are not taking anything for granted. The Politicker reprints a release from the Democrats announcing that state Democratic Chairman Herman Farrell, Jr. will preview the partys case against Faso today. The release says, Faso is now the GOP candidate for governor even though prominent leaders of his party call him too extreme for New York, and from la-la land.

By Gail Robinson on June 7, 2006, 9:27 am
In category: Albany, Electoral Politics, Gotham City | No Comments »

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Chertoff Responds
June 7th, 2006

After being battered by city politicians and newspapers for cutting federal anti-terror funds for New York, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff gets a chance to answer his critics in the Times today. Were still Number 1 in the departments eyes the secretary says, in line to receive $124 million this year — 50 percent more than Number 2 Los Angles. Yes, the secretary concedes, thats not as much as last year, but thats largely because Congress has given the department less overall for the Urban Areas Security Initiative in 2006.

But then the secretary gets to what may be the crux of the disagreement between federal and city officials: The department, he says, wants its grants to pay for new equipment and projects that increase the nation’s overall preparedness. They are not for routine and recurring operating expenses like salaries and overtime.

The city disagrees. And Mayor Michael Bloomberg made that rift clear yesterday. According to the Times, he told a news conference, that in the fight against terrorism, While technology is important it’s really shoe leather that counts….And so a very big portion of the monies that we always ask for are to cover labor costs, which typically the federal government does not do We think they’re wrong.”

By Gail Robinson on June 7, 2006, 8:02 am
In category: Crime & Safety, Gotham City | No Comments »

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Don't Blame Omaha
June 6th, 2006

In the Times op-ed article Protect New York, but Don’t Blame Omaha, Bob Kerry, the current president of New School University but the former Senator from Nebraska, disagrees with the federal government’s “illogical decision” to cut 40 percent from New York City’s grant to prepare for terrorist or natural disasters, but argues that New Yorkers won’t get what they want by making fun of Omaha, which was given a substantial increase in security funding. New Yorkers should focus on more important things, such as refuse to contribute to a Congressional candidate who doesnt support the homeland financing levels requested by Mayor Mike Bloomberg.

One reason the grant request was reduced, Kerry said, is that Homeland Security grants are not for continuing operation. Better for us, then, to try to get these expenses covered in the defense budget, he said.

By Oates Ritthichai on June 6, 2006, 5:04 pm
In category: Crime & Safety, Gotham City, Public Finance | No Comments »

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New York Moves Too Slow on Wi-Fi
June 6th, 2006

An editorial in the Times argues that New York is behind other cities, like San Francisco and Chicago, in providing wireless Internet access, or Wi-Fi, to the people. The city recently announced that Central Park will be ready to Wi-Fi by the end of July but the rest of citys park will have to wait until next summer. The city needs to get moving to get the larger parks online, but it also has to get serious about wider access, said the Times. The minimal goal should be free or low-cost access in its densely populated, poor neighborhoods in all the boroughs.

By Oates Ritthichai on June 6, 2006, 12:33 pm
In category: Gotham City, Tech | No Comments »

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Daily News: Move, Madison Square Garden, But Pay Your Taxes
June 5th, 2006

In an editorial entitled No More Free Lunch For Garden Deadbeats, the Daily News argues that, if Cablevision, the owners of Madison Square Garden, are permitted to move the arena a block west to the building that housed the main post office, this fat and happy corporate citizen should start paying its real estate taxes in full. The company, which owns the Knicks and the Rangers as well, has been given an estimated $100 million in tax breaks over the past dozen years.

By Jonathan Mandell on June 5, 2006, 3:04 pm
In category: Land Use, Public Finance | No Comments »

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