Fidler Still Wants Finance
January 4th, 2010
Despite the chaos reportedly churning over the City Council’s new committee assignments, Councilmember Lewis Fidler, who currently heads up the council’s Youth Services Committee, says he is still eying the Finance Committee chairmanship.
Talking to Gotham Gazette this morning, Fidler said he still wanted the job, explaining the position’s challenges (especially in a tough budget year) are what makes it so appealing. Fidler said he is a good candidate because he would be “tough with the Bloomberg people when necessary and understands whats going on economically.”
For weeks, City Hall insiders speculated that the position, which comes with one of the council’s most hefty stipends of $18,000, would go to a Brooklyn-based member — either Fidler, Simcha Felder or Domenic Recchia. According to the Daily Politics, though, the position could end up in the hands of the Bronx, which would surely widen the rift between Brooklyn Democratic Leader Vito Lopez and Council Speaker Christine Quinn.
The council’s new committee chairs are not expected to be finalized until after Wednesday’s inaugural meeting — when 13 new members will take the oath of office.
Elsewhere, the speaker’s re-election looks to be moving forward as scheduled. The formal vote will occur Wednesday. Quinn has only one challenger, Charles Barron, who is highly unlikely to orchestrate a coup.
By Courtney Gross on January 4, 2010, 1:29 pmIn category: City Hall, Electoral Politics, Eye Opener, Gotham City, Governing, Law, Public Finance, nextNY | No Comments »

