February 13, 2012 · www.gothamgazette.com

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Cuomo on Bloomberg's State of the City
January 12th, 2012

Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Michael Bloomberg may not be the best of buds but Cuomo found a lot to like in Bloomberg’s State of the City message–especially the parts about education and pension reform. “I commend Mayor Bloomberg for outlining a positive vision for New York City’s future and the most important part of building that future, our students. The State and City’s education system is facing a crisis in accountability and performance. Our continuing pattern of being number one in the nation on spending in education and thirty-eighth in graduation rates hurts our students across the State, including the over 1.1 million public school students in New York City,” said Cuomo in a statement.

Here is the full statement: Read the rest of this entry »

By David King on January 12, 2012, 5:26 pm
In category: Albany, Eye on Albany, Gotham City, Governing | No Comments »

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Coalition Wants Corporate Tax Loopholes Closed
January 9th, 2012

In Albany today, a group of progressive groups gathered together to call on Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the legislature to close corporate tax loopholes that they say would raise $1 billion for the state budget this year. The groups that include various Occupy groups, The Fiscal Policy Institute, Citizen Action and others want the money gained through the closing of the loop holes to be used to prevent cuts to services and perhaps even make some restorations. The groups provided a list of what they say are the worst “tax dodging companies” in the state.

Here is a collection of quotes from the group’s leaders. Read the rest of this entry »

By David King on January 9, 2012, 1:07 pm
In category: Albany, Economy, Eye on Albany, Governing | No Comments »

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Quinn on Fingerprinting for Food Stamps
January 5th, 2012

Gov. Andrew Cuomo seemingly went after the city’s policy of fingerprinting people who want access to food stamps in his State of the State Address. The Bloomberg administration has supported the measure as a way to stop fraud and Bloomberg dismissed Cuomo’s statement in a press conference following the speech. Council Speaker Christine Quinn just weighed in via press release and she is taking Cuomo’s side.

In these tough economic times, we need to help New Yorkers get the federal services they qualify for, not put obstacles in their way. Unfortunately, Mayor Bloomberg and I couldnt disagree more fingerprinting food stamp applicants is a time consuming and unnecessary process, which stigmatizes applicants and has prevented 24,000 New Yorkers from getting the help they deserve. The State has the authority to eliminate finger imaging in New York City, and the Mayor should not even think of challenging Governor Cuomos decision.

Cuomo said in his State of the State yesterday that, “One of the things we do now and makes the stigma actually worse and creates a barrier for families coming forward to get food stamps is we require fingerprinting. I’m saying stop fingerprinting for families, said Cuomo.

Bloomberg told reporters, “Its not a stigma, and it may be elsewhere in the state, and maybe thats what he was referring to, but its certainly not a stigma.”

By David King on January 5, 2012, 4:51 pm
In category: Albany, City Hall, Eye on Albany, Gotham City, Governing, Health, Social Services | No Comments »

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Rivera Credits OWS For New Thinking on Taxes
December 1st, 2011

“I believe Occupy Wall Street changed the national dialogue,” said Sen. Gustavo Rivera. “The conversations we were having 6 months ago got no traction. But things have changed because of what the folks at Zuccotti Park Started.”

The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday that Gov. Andrew Cuomo is considering altering the tax code so that the wealthy would pay more and the poor would pay less. He was grilled on the subject by NY Post editor Fred Dicker and Cuomo refused to rule out the possibility of a tax hike for the wealthy.

“Ive always believed we need a more progressive tax system,” said Rivera. “I’m glad to hear the Cuomo administration seems to be open to it. We have the greatest economic disparity in New York. The economic gap is as bad as it was was in the depression.”

*Update* Rivera’s spokesperson says Rivera was speaking about OWS’ impact on the national dialogue and not specifically about Cuomo’s new thinking on the tax code. However, his response was to a question specifically about Cuomo’s new thinking.

By David King on December 1, 2011, 12:44 pm
In category: Albany, Economy, Eye on Albany, Governing | 1 Comment »

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The Races for DA
November 6th, 2011

Three of New York City’s five district attorneys are up for re-election this year, but for only one — Staten Island Daniel Donovan — is the contest’ outcome in any doubt.

(For more on who can vote and how this year, go here. For more on the judicial contests, go here.)

Two of the veteran prosecutors, Richard Brown in Queens and Robert Johnson in the Bronx — will appear on the Democratic, Republican and Conservative lines and will not face any opposition.

Brown, who will turn 79 later this month, is headed to his sixth-term.

Johnson, who already is in his sixth term, was the first black district attorney in the state. In a somewhat strange twist, he received a rating of “not approved” by the city bar association this year. Johnson attributed the rejection to his not agreeing to an interview with the association and said he thinks it make little sense for the group to rate candidates in uncontested elections.

“If they think that I have not demonstrated the qualifications to hold this office,” Johnson told Reuters, “they must have been stuck in a cave for the past two decades.”

The bar does not explain or amplify on its ratings although they do not endorse candidates they can’t interview.

The Staten Island race offers a reprise of the 2007race in which Republican Donovan defeated Democrat Mike Ryan with about 70 percent of the vote. Donovan has the backing of the Independence Party too, while — perhaps owing to a long-standing rift between Donovan and Conservative Borough president James Molinaro, Ryan has the Conservative Party line.
Read the rest of this entry »

By Gail Robinson on November 6, 2011, 9:58 pm
In category: Electoral Politics, Gotham City, Governing, Law | No Comments »

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Here Come the Judges
November 6th, 2011

Occupants for 29 seats on the bench in New York City will be selected Tuesday — at least theoretically. In many cases, though, the primary process and political insiders have filled the posts already — leaving voters with nothing more than the opportunity to ratify the choice.

All candidates for Manhattan judgeships — including places of the state Supreme Court and Civil Court — face no opposition. All have the Democratic Party line; a few also have the GOP nod. In no case, though, have the Republicans — or any other party for that matter — put forth candidate who is not the Democratic standard bearer. In the one judicial race on Staten Island the sole candidate — Acting Judge Joseph J. Maltese — has support from the Democratic, Republican, Conservative and Independence parties.

The contested elections come in Brooklyn and Queens. There are no judicial races — contested or otherwise — in the Bronx.

(For more on who can vote and how this year, go here. For more on the district attorney contest, go here.)

More on the individual judicial races after the jump.
Read the rest of this entry »

By Gail Robinson on November 6, 2011, 9:54 pm
In category: Electoral Politics, Gotham City, Governing, Law | No Comments »

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A Quiet Election Day
November 6th, 2011

Even by the standards of the off-off-year election — those contests in odd-numbered years when there is no mayoral race — this is a non-election election year.

There are no contested races of any kind in the Bronx or Manhattan, according to the Board of Elections’ lists of candidates. In Queens and Brooklyn, the sole seats up for grabs are judgeships. Only Staten Island residents will have the chance to vote for or against someone they might actually have heard of: Republican District Attorney Daniel Donovan, who faces a challenge from Democrat Mike Ryan. It’s a repeat of their 2007 contest.

(For details on the district attorney race, go here. For more on the judicial contests, go here.)

Sleepy elections occur about once every four years in New York, Unlike the one in 2007, this year’s features no ballot measures, fewer contests for the bench and no particularly high profile ones. As is often the case in general elections in New York City, many candidates including those for some important posts face no opposition.

More voting details after the jump.
Read the rest of this entry »

By Gail Robinson on November 6, 2011, 9:39 pm
In category: Electoral Politics, Gotham City, Governing | 2 Comments »

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Fred Dicker's Evolving View of Occupy Albany
October 24th, 2011

In his column this morning NY Post’s Fred Dicker described Occupy Albany protesters as “200 mainly young, hippie-like demonstrators,” but only hours later his view of the group seems to have changed. Dicker, who has acted as a one-man cheer leading squad for Gov. Andrew Cuomo now seems to view the people who are running the group as wealthy “trust-fund baby type people” who are “slender” and “well-dressed.”

The Albany County District Attorney seems less concerned about the protesters and what they look like–he has informed law enforcement officials that he does not plan to prosecute any peaceful protesters –despite Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s push to have them arrested for violating a city curfew.

Meanwhile Occupy Albany seems to be emboldened and driven now that Cuomo has taken notice of them and is annoyed by their presence. A rally involving groups that support the millionaires tax is planned for Thursday.

By David King on October 24, 2011, 1:46 pm
In category: Albany, Civil Rights, Economy, Eye on Albany, Governing | No Comments »

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Former Bloomberg Aide Found Guilty of Larceny
October 21st, 2011

John Haggerty, the political consultant charged with stealing millions from Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s campaign, was found guilty of grand larceny in the second degree and his company was found guilty of money laundering in the second degree.

Haggerty avoided the more serious charge of larceny in the first degree. Haggerty was accused of funneling $1.2 million of campaign cash through the Independence Party to strengthen ballot security but instead used $1.1 million of the money to buy a house.

Bloomberg had to testify on the stand and Haggerty’s lawyers claimed Bloomberg lied and that Haggerty was paid for the work he had completed. Haggerty could face 15 years in prison.

The case is seen as a major victory for Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance whose office has suffered major public defeats this year.

By David King on October 21, 2011, 2:01 pm
In category: City Hall, Crime & Safety, Electoral Politics, Governing | 5 Comments »

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Bloomberg's Technology Pit
September 29th, 2011

Another day, another disturbing revelation about the city’s handling of its technology contracts.

This time it’s the latest chapter in the scandal involving computers at the Department of Education. The company the department paid $75 million to do technical work on its purchasing, payroll and finance systems Future Technology Associatesbilked the city out of at least $6.5 million, according to a report by Richard Condon, the city’s special commissioner of investigation.

Among other things, Future Tech set up shell companies and then vastly inflated its claims of how much those companies charged. So the Department of Education was being charged between $55 and $110 an hour for work that actually cost Future Tec $10 to $14 an hour.

Concerns about Future Technology have been circulating for some time.

According to a letter-report from the city comptroller’s Bureau of Audit, given to Gotham Gazette today (posted here), in 2005 the department submitted a request that Future Tech get a no-bid contract. (No-bid contracts at the Department of Education have raised concerns in the past.) “This request appears to have contained inaccurate and misleading statements from FTA, which, if DOE had known, should have precluded FTA from being awarded this contract,” says the report from the comptroller’s office, which went to Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott and Condon’s office.
Read the rest of this entry »

By Gail Robinson on September 29, 2011, 4:24 pm
In category: City Hall, Crime & Safety, Education, Gotham City, Governing, Tech | 2 Comments »

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Discussing Cuomo's Glow
September 28th, 2011

Even on a day a public employee union dealt him a serious setback few would deny that Gov. Andrew Cuomo has emerged as an exceedingly adroit politician. And none of members of a panel on Cuomo and the Media at the New School last night even tried to.

If their assessments of the governor varied at all, they ranged from skilled to brilliant. And the four reporters, joined by one pollster, did differ on how long the governor could keep his glow.

“This is an administration incredibly interested in managing their message. They are enormously good at it. They are artists,” Liz Benjamin of State of Politics and the evening’s moderator said, setting the tone from the get-go.

To control his image and his message, the governor and his minions call and lobby reporters ceaselessly but rarely publicly. “He almost never goes on the record in a free setting,” said the New York Times‘ Nick Confessore.

The panelists seemed almost in awe of Cuomo’s skills — his ability to listen to people and engage with them, his focus on two or three key things and skill at avoiding distractions, his hard work, his smarts, his ease with “working a room.” (Panelists declined to discuss his capacity observed on at a lake in the Adirondacks last month, to walk on water)

“His job is to manage his positive image, and he’s doing an excellent job,” said Steve Greenberg, pollster with the Siena Research Institute.

So will his star ever fade?

Possible answers after the jump.
Read the rest of this entry »

By Gail Robinson on September 28, 2011, 6:45 pm
In category: Albany, Electoral Politics, Eye on Albany, Gotham City, Governing | 1 Comment »

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Cuomo's Hurricane Schedule
September 2nd, 2011

Jimmy Vielkind of the Times Union writes today about how Gov. Andrew Cuomo has used the power of the governorship to respond to the crisis caused by hurricane Irene. Cuomo has dashed across the state via helicopter, plane, car etc. from one town to another.

Just as stunning as his use of power was his office’s sudden use of transparency. His press office has helpfully alerted reporters not only to exactly when and where Cuomo was going to be but which public officials would be with him and who he would speak with. For some reporters and good government advocates, this has been a refreshing change.

During his campaign last year Cuomo promised that he would make his work schedule public with details such as which legislators and lobbyists he met with.

“Mr. Cuomo, whose aides told one newspaper last week that his office had not kept a formal detailed schedule during Mr. Cuomo’s first two years as attorney general, pledged if elected to post his entire work schedule online, including meetings with lawmakers and lobbyists,” the Times wrote after an interview with Cuomo in October 2010.

But it is hard to say that Cuomo has lived up to that promise. The Times says he hasn’t. In that same article they note that Cuomo used his finesse to court lawmakers to “tame Albany.” Read the rest of this entry »

By David King on September 2, 2011, 11:46 am
In category: Albany, Eye on Albany, Governing | No Comments »

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Cuomo Asks Obama to Expedite Major Disaster Declaration
August 30th, 2011

The city may have been spared by hurricane Irene but a good swath of upstate New York has been left underwater, without power and waiting for the minute they can turn their sump pumps on to drain their basements.

Dams are being monitored across upstate, bridges closed for inspection, roads destroyed and homes washed away.

Just across the river from Albany in Troy mudslides have destroyed homes and local BBQ joint Dinosaur Barbeque even had a yacht practically sitting on it thanks to the rain-water swelled tides of the Hudson River.

Cuomo has been out and about–taking reporters on tours of the damage–talking about federal disaster relief and being much more accessible than normal and now he is asking the Obama Administration to expedite its declaration of a major disaster so that communities will be reimbursed for the recovery from the hurricane. Here is the release from Cuomo’s office and the letter he sent to Pres. Barack Obama. Read the rest of this entry »

By David King on August 30, 2011, 3:25 pm
In category: Albany, Eye on Albany, Governing | 2 Comments »

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Recommendations on Lobbying
August 10th, 2011

The city Lobbying Commission, chaired by former City Councilmember Herbert Berman has issued its preliminary report, available here. The recommendations essentially reflect the likely changes Jane Timm reported on for Gotham Gazette last week.

In particular, the commission recommends expanding the definition of lobbying to include efforts to influence legislation before a bill is introduced the law now covers only proposed legislation or to keep a bill from being introduced. It also would extend to efforts to shape or stop executive orders by the mayor.

The commission also seeks to have the city raise the threshold at which one must register as a lobbyist from $2,000 to $5,000. The increase, the commission anticipates, would reduce the number of lobbyists in the city by about 40 but would still cover around 99 percent of the money spent on lobbying here.

The report notes that some groups had hoped to raise the threshold still further. The commission said it will consider recommending a rise to $10,000 on its final report but only for organizations that spend that money lobbying only on their own behalf.

In the report, the commission also describes some suggestions it heard and rejected, such as moving regulation of lobbying from the city clerk’s office to another agency.

The report still needs to become final. When that happens, it will go to Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the City Council who, if they agree with the recommendation, can propose bills incorporating the suggestions for passage by the council.

By Gail Robinson on August 10, 2011, 5:27 pm
In category: City Hall, Governing | 1 Comment »

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Murdoch in the Schools
August 5th, 2011

The city and state teachers union are stepping up their opposition to the awarding of a state education contract to a company owned by Rupert Murdoch.

The unions have not been big fans of the beleaguered press mogul or of former Chancellor Joel Klein, who now heads education technology (and damaged control?) for him. And the deal has been raising eyebrows since June when the Daily News’ Rachael Monahan reported that the state Department of Education was about to award a $27 million no-bid contract to Wireless Generation to develop a system for the state similar to the city’s Achievement Reporting and Innovation System or ARIS.

Klein had been a big promoter of Wireless Generation during his days as chancellor. Two weeks after he left the city to take a mega-lucrative deal with News Corp., the Murdoch company bought Wireless Generation. Admittedly Klein himself worked for the city, not the state. But the ties are there - and the former chancellor certainly stands to benefit from a deal that, in the view of a Forbes blogger, “smack of cronyism.”

The phone hacking scandal has raised further doubts. In their letter to Merryl Tisch, chancellor of the state Board of Regents, and state Education Commissioner John King Jr., state United Teachers president Richard Ianuzzi and Michael Mulgrew, head of the city teachers union, stressed those concerns. Parents and educators, they wrote, question “the wisdom of allowing a News Corp.-owned company to have access the the personal data of students from all across New York.”
Read the rest of this entry »

By Gail Robinson on August 5, 2011, 1:08 pm
In category: Albany, Education, Gotham City, Governing, Public Finance, Tech | No Comments »

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Getting Ready to Redistrict
July 18th, 2011

Common Cause/NY said earlier this year that they were planning to release their own maps to help LATFOR draw up district lines. Now they are following the mapping debate with a blog that will provide readers with demographic information and issues facing districts across the state.

LATFOR has announced public meetings across the state to take input and discuss possible changes to local districts. Now Common Cause has launched a blog called Mapping Democracy that will highlight the concerns of each part of the state that LATFOR is visiting.
“In Mapping Democracy, we’ll discuss and provide illustrative maps on aspects of the current district lines and the demographic issues that should influence where the new district lines should be placed, ” said Susan Lerner, Executive Director of Common Cause/NY in a statement.

“We’ll do that for each locale in advance of each of the public hearings which LATFOR has scheduled around the state starting on Tuesday. Of course, we’ll also discuss political developments which may have an impact on the redistricting process or the new maps themselves, but our purpose in starting the blog is to help shift the focus from the political horse race to the important substantive issues which effect how communities will be reflected in the new districts.”

“Our maps will illustrate how communities have often been arbitrarily divided by the current, highly partisan districts. In order to maximize the effective representation and participation of communities in the political process, New York’s new district maps should look very different than the current set,” said Brian Paul, Research & Policy Coordinator at Common Cause/NY in a statement.

The group plans to have information on the blog about Syracuse and Rochester–the next two places LATFOR will visit.

By David King on July 18, 2011, 3:25 pm
In category: Albany, Eye on Albany, Governing | No Comments »

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From Weiner to Weprin
July 7th, 2011

The Queens and Brooklyn Democratic parties have reportedly selected State Assemblymember David Weprin as the party’s choice to replace Anthony Weiner as the Congress member from New York’s 9th District.

He will face an as yet to be determined Republican — and maybe a Conservative too — in a special election on Sept. 13. Although Democrats have held the seat for decades, Republicans hope they have an opening because of Weiner’s demise and, by New York City standards, a fairly high number of registered Republicans in the district.

Weprin served on the City Council where he chaired the powerful Finance Committee until he left to make an unsuccessful run for city comptroller, coming in fourth in a field of four. He then moved to the State Assembly, replacing his brother, Mark, who had been elected to his old council seat.

Weprin reportedly has said he would not try to run for a full term next year — a key issue since the district is likely to be redistricted out of its existence leaving meaning he would have had to take on another Queens incumbent if he wanted to stay in Washington. This could lead the way to Weprin’s making another bid for city office — comptroller, perhaps.

If Weprin wins on Sept. 13, there then could be yet another special election – that one to fill his Assembly seat. That post has been held by one member of the Weprin family or another since 1971.

By Gail Robinson on July 7, 2011, 3:11 pm
In category: Albany, Electoral Politics, Governing | 2 Comments »

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Developers' Dollars
July 5th, 2011

The New York Post’s David Seifman reported Sunday that developers left without a candidate in the 2013 mayoral race after the demise of Rep Anthony Weiner might support Public Advocate Bill de Blasio. This has the appeal of a man bites dog story — de Blasio a favored candidate of many unions and the Working Families Party, would seem an unlikely politician for developers to embrace.

Whatever the merit of Seifman’s story, it was a little puzzling for its omission of at least one candidate who already has a lot of support from the real estate industry: Council Speaker Christine Quinn. Using Gotham Gazette’s Councilpedia, we examined Quinn’s major contributors for the 2013 race (many of who actually gave in 2007 and 2008, before the extension of term limits sunk Quinn’s 2009 run for Gracie Mansion). And we discovered a large number of $4,950 contributions — the maximum allowed for citywide candidates — from people involved in real estate.

In a number of cases, several people associated with a company anted up. At least six people
with links to Rudin Management, one of the citys largest building developers and owners, gave $4,950, as did five members of the Gural family of the global real estate firm Newmark Knight Frank and the president of Newmark, James Kuhn. Three members of the Walentas family of Two Trees Management, which has developed much of DUMBO< gave $4,950 each, as did two executives with the company, Amish Patel and Richard Shill.
Thee people associated with Rose Associates opened their wallets for the maximum, as did two Roses with the Georgetown Co. At least five people with ties to The Benjamin Companies on Long Island gave Quinn $4,950, and so did at least four people with ties to Related. And so on.

More on the money trail after the jump
Read the rest of this entry »

By Gail Robinson on July 5, 2011, 3:40 pm
In category: City Hall, Environment, Gotham City, Governing | No Comments »

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Hoyt's Resignation Letter
June 30th, 2011

Here is former Buffalo Assemblyman Sam Hoyt’s resignation letter. Hoyt will be taking up a “senior position” in the Empire State Development Corporation. Hoyt was found in 2008 to have carried on an affair with a 23-year-old legislative intern from 2003 to 2005 and was subsequently denied intern help by Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. Hoyt is a close ally of Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Read the rest of this entry »

By David King on June 30, 2011, 5:15 pm
In category: Albany, Eye on Albany, Governing | No Comments »

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Why Sen. Kevin Parker Got Mad
June 25th, 2011

Last night as the country watched the New York State Senate vote on same-sex marriage things came to a jarring halt. Lt. Gov. Robert Duffy, who was presiding over the chamber, called session into recess to find out what was happening on the floor. Were you watching? Did you wonder what was going on?

Essentially the Senate rules were changed in a backroom agreement before session started and then changed again during the vote to make sure it would be concluded to make the 11 p.m. newscasts.

Sen. Kevin Parker, a long time proponent of same-sex marriage, was informed by Senate staff that he would not be able to explain his vote. He was livid. He cursed out the governor and eventually stormed to the podium where Duffy was presiding — a number of other Democratic senators followed him, seemingly to calm him down.

Earlier when Sen. Ruben Diaz tried to lay the marriage bill aside he was ignored. Normal Senate procedure allows for any senator to lay a bill aside for debate. It gives legislators a chance to debate the bill then when they vote, they again have the chance to explain their vote. But the rules weren’t the same.

Parker told the Gazette that around 7 or 8 p.m. the Senate Democratic conference met and discussed a deal. “We were informed of he procedure,” said Parker. “Everyone knew Rev. Diaz was going to lay the bill aside but we agreed not to debate the bill after he laid it aside. We would call the roll and all be able to explain our votes. We would be given two minutes each.”

The Gazette and a number of other sources reported the proposed limited debate earlier in the week. I was told to expect it by multiple senators earlier yesterday morning. Read the rest of this entry »

By David King on June 25, 2011, 6:19 pm
In category: Albany, Civil Rights, Eye on Albany, Governing, Law | 16 Comments »

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