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Bloomberg's Money Trail
March 3rd, 2010

While the eyes of most ethics watchdog remained firmly fixed n Albany — always fertile ground — a few stalwarts have spied a rather smell situation in the city.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg has always claimed that his billions of dollars are a kind of guarantee against corruption — a line many have been only to quick to swallow. But with Bloomberg you need to watch not who the mayor takes money from but who he gives it to. Witness the current controversy involving the mayor’s gifts to the Independence Party.

Up to now, the story has received scant notice form the Times and reform advocates, but Adam Lisberg and Liz Benjamin of the News and Wayne Barrett of the Voice have been on the case. Here are some highlights of what they have reported.
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By Gail Robinson on March 3, 2010, 3:14 pm
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Bloomberg Updates Housing Plan
February 22nd, 2010

Mayor Michael Bloomberg is injecting the city’s affordable housing plan with another $1 billion, bringing the total investment to build or preserve 165,000 units of affordable housing up to $8.5 billion.

The updated plan, which was first announced by the administration in 2002, focuses more on preservation than on the creation of affordable housing.

The update was given at the Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy’s new Institute for Affordable Housing Policy this morning. The mayor’s prepared remarks are in full after the jump.

For more on the history of plan, see “Affordable Housing Not Included.”

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By Courtney Gross on February 22, 2010, 12:32 pm
In category: City Hall, Community Development, Economy, Gotham City, Governing, Housing, Public Finance, nextNY | No Comments »

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CCRB Agreement Victory for de Blasio?
February 19th, 2010

Public Advocate Bill de Blasio made reforming the city’s Civilian Complaint Review Board a pillar of his campaign last year.

His first recommendation as a candidate was to give the board, which (just like it sounds) investigates complaints of police misconduct, independent power to prosecute the cases it substantiates. Currently, whenever the board substantiates police misconduct, it hands over the case to the Police Department, which prosecutes it at its own discretion.

Reports today reveal the department and the board have agreed to a pilot program that will allow the CCRB to prosecute some of its cases. So far, it is unclear how many of these cases the board’s attorneys will be allowed to prosecute.

The move, however, did not completely satisfy the newly minted public advocate.

In response to the agreement, de Blasio released the following statement this morning:

“We respect and appreciate this step as an acknowledgment of the need for change at the CCRB. But another pilot program is not enough. It is already abundantly clear that the city needs a more independent, responsive, and effective CCRB. When I was elected to office, I pledged to substantially reform the CCRB and help establish its power to conduct thorough, timely investigations and prosecute all appropriate cases. In the months ahead I will continue fighting to achieve that goal.”

Citizens Union, the sister organization to Gotham Gazette’s publisher, also recommended the CCRB independently prosecute cases in a report released in 2008.

By Courtney Gross on February 19, 2010, 11:56 am
In category: City Hall, Civil Rights, Crime & Safety, Electoral Politics, Gotham City, Governing, Law, nextNY | No Comments »

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Chairman Lauder?
February 12th, 2010

Add another name to the list of those rumored to lead the mayor’s promised charter revision commission — and this one promises to be the most controversial yet. Judy Randall of the Staten Island Advance reports that the mayor will appoint his fellow billionaire, businessman Ron Lauder to the post.

The source, who Randall did not name but described as someone who “has the administration’s ear,” explained why: “He was the architect for limiting terms but raised no objection when the mayor wanted to do away with them.”

To refresh your memory, Lauder, the person most responsible for the city having term limits, originally seemed on track to oppose Bloomberg’s bid to extend them and seek a third term. But as Adam Lisberg reported back then, “After meeting with Bloomberg in Gracie Mansion last week, [Lauder] caved. He cut a deal and agreed not to bankroll a campaign against it in exchange for a seat on a Charter commission that will turn the matter over to the voters in 2010.”

The rest, as they say is history. Or at least it was until now.

Earlier this week, two other names surfaced: Anthony Crowell, a senior counselor to the mayor, and City University Chancellor Matthew Goldstein.

By Gail Robinson on February 12, 2010, 2:55 pm
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Quinn on Seabrook
February 11th, 2010

Council Speaker Christine Quinn said she expects indicted councilmember Larry Seabrook to step down from his position as the chair of the Civil Rights Committee today. Seabrook, however, failed to show up at the council’s meeting this afternoon.

Seabrook’s demotion follows a 13-count indictment released Tuesday that charges the councilmember with money laundering, fraud and extortion.

Seabrook allegedly directed millions of dollars in the council’s discretionary funds to nonprofits he controlled and where family members and a girlfriend were installed as staff. Seabrook is also charged with inflating expenses and rent payments.

Most of the charges are directly related to the council’s slush fund scandal in 2008. Following the scandal, Quinn enacted several reforms at City Hall to make sure the council’s discretionary funding was not misused again.

Quinn said today all misuse of funding, which also resulted in the resignation of councilmember Miguel Martinez last year, occurred before the council put its reforms in place. Those reforms included making sure nonprofits slated for funding were registered with the attorney general’s office and internally vetting every group.

Quinn said today any system can always be reformed more, and she would be open to having that conversation. But, she added, she would not support doing away with discretionary funds entirely — as the Daily News suggests.

“If you look at the list of organizations that are funded, they are good organizations,” said Quinn. “They are little leagues and senior center.”
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By Courtney Gross on February 11, 2010, 4:50 pm
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Broadway Walkway Here to Stay
February 11th, 2010

For all you Times Square revelers, the Bloomberg administration is going to give you a little more room to stretch your legs — permanently.
broadway
Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan announced this morning the pedestrian plazas at Times and Herald Squares were here to stay. When the plazas were first announced in February last year, the administration said they would be made permanent if they improved traffic flow on 6th and 7th avenues and if it made the areas safer for pedestrians.

The results, according to the administration, will allow tourists and New Yorkers alike to sit back and relax in the plazas colorful furnishings for years to come.

According to the Department of Transportation, travel speeds for trips north in West Midtown improved by 17 percent from fall 2008 to 2009, compared with 8 percent in East Midtown. For trips south in West Midtown, travel speeds fell 2 percent. East Midtown had an increase of 3 percent, according to the transportation department.

Before this morning’s announcement, some speculated that the results would not be good enough to keep the plazas. A report in the New York Times said officials found the results “disappointing.”

Disappointing or not, Times and Herald Squares have officially been taken over by pedestrians.

Pictured above is Times Square now and below is a video from the transportation department about the project.

By Courtney Gross on February 11, 2010, 11:56 am
In category: City Hall, Community Development, Crime & Safety, Environment, Gotham City, Governing, Health, Land Use, Parks, Transportation, nextNY | No Comments »

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Charter Chatter
February 10th, 2010

Mayor Michael Bloomberg may finally be getting closer to naming the charter commission he promised in his 2008 State of the City speech and when he overturned the city’s term limits law in fall 2008. At least there are rumors — conflicting ones – about who he might name to that commission.

City Hall is reporting that Bloomberg has chosen Anthony Crowell to chair the commission and will make that — and the full membership — official within two weeks. Crowell, a senior counselor to the mayor, played a key role in the term limits maneuver.

While praising Crowell as a “straight shooter,” Gene Russianoff of NYPIRG told City Hall he would “much prefer someone like the way Richard Ravitch was in 1987 or Fritz Schwartz was in 1989 with their own reputation for independence.”

On the other hand, a report in the Daily News pegs City University chancellor Matthew Goldstein as the “leading candidate” to chair the commission. Unnamed sources also express doubts about his independence, given the close relationship between CUNY and the city government. The News story has Crowell serving as a member of the commission, along with Francis Barry, a speechwriter for the mayor and proponent of nonpartisan elections.

In 2003, the charter commission proposed nonpartisan elections — a pet project of Bloomberg — but voters overwhelmingly rejected the idea.

By Gail Robinson on February 10, 2010, 10:37 am
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Slushgate Reforms Revisited?
February 9th, 2010

Before the ink is dry on the indictment of Larry Seabrook, fellow Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr. is reiterating his call for a ban on giving discretionary funding to any groups that “employ family members, staff members or former staff members who have been employed by the council within the prior year,” according to a press release from his office.

“As we’ve seen all too often, not-for-profit groups established by elected officials, which then employ family or staff, are often the source of abuse. Preventing city money from flowing to these groups is a necessary step toward reform,” Vallone said in a prepared statement.

This morning, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District released a 65-page indictment charging Seabrook with fraud, extortion and money laundering. Part of the indictment alleges Seabrook directed discretionary funds to nonprofits that he in fact controlled. Seabrook then installed family members and friends as staff at the nonprofits, effectively funneling hundreds of thousands of dollars to those closest to him, according to the indictment.

When the slush fund scandal first came to light in 2008, Council Speaker Christine Quinn enacted several reforms at the council to make sure groups that received discretionary funding were properly vetted. The reforms did not prevent council members from directly funding groups that employ their family or friends. Council members must disclose conflicts of interests, and their discretionary funding cannot go directly towards paying a family member’s salary.

Vallone floated his proposed ban immediately after the slush fund broke. But in the last session it received no traction.

By Courtney Gross on February 9, 2010, 5:06 pm
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De Blasio Gives Up Dais
February 3rd, 2010

When Public Advocate Bill de Blasio moves on, he moves on.

presiding

The newly minted public advocate has decided not to preside over the City Council’s stated meetings, according to his spokesperson Matt Wing.

“When he took office, Bill made a decision to focus his time on issues and advocating directly for New Yorkers,” said Wing in an e-mailed statement. “Bill had a good conversation with Speaker Quinn on this issue and they agreed together that this change was appropriate.”

Many political observers already name the ambitious former councilmember as a potential mayoral candidate in 2013. Council Speaker Christine Quinn is also considered a potential 2013 mayoral candidate.

De Blasio’s move is not entirely unprecedented. Former Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum presided over the council’s meetings for almost her entire term. But when the council approved a 40 percent cut to her budget last summer, Gotbaum protested by boycotting its meetings.

Presiding is a symbolic role at the council. The public advocate is charged with keeping order at the meeting, reading the vote as well as calling it to a close (These are the responsibilities of the position second in line to the mayor). The advocate can also introduce legislation, but cannot vote.

The public advocate does get to sit in the high-backed, velvety chair at the front of the chamber. Pictured here is Council Majority Leader Joel Rivera, who has been presiding over the meetings in de Blasio’s stead.

By Courtney Gross on February 3, 2010, 5:18 pm
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Fined Aide Lands on Her Feet
February 1st, 2010

A fine from the city Conflict of Interest Board apparently does not mean exile to a kind of city government rubber room. Soon after word came down (as reported below) that Maura Keaney, a former deputy chief of staff for Council Speaker Christine Quinn, had been fined for soliciting campaign contributions while she worked on legislation to reform campaign finance, the Department of Education announced schools Chancellor Joel Klein has appointed Keaney the department’s director of external affairs.

In that post, she will head up the department’s “legislative and government affairs, media relations, community relations, and family engagement and advocacy.” Keaney replaces Micah Lasher, who after navigating mayoral control of schools through the legislatature, is now the mayor’s chief lobbyist in Albany.

The release included lavish praise for Keaney from Klein and Quinn — and no mention of the fine.

Keaney recently served as field director of Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s 2009 re-election campaign. This appintment provides yet another indication the mayor is finding jobs for those who helped him win that campaign — regardless of any ethical lapses or the state of the city budget..

Keaney starts work Wednesday.

By Gail Robinson on February 1, 2010, 3:05 pm
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Quinn Deputy Gets Fined
February 1st, 2010

The City’s Conflicts of Interest Board fined Council Speaker Christine Quinn’s former deputy chief of staff for soliciting campaign donations while also working on the city’s campaign finance reform legislation in 2007.

The staffer, Maura Keaney, also worked on Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s re-election campaign last fall.

The City Charter prohibits any public employee with “substantial policy discretion” from soliciting donations for any elected official. In April 2007, Keaney made between six and a dozen phone calls to unions members requesting they be on a host committee for a Quinn fundraiser, which would have entitled them to make a contribution to Quinn’s then-campaign for mayor.

Keaney was fined $2,500 by the board.

The disposition is below.

Press Release Disposition (Council)

By Courtney Gross on February 1, 2010, 2:08 pm
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Special Election Announced
February 1st, 2010

A special election to fill former Councilmember Simcha Felder’s seat will be held on March 23, the Bloomberg administration just announced.

The election — as in all special City Council races — will be nonpartisan.

David Greenfield and Joe Lazar have already declared for the seat. Civil Court Judge Noach Dear is also reportedly considering a run.

To keep track of the candidates, be sure to check Who’s Running for What.

By Courtney Gross on February 1, 2010, 12:51 pm
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Musical Chairs
January 19th, 2010

As promised, today starts the seat swapping in the Bloomberg administration.

For the next three weeks, first deputy commissioners will be assigned to another agency in the hopes of breaking down bureaucratic barriers. The idea was integral to the mayor’s inauguration address on New Year’s Day. Some assignments have been done with specific policy proposals in mind, such as the swap between Department of Consumer Affairs and the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, who are tasked with focusing on foreclosure prevention.

Here are the assignments:

Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) — DOE
Administrative Justice Coordinator (AJC) — CCPC
Business Integrity Commission (BIC) — DSNY
Center for Economic Opportunity (CEO) –CUNY
City University of New York (CUNY) — CEO
Citywide Events Coordination and Management (CECM) — NYC & Co
Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) — CHR
Commission for the United Nations Consular Corps and Protocol (UN) — MOIA
Commission on Human Rights (CHR) — CCRB
Commission on Women’s Issues (CWI) — MOCDV
Commission to Combat Police Corruption (CCPC) — AJC
Community Affairs Unit (CAU) — CECM
Criminal Justice Coordinator (CJC)– Law
Department for the Aging (DFTA) — MOPD
Department of Buildings (DOB) — NYCHA
Department of City Planning (DCP) — HDC
Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) — SCA
Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) — HPD
Department of Corrections (DOC) — DHS
Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) — EDC
Department of Design and Construction (DDC) — DCLA
Department of Education (DOE) — Parks
Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) — DOF
Department of Finance (DOF) — MOO
Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DoHMH) — DOC
Department of Homeless Services (DHS) — HHC
Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) — DCA
Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DoITT) — MOFTB
Department of Investigation (DOI) — MOCS
Department of Parks and Recreation (Parks) — DEP
Department of Probation (DOP) — ACS
Department of Sanitation (DSNY) — BIC
Department of Small Business Services (SBS) — HRA
Department of Transportation (DOT) — DDC
Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) — DOP
Design Commission (Design) — DOT
Economic Development Corporation (EDC) — SBS
Fire Department* (FDNY) — NYPD*
Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) — CAU
Housing Development Corporation (HDC) — LPC
Human Resources Administration (HRA) — DoHMH
Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) — DOB
Law Department (Law) — DOI
Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) — DFTA
Mayor’s Office of Contract Services (MOCS) — CJC
Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre, and Broadcasting (MOFTB) — DoITT
Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) — UN
Mayor’s Office of Operations (MOO) — DCAS
Mayor’s Office of Veterans Affairs (MOVA) — CWI
Mayor’s Office to Combat Domestic Violence (MOCDV) — MOVA
New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) — DCP
NYC & Company (NYC & Co) — DYCD
Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH) — TLC
Office of Emergency Management* (OEM) — FDNY*
Office of Labor Relations* (OLR) — OMB*
Office of Management and Budget* (OMB) — OLR*
Police Department* (NYPD) — OEM*
School Construction Authority (SCA) — Design
Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) — OATH

Those with an asterisk are participating in the second phase of the program starting February 1.

By Courtney Gross on January 19, 2010, 2:32 pm
In category: City Hall, Civil Rights, Community Development, Economy, Education, Electoral Politics, Environment, Governing, Housing, Immigrants, Land Use, Law, Measuring UP, Parks, Transportation, Waterfront, nextNY | No Comments »

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Committees Coming?
January 14th, 2010

The speaker’s office has scheduled a rules committee meeting for Thursday, January 21, meaning those less than official committee assignments are gradually becoming official.

The temporary rules committee will vote on the new committee members and chairs. The committee includes Inez Dickens as chair, Joel Rivera, Leroy Comrie, Lewis Fidler, Thomas White, James Oddo and Speaker Christine Quinn.

This committee selection process isn’t just about what issues are closest to members’ hearts. Some seats become even more competitive because they carry influence (like Land Use or Finance) and serious salary bonuses. Heading up Finance or Land Use means those members get an extra $18,000 every year.

It is still unclear whether the council will even keep all of its committees, given the fiscal crisis. When asked at a press conference earlier this week whether they would all stay, Quinn only said, “Maybe.”

Here are some of the assignments so far, via Azi. If you know of any more, send them our way.

By Courtney Gross on January 14, 2010, 3:11 pm
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Big Tobacco Takes on Council
January 12th, 2010

quinncig

The City Council sent a message to big tobacco this afternoon: put it out.

U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Manufacturing Company and U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Brands filed a lawsuit against the city in December over a law approved by the City Council last year that bans the sale of favored tobacco products in the five boroughs.

In response to the suit, Council Speaker Christine Quinn, health care advocates and several members of the City Council gathered at City Hall today to let “big tobacco” know they wouldn’t be backing down, settling or negotiating anytime soon.

“What we did was legally right, but, more importantly, it was morally right, and we are not going to let this lawsuit threaten us,” said Quinn, who compared the tobacco product’s packaging to a tube of lip gloss. “Tobacco yet again has shown itself to be nothing but greedy and only interested in hurting the public health of New Yorkers.”

The lawsuit alleges the city overstepped its authority by going further than Congress and the Food and Drug Administration’s regulations. Federal law “does not permit a municipality to impose such sweeping regulation of tobacco products,” the complaint filed by the tobacco companies states.

Just weeks before the City Council approved its law, federal officials approved a ban on the sale of flavored cigarettes. The city then went a step further by banning the sale of chewing tobacco, cigars and cigarillos as well. It is this step big tobacco alleges is unconstitutional.

Health care advocates disagree, arguing Congress’s actions encouraged municipalities to create their own regulations.

Because of the packaging and the location of advertisements in corner stores and bodegas, said city officials, these flavored tobacco products can seem as appealing as candy to young adults and children. The products’ flavors, which range from cookie dough to grape to lemon-lime, don’t help either, they said.

“They have created what appears to be to children a smooth seamless transition from candy to tobacco products,” said Joanne Koldare, director of the NYC Coalition for a Smoke Free City. “But we’re onto them.”
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By Courtney Gross on January 12, 2010, 1:47 pm
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Batista Schlesinger Departs DMI, Joins Administration
January 8th, 2010

Longtime Drum Major Institute executive director, Andrea Batista Schlesinger, will leave the progressive public policy group to join the Bloomberg administration as senior policy advisor to Deputy Mayor Linda Gibbs and special assistant to the mayor.

Batista Schlesinger took a leave of absence from the think tank last year to serve as an advisor to the Bloomberg campaign — which came as a surprise to some of the city’s progressives. Batista Schlesinger had previously served as an aid to former Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer, who ran for mayor in 2005 against Bloomberg.

Now — somewhat less surprisingly — she is making a move to the administration full time.

DMI fellow and former council candidate in the 36th district, Mark Winston Griffith, will be heading up the search for her replacement.

At a recent book release party thrown by the institute, Batista Schlesinger and Bloomberg sat down to discuss how to make the city more sustainable (more on that here). Many of the book’s themes — and DMI’s work in general — focus on social and economic justice issues. With Batista Schlesinger in City Hall, you can imagine many of these same issues will end up on Bloomberg’s third term agenda.

The full release from the institute is after the jump.
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By Courtney Gross on January 8, 2010, 10:51 am
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The Race for Simcha's Seat
January 5th, 2010

Officially, Councilmember Simcha Felder is scheduled to be sworn into a third term tomorrow.

But how long that term will last is still unclear. This morning Comptroller John Liu announced the Brooklyn-bred councilmember would be joining his team at the comptroller’s office, taking the reins at a newly formed position — deputy comptroller for accounting and budget.

But now a few residents of the 44th district, which spans Borough Park and Midwood, are already scrambling to get their campaigns together. Three candidates are already reportedly getting ready to ramp up a race, including David Greenfield, the executive vice president of the Sephardic Community Federation, Judge Noach Dear, and Joe Lazar, the former director of fiscal affairs for the Department of Buildings.

“I am very exited that Simcha has a great opportunity,” said Greenfield, who cited education, jobs and senior services as his top priorities. “I’ve been preparing for this race since 2007, and I really believe I’m going to be the best advocate for the community.”

Reached this morning in Miami, Lazar said he would definitely run for the open seat. He said his experience at the buildings department and as the New York City regional director at the state Office of Mental Health would make him a great councilmember. Lazar, who at the age of 61 has never run for office before, plans on announcing formally when Councilmember Felder actually resigns.

“I have every intention of running,” said Lazar. “I figured I’d wait for the body to get cold. … I’ve got a varied background but my bottom line is really to help my constituents.”

Both Greenfield and Lazar had started to fundraise for a council run before the extension of term limits, and each has accumulated a good amount of cash — $180,477 and $116,534, respectively. Before term limits, Felder had voiced support for Greenfield.

Both Lazar and Greenfield dropped out of the race following the approval of the term limits extension, and they subsequently froze their campaign accounts to use at a later date (a move allowed by the Campaign Finance Board in light of the unusual circumstances surrounding term limits).

It is unclear now, however, whether Lazar and Greenfield will be able to use that cash now since they will potentially face off in a special election. A spokesperson at the board said they are looking into the issue currently, calling it “complicated.” Muddling things is the fact that contribution limits are halved in special elections.

By Courtney Gross on January 5, 2010, 3:06 pm
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Leftover Legislation
January 4th, 2010

Over the last four years, the City Council has passed green buildings legislation, a ban on flavored tobacco, a bill keeping protesters father away from abortion clinics and several pieces of legislation to streamline the inspection process at buildings.

But there are hundreds (823 to be exact) of bills the council just never got to. Some we’ll see again — but the vast majority are headed towards legislative abyss.

Here is a sampling of some of the more interesting proposals — or the ones likely to be rerun.

Living Wages: (Intro 1105) At the council’s last session of 2009, council members Oliver Koppell and Annabel Palma introduced a bill to require living wages at development projects that receive public subsidies. A proposal many of the council’s 13 new incoming members took up during campaign season, we are sure to see this bill again. In fact, it will likely be introduced at the council’s inaugural 2010 meeting Wednesday.

Driveway Parking: (Intro 1100) Want to park in front of your neighbor’s driveway? Or want to use your own driveway as a supplemental street side spot? You could have under this bill, which would have also increased the fine for parking in front of a driveway that wasn’t your own to $100.

Lights Out: (Intro 1075) Come closing time, this bill would have forced all retailers to shut off their lights once they locked their doors. Talk about the end to window shopping.

Sick Leave: (Intro 1059) Garnering unusual public attention and debate, the council considered a bill to require all businesses in the city provide one hour of paid sick time for every thirty hours worked per employee. The bill had garnered 38 sponsors — well more than the majority needed for it to pass. However, it was left to die in committee at the end of the session, but some progressives have pledged to revive it this year.
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By Courtney Gross on January 4, 2010, 5:09 pm
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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 pm
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Another One Bites the Dust
December 23rd, 2009

As expected, Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications Commissioner Paul Cosgrave will “retire” next week, adding to the crew of commissioners who will not be joining the mayor for a third term.

This particular “retirement,” which the News dubbed a resignation, comes after the city’s 911 call system upgrade was two years behind schedule and over budget. The mayor’s statement below boasts Cosgrave’s work on 311, but is silent on the 911 controversy.

In another department, the mayor announced on Monday the appointment of Salvatore Cassano to head the Fire Department following Nicholas Scopetta.

Here is the mayor’s statement on Cosgrave:

When I appointed Paul Cosgrave Commissioner of the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications in 2006, our Administration had made unprecedented gains increasing public access to City information and services. Still, I charged Paul with going even farther, giving New Yorkers new ways to interact with City government, and making City government even more transparent. He had great success achieving those goals.

Paul expanded our 311 Customer Service Center, which provides New Yorkers round-the-clock access to information and services in some 180 languages. He helped create an enhanced 311 service for public school families which provides an easy-to-use resource for parents and guardians seeking answers about their children’s education. Thanks to his efforts, New Yorkers can now access 311 by phone, via multiple online channels, and attach pictures and videos to complaints submitted from their desktops or mobile phones. And just last month, we announced an agreement with the MTA to explore streamlining public access to mass transit information. Paul spearheaded the effort to create the New York City Wireless Network, a state-of-the-art broadband infrastructure transforming how City agencies ensure public safety and deliver services, as well as the expansion and adoption of broadband service in low income neighborhoods.

“Through it all, Paul’s greatest strengths have been his ability to work collaboratively and effectively with a wide variety of stakeholders and find ways to get things done. On behalf of the people of the City of New York, I thank him for his distinguished service and wish him all the best in retirement.

By Courtney Gross on December 23, 2009, 12:32 pm
In category: City Hall, Electoral Politics, Gotham City, Governing, Health, Law, Measuring UP, Public Finance, Tech, nextNY | No Comments »

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