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What is Searchlight on Campaign 2001?
Searchlight
on Campaign 2001 is a guide to the political races in what
many are calling New York City's most significant campaign
season in modern history.
What is so significant about it?
For
the first time in memory, most political offices in the city
will be wide open to people who have neither money nor connections.
Why will the races be so open?
There
are two reasons. This year, a new law goes into effect that
limits the terms of New York City elected officials, forcing
the mass retirement of most incumbents in the city - including
the mayor, the comptroller, the public advocate, four of the
five borough presidents, and 36 of the 51 members of the City
Council. At the same time, a new campaign finance law kicks
in, which allows any candidate who agrees to certain restrictions
to collect four dollars of matching funds for every dollar
they raise.
What does this have to do with this site?
As
a public service, Searchlight on Campaign 2001 has a separate
page for each race, including all the races for City Council,
that not only sorts out the candidates -- many of them new
and unfamiliar -- but also offers an opportunity to learn
about the issues, and the districts themselves.
Who is behind Searchlight on Campaign 2001?
Searchlight
on Campaign 2001 is a project of Gotham Gazette, a non-profit,
non-partisan, non-ideological (but non-boring) web site about
New York City news, policy and politics published by Citizens
Union Foundation, part of the oldest and largest good-government
group in the city (founded in 1897).
What's wrong with the way the regular press
covers the races?
That
is for you to decide. And one of our regular features, Campaign
Trail, helps you to decide. Campaign Trail provides succinct
summaries and links to campaign articles in the commercial
press.
Who are we?
Masthead
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Peter Vallone
Im the only one running that has been
governing the city every day. I led the fight
to reform the city and get rid of the Board
of Estimate. I said no matter how nice the people
are, it was not representative, it was unconstitutional,
and I got a little help from the United States
Supreme Court when they threw it out. In 1991,
you might remember that just a few blocks from
here a young fellow Brian Watkins was slaughtered
on the subway trying to defend his family. It
was terrible. This was a lawless city. The very
first thing I did when we had no money, and
there was very little hope, and no one wanted
to stay in the city of New York, was to institute
what is now known as Safe Street Safe City --
in those days I called it, and David Dinkins
called it, Cops and Kids. I established it,
I initiated it, I got David Dinkins to agree
to it, I went to Albany and I got the Assembly
leader Mel Miller to agree to it, I got the
Republican leader who was Ralph Marino [He mentions
what else he did to get it passed]. I worked
with the youth board for 7 years, we dont
want to arrest everybody, we want to try to
stop people from getting arrested in the first
place. Give them the alternatives, drug programs
in every single school. The whole point of what
is now known as Safe Street Safe City was to
first try to make the city safe.
How do we do it? By dedicating a portion of
our income tax, and a portion of our real estate
tax--the most difficult thing to do anywhere.
But I gave my word, I pledged it, and I said
by 1998 we would have a balanced budget, we
would return that 12 and half percent income
tax to the people of the city of New York. Who
objected? Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. He wanted
to move that money--you remember this--he wanted
me to take that money and move Yankee Stadium
from the Bronx County to Manhattan. Remember
that? We said no, the mayor got angry and for
the first time in history he walked out of budget
negotiations. First time the mayor walked out
of budget negotiations in the history of the
city. That put us at a difficult situation because
under this charter only a mayor can estimate
the revenues, not the city council. Its
unlike the Congress of the United States or
unlike the state legislature...The point of
it is, we still did it. And not only did we
do it, I returned that 12 and half percent income
tax--the largest income tax reduction in the
history of the city of New York--was returned
as I promised it would be returned to the taxpayers
of the city of New York.
Every single day I do something that is very
controversial. I was picketed today by restaurant
owners who dont like my new smoking bill.
When I pass the rent control law the landlords
picket me. Then some tenants picket me because
they say I didnt go far enough. Every
single day, whatever I do, somebody doesnt
like. But thats what you have to do if
you are going to be a leader. And the only one
of the candidates that every single day, has
to work with the mayor, walk sixty feet down
to work, whoever the mayor is, and must govern
a very difficult city--at every question, whether
it is land use, whether its landmarks,
whether its expanding your garage, whether
its building a huge sky scraper--every
single question, must come to the Speaker of
the City Council. And not once, in the ten years
that we have been running this council has there
been one scandal, one fraud, one arrest by reason
of anything that weve done in the city
council. Thats the first time in history
that that ever happened. Whats the reward
for that? On December 31, 2001, every single
one of us leaves office at the same time. One
billionaire who spent 15 million dollars, got
15 thousand votes--and I guarantee to you that
any one of you who spends 15 million dollars
and doesnt do a thing for campaigning
will get more than 15,000 votes. However he
got so angry that he was going to put term limits
in throughout the entire country. Couldnt
do it federally--its unconstitutional.
Couldnt do it in the state--its
unconstitutional. City of New York? Its
ok. So thats the only place he could do
it. So he spent millions of dollars, no gradually
changing it over time. If everybody in this
club left at the same time, or if anybody in
any business left at the same time, or if anybody
in anything left at the same time, I am sure
there are a lot of qualified people that could
take your place. But it takes a little bit of
time.
So what I am saying is this: I have an open
record of 11 years since weve had the
power to do something, anything Ive done
somebody likes or doesnt like, I govern
every single day, I think I am in a position
to move that extra 60 feet [from the speakers
office to the mayors office] and keep
the government going in the\ direction that
were going. When youre talking about
anything controversial, youll find that
I was there. And if youre talking about
taking on the mayor, I have taken on this mayor--I
took him on today. And Ill take him on
every single day , it doesnt make any
difference. The bottom line with me is if it
is the right thing to do, thats what were
going to do.
[Question about ending workfare]:
I would never end workfare...I passed
a bill which doesnt create a [labor] union
but comes as close as you can under the law.
To allow people to make their grievances--that
was a horrible situation. We believe in putting
people to work. I believe not in just building
shelters, but having transitional ways of getting
people back, not in the streets, but into a
job, into a home, thats what it is all
about. Permanent Jobs. The problem with this
mayor, and why the council has so many problems
with a good program, if he gets a secretary
he has them cleaning a park. That doesnt
make any sense. Thats not a permanent
job. Shes not going to stay cleaning a
park. And I happen to know this to be a particular
case; thats why I mentioned it. So, yes
I absolutely believe in workfare but not the
way this mayor is administering it. Theres
a better way to do it.
[Question about the Irish Gay and Lesbian organization
being prohibited from marching in the St. Patricks
Day parade.]
Thats ridiculous. They can march
with me. I have over 600 people that march with
me. Anybody in here wants to march, march with
me. I have the largest single group marching.
[Question on a specific community garden in
the East Village]
We fought very hard in the council; wherever
we had jurisdiction wed save the garden,
where we dont have jurisdiction we cant.
We are in charge of land use. But if its a pending
matter I cant tell you what our decision
is going to be because it has to go through
a committee. But on that, weve tried very
hard.
[Question on what he will do to increase the
availability of affordable housing]
Dedicate a fund. The way we did Safe Street
Safe City was to dedicate a fund for no other
purpose. They city will die if you dont
have affordable housing. We are over 200,000
units of affordable housing short right now.
The last person who had any kind of a plan--who
incidentally has endorsed me--is Ed Koch. The
last person who had any kind of housing plan.
I have a plan which youll read in the
papers if you havent read it already,
theyre about to sell the World Trade Center,
or lease it, but theyre about to sell
it for billions of dollars, but we will generate
hundreds of millions of dollars of real estate
tax. Im saying we take that real estate
tax, and we dedicate it and leverage it for
affordable housing and we build thousands of
units of affordable housing in this city. And
its a plan that could work because Ive
got funds to do it.
[Question rent stabilization, and about the
weakening of rent protections]
Unfortunately the state overrode us. I
passed a law that did just the oppositte and
they threw it out. So unfortunately we are at
the mercy of the state when it comes to that.
[Question about capital punishment]
Capital punishment is a situation where
the state of New York has the strictest capital
punishment laws in the nation--so strict that
nobody has been executed. I think that there
is one particular case that Ill just mention,
where a guard killed, was sentenced to life
imprisonment and then killed and mutilated a
woman guard about 25 years ago. When a person
is going to kill again, even if it is incarcerated
I think the death penalty is justified. [I support
the death penalty] in New York state; its
the strictest in the country. [I support the
current laws] in New York state.
[Question on Mayors policy of only merit
increases for city workers (not yearly raises)]
Thats ridiculous, and I told the
mayor that. Everybody deserves at least an inflationary,
I mean you have what is called "cost of
living" and you have to cover that. Theres
a place for merit, and theres always a
place for merit, but under the present system,
I dont think thats working.
[Question about his support of legislation
to extend benefits to same-sex partners of the
employees of contractors who do business with
the city]
Absolutely. Weve done that.
[Question about how he would deal with police
brutality and violence]
The mayor has held me up in court for over
three years for what we call the Independent
Police Investigation Board. Which we also passed,
which sets an independent monitor over all of
the activities of the police. Its a perfect
vehicle to monitor and police ourselves. I assure
you, whatever candidate is elected from the
Democratic party, the first thing hell
do is implement that Independent Police Invesitgation
Board. [On the local questions, he doesnt
support the toll on the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge,
supports landmarking the meatpacking district,
doesnt like Henry Stern and would fix
the arch in Washington Square Park.
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What is this?
Gotham Gazette's Searchlight on Campaign 2001 offers a comprehensive
look at what is being called New York City's most significant
campaign season in modern history. (See the left-hand column
for an explanation).
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Districts of the Week
District
1 -- Lower Manhattan
Whoever wins the election in district 1 will represent immigrant
Chinese garment workers, as well as Wall Street traders living
in Battery Park City. There are several candidates hoping
to be the council's firsts -- the first Asian-American man,
the first Asian-American woman, the first gay Rhodes Scholar,
the first dot-com guru -- running against some politically
well connected opponents. Endorsements and fundraising will
play a big role in this race. But voter turnout could be the
main determinant of who will next represent district 1 on
the council. The key question is how many voters from each
community will come out on Election Day.
District
7 -- Washington Heights, Manhattan
The northern tip of Manhattan has become one of the most popular
places for new immigrants to call home. The northern tip of
Manhattan is a place that today's new immigrants call home.
The majority have come from the Dominican Republic, but also
from countries in South America, Eastern Europe, and Asia.
But it is not just new immigrants that are moving in. Students,
artists, and other Manhattanites looking for less expensive
rents and larger apartments have also moved north. Ten Democratic
candidates are competing for the 15,000 voters expected on
primary day. The winner who emerges from a crowded field of
candidates will have to balance the needs of the newcomers
with those who have lived there for years.
District
16 -- Highbridge, Bronx
The neighborhoods of district 16 are the city's poorest, with
the highest rate of unemployment and the lowest median household
income. But those who live there also point out that much
is positive and stable about the area, thanks in large part
to local organizations, not-for-profit agencies, and houses
of worship that help hold the neighborhoods together. Each
candidate for City Council believes that through his or her
connections to churches and local organizations, they can
help empower the community toward a better life. Helen Foster,
the current council member daughter, will face Michael Benjamin,
who has worked as an aide to several government officials
and Anthony Curry, a Bronx neighborhood activist.
District
20 -- Northeast Flushing, Queens
This year district 20 may elect the first Asian-American ever
to the City Council to an area which now has the second highest
number of immigrants from Korea and Taiwan in the city. There
are three Asian candidates in the Democratic race who have
each drawn big endorsements. Council Speaker Peter Vallone
endorsed Terence Park, City Comptroller Alan Hevesi endorsed
John Liu, and the New York Times recently endorsed Ethel Chen
The campaign has also drawn national and international press
coverage
District
25 -- Jackson Heights, Queens
Thirty-seventh Avenue in Jackson Heights, Queens is one of
the most diverse streets in the world. Little India quickly
blends into Little Colombia, with vendors selling Latin American
food to Colombians, Peruvians, Ecuadorians, Mexicans, and
Uruguayans. And each summer, the Queens Pride Parade fills
the same street with rainbow banners. So it is no surprise
that this election year the district produced a diverse field
of candidates. A number of them, however, found out that getting
on the ballot is not an easy task, especially when the Queens
Democratic organization sends teams of lawyers to challenge
petitions. But five Democratic candidates survived and will
face off on September 11.
District
31 -- South East Queens
When a heavy rain hits southeast Queens, many residents in
neighborhoods like Springfield Gardens, Laurelton and Rosedale
head to the basement with a bucket in hand. And it has been
that way for the last 50 years. In the rush to build housing
in the area after World War II, developers overlooked the
need for storm drains in hopes that the city would eventually
build a city-wide sewer system. The plan never materialized
and the area has experienced "100-year rains" three times
in the last decade. The eight Democrats -- all with little
experience overseeing massive infrastructure projects--will
try to convince voters that they can finally solve the flooding
problems.
District
35 -- Central Brooklyn
The residents in council district 35 have some of the highest
incomes in Brooklyn and some of the lowest. They can play
in a famous park and a beautiful botanical garden, and live
in the city's most crumbling public housing. They can attend
one of the four institutions of higher learning in the district,
and the worst-scoring high schools in the city. Such juxtapositions
are a way of life for a district that includes the Brooklyn
Academy of Music, the Brooklyn Museum, and the Brooklyn Botanical
Gardens; mid dle-class African-American communities near Prospect
Park; immigrant communities from Haiti, Sierra Leon, Nigeria,
and Trinidad, and in Crown Heights, a mix of Hasidic Jews
and African-Americans. Seven Democratic candidates are campaigning
in hopes that they can bring some kind of unity, and attention,
to the area. Their backgrounds are as diverse as the neighborhoods
themselves.
District
39 -- Park Slope/Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn
The candidates in district 39 include a chief of staff for
an Assemblywoman, the husband of a member of U.S. Congress,
a lawyer for the Legal Aid Society, an attorney and president
of the Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats, Senator Hillary
Clinton's campaign manager, the district manager of Community
Board 6, and a labor organizer. This is the race to watch
this year. The group of high-profile Democrats have raised
a lot of money, almost $1.4 million combined.
District
45 -- East Flatbush
In no place in the city are the effects of campaign finance
reform and term limits being felt more than in East Flatbush.
The seven Democratic candidates seeking to represent this
largely West Indian district come from a number of Caribbean
nations. Many have been working on politicians' staffs and
serving with community groups, clearly hoping someday to win
their own elected office. Term limits has presented them with
that opportunity, and they want to make the most of it. But
this race that usually draws only about 8,000 voters could
be decided by just a few votes. The candidates are attempting
to come up with anything that will separate them from the
pack.
District
49 -- North Shore, Staten Island
Staten Island has always been somewhat of a suburban stepchild
to New York City. When a 1998 survey asked New Yorkers why
they go to Staten Island, the top two responses were ''visiting
friends and relatives" and ''passing through.'' But in many
ways, the north shore has more in common with areas of Manhattan
and Brooklyn than with the rest of the Staten Island. The
top priority for all the candidates -- Jon Del Giorno, an
administrative manager for the Board of Elections, Mike McMahon,
an attorney and counsel to current Councilmember Jerome O'Donovan,
and Debi Rose, an administrator at the College of Staten Island
and the first African-American candidate in Staten Island
politics -- is to make sure that the island becomes more than
just a turn-around-point for the over one million tourists
who ride the free ferry from Manhattan each year.
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Abbreviations
for Party Affiliation
American
Dream Party (AMD)
Better Schools Party (BES)
Communist (Com)
Conservative (Con)
Constitution (CST)
Democratic (Dem)
Friends United Party (FUN)
Fusion Party (FUS)
Green (Gre)
Harmony Party (HAR)
Independence (Ind)
Liberal (Lib)
Libertarian (LBT)
Marijuana Reform Party (POT)
Natural Law Party (NLP)
Party of Ethics and Traditions (PET)
Reform Party (Ref)
Republican (Rep)
Right to Life (RTL)
School Choice Party (Sch)
Socialist Workers Party (SWP)
Working Families (Wor)
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2001 Election
Calendar
June
1 -- Deadline for candidates to join the Campaign Finance
program, qualifying for the four-to-one match of contributions.
June
5 - First day for candidates from the eight major parties
(Democratic, Republican, Indpendence, Conservative, Liberal,
Green, Working Families, and Right to Life) to circulate
petitions. Candidates running for City Council must collect
the signatures of at least 900 people living in the district
for which they are running in order to appear on the Primary
ballot. Candidates not running under these eight major parties
do not appear on the Primary ballot and have a separate
set of deadlines.
July 12 - Deadline for major party candidates to
file petitions.
July 10 - First day for unaffiliated candidates to
circulate petitions, in order to appear on the ballot in
the General Election. They must collect the number of signatures
equal to five percent of the total enrolled in that party.
August 7 - Board of Elections announces candidates
appearing on the Primary ballot.
August 17 - Last day for non-absentee voters to register
to vote in the Primary Election.
August 21 - Deadline for non-major party candidates
to file petitions to be included on the General Election
ballot.
September 4 - Last day to postmark application for
absentee voting in the Primary
September 10 - Last day to personally deliver application
for absentee voting in the Primary Last day to postmark
absentee ballot for Primary
September 11 - Primary election; Polls open at 6:00a.m.
and close at 9:00p.m.; Absentee ballots must be hand-delivered
by 9:00 p.m.
September 25 - Runoff Primary election for Mayor,
Comptroller and Public Advocate, if needed
October 12 - Last day to for non-absentee voters
to register to vote in the General Election
October 30 - Last day to postmark application for
absentee voting in the General Election
November 5 - Last day to hand-deliver an application
for absentee voting, or to postmark an absentee ballot for
the General Election.
November 6 - General Election; polls open at 6:00a.m.
and close at 9:00p.m. in NYC; Absentee ballots must be hand-delivered
by 9:00 p.m.
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