Monday, April 5, 2010

NYC Crime: Headed Back to the Past


NYC Crime: Headed Back to the Past
Tear Gas in Times Square Last Night


Did the 4 people shot in Times Square become the symbolic end of the record era in crime reduction?

We are past the beginning signs that crime is returning to New York. This weekend there was a Times Square riot and the mayor and Kelly who have read the numbers have changed staffing policy to return Anti-terror cops will shift to crime nabes But the numbers that nobody is talking about is the effect of losing 9000 cops (almost one quarter of the force) over the last few years. Back in the days when the newspapers were not in the hip pocket of the mayor both the NYP and Daily News in 1991 demanded that Mayor Dinkins do something about the crime wave which owned New York after a 5 year old girl was shot in killed during a shoot out between two drug dealers. Dinkins came up with a plan Safe City Safe Street which was funded by Albany and the city began hiring cops. Once the cops were hired all that was left was for the pols to fight over who would get the credit News Analysis;Giuliani Credits Strategy For the City's Safer Streets This past year Bloomberg ran for reelection taking credit for keeping crime down. A few months after his victory word began to leak out about some Brooklyn precincts fudging the crime numbers an real rising crime rates around the city. Now even the mayor has admitted that the shortage of cops is a cause of the increase in crime. What we lack today is a press who will pressure the mayor to do something (The NYP headline in 1991) and an Albany with the skills to do anything functional * 2 Shootings Near Times Square Amid Reports of Unruly Crowds * Dozens Arrested After Midtown Mayhem (WCBS) *54 arrested, 3 shot in Times Square riot * Shooting Mayhem Near Times Square (Fox 5) *Multiple people shot after night of violence in Times Square City is spending millions on an ad campaign to hire police when it has no plans to hire cops $42M blitz lacks 'hire' purpose *** Bloomberg spins for the NYP Bloomberg: We won't tolerate gang mayhem * Auto show inspires 4 shootings, 50 arrests

Bloomberg Drifting Bloomberg’s Inner Circle The lonely mayor (NY Magazine) * Howard Wolfson replacing Kevin Sheekey is "a concern among Mike’s corporate friends." * Mayor Mike's 3rd term blues What's his Next Big Thing?


Nobody In Charge in Albany
Dems rip Dave pal's Haig-ling Legislative Democrats are mockingly calling Gov. Paterson's top aide "Alexander Haig," while angrily describing the governor as "disengaged" and "checked out" of state government *Larry Schwartz is reportedly trying to block Dick Ravitch's borrowing plan **Landslide NY gave environmental org. absurd $3.7M profit for forest *The state paid The Nature Conservancy nearly $10 million for 10,000 acres in the Adirondacks that the group bought for $6.3 million just a few years ago * State troopers previously assigned to the executive services detail are facing an excessive-force lawsuit that includes allegations of evidence-tampering. (TU) *** "Candidly, we believe this governor has lost his ability to make rational decisions." * Without pointing fingers, state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli this morning accused state leaders of routinely "playing games with the deficit," moving money around and borrowing cash in a way that makes it hard to determine the actual size of the budget shortfall.DiNapoli Talks Tough *Wilson criticizes DiNapoli's criticism.* DiNapoli slams state for fiscal gimmicry * At Peter Luger’s, Breaking Bread and Talking Money Ravitch, Paterson and John L. Sampson * Lots of Fat to Cut in NY Government - Lawrence Mone, NYP

"Whenever you get in a jam, there are people that will throw you under the bus.
They just don't expect you to get out from under the bus, and when you do,
they should be forewarned" - David Paterson

NY Economic Melt Down Public schools are bracing for massive layoffs if Paterson's proposed $1.4 million worth of education aid is part of the budget deal * Citizen advocacy groups say Paterson's budget will worsen racial and ethnic equality for New Yorkers of color* Smith ripped for saying ye$ to yuppies * Bronx pol's 20G bill for new digs * City tries to break Tavern on the Green impasse

MTA 2010 Broken cameras, sounds systems and budgets
Straphangers stuck waiting in trains between stations shouldn't expect an audible explanation -- 55 percent of announcements during delays and disruptions are garbled or incorrect, a new survey has found.Now hear this (just not in the subways) * Now hear this: Subway service announcements are a train wreck, survey finds

Organized Crime Politics
The Rush to Replace AEG Unconstitutional
Upstate Rep. Scott Murphy is pressing Gov. Paterson to expedite the selection of a successor to scandal- scarred AEG to operate 4,500 slot machines at Aqueduct racetrack, saying the future of New York's racing industry is at stake. The entire "three men in a room" process -- awarding the contract solely on the joint recommendation of the governor, the Senate president and the Assembly speaker -- may be unconstitutional. That warning comes in a court filing by state Inspector General Joseph Fisch -- who's investigating how the politically juiced but manifestly unqualified AEG (temporarily) won the contract. To the glue factory!

Offer NYS Can Refuse
The Rush to Save the NYRA Costs Billions
According to today's Daily News editorial NYS is in effect pouring almost a half-billion dollars a year into racing to keep NYRA alive - and collecting just $28 million in pari-mutuel taxes in return. OTB began losing money when the state diverted too much of its revenue to support dying tracks. After years of losses, Mayor Bloomberg forced a state takeover, but Albany changed none of the fundamentals. Racing to oblivion: Albany has managed to make a loser of $1 billion-a-year OTB(DN ed) What the DN editorial did not say that any Albany deal to bail out OTB would also mean paying off the creditors, because OTB is currently in bankruptcy court. New York governor OKs OTB bankruptcy filing

The Real Election is Before the Election In New York keeping people from running or putting unwindable candidates in the race is how it is done. The voters almost never get a real choice at the voting booth. This weekend the NYT did a story about all those who wanted to run against Gillibrand were given an offer they could not refuse and drop out What Makes Gillibrand Scary to Rivals? Now even Brooklyn boss who along with Bloomberg pushed Harold Ford a scrappy gutsy play before he drop out have come alone Gilly overrides Vito, wins B'klyn boss' backing Bosses like Lopez know how weak they so they mostly go alone with the flow to stay in power. Don't expect Gilly or anyone else to be a force in cleaning up machine politics in New York. Now we hear some GOP leaders are publicly pushing a damaged unknowns candidate to secretly help the front runner by clouding the GOP contest New York State GOP gubernatorial hopeful Carl Paladino has 10-year-old love child A New Golisano? Buffalo Businessman to Join Governor's Race* Lopez Relents * Gillibrand Picks Up Key Support

Teflon Pols and Budgets This Saturday council Rodriguez is holding workshop for non profits and local pols untitled "Working for A Better Community." The flyer states his community in this time of difficult budgets needs more not less resources. About 4000 non profit community leaders are expected to attend. Don't expect anyone to blame the pols for getting the state into this budget fix. What the press and pols will be looking at is the State Senator Bill Perkins and a number of other elected officials who, reportedly, want to get rid of him * Getting Together Uptown * Liz Benjamin writes that the Paterson-Rangel machine — which is not running too smoothly these days — is looking for a challenger to punish Bill Perkins for criticizing Paterson. (DN) Insiders believe the fight is about who succeeds Rangel in congress* Allies of Gov. Paterson, Rep. Charles Rangel plotting to oust 'Judas' Sen. Bill Perkins * Community boards would be devastated by budget cuts- Diaz says

2010 Election It's a $1.15M price tag for city to fill seats in Feb., March special elections *** Newsday: "Levy hasn't pitched himself as a loyal new Republican intent on helping retake the state Senate and battling for Congress." * Wilson Campaign Uses DiNapoli's Report Against Him *** Sources say Cuomo eyes Republican as runningmate, others deny it

Pols on Trial Indicted City Councilman Larry Seabrook spent nearly $20,000 to move into a new district office * Parker's Assault Case to Move Foward (NY 1) *** Marty Markowitz blasts 'Tinkerbell' ex-staffer
Times Unveils New York (Email) Section * Washington Post Stock Jumps After Barron's Calls It 'Dirt Cheap'

Steele facing heat from top GOPers following gaffes * Nat'l Debt Seen Heading for Crisis Level - Carolyn Lochhead, SF Chronicle