The New Tavern on the (Dog) Green

The New Tavern on the (Dog) Green

From the NY Post:

"If Tavern on the Green ends up dead for good, as now appears plausi ble, City Hall will have only itself to blame.

As The Post has reported regularly, contract talks between prospective new Tavern operator Dean Poll and union Local 6 have gone nowhere. Until they make a deal, the Parks Department won't give a license to Poll, whom it chose last summer to run the landmark eatery. In tapping Poll, the city threw out common sense in favor of a nutty agenda utterly removed from the realities of the restaurant business. It's reminiscent of Mayor Bloomberg's too-frequent utopian obsessions at the expense of real progress -- like his far-fetched "vision" for Lower Manhattan after 9/11, even as he ducked responsibility for the World Trade Center site." Tavern on brink

The Parks Department decided last summer to dump longtime Tavern operator Jennifer LeRoy in favor of Poll, who runs Central Park's non-union Boathouse. Bloomberg's Left Tavern on the Green To Rot--Steve Cuozzo - NYPOST.com * Future of Tavern on the Green is ... a hot dog stand? (DN) * Tavern on Green Back on Block (WSJ) * Team Cuomo is working behind the scenes to give AG hopeful Kathleen Rice a boost * Cuomo tried clearing the AG field by attempting to block two unions from endorsing Eric Schneiderman, and asking Sean Coffey to run for comptroller.

More Bloomberg's Social Experiments Times Square Plazas Slow Many Bus Trips (NYT) Poll Numbers Drop * Bloomberg’s Five-Year Low Bloomberg’s overall approval rating down *Budget Cuts Hurt Bloomberg's Numbers * Campaign 2009 750G Mike aide either thief - or dupe * Mayor Michael Bloomberg butts heads with Brooklyn locals after he trashes Atlantic Avenue

Election 2010 Behind Scenes, Cuomo Tries to Influence Who Will Be His Successor (NYT) * Smikle Challenges Perkins for Senate (Fox 5) * Rick Lazio insists he’ll be the official GOP nominee for governor, which means he’ll block Suffolk County Steve Levy from the ballot * Levy insists New Yorkers want a revolution and he’s the guy to lead it * Little-known city lawyer Gail Goode launches Democratic primary campaign against Sen. Gillibrand (DN) * Rick Lazio says Cuomo is "an Albany incumbent insider.'


Look Out If Andrew Cuomo Calls You Although he does not like the comparisons Andrew is a like like his father when it comes to making politically treating phone calls to pols who cross him. And unlike Paterson and Spitzer he understand how to follow his treats and get even without finger prints, without breaking the law like Spitzer in Troopergate. As AG Cuomo has used the phone out of public view to achieve very positive press coverage. Look for the same method to be used as he tries behind closed doors to rein in the out of control Albany gang.

Cuomo to Albany Legislators: Don't Cross Me As Democrats in Albany prepare to celebrate the kickoff of Andrew Cuomo's campaign for governor next week, Mr. Cuomo is quietly putting out the word that if he's elected lawmakers who resist his agenda will be punished. (WSJ) * Cuomo Would Freeze State Worker Salaries (WSJ) * AG Andrew Cuomo personally called NYC Comptroller John Liu to discuss the AG’s race and Liu ended up not endorsing Sen. Eric Schneiderman as a result. * Governor candidate Andrew Cuomo telling Dem hopefuls: Get with my program and I'll help you * He said he’s going to pick off legislators” who resist his agenda, a source told WSJ’s Jacob Gershman * Another Cuomo policy leak: He’ll propose replacing the controversial Empire Zones program with a new effort to lure out-of-state companies to New York

How the Voters See Vito
Stay lost, Vito Vito Fossella says that he's "surprised and deeply humbled" that the executive committee of the Staten Island GOP has endorsed him for his old House seat -- and wants some time to "properly consider the matter." Two things: 1. He wasn't surprised: He's been talking up a candidacy privately for weeks.2.And if Fossella was capable of humility, he wouldn't be thinking about a comeback. After all, what about the impact of such a race on his families? (NYP ED)* GOP Bickering on Staten Island (WSJ) * The feud between Fossella and his onetime mentor, Guy Molinari, continued, with Molinari calling he ex-congressman a “narcissist.”


Stop Pushing Spitzer Down Our Throat Everyday, Hookers Agree
As New York suffers though the high unemployment rate in a generation. A commercial real estate and new housing development melt down. New Washington regulations of Wall Street that will lose the city and state billions in tax revenue and jobs. A Dysfunctional and corrupt Albany that is pushing the middle class and rich out of the city. Why is the media obsesse every day with Spitzer. Maybe a little over kills Howard Rubinstein? Spitzer’s Name Arises as CNN Tries to Fill a Seat (NYT) *’m Loving the Eliot Spitzer Story (Wolff, Newswer) * The Senate Democrats aren’t swallowing Paterson’s attempt to revive the soda tax. * Marist: Spitzer’s Media Tour Blowback (YNN) * Spitzer 2010? How About Not (Daily Politics) * Vast majority of voters don't want Spitzer to run for office: poll (NYP) * Here are 10 possible alternate careers for Spitzer if the TV gig doesn’t work out.

Controlling the Masses
Rose Color Newspaper Why are the papers reporting that a .02% drop in unemployment is a positive way? 10% to 9.8% is only positive to reporter who have a job. How about a little reporting and tell us how many jobs the coming government cutbacks and Wall Street new regulations will cause. That takes a journalist not cheerleaders. *City’s Jobless Rate Drops Below U.S. Rate (NYT) *April Showered City With Jobs (NYT)* City Foreclosures Climb in First Quarter (WSJ)

More Rose Both the WSJ and Daily News headlines cherry pick the 4th grade, the areas of improvement in reading. * City Cheers Fourth-Grade Readers (WS J) * On the up and up: City's fourth-graders score big on highly regarded national test (DN) * The results of student reading tests have been mixed during Bloomberg’s tenure of controlling the NYC public schools (NYT) More NYT Rose Subway ridership way down. NYT headline: Stop by Stop, Subway’s Decline and Growth in 2009

Harlem Charter Wars Campaign
Try listening, Bill Harlem state Sen. Bill Perkins hasn't had to mount a real re-election campaign in quite a while -- so perhaps he's forgotten how they work.(NYP Ed) * City and teachers union nearly reach deal on charter schools, only for it to fall apart later on (DN) * The Harlem scuffle (NYP) * UFT Ad: Stop Education Cuts

MTA Managers Out of Control, Kick Workers
MTA's OT tab driven to a sky-high $560M by subway, bus workers taking 'mental-health days' (DN) * MTA Targets Workers for Savings The cash-strapped MTA said it plans to save $22 million by cracking down on overtime and abuse of sick days as it turned up the heat on its workers. (WSJ) * Unnecessary high-grade fuel contract for MTA derails taxpayer dollars

New York Economic Meltdown Movie Tickets Reach $20 Mark Several theaters will charge $20 per adult ticket to IMAX showings of the animated 3-D family film "Shrek Forever After," the fourth "Shrek"(WSJ) * Talks Fail; It’s Tavern Snack Bar for Now (NYT) * Gonzalez: Tenants fight back against 'predatory investor' (DN) * OTBs on the decline, audit finds * Bronx Teen Killed In Vicious Attack (Fox 5) *New York City: Your Water Just Got More 12.9% More Expensive (Village Vocie)* City may cut some school bus service on SI (WABCTV) *The New York Racing Association sent out 1,400 layoff warnings *Gov. Paterson reenacts 1920s ticket scalping law * Water Board Approves Rate Increase (NY1) * Schools Get Reprieve on Lunch Money

Pension Scandal Will Cost NY Billions
Ex-Alan Hevesi aide Hank Morris banned from securities industry * Padded Pensions Add to New York Fiscal Woes Errors, misunderstandings and wishful thinking are piling hidden costs onto New York’s pension system.(NYT) * Can States Fix Their Pension Problems? *Intrepid shuttle bid hopeful though pres out *StuyTown, Liu meet

Joseph Mercurio New must read: http://www.politico.com/blogs/maggiehaberman/ * Maggie Haberman: News and analysis on the Big Apple and beyond - POLITICO.com * Joseph Mercurio 51% of those polled oppose nonpartisan elections, and 57% support a two-term limit for elected officials. Q-poll. * Pot to Close the Budget Gap Joseph Mercurio If the soda tax was really only about health why is the governor only now excluding diet soda? If the state just needs the money to close the budget gap, how about a tax on legal marijuana?

Ms. American Gangster Allegedly tried to sell two kilos in Puerto Rico The ex-wife of legendary drug kingpin Frank Lucas (NYP)

Law and Order Queens Man Charged With Scalding Infant (NYT) * Videotape demolishes murder suspect's 911 alibi claim (DN) * Queens Man Accused Of Burning Girlfriend's Baby Arraigned (NY1) * Bridge jumper's dad faults cops (NYP) * Lab-tech slay psycho gets prison (NYP) * Bronx teen stabbed to death; stepfather arrested (WABC TV) * Lab-tech slay psycho gets prison (NYP) * Bronx teen found stabbed to death: police (NYP)

Inside City Hall On Reading Test, Mixed Results Under Bloomberg (NYT) * Bill: $10 an hour to be minimum wage on city projects Pols who killed 2,200 jobs at redeveloped Kingsbridge Armory in the Bronx now want any city-subsidized project anywhere to guarantee “living wage” of at least $10 an hour, plus benefits (CrainsNY)

Albany Mike Schenkler: Democrats wasted their control of the State Senate.

Would You Build A German Culture Center Outside of Auschwitz?
Imam planning Muslim center, mosque near WTC site rips critics (DN) * Plan To Build Mosque Near WTC Site Draws Fire NY1)* Mosque hysteria: All houses of worship are welcome everywhere in New York(DN Ed) * The city's Landmarks Commission could halt the construction of a mosque near Ground Zero.

Terrorism NY Facing a Rift, U.S. Spy Chief to Step Down (NYT) * U.S. Outlines Moves After Bomb Suspect’s Arrest (NYT) * Shahzad continues to talk without lawyer: feds (DN) * Prosecutors: Shahzad Waived His Miranda Rights Daily * Prosecutors: Shahzad Waived His Miranda Rights Daily (NY1) * Cell Phone Links Mass. Man To Faisal Shahzad (WCBSTV)

America's Greek Tragedy
Euro-crash concerns and Obama's Wall Street move sink markets * Senate Passes Broader Rules for Overseeing Wall Street (NYT) * Lost Decade Looming?America definitely isn’t Greece, but it is looking more and more like Japan. Inadequate recovery, not deficits, is the big problem. (Krugman, NYT) * Senate Passes Sweeping Financial Overhaul (WSJ) * Obama's Wall Street reform: Senate passes biggest financial regulation bill since Great Depression (DN)

Oil Leak A month in, outrage over Gulf oil spill grows (AP) * Lab Analyzing Damage Of Oil Spill Has Huge Contract With BP



Yankees In Disarray Heading Into Subway Series (WCBSTV)

Media and New Tech Salahis Stopped By Secret Service During Possible State Dinner Stunt * A Wonderful Green Life Confronting a midlife crisis in “Shrek Forever After.” * Zuckerman gets his wishDaily News receives enough buyout volunteers to avoid layoffs * New York Times Public Editor Looking Into Blumenthal Coverage