Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Who Cares About the Future of New York: Not the City Council, Paterson or Albany

White House To Slash Terror Funding For NYC

PM Update
AP: Voters Oust Incumbent Democrat Alan Mollohan from US House * Kagan kicks off tour of Capitol Hill calls to score votes * J.F.K. Passenger Detained in Egypt Over Guns in Luggage (NYT) ***UDATE*** Judge Blocks Furloughs *Judge Halts NY State Worker Furloughs (WCBS) *Judge blocks furloughs of NY state workers (WABCTV)* BREAKING: Assembly Members March On... Gov. Paterson? UPDATED * Republicans pencil in Tampa for 2012 convention * Paterson Pins The Blame On Silver (Updated)

Facebook DNDailyPoliticsGov on TRO: Until court,"The state workforce will not be making any sacrifice in our deficit reduction plan and I think that’s unfortunate."


Who Cares About the Future of New York
Not the City Council, Paterson or Albany





The City Council Does Not Care About Jobs

NYP: Council's Con Job On the Working Poor
NYP editorial says New Yorkers expect their pols to try to raise taxes and kill jobs. The bill would mandate nine days of paid "sick" leave for all employees of companies with a total workforce of at least 20 people. A great goal for workers, that unfortunately during the city's current economic melt down will have very harmful effects in the people it is trying to help. The council thinks the positive press they will receives for giving more sick days to workers will cover them from any negative effects there bill will have on the city's job market. The Post thinks a lot differently, "at a time when one in every 10 city residents is looking for work, a council committee yesterday took up a bill that would force businesses to give employees up to two more weeks a year of paid leave -- and, sure as night follows day, to raise prices, lay off workers or both."City Council double-trouble (NYP Ed) * Bloomberg and the NYC Council are at odds over two bills to help the so-called “working poor.”
Related Story: Bill de Blasio Takes Controversial Stance in Defense of Wall Street DNAinfo

Council Ignores City's Health Care
Melt Down
What is the Council doing about the health care crisis in the city? Cutbacks in doctors at city hospitals, shut down of St Vincent's (Speakers District) and now Montefiore nurses rally against staffing and benefit cuts Seniors City to shutter 4 of Staten Island's senior centers (SI Advance)

Breaking News

Gov. David Paterson rescinds staffer raises after union outcry over furloughs for 100,000 workers


Paterson Actions Add to Public's Disconnect From Government Shared sacrifice?
Paterson Furloughs 100,000 at the Same Time Raises Salaries to Staff
Hikes aides' pay despite furlough (NYP) Paterson has granted stunning pay raises of up to 29 percent to several key aides — even as he slaps furloughs on 100,000 state workers, and his lieutenant governor threatens layoffs * Unions Prepare to Fight Furlough (WSJ) * Gov ripped for raises to staffers after furlough is approved (DN) * Paterson aides aren’t the only public employees getting pay hikes * Legal experts say the governor is unlikely to win this legal battle, which would put the state on the hook for both back pay and interest *5,000 state workers to get raises * Governor's Office Under Fire For Staffer Pay Raises (NY1) *New York Governor David Paterson Defends Giving Staff Raises Amid Furloughs

Albany Furloughs 100,000 Workers Without Cutting Their Salaries

Albany legislature is the most expensive in the nation. When you add in the Lulus, millions in member item and travel expenses it easy to find ways to cut the assembly and state senate budgets. Want to fix NY's legislature and save millions in tax dollars? Stop their mailings!


Facebook azipaybarah Assemblyman sam hoyt says he "will furlough his Assembly staff 1 day a week until the Governor’s furlough of state workers has ended" #nyo


Fixed Bidding Processes
How can you start a new bidding process on Aqueduct gambling when everyone involved including the governor is being investigated by the feds for the corruption AEG bid? Anything is possible in New York New Big A bids keep pols out (NYP) * State Tries, Tries Again at Aqueduct

Fixed Government Testing

2,000 lab-rat cases in peril (NYP) * Drug Cases Are Scrutinized After Crime Lab Shortcuts (NYT) * Concrete-test company president tried suicide after conviction

NYT Follows the Leaders
Evey Newspaper, blog (Including True News) and local TV news programs have done stories Monday and Tuesday have done stories about Kagan once seated will be the 4th Supreme Court Judge to come from New York City. Today the NYT does the same story A New York Bloc on the Supreme Court. (NYT) Copy Cat News As the Internet exposes news readers to stories from many different publications, not just the papers they buy or news programs they watch or listen to, the NYT and other media outlets feels it is important that they public stories in their outlet even if it is a day or two late. It clear that the cutback in the newsroom has reduce the number of investigative exclusive stories in all the media outlets. If Newspapers think that repeating news available on in other papers or on the Internet the day before is not going to cut future newspaper circulations they are dreaming. * Staten Island feels left out of Supreme Court (DN)
Election 2010 Republican Prosecutor to Run for Attorney General * Cuomo Thus Far Resists Coalition's Embrace * AG Andrew Cuomo is No. 15 on The Observer’s list of the 100 most powerful people in NYC real estate. * The whole “silence is golden” thing isn’t hurting Cuomo’s poll numbers * Does ex-Rep. Vito Fossella believe in second families AND second chances? * Changing the rules just to let Steve Levy on the ballot for governor is a bad idea, warns ex-Mayor Rudy Giuliani. * Ex-Rep. Fossella Might Run Again (WSJ) * Tasini Gives Up On Gillibrand, Sets Sights On Rangel

Facebook Joseph Mercurio Currently, Lazio receives 38% of GOP voters while Steve Levy garners 22%, and Carl Paladino nets 13%. Marist *Joseph Mercurio "Gillibrand Approval Rating Stuck at 27%." Marist. Yet she has no serious opponent.


Another Times Square Bomb Scare
Terrorism Brown bag ignites third Times Square false alarm scare* NYPD Weighs New Posts Abroad * It's the naked city, pal: Judge calls terror defendant's bluff on strip-searches (DN Ed* Mike joins London underground * Another Scare Forces a Partial Evacuation of Times Square (WNBC) * Bloomberg Surveys "Ring Of Steel" Efforts Overseas (NY1) * JFK Passenger Detained in Egypt with Guns in Luggage (WINS)

Law and Order 'Coward stole her life & our dreams' Husband rips killer who silenced rape accuser * Mistrial in Brooklyn Hate Crime Case (NYT) * Mother Tosses Child Into River and Then Jumps In, Police Say (NYT) * Woman who tossed baby in Hudson River is charged * Mistrial! Single juror holds out, derails trial in immigrant's death (DN)* Search for Boy Haunts Officers (WSJ)
Inside City Hall A dubious teacher deal (NYP ED) * Program to Combat Asthma Would Lean on Landlords * The Mayor’s Pet Projects (Obsever)


Top of the List? Paterson said the teacher evaluation deal agreed to by unions will put New York “at the top of the list” for Round II of “Race to the Top” applications. *The Post is skeptical of the deal. * A Deal for Better Schools The Legislature should approve a proposed teacher evaluation system that would improve New York’s schools (NYT Ed) * Charter backers' ads blast seniority-based layoffs (DN) * State Sens. Jeff Klein and Craig Johnson say they won't be bullied by the AFL-CIO





There is Corruption in the Carperten's Union?
Carpenter's union head resigns amid spending scandal

New York Economic Melt Down Let the savings begin: Now it is the MTA unions' turn to cut waste and save jobs * Taxes take hit in luxury condo bust: study * Cleaning New York's Soot-Spewing Buildings * Zoo cuts are bad news (for) bears (Crains NY)

NYT Ask What Caused Last Week's Wall Street Crash

Is It Safe to Go Back In? Regulators were right to revise circuit breakers that stop trading during a stock market plunge like last week’s. But to restore confidence, the causes need to be determined (NYT Ed)


U.S. Bailout of Greece
US Exposure to EU Bailout: $50 Billion and Counting...
In Greek Crisis, Some See Parallels to U.S. Debt Woes * 4 Big Banks Score Perfect 61-Day Run * Cuomo Sues Hedge Fund Over Madoff * Greece’s Newest Odyssey The Greek prime minister exudes Obama-like calm and knows change is in store. Is the big bailout the start of a revolution in Athens? (Friedman, NYT) * U.S. Investigates Morgan Stanley Deals


Morgan Stanly's Dead Presidents

Federal investigators are looking into if Morgan put together similar pools of bad investments like Goldman for investors. And bet against them like Goldman. Morgan called their bundles of bad investments DEAD PRESIDENTS U.S. investigates Morgan Stanley: WSJ * Report: Feds investigating Morgan Stanley (WABCTV)

The Two Americas The Real Misery Index April 2010: Underemployment Woes Lead To Two-Tier Economy

Not My Fault

Lame blame game Slippery oil executives appeared before a Senate panel yesterday

Russian Billionaire Takes Control of the New Jersey Nets




Media and New Tech
Is Jimmy Fallon Destined For 'The Tonight Show'? * Diane Sawyer Closing Ratings Gap With Brian Williams* Is Steven Rattner Interested in Newsweek? * Mort Zuckerman Issues Third Round of Buyouts to Daily News Staffers *Businessweek Moves to Bloomberg Tower, The Economist and Reader's Digest are Roommates; Other Media Office Moves * 'Absurd Question': What Was the Wall Street JournalTrying to Say with Softball Cover Photo?