"Politics has been driving the distribution of member item tax dollars for years," Stringer
Stringer's slush slam At least someone gets it. Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, echoing The Post's long-held view, issued a report yesterday calling for an end to the City Council's "member item" system.(NYP Ed) * Speaker Grants Targeted Stringer Calls for Overhaul of System That Rewards Districts With Funding(WSJ * Borough President Stringer Takes On City Council Pork Distribution(NY1) * 2013: Stringer angling for public advocate, instead of mayor? [Colby Hamilton / WNYC]
2013: "Ms. Quinn's office didn't dispute the notion that the speaker punished Mr. Vallone for his stance on renaming the 59th St. bridge, or that she punished Council Member Elizabeth Crowley a year ago for upstaging Ms. Quinn on a budget announcement." [Michael Saul / WSJ] * Council Member Items: Quinn spokeswoman said they were "proud of the budget reforms the Council has already implemented that increase transparency and accountability—including an online database that the Borough President has embraced today." [Colby Hamilton / WNYC]
Jay Walder quits as MTA chief(NYP) * Walder: "The fact that he will remain in office for another three months also seems to indicate that the move was voluntary and that Mr. Walder was not being pushed out." * Walder: "[A]bruptly" resigned one day after announcing $4 billion cuts to capital projects.* Walder: "a complete surprise to those in both the transit community and the upper echelons of New York government." [Benjamin Kabak / Second Avenue Sagas]
Crowley Living In Virginia Ruling In Queens
All in His Family
Two sisters from the Crowley political dynasty in Queens improperly received 13 lucrative court appointments after their sister Margaret Crowley landed a top job in Queens Supreme Court. Crowley Sisters Violate Nepotism Rules In Queens Courts(CHN)
All in the Lopez family too It was bad enough to learn that Brooklyn Democratic boss Vito Lopez is set to bestow a Supreme Court judgeship on his girlfriend's brother, but now comes word that Lopez is conniving to get Gov. Pataki to name his daughter to a spot on the state Court of Claims.
Crowley's Guy CM Wills Court Troubles Ahead
Manhattan DA No Plea Deal
Councilman Ruben Wills may coast to re-election this year, but a couple of clouds lurk on the horizon. One is an August court date after Wills was unable to reach a plea deal with the Manhattan district attorney's office over several misdemeanor charges, an outstanding warrant and a small fine dating back more than a decade. If Wills is found guilty, that would also rekindle a City Council ethics committee investigation that is on hold until after the trial.
PBA Hires Goodfellas' Lawyer Edward McDonald
Cop Union Hires 'Goodfellas' Lawyer as Ticket Fixing Scandal Grows(Murray Weiss, DNAINFO)
Bronx cop pleads guilty in ticket fixing scandal(NYP)
A Heavily Lobbied-For Prescription Drug Bill Under Consideration(YNN)
Weiner and the Terrorist Will Always Have the Underwear
Are they just now catching up on TiVoed 'Daily Show' episodes? Terrorists telling Weiner jokes In Al Qaeda's latest edition of its chilling e-magazine, "Inspire," the terror network's Arabian Peninsula syndicate settles a score with Anthony Weiner.(NYDN)
House Dems threaten to oppose debt deal that would cut hospital funds(NYP) * Obama Open to Debt-Cap Deal(WSJ)
Presidents and Their Debts, F.D.R. to Bush(NYT Ed)
*Obama open to short-term debt deal, if long-term deal is in sight
New York state suddenly finds an extra $800M(NYP) *State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli is urging caution over New York’s “tenuous” fiscal situation in spite of strong tax revenue collection numbers. The governor wants 10 regions of the state to compete for $1 billion worth of economic development funds.
City Breaks Promise of Park In Exchange for Support of Lux High Rises
Infuriated community leaders accused Mayor Bloomberg of revoking the city’s long-standing agreement to build parks at the edge of the East River in exchange for rezoning most of the waterfront for luxury high-rises in 2005.
Is It Possible to Fix NY'S Economy?
Hoping Our Optimistic Governor and Mayor Are Right (Gabe Pressman, NBC) * Cox: An Advertising Campaign Doesn’t Cut It(YNN) * NYS has recouped 50 percent of the 169,200 private sector jobs lost during he 2008-09 recession. Still a long way to go.
VIP Charter School Admission Policy
Bronx Charter School Disciplined Over Admissions Methods(NYP)
Caution Urged on Raises for State Judges(NYT) * Cuomo’s budget czar Robert Megna was shouted down by a judge and accused of “disrespect” after cautioning big judicial raises could “distort the entire salary structure” of state government. * The state’s chief administrative judge argued a pay raise consistent with federal district judges – who make $174,000 – would not be appropriate if not adjusted for inflation because federal judges have not had cost-of-living increases since 2009.
Cuomo may be changing his mind on medical marijuana.
Group Says City's 10 PCB School Clean Up Too Long
Lawsuit Blasts City PCB Plan(WSJ) * Lawsuit Seeks Speedier PCB Cleanup in Schools(WSJ) * Parents plan to sue DOE over lights possibly contaminated with PCBs(NYDN)
Gov Wants Toxic Hydrofracking Brew to Be Public
Gov. Andrew Cuomo's proposed hydrofracking rules are backed by the American Chemical Council, which doesn't object to requiring gas drillers to disclose the substances they use, the Times Union says: * Contaminated wastewater from conventional gas drilling wells is sprayed on upstate roads as part of regular maintenance, with state approval, the Ithaca Journal reports: * A green blogger gives Mayor Bloomberg props for taking on coal with his $50 million contribution to the Sierra Club.
Sewage in the Hudson(NYP)
'Heat dome' descends on NYC - & raw sewage might cause beach closures(NYDN) * Raw Sewage Dumped Into Hudson Following Fire At Harlem Wastewater Plant(NY1) * Sewage From Damaged DEP Plant Could Threaten City Beaches (NY1)
MTA Foot Power is Cheaper Than Gas
Transit Agency Goes on a Diet(WSJ) * MTA chief: Efficiency can save agency $2 billion(NYDN)
Bates Bloomberg
LOOK: Bloomberg's New Mansion In The Hamptons (Huff Post)* Bloomberg's Legacy: " 'Once Bloomberg leaves a room, it doesn't exist to him,' said one source, skeptical that the mayor would care about maintaining his influence after he exits office." [Harry Siegel / Village Voice]
Mayor Bloomberg has donated $50 million to the Sierra Club.
Scandal: Schneiderman busts nursing schools giving bogus certificates. [AP]
Comparing British PM Cameron To Obama Gives Jon Stewart Revolutionary War Buyer’s Remorse
A Push to Fix Emergency Radios, Nearly a Decade After 9/11 (WSJ)
Here Comes A New Shell Mob Crane Company Name
License Revoked for Contractor in Fatal Crane Accident(NYT) *Rigger Loses License as Sloppy Work Is Blamed for Fatal Crane Collapse(WSJ) * Death-crane rigger banned(NYP)
Neighbors blame man's death on city's neglect of Bronx firetrap(NYDN)
New York City Pension Funds Will Not Release Recipients’ …(NYT)
Murdered Brooklyn boy given toxic mix of prescription drugs(NYP) * Brooklyn 8-Year-Old Was Drugged, Then Suffocated, Medical Examiner Says(NYT) * Brooklyn Boy Drugged(WSJ) * 'Leiby's Law' would provide safe places for kids who are lost(NYDN) * 'Killer' gave Leiby toxic mix of prescription drugs(NYP) * Police Remove More Evidence From Home Of Brooklyn Boy's Accused Killer (NY1)
Memorial prayer service held for Leiby Kletzky(WABC) * Police Investigate Possibility More Victims May Be Tied To Brooklyn Boy's Accused Killer * Grappling With the Suffering of Innocents (Gabe Pressman, NBC)
Arrests in 'High Class' Prostitute Ring(WSJ) * Biz had 'hooks' in VIP johns(NYP) * Busted Escort Sites Continue Selling Skin(NBC)
Coney Island Nude? Naked ambition
Ex-beauty queen gets 30 months for insider trading(NYDN)
SWM seeks F. Convicted felons OK Reputed Colombo associate Anthony Durso wants a judge to remove a 7 p.m. curfew so he can go out on dates. (NYDN)
Law and Order
Queens Man Sentenced in Mortgage Scheme(WSJ)* Man arrested for hiding camera in office urinal, charged with video voyeurism(NYDN) * Raid on B'klyn 'matzoh' apts.(NYP) * Gaul gal key to DSK case(NYP) * Bike-riding perv's tour de 'pants' in Queens(NYP) * Gorgeous will rot in prison(NYP) * Wal-Mart, Schwinn donate bikes after theft(WABC) * Alleged Mobster Wants Curfew Lifted to Socialize(NBC)* Pharmacy Massacre Site to Reopen Aug. 1(NBC) * Scratch-off lottery ticket 'thieves' indicted(NYP)
The New York Times Company Posts Net Loss of $119 Million in 2Q
America's Era in Space Ends
The Shuttle Ends Its Final Voyage and an Era(NYT) * A scientific and technological era comes to an end as shuttle Atlantis returns from space last time (NYDN Ed) * Cathie Black Crashes Car After Boozy Hamptons Party (Village Voice)
Murdoch Lawyering Up
Murdoch hiring legal guns, may fear hacking scandal is spreading to U.S.(NYDN) * Murdoch hiring big legal guns, fears spread of scandal(NYDN) * AG open to meet with 9/11 families over phone hacking(NYDN) * News Corp.’s Motley Board(The Daily Beast) * Did Getting Pied Save Rupert Murdoch? Stephen Colbert Thinks So. (Village Voice) * A key portion of James Murdoch’s testimony to Parliament was disputed in a joint statement by the former editor and attorney of the News of the World.
Murdoch’s “secret weapon,” “consigliere,” and point-man in News Corp.’s internal News of the World cellphone hacking scandal probe: Ex-NYC Schools Chancellor Joel Klein. * Cameron 'Weakened' by Scandal, But Appears to Be Out of Immediate Danger(PBS)
Rudy Cozy's Murdoch Ties The unholy alliance of press and politics happens here, too. Giuliani did enormous favors for Fox TV in New York City, and his wife’s earnings from Fox tripled while he was mayor.
Politico reporter who covered Palin quits for Democratic Party job
The John Edwards 2008 campaign will have to return more than $2 million in federal matching campaign funds:(Politico)
3
Stephen Colbert Contrasts Civil Discourse Of Reps Allen West And Debbie Wasserman Schultz
4
 |
| Bastille Day party |
