Friday, September 21, 2012

Lincoln Restler Wins in Recount for District Leader

The Fat Lady Has Song for Vito Lopez

Earthquake In Brooklyn Politics
Birth of A Power Broker
"At the end of official canvass (Counting all emergencies, affidavits, absentees) [Lincoln Restler] won with 53" - Recount to follow.  In his second come from behind win, Restler best a 5300 voting block of Rabbi Zalman voters.  New force in reform in Brooklyn has become a major power broker.  Every citywide and borowide candidate will now go after his endorsement.   For Vito Lopez, Grip on Power May Hinge on Loyalists in Primary(NYT)(Sept 12)

NY1 Online: New Brooklyn Democratic Frank Seddio Leader Addresses Scandal



As City's Middle Class Decreases A Permanent Very High Unemployment and Only Daily News Notices
City Officials Disconnected from Fixing Unemployment
The Daily News argues New York’s elected officials should do more to create jobs in the city, and says initiatives like paid sick leave stifle job creationIn New York, poverty is up and incomes are down, with 21% of us being poor The only way out is more employment, which pols must help, not hinder
 
NYT Call A .01% A Dip Says Nothing About Creating Jobs for the Unemployed
City’s Jobless Rate Dips for First Time in Months from 10% to 9.9% * Census Data Shows Wider Gap Between Rich And Poor In NYC(NY1)
 


 Daily News Demands Mayoral Candidates Create Jobs
Says City Has An Unemployment Emergency
The Census Bureau reports that 21% of the city's population lives in households with appallingly low incomes. The threshold to be classified as poor is $23,021 for a family of four. Unemployment has risen along with poverty as New Yorkers fell out of the job market. Just as troubling, the city lost jobs that paid more than $45,000 and replaced them with many more that paid less. Elected officials, particularly those aspiring to replace Mayor Bloomberg, must come to grips with the realities. Instinctively, they know people are hurting. Just as instinctively, they’ve responded by trying to legislate better pay and benefits.
Not only will they fail, they run the risk of, at best, stifling job creation and, at worst, eliminating jobs — by trying to mandate, for example, paid sick days. Their doomed approach was exemplified by the decision to kill development of a mall in the Bronx’s Kingsbridge Armory, which would have provided 2,200 jobs, because they wanted higher pay and benefits for employees.City Council Speaker Christine Quinn made a similar trade in leading a charge to prevent Walmart, with 500 expected jobs, to open in Brooklyn. The development will instead get a Shop-Rite with 300 jobs. They will be union positions that pay more, but there will be fewer of them. Higher-quality jobs are a must. But with unemployment at 10%, it is insane to reject any jobs that offer paychecks. Quinn and her rivals should focus on welcoming all employment and making sure that New Yorkers are equipped to fill them. * Unemployment does a job on NY $tate(NYP) * A New state report shows New Yorkers are spending less. The report says New York is $143 million below projections with sales tax receipts.* New York tax receipts through August were $147 million below projections and $204.3 million below collections for the same period last year, reflecting volatile economic conditions, according to Comptroller Tom DiNapoli.

A New Urban Harvest of Shame
While the council fights over a living wage bill that will help less then .0001% of the work force 10% of New Yorkers are out of work and nobody at City Hall or the City's Media Notices. How can anyone explain the fact that their policies they created have produced an economy where the people can't find a job. Today the media will do hundreds of stories about the people waiting on line to receive their IPhones. There is a class growing isolated class of unemployed in the media capital of the world which is as much ignored as the migrant farm workers that Edward R. Murrow reported on in his documentary Harvest of Shame in 1960.

What is Bloomberg Talking About?
"local press will not let you get away with what legislators do"--
Local press in won't let you get away with what does: on  


The NYT did not mention in the article how the lawsuit that de'blasio supported cost the city over a billion or the effects of the other lawsuit on the city by the other mayoral candidates
Hoping to Replace Mayor, and Taking Him to Court(NYT)

Bill de Blasio, the public advocate, has filed two motions since May opposing Mayor Bloomberg in court. On Friday, Mr. de Blasio is scheduled to file another brief criticizing what he says is the Bloomberg administration’s refusal to furnish data on students with disabilities sent to hospital emergency rooms. The public advocate’s filing of a brief opposing the mayor’s plan to extend taxi service beyond Manhattan provoked a sharp rebuke from Mr. Bloomberg.

Scott M. Stringer, the Manhattan borough president and another likely candidate for mayor, filed a friend-of-the-court brief in May in support of Mr. Bloomberg’s five-borough taxi plan.

Christine C. Quinn, the City Council speaker, whose close working relationship with the mayor is viewed as a potential liability in some quarters, has gone to court twice to oppose the administration’s policies in the last year (and once as a defendant, when the mayor sued the Council). By contrast, Ms. Quinn did not sue the administration during her previous five years as speaker.

There have been exceptions. William C. Thompson Jr., a Democrat and former comptroller, ran against Mr. Bloomberg in 2009 and is running to succeed him next year. Mr. Thompson was aggressive in suing the mayor before the last election, most notably over the extension of term limits and the expansion of the Brooklyn House of Detention. 

Curiously, Mr. Bloomberg’s biggest antagonist among the 2013 contenders, City Comptroller John C. Liu, is not nearly as litigious.* Mayor's Report Shows Mixed Bag For City Quality Of Life(NY1)






asks what’s wrong with generating revenue from fines. Struggling small business owners have a ready answer for him.


For Ambitious Governor, a Clinton Stands in the Way(NYT)

 


The Media Has Decided Not To Independently Investigate Albany's Sexual Abuse Scandal

Manhattan DA probes votes by Silver's children(NYDN) * Flashback: The executive director of Citizens Union said voting from an address that is not the voter's residence is "illegal." [Capital New York] * Bizarre Postscript To 1990s Assembly Sex Harass Case(YNN)

Judge Delays Ruling On Espada Bail Denial Request(NY1) * Judge Delays Ruling On Whether Espada’s Bail Should Be Revoked  * Espada Still Free on Bail, Despite New Accusations(NYT)





Campaign 2012  Still Too Close to Call for Two Backers of Gay Marriage(NYT)
* Vito Lopez nemesis Lincoln Restler closes vote gap to 50, (NYDN)* Former Mayor Ed Koch endorses Democrat Mark Murphy in Staten(SI Advance) * THE PEREZ NOTES: Espaillat Hands Linares his Political Obituary El  * City Hall Horse Race: Before the Fall Edition(NYO) * Dem Cries Foul On Halloran’s Yom Kippur Fundraiser(YNN) * Sen. Joe Addabbo discusses his race against Councilman Eric Ulrich on THE PEREZ NOTES  * Grace Meng's Promised Friday Financial Filing Will Be Ready... Monday(NYDN)




How Councilman Levin Sends His Day 
Serving Vito Lopez Not His Constituents by  Making Sure Olechowski Defeats Restler in the Recount at BOE

From Yeshiva World “Here’s why: insiders tell us that Lincoln Restler offered many times to cut a deal where Steve Levin would support him for District Leader and Restler would support him for City Council. If you are going after the political beast you better cut it’s political head off. Steve took out Lincoln’s political eye but kept him very much alive to run against him next year for City Council. You can rest assured that Lincoln and his band of reformers will give Steve Levin the race of his life next year. And this time, he won’t have Vito Lopez to protect him.”



Critics Upset With BOE's Handling Of State Primary Elections(NY1)

 

"Bloomageddon": The mayor is set to leave office with the same structural deficit facing the city when he first arrived in 2002. [Nicole Gelinas]

  .: people sleeping on the streets is at "all time low." Actually highest in 4 years according to


 
Investigators Get Closer to Meeks

 A businessman who once loaned Rep. Greg Meeks $40,000 is close to striking a plea deal with federal officials. [Mitchell Maddux and Chuck Bennett] * Via Chris Bragg: “Feds say they’ve negotiated an agreement with politically connected real estate player Edul Ahmad, whose pals include Congressman Gregory Meeks and state Senate Minority Leader John Sampson.” * In a deal that could have implications for Rep. Greg Meeks, Southeast Queens real estate magnate Edul Ahmad has reached a tentative plea agreement with federal investigators on charges that he orchestrated a $50 million mortgage fraud scheme.


Education
Parents Seen Less Involved in Schools(WSJ) New city statistics are showing a steep decline in parent involvement in New York public schools, giving potential ammunition to critics who say the Department of Education under Mayor Michael Bloomberg has been unresponsive to families. * Buyouts Idea for Teachers Is Stalled(WSJ) Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott’s proposal to give buyouts to city schools teachers without permanent jobs is “dead in the water”* NY1 Exclusive: Buyout For Teachers Not Likely To Happen(NY1)
* Harassed teacher Theresa Reel gets $450G(NYDN) * Popular Wash. Hts. Childcare Center faces closure(NYDN) * Newsday argues educators should stop fighting the state’s new teacher evaluations process


Panel Approves Standards for City’s New Type of Taxi(NYT)











Zadroga Funds Lobby Forms(WSJ) Advocates for people with 9/11-related health problems have formed a lobbying group to protect federal aid from automatic budget cuts if Congress can’t reach a debt-reduction deal with the president * Coalition launches Zadroga funds lobby(Fox 5)


N.Y. Accused of $15 Billion Fraud Scheme(WSJ) A congressional oversight committee accused New York of overbilling Medicaid by billions of dollars by inflating reimbursement payments to its state-run institutions for the mentally disabled.

Cuomo's latest batch of schedules shows meetings with Assemblyman Vito Lopez, Robert De Niro and a flight from Albany to Syracuse by private helicopter. [Jessica Bakeman]


 Former city Parks Dept. manager gets jail for taking $30,000(NYDN)




The MTA says it is powerless to stop a provocative ad equating Muslims with “savages” that will go up on subway trains next week, the Associated Press writes:  * Pamela Geller Faces Off With CNN's Erin Burnett Over Anti-Islam 'Savages' Ad  *Bloomberg says Muslim ad is protected by First Amendment
 




NYS Dept of Health Investigation Health Risk of Fracking
New York State Plans Health Review as It Weighs Gas Drilling(NYT) NYS top environmental regulator wants Dept. of Health to appoint a panel of experts to advise him on * The Cuomo Administration’s decision on whether to allow hydro-fracking is delayed pending the Department of Health’s analysis of possible health risks * Residents Criticize Planned LaGuardia Waste Transfer Station(NY1)




Blizzard suit: City’s delays led to death(NYDN)

 

Brooklyn Bridge Park cycling track and rec center has critics(NYDN)

Brooklyn Has A New Bum
Decades later, Brooklyn has its own pro team again(WSJ)








That’s high ‘end’That’s high ‘end’(NYP) * Ground Broken for Third Section of High Line (WSJ)




The Making of A President 2012
Obama seeing ray of sunshine(NYP) Bam topping Mitt by 5 in ‘must win’ Florida * Before Debates, Romney Faces a Daunting Path(NYT) * Cash Low, Romney Striving to Find New Large Donors(NYT) * Obama’s Journey to Tougher Tack on China(NYT) * The Candidates Face Hispanic Voters(NYT) On immigration, Mitt Romney dodges the issue while President Obama admits that he has fallen  *n Latino voters disgusted by Romney slams(NYDN) * Bill Clinton Explains Secret to His DNC Speech on The Daily Show(NY Mag) * Romney Ends Rough Week With Disappointing Report on Campaign Finances(NY Mag) *'SNL' Hits Romney Hard In Primetime Election Special
Mitt Romney's Imaginary Campaign - Joe Klein, Time
Media Covering For Obama's Failures - Steve Huntley, Chicago Sun-Times
Obama: Lessons Learned Will Guide 2nd Term - Alexis Simendinger, RCP
Did White House Lie About Libya Attacks? - Larry Kudlow, CNBC
Don't Count Romney Out Just Yet - George Condon, National Journal
State of the Race (Pt 3): Winning by Losing - Sean Trende, RealClearPolitics
Collapse of the Cairo Doctrine - Charles Krauthammer, Washington Post
The GOP's Disdain for Workers - Paul Krugman, New York Times
Why Voters Are Angry at Corrupt Bailout Culture - Nicole Gelinas, NRO
The Case For Optimism - Bill Clinton, Time
Ben Administers Another Cruel Dose of Morphine - James Dorn, Forbes
Scott Brown Wins Round One - Howie Carr, Boston Herald
"Snark" Costs Nice-Guy Brown in 1st Debate - E.J. Dionne, Washington Post
Obama's Dangerous & Disastrous Presidency - Quin Hillyer, AmerSpectator
America's Last Contested Territory: The Suburbs - Joel Kotkin, Daily Beast
The League of Dangerous Mapmakers - Robert Draper, The Atlantic
Procrastination Politics in an Election Year - Lou Cannon, RealClearPolitics
Spinning on Libya - Boston Herald
The Candidates Face Hispanic Voters - New York Times
The Post-American Middle East - Wall Street Journal
100 Days Is Enough: Rep. Jackson Should Speak - Chicago Tribune
Obama sets new fundraising record, crushes Romney in ad spending
Obama’s Shaky Libya Narrative(Daily Beast)
Not Just the Middle East: Obama Foreign Policy Record Is Appalling (Daily Beast)
Pakistani officials say 15 people killed in protests against anti-Islam film -
Peggy Noonan On Romney Camp: 'Incompetent' Was Polite, I Really Meant 'Rolling Calamity' 
Low on Cash, Romney Tries to Rally Donors for Final Phase(NYT)
Doctors Say Romney and Ryan Are in Good Health (NYT) 
Romney released his 2011 tax returns, which revealed he and his wife, Ann, paid $1.95 million in taxes on investment income of $13.7 million – an effective federal tax rate of 14.1 percent.
The mortgage task force formed by President Barack Obama to probe misconduct that contributed to the financial crisis will soon take legal action, according to AG Eric Schneiderman, who declined to provide details.
Harry Reid Not Satisfied by Romney Tax Dump(NY Mag)
Ann Romney’s Plane Makes Emergency Landing After Electrical Fire(NY Mag)
Obama's Shaky Libya Narrative Unravels - Eli Lake, The Daily Beast
How Libya Makes Obama Vulnerable - Jay Newton-Small, Time
Obama's Bounce May Not Be Receding - Nate Silver, New York Times
Actually, Obama Isn't in That Strong of Shape - Jay Cost, Weekly Standard
Voters' Distrust in Media Hits New High - Lymari Morales, Gallup
Did the Fed Just Re-Elect Obama? - Anthony Mirhaydari, MSN Money
QE3 Another Bailout for Wall Street & Washington - Sen. Jim DeMint, IBD
The Next Panic Will Be Worse...And Soon - Johnson & Boone, The Atlantic
How the Teachers' Union Robbed Chicago, Again - Joshua Culling, NRO
Purple Strategies: OH: Obama +4 | FL: Romney +1 | VA: Obama +3 | More
Under Pressure, Romney Reveals He Paid 14% Rate in ’11(NYT)



 

Mitt takes hits from 'sharp-tongued' women of 'The View,' Letterman




SNL Thursday Edition Mocks Fox & Friends For Sugarcoating Romney Gaffes





Law and Order

Cops will be at Apple stores today to launch iPhone-theft-prevention campaign(NYP) * Apple Makes a Wrong Turn With Maps(WSJ) * Apple says map app will 'improve'(BBC) * Apple Fans Around The World Line Up As iPhone 5 Goes On(WCBS) * NYPD launches 'Anti-Apple picking' campaign(WABC)* iPhone 5 Release Party Includes NYPD Hand-holding(NY Mag)






Correction officers at Rikers having ‘rampant’ sex on and (NYDN)

Cops shoot, kill suspect in Brooklyn: sourcesCops shoot, kill suspect in Brooklyn: sources(NYP) * Man Fatally Shot by Officer in Brooklyn(NYT) * Man Fatally Shot by Police Officer in Brooklyn(WSJ) * Police Officer Shoots, Kills Man In Carroll Gardens(NY1)* Police officer fatally shoots a man in Brooklyn  (NYDN) * NYPD Officer Involved In Deadly Shooting In Brooklyn(WCBS) * Suspect killed during struggle with cop in Brooklyn(WABC) * Suspect Shot Dead by Cop in Brooklyn(NBC)

Upper West Side deli trashed by 'hate' vandalsUpper West Side deli trashed by 'hate' vandals(NYP)

 Funeral for slain Bronx woman(NYDN)

100,000 letters to keep cop killers jailed (NYDN) Rider attacks MTA bus driver(NYDN)

NYPD searches for suspect in anti-gay razor attack at McDonald'sNYPD searches for suspect in anti-gay razor attack at McDonald's(NYP)

19-year-old fatally stabbed in brawl outside Hell's Kitchen high school(NYP) * Student, 19, Fatally Stabbed Near Manhattan High School(WCBS) * Student dies of knife wound suffered in 'Kitchen' melee (NYDN) *Student Fatally Stabbed in Manhattan(NYT) * High School Student Stabbed To Death After Fight (NY1) * Driver Acquitted of Leaving Scene After Truck Killed Cyclist(NYT) * Commander Who Pepper-Sprayed Protesters Is Sued Again(NYT) * Suspect sought in razor attack in Manhattan(WSJ) * NY man faces child molesting charges(WSJ) * DEA Agents Seize 86 Pounds Of Heroin In Queens Apartment(NY1) * EXCLUSIVE: MTA Bus Driver Assaulted By Fare-Beating Suspect (WCBS) * Cop Knocked Unconscious on to Subway Tracks(NBC)

NYPD searches for gay-bashing thug in razor attack at violence-plagued McDonald'sNYPD searches for gay-bashing thug in razor attack at violence-plagued McDonald's(NYP)