These poll numbers were released earlier today by Rasmussen Reports -- "an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information."

Americans Still Embrace Ideals from Declaration of Independence

Friday, July 3, 2009

Americans are celebrating the nation's 233rd birthday, and the words of the Declaration of Independence will be heard at countless patriotic ceremonies across the land. The core ideals articulated by those words are still embraced by solid majorities of the American public.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 89% of American adults agree that "we are all endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights among them life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Only seven percent (7%) disagree on that founding premise.

Seventy-four percent (74%) agree with the assertion that "all men are created equal" while just 23% disagree. 

Fifty-six percent (56%) agree with the view that governments derive their only just authority from the "consent of the governed." Interestingly, one-in-four Americans (25%) disagree.

Other survey data shows that voters nationwide overwhelming trust the American people to make key decisions more than they trust political leaders. Those who disagree and hold a Political Class perspective represent a small minority of the population.

When presented with a choice of five Founding Fathers, 40% of American adults were able to correctly identify John Hancock as the first man to sign the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Sixteen percent (16%) thought that honor belonged to Thomas Jefferson, the primary author of the document.

Ten percent (10%) thought George Washington signed first, but he was not even present for that event. Washington led the rag-tag colonial army against what was then the world's mightiest power. Finally, in 1781, the British surrendered, and the Declaration of Independence became true independence. It took another six years before the Constitution of the United States became the framework for our government. At that convention, Washington was the chairman, and the Constitution was drafted with him in mind as our first president.

# # #

 To view the original report, please use this link: Try Embracing This!

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 12:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

Friends,

Happy Fourth of July!  Whether you are at a family cookout, watching a fireworks display, at the beach, the mountains or next to a pool, I hope this weekend can be a fun, relaxing and safe time with friends and family.  Enjoy the freedom that our Founding Fathers declared on this day so many years ago!

 

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 8:25 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

Here's the text of an e-mail we received from the Liu campaign:

 

Dear Friend,

John Liu's message of expanding opportunities while demanding fiscal prudence and government accountability is beginning to resonate with voters across New York. Independent polls show that John has a significant lead over all rivals for City Comptroller! But polls also show there are still many undecided voters, so our work is still cut out for us. Hey, we're just getting started!

John has won the endorsement of a ton of additional political organizations, listed below. We need your help to elect John Liu as the next New York City Comptroller. To volunteer, please email john@liunewyork.com or visit www.liunewyork.com. Thanks!

Sincerely,

Mei Ru

People for John Liu

---

Additional political organizations endorsing John Liu in past couple of weeks:

504 Democratic Club

Alfred E. Smith Democratic Club

American Heritage Democratic Club

Anoroc Democratic Club

Barack Obama Democratic Club of East Harlem

Co-Op City Democrats

Continental Regular Democratic Club

Daniel Patrick Moynihan Democratic Club of Queens

Elmer Blackburne Regular Democratic Club

Flatbush Democratic Club

Fred Wilson Regular Democratic Club

Good Government Regular Democratic Club

Guy R. Brewer Democratic Club

Harriet Tubman Democratic Club

Harry S. Truman Democratic Club of Queens

John F. Kennedy Regular Democratic Club

Lambda Independent Democrats of Brooklyn

New Allied Democratic Club

New Visions Democratic Club

Northside Democratic Association

Powhatan Pocahontas Democratic Club

Queens County Progressive Democratic Club

Regular Democratic Club of the Rockaways

Ridgewood Democratic Club

South Queens Democratic Club

Staten Island Democratic Association

Stonewall Democratic Club

United For Progress Democratic Club

Uptown Democratic Club

William Jefferson Clinton Democratic Club of Queens

Wood-Heights Democratic Club

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 5:30 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

These poll numbers were released earlier today by Rasmussen Reports -- "an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information."

44% Nationwide Have Unfavorable View of Franken

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Forty-four percent (44%) of U.S. voters have an unfavorable opinion of former "Saturday Night Live" comedy writer Al Franken as he prepares to join the U.S. Senate as its newest Democratic member.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 34% have a favorable opinion of Franken, who will be sworn in next week as a senator from Minnesota. Twenty-two percent (22%) are not sure what they think of him.

It is fairly typical for individual legislators to have negative favorability ratings on a national basis.

There's clearly more intense feeling among those who don't like Franken. Twelve percent (12%) of voters have a very favorable view of the new senator, compared to 29% who have a very unfavorable opinion.

Similarly, 19% of Democrats have a very favorable view of Franken, while 51% of Republicans and 32% of voters not affiliated with either party regard him very unfavorably.

Franken fills the seat held for the last six years by Republican Norm Coleman, who unsuccessfully sought reelection and has been challenging the accuracy of the vote count in last November's election in court. But the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled this week in Franken's favor.

Sixty-five percent (65%) of voters nationwide are at least somewhat confident that their votes are accurately counted in elections, including 22% who are very confident. Twenty-four percent (24%) are not very confident that their ballots are correctly counted, and another seven percent (7%) are not at all confident.

Democrats and unaffiliated voters are more confident than Republicans about the accuracy of the vote count.

These finding have been consistent for several years. After the November 2006 election, for example, 66% of voters said they were confident that their ballots were properly counted and the proper candidates were declared the winners.

Two-thirds of American adults (66%) believe their vote really matters on Election Day.

Fifty-nine percent (59%) of voters say they have been following news stories about the contested Minnesota election between Franken and Coleman at least somewhat closely, with 24% who say they have been following very closely. Fourteen percent (14%) are not following news about the Minnesota Senate battle at all.

In early December of last year, as the legal challenges to the election results were just heating up, 67% of Minnesota voters expected Coleman to beat Franken. Just 16% thought Franken would win.

But by mid-May after Coleman suffered repeated losses in the courts, a majority of Minnesota voters (54%) said the GOP incumbent should concede the race and let Franken be seated in the Senate, while 41% disagreed. At that time, 44% of voters in the state had a favorable opinion of both Coleman and Franken, while 55% regarded the two men unfavorably.

# # #

To view the original report, please use this link: He's No Stuart Smalley!

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 5:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

Here's a press release we just received from our friends over at The Future of American Democracy Foundation:

THE FUTURE OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY FOUNDATION

July 1, 2009 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Public Confidence in the State of the Nation

Public attitudes have changed significantly since our last report, issued before the inauguration of President Obama. Among the most striking changes are the following:

* Confidence levels that the country is moving in the right direction have improved sharply (though perceptions of how well the economy is doing divides along partisan lines).

* The public feels that there is now a mix of good and bad news about the economy, rather than just unrelieved bad news.

* The number of Americans who expect their personal finances to improve has risen to more than six out of ten but fewer than four out of ten rate their personal finances as excellent or good

* The public is hopeful that President Obama's policies will improve the economy in the long run, but they think it is too early to see any concrete positive impact.

* Rising levels of unemployment dampen peoples' hopes for the near term, as do the prospect of huge ever-growing deficits (yet, more than four out of ten Americans believe that the economy will improve over the next 12 months).

* The vast majority of Americans have cut back on their spending in the interest of saving money or not having it to spend. There are many indications that the new attitudes towards thriftiness will persist even after the economy recovers.

* The majority supports President Obama's overall economic program, but there is less support for government spending to bail out the automobile companies.

* Mistrust in the business community has increased, supporting stronger regulation.

In summary, though Americans are still dissatisfied with the state of the economy and their own financial situation, they are more confident about the future. If "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself," there are grounds for optimism because most Americans betray few signs of genuine fear. The current report shows that Americans continue to express a great deal of concern about the current State of the Nation but have hope for the future.

The findings of this report suggest that President Obama is still in the "honeymoon phase" enjoyed by all our most recent Presidents. In this phase, what counts most is Presidential rhetoric: how forcefully and clearly the president articulates his goals and policies providing that these match the public's own values and objectives. We are however, now entering a new phase. Public confidence will be sustained in the future only if the public perceives that the President and his Administration are actually producing positive results.

Public Confidence in the State of the Nation is the most important indicator of the health of our Democracy. This report is designed to provide a barometer of public confidence based on data gathered by America's major public opinion research organizations. The report was compiled under the supervision of the Chairman of the Foundation, Norton Garfinkle, and the Chairman of the Foundation's Board of Advisors, Daniel Yankelovich, the Founder of the Public Agenda and America's foremost analyst of public opinion.

The complete report is available at www.tfadf.org

CONTACT: Norton Garfinkle

Phone: (212) 486-0194

email: ngarfinkle@tfadf.org

Chair

Norton Garfinkle

Executive Committee

Jonathan Brent

Yale University Press

Ian Shapiro

Yale University

Chair, Advisory Board

Daniel Yankelovich

Public Agenda

Secretary/Treasurer

William R. Griffith

Reed Smith LLP

Advisory Board

John Donatich

Yale University Press

Fredrica S. Friedman

President

Fredrica S. Friedman & Co, Inc.

Richard D. Heffner

Rutgers University

Thomas E. Mann

The Brookings Institution

Norman Ornstein

American Enterprise Institute

Hugh Price

Former President

National Urban League

Jeffrey Rosen

George Washington University

Alan Wolfe

Boston College

Ruth A. Wooden

Public Agenda

# # #

 

The Future of American Democracy Foundation is a nonprofit, nonpartisan foundation dedicated to research and education. The mission of the Foundation is to renew and sustain the historic vision of democracy that has unified Americans throughout the nation's history and to stimulate historically informed analysis and debate on contemporary public policy issues. The Foundation seeks to enable the American public and public policy thinkers throughout the country to have a direct impact on public policy debate and action. The Foundation works in close partnership with Yale University Press and the Yale Center for International and Area Studies to sponsor books, articles, lectures, and other publications and presentations, with the goal of clarifying the domestic and foreign policy choices facing the United States in the years ahead.

Uniting America: Restoring the Vital Center to American Democracy

A distinguished group of scholars and experts serves as the Foundation's officers and as members of the Foundation's Board of Advisors, including Jonathan Brent (Editorial Director of Yale University Press), John Donatich (Director, Yale University Press), Fredrica S. Friedman (President of Fredrica S. Friedman & Co., Inc.), Norton Garfinkle (Chair of the Foundation), William R. Griffith (Reed Smith LLP), Richard D. Heffner (Host, "The Open Mind"), Thomas E. Mann (The Brookings Institution), Norman Ornstein (American Enterprise Institute), Hugh Price (Former President of the National Urban League), Jeffrey Rosen (George Washington University), Ian Shapiro (Sterling Professor and Director of the Yale Center for International and Area Studies), Alan Wolfe (Boston College), Ruth A. Wooden (President, Public Agenda) and Daniel Yankelovich (Chairman, Public Agenda). Together with Yale University Press, the Foundation sponsors the Future of American Democracy series of books by some of America's foremost thinkers. The books in the series present a new, balanced, centrist approach to examining the challenges American democracy has faced in the past and must overcome in the years ahead. The first five books in the series were published in 2006 and 2007. Norton Garfinkle & Dan Yankelovich, Editors, Uniting America: Restoring the Vital Center to American Democracy Daniel Yankelovich, Profit with Honor: The New Stage of Market Capitalism Alan Wolfe, Does American Democracy Still Work? Norton Garfinkle, The American Dream vs. The Gospel of Wealth: The Fight for a Productive Middle-Class Economy Reed Hundt, In China's Shadow: The Crisis of American Entrepreneurship A major objective of the Foundation is to bring America's vast informational resources to bear more fully on contemporary policy debate. The Foundation acts as a unique clearing-house for public policy and public opinion research with the objective of disseminating this work to a broad audience of policymakers, legislators, the media, and concerned citizens.  The Foundation supports research into the full range of public policy issues, from taxation, Social Security, and health care, to American culture, U.S. foreign policy, and the effort to spread democracy internationally. Foundation plans include support for the publication of additional Yale University Press books and sponsorship of lectures under the auspices of the Yale Center for International and Area Studies. The Foundation has identified 3 major subject areas to be covered by books and lectures in partnership with Yale University and Yale University Press. In addition, the Foundation is planning television programming to cover these major subjects.       1. American Democracy in a Dangerous World       2. The Future of the American Dream       3. The American Identity Click onto Project Areas to find a detailed description of the specific subjects covered under each of these general descriptions. In both its research and education efforts, the Foundation is committed to applying the highest standards of scholarship in a balanced, nonpartisan fashion in the expectation that careful and fair-minded analysis of public policy issues will enable the American public to move beyond the partisan approaches seen in recent years and secure sensible, centrist solutions to our policy challenges.

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 3:30 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

State of the Budget

For more than a year North Carolina, along with many states, has felt the impact of the national recession, which many of you have already experienced first-hand.

In that time, our state's unemployment rate has almost doubled and now stands at 11.1 percent -- 7th highest in the nation. Just as North Carolina's families have been hurt by the recession, so has our state's budget.

The General Assembly is working to finalize a budget that, because of a decrease in revenues, has a $4.7 billion shortfall for the 2009-10 fiscal year and even more next year. It is one of the largest shortfalls in the country, and it is the largest in North Carolina's history.

Despite these monumental challenges, we have been able to achieve significant accomplishments in the last few months. Since taking office in January, I have worked to uphold the highest standards of accountability and transparency to ensure North Carolina's government is working in the best interest of its people, doing more with what little we have in these tough times.

This administration has streamlined policy-making and management in the public education system by appointing a CEO of public education. We have instituted more accountability and transparency in our state's mental health and probation systems, and we are taking the politics out of decision-making at the Department of Transportation.

Through my JobsNOW initiative, we are putting thousands of people to work, quickly investing federal recovery dollars and opening doors to new job opportunities. One example is my 12 in 6 program, a partnership with community colleges to retrain workers for high-demand jobs in less than six months.

Last month, I outlined a set of reforms and investments to establish this state as a leader in green energy jobs and business. And in March, I presented a balanced budget that invested in job creation and education, priorities that establish a strong base for North Carolina's long-term economic growth.

Since that time, however, the state budget hole has increased by another $1 billion.

As a result, budget proposals from legislators to date have included profound cuts to core government services.

We are now at a crossroads: We can choose to protect core education, public safety and health care services, or we can allow the economic crisis to cripple our classrooms.

Public education always has been, and always will be, the engine driving North Carolina's economy toward a future with secure, high-wage jobs. Gutting public education now would throw away decades of investment and would cut short our long-term economy.

As I work with legislators to finalize the budget in coming days, we will need to cut deeply. But while we must cut the fat, we must not cut to the bone.

I've traveled the state calling on legislators to raise the revenue necessary to protect public education.  Now I need your help.  The budget crisis threatens our classrooms and so many other vital services, including health care and public safety.  But if we act now we can save thousands of jobs and protect our children's education.

The time has come for the General Assembly to step up its efforts to pass a budget quickly and with the revenue necessary to protect the classroom. Our children and our economic future depend on it.

 

          Sincerely,

            Bev Perdue

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 3:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

NEWS FROM STATE SENATOR

LIZ KRUEGER

New York State Senate, 26th District

 

Dear Friend,

Three weeks of a 31-31 split Senate. Tensions are high--and not just back at home. The media is beating up on us all pretty effectively, constituents are yelling, and staff are frustrated without answers to endless questions.

One of my constituents writes "The behavior of both of the rival factions in the past weeks has been increasingly childish, disreputable, irresponsible, and disrespectful of the people who sent you to Albany." I suspect every Senator has received their share of similar notes. The one thing most of us may share is that we are embarrassed and angry. There is no question that New Yorkers deserve better.

Did any of us sign up for this? Fact: I did. I asked my district to elect me and to hold me accountable. Of course you should all feel free to keep voicing your frustration, and I would also really appreciate your suggestions.

For the record, I sure wish the press would stop calling the Republican Conference the "Reform Coalition." 30 Republicans and Pedro Espada does not a Coalition make (see Bush's Iraq War Coalition of the not-so-willing as a reference).

For weeks now my Democratic colleagues and I have been trying to get members of both parties to agree to move bills, while recognizing that neither is prepared to give up their claim to leadership. The Democrats want to move bills first, and deal with leadership after the deadlines for legislation are met. The Republicans believe their leverage on leadership ends if the bills are passed, so they won't agree to pass bills without linking action on legislation to resolving the leadership fight.

This whole scenario reminds me of my first run for office (in 2000). It was too close to call, and there was a 6½ week recount. Oddly, my opponent kept suing to stop the ballots from being counted. It was hell. We all knew eventually only one of us would win. I lost, but the worst part by far was the 6½ weeks of counting. The current situation in Albany carries the same feeling.

Having said that, if you believe in democracy and the law, you are not supposed to give up your beliefs because the pressure is high and everybody is mad at you. Right? Pedro Espada should not be the highest ranking official in the NY State Senate, whichever party is "claiming him". Next in line for Governor? The power to give people critically important appointments? The power to give people pardons? New York does not need someone with only a passing acquaintance with honesty to be just one heartbeat away from the Governor's office. It is simply unacceptable to have such a person in any position with such direct influence over the lives of 19 million New Yorkers.

The Governor has sued the Senate to get us back into the chamber to complete the work on legislation that is expiring in the coming weeks. The Court case was Monday afternoon and the Judge ordered both Senate Republicans and Democrats into extraordinary session Tuesday. HURRAY! The Republicans immediately went back to court to appeal the judge's order that the legislators go back into the chamber to complete their work or face an order of contempt. The Republican's appeal was denied but when the Republicans came to the chamber they refused to recognize the presiding officer, Andrea Stewart Cousins. While they claim they want to complete the peoples' business their actions contradict their rhetoric. Instead they continue to refuse to participate in anything that doesn't accept the results of their illegal coup. At least in New York State, unlike Honduras, our coups do not involve military intervention, though perhaps it will soon if Governor Paterson calls the troopers on us.

Oh, by the way, the Governor had to sue us because there is no Lieutenant Governor, hence no tie breaker if a vote on legislation is 31 -31. There seems to be a lot of confusion about that fact. You may be wondering who set up a situation that is vulnerable to such disaster. Ironically, the Republicans did, during the 2002 redistricting. New York State has been bleeding Republican voters for years, so to protect their majority, they gerrymandered a bunch of districts and added a Senator on the last possible night without telling anyone. Yes, you can do this! So suddenly we had 62, not 61 Senators -- and the real possibility of tie votes. But, the Lieutenant Governor has the authority to vote during ties... so not to worry. Except, Governor Spitzer (remember him?) had to get out of town, making Lieutenant Governor Paterson the Governor. Hence, no Lieutenant Governor, no way to replace him 'til the next election and no tie-breaker. And the President Pro Tempore as next in line for Governor (see above, Pedro Espada).

Back to Tuesday: At noon we held a session and one Republican (Frank Padavan) entered the chamber, giving us a quorum. The Senate Rules and case law are very specific on what constitutes a quorum and when a senator is marked as present. The mere presence of a senator in the senate chamber, even just by entering or walking through the room, will result in the journal clerk recognizing the elected as being in attendance. We passed a long list of noncontroversial bills essential to local governments including:

$136.5 million: Power for Jobs Extender to protect 250,000 jobs
$2.2 billion: No Child Left Behind Compliance
$1.5 billion: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Update
$175 million: Medicaid Compliance School Supportive Health
$1.382 billion: Statewide City and County Sales Tax Extenders
$25.2 million: Mortgage Recording Tax Extenders & Increases
$25 million: Hotel & Motel Tax Extenders & Increases
$2.9 million: Real Estate Transfer Tax Extenders & Taxes
$1.5 million: Wireless Communications Local Surcharges
$10 million: Yonkers PIT Surcharge
$225 million: NYC Business Tax Conformance
$63 million: NYC UBT & SSF Business Supports
$500 million: NYS Housing Finance Agency Bonding
$300 million: SONYMA Bonding Authority
$315 million: SONYMA Mortgage Insurance Fund
$500 million: Starrett City Financing
$30 million: Housing Tax Incentives 421-b

However, at this moment it appears that Senator Padavan is now claiming he did not enter the chamber intending to vote on legislation, and the Republicans are challenging the passage of these bills despite the fact that he came to the chamber, so once again, stay tuned...

I have included a link to what Senate Democrats proposed that could be used as a model for additional sessions. If this power sharing proposal works then there are more bills that can get done. Yes, it's a bit technical - a bunch of "whereas's" -- you lawyers will love it. But we all know the line about making laws and sausages, and things in Albany have gone through the grinder more than a few times in the last couple of weeks.

http://www.lizkrueger.com/BipartisanOperatingProposal.html

Of course there is so much more--which is where we get back to the question of do you elect us just to keep the trains running on time (non controversial, but important) or because you want someone who will fight for issues you care about? And I know you share my frustration that the current conflict in the Senate has kept us from addressing many important issues, including school governance, tenants' rights, global warming and marriage equality.

The events that have taken place during the last three weeks in New York State's Capitol have been so shocking and so surreal that I doubt the best Hollywood screenwriters could have written such a story.

Countless articles and books have been written about the "three men in a room" phenomenon that is Albany -- the Governor, Senate Majority Leader and Assembly Speaker making all the decisions behind closed doors for 19.5 million people. But on Monday June 8th, we shifted to a one man model where an unelected billionaire who, having lost several attempts to become our State's Governor, still wanted to make all the decisions. His name is Tom Golisano and he recently announced he was moving to Florida to avoid paying New York State income taxes. But before he left, he showed up outside the Senate Chamber in the Capitol and stood with the Republican leadership when they announced that they had the votes to take control of the Senate. This control would allow the Republicans to set the legislative agenda.

At first, just one billionaire seemed to be the "mastermind behind the coup." But, as the days went by, others rushed to claim equal bragging rights to have purchased the coup and have inserted themselves into the muck. The cast includes: a lobbyist for the real estate industry who is also the lawyer for the lead Senator who traded sides and voluntarily represents Senator Espada in internal Senate business (not everybody likes tenant legislation but shouldn't we all have to follow the law?); the anti-choice movement claimed victory (we were about to pass a reproductive rights bill), we hoped to move campaign finance reform and ethics legislation (isn't that like Communism?), and I have even heard that those who oppose marriage equality are taking credit (Oh no! New York, which already recognizes same sex marriages conducted in other states would benefit from the economic activity and tax revenue generated by LGBT weddings).

So everybody is mad that we are not having session and about bills being passed or not passed. You'd think someone might also care that buying votes or a legislator's party allegiance is theoretically illegal, even a felony.

So, here we are on July 1st and you are demanding resolution, if not an actual functioning government. To quote one of the many recent newspaper editorials: "Surely no one but the most callous and calculating of politicians could be proud of this performance. Surely Republicans and Democrats alike are embarrassed. Surely any Senator with a shred of political acumen is dusting off his or her resume in preparation for what well could be a mass layoff next year, courtesy of the electorate."

Clearly, we need to work out an agreement to conduct business in a evenly split chamber. Other states have done so. And we can adopt new rules to provide for the ability for rank and file members to move bills to the floor for debate and vote, establish equitable distribution of staff and member resources, and either create a rationale system for distributing member items or end the practice.

Equity. Reform. Honesty. This is what I have always been about, and I assure you, I have not changed. I am still as committed to reforming our Senate rules as I was from day one. And since January, I have even been fighting my own Democratic colleagues for not going far enough in our reform agenda. I think you all know that I have never shied away from telling the truth about the dysfunctional ways of our state government, and I am not stopping now. I want you to know that I am working hard to resolve this, but I can't ignore my values and principles for the sake of just cutting a deal. For me, the fundamental fight is not about party control--it is about having leaders who we can trust to protect the interests of all New Yorkers.

I hope that in the coming months we will have that leadership, and can implement the reforms so desperately needed for an improved and functioning legislature but regardless of the outcome of the current battles, I will always be fighting for reform and for a progressive agenda. While it is sometimes difficult to keep the faith, I still believe that the change that I went to Albany to accomplish is still possible.

Sincerely,

Liz Krueger
State Senator

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 9:00 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR- 305-09
July 1, 2009

MAYOR BLOOMBERG UPDATES NEW YORKERS ON SCHOOL GOVERNANCE WITH BOROUGH PRESIDENTS, SPEAKER QUINN, AFT PRESIDENT WEINGARTEN, AND CSA EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT MCNALLY

The following is the Text of Mayor Bloomberg's Remarks as Delivered

"Well, good afternoon. Because of the State Senate's failure to meet a deadline that it has known about for seven years, the historic school governance law enacted in 2002 has lapsed, effective today. I'll have more to say about the Senate's reckless behavior later, but first let me review today's developments. Since the Senate refused to exercise its duties responsibly, we here in the city are moving to protect our children. We'll do our best to keep them from becoming victims of the Albany train wreck.

"Specifically, to fill the vacuum created by the Senate's irresponsible inaction, a temporarily reconstituted Board of Education has been named, using the appointment structure that existed under the pre-reform status quo. It will serve until Albany rectifies its inaction and reauthorizes mayoral control, and I want to commend the city's borough presidents and the Board members for coming today and acting expeditiously to help reconstitute this temporary Board. The board members are Deputy Mayor Dennis Walcott, appointed by Queens Borough President Helen Marshall; Dr. Delores Fernandez, appointed by Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr.; Carlo Scissura, appointed by Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz; Jimmy Yan, appointed by Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer; Deputy Borough President Ed Burke, appointed by Staten Island Borough President James Molinaro; and the two mayoral appointees to the board: First Deputy Mayor Patti Harris and Deputy Mayor for Operations Ed Skyler. They are showing how to put the interests of our children ahead of narrow political gain - and I think that's an example that I hope is not lost on Albany.

"The board just concluded an emergency meeting at the Tweed Building. Its first orders of business were to elect Dennis Walcott president of the board, and to reappoint Joel Klein as schools chancellor. I think both of these were very wise actions. Dennis Walcott, as you may know, is a former kindergarten teacher and a nationally recognized education leader. For the past seven and a half years, he has been the Deputy Mayor for Education and Community Development. His children, and now his grandson, have or are now attending, public schools. And perhaps his most important qualification is that he has both the experience and the temperament that I think is needed to provide the calm and judicious leadership our schools need at this moment. And Helen I just wanted to thank you for appointing him. I don't think there's a better representative of Queens that you could have picked.

"Chancellor Klein's achievements since his appointment in 2002 I think also speak for themselves. Under his leadership, our schools have become a model for big-city school systems across the nation. And because continuity and stability are so important in the lives of children, the Board of Education also very correctly granted Chancellor Klein authority to direct the operations of the city's public schools. Let me also add that the old, failed pre-reform governance structure of our school system included locally elected school boards with jurisdiction over lower and middle schools.  These elected boards no longer exist, and the existing statute provides for elections for them to be held in 2010.

 

"The Senate has, through its inactions, handed our City a current governance structure not too dissimilar from the governance structure of the Senate: one made up of multiple and conflicting lines of authority, certainly the formula for gridlock. The temporary School Board has attempted to sidestep the worst consequences, but as prudent as its actions today have been, bear this in mind: these are band-aids, not solutions. Now we all need to keep the pressure on the State Senate to act. So I commend the Board for also passing a resolution urging the Senate to enact, unchanged, the bill already passed by the State Assembly re-establishing mayoral control of New York City's public schools.

 

"Governor Paterson is also certainly taking the right course by continuing to call special sessions of the Senate. And I wholeheartedly second his statements that he will continue to call such sessions until Senate members finally discharge their duties responsibly.

 

"The current paralysis in Albany is not only making New York State government a laughing stock from coast to coast but more importantly blocking much-needed legislation. The Senate's failure to even take a vote on a school governance bill that is clearly backed by a majority of its members is only one example. The Senate's refusal to enact the sales tax legislation that New York City needs is also costing us $60 million a month, the equivalent of supporting 600 police officers or supporting all of the Fire Department's engine and ladder companies' infrastructure. Continued inaction will jeopardize our ability to pay for essential services, and raises the specter of layoffs. But if the Senate acts quickly to correct its misbehavior, the people of New York, including more than a million of our school children, may still, perhaps, avoid any serious resulting harm.

 

"Finally, let me remind everyone that our schools are focusing today on what really counts: teaching and learning. Summer school classes began today across the city. They will continue through the first week of August for elementary and middle school students, and through the second week of August for high school students.  Many students will be studying our nation's history and wonderful form of government. 

 

"And it's not too late for our State leaders to stop dishonoring the institutions and traditions that we try to teach our students to respect. Let me point out that the students that showed up today are students who need some extra help and they're getting the help that they deserve. Our teachers are working hard, the administration is working hard, classes are going on the way they would have - today at least - the way that they would have if the Senate had acted responsibly.

 

"Our first priority is to do what's right for our children and comply with the law, even when I don't agree with the law. I think we are doing both of these, and I wanted to commend once again our Borough Presidents and those who have chosen to serve to go head and do what's right. On that note, let me start out with the Borough President with the greatest seniority in elective office, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz. The fact that we share a birthday had nothing to do with putting him first."

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 5:30 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (1)

Senator Jeff Klein is having a birthday celebration at the "beautiful" Pelhman Manor home of Elizabeth & Anthony D'Onofrio, on Wednesday, July 8, 2009 at 6PM.

The minimum suggested contribution is $500.

For additional information, please call Shane Dixon Kavanaugh at 212-370-0700 or email him at Shane@EslerGroup.com

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 4:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

GOVERNOR PATERSON AND SENATOR SCHUMER ANNOUNCE YAHOO! TO BUILD DATA CENTER IN WESTERN NEW YORK

Yahoo! To Invest Tens of Millions in Niagara County

Expected to Create 125 High-Tech Jobs Statewide

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Governor David A. Paterson and U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced that Yahoo! Inc., will build a new data center in Lockport, Niagara County. Through an agreement with the New York Power Authority (NYPA), Yahoo! plans to invest tens of millions dollars in the construction and computer equipment fit-out of its new East Coast Regional data center. The project is expected to create up to 125 full-time jobs across the State, with additional construction-specific jobs during the multi-year facility construction phase.

"Yahoo!'s decision to locate a data center in Niagara County solidifies New York's position as a leader in the New Economy," Governor Paterson said. "This investment will create new job opportunities, help to develop the local economy and also attract other tech industries to the area. We are pleased to welcome Yahoo! to New York."

Senator Schumer said: "Today we have scored a big win for Western New York. The 125 jobs are important, but if this works as planned, Yahoo! will be a lighthouse in Western New York, saying to high tech companies 'come, we have a lot to offer.' If Yahoo! locates here, high tech companies all over the world will realize what we have to offer - our well educated, talented and affordable workforce, our high quality of life - and want to locate here."

David Dibble, Executive Vice President, Service Engineering & Operations, Yahoo! said: "We are extremely pleased to be building our next U.S. data center in Lockport. New York State and the greater Buffalo area possess all of the resources required to run a world-class data center that uses leading edge technology to drive new milestones in energy efficiency. Everyone we have worked with - from Governor Paterson and Senator Schumer, to the New York Power Authority, Buffalo Niagara Enterprise, the Town of Lockport, and Empire State Development - has been supportive in understanding Yahoo!'s needs and in moving this project forward."

The Yahoo! data center will receive an allocation of 10 megawatts of low-cost hydropower from NYPA for the first phase of construction, which is expected to begin in the fall of 2009 and allow the facility to be operational in January 2011. A second phase of the project, expected to start in the spring of 2012, would potentially include tens of millions in additional investments from Yahoo! for Western New York. In return, Yahoo! would receive an additional five megawatts of NYPA hydropower.

At the urging of Governor Paterson, NYPA actively worked to secure an agreement with Yahoo!. The NYPA Board of Trustees voted unanimously in favor of the first phase of the proposal on May 19, 2009, and Yahoo!'s Board of Directors accepted the proposal from NYPA on June 25.

Under Governor Paterson's leadership, NYPA has been a driving force in helping Western New York's economy. In the last year alone, NYPA has secured agreements with 15 companies that will bring to the region over 1,000 jobs and spur investments of over $400 million. The new Yahoo! data center would host properties, advertisements and content found on Yahoo!'s web portal.

The following quotes were provided in support of the Yahoo! announcement:

Congressman Brian Higgins said: "Western New York's access to hydropower makes this announcement possible and this region's future hinges on our ability to see much greater benefits from this unique resource moving forward. Our lake, that feeds our river, that drives the Niagara power plant, holds great potential to replicate economic development and job success stories like this in Western New York again and again, but to do this we must be given the opportunity to reclaim what is naturally ours."

Congressman Chris Lee said: "In addition to bringing dozens of high-quality, good-paying jobs to our area, Yahoo! has sent a clear signal that Western New York offers a competitive workforce and supportive business climate. Helping foster growth and innovation in the private sector is critical to advancing our economic recovery. We welcome Yahoo! to our community and look forward to seeing the company prosper here in the years to come."

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said: "Yahoo!'s decision to make Lockport the home of its new data center will certainly benefit both the company and the region. Western New York has excellent workforce, clean and abundant energy, affordable office space, a superior fiber optics network, excellent school districts and the prestigious University at Buffalo. The decision of this important company to locate here was in no small part due to the hard work of Governor Paterson, Senator Schumer, the bipartisan Congressional Delegation and Assemblywoman Francine DelMonte."

Senator William T. Stachowski said: "This announcement is great news for Western New York and its hard-working men and women. Job creation is key to the overall health of our State's economy and this venture will create many new high tech and high paying jobs for our residents and bring additional economic growth to our area. I commend the Board of Directors at Yahoo! for recognizing that Western New York is the perfect place for businesses looking to expand, and I am certain that the company will benefit from the excellent workforce in our region and the great quality of life which Western New York offers."

Assemblyman Robin Schimminger said: "As chairman of the Assembly Economic Development Committee and as someone who represents portions of both Niagara and Erie Counties, I am doubly pleased that Yahoo! has chosen to locate this data center not only in New York State, but here in Western New York. Winning this multi-state competition for good-paying, high-tech jobs will help draw national attention to our region and help attract other new-economy companies and jobs."

Richard M. Kessel, President and Chief Executive Officer of the New York Power Authority said: "We're pleased to provide the economic power Yahoo! needs to make it worthwhile to locate their new data center in Western New York. Yahoo! will provide a huge boost to the local economy now and in the future."

Dennis Mullen, Empire State Development, said: "As a globally renowned company, Yahoo!'s decision to invest in Western New York is an enormous coup for the region and for New York State. Bringing Yahoo! to Western New York will help position this area for attracting more technology investments, as other information technology and communications firms can take advantage of the available fiber optic network access. Further, this tremendous project echoes the priorities for the 'New Economy' that Governor Paterson outlined earlier this month, namely that a new economy is emerging: an economy based on knowledge, technology and innovation. New York is poised to lead this New Economy and Yahoo!'s new data center illustrates that."

Lockport Town Supervisor Marc Smith said: "Many will think that the announcement today of Yahoo! building a data center in Lockport NY is nothing short of a miracle. I totally disagree! Yahoo!, an internationally recognized leader in the internet industry, is moving into New York State because of great teamwork and our ability put together a world class business proposal. Many individuals played key roles in this project; however I would especially like to thank Senator Schumer, Governor Paterson, Richie Kessel, Buffalo Niagara Enterprise and Lockport IDA Director David Kinyon."

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 2:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

Looks like Mark Green has had a change of heart and will be attending the CUNY Public Advocate debate scheduled for Thursday, July 9, 2009, at 8:00 AM.

Here's the updated announcement:  

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 1:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

TESTIMONY BY BROOKLYN BOROUGH PRESIDENT MARTY MARKOWITZ TO THE NYC CITY COUNCIL ZONING AND FRANCHISES SUBCOMMITTEE REGARDING THE CONEY ISLAND PLAN

July 1, 2009

GOOD MORNING CHAIRMAN AVELLA AND SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS.

 

WORLDWIDE, THE WORDS "CONEY ISLAND" CONJURE "AMERICA'S PLAYGROUND," RENOWNED FOR ITS OUTLANDISH AMUSEMENTS, BEAUTIFUL BEACH, BUSTLING BOARDWALK, FOOD, ENTERTAINMENT AND UNIQUE SENSE OF AFFORDABLE FAMILY FUN.

 

AS YOU MAY KNOW, I GREW UP IN POVERTY IN BROOKLYN--AND CONEY ISLAND WAS WHERE I SPENT SUMMERS AS A CHILD. MY MOTHER TOOK ME AND MY TWO YOUNGER SISTERS THERE BECAUSE IT WAS FUN AND AFFORDABLE--AS IT IS TODAY, AND AS WE MUST ENSURE IT REMAINS FOR FAMILIES IN THE FUTURE.

 

WE ARE NOW WELL INTO THE VERY ACTIVE 2009 SEASON, AND I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT ALL THE CONEY STAKEHOLDERS HAVE STOOD TOGETHER TO SAY LOUD AND CLEAR THAT CONEY ISLAND IS INDEED "REALLY FUN--AND REALLY OPEN!"

 

AS WE SPEAK, FAMILIES ARE EXPERIENCING THE THRILL OF DENO'S WONDER WHEEL AND THE WORLD FAMOUS CYCLONE ROLLER COASTER, THE ENERGY OF OUR GREAT MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL TEAM "THE CYCLONES," FRIDAY NIGHT FIREWORKS, AQUATIC ADVENTURES AT THE NEW YORK AQUARIUM AND THE SIDESHOW WACKINESS OF "CONEY ISLAND USA. THANKS TO THE MAYOR AND TACONIC, WE'VE GOT RINGLING BROTHERS "CONEY ISLAND BOOM-A-RING," AND THOR EQUITIES HAS BROUGHT US THE "FESTIVAL BY THE SEA."

 

COMING SOON, OF COURSE THERE IS THIS COMING WEEKEND'S NATHAN'S HOT DOG EATING CONTEST, AND LATER ON THIS SUMMER THE SIREN FEST -- AS WELL AS THE SEASIDE SUMMER CONCERT SERIES WHICH I HOST AT ASSER LEVY PARK--WHICH WILL PRESENT THIS SEASON CREDENCE CLEARWATER, GLADYS KNIGHT, HALL AND OATES, BLONDIE, PAT BENATAR, AND DONNA SUMMER! -- TO NAME A FEW.

 

LET'S FACE IT, AS WE CONTINUE TO WORK TO ENSURE CONEY'S BRIGHT FUTURE, WE DON'T ALWAYS AGREE ON EVERYTHING. BUT CONEY ISLAND IS BIGGER THAN ALL OF US.

 

THIS CITY HAS BROADWAY, THE STATUE OF LIBERTY, THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING, THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE--AND YEAH, CONEY ISLAND.

IT WAS HERE BEFORE WE WERE EVER THOUGHT OF, AND WITH OUR STRONG COMMITMENT, IT WILL BE HERE AND THRIVING LONG AFTER WE'RE GONE.

 

WE MUST PROTECT IT--AND ENSURE IT A 21ST CENTURY HEYDAY.

 

AS WE MOVE FORWARD, I AM TEMPTED TO OFFER THE CITY COUNCIL THE SAGE ADVICE OF YOGI BERRA WHO SAID, "WHEN YOU COME TO A FORK IN THE ROAD, TAKE IT!"

 

I AM SURE ALL OF US WISH THAT THE DECISIONS THAT MUST BE MADE ABOUT THE FUTURE OF CONEY ISLAND COULD BE THAT SIMPLE.  THERE ARE REAL DIFFERENCES OF OPINION BETWEEN THE MAYOR AND THOR EQUITIES, THE MAJORITY PROPERTY IN CONEY ISLAND'S AMUSEMENT AREA. TODAY, THOSE DIFFERENCES MAY SEEM INSURMOUNTABLE - JUST AS THEY SEEMED TO BE WHEN THE COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR SUCCESSFULLY ADDRESSED PLANS FOR THE REDEVELOPMENT OF WILLETS POINT IN QUEENS. 

 

I AM CONFIDENT THAT UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, SPEAKER CHRISTINE QUINN AND COUNCIL MEMBER DOMENIC RECCHIA THAT A SOLUTION WILL BE FOUND THAT WILL CREATE A CONEY ISLAND GREATER THAN IT HAS EVER BEEN AND RESPECTS ALL OF THE AREA'S PROPERTY OWNERS. 

 

NOW, LET'S GET TO THE MATTER AT HAND.

 

I COMMEND THE MAYOR AND CITY OFFICIALS FOR THIS CONEY ISLAND PLAN, WHICH PRIORITIZES THE CREATION OF A YEAR-ROUND, AFFORDABLE CONEY ISLAND FOR THE 21ST CENTURY. AND IN MY CHARTER-MANDATED LAND USE ROLE, I WAS PLEASED TO APPROVE THE CITY'S PLAN--WITH SOLID RECOMMENDATIONS THAT I HOPE THE COUNCIL WILL ADOPT.

           

LET'S START WITH MY CALL FOR MORE AMUSEMENTS.

 

IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY VIEW THAT CONEY SHOULD NEVER BE A PLACE FOR QUOTE-UNQUOTE "BIG-BOX" RETAIL. CLUBS--YES! RESTAURANTS--YES! BOWLING ALLEYS--SURE! A WATER PARK--ABSOLUTELY! A CONVENTION CENTER--WHY NOT? HOTELS--OF COURSE! HOTELS ARE PART OF THE CONEY TRADITION (THERE WAS ONCE A HOTEL SHAPED LIKE AN ELEPHANT!) BUT CONEY ISLAND MUST NOT BECOME A MALL.

 

CONEY ISLAND MUST BE AN AMUSEMENT PARK--A VIBRANT PART OF THIS CITY'S TOURIST ECONOMY.

 

TO THAT END, I AM OVERJOYED THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION ADOPTED MY CALL FOR MORE GROUND FLOOR AMUSEMENTS--THEY AGREED THAT WHEN FAMILIES WALK TO THE BEACH ALONG STILLWELL AVENUE AND WEST 10TH STREET, THEY SHOULD FEEL THEY HAVE ENTERED A VERY SPECIAL PLACE.

 

MY RECOMMENDATION WENT FURTHER, HOWEVER, CALLING FOR AMUSEMENT SPACE OF 150,000 SQUARE FEET--IN THE SPECIAL CONEY ISLAND DISTRICT--AND I URGE THE SUBCOMMITTEE TO CALL FOR THIS AS WELL. AS I SAID, FAMILIES COMING TO CONEY ISLAND SHOULD BE FILLED WITH AWE AND EXCITEMENT.

 

IN HIS BOOK "CONEY ISLAND LOST AND FOUND," AUTHOR CHARLES DENSON DESCRIBES CONEY'S LUNAPARK AT THE TURN OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY AS A PLACE "FILLED WITH 'FANTASY ARCHITECTURE,' TOWERS, MINARETS, COLONNADES, CASTLES, SPIRES, DOMES AND GLOBES--EVERY INCH OF THEM STRUNG WITH LIGHT BULBS--THE PARK WAS KNOWN AS THE 'ELECTRIC EDEN.'"

 

I SAY WE NEED TO ESTABLISH A DESIGN COMMITTEE TO ENSURE THAT THE CONEY ISLAND AMUSEMENT AREA REMAINS UNIQUE, CREATIVE AND ICONIC IN ITS ARCHITECTURE, SIGNAGE, LIGHTING AND PRESERVATION OF APPROPRIATE BUILDINGS AND AMUSEMENTS--PRIORITIZING OVER-THE-TOP DESIGN--AGAIN, I URGE YOU TO TAKE UP THIS RECOMMENDATION AS YOUR OWN.

 

FINALLY, AND PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY, I ASKED THAT WHEN WE IMPLEMENT THIS PLAN, WE "BUILD WITH CONEY, BY CONEY, AND FOR CONEY"--BY GUARANTEEING LOCAL JOBS, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, REWARDS AND RESOURCES FOR RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES WHO HAVE "KEPT THE FAITH" THROUGH CONEY ISLAND'S LEAN TIMES.

 

I CALLED ON THE CITY TO REQUIRE THE FOLLOWING IN ALL "REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS" IT ISSUES:

 

•           THAT THERE BE TARGETED OUTREACH SO RESIDENTS OF CONEY ISLAND BENEFIT FROM NOT LESS THAN 50 PERCENT OF JOBS RESULTING FROM THE CONEY ISLAND PLAN

•           THAT UNION LABOR BE USED WHERE APPROPRIATE, AND ALL CONTRACTORS AND EMPLOYERS PAY PREVAILING OR AREA-WIDE WAGES FOR EVERY TRADE AND POSITION

•           THAT TO THE GREATEST EXTENT POSSIBLE, CONTRACTS AND SUPPLIERS BE MINORITY AND WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESS ENTERPRISES (MWBE) AND BROOKLYN BUSINESS ENTERPRISES

•           THAT EMPLOYERS HAVE A TRACK RECORD OF SUCCESSFULLY PERFORMING SERVICES, PAYING LIVABLE WAGES AND COMPLYING WITH ALL LAWS -- HEALTH AND SAFETY, WAGE AND HOUR, ENVIRONMENTAL AND ANTI-DISCRIMINATION LAW

•           THAT ALL BUILDING SERVICE WORKERS BE PAID PREVAILING WAGE AND SUPPLEMENT RATES

•           THAT LIVABLE WAGES BE PAID FOR NON-UNION ELIGIBLE JOBS

•           AND THAT DEVELOPERS BE ENCOURAGED TO PROVIDE SPACE FOR SMALL LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS AND BUSINESSES

           

BOTTOM LINE, IF YOU LIVE IN CONEY, YOU SHOULD BENEFIT FROM ITS REBIRTH.

 

AND SINCE CONEY RESIDENTS WILL PLAY HOST TO THE WORLD, I HAVE ASKED THAT WE SHOW APPRECIATION TO CONEY FAMILIES BY PROVIDING LOCAL RESIDENT DISCOUNTS FOR AMUSEMENTS TO RESIDENTS OF ZIP CODE 11224. THESE WOULD BE MODELED ON DISCOUNTS PROVIDED TO RESIDENTS OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, WHO VISIT KING'S DOMINION AND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIANS WHO GET DISCOUNTS FOR DISNEYLAND, LEGOLAND, AND OTHER ATTRACTIONS.

 

MY RECOMMENDATIONS ALSO SUGGESTED WE SHOW APPRECIATION FOR BUSINESSES LOYAL TO CONEY--NOTABLY, DENO'S WONDER WHEEL AND GARGIULO'S RESTAURANT--BY WORKING WITH THEM ON SPECIFIC ZONING REQUESTS.

 

ANYONE WHO KNOWS ME KNOWS THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART. THAT IS WHY I RECOMMENDED THAT THE CITY INCREASE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE CONEY WEST OR CONEY NORTH DISTRICTS FROM 20 PERCENT TO 35 PERCENT OF TOTAL UNITS THROUGH THE DISPOSITION OF CITY PROPERTIES.

                       

CONEY ISLAND IS INDEED A NEIGHBORHOOD WITH MANY NEEDS, AND I BELIEVE THE CITY SHOULD ADVANCE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION TO BRING A DESPERATELY-NEEDED GYMNASIUM TO PS 188 FOR USE BY RESIDENTS ON CONEY'S WESTERN END.                   

 

I ASKED THAT THE ABE STARK ICE RINK OPERATE UNTIL A REPLACEMENT IS CONSTRUCTED AT AN ALTERNATIVE LOCATION. AND I RECOMMENDED TO COMBAT A LACK OF SUPERMARKETS, THE CITY REQUIRE IN FUTURE RFPS THAT THE DEVELOPER OF ONE OF THE CITY-OWNED PROPERTIES IN CONEY WEST OR CONEY NORTH PROVIDE A QUALITY SUPERMARKET FOR RESIDENTS.

 

IN CONCLUSION, CONEY ISLAND MUST RETAIN THAT SPECIAL AMBIANCE AND "CLASS" (IT CAN CHARM YOUR SOCKS OFF OR BE "IN YOUR FACE").

 

SO I ALSO ASKED THAT THE CITY LOOK INTO THE FEASIBILITY OF BRINGING BROOKLYN'S EIFFEL TOWER--THE LANDMARKED PARACHUTE JUMP--BACK TO LIFE AS A THRILL RIDE. WHAT BETTER SYMBOL OF REBIRTH COULD THERE BE THAN TO HAVE THIS ICON UPDATED WITH THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY?

 

IN CONEY, IT'S ALL POSSIBLE.

 

AS WE KNOW, CONEY ISLAND'S 19TH AND 20TH CENTURY HEYDAYS INSPIRED EVERY SINGLE GREAT AMUSEMENT PARK THAT CAME AFTER IT, AND IT MUST LIVE ON AS A PLACE WHERE FAMILIES OF EVERY MEANS CAN COME TO PLAY--AND TO DREAM.

 

WE OWE IT TO THESE FAMILIES TO WORK TOGETHER NOW TO GET THE JOB DONE--TO MAKE CONEY ISLAND ONCE AGAIN THE "AMUSEMENT EPICENTER" OF AMERICA--FOR THE REST OF THIS CENTURY AND BEYOND

# # #

Photo credit: Yadira Hiciano

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 12:30 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

BROOKLYN BP MARKOWITZ APPOINTS CHIEF OF STAFF, LONGTIME EDUCATION ADVOCATE CARLO A. SCISSURA TO BOARD OF EDUCATION

Scissura brings relevant Community School Board, Community Education Council, parental and student advocacy, and Community Board experience to role

 

On Tuesday, June 30, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz announced the appointment of his chief of staff, Carlo A. Scissura, as the Brooklyn representative to the Board of Education.

 

Scissura, 38, is a lifelong Brooklyn resident, born and raised in Bensonhurst and currently living in Dyker Heights. In 1999, Scissura was elected to Community School Board 20, becoming the Board's vice president, and five years later was appointed by Borough President Markowitz to serve on the Community Education Council for District 20, where he served as president and led the district in making the transition to mayoral control. He was also a long time member of Community Board 11.

 

"The last thing I wanted to see was the sunset of mayoral control, which I believe has been the best form of school governance for the students, families, schools and teachers of this city," said Borough President Markowitz. "But the reality is that the education of our children can't hang in the balance as Albany tries to get its act together, and the responsibility of making an appointment to the Board of Education is one I take very seriously. I am proud to name Carlo Scissura to the Board, and I am certain his years of experience both in and out of the classroom--especially his respected ability to work closely with parents--will give him unique insight in representing our city's more than one million public school students, their families and teachers."

 

"I have spent the last decade of my life fighting hard for our students and their right to a quality education," said Scissura, "and I look forward to working with my fellow Board members in ensuring stability and continuity for our public school system. As someone who served as the first president of Community Educational Council 20, I understand the importance of parental involvement and fiscal responsibility. This is a time where every dollar needs to be put back into our schools, and because of that, I will not accept any stipend afforded members of the Board of Education. Let's remember, this is about children, and our kids come first."

 

Prior to joining Brooklyn Borough Hall as counsel and later being appointed chief of staff, Scissura was an attorney in full-time private practice, and worked in both the New York State Assembly and Senate. He served as an adjunct professor at Baruch College for four years, and is currently a member of the board of trustees of the Brooklyn Public Library. In addition, Scissura is the second vice president of the Federation of Italian-American Organizations.

 

Scissura is a graduate of Pace University, with a Bachelor of Arts, with honors, in Political Science, as well as a Juris Doctor. He attended Our Lady of Guadalupe School and Xaverian High School. 

 

Scissura will also continue to serve full-time as chief of staff to the Brooklyn Borough President.

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 9:00 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

Got this e-mail from the de Blasio campaign:

We hope you'll join us for a summer evening of celebration in support of Bill's campaign for Public Advocate on Wednesday, July 8th!

Bill is running for Public Advocate to provide a strong, independent voice in City government and to fight for our neighborhoods and families. Whether this event will be your first time meeting Bill or your 100th, join us to get to know Bill, learn more about the office of Public Advocate, and discover how our growing grassroots coalition is spreading across New York City!

We'll be gathering at Union Bar (204 Park Avenue South, Manhattan) from 7:30-9:30PM for cocktails, conversation, and good summertime fun. Appetizers will be provided, and there will be some great happy hour drink specials!

Suggested contribution for the event is $50. To RSVP, join our host committee, or receive more information, please contact Gwen Rocco at (347) 710-9980 or gwen.rocco@gmail.com.

We hope to see you there!

Friends of Bill de Blasio

P.S. If you're unable to make it out on the 8th, please visit our website to see the full list of upcoming events through our July 11th finance filing deadline.

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 5:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

Manny Braxton - Mike Carr - Ellsworth Mitchell
Invite You To A Fundraiser For

 
DEBI ROSE

July 5th, 2009 from 2-5pm
The Studio Club (formerly The Elks Club)
18 Linden Ave. Staten Island, N.Y.
(Mariners Harbor)
Suggested Donation Per Person: $50, $75 or $100
(checks preferred, please give what you can)
Every donation received is matched 6 to 1 by NYC Campaign Finance.

www.votedebirose2009.com
Vote Debi Rose for City Council.
Authorized and paid for by Friends of Debi Rose, Larry Beslow, treasurer.
Events | Volunteer | Facebook A Friend | Endorsements | Issues

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 4:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

We received this e-mail from the New York State Democratic Senate Campaign Committee:

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 3:45 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (2)

Dear Lucas,  

Democrats didn't only win back the White House and elect more than 30 new members to Congress in 2008 - we truly changed the direction in which our country is headed. I know you were a huge part of that movement and I can't thank you enough. Although we've made great strides, our work is far from over. It's crucial that Democrats strengthen our majorities in Congress.

That's why, at EMILY's List, we're dedicated to building a progressive America by finding outstanding pro-choice Democratic women running for office and giving them the support they need to win. We've helped hundreds of women across the country through our national network of savvy and committed supporters who want to elect more pro-choice Democratic women - and I wanted you to know about one of our candidates, Robin Carnahan, who is running for Senate in Missouri.

Robin Carnahan is exactly the kind of leader we need in Washington. But she will need vast resources to overcome her entrenched GOP opponent. In a true swing state like Missouri, every effort will be critical to getting this seat back in Democratic hands.

The June 30th fundraising filings are one of the first measures of our candidates' strength. Robin is counting on your support to put her over the top, and show the pundits, the operatives, and the press that she has what it takes to win.

Click here to help Robin Carnahan meet her fundraising goal by midnight tonight. Your contribution will go immediately and directly to Robin's campaign.

The right wing is coalescing around the GOP frontrunner, former minority whip Rep. Roy Blunt, a stalwart of the Bush era and one of Tom DeLay's inner circle when Republicans controlled Congress. He's received endorsements from leaders on the far right, including former Bush Attorney General and confidante John Ashcroft. And just last week, Blunt was endorsed by Phyllis Schlafly's Eagle Forum, which lauded him for "being 100 percent pro-life."

Polls show a close race - and Robin must keep up with the Republicans' fundraising efforts on Blunt's behalf. Newt Gingrich recently helped raise more than $14 million for Republican Senate and House efforts, and you can bet they'll invest heavily in this race.

Robin is a superb candidate for this seat, so the Republicans will have their work cut out for them. When Robin was re-elected Secretary of State last year, she won more votes than any other candidate in the state's history. Raised in Missouri, Robin understands the issues facing the state during these challenging times. But Robin needs your help today so she doesn't fall behind on meeting her fundraising goal by midnight tonight.

Click here to make a direct and immediate contribution to Robin Carnahan.

The Republicans have signaled that they understand full well how important it is for them gain ground next year. That's why your early support for Robin is so important - it shows that she has what it takes to win.

Thank you so much for all you're doing to put America back on track.

Warmest regards,

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 3:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

These poll numbers were released earlier today by Rasmussen Reports -- "an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information."

42% Say Climate Change Bill Will Hurt The Economy

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Americans have mixed feelings about the historic climate change bill that passed the House on Friday, but 42% say it will hurt the U.S. economy.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that just 19% believe the climate change bill passed by the House on Friday will help the economy. Fifteen percent (15%) say it will have no impact, and 24% are not sure.

A majority of both Republicans (56%) and adults not affiliated with either major political party (52%) think the bill will hurt the economy. Among Democrats, however, 30% say it will help the economy, 23% that it will hurt and 21% say it will have no impact.

Forty-seven percent (47%) of investors say the bill is bad for the economy, compared to 37% of non-investors.

The divide on the question between populist or Mainstream America and the Political Class is a wide one. Fifty percent (50%) of Mainstream Americans say the climate control measure will hurt the economy, but two-thirds of the Political Class (67%) say it will help.

As for the bill itself, 37% of all Americans at least somewhat favor it, while 41% are at least somewhat opposed to it. Twenty-two percent (22%) are not sure what to make of it.

But there's more intensity on the "no" side: Only 12% strongly favor the measure, but more than twice as many (25%) strongly oppose it.

Under strong pressure from the Democratic congressional leadership, the House on Friday passed a bill aimed at reducing heat-trapping gases that some scientists say cause global warming. The bill, which includes a so-called "cap and trade" plan, is expected to drive up the cost of traditional sources of energy, thus forcing utilities to find alternative energy sources. The bill, according to the New York Times, "could lead to profound changes in many sectors of the economy, including electric power generation, agriculture, manufacturing and construction."

The bill passed by a 219 to 212 vote, with 44 Democrats against it, and is expected to face tougher going in the Senate, despite Democratic control of that chamber as well. The measure has little Republican support because of questions about the science behind it and the potential cost.

Sixty percent (60%) of Democrats at least somewhat support the bill, compared to 18% of Republicans and 24% of unaffiliated adults. While 20% of Democrats strongly favor the bill, 37% of Republicans and 38% of unaffiliateds strongly oppose it.

Nearly half the Political Class (48%) strongly favors the climate control measure versus 33% of Mainstream America who strongly oppose it.

Most Americans (52%) say they have been following news reports about the bill at least somewhat closely, with 22% who are following very closely. Eleven percent (11%) are not following at all.

In May, just 24% of voters could correctly identify the "cap-and-trade" plan as something that deals with environmental issues.

Forty percent (40%) of U.S. voters say global warming is a very serious problem, but voters are closely divided over whether it is caused by human activity or long-term planetary trends. In recent months, voters have been trending away from the idea that humans are to blame.

At least three-out-of-five voters have consistently said that developing new sources of energy is more important than reducing the amount of energy Americans now consume.

Voters rank development of new energy sources as third among the four top priorities President Obama listed in February, but, along with health care reform, it's the goal voters think he is most likely to achieve.

Forty-two percent (42%) of voters believe that major lifestyle changes are needed to save the environment, but 44% disagree.

# # #

To view the original report, please use this link: Try Heating This Up!

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 2:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

Got this update from the Bing campaign:

 

Please join us for

Assemblyman Jonathan L. Bing's

39 1/4 Birthday Reception

 with Special Guest NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn

 

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

6:00 p.m. -- 8:00 p.m.

Pop Burger

14 East 58th Street (between Fifth and Madison Avenues)

Tickets:

Cookie:             $100

Cupcake:          $250

Cake Slice:       $500

Whole Cake:    $1,000 

To view the invitation, click here.

To RSVP or for more information, please call (212) 628-BING (2464) or e-mail Campaign@JonathanBing.com.

Tickets may be purchased by Visa or MasterCard by clicking on "Contribute" at www.JonathanBing.com or by check payable to People for Bing, 132 East 43rd Street, #243, New York, NY 10017-4019.

We hope to see you there!

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 12:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

Got this e-mail from Richard Aborn's Campaign Manager.

In addition to asking for contributions, the candidate for Manhattan District Attorney is soliciting opinions on the text of a proprosed advertisement.

Here's what we got:

A little over a week ago, Richard wrote to you about the online ad campaign he wants to launch, and he asked for your help raising $20,000 by July 11 to pay for the ad. Thanks to you, we're almost halfway there!

Now let's hit our goal.

Contribute today and with your help, we'll make our July 11 deadline and launch the online ad. Please also help us write the ad script, by voting for your favorite option below.

Richard has been all over the borough recently, talking about his vision for a progressive and effective District Attorney's office that:

• Vigorously prosecutes violent crime
• Replaces the failed war on drugs and ensures that first-time, non-violent drug offenders have access to treatment instead of prison
• Stops crime before it starts with after-school and community programs that give kids the chance to build productive, constructive lives
• Tackles white-collar crime with one standard of justice - no matter the wealth or status of the accused
• Takes on the NRA to keep illegal guns off our streets - before they are used
• Makes domestic violence a priority by prosecuting batterers and making sure that victims and their families get the help they need, to ensure that we break the cycle of violence.

Now we need to get that message out online. Please contribute at www.abornforda.com/contribute. And please vote for your favorite online ad script by emailing vote@abornforda.com.

Option 1
Headline: Richard Aborn for DA: Progressive and Effective

Text: Manhattan needs a DA that will vigorously prosecute violent crime while using proven prevention techniques to stop non-violent crime. For more information, see www.abornforda.com.

Option 2
Headline: Richard Aborn for DA: Progressive and Effective

Text: There's something wrong when almost one out of three African American men spends time in the criminal justice system and four out of five youth who are arrested get re-arrested within a few years. Find out more about Richard Aborn's solutions at www.abornforda.com.

We're also still out on the streets petitioning most evenings and on the weekends. If you want to help, please sign up at www.abornforda.com/volunteer.

Thanks,
Mike Rabinowitz
Campaign Manager

PS: If you haven't seen Richard's excellent post about guns in church and the myth of the NRA on Huffington Post, check it out.

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 11:00 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (1)

Wednesday July 15th - Save the Date! 

Fundraiser for Yetta with Mary Max and Peter Max. 

Now more then ever we need your support in one of our final pushes for fundraising for our campaign.  Yetta has an incredible chance of winning this campaign and we need your help to make sure we have the resources to ensure she does. 

Please mark your calendars for her next fundraiser on July 15, 2009, from 6:30pm to 8:30pm at the Gallery of Peter Max  

The suggested contribution is $150. 

Click here to RSVP or to be on the Host Committee. 

We look forward to seeing you all there.

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 4:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

These poll numbers were released earlier today by Rasmussen Reports -- "an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information."

40% Say Obama Not Aggressive Enough in Supporting Iranian Reformers, 42% Say His Response Has Been Just Right

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Forty percent (40%) of U.S. voters now say President Obama has not been aggressive enough in supporting the reformers in Iran protesting the results of the presidential election. That's a five-point increase from a week ago.

But a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 42% say the president's response has been about right, a figure that has changed little since the protests escalated.

Just five percent (5%) now believe the president has been too aggressive and 13% are not sure.

Republicans have become more critical of the president, while the response of Democrats and voters not affiliated with either party are largely unchanged from the earlier survey. Sixty percent (60%) of GOP voters now say Obama has not been aggressive enough, while the identical percentage of Democrats (60%) say his response has been about right. Unaffiliated voters are closely divided over whether Obama's response has been about right or not aggressive enough.

Massive protests broke out in Iran after the government declared on June 13 that hardline incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had defeated his more moderate challenger, Mir Hussein Moussavi. Obama's response was limited at first to avoid the appearance of America trying to "meddle" in the Iranian election, but under pressure from Senator John McCain and others, the president in the past week has been openly critical of the Iranian government's crackdown on the protestors.

Forty-nine percent (49%) of U.S. voters believe there is no way of knowing who actually won the Iranian election and another 26% are not sure who won. However, just six percent (6%) believe Ahmadinejad won, while 26% think Moussavi really picked up the most votes.

Thirty-two percent (32%) think it is at least somewhat likely that Iran will become a free, democratic and peaceful nation over the next few years, although only seven percent (7%) say it is very likely. Forty-six percent (46%) say it's not very likely, and another 16% say it's not at all likely.

Republicans and unaffiliated voters are much less confident than Democrats that Iran will become free, democratic and peaceful in the next few years.

Just 20 percent (20%) of all voters say America's relationship with Iran will be better a year from now. Thirty-two percent (32%) say that relationship will be worse, and 35% expect it to be about the same as it is today. Thirteen percent (13%) are not sure. Democrats are far more confident than Republicans and unaffiliated voters that the relationship will get better in the next 12 months.

Eighty percent (80%) of voters nationwide say they have been following recent news reports and the Iranian election, with 42% who have been following very closely. Only six percent (6%) say they are not following news about the election in Iran at all.

Fifty-four percent (54%) of voters say it makes a significant difference in terms of U.S. national security which candidate is elected president of Iran.

However, voters now regard North Korea as a bigger threat to the United States than Iran.

Sixty-two percent (62%) of voters say Iran should be required to stop developing its nuclear weapons capabilities before a meeting is allowed between the Iranian president and the president of the United States.

After Obama's outreach speech to Muslims in Egypt earlier this month, 32% of voters say America's relationship with the Muslim world will get better in the next year, but 28% say will get worse.

Eighty-one percent (81%) agree with Israeli President Benjamin Netanhyahu that Palestinian leaders must recognize Israel's right to exist as part of a Middle Eastern peace agreement. Thirty-five percent (35%) say Obama is not supporting Israel enough.

# # #

To view the original report, please use this link: What Are You Made Of, Mr. President?

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 1:30 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

 

Dear Lucas,

Exciting news - Morgan Spurlock, filmmaker and star of the Oscar-nominated movie "Supersize Me," will be hosting my 4th Annual Summer Beach Party!

The party is on July 9th, from 5:00-8:00pm at Water Taxi Beach in Long Island City. We hope you'll join us for a relaxed evening of hot dogs, cold drinks, and conversation about New York City.

I'm running for Public Advocate because everyday New Yorkers need someone who will listen to them in City Hall, someone who understands what they're going through and knows how to get results.

All of my events are pay whatever you can, even $10, because it shouldn't take a lot of money to have your voice heard.

Click here to RSVP!

Please see the invitation below for more information and to RSVP. And for more information on my work or to get involved in the campaign, please call 718.706.5095, email teamgioia@ericgioia.com, or visit www.EricGioia.com.

Look forward to seeing you on July 9th.

Sincerely,


Eric Gioia

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 6:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

Akin Gump is having a fundraiser for James d'Auguste (Democrat for New York County Civil Court Judge) on Wednesday, July 1, 2009.

For additional information, please contact Alexander Tisch at 917-545-0705

Here's a copy of the event invite:

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 5:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

These poll numbers were released earlier today by Rasmussen Reports -- "an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information."

South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford cheated on his wife, lied to his family and staff, decided to get away from his children on Father's Day and disappeared from the country without making arrangements for the execution of his duties in an emergency.

So what do South Carolina voters think of their governor? A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of voters in the state finds that 55% say Sanford is about as ethical as most politicians. Another 18% say he's more ethical than his peers, and only 18% say his ethical standards are lower than those for most pols.

Those figures, taken from a survey Thursday night, are partly explained by the fact that 33% believe most members of Congress and governors have extramarital affairs, and another 42% are not sure. Only 25% say it's not true and believe that most political leaders honor their wedding vows.

National surveys have shown that Americans see used-car salesmen as more trustworthy than members of Congress.

Still, 46% of South Caorlina voters believe Sanford should resign from office, and only 39% disagree. Another 16% are not sure, perhaps waiting to see what else emerges from the story that seems odder than most political scandals.

Sixty-four percent (64%) of Democrats believe the Republican governor should resign. Half of Republicans (49%) and those not affiliated with either major party (53%) disagree.

If Sanford does not resign, 40% of South Carolina voters believe he should be impeached. On this point, 48% disagree.

Whatever else they are doing, South Carolina voters are paying attention to this news story: 68% are following it very closely and another 27% somewhat closely. Only five percent (5%) are tuning it out.

Over the years, one constant in politics has been the low expectations that voters have from politicians on the ethics front. During the scandals surrounding President Clinton in the 1990s, six-out-of-10 voters routinely said that his ethical standards were at least as good as those of most politicians. Last fall, after a jury found Alaska Senator Ted Stevens guilty of ethics violations, 67% said he was at least as ethical as his peers.

Lobbyist Jack Abramoff went to jail following a corruption scandal, but only 15% of Americans believe Abramoff did anything different than what lobbyists typically do.

Voters hold these views because they see the current political process itself as corrupt: 59% say that when members of Congress meet with regulators and other government officials, they do so to help their friends and hurt their political opponents. They believe that fear of congressional action drives most business leaders to contribute to campaigns. Most also believe that donors get more than their money's worth back for their political "investments."

But even though they consider it the norm, most Americans don't like it. In a ranking of 10 major issues facing the nation, government ethics and corruption routinely rank second in importance only to the economy. When asked which party they trust to handle the issue better, a majority of unaffiliated voters typically say neither party.

# # #

To view the original report, please use this link: Maria! 

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 1:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (1)

There will be a birthday fundraiser for Senator John L. Sampson on July 9, 2009, at 6 PM.

The suggested minimum contribution is $35.

The invite follows:

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 5:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

These poll numbers were released earlier today by Rasmussen Reports -- "an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information."

74% Trust Their Own Economic Judgment More Than Congress'

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Three-out-of-four Americans (74%) trust their own judgment more than that of the average member of Congress when it comes to economic issues facing the nation.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 13% trust the average Congress member's judgment more, while 12% are not sure who knows best.

It is perhaps not surprising that 77% of Republicans trust their own judgment more than that of the average member of the Democrat-controlled House and Senate, a view shared by 79% of adults not affiliated with either party. But nearly as many Democrats (69%) agree with them.

Perhaps this skepticism is explained by the new finding that 77% of Americans believe, generally speaking, that relatives and close friends of politicians get special treatment when seeking government favors and contracts. Just six percent (6%) don't think this is true, although 17% are not sure.

There is little partisan disagreement on this question. While 88% of Mainstream Americans say the relatives and close friends of politicians get special treatm ent, even a majority of the Political Class (54%) agrees.

By a two-to-one margin, voters believe that no matter how bad things are, Congress can always make them worse.

It's not just Congress that people are skeptical about on the economic front. Sixty percent (60%) of voters nationwide now trust their own economic judgment more than President Obama's.

But then 60% of all Americans say most politicians will break the rules to help people who give them large campaign contributions.

Earlier this year, voters accurately predicted that most members of Congress wouldn't know what was in the stimulus bill when they voted on it.

Forty-five percent (45%) of Americans now say the rest of the new government spending authorized in the stimulus plan - Congress' primary economic initiative so far this year - should now be canceled, but 36% disagree.

Seventy-six percent (76%) of Americans say it is at least somewhat likely that a large amount of money in the stimulus plan will be wasted due to inadequate government oversight.

The majority of voters even oppose the "Cash for Clunkers" bill just approved by Congress that offers owners of older cars up to $4,500 towards the purchase of new, more fuel-efficient models.

Only 23% of voters now say Congress is doing a good or excellent job, but still that represents the legislature's highest rating since May 2007. Seventy percent (70%) believe members of Congress are more interested in furthering their own political careers than helping people.

In mid-February, 67% of U.S. voters said they had more confidence in their own judgment than that of the average congressman.

# # #

To view the original report, please use this link: But Can You Trust This?

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 1:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

  Governor Paterson released this statement earlier today:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 25, 2009

 STATEMENT FROM GOVERNOR DAVID A. PATERSON

---

"I want to commend former Mayor Rudy Giuliani for the ideas he raised with respect to a State constitutional convention. Albany is in need of reform, and leaders should be working in a bipartisan way to achieve real progress for the people of New York.

"Some of the reforms Mayor Giuliani has raised are issues I also believe should be addressed. We need to reform the budget process by enacting a State spending cap so that government will live within its means just like regular New Yorkers. We need campaign finance reform and a government ethics commission that will restore the faith of the public in government. We need to take politics out of the debate over judicial salaries and I have submitted a program bill to do just that.

"One caution I would raise in moving towards a constitutional convention is based on experience from 1997 - the last time New Yorkers voted on a constitutionally-mandated ballot proposition on the subject. The same special interests that have come to dominate establishment Albany will once again attempt to influence the movement to a constitutional convention - just as they did in 1997. They will spend millions of dollars to affect the process and they will seek to elect delegates to a convention that comes from the same broken system.

"We need to bring real reform to Albany before we can move forward with a constitutional convention. This is the only way to ensure that the process will not be dominated by the same special interests that have caused the dysfunction and gridlock we are seeking to change. I look forward to working with Mayor Giuliani and others in a bipartisan way to bring real reform to the political system."

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 12:30 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (1)

 

THOMPSON: CITY HALL'S HOMELESS RENT PLAN SHOULD NOT CONTINUE

New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. submitted  testimony today to the City Council's General Welfare Committee regarding the Department of Homeless Services' Family Income Contribution Requirement and Client Conduct and Responsibility Procedure, which was designed to charge homeless New Yorkers rent to stay in City shelters. Thompson strongly supported City Council Resolution No. 2002, which calls on the New York State Legislature to pass legislation such as S.5605 and A.8353-A, and amend the social services law in relation to financial contributions by recipients of temporary housing assistance.

 

"This legislation, if enacted, would effectively put an end to the Mayor's unconscionable plan to charge homeless people rent to stay in New York City shelters," Thompson said.

  

Instead of charging homeless New Yorkers rent to live in shelters Thompson advocated for the City to institute a savings account program for those they are seeking to charge rent. These accounts could be used by homeless families towards permanent housing.

 

"I am extremely disappointed that the Mayor's answer to our budget woes seems increasingly to fall on our City's most vulnerable residents--the people who are suffering the most in this economy," Thompson said. "We must look for solutions that benefit these families, get them out of public shelters, and on the road to recovery."

 

In recent weeks, Thompson has held rallies to protest the proposal and has written to Mayor Bloomberg expressing his outrage at the insensitive and ill-conceived plan.

 

To view the Comptroller's previous statements on the issue visit www.comptroller.nyc.gov

 

Thompson's testimony is below:

 

 

OFFICE OF THE NEW YORK CITY COMPTROLLER

 

TESTIMONY BY

WILLIAM C. THOMPSON, Jr.

NEW YORK CITY COMPTROLLER

 

Before the New York City Council's

General Welfare Committee

 

Hearing Room

250 Broadway, 14th Floor

New York, NY

 

June 24, 2009

1 PM

 

Speaker Quinn, Chairman de Blasio, committee members and public observers, good afternoon. I would like to thank you for holding this hearing and allowing me to discuss the Department of Homeless Services' Family Income Contribution Requirement and Client Conduct and Responsibility Procedure.

 

I am here today to strongly support New York City Council Resolution No. 2002 calling on the New York State Legislature to pass legislation such as S.5605 and A.8353-A, which would amend the social services law in relation to financial contributions by recipients of temporary housing assistance.

 

As I'm sure you all know, this legislation, if enacted, would effectively put an end to the Mayor's unconscionable plan to charge homeless people rent to stay in New York City shelters.

 

I am one of many New Yorkers who is deeply troubled by this plan, which comes, incomprehensibly, during the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. If ever there was a time to support our city's homeless families--a population that is sadly at record levels today in New York City--it is now. Instead, the Mayor has chosen this moment to enforce a law that has been compassionately unenforced since the mid-1990s.

 

Make no mistake: People living in our shelters want desperately to move into a real home. They often earn less than 10 dollars an hour, close to minimum wage. What little money they have is spent on food, clothing, and basic necessities for their families.

 

If our State does not pass legislation to countermand this law, many homeless New Yorkers will be forced to hand over to the City almost half their income, making it impossible for them to save money for long-term housing and creating a dependence on City shelters for months or years to come.

 

Enforcing this law would also create a troubling relationship between homeless families and shelter service providers, whose job duties would essentially shift from service providers to landlords overnight.

 

As many of you may know, under the Mayor's plan, if the organizations that manage these shelters do not collect the rent due, the City will not make up the difference. In some instances, this may create a perverse incentive, leading to a situation where families are harassed or worse. In other instances, the dedicated and compassionate service providers who are committed to helping the homeless will have the harrowing responsibility of turning fathers, mothers, and children out onto the streets of New York.

 

Indeed, it has already been reported that the City was forced to temporarily stop charging homeless families rent after only three weeks because the implementation of this policy resulted in large rent overcharges and unwarranted eviction threats. Incredibly, it is my understanding that--despite these problems--the City is now considering allowing evictions from the shelter system for a minimum of thirty days for families that have been sanctioned under the Public Assistance program for minor violations such as a missed appointment.

 

Of course, as New York City Comptroller, I know better than anyone that our city today is facing tough financial choices. But let me be clear: Charging rent to homeless people is not the solution. Instead, we must work to find solutions that will work and will not compromise the values and compassion of New York City.

 

For example, instead of charging homeless families rent money they will never see again, why don't we open savings accounts for these New Yorkers? Any money the City would charge for rent could instead be put into these savings accounts, which the families could only use toward permanent housing.

 

In the end, I am extremely disappointed that the Mayor's answer to our budget woes seems increasingly to fall on our city's most vulnerable residents--the people who are suffering the most in this economy.

 

In this case, we must look for solutions that benefit these families, get them out of public shelters, and on the road to recovery.

 

That is why I strongly support this resolution to stop the Mayor's impractical and heartless plan--a plan that, if enacted, would be an embarrassment and a shame to our great City.

 

Thank you.

 

# # #

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 6:30 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 6:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

Thomas J. LaBarbera sent us this invite to a fundraiser for City Council Speaker Christine Quinn.

Should you care to support the Speaker, here are the details:

 

Please join us this Thursday, June 25 at 6:30pm to support Chris's re-election and celebrate 40 years of Pride! The event will be at The Gates on 290 8th Avenue between West 24th and West 25th Streets. Join us for great music, free drinks, friends and fellow supporters of Chris! Bring your friends!

 

Please RSVP to quinn2009@gmail.com or 212-929-8473. 

 

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 5:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

CAMPAIGN UPDATES

 

Tonight, Wednesday, June 24 in Queens

 

Council District 23

 

Stonewall Past President Dirk McCall is asking people to join an LGBT Petitioning Night for Council candidate Mark Weprin.  Transportation is available from Manhattan.  For information, please contact Dirk at dirk@markweprin.com  or 718-468-4860.

 

Council District 25

 

Candidate Danny Dromm is hosting a Petitioning Pizza Party from campaign HQ at 77-15 37th Avenue in Jackson Heights.  Contact melody@danieldromm.com or 718-205-1385.

 

Council District 1:  Alan Gerson

 

Gerson campaign needs help with petitioning.  Contact Dave Hartshorn at 347-203-1298.

 

Council District 2:  Rosie Mendez

 

Mendez campaign requests help with petitioning.  The office is at 334 East 8th Street (between Ave B & C).  Call Donna at 212-777-2131 for information.

 

Council District 4:  Dan Garodnick

 

Petitioning help is needed.  Contact Matt Rising at garodnick2009@gmail.com or 646-595-7393.

 

Council District 6:  Gale Brewer

 

Councilwoman Brewer sent the following message.

Stonewall gave me one of my first endorsements in 2001, and I will always be
grateful. Congratulations on your tremendous increase in membership since
that time, and thank you for your support in 2009. I look forward to working
with you to support the important issues, from marriage equality to human
rights and many others. I also believe in funding programs that support the
GLBT community, such as SAGE, the Center, and PFLAG, and many more. Again,
thank you for support, friendship and fun. Happy Pride Day! -Gale A. Brewer,
City Council

 

Council District 29:  Lynn Schulman

 

Schulman campaign needs help with petitioning in Queens next week.  Contact Jessica Way at 917-689-1862 or www.schulman2009.com.

 

STONEWALL

 

Sunday June 28, 11:30 A.M.           

Stonewall's contingent in the June 28 Pride Parade down Fifth Avenue will be joined by our Mayoral candidate Bill Thompson, Public Advocate Candidate Bill DeBlasio, Comptroller candidate John Liu, District Attorney candidate Leslie Crocker Snyder, and others.  We gather at 11:30 A.M. on 56th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues [Section 4, #32].  Please join us!

 

Wednesday, July 22, 8:00 P.M.

Stonewall General Meeting is at LGBT Center, 208 West 13th Street

 

Stonewall Democratic Club Endorsements:  September 2009 Election

 

Mayor                          Bill Thompson

Public Advocate          Bill DeBlasio

Comptroller                 John Liu

 

District Attorney

 

            Brooklyn           Charles Hynes

            Manhattan         Leslie Crocker Snyder

 

Borough Presidents

 

            Brooklyn           Marty Markowitz

            Manhattan         Scott Stringer

            Queens             Helen Marshall

 

City Council

 

            CD 1                 Alan Gerson

            CD 2                 Rosie Mendez

            CD 3                 Christine Quinn

            CD 4                 Dan Garodnick

            CD 5                 Jessica Lappin

            CD 6                 Gale Brewer

            CD 7                 Robert Jackson

            CD 8                 Melissa Mark-Viverito

            CD 9                 Inez Dickens

            CD 10               Miguel Martinez

            CD 11               Oliver Koppell

            CD 13               James Vacca

            CD 17               Maria Del Carmen Arroyo

            CD 18               Annabel Palma

            CD 19               Paul Vallone

            CD 20               John Choe

            CD 23               Mark Weprin

            CD 24               James Gennaro

            CD 25               Danny Dromm

            CD 26               Jimmy Van Bramer

            CD 27               Leroy Comrie

            CD 29               Lynn Schulman

            CD 32               Frank Gulluscio

            CD 33               Ken Diamondstone

            CD 35               Tish James

            CD 38               Sara Gonzalez

            CD 39               Bob Zuckerman

            CD 46               Lew Fidler

            CD 49               Debi Rose

 

 

Stonewall Democratic Club is New York City's largest LGBT Democratic Club and a Citywide Voice for LGBT Democrats.  Stonewall meets at 8:00 P.M. on the 4th Wednesday of every month (except in June, August, and December).

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 4:30 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

 

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 4:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

Got this from the Thompson campaign:

Wednesday kicks off a summer full of Late Nights with Bill. Even though it hasn't felt like summer yet, it's time to kick back, relax and enjoy a cold drink with Bill Thompson.

There are quite a few Late Nights already scheduled and many more to come. Bill will be visiting all five boroughs to hear from New Yorkers about their vision for our City.

Come join us on Wednesday for the first two Late Nights -- one in Manhattan and one in Brooklyn. Tickets are just $25 -- but contributions from NYC residents go a long way once they're matched six to one by the Campaign Finance Board. Bring a few friends and be a part of the campaign to elect a mayor who will fight for every New Yorker in all five boroughs.

RSVP at http://www.thompson2009.com/latenights.

Sincerely,

Eduardo Castell
Campaign Manager
Thompson for Mayor

PS Here's a full roster of upcoming Late Nights with Bill...more to come

Wednesday, June 24th
Bowery Wine Company
12 East 1st St., Manhattan
7:00 - 9:00 PM

Aji Bar and Lounge
297 9th St., Brooklyn
8:30 - 10:00 PM

Thursday, June 25th
Rustik Tavern
471 DeKalb Ave., Brooklyn
7:00 - 9:00 PM

Wednesday, July 1st
Tavern on Nostrand
813 Nostrand Ave., Brooklyn
7:00 - 9:00 PM

Tuesday, July 7th
Sofa Lounge
281 Cedar Ave., Bronx
6:00 - 9:00 PM

Wednesday, July 8th
Late Nights with Bill comes to Queens...

Wednesday, July 15th
Late Nights with Bill comes back to Manhattan...

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 2:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

These poll numbers were released earlier today by Rasmussen Reports -- "an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information."

76% Say Government Likely To Waste Stimulus Money

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Seventy-six percent (76%) of Americans say it is at least somewhat likely that a large amount of money in the $787-billion economic stimulus plan will be wasted due to inadequate government oversight.

Nearly half (46%) say it is very likely, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

Only 18% say it is not likely that taxpayer money will be wasted.

Sixty-five percent (65%) of Republicans say it is very likely stimulus money will be wasted, a view shared by just 32% of Democrats and the plurality of adults (44%) not affiliated with either party.

Fifty-nine percent (59%) of all Americans are not confident that taxpayer money will be wisely and carefully spent despite President Obama's pledge of unprecedented oversight of all government spending.

Just 36% of Americans are at least somewhat confident that taxpayer money will be wisely and carefully spent, but that's down 10 points from February just after the president made his pledge, putting Vice President Joseph Biden in charge of oversight.

Americans are slightly more confident, however, that the government will do a better job four years from now than it is today. Forty-four percent (44%) are at least somewhat confident that the government will be spending more wisely and carefully by then, including 16% who are very confident.

Still, a majority of adults (51%) disagree, with 27% not very confident the government will be spending more wisely and carefully in four years and 24% not at all confident.

Obama in a press conference on Tuesday acknowledged that the U.S. economy remains sluggish and reiterated his intention to speed up stimulus spending. While most voters still blame the Bush administration for the nation's economic problems, a growing number are now inclined to blame the new president.

Forty-five percent (45%) of Americans believe the rest of the new government spending authorized in the stimulus plan should be canceled right away, but 36% disagree.

As is often the case, the gap between the Political Class and Mainstream America is wider than the one between Democrats and Republicans. Seventy-five percent (75%) of the Political Class is at least somewhat confident that the government will spend wisely and carefullyOnly 22% of Mainstream Americans share that optimism.

Most voters (53%) believe increases in government spending hurt the economy. Thirty-nine percent (39%) now expect their personal taxes to rise under the Obama administration, up eight points since the inauguration and the highest level of concern measured to date.

Nearly half of voters (49%) have a favorable opinion of Biden, while 47% view him unfavorably. These numbers have been largely the same since he and Obama took office in January.

# # #

To view the original report, please use this link: Try Stimulating This!

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 1:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (2)

See you at the Loft!

To start the 2010 campaign with something fun for Southern Arizona in the summer, I hope you can join me June 27th at the Loft Cinema to see a special film, The Legend of Pancho Barnes.

The film, about a famous female aviator and first female stunt pilot, was made by one of our very own talented artists Nick Spark, from Southern Arizona. Doors open at 10:00 am and the show begins promptly at 11 am. To purchase your tickets, click here.

Enjoy this great film, munch on popcorn, have a chance to see friends, and take the opportunity to talk with the director and me. 

After the movie, rumor has it that there will be birthday cake and ice cream for all!

If you cannot come, please consider making a donation to the 2010 campaign -- the end of the quarter is June 30th and we need to show our Cactus Roots Strength!

Thank you again for your strong support!

Sincerely yours,

Gabrielle Giffords

P.S.  Tickets may be purchased online by clicking on the above links or reserved by sending an email to rsvp@GiffordsforCongress.com by clicking on the email address.  If you are reserving tickets, please tell us in the email how many and the names of the attendees.  Pre-paid tickets may be picked up inside the Loft, 3233 E Speedway, at 10 a.m. Saturday.  Reserved tickets may be paid for and picked up outside starting at the same time.

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 11:00 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

We received this e-mail from Congressman Massa's campaign office:

Hello,

We have been saying for months now that our race for re-election will be one of the top targeted races across the country by the GOP, and today Guy Harrison, the Executive Director of the NRCC confirmed this fact.  In a recent interview posted on the website www.fivethirtyeight.com, Guy was interviewed about the upcoming 2010 races and he confirmed that our race will be a top target for the GOP this year and that they are actively recruiting Mayor Tom Reid of  Corning to run against me.

"Q: If you are at liberty to discuss specific races the NRCC has at or near the top of the target list, can you identify some of these?

A: Well clearly most freshmen Democrats will be on the target list like Frank Kratovil (MD-01), Suzanne Kosmas (FL-24), Walt Minnick (ID-01), Alan Grayson (FL-08), Bobby Bright (AL-02), Parker Griffith (AL-05), Eric Massa (NY-29), Jim Himes (CT-04), and many others but there will also targets who got elected either in 2006 or prior like Carol Shea-Porter (NH-01), Charlie Melancon (LA-03), Steve Kagen (WI-08), and others."

"Q: There's been a lot of talk of Republican troubles in the Northeast, particularly New England. In those six states plus New York you're down to three seats, perhaps two depending on what happens in McHugh's district. How does the GOP turn things around in what once was a generally competitive region for Republicans?

A: What were are really going to focus on in New England and really all over the country is going after candidates who fit each district and candidates who can really win each district. Some of those prospects include Tom Reid, the Mayor of Corning, NY to run in NY-29 and John McKinney, the Connecticut State Senate Minority Leader in CT-04 and of course Frank Guinta, the Mayor of Manchester, NH, who is running against Carol Shea-Porter in NH-01. We are going to focus on strong candidate recruitment so that we can make a comeback with great recruits who can win for the GOP."

You can read the full interview here (click here).

As long time supporters of my campaign, I wanted you to be the first to see this interview and know what we are up against.  We will have a serious race on our hands, but if you want a Congressman that will vote for children's health care and equal pay for women in the workplace, then I welcome your support.  If you want a Congressman that will demand an end to the war in Iraq and will fight for constituents back home, then please stay tuned to our re-election efforts as they develop.  We can win, but not without you.  

Also, in case you missed it, we recently received a bit of good press in the Buffalo News.  I would encourage you to read it, and help spread the word around to your friends.  Click here to read the editorial in the Buffalo News.

Thank you for all that you do.

Warmest Regards,
Eric

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 10:00 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

A reader forwarded this article on City Council candidate Pete Gleason:

TLD Interview: City Council Candidate Pete Gleason

  

Today we continue our series of interviews with the candidates running for the District 1 City Council seat currently held by Alan Gerson. The District includes the Lower East Side, Chinatown, Soho, Wall Street and Tribeca. Last week we heard from Margaret Chin, one of four challengers Gerson faces in September's primary election. Today it's Pete Gleason's turn.

Gleason is an attorney, as well as a former New York City police officer and firefighter. He ran against Gerson unsuccessfully in 2003. Recently, he won the endorsement of an influential political club, the Downtown Independent Democrats. Gleason has been an outspoken critic of the lack of progress redeveloping the World Trade Center site.

In these interviews, we want the candidates to be able to lay out their positions fully. For that reason, editing was kept to a minimum. We removed extraneous comments that were repetitious or not directly related to the question asked, and streamlined questions. For more information on the campaign, see below. The full interview with Pete Gleason can be found after the jump.

TLD Interview: Margaret Chin

Pete Gleason's web site

Gotham Gazette's profile of District 1

City Hall News primer on District 1 race

To view the original report, please use this link: Pete Gleason Lo-Down

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 2:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 1:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

Hello,

As many of you have been following in the news, my office recently introduced a new Bill, designed to protect the fair pricing of internet access.  This Bill came as a result of literally thousands of grassroots supporters, demanding action on the unfair billing scheme proposed by a local monopolistic internet access provider.   This scheme, if enacted, would have tripled internet bills for local individuals, small businesses, and educational institutions.  You can watch this YouTube video for more information (click here).  Today, when access to the internet and the free flow of information is so critical to our national economic structure and new business creation, this plan would have had very profound and negative consequences in my district and around the Country.  Knowing this, my office acted quickly to craft legislation that would prevent this billing increase and promote increased competition for internet access providers.  I believe our solution will protect local internet consumers, save jobs, and serve as a model for how Government should act to protect individuals from abuses at the hands of corporate monopolies.  To follow this Bill and the internet pricing story, please visit the website StopTheCap.com (click here).

When people complain that Government doesn't stand up for them, my reply is that it just did.  This Bill is an example of Congress listening to constituents, and crafting good legislation in response to their needs.  I am proud to represent you, and as long as I am in office, I will continue to listen to you and fight for you.  Now, regretfully, I have to ask you for your help.  The worst part of politics is the never-ending solicitation for campaign contributions, but in order to win re-election and continue fighting on your behalf I need to raise money.  If you want elected officials to stand up for you, as we did on this Bill, then you need to help us stay in office.  A $100, $50, or even $25 contribution goes a long way in keeping our campaign strong and ready to win.   You can click here to donate securely online (click here).  Thank you for your support, and please know that your help today is deeply appreciated.   

Warmest Regards,
Eric

Eric Massa
Commander US Navy (ret.)
Congressional Candidate, NY-29

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 11:00 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

Dear Lucas,

I'm running for Public Advocate because we need someone at City Hall who does more than talk - someone who listens, and works for real solutions to the problems that face everyday New Yorkers.

I want to have a conversation all over New York about making city government work for you. And I'd like to start by telling you a little bit about me, and why I care so much about our city.

Please take a moment to click on the video to hear my story.

New York is the greatest city in the world. Where else can you go from working in the back of the family flower shop and attending public schools in Woodside, Queens to a job in the White House - and then later to representing the neighborhood where you grew up in the City Council? It's the city where my wife, Lisa Hernandez Gioia, and I are proud to be raising our daughter Amelia.

But we need change. We need someone at City Hall who understands what real New Yorkers are going through. Someone who will stand up for the middle class, and all those who are working so hard to get there, and get results for them. That's what I've done in the City Council, and what I'll do as your Public Advocate. But I can't do it without your support.

You can contact me at ericgioia@ericgioia.com. I look forward to hearing from you about ways we can work together to improve our city.

Sincerely,


Eric Gioia

P.S. I also want to thank all of the people who have supported me in this race. This is a grassroots campaign. There have been over 5,500 contributions, and our most common amount is $10 - from regular, hard working people who want change. Please know that my family and I are deeply grateful for your support and trust. Please click here if you want to help too.

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 9:00 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

Conversation with the Leading Candidates for

NYC Comptroller

 

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

6:30pm to 8:30pm

 

 

Baruch College/CUNY

One Bernard Baruch Way
(55 Lexington Avenue at E. 24th Street)
3rd Floor, Room 3-150 
New York, New York 10010

 

 

Moderated by:

Carl McCall

Former New York State Comptroller

CUP, in conjunction with Baruch College/CUNY, will host a forum featuring the leading candidates for the Office of NYC Comptroller. The panel discussion will focus on the candidates' visions for the Office as a vehicle to empower communities of color and their plans to create new opportunities for minority and women-owned businesses. 

Space is very limited. $20 fee for Non-CUP Members. For more information or to RSVP,  please email Ashleigh at agibson@nycup.org.

The mission of the Council of Urban Professionals is to develop diverse business and civic leaders, empowering them to exert their influence, achieve their individual goals and create collective impact.

The Council of Urban Professionals
55 Exchange Place, Suite 501
New York, NY
www.nycup.org

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 5:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

Congressman Meeks is having a fundraiser on June 28, 2009, at 12:30 PM.

The suggested minimum contribution is $500.

A copy of the invite follows:

 

Tiffany  M.  Moore

&

VenPAC

cordially invite you to a small fundraising luncheon in honor of

 Congressman Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY) 

 
   Monday, June 29, 2009
 12:30 pM -  2:00 pM

AT

    

 Rockefeller Center
1270 Avenue of the Americas
25th Floor
New York, NY 10020 

Hosts
$2,000 PAC 
 
Supporters
$1,000 PAC
$500 PERSONAL 

Please RSVP to Tiffany M. Moore at 202-344-4561   
 or  tmmoore@venable.com

 Paid for by and authorized by Friends for Gregory Meeks.  Not printed at government expense.  Political contributions are not tax deductible for federal income purposes.  Federal law requires political committees to use their best efforts to obtain and report name, address, occupation, and employer for each individual whose contributions aggregate in excess of $200 a calendar year.

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 4:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (1)

Gov. Perdue Rallies to Protect the Classroom

In a series of rallies across North Carolina, Gov. Bev Perdue is calling on the General Assembly to protect public schools in the state budget.  Below are excerpts from her remarks:

"I applaud the General Assembly for their work to put a budget together. But - and that's a big word - in North Carolina we must act boldly to protect the classroom. ... We cannot and must not cripple education. Cutting education means cutting short our economic future. ... That's why I call on the General Assembly to make smart, tough cuts in the budget and to raise the revenue necessary to protect North Carolina's classrooms. ... We will cut deep. We will do more with less. But as state leaders we cannot increase class size, we cannot lay off teachers and we cannot sacrifice our economic future."

Rallies were held in Raleigh and Greensboro on Wednesday, Charlotte and Asheville on Thursday, and additional rallies will be held in Greenville and Wilmington on Monday.

Pew Report Shows NC a Leader in Green Economy

A new report by the Pew Center on the States indicates that North Carolina is poised to capitalize on Gov. Bev Perdue's green energy plan, including her proposals to make green energy jobs a cornerstone of North Carolina's economy.

The report, "The Clean Energy Economy: Repowering jobs, businesses and investments across America," (PDF) released Wednesday, lists North Carolina as among the top dozen states in growing "clean energy economy jobs."  It also finds that North Carolina saw growth in the number of clean energy economy jobs, with such jobs exceeding the national average.  The report tracked clean energy economy job growth from 1998 through 2007, during which time the state saw clean energy economy jobs grow by 15.3 percent, while the overall job growth rate in the state was 6.4 percent.

In 2007, more than 1,700 clean energy businesses in North Carolina accounted for 17,000 jobs.  From 2006 through 2008, more than $82.5 million in venture capital was invested in North Carolina clean energy economy jobs.

"I've said before, and I will say again: Green is gold for North Carolina," Perdue said.  "To get green right, we must build on our strengths that attract green companies - a well-trained, educated workforce; existing relationships between businesses and research institutions; and a strong link between energy policy and economic development."

Gov. Perdue's green energy plan includes the use of $18 million in federal recovery funds to create an Energy Investment Revolving Loan Fund. The fund will provide low- and no-interest loans, up to $1 million, to finance energy-saving projects at businesses, schools, nonprofits, state agencies and local governments.

She also proposes another $10 million to expand the state's Green Business Fund to provide support to new, emerging and expanding green economy businesses.

Additionally, Gov. Perdue's plan relocates the State Energy Office and state weatherization program to the Department of Commerce and reinvigorates the Energy Policy Council.

Click here to read the details of Perdue's full energy plan.

Gov. Perdue Hosts Recovery Workshop in Charlotte

On Thursday, Gov. Perdue hosted a Economic Recovery Workshop at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte.  The workshop was a sixth in a series of workshops across the state to provide information and guidance to local municipalities, businesses and interested citizens on how the federal recovery funds will be administered.

"North Carolina is set to receive more than $8 billion in federal recovery money, and I intend for our state to not only be prepared to use this money to put our people back to work, but also to spend the money with the utmost accountability and transparency," Gov. Perdue said.

Dempsey Benton, Director of the NC Office of Economic Recovery and Investment (OERI) led the two-hour workshop.  Previous workshops were held in Winston-Salem, Clyde, Kinston, Raleigh and Wilmington. For more information visit www.NCRecovery.gov.

Gov. Perdue Signs Bill Providing Zero-Interest Bonds for School Construction, Renovation and Repair

Gov. Bev Perdue this week signed Senate Bill 754, enabling North Carolina schools to use interest-free bonds for school construction, repair and renovation as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

"Our children need a welcoming and encouraging learning environment, one that makes them excited to come to school every day," Perdue said. "These bonds create a win-win situation - new jobs and better classrooms."

The bill enables local education agencies to administer $275,772,000 in bonding authority for new, qualified school construction bonds (QSCB) and gives $56,699,000 in bonding authority to continue qualified zone academy bonds (QZAB).

The federal government already identified five North Carolina counties with low-income school districts that will receive money through QSCB as a result of the bill: 

Mecklenburg County - $25,962,000
Forsyth County - $12,244,000
Guilford County - $17,147,000
Wake County - $17,304,000
Cumberland County - $15,948,000

The State Board of Education has administered QZAB since 1997. To apply for QZAB, individual schools must have 35 percent of their student population receiving free or reduced lunch.  This money can only be used for repair and renovation and requires school districts to partner with businesses that will match 10 percent of the bond's face-value through cash or in-kind contributions.

The QSCB is a new bond program created through the ARRA that provides money for repair, renovation and new construction.  There are no prerequisites for applying, and it does not require a business match.

State Home Foreclosure Prevention Project Prevents More Than 1,000 Foreclosures in NC

Gov. Perdue and the N.C. Office of the Commissioner of Banks (NCCOB) this week announced that the State Home Foreclosure Prevention Project has helped more than 1,000 North Carolina homeowners avoid foreclosure since the program's inception in November 2008.

"North Carolina is committed to helping our citizens avoid foreclosure," said Gov. Perdue.  "This program is critical to many families in our state as we continue to do all we can to help homeowners stay in their homes."

Working with major mortgage companies, non-profit service providers, and state agencies, NCCOB developed a program to notify homeowners nearing foreclosure proceedings early and to make it easier for homeowners to access the existing network of over 150 certified housing counselors across the state.  The NC Foreclosure Project also provides an opportunity for homeowners to have their subprime loans reviewed for potential violations of law by NCCOB-trained volunteers, who help NCCOB identify instances of suspected predatory lending and refer them to private or public enforcement.  A network of legal service providers is available to assist homeowners referred by counseling agencies to provide further review of loans or foreclosure defense.  In addition, NCCOB staff monitors the progress of loan work-outs to address communication breakdowns between housing counselors and mortgage companies.

In the first seven months of operation, the program has prevented more than 1,000 foreclosures and connected more than 3,000 homeowners to housing counseling agencies for foreclosure prevention counseling.  The economic impact of the program to date is estimated at $86 million. 

German Firm to Open U.S. HQ in Charlotte

Teupen, a global leader in the design and manufacture of track-mounted aerial work platforms, will open its U.S. headquarters, services and spare parts operations in Mecklenburg County.  The company has leased a 10,000-square-foot industrial building in Charlotte and is creating 10 jobs immediately, while planning to expand further in the next two years.

"North Carolina is seen internationally as a prime place to locate and tap into the North American market," Gov. Perdue said.  "Our state's forward-looking policies continue to attract leading global companies looking to invest and expand, thanks to our top-rated business climate, strategic transportation assets, and highly skilled workers."

Teupen, pronounced TOY-pen, is a world leader in the design and manufacture of track-mounted aerial work platforms used for applications ranging from tree-trimming to maintenance of large industrial facilities and building interiors.  The company's platforms offer precise, stable and portable access to hard-to-reach work areas on a variety of surfaces including sand, lawns, uneven pavement and any interior flooring.

The Charlotte Chamber and N.C. Department of Commerce assisted Teupen with various aspects of the project. For more information on Teupen, please visit the company's web site at www.teupen.com.

Governor's schedule for the coming week

Monday, June 22
- Rally for Education, Wilmington
- Rally for Education, Winterville
- Local Government Officials Meeting, Raleigh

Tuesday, June 23
- Breakfast with Senate Leadership
- Senior Staff Meeting
- Cabinet Meeting
- Budget Meeting
- Office Time
- Recovery Meeting
- NCDP Legislative Reception

Wednesday, June 24
- Breakfast with House Leadership
- Senior Staff Meeting
- Proclamation Presentation, National Aphasia Awareness
- Office Time

Thursday, June 25
- Senior Staff Meeting
- Office Time
- Budget Meeting
- Economic Development Board Reception

Friday, June 26
- North Carolina Federation of Business & Professional Women 90th Anniversary, RTP
- Office Time
- North Carolina Education Ball

Saturday, June 27
- Bar Association Dinner, Asheville

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 1:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

Dear Lucas, 

We'll be out petitioning tomorrow (Sunday) at the Seventh Heaven Street Fair, at Seventh Avenue between 12th and 13th Street (in Park Slope) from 11 am to 5 pm and we'd love your help, either minding our booth or gathering signatures along the fair.  Please come join us!  We're also planning to send people to other select locations throughout the district all day.  If you have an hour or two to help out with our booth tomorrow and/or with petitioning, please give me a holler at jen@zuckerman2009.com. 

In addition, we need help with petitioning throughout the coming week.  Come join Bob at 7:30 am on weekday mornings and at 5:30 pm in the evenings this week as he meets voters at subway stations and supermarkets throughout the district.  If you have just an hour to spare, it would be a huge help.  If you've never done it before, don't worry -- we'll explain what to do!  

Finally, I wanted to make sure you know about a fantastic event we're having on Tuesday night called Funny Gays Are Here Again: A Night of Comedy to Benefit Bob Zuckerman for City Council, featuring performances by Leah Dubie, Adam Lehman, Lisa Kaplan, Shawn Hollenbach, Claudia Cogan, Ben Lerman, and H. Alan Scott. It's this Tuesday night, June 23, at 7pm at Union Hall (702 Union St., 5th Ave in Park Slope). The cost is $10, and the proceeds go to benefit Zuckerman 2009.  Please bring your friends.  Can't we all use a laugh, right now? 

Hope to see you at Seventh Heaven tomorrow and on Tuesday night at Union Hall.  

Have a great weekend! 

Jen Handler

Campaign Manager

Zuckerman 2009

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 8:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

These poll numbers were released yesterday by Rasmussen Reports -- "an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information."

Americans Evenly Divided Over Urgency of Health Care Reform

Friday, June 20, 2009

Forty-four percent (44%) of Americans say the Obama administration should wait on health care reform until the economy improves.

But 43% say health care reform should move ahead now, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of 10,000 adults nationwide. Twelve percent (12%) are not sure which course is best.

Despite the president's stepped-up efforts to promote his health care reform agenda with the public, these numbers have changed little from the beginning of the month when 46% favored moving ahead while 45% said wait until the economy improves. In early March, 49% said health care reform should wait for a better economy, but 42% wanted to go ahead.

As expected, the partisan divide is huge. Sixty-four percent (64%) of Democrats say the administration should go ahead with health reform, but 69% of Republicans favor waiting until the economy gets better. Among adults not affiliated with either party, 41% want to move ahead now, but 45% want to wait for a better economy.

Women favor moving ahead slightly more than men, as do younger Americans. Those working in the private sector favor waiting more than government employees.

Nearly half of all Americans (49%) agree with the President's statement, "I know there are some who believe that reform is too expensive, but I can assure you that doing nothing will cost us far more in the coming years." Thirty-five percent (35%) disagree and 16% are undecided.

Seventy-two percent (72%) of Democrats agree with Obama's statement, while 59% of Republicans disagree. A plurality of unaffiliated adults - by 11 points - think the president's right.

The health care reform debate in Congress heated up last week with the President's speech and a Congressional Budget Office estimate that one proposed reform will cost over a trillion dollars.

One controversial issue is whether or not the final plan should include a government health insurance company to compete with private health insurance companies. Among the public, 41% say it's a good idea and another 41% disagree.

On an issue raised by the President last week, 48% of Americans believe it's too easy to sue doctor's for malpractice while just 19% believe it's too hard. Forty-four percent (44%) favor putting caps on how much juries can award for malpractice.

Other recent polling data suggests Americans have similarly mixed feeling on the health care reform plan that is emerging from Congress.

Most Americans continue to believe that quality health care should be available to all Americans, but they draw the line at including illegal immigrants under universal coverage. They also oppose forcing all Americans to have health insurance.

Earlier this month, health care fell to its lowest level of importance as a voter issue in nearly two years of tracking.

# # #

To view the original report, please use this link: We're Gonna Get Sick Over This

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 2:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

Here's an invitation to a "Lawyers for Gioia" event on Wednesday, July 8, 2009.

The suggested minimum contribution is $100.

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 6:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 2:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

 

It's campaign season! Be a part of a grassroots campaign effort right here in Astoria by helping Pete Vallone get on the ballot. Petitions are now available and we need energetic, friendly supporters to sign up residents.

Any hours you can give are greatly appreciated. Whether it's the middle of the day or after work, petitioning times can be flexible.

If you are interested in helping, please contact us at our Vallone 2009 Campaign Office (718-274-0007) or simply reply to this email.

Help re-elect Vallone...Strong Leadership for a Safer City. Hope to see you soon!

--
Alexis Confer
Campaign Manager
Vallone 2009

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 1:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

 

THOMPSON: CORPORATE BOARDS MUST DIVERSIFY TO INCLUDE WOMEN AND ETHNIC MINORITIES

New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. is calling on sixteen Fortune 500 companies to increase the representation of women and ethnic minorities on their Boards of Directors.

 

"Given the rapid ascension of women and ethnic minorities in senior management, entrepreneurship and senior policymaking positions in the United States, the pool of potential candidates for nomination to corporate boards has exponentially increased," Thompson said. "However, a lack of diversity exists despite this increased talent pool."

 

In letters to the companies, Thompson stressed that "I am particularly troubled when companies in which the funds are invested evince insensitivity and indifference to the absence of diversity on their boards of directors."

 

The letters - one of which can be read at www.comptroller.nyc.gov - pointed out the "notable lack of diversity" on the Boards of the sixteen companies, which are all within the Fortune 500.

 

"This glaring absence of diversity places the companies at a competitive disadvantage and poses significant risk to their reputation and public acceptance in an increasingly diverse marketplace," said Thompson.

 

Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum, who initially requested the action, said: "Companies with diverse boards make for better investments, and are proven to have competitive advantages. Women and minorities should be fully represented in the corporate boards of Fortune 500 companies -- and until ethnic and gender diversity in these boards becomes the norm, we need to keep pushing for this progress. I am glad to work with the Comptroller to encourage these companies to increase the representation of women and ethnic minorities."

 

Thompson cited a recent report and study attributing corporate diversity for boosting competitive advantage and performance. The report by Virtcom Consulting, for instance, stated that a diverse board is the most important aspect of corporate diversity.

 

Thompson sent the letters to: Affiliated Computer Services, Inc. of Dallas, TX; Autoliv, Inc. of Stockholm, Sweden; BJ Services Company of Houston, TX; Chesapeake Energy Corporation of Oklahoma City, OK; Frontier Oil Corporation of Houston, TX; Hertz Global Holdings, Inc. of Park Ridge, NJ; Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc. of Red Bank, NJ; L-3 Communications Holdings, Inc. of New York, NY; Liberty Global, Inc. of Englewood, CO; Liberty Media Corporation of Englewood, CO; National Oilwell Varco, Inc. of Houston, TX; NVR, Inc. of Reston, VA; Reliance Steel & Aluminum Company of Los Angeles, CA; Shaw Group, Inc. of Baton Rouge, LA; Smith International, Inc. of Houston, TX; and, Tesoro Company of San Antonio, TX.

 

The Pension Funds are the: New York City Employees' Retirement System, New York City Police Pension Fund, New York City Fire Department Pension Fund, Teachers' Retirement System of New York, and New York City Board of Education Retirement System.

 

The Pension Funds have 10,278,826 shares in the companies valued at $205,212,872.

 

To date, five companies have responded to Thompson. NVR, Inc., a company in the homebuilding industry; Chesapeake Energy Corporation, a company involved in natural gas exploration and production; Autoliv Inc., a company which develops, manufactures, and supplies automotive safety systems; L-3 Communications, a defense contractor in communications and aircraft modernization and maintenance; and, Liberty Global, the leading international cable operator offering advanced video, telephone, and broadband internet services, have sent letters to Thompson. 

 

The Chairman of NVR's Board of Directors, Dwight C. Schar, responded, "I would also like to assure you that the Board's Nominating Committee recognizes the importance of a diverse Board and has a stated goal of identifying well-qualified director candidates that would provide such diversity."

 

Chesapeake Energy's Chairman and CEO, Aubrey K. McClendon, expressed hope that "...the pool of potential board members with both the industry expertise we seek and ethnic and gender diversity will become larger in the future."

 

Autoliv's General Counsel and Secretary Lars Sjöbring wrote: "I note that the Company has an all male Board, which fact may be what prompted the letter. However, the Board is compromised of members from several different countries and from several different cultures. We thus have directors identifying as Japanese, Swedish, German and American."

 

Allen E. Danzing, L-3 Communications Corporation's Vice President, Assistant General Counsel and Assistant Secretary, wrote: "...the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee Charter was amended in 2009 to add a statement that the Committee will carefully consider the benefits of gender and racial diversity in the composition of its Board of Directors."

 

Elizabeth M. Markowski, Liberty Global's Senior VP, General Counsel and Secretary, wrote: "The Chair of our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee has reviewed your letter and will discuss your concerns and how to address them with the full Committee at its next meeting."

 

###

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 11:00 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

 

Friends,

At our May meetings, Ansonia endorsed the following candidates:

We will meet near Lincoln Towers on the corner of 69th and Amsterdam, and then fan out from there if we have a larger group.  Please let me know if you will need a clipboard and petitions so that I can make sure everyone is prepared.  

 

If it's raining, I will send out an email canceling petitioning and rescheduling for better weather.

Because we did not endorse a candidate for DA, we have petitions printed up for each of the candidates as well as petitions with no DA candidate, and it's up to you which one you carry.
 

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 10:00 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

   

If you haven't contributed to the campaign yet, now is the time.  Because of matching funds, a $20 donation is worth $140 to our campaign.  Please contribute to our $30,000 In 30 Days fundraising drive.

Thank you for your continued support!

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 4:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

Here's the text of a message we received from Assemblyman Micah Kellner:

Calling for a Rent Freeze in a Time of Crisis

Yesterday, I submitted testimony to the New York City Rent Guidelines Board (RGB), stating that in a time of economic crisis, when New York's middle class is struggling to keep its head above water, there should be no rent increases for tenants in rent-stabilized apartments. 

Last year, the RGB approved astoundingly large rent increases on rent-stabilized tenants and slapped long-term tenants with an outrageous supplemental increase, as if it were singling out for special punishment those who have lived in their communities the longest. This year, the RGB once again looks set to close its eyes to the current realities of living in New York, proposing to raise rents in the middle of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression.  What is more, the RGB is contemplating another round of supplemental increases on long-term tenants--apparently seeking to normalize this deeply unfair practice.

The simple fact is that tenants cannot afford a rent increase this year, and landlords cannot justify one.  According to the RGB's 2009 Income and Expense Survey, total landlord income grew by 6.5% from 2006 to 2007, while Net Operating Income (NOI) increased 9.3% during the same period.  Adjusted for inflation, the NOI increase jumps to 17.2%.  This big rise in landlords' profit margins means that a rent increase on already-overburdened tenants would be deeply unfair. Landlords were granted a major rent increase last year--they did not need it then and they do not need any more now.  The RGB ignored reality last year, and the fact that it looks set to raise rents again this year suggests that it is responding to political pressures, not to the facts. It tells us that the RGB needs to change.

I am co-sponsoring legislation with my colleague Assembly Member George Latimer (A.5282/S.5566-Duane) to bring much-needed reform to the RGB--requiring it to use fair and honest data in its deliberations; preventing landlords with serious violations from collecting rent increases; abolishing the need for lease renewals; and rebalancing the board so that mayoral appointees no longer hold all the power. The RGB must be independent and objective enough to make decisions that are truly fair for all stakeholders.  It should not be beholden to this or any other mayor's political interests.

The RGB has never before approved a rent freeze, but as I told the Board Members, if ever there was a time for a freeze, it is now.  My full RGB testimony can be found in the Publications section of my website.

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 3:30 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

Gov. Perdue Rallies to Protect the Classroom

Yesterday in Raliegh, Governor Perdue kicked off a series of rallies across North Carolina to protect public schools in the state budget. 

Below are selected excerpts from her prepared remarks:

"In the last few months North Carolina has been hit by the deepest national crisis in our lifetimes. I'm told we have one of the largest shortfalls in America. It is the largest shortfall in our history - $4.7 billion next year and even more the following year." ...

"I applaud the General Assembly for their work to put a budget together. But - and that's a big word - in North Carolina we must act boldly to protect the classroom." ...

"We cannot and must not cripple education. Cutting education means cutting short our economic future." ...

"That's why today I call on the General Assembly to make smart, tough cuts in the budget and to raise the revenue necessary to protect North Carolina's classrooms." ...

"We will cut deep. We will do more with less. But as state leaders we cannot increase class size, we cannot lay off teachers and we cannot sacrifice our economic future."

Additional rallies will be held in Greensboro, Charlotte, Asheville, Greenville and Wilmington.

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 3:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

Got this invite from the Yassky campaign:

Dear Supporter,

We hope you can join us for our East Side Meet and Greet with City Comptroller Candidate, Councilman David Yassky, joined by Councilman Dan Garodnick, and Assemblyman Jonathan Bing as we sign up supporters and volunteers from Manhattan's East Side and Downtown to be a part of New York's most exciting progressive grassroots campaign!   Please see the attached invitation, we hope you can make it and bring your friends! 

 

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 2:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

THOMPSON PROPOSAL TO REVAMP WATER BOARD INTRODUCED IN ASSEMBLY, SENATE

New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. announced [yesterday] that his proposed legislation to amend State law to change how appointments are made to the New York City Water Board has been introduced in the New York State Assembly (A-8943) and the New York State Senate (S-5876).

"I applaud Assembly Member James Brennan and State Senator Bill Perkins for taking swift action to introduce this legislation, which, when passed, will ensure that the Water Board no longer will be under the sole and undue influence of the Mayor," Thompson said. 

At a news conference earlier this month, Thompson stood with Assembly Member Brennan and Council Member David Weprin to unveil the legislation, which is available at www.comptroller.nyc.gov.

"The current structure simply isn't working and is draining money from the pockets of City residents," Thompson said. "Furthermore, the culture of the Board discourages appropriate decision-making, sufficient independent monitoring, and accountability. We must take action to offset the Mayor's iron grip influence on the New York City Water Board. I urge both houses of the State legislature to move forward and pass this legislation as soon as possible."

"A more representative board would assure integrity to the decision-making process for just and reasonable rates. Issues like improper subsidies from water ratepayers to the General Fund of the City would get a real vetting," Brennan said.

The bills have been referred to the Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions in the Assembly and the Committee on Rules in the Senate.

Under Thompson's proposal, the Mayor would continue to appoint four members of the seven-member Board. However, one member each would be appointed by the City Comptroller, the Public Advocate, and the Speaker of the City Council. Thompson's legislation also stipulates that the chairman should be elected by other Board members, instead of named by the Mayor.

"While the Mayor would continue to appoint a majority of the Board, these new, independent members would ensure that new and ongoing challenges would be addressed freely and impartially," Thompson said. "Just as important, this bill would respect all existing legal agreements and bondholder covenants, protecting the high investment ratings that are so important to cost-effective borrowing for the water system."

Last month, the Water Board voted to impose a 12.9 percent water rate hike. Due to go into effect on July 1st, this increase will raise an average single family homeowner's annual water bill from $571 to $903 in just four years - a whopping 58% increase, or about five times the rate of inflation.

"The Water Board's plan to seek another 12 percent rate hike in Fiscal Year 2011 demonstrates that it intends to continue to squeeze money from ratepayers," Thompson said. "It is imperative that changes be made to the Water Board with sufficient time to address next year's water rate-setting process. Since the City continues to ignore recommendations made by my office, other elected officials, and advocates, it's time for us to take steps to rectify the situation on behalf of New Yorkers."

The Water Board leases the water and sewer infrastructure from the City. Rental payments are based on a formula that, until recently, reimbursed the City for water-related debt service on bonds issued before the Water Authority was created.  Since 2005, however, the formula has led to rental payments in excess of the underlying City expense.

Thompson indicated that this formula is forcing water ratepayers to subsidize the City's General Fund, because "excess rent" flows into that fund and is used as general revenue. In Fiscal Year 2009, such "excess rent" will total $106 million, and this is predicted to swell to more than $200 million by Fiscal Year 2013.

Over the last two years, Thompson proposed rebating the "excess rent" back to the Water Board to offset the cost of running the water system. In Thompson's plan, the "excess rent" would have been split equally for two purposes: one half for pay-as-you-go capital spending, which reduces costs over the long term, and the other half for other water system expenses, which would lessen the need for rate increases.

###

 

 

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 1:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

  LGBT Pride Stonewall 40th Celebration

 June 18    5:30 P.M.    City Hall Council Chambers    

Hosted by Speaker Christine Quinn, Councilmember Rosie Mendez, and Members of the Council

Special Musical Performance by Cheyenne Jackson

Honorees:  Bruce Cohen, Producer of "MILK"; Make The Road, GLOBE; Heritage of Pride

RSVP to 212-442-1649 or eventscoordinator@council.nyc.gov

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 12:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

Got this e-mail from Public Citizen:

Dear Lucas,

Greedy hustlers on Wall Street gambled our money away. Now honest, hard-working Americans on Main Street are losing their savings, their pensions, their jobs, their businesses, and even their homes. All because oversight of the financial services industry was systematically dismantled through powerful lobbying campaigns and big political contributions.

Join the call for real banking reform!

Even as it gets trillions of taxpayer dollars in bailouts, the industry that got us into this mess is lobbying as hard as ever against real reform. Our representatives in Washington need to hear from the people, too!

Public Citizen has helped launch a new coalition, Americans for Financial Reform, a network of nearly 200 organizations representing millions of Americans. We are calling on Congress and the Obama administration to rebuild the economy on a safe, solid foundation that puts consumers, workers, and their families first.

Make sure that the bankers on Wall Street never again have so much control over-and so little concern for-the citizens of Main Street. Sign our petition now to demand transparency, oversight, and accountability in the financial services industry.

Thank you for all you do!

Angela, Eric, Glenn & Maureen
Your Action Team at Public Citizen's Congress Watch Division
action@citizen.org

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 10:00 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

Congressman Dan Maffei is having a fundraiser on Monday, June 22, 2009, at 7 PM at the Manhattan residence of Virginia L. Davies & Willard B. Taylor.

The suggested minimum contribution is $500.

A copy of the invitation follows:

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 4:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

These poll numbers were released earlier today by Rasmussen Reports -- "an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information."

48% Say It's Too Easy To Sue Doctors, 44% Favor Caps on Jury Awards

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Forty-eight percent (48%) of U.S. voters say it is too easy to sue a doctor for medical malpractice in the United States today.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 19% say it is too hard to sue for medical malpractice, while 18% believe the current legal situation is about right. Sixteen percent (16%) are undecided.

Republicans are nearly twice as likely as Democrats to say it is too easy to sue a doctor in America, and a majority of voters not affiliated with either party agrees.

Forty-four percent (44%) of all voters say the federal government should cap the amount of money a jury can award a defendant in a medical malpractice lawsuit. But 36% disagree and oppose caps on jury awards. Twenty percent (20%) are not sure whether caps are a good idea or not.

Perhaps one explanation for the plurality support for caps is that 56% of voters think most money won in medical malpractice lawsuits goes to lawyers rather than the defendants. Only 19% say the defendants get most of the money won in such lawsuits. Nearly one-out-of-four voters (24%) aren't sure.

Seventy-five percent (75%) say medical malpractice lawsuits are an important factor in the rising cost of health care. Thirty-three percent (33%) say they are very important.

Just 16% say malpractice lawsuits are not very important in terms of increasing the cost of health care, and only one percent (1%) says they are not important at all.

The findings come as President Obama has signaled a willingness to consider so-called tort reform as part of his proposed overhaul of the U.S. health care system. While Republicans have long sought to limit medical malpractice lawsuits, particularly the size of jury awards, Democrats have resisted, in large part because trial lawyers are a key part of the party's base.

While 56% of GOP voters and the plurality of unaffiliateds (45%) favor a cap on jury awards in malpractice lawsuits, Democrats disagree and lean slightly in the opposite direction.

Republicans, Democrats and unaffiliated voters are largely in agreement about the importance of medical malpractice lawsuits to the rising cost of health care and also that lawyers get most of the money won in such lawsuits.

However, as is frequently the case, the Political Class has a far different take on the issue than populist or Mainstream America and that gap is often wider than the one between Republicans and Democrats. While 66% of Mainstream Americans say most money won in malpractice lawsuits goes to lawyers, for example, 60% of the Political Class disagree and say most of the money goes to the defendants.

The majority of Mainstream America (54%) says it's too easy to sue a doctor, but just 40% of the Political Class agrees.

Fifty percent (50%) of Mainstream Americans say the government should cap the size of jury awards in malpractice lawsuits, but 53% of the Political Class opposes such caps.

Yet, interestingly, a higher percentage of the Political Class attributes the rising cost of health care to malpractice lawsuits when compared to the populist viewpoint.

Eighty-three percent (83%) of voters nationwide say America's legal system should apply the law equally to all Americans rather than using the law to help those who have less power and influence.

Forty-six percent (46%) of Americans have a favorable opinion of lawyers while 49% have an unfavorable view.

Eighty-nine percent (89%) of voters say they have been following news stories about health care reform at least somewhat closely, with 52% who have been following very closely.

But voters remain closely divided on the urgency for health care reform, given the troubled state of the economy. Forty-six percent (46%) believe the Obama administration should move ahead with health care reform, while 45% say it should wait until the economy improves.

Voters are evenly divided on whether the creation of a public sector insurance company is a good idea.

# # #

To view the original report, please use this link: Let Doctors Get Away With Murder!

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 3:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (1)

NEWS FROM STATE SENATOR LIZ KRUEGER

New York State Senate, 26th District

Dear Friend,


The last two weeks in Albany have taught me that no matter how dysfunctional I thought this place was, it really was possible for it to get worse. I assure you that I share your frustration over the current power struggle and the failure of the Democratic majority to act on important issues that matter to the daily lives of New Yorkers. While things are still in flux, I wanted to give you my perspective on what happened and what it all means.


I strongly believe that the attempted coup had nothing to do with reform and was simply a blatant power grab by the Republican party and a couple of disaffected Democrats. The Republican's claim that the coup was done for the good of the people and in order to enact government reform is completely ridiculous. Remember, this is the same Republican party that controlled the Senate for more than 43 years and made it one of the least democratic and deliberative legislative bodies in the nation. Now in their latest power grab, they are attempting to make Pedro Espada the President of the Senate and next in line to be Governor of the state of New York. This is an outrageous act which on the face of it belies any claims they make about trying to reform the system.


That said, I think all of us in the Democratic conference have to look critically at what role we played in what went wrong. I believe that the biggest failure of my conference was that it was not aggressive enough in advancing a reform agenda. From the day I ran for office I have advocated for reform of the Senate's rules in order to empower individual members regardless of who was in the majority.


While the Democratic leadership did introduce new rules that improved transparency, made it easier to move bills to the floor, and offered a broader proposal for significant reforms of the committee process, other issues such as equitable distribution of resources were not addressed. The common sense and "small d" democratic changes I have been fighting for were rejected. I believe that many of my colleagues adopted a "to the victor goes the spoils" model, and while I repeatedly argued against this, in the end, the conference was not willing to go as far down the reform road as they should have.


I think Bill Hammond nailed the situation in his column in today's NY Daily News (a section follows):

"They claim to be reforming Albany's dysfunctional ways. Yet they picked slippery Bronx Sen. Pedro Espada - who shouldn't be trusted as dogcatcher - to be president of the Senate.

That puts Espada a heartbeat away from running the entire state if, God forbid, something should happen to Gov. Paterson.

The desperate GOP strategy seems to boil down to this: Cling to power at all costs - even if it means abandoning all sense of responsibility and good government.

Of course, this is Albany, so the Democrats, have much to be ashamed of, too. They broke their campaign promises to operate the Senate in a more open and democratic fashion. Instead, they used their narrow majority to vindictively punish Republican senators....

But now, in contrast to the utter recklessness of the Republicans, the Dems at least have belatedly accepted the obvious. They seem resigned to the fact that neither the stupid party nor the evil party (I'll let you figure out which is which) can possibly form a credible, stable majority in this circus like atmosphere. They managed to flip Monserrate back to their side, but have, to their credit, said good riddance to Espada."

One potential silver lining from this situation is that the Senate may be forced to change its model of operations, given that we now face an equally divided body. The Senate Democrats have already proposed a bipartisan operating agreement to the Republicans, used in numerous other states and the U.S. Senate when they found themselves in similar circumstances, to circumvent the gridlock created by a 50-50 split in the Senate.


Our proposal includes:

• A rotating Presiding Officer of the Senate, alternating daily, one each to be designated by the Democratic Conference and the Republican Conference, respectively.
  
• Establishing a six-member Senate Conference Committee, comprised of three members designated by the Democratic Conference and three members designated by the Republican Conference, to determine which bills and resolutions will reach the floor, and
  
• Rotating Floor Leaders, alternating daily, one each to be designated by the Democratic Conference and the Republican Conference, respectively.
  

Unfortunately, so far, this proposal was soundly rejected by the Republicans who would rather let government grind to a halt than give up their last chance of having power.


What the impact of all of this is on broader legislative issues remains to be seen. Regardless of the short-term outcome it will no doubt be harder to move progressive legislation in a number of areas. This is a great disappointment to me, as I had high hopes for progress on important issues like affordable housing, public education, environmental policy, and same-sex marriage. However, there is always the possibility that as legislators we will learn some valuable lessons.


I am hopeful that one of the lessons learned from this whole process will be the need to develop fairer and more equitable rules. Every senator, regardless of party, represents the same number of constituents and should have adequate resources. I am an optimist and believe that if I persevere we will ultimately be able to make real progress.


Please continue to hold us accountable, and know that I will do my best in Albany to be a force for positive change. It is not an easy fight, and these last couple of weeks have left me frustrated and angry, but more committed than ever to fighting for what I believe are the changes necessary to create a more responsible and responsive government for New York State.


Sincerely,

Liz Krueger
State Senator

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 12:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

State Assemblyman Michael R. Benedetto is having a fundraiser at Ice House Cafe (3124 Harding Avenue, Bronx, New York) on Wednesday, July 1, 2009, at 7 PM.

The evening's featured guest: Speaker Sheldon Silver.

The suggested miunimum contribution is $50.

($100 makes you a "Rebel," $250 a "Patriot," while $500 bestows "Founding Father" status)

A copy of the invitation follows:

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 4:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Got this e-mail from Congressman Eric Massa:

I am writing you now to update you on one of the most important fights taking place in the Congress today.  It is perhaps the most important fight of our generation- the fight over Health Care reform.  

When you look around this country of ours, and see 50 million uninsured Americans, you know that we need change.  When sick children are denied access to life-saving medical care, we can all recognize that something is very wrong with the current system, and it is up to us to pick up this fight, carry it forward, and push through real Health Care reform for the first time in a generation.  

The insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies will not give up easily, however.  They have been busy influencing the votes of lawmakers, and they have very deep pockets.  Let me say this clearly though, I will not be influenced by them.  Ever.  I stand with people like you.   And today, I need you to stand with me.  If 100 people donate $50 today, we will have raised as much money as a single insurance or pharmaceutical company contribution to my opponents.  Lets fight them dollar for dollar!

Will you help out our efforts with a $50 or $100 contribution today? (click here)

Since I first ran for Congress in 2006, I have stood my ground in saying that the only real solution is a single-payer plan.  Now, as a member of the 111th Congress, I flatly refuse the Congressional Health Care plan, and will continue to do so until all Americans have access to the very same benefits that I would as a member of Congress.  This is not an issue that I take lightly, and it certainly is not an issue that I will remain silent on!  I have been traveling the country, speaking to groups of people, helping to create the tidal wave of support that will be required to push this type of reform through.  Just yesterday, I was interviewed on the Ed Schultz show on MSNBC.  Please take a few minutes to watch the clip (click here).  I ask you today to join with me today in this historic effort to fix Health Care once and for all.

A $100 or $50 contribution today will help keep me in Congress, keep me fighting for the changes we need, and keep me focused on the work at hand.  (click here)

Thank you for all that you do.

Most Sincerely

Eric Massa
Commander US Navy (ret.)
Congressional Candidate, NY-29

Posted by Lucas A. Ferrara, Esq. at 3:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0) | Comments (0)

These poll numbers were released earlier today by Rasmussen Reports -- "an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information."

80% Want Government To Sell Stake In GM, Chrysler Right Now

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Eighty percent (80%) of U.S. voters want the government to sell its stake in General Motors and Chrysler as soon as possible.

A Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 11% disagree and want the government to retain ownership for a long time.

Support for ending the government ownership is so strong that 64% favor a proposal that would force the government to sell the auto companies within a year. Only 26% are opposed.

Voters feel nearly as strongly about the ownership interest the government has taken in several bailed-out U.S. banks. Seventy-one percent (71%) say the government should sell that ownership to private investors as soon as possible.

Nineteen percent (19%) think the government should retain ownership of the banks for a long time.

Voters' feelings are more mixed when asked if the government should gives its stock in the auto companies and banks directly to the American people rather than selling it to private investors. Forty-two percent (42%) think it's a good idea to give the stock directly to all Americans, but 35% disagree. Twenty-three percent (23%) are not sure what's best.

A majority of Republicans, Democrats, and unaffiliated voters all support the proposal to force the sale within a year. Seventy-two percent (72%) of those with populist or Mainstream views support that proposal but a majority of the Political Class (53%) are opposed.

On the issue of giving the stock directly to the American people, however, there is a partisan gap. Nearly half of Democrats (45%) and unaffiliated voters (48%) favor such a move, but the plurality of Republicans (46%) is opposed.

Voters have consistently opposed government efforts to bailout the failing automakers ever since they were first proposed late last year.

Just 21% of voters agreed with the Obama administration's decision to bailout GM as part of a structured bankruptcy that gave the government majority ownership of the company.

Only 19% say the federal government will do a better job than private investors running a business. Fifty percent (50%) say the government will do a worse job, while 22% say both will perform about the same.

Forty-one percent (41%) of Americans expect the quality of GM cars to get worse now that the government is the automaker's majority owner. Just 19% believe the quality of