Category: News and Opinion

I'll admit I'm a little busy and a little burnt, so this is just the usual blog reaction piece rather than a researched essay. I was amused to read a review of bed and breakfast inns in Brooklyn in the Daily News today. Amused because if such establishments are located in residential zoning districts, as they all appear to be, they are illegal — they violate the zoning resolution. Then again, so are tens of thousands of small businesses in New York City, often because they are located on one block of a commercial street (zoned C1) instead of the next block over (zoned C2), and a large share of the growing number of people working at home. I know this because I was once a project director for a NYC Department of City Planning research project to fix all this, that was ready to go complete with recommendations, but which the Department didn't have a political mandate to release.  The recommendation for bed and breakfast inns was…

At 21, Danny Squadron decided he wanted to own a bar, so he bought one, with the sort of money raised from the sort of contacts one makes when you’re an Prep School-Ivy League  trustafarian; as a sanitized version of the story noted at the time, it was a “Yale Fairy Tale”. The real fairy tale was a bit more Grimm, and the business closed nine months after it was opened, but boy did they have fun while it lasted. Sort of like Dubya and the Texas Rangers.  

This is not a column. It is simply a notice being afforded to those who regularly read Room Eight New York Politics and the Daily Gotham. Both of these blogs publish most of my columns on a regular basis. In order to fully disclose where I am in this upcoming primary election, I will vet myself. I will let you all know the candidates who are running this year with whom I have regular conversations and such.

I am now a paid advisor to the Ed Towns re-election campaign. I am also an advisor to the Cenceria Edwards campaign (I haven’t been paid in this capacity as yet). Plus I am a quasi-advisor to the Kendall Stewart, Ken Evans and Marlene Tapper campaigns. They are all friends who call me regularly for advice from time to time. I have no contract signed with any of them (including the congressman), so these are informal arrangements at this moment. 

Last week, three candidates filed at the Board of Elections to contest the race for the 21st Senatorial District. They are: Kevin Parker (incumbent); Dr. Kendall Stewart (City Council/45) and Simcha Felder (City Council/44). This is the first time in my thirty-five years of first-hand experience with New York’s politics that I can remember three present officeholders (all elected officials), contesting the same state senate seat.  If I am correct, then it means that we are witnessing history folks.   

Contrary to the persistent rumors being circulated for the past month or so, Dr. Kendall Stewart is running. He told me last week that he is in it to stay. He said that the rumors of his withdrawal were being driven by a panicking Parker camp. Dr. Stewart says that he is in it to win it. He is totally confident of pulling of the upset. He cites his sixteen years as an elected official (two positions) and his lifetime of community activism. He also cites over two decades of professional service to the community. He said that all this serves him in good stead and he expects to win. He also said that his support in this district is strong, wide, large and deep. 

Liz Benjamin (on Daily Politics” – 7/17/07): This is totally random.

Among the 388 individual contributions reported by Paul Newell, one of Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver's two primary challengers, is $1,000 given by someone named Hester Diamond.

The New York Sun is alarmed to find out that “Tax Rates For New Yorkers Would Top 50% Under Obama,” as the dramatic headline read. “The Democratic presidential candidate is proposing not only raising the federal income tax, but also adding a Social Security tax for those Americans earning more than $250,000 a year. For New Yorkers, that could mean that if the current Social Security rate is applied, the marginal tax rate, or rate on every extra dollar earned, could rise to 58%,” up from 42% for the wealthy today. That includes the 10% for New York State and New York City income taxes. Of course many wealthy executives agree to pay each other wages in the form of capital gains, even when they put no capital at risk. “Mr. Obama is proposing to raise taxes on capital gains and dividends by two-thirds, moving the rate up 10 percentage points to 25%. When New York State and City taxes are added in, the tax rate would be 33%. In comparison, the tax rate for capital gains and dividends is currently 22%.” Somehow I’m not sympathetic.

Three years ago Marlene Tapper was one of two challengers against incumbent city councilman Hiram Monseratte; she came in second in that race. It was for the 21st council district (Queens). The following year Hiram challenged incumbent John Sabini for the 13th senatorial district, he was turned back. Marlene worked the streets very hard against Hiram and Sabini prevailed. The margin of victory was about three hundred votes. Marlene was rewarded with a job on Sabini’s staff.

The relationship between Ms.Tapper and Mr. Sabini went south very early. She said he fired her; and he said she walked off the job. She said that Hiram Monseratte also contributed to her firing. You see he had lodged a formal complaint against her, based on some frivolous bullshit that his staffers claimed she said, at a supposedly public meeting that never actually took place. Ms. Tapper says that Sabini took it much too seriously.  

Thursday’s New York Times published two stories that reported what the Times apparently feels is news – that rich people with influence have benefits that poorer people do not have.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/17/nyregion/17rangel.html?ref=nyregion

At Lenox Terrace, the luxury development in Harlem, management uses two sets of standards when it comes to rent-stabilized tenants, many residents say.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/17/nyregion/17discretion.html?ref=nyregion

Before I get into this column, let me preface it a bit. At this point in time, I am strongly leaning towards supporting Bill Thompson in next year’s mayoral race. I finally got to that place while I was in Miami for a wedding, about two weeks ago. Some political friends that I respect convinced me to come aboard the Billy Thompson train; so I am heading there. I must also confess that although I still have a weak spot for councilmember Avella, I am realistic enough to recognize when a candidate will not be competitive unless he can raise much more money than Avella has. I have had my share (and fill) of symbolic runs at public office, if I support a candidate now he or she must have a realistic shot at winning. I am getting too old for all that insurgent “protest” shit. 

Senator Chuck Schumer loves to hold press conferences on Sundays, whereby he gets decent coverage in near all local newspapers the next day; it has been an effective media strategy.  It sure helped him get to the US Senate. The question however is this: after the press leaves are the issues raised eventually resolved? What about the follow-up? Maybe a media outlet would apply some of its resources into researching Schumer’s success rate. And there is a reason why I say this. 

I have lived in New York for the past 35 years, and it seems to me that every year or two, some politician, news outlet, university or think-tank, comes up with some study showing how blacks and Hispanics get screwed by mortgage brokers, real estate folks, insurers or banks. No kidding. And I recall Senator Schumer holding quite a few of his Sunday press conferences, to highlight this and other ancillary problems over the years.