Category: News and Opinion

“And, from my vantage point as a pragmatic Clintonite/DLC, neo-lib, New Democrat, Hillary (now that Feingold has departed and Kerry self destructed) stands as the least pragmatic choice available for 2008. If propping her up is the real reason behind efforts for Dean’s removal, I’ll yell out a hog-call for Howard and the level playing field he ensures, as I prepare to support Bayh, Biden, Richardson, Obama or Gore” –Gatemouth 11/13/06

Announcement from the Democratic National Convention Committee:

BLOGGER CREDENTIALING AND THE 2008 DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION: 2008 DemConvention State Blogger Corps:

Recognizing the growth of more localized blogs, this pool is designed for those covering state and local politics. To qualify as a state blogger, the applicant’s blog must have been in existence six months prior to requesting credentials and have at least 120 politically related blog posts. Bloggers must submit their daily audience and list their authority based on Technorati stats. Bloggers may also provide examples of posts that make their blog stand out as an effective online organizing tool and/or agent of change.

The news is that the MTA may not be able to sell the West Side rail yards to help pay for the capital plan after all. The deal between the MTA and developer Tishman Speyer fell through.

Some time ago, the New York City Partnership (equivalent to the Chamber of Commerce) put out a report saying the Second Avenue Subway (SAS) should be cancelled, since the Upper East Side is already built out and that investment wouldn't generate growth, but the Flushing Line extension was critical because it would open up a new area to development.  I wrote to them in opposition. My response at the time was that the promise of the SAS already induced lots of building on the East Side, and the failure to deliver left Upper East Side residents paying massive taxes while cramming onto the Lex like sardines. If the Partnership was against the SAS from a cost-benefit perspective, I said, what it should be in favor of on the West Side was promising the Flushing Extension, borrowing money for the Flushing Extension, planning the Flushing Extension, having lots of people invest in new buildings expecting to be served by the Flushing Extension, collecting massive taxes on those new buildings, but then NEVER ACTUALLY BUILD IT.  Future residents and workers of Hudson Yards could walk over to 8th Avenue and cram on the 8th Avenue line instead.

Most of the time, those elsewhere in the state don’t bother to justify the fact that New York City residents are expected to pay local higher taxes (all taxes combined) as a share of their income while receiving inferior public services, and those in older generations don’t justify why younger people should face higher taxes and a diminished quality of life. The simply assert that they and people like them deserve more, and no one makes them face the fact that others will be left with less. To the extent that it is justified, however, the reasons include “they don’t need it,” “they don’t deserve it,” and “we don’t have it. New York City residents are simultaneously scored for being rich and scorned for being poor, while the “good people” who “make it on their own” by being “hard working” live elsewhere. Except in recessions, when there isn’t enough money to go around and, well, the good people deserve to keep what they’ve got. In light of a 40-year river of contempt, I’ve compiled from recently-released BEA data on where New York’s money comes from and where it goes. Basically, it comes from Manhattan, and goes everywhere else.

Come September, in Brooklyn’s 21st senatorial district, the incumbent Kevin Parker is being challenged by NYC councilman Dr. Kendall Stewart. The pompous Senator Parker-who once “pooh-poohed” this challenge- is probably about to find himself in a mud-wrestling match, over the upcoming months. Word is that both sides are gearing up for a big fight. Are you really surprised?

A political operative from Bed-Stuy recently asked me whether or not Caribbean-Americans were trying to pull a coup in Brooklyn politics; I said no. He told me that rumors were out there that Caribs were intent on challenging Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, Assemblyman Camara (43rdAD), Senator John Sampson (19thSD) and Parker, all at the same time. I don’t believe an iota of this. I have heard of no such organized attempt to change the power equation. As it stands now, Caribbean-Americans hold two city council seats (Stewart and Mathieu Eugene), and one Assembly seat (Nick Perry/ 58thAD). They hold no congressional seats, no state senate seats, and only two district leaderships out of forty-two in Brooklyn. Thus the perception that Caribs are on some political power play (or trip) is so untrue it isn’t funny. This misperception dates back to when Panamanian-born State Senator Waldaba Stewart, was elected in Central Brooklyn- back in the 1970s.There has always been this perception (exaggeration) that Caribbean-Americans hold some disproportionate edge in political power/influence in Brooklyn’s majority-black areas; the reality however is that this has never ever been the case. Caribs have never held more than three offices at any one time in Brooklyn’s political history. Given that they are one million strong in the borough, you would think that it will be only fair if they do make some power moves; but then the Caribbean-American vote is not organized: it has never been organized. It will probably never be organized. What does Caribbean-American mean anyway?

According to “EPL/Environmental Advocates”, which publishes “New York’s Only Environmental Scorecard for State Lawmakers”, the “Bigger Better Bottle Bill” (BBBB) expands the definition of “beverage” in the current bottle deposit law to include non-carbonated drinks other than milk and liquor, and to direct unclaimed deposits to the Environmental Protection Fund.

EPL classifies BBBB as one of its five “Super Bills”, a term it uses to describe their legislative priorities, chosen by their “Green Panel”, which includes representatives from New York State’s leading environmental groups. “Super Bills” are deemed by EPL to be so important that they are counted in their legislative ratings, even if they were not voted on—a phenomenon all too common in Albany.

When I did part one of this series, I got many inquiries as to what were the credentials/qualifications of Ms. Yvonne J. Graham, which propelled her towards running for Brooklyn’s Borough Presidency. Fair enough. This is always one of the first questions fielded by any potential candidate for public office. So let me fill in some of the blanks.

I believe that Ms. Graham is a tremendous candidate for Brooklyn’s boro prez. She brings many fine attributes to the table. Who knows if she won’t become the first female mayor of New York City? Isn’t it time Brooklyn developed a mayor? Okay, so she is not battle-scarred (given Brooklyn’s many political wars of past decades); I think that’s an asset. This is a talented young woman folks. She has the ability to bring diverse people together, and has successfully worked with people of all races and ethnicities. How she handles the political stump is left to be seen; one thing for sure is that many feel she should go for it. Although she hasn’t formally declared for the race, all indications are that she is a candidate. Her support is growing. She has told me directly that she is going to enter the race, so I am not speculating here folks. I got it straight from the horse’s mouth so to speak. It is expected that Ms. Graham will be endorsed by her old boss and present boro prez Marty Markowitz. If Marty runs for mayor it will help Yvonne’s candidacy a great deal; that in itself will tremendously increase her chances of winning.

As I reported here, in 2007 total private employment in New York City, based on re-benchmarked annual average non-farm wage and salary employment data from the New York State Department of Labor, was slightly higher than at the peak in 2000, but below the all time peak in 1969. If you think this might understate the boom in the city’s economy you are right, because a rising share of those working in the city’s private sector are not wage and salary employees at all; they are self-employed business owners, freelancers, and independent contractors, and thus not captured by the Current Employment Survey data cited above. Based on recently-released data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, which includes the self-employed, the number of private sector workers working in New York City roared past the 1969 peak in the late 1990s and has remained there ever since. It is a stunning boom hidden from the most commonly cited economic statistics, centered initially in Manhattan, spreading to Brooklyn, and moving on to the Bronx and Queens.