tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011943460728450322024-03-13T07:32:54.552-07:00True News Top IssuesJournalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10190956898079079756noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801194346072845032.post-19202744403257817942016-02-11T03:35:00.000-08:002016-02-11T11:04:44.980-08:00City Council Breaks Broken Windows and A Pay Raise<div style="font-family: '';">
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<b><a href="http://truenewstop10.blogspot.com/2016/02/city-councils-unbroken-windows.html" target="_blank">City Council Breaks Broken Windows</a></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://truenewsthebund.blogspot.com/2013/11/speaker-race.html" target="_blank">More on the Council Speakers Race</a></span></b></div>
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<b><a href="http://truenewsthebund.blogspot.com/2013/11/speaker-race.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">More on the Council Speaker</span></a></b></div>
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<b><a href="http://truenewsthebund.blogspot.com/2013/12/city-council-2014.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">City Council 2014, Fake Progressives, Puppets</span></a></b></div>
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<a href="http://truenewsthebund.blogspot.com/2013/12/city-council-2014.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">How the Advance Group Conspired to Steal the 2009 and 2013Election</span></b></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://truenewsthebund.blogspot.com/2011/04/city-council.html" target="_blank">City Council Corruption</a></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://truenewsthebund.blogspot.com/2014/03/horse-politics.html" target="_blank">Horse Carriage Politics and the Central Park Stables</a> </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://truenewstop10.blogspot.com/2016/02/city-councils-unbroken-windows.html" target="_blank">City Council Breaks Broken Windows and A Pay Raise</a></span></b></div>
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<b style="font-family: '';"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b><b style="font-family: '';"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">New Yorkers Stop Acting Like Sheep Use Social Media to Force the Mayor to Veto the Pay Raise</span></b><br />
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<b style="font-family: '';"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In 2008 the Council Ignored Charter to Extended Term Limits, Yesterday They Ignored It Again to Raise Their Pay </span></b><br />
<a href="http://nypost.com/2016/02/05/city-council-members-give-themselves-a-32-percent-raise/">City council members give themselves a 32 percent raise</a> (NYP) The three Republican members, Steve Matteo and freshman Joe Borelli of Staten Island, and Eric Ulrich of Queens, issued a joint statement explaining why they voted no. “There is a critically important reason the City Charter requires any changes to salaries for elected officials be evaluated and ultimately recommended by an independent body: because there is an inherent and obvious conflict of interest in having to vote oneself a pay raise,” the trio said.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<b><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">Daily News Demands the Mayor Veto the Council Pay Raise</span></b><br />
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<a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/veto-pay-raise-article-1.2522123" target="_blank">Veto the pay raise</a> (NYDN Ed) <b><o:p></o:p></b>De Blasio properly recognized that he ran for, and was elected to, an office with the set salary of $225,000. Those were the conditions of the job, and he is sticking with them rather than pocketing $258,750 after a 15% hike. At the same time, de Blasio is abiding by a standard set for <st1:state w:st="on">Washington</st1:state> by the United States Constitution. There, to avoid conflicts of interests, members of Congress seated in one term may vote hikes only for members after an election in another term. On that score, the mayor’s hands will be germ-free when the Council’s pay-raise bill lands on his desk. At that point, to further clean up the mess the members have made, the mayor must veto the measure.</div>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/TenantNet"><b>TenantNet</b> @TenantNet </a> </div>
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<span lang="EN">NYC Council members Williams, Viverito & Dickens get $36,000 increase and don't have to give up outside rental income. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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De Blasio cannot in good conscience give his stamp of approval to the Council’s excessive hike after limiting the general municipal workforce to smaller boosts — and right now holding fast to 1% annual raises for cops. some members seriously advocated for a $192,000 salary for themselves. So, Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito settled without justification on $148,500 — taking the unprecedented step of blowing past the recommendation of the salary commission by more than $10,000. Police officers, who risk their lives, make roughly half what a Council member does. The two cops shot Thursday night have incomes of $55,189 and $56,870. The mayor cannot let a hyper-privileged 51-member bunch exceed the generous pattern he set for almost 300,000 employees. Seven members voted no, and they are to be praised. De Blasio must slap sense into the rest.* <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/06/nyregion/elected-new-york-city-officials-vote-to-raise-their-own-pay.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fnyregion">New York City Council Votes to Raise Members’ Pay</a> (NYT) *<b> </b><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/06/nyregion/immigrant-killed-in-manhattan-crane-collapse-recalled-as-decent-and-humble.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fnyregion">Immigrant Killed in Manhattan Crane Collapse Recalled as Decent and Humble</a> (NYT) David Wichs, 38, graduated with a degree in mathematics from <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Harvard</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype></st1:place> and had a career in finance. A neighbor said Friday that Mr. Wichs was "so unusually lovely.” * <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/06/nyregion/crane-collapse-lower-manhattan.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fnyregion">Crane Collapse in Lower Manhattan Kills One Person</a> (NYP)Workers were trying to secure the crane amid high winds when it toppled onto <st1:street w:st="on">Worth Street</st1:street> in TriBeCa shortly before 8:30 a.m. Friday, Mayor Bill de Blasio said.* <a href="http://on.wsj.com/1PGsOse" target="_blank">New YorkCity Council raises its pay but limits members’ income</a> (WSJ)</div>
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<b><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">Council Members Not Only Offered Pay Raise Also Offered Member Items, Campaign $ to Pass Horse Bill</span></b></div>
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<b><a href="http://nypost.com/2016/02/05/de-blasio-offered-plenty-of-carrots-in-bid-to-pass-horse-carriage-bill/">De Blasio offered plenty of carrots in bid to pass horse carriage bill</a></b> (NYP) Multiple City Council members were offered resources or capital projects in their districts in exchange for their support of the measure — which would have shrunk the carriage industry and limited it to <st1:place w:st="on">Central Park</st1:place>, the sources said. “There were plenty of carrots and plenty of sticks being bandied about over the past 72 hours,” a City Hall source said. Sources said council Speaker <a href="http://nypost.com/2016/01/20/mark-viverito-critics-just-have-to-deal-with-central-park-stable-plan/">Melissa Mark-Viverito also made it clear to members that she expected their support</a> on an initiative she had championed for years. One council source said she gave Brooklyn Councilman Carlos Menchaca a hard time for his public support of the pedicab drivers — who were treated as collateral damage under the carriage deal with the Teamsters union. “She made it known to members that she wanted this bad and said, ‘This is what I need you to do. Plain and simple,’ ” the source said.<br />
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“The mayor wasn’t the only one with a lot of skin in the game. She . . . had a lot riding on it.”<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span>t appears their efforts would have been successful if the Teamsters hadn’t bowed to pressure from fellow labor unions and backed out at the 11th hour. After announcing they were pulling the vote, Council officials insisted they had enough support to push it through. Sources said former Edison Properties honcho Stephen Nislick and Hugo Neu Recycling director Wendy Neu — leaders of the animal-rights group NYCLASS — also put pressure on council members. The two of them and close associates pumped at least $900,000 into de Blasio’s 2013 mayoral campaign and the progressive nonprofit he now operates as mayor. * <a href="http://nypost.com/2016/02/04/raise-the-city-councils-only-earned-a-pay-cut/">Raise? The City Council’s only earned a pay cut</a> (NYP Ed) The implosion of the horse-carriage-execution bill doesn’t give the City Council license to go ahead and vote itself a windfall pay hike — just the opposite. That arrogance has the public furious. Today’s Post reports on the fury in Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez’s <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Washington</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Heights</st1:placetype></st1:place> district. Our favorite is Jose Blanco’s question: “What about the rest of the city?” <b>If all the council is going to do is collect (legal) bribes for endorsing the mayor’s deals with special interests, it’s hard to see why members deserve any pay at all. </b>* According to a memo, New York City Councilman Paul Vallone will propose an amendment that would allow members to <a href="http://goo.gl/6Tz9RG" target="_blank">supplement their income</a>with outside work paying up to 15 percent of their annual Council salary: * <a href="http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/city-hall/2016/02/8590220/mocked-resented-and-now-dead-de-blasios-horse-debacle-makes-histor" title="Mocked, resented, and now dead: De Blasio’s horse debacle makes history">Mocked, resented, and now dead: De Blasio’s horse debacle makes history</a> (PoliticoNY) * <b>'This is one of the worst political debacles “maybe in all-time memory,” said <a href="https://twitter.com/BillCunningham8">@BillCunningham8</a> * </b> <a href="http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/city-hall/2016/02/8590241/outside-income-ban-affects-few-council-members">Outside-income ban affects few Council members</a> (PoliticoNY) 40 members make no outside income * <a href="http://nydn.us/1PY9Vgb" target="_blank"> Less than 24hours after cops shot, City Council votes to give themselves 32% pay boost </a>(NYDN) * <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/melissa-mark-viverito-won-push-blaz-horse-carriage-bill-article-1.2521594">Melissa Mark-Viverito doesn't plan to push de Blasio's horse carriage bill after Teamsters dropped support</a> (NYDN)<br />
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<b><a href="http://truenewsthebund.blogspot.com/2014/05/city.html" target="_blank">More About the City Council Demand for A 71% Raise</a></b></div>
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<b><a href="http://truenewsthebund.blogspot.com/2013/12/city-council-2014.html" target="_blank">City Council 2014, Fake Progressives, Puppets</a></b></div>
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<b><a href="http://truenewsthebund.blogspot.com/2013/11/speaker-race.html" target="_blank">City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito</a></b></div>
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<b><a href="http://truenewsthebund.blogspot.com/2014/05/city.html" target="_blank">City Council Crime Fighting and the NYPD</a></b></div>
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<b><a href="http://nybloggersnewspaper.blogspot.com/2014/10/lobbyists-berlin-rosen-takes-over-nyc.html" target="_blank">Lobbyists BerlinRosen Takes Over NYC Government</a></b></div>
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<b><a href="http://truenewsthebund.blogspot.com/2015/05/sugar-fix-berlin-rosen-unregistered.html">Sugar Fix: Berlin Rosen an Unregistered Real Estate Lobbyists</a></b></div>
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<b><a href="http://truenewsthebund.blogspot.com/2011/05/ny1-wiseguys.html" target="_blank">NY1 Berlin Rosen and the Wiseguys Lobbyists</a></b></div>
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<b><a href="http://truenewsthebund.blogspot.com/2015/05/berlin-rosen-and-de-blasio-one-ny-pac.html" target="_blank">Berlin Rosen and de Blasio One NY PAC Slush Fund </a></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: #999999; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold;">Rodriguez's District Residents Who Make Average $39,000 Furious That He Said He Needs $175,000 to Feed His Family </span><br />
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<b><a href="http://nypost.com/2016/02/05/washington-heights-residents-furious-with-councilmans-raise-request/">Washington Heights residents furious with councilman’s raise request</a></b> (NYP) Residents of Washington Heights lashed out Thursday at their local city councilman, Ydanis Rodriguez, for saying he needs to get paid at least $175,000 to support his family.<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span>“You’re telling me you can’t live off of [$148,500]?! Get outtahere!” said a Sanitation Department worker who gets by on $62,000 and would only give his first name, Ernesto. “I live on less than that,” he seethed. “These City Council guys, they get all the perks.” “What about the rest of the people in the city?” fumed José Blanco, a 41-year-old bookseller who makes $30,000 a year and was walking near <st1:street w:st="on">181st Street</st1:street>. The median household income in Rodriguez’s district is $39,500. “The pay should reflect the constituents,” said Michael Bridenstine, a 47-year-old freelance TV director. “I don’t think [Rodriguez] deserves a raise. At $148,500, he should be able to support a family of four. I made less than that and I did it.” Rodriguez’s office issued a statement Thursday saying he supports the $148,500 “compromise reached by the [council] speaker . . . given [members’] foregoing of outside income and the hours of tireless work they put in each day.” Annie Richardo, a 32-year-old teaching assistant who pulls in $32,000, said she wouldn’t again for Rodriguez again now that she knows how much he wants. “What about the other citizens who also have families and need more money?,” she asked.* Residents of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Washington</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Heights</st1:placetype></st1:place> <a href="http://nypost.com/2016/02/05/washington-heights-residents-furious-with-councilmans-raise-request/">lashed out at</a> their local NYC councilman, Ydanis Rodriguez, for saying he needs to get paid at least $175,000 to support his family. Rodriguez in 2011 was arrested at an Occupy Wall Street protest, and is among the Council’s most progressive members.* <b>MAP: <a href="https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20160210/jackson-heights/map-your-councilman-just-got-raise-see-how-much-more-they-make-than-you" target="_blank">Council Members Just Got a Raise. See How Much MoreThey Make Than You </a>(DNAINFO) * </b><b> </b><b><a href="https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20160209/central-harlem/councilwoman-dickens-cant-back-up-claim-she-used-own-cash-for-constituents">Councilwoman Dickens Can't Back Up Claim She Used Own Cash for Constituents (DNAINFO)</a> </b>The councilwoman doesn't keep track of how much of her money she spends on constituents, her staff said.</div>
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<b style="font-family: '';"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: yellow; color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">NUTS: Pols Who Fear Homeless on the Streets Do Not Fear Lowering the Quality of Life</span></span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Race Has Now Been Brought Into Quality of Life Enforcement</span></b> De Blasio and Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito say vigorous enforcement of so-called quality-of-life crimes is too burdensome on what the speaker terms “communities of color.” So, the city means to effectively decriminalize low-level antisocial behavior — public urination, outdoor dope-smoking and drinking, turnstile jumping and so on — on the way to gutting the so-called broken-windows approach to safe streets. * <a href="http://nypost.com/2016/01/26/mark-viverito-continues-push-to-decriminalize-quality-of-life-offenses/">Mark-Viverito continues push to decriminalize quality-of-life offenses</a> (NYP)<b> * </b><a href="http://nypost.com/2016/01/24/de-blasio-is-undoing-all-the-quality-of-life-gains-of-the-last-25-years/">De Blasio is undoing all the quality of life gains of the last 25 years</a> (NYP) In only two-plus years, Team de Blasio returned much of the school system to a state of rudderless pandemonium — where one kid can do a crime knowing some other kid will do the time. That is, bad actors of all sorts now earn only a stern tut-tut — suspensions largely are out — as violent crime has skyrocketed and classrooms and corridors in many schools have become so chaotic that serious scholarship is all but impossible. Disciplinary suspensions dropped by 16% between the 2013-14 school year and last June; unsurprisingly, <st1:place w:st="on">Albany</st1:place> reports that forcible sex offenses in city schools were up 90% and serious assaults jumped 69%. As <a href="http://nypost.com/2016/01/10/student-with-7-bags-of-marijuana-cant-be-suspended-from-school/">The Post reported</a>, a student caught with seven bags of marijuana was given a warning note. It was up to him whether to show it to his parents. And the head of the city’s principals union complains bitterly of chaotic conditions in many of the schools. Now comes word that de Blasio, hand-in-glove with the City Council, is preparing to visit the same pox on <st1:state w:st="on">New York</st1:state>’s streets. De Blasio and Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito say vigorous enforcement of so-called quality-of-life crimes is too burdensome on what the speaker terms “communities of color.” So, the city means to effectively decriminalize low-level antisocial behavior — public urination, outdoor dope-smoking and drinking, turnstile jumping and so on — on the way to gutting the so-called broken-windows approach to safe streets.* * A series of bills to be introduced by the New York City Council seeking to resolve an impasse over how to deter minor lawbreaking without punishing too many people unjustly shows the city is poised to move toward a fairer and smarter criminal justice system, <a href="http://goo.gl/lZjgJp" target="_blank">the Times writes:</a> * <a href="https://twitter.com/BilldeBlasio">@BilldeBlasio</a>'s <a href="http://nydn.us/1JyYDTh" target="_blank">office backs bill that would cut back penalties for public urination </a> *<a href="http://observer.com/2016/01/de-blasio-administration-agrees-to-decriminalization-of-low-level-offenses/" target="_blank">De Blasio Administration Agrees to Decriminalization ofLow-Level Offenses </a>(NYO)* <b><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/council-bills-cut-back-penalties-minor-offenses-article-1.2508895">Council bills cut back penalties for minor offenses</a> (NYDN)</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: '';"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: yellow; color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">In A City Where 73% Upset About Homeless Council Moves to Decriminalized Quality of Life Crimes</span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Post Played the Broken Windows Damage the Move Cause to Crime Fighting</span></b></div>
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<a href="http://nypost.com/2016/01/21/new-york-is-headed-back-to-chaos-in-the-streets/">New York is headed back to chaos in the streets</a> (NYP Ed) Nearly three in four New Yorkers say the city is doing too little to help the homeless — and a majority disapprove of the way Mayor de Blasio is handling the problem. But that’s not stopping the City Council from moving full-speed ahead on legislation to back away from police enforcement of crimes so often seen among the street homeless, like urinating and drinking alcohol in public. Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito is determined to undo the highly successful “broken windows” policing policy that has played such a key role in driving crime down to record low levels. A package of eight bills to be introduced at the council Monday would steer even more “low-level” non-violent crimes to civil proceedings, where fines would replace jail sentences. But those minor crimes, and others like turnstile-jumping, have often proved to be precursors to more serious offenses. Broken windows gets thugs — and, often, their illegal guns — off the streets before they “graduate” to more serious crimes. It’s the difference between preventing crimes before they occur and stepping in only after crimes have been committed. And it comes as a new Quinnipiac University poll shows continued public discontent over the growing homeless crisis — and what New Yorkers see as the downward spiral of the city’s quality of life. Fully 73 percent said City Hall needs to do more to help the homeless, and 55 percent say the mayor is mishandling poverty and homelessness — despite his recent initiative aimed at responding more quickly. In fact, 58 percent said they see more homeless people on the streets these days.</div>
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<b style="font-family: '';"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: yellow; color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">The Piss Bill is Back to Change the Way the City Handles Low-Level Offenses</span></span></b></div>
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The NYC Council <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/21/nyregion/new-york-council-to-consider-bills-altering-how-police-handle-minor-offenses.html?hpw&rref=nyregion&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=well-region&region=bottom-well&WT.nav=bottom-well">is set to introduce</a> a package of bills that would broadly reshape the way the city handles low-level offenses such as public urination and drinking alcohol in public, in some cases removing them from the criminal justice system.* <span style="font-family: "";"> </span><span style="font-family: "";"><a href="http://nyti.ms/1Picy21" target="_blank">New York Council to Consider Bills Altering How PoliceHandle Minor Offenses</a>(NYT) * </span><span style="font-family: "";"><a href="http://nypost.com/2016/01/21/city-council-wants-to-decriminalize-quality-of-life-offenses/">City Council wants to decriminalize quality-of-life offenses</a></span><span style="font-family: "";"> (NYP) The plan to decriminalize the offenses — which also include littering, breaking park rules, making excessive noise and failing to appear in court — and lessen penalties for scofflaws are included in eight bills, collectively dubbed “The Criminal Justice Reform Act of 2016,” that are up for a public hearing Monday.* </span><span style="font-family: "";"><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/21/nyregion/new-york-council-to-consider-bills-altering-how-police-handle-minor-offenses.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fnyregion">New York City Is Set to Adopt New Approach on Policing Minor Offenses</a> (NYT) </span><span style="font-family: "";">The measures would affect low-level offenses such as littering, public urination and public consumption of alcohol, in some cases removing them from the criminal justice system.</span><span style="font-family: "";">*</span><st1:city style="font-family: '';" w:st="on">New York City</st1:city><span style="font-family: "";"> is poised to reshape how it treats many quality-of-life offenses, softening its stance on low-level infractions like public urination and drinking alcohol in public by steering those cases away from the criminal court system,<a href="http://goo.gl/GwtEg4" target="_blank"> The NewYork Times reports: </a></span><br />
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<b><a href="http://truenewsthebund.blogspot.com/2014/04/airbnb.html" target="_blank">More on Airbnb</a></b></div>
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<b><a href="http://truenewsthebund.blogspot.com/2013/11/affordable-housing.html" target="_blank">More on Affordable Housing</a></b></div>
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<b>Airbnb<a href="http://truenewsthebund.blogspot.com/2014/05/tracking-lobbyists-who-supported-online.html" target="_blank">Tracking Lobbyists Who Supported online Journalism</a></b></div>
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<b><a href="http://truenewsthebund.blogspot.com/2013/02/middle-calls.html" target="_blank">How NYC is Losing the Middle Class</a></b></div>
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<b><a href="http://truenewsthebund.blogspot.com/2011/08/gentrification.html" target="_blank">More on Gentrification</a></b></div>
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<b><a href="http://truenewsthebund.blogspot.com/2014/08/how-blacks-poor-and-middle-class-are.html" target="_blank">How Blacks the Poorand the Middle Class are Being Push Out of Brooklyn Because of Albany's TaxBreaks for Luxury Developers</a></b></div>
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<b><a href="http://truenewsthebund.blogspot.com/2013/11/real-estate-and-politics.html" target="_blank">Real Estate Developers, Tax Breakes and Politics, 421-a </a></b></div>
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<b><a href="http://truenewsthebund.blogspot.com/2013/11/homless.html" target="_blank">Increased Homelessness</a></b></div>
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<b><a href="http://truenewsthebund.blogspot.com/2013/11/affordable-housing.html" target="_blank">More On Inspectors Arrest</a></b></div>
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<b><a href="http://truenewsthebund.blogspot.com/2014/12/foreign-ownership-of-nyc-real-estate-is.html" target="_blank">Foreign Ownership of NYC Real Estate and the Lobbyists Who Work for Them</a></b></div>
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<b><a href="http://truenewsthebund.blogspot.com/2013/02/middle-calls.html" target="_blank">How NYC is Losing the Middle Class</a></b></div>
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<b><a href="http://truenewsthebund.blogspot.com/2015/02/corruption-real-estate-and-silver.html">How Real Estate $$$ Corruption Government and Politics Silver Skelos Indictment</a></b> </div>
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<b><a href="http://truenewsthebund.blogspot.com/2013/12/sheldon-silver_1.html">More on Sheldon Silver and His Indictment </a></b></div>
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<b><a href="http://truenewsthebund.blogspot.com/2014/08/how-blacks-poor-and-middle-class-are.html" target="_blank">How Blacks the Poor and the Middle Class are Being Push Out of Brooklyn Because of Albany's Tax Breaks for Luxury Developers</a></b><br />
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<span style="background-color: #990000; color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold;">The Teamter Killed the Horse-Carriage Deal Not the Shameless Corrupt Council and Mayor </span></div>
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<b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Someone Put Pressure on the Teamsters Union, The Horse-Carriage Drivers A GoodFellow in Albany?</span></b></div>
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<b style="font-family: '';"><a href="http://nypost.com/2016/02/04/de-blasios-bid-for-horse-carriage-deal-collapses/">De Blasio’s bid for horse-carriage deal collapses</a></b> (NYP) Mayor Bill de Blasio’s months-long bid to push through a deal to shrink the horse carriage industry and restrict it to Central Park fell apart suddenly on Thursday, after the Teamsters Union, which represents drivers, backed out. “The Teamsters’ first priority is always our members and their livelihoods. With the legislation now finalized, our members are not confident that it provides a viable future for their industry,” said Teamsters Joint Council 16 president George Miranda. “We cannot support the horse carriage bill currently before the City Council.” Carriage license owners started to make waves earlier this week by arguing that the union, Teamsters Local 553, had made a deal without their consent. Told of the parent union’s pullout from the deal, carriage license owner and driver Ian Mckeever — who has been a vocal opponent of the deal — was elated. Just Wednesday, de Blasio had dismissed questions about the apparent discord between Local 553 and its members. De Blasio’s 2013 campaign for mayor and his progressive nonprofit — formed since becoming mayor — have benefited from nearly $900,000 from just two animal rights activists and their associates: former Edison Properties honcho Stephen Nislick and Hugo Neu Recycling director Wendy Neu. The mayor later issued a statement saying he intends to continue pressing the issue.* <span style="font-family: "";"><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/horse-carriage-deal-vote-city-council-delayed-article-1.2520015?cid=bitly" target="_blank">Mayor de Blasio vows to keep trying to rein in horsecarriage industry after Teamsters scuttle City Council vote</a> (NYDN) * </span><span style="font-family: "";"><a href="http://bigstory.ap.org/article/c3ec52764a9d4bfc82e95b17a75462ac/nyc-pulls-reins-plan-central-park-horse-carriages%20%E2%80%A6" target="_blank">When asked for a comment about collapse of horse carriagedeal, </a>a spokesman for </span><a href="https://twitter.com/NYGovCuomo" style="font-family: '';">@NYGovCuomo</a> responded<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> "Neigh"</span></b> (AP)</div>
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<span style="background-color: #999999; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold;">de Blasio Another Humiliating Defeat Was Ubered </span><br />
<a href="http://nypost.com/2016/02/04/incompetent-de-blasio-earns-yet-another-humiliating-defeat/" style="font-family: '';" target="_blank">Incompetent de Blasio earns yet another humiliating defeat</a> (NYP Ed) Last year, de Blasio sought to cap the growth of e-taxi services such as Uber, Lyft and Gett. Why? Because wealthy donors of his, city cab medallion owners, knew that the increasingly popular services were a significant threat to their bottom line. Instead of innovating and improving the service they offered to riders, these fat cats went to de Blasio, reminded him of their prior contributions and called in their chits with one goal: kill the competition. De Blasio dutifully tried. And he failed, backing down in the face of industry opposition and public outcry. The horse-carriage deal followed a similar trajectory. It was pushed by an organization, NYCLASS, that was established under the guise of animal welfare, but really was a way for its wealthy donors to seize the valuable land belonging to the horse-carriage industry and develop it for their own personal gain. Noble. On Thursday, as news spread that de Blasio had once again lost a big political fight, he sat in his SUV outside City Hall, surrounded by the very people whose jobs he wanted to eliminate: the carriage drivers. The men and women whose livelihood de Blasio had threatened surrounded his car and the mayor sat there . . . for 16 full minutes — he probably wished he was <b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">back in <st1:place w:st="on">Iowa</st1:place> </span></b>where nobody knew who he was. There were other instances of de Blasio proposing a big policy and losing. His push to build housing on<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Sunnyside Yards</span></b> in Queens would have added 11,250 affordable-housing units to 200 acres of undeveloped land and ultimately rivaled <st1:place w:st="on"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><st1:placename w:st="on">Peter</st1:placename> <st1:placename w:st="on">Cooper</st1:placename> <st1:placename w:st="on">Village</st1:placename></span></b></st1:place> and Stuy-Town. Gov. Cuomo snuffed that idea out because the state, not the city, controls that parcel of land. Or de Blasio’s stance against Police Commissioner Bratton’s desire to put more police officers on the street? In that instance, the City Council overrode the mayor and went even further than what Bratton was calling for. When things go wrong, de Blasio and his team pass the buck. <b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Homelessness increasing? </span></b>That’s just the press fear-mongering. A top aide violating the law and having a live-in boyfriend who was a convicted murderer and had a history of misogyny and anti-police statements? The press was misbehaving and not focusing on what he wanted them to focus on. <b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Carmen Fariña </span></b>telling parents about cuts to school language programs that they should just buy their kids <b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Rosetta Stone? </span></b>(What if history were cut? Would Fariña advise parentsto buy their children The Oregon Trail?) The press clearly took what Fariña said out of context. This time, however, he has a new scapegoat: the unions. How dare they fight for their own jobs at the expense of a few donors making millions of dollars? Remember, de Blasio ran for mayor as the champion of unions and the working man. He decried how our political system let donors, or as he called them “those people,” buyinfluence with elected officials. How ironic.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<b><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">Coming Soon: </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Who Crushed Political Dissent in NYC</span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: #990000; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: white;">All Power Mayor Council Puppets Deserve A Big Pay Raise as Media Dissed </span></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: '';"><a href="http://nypost.com/2016/02/04/city-council-members-really-think-they-deserve-a-32-percent-pay-hike/">City Council members really think they deserve a 32 percent pay hike</a></b>(NYP) Membe rs of the City Council spent hours Wednesday trying to <a href="http://nypost.com/2016/01/29/now-the-city-council-wants-a-whopping-32-percent-raise/" style="font-family: '';">justify a 32 percent pay hike they plan to award themselves</a>, but they didn’t convince the head of a special panel that recommended they get $10,000 less. “For me this is a big compromise we’re doing today. Our salaries should be $175,000,” said Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez (D-Manhattan). “We have a right to make a living to support our families.”<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Rodriguez, whose <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Washington</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Heights</st1:placetype></st1:place> district has a median household income of about $39,500, argued he and his colleagues deserve more because they have to attend night meetings and deal with constituents’ complaints at all hours. </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">The Mayor, Speaker and Council Who Have No Clothes Live In A Clueless Bubble </span></b></div>
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“One-third of the 51 council members have zero significant prior work experience, except as aides to elected officials—frequently the council member whose seat they now occupy. Another six council members are former public school teachers. Several, including speaker Mark-Viverito, were union staffers or community organizers. Aside from a handful of lawyers who could possibly maintain private practices and an evangelical minister who continues to preach every Sunday, it’s hard to imagine that many members of the <st1:state w:st="on">New York</st1:state> city council have much earning potential in the real world.<a href="http://www.city-journal.org/2015/eon1113sb.html" target="_blank">”</a><span style="font-family: "";"><a href="http://www.city-journal.org/2015/eon1113sb.html" target="_blank">Six-figure Schmoozers </a>(City Journal) Overpaid already, </span><st1:city style="font-family: '';" w:st="on">New York City</st1:city><span style="font-family: "";"> lawmakers propose a big, fat raise.</span></div>
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“When we go to eat in a restaurant, we have to allocate time to speak to our constituency,” he said. Schwarz brushed off Rodriguez’s concerns. “Everybody needs to feed their family,” he said. “We thought we did an appropriate raise for all offices.” Councilwoman Inez Dickens (D-Manhattan) argued that the commission’s proposed raises amounted to being “penalized” because members often give needy constituents money “out of our pockets in order for them to eat.” The raises are scheduled to be voted on Friday, the same day members will be asked to approve Mayor de Blasio’s bill to downsize the horse-carriage industry and limit the animals to <st1:place style="font-family: '';" w:st="on">Central Park</st1:place>. The mayor said he supports the raises. He dismissed criticism from good-government groups that the timing makes it appear he’s holding the raises hostage to the horse-carriage bill.* <span style="font-family: "";"><a href="http://nypost.com/2016/02/03/the-city-councils-pathetic-case-for-a-windfall-raise/">The City Council’s pathetic case for a windfall raise</a></span><span style="font-family: "";"> (NYP)</span><span style="font-family: "";"> </span><span style="font-family: "";">Frederick Schwarz just nicely punctured the City Council’s excuses for its obscene pay-hike plan. Schwarz chaired the outside panel that recommended a 23 percent raise for council members, to $138,315. The council promptly turned around and tacked on another $10,185, for a 32 percent bump — and is rushing the vote through on Friday. Never before has the council raised its pay more than the outsiders suggested. Another first: The hike’s retroactive to Jan. 1, rather than kicking in after the next election. At Wednesday’s required-by-law hearing, Councilmember Margaret Chin (D-Lower Manhattan) claimed the higher number would attract “more good people to government.” <b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Schwarz answered, “There’s no shortage now</span></b>.” Darn right: Candidates </span><i style="font-family: '';">flock</i><span style="font-family: "";"> into council races. * </span><span style="font-family: "";"><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/harry-siegel-council-clowns-modest-pay-proposal-article-1.2519489" target="_blank">Council clowns’ modest pay proposal </a>(NYDN Ed) * </span><span style="font-family: "";"><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/de-blasio-move-horses-central-park-pass-article-1.2519257">De Blasio: Move of horses to Central Park will pass</a></span><span style="font-family: "";"> (NYDN) * </span><span style="font-family: "";"> </span><span style="font-family: "";"><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/04/opinion/a-city-council-raise-that-raises-questions.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fnyregion&_r=0" target="_blank">A City Council Raise That Raises Questions</a> (NYT Ed) There are good reasons for a pay increase, but there are also good reasons for taking the time to explain why such a large raise is needed. </span><span style="font-family: "";"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "";">Two days before they are expected to vote to increase their salaries by nearly a third, New York City council members held the first, and only, public hearing on the package of bills that would raise their pay while enacting significant reforms,<a href="http://goo.gl/3EZfe5" target="_blank"> the Times reports: </a> </span><span style="font-family: "";">* <a href="http://goo.gl/AvCplu" target="_blank">The Times writes that a better-paid New York City </a>Council is welcome, but there are good reasons to be uneasy about how the Council approached the raise and it's reasonable to ask the members to take a bit more time to answer lingering questions: </span><span style="font-family: "";">* <a href="http://goo.gl/9ZyrUr" target="_blank">Political consultant Tom Shanahan in the Journal writes</a>that a full-time state legislature and barring outside income won’t prevent corrupt practices, and no state in the country limits outside income for its legislators for good reasons: * </span>Many New York City Council members believe the pending horse-carriage legislation that could erase hundreds of jobs and cost the city millions is less about animal rights and more about <b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">de Blasio keeping a campaign promise to wealthy donors.</span></b> But <a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/horse-carriage-saga-nears-the-finish-line-1454550936" style="font-family: '';">they’ll likely approve</a><span style="font-family: "";"> it anyway tomorrow, saying they are under intense pressure to do so. * </span><span style="font-family: "";"><a href="http://reut.rs/20bse74" target="_blank">NY horse-carriage drivers brace for city to rein in theirbusiness </a> *</span><span style="font-family: "";"> </span></div>
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The Transport Workers Union <a href="http://nypost.com/2016/02/04/union-ready-to-sue-de-blasio-over-horse-carriage-plan/">said it will sue</a> the mayor and the City Council, should they pass a law to move a diminished horse carriage industry into <st1:place w:st="on">Central Park</st1:place> and ban pedicabs outside the park’s tourist areas.* <span style="font-family: "";">Members of the City Council </span><a href="http://nypost.com/2016/02/04/city-council-members-really-think-they-deserve-a-32-percent-pay-hike/" style="font-family: '';">spent hours yesterday</a><span style="font-family: "";"> trying to justify a 32 percent pay hike they plan to award themselves, but they didn’t convince the head of a special panel that recommended they get $10,000 less. * </span><span style="font-family: "";">The NYT </span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/04/opinion/a-city-council-raise-that-raises-questions.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fnyregion&action=click&contentCollection=nyregion&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=3&pgtype=sectionfront" style="font-family: '';">weighs in on</a><span style="font-family: "";"> the NYC Council’s plan to vote itself a raise: “A better-paid City Council is welcome, on several levels. But there are also good reasons to be uneasy about how the Council got here — and to ask the members to take a bit more time to answer a few lingering questions and to make a better case than they have for the package they are about to give themselves.” * </span><span style="font-family: "";"> </span><span style="font-family: "";"><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-council-member-income-raise-article-1.2520589">NYC Council member wants to keep outside income amid raise</a></span><span style="font-family: "";"> (NYDN) *<a href="http://m.tbnn.it/KQJQ4d" target="_blank"> </a></span><span style="font-family: "";"><a href="http://m.tbnn.it/KQJQ4d" target="_blank">Horses will continue to trot as Teamsters reject De Blasio'scarriage plan: Horse carriages are free to fully…</a> * </span><span style="font-family: "";">Animal rights activists who have been trying to ban the carriage industry for years </span><a href="http://observer.com/2016/02/animal-rights-group-slams-council-speaker-as-horse-deal-collapses/" style="font-family: '';">placed the blame</a><span style="font-family: "";"> for the deal’s demise squarely on Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito.* </span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/05/nyregion/horse-carriage-deal-new-york.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fnyregion" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;">Mayor de Blasio’s Carriage-Horse Plan Falters in City Council</a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt;"> (NYT)</span><br />
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<b style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-large;"><span style="color: red;"><b style="color: black;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: #999999; color: #20124d;">Daily News Leaves Out Council Pay to Play Pay Raise and the Real Estate Deal As It Attacks the Deal On the Health of the Reduced Number of Horses</span></span></b></span></b></div>
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<a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/kill-horses-don-article-1.2514379" target="_blank">They kill horses,don’t they? The City Council must refuse de Blasio’s horse bill</a> (NYDN) Whipped like mules and rewarded with money sweets — good boy, good girl — the City Council is moving to a vote that will hurt humans and animals. <span style="font-family: "";">Members must understand that Mayor de Blasio is driving them to return the favors of animal-rights activists who funded his mayoral campaign in appallingly cruel fashion. The activists wanted to ban horse carriages from the city, declaring that the horses suffered terribly. With the activists spending lavishly on ads that hobbled Christine Quinn’s candidacy, de Blasio declared that the carriage industry was inhumane. Initially, the Council balked at killing the business. And, now, paid-laborer de Blasio is ramming through a “compromise” that would limit horses to </span><st1:place style="font-family: '';" w:st="on">Central Park</st1:place><span style="font-family: "";">, where they would be housed in a new taxpayer-funded, wasteful $25 million stable. The members are urged to read the </span><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/susan-kayne-horses-reject-park-deal-article-1.2513955" style="font-family: '';">Op-Ed article </a><span style="font-family: "";">published today. Susan Kayne, of the Unbridled Thoroughbred Foundation, documents that de Blasio’s scheme would severely overwork the horses.* </span><a href="http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/city-hall/2016/01/8589678/de-blasio-denies-connection-between-horse-carriages-and-council-ra?top-featured-2" style="font-family: '';">De Blasio denied</a><span style="font-family: "";"> the suspicion that NYC Council support for his horse carriage proposal is somehow intertwined with a plan to raise lawmakers’ wages.</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-large;"><span style="color: red;"><b style="color: black;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: #999999; color: #20124d;">Even the NYT is Against the Central Park Horse Deal, But Says Nothing About the Mayor's Pay to Play Pay Deal With the Council </span></span></b></span></b><b style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: #999999; color: #20124d;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><u style="background-color: black;">Central Park Conservancy Pressuring the NYT</u></span></span></span></b></div>
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<a href="http://a%20misguided%20plan%20for%20carriage%20horses%20%28nyt%29%20having%20failed%20to%20kill%20new%20york%20city%E2%80%99s%20carriage-horse%20industry%2C%20mayor%20bill%20de%20blasio%20has%20settled%20for%20crippling%20it.%20he%20has%20sent%20a%20bill%20to%20accomplish%20this%20to%20the%20city%20council%2C%20which%20is%20expected%20to%20vote%20on%20it%20next%20friday.%20the%20council%20needs%20to%20stop%20him.%20as%20weary%20as%20members%20might%20be%20of%20this%20issue%2C%20which%20has%20been%20festering%20since%20the%202013%20mayoral%20race%2C%20they%20need%20to%20dispose%20of%20it.%20this%20means%20standing%20up%20to%20the%20administration%2C%20to%20passionate%20but%20misguided%20animal%20lovers%20and%20to%20real%20estate%20interests%20presenting%20themselves%20as%20animal%20lovers.%20because%20the%20deal%20would%20reduce%20but%20not%20eliminate%20the%20carriages%2C%20and%20confine%20them%20to%20the%20shady%20lanes%20of%20central%20park%2C%20where%20new%20stables%20would%20be%20built%2C%20it%20carries%20the%20appealing%20scent%20of%20compromise.%20but%20it%E2%80%99s%20a%20shoddy%20effort%2C%20shot%20through%20with%20dubious%20assumptions%20and%20unanswered%20questions.%20why%20spend%20public%20dollars%20%E2%80%94%20perhaps%20%2425%20million%2C%20though%20no%20one%20knows%20%E2%80%94%20to%20set%20up%20a%20private%2C%20profit-seeking%20business%20in%20central%20park/?%20Why%20build%20redundant%20housing%20for%20horses%20during%20a%20human%20homelessness%20crisis?%20Why%20go%20after%20law-abiding%20small-business%20owners%20and%20employees,%20and%20take%20away%20jobs?%20%20When%20the%20uprooted%20business%20shrivels%20%E2%80%94%20from%20about%20170%20horses%20to%20110%20by%20December%20and%2095%20by%202018%20%E2%80%94%20how%20will%20it%20survive,%20and%20what%20will%20become%20of%20the%20displaced%20drivers%20and%20jobless%20horses?%20Why%20punish%20pedicab%20drivers,%20who%20have%20no%20political%20clout,%20by%20banishing%20them%20from%20the%20parts%20of%20the%20park%20where%20the%20carriages%20will%20go?%20Why%20was%20the%20Central%20Park%20Conservancy,%20which%20has%20deep%20reservations%20about%20the%20plan,%20left%20out%20of%20the%20discussion?%20%20The%20deal%20offers%20a%20solution%20where%20there%20was%20no%20problem.%20The%20industry%20is%20well-regulated,%20drivers%20make%20a%20living,%20and%20the%20horses%20are%20safe%20and%20healthy.%20The%20bill%20before%20the%20City%20Council%20smells%20more%20like%20a%20political%20fix%20than%20good%20policy.%20It%20pays%20a%20debt%20to%20the%20mayor%E2%80%99s%20wealthy%20donors,%20and%20it%20clears%20the%20way%20for%20developers%20who%20covet%20the%20West%20Side%20property%20where%20the%20stables%20lie." target="_blank">A Misguided Plan for Carriage Horses</a> (NYT Ed) Having failed to kill <st1:place w:st="on">New York City</st1:place>’s carriage-horse industry, Mayor Bill de Blasio has settled for crippling it. He has sent a bill to accomplish this to the City Council, which is <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/29/nyregion/new-york-council-may-vote-on-raise-and-horse-carriage-bill-on-same-day.html" title="The New York Times">expected to vote</a> on it next Friday. The Council needs to stop him. As weary as members might be of this issue, which has been festering since the 2013 mayoral race, they need to dispose of it. This means standing up to the administration, to passionate but misguided animal lovers and to real estate interests presenting themselves as animal lovers. Because <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/19/nyregion/in-compromise-mayor-de-blasio-to-allow-75-carriage-horses-in-central-park.html" title="The New York Times">the deal</a> would reduce but not eliminate the carriages, and confine them to the shady lanes of <st1:place w:st="on">Central Park</st1:place>, where new stables would be built, it carries the appealing scent of compromise. But it’s a shoddy effort, shot through with dubious assumptions and unanswered questions. Why spend public dollars — perhaps $25 million, though no one knows — to set up a private, profit-seeking business in <st1:place w:st="on">Central Park</st1:place>? Why build redundant housing for horses during a human homelessness crisis? Why go after law-abiding small-business owners and employees, and take away jobs? When the uprooted business shrivels — from about 170 horses to 110 by December and 95 by 2018 — how will it survive, and what will become of the displaced drivers and jobless horses? Why punish pedicab drivers, who have no political clout, by banishing them from the parts of the park where the carriages will go? Why was the Central Park Conservancy, which has deep reservations about the plan, left out of the discussion? The deal offers a solution where there was no problem. The industry is well-regulated, drivers make a living, and the horses are safe and healthy. The bill before the City Council smells more like a political fix than good policy. It pays a debt to the mayor’s wealthy donors, and it clears the way for developers who covet the <st1:place w:st="on">West Side</st1:place> property where the stables lie.<br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/Adrian_Benepe"><b>Adrian Benepe</b> @Adrian_Benepe</a><br />
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<span lang="EN">Three major NYC daily newspaper editorials reject mayor's horse carriage plan; will <a href="https://twitter.com/NYCCouncil">@NYCCouncil</a> listen? Zero community support for plan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><a href="https://twitter.com/suzannahbtroy">Suzannah B. Troy</a> l<span lang="EN"><a href="https://twitter.com/unitedNYblogs">@unitedNYblogs</a></span> <span lang="EN">is this like Bloomberg Quinn slush money to buy an illegal 3rd term, Bill trying to buy 2nd term?</span></b><br />
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<b style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-large;"><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></b><b style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-large;"><span style="color: red;">Saturday NYP's de Blasio's Dirty Real Estate Deal But Nothing About the Election Fix</span></b></div>
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<a href="http://nypost.com/2016/01/29/bill-de-blasios-dirty-deal-to-kill-the-carriage-horse-industry/">Bill de Blasio’s dirty deal to kill the carriage-horse industry</a> (NYP Ed) It’s a dirty new low, even for Mayor de Blasio: He’s set to finally impose a death sentence on the carriage-horse industry while lying about it — and (legally) bribing the City Council to OK it. The drivers don’t want it, the stable owners don’t want it, parks advocates don’t want it — and New Yorkers, by an overwhelming majority, don’t want it. But the City Council is poised to pass a bill Friday to destroy an industry that predates the Civil War. Steve Nislick — who dumped some $2 million into making de Blasio mayor. What’s their interest? Valuable <st1:place w:st="on">West Side</st1:place> real estate, now home to carriage-horse stables, they’d love to seize and develop. (Nislick denies it. Buy that, and he’ll offer you a bargain on the <st1:place w:st="on">Brooklyn</st1:place> Bridge.). The mayor calls the bill before the council a “compromise.” That’s pure horse manure. It’s actually a way to pay back de Blasio’s rich backers by killing off the horse-carriage trade in stages while <i>pretending</i> to preserve it. The council is wired to go along in exchange for a deal that will hike members’ pay by 32 percent without a public hearing. Anyway, de Blasio’s bill starts sharply reducing the number of carriages right away, years before the facility could open.That will cut the financial legs out from under the stable owners — forcing them to sell. (Hello, Steve!). No, our “progressive” mayor is destroying honest, working-class jobs — and an entire, small-but-iconic <st1:state w:st="on">New York</st1:state> industry — so he can repay a fat-cat donor. And he’s using taxpayer cash to bribe the “progressive” council to go along.Looks like another case for Preet Bharara.* <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/albany-billboards-seek-public-political-corruption-article-1.2514061" target="_blank">Albanybillboards ask public to apply ‘See Something, Say Something’ to politicalcorruption </a>(NYDN) *<a href="http://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/politics/2016/01/29/city-council-members--no-deal-making-in-their-potential-salary-increase-and-vote-on-horse-drawn-carriages.html">City Council Members: No Deal-Making in Their Potential Salary Increase</a> (NY1) * <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/30/opinion/a-misguided-plan-for-carriage-horses.html?ref=opinion" target="_blank"> A Misguided Plan for Carriage Horses </a>(NYT)<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Friday's True News</u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">A Result of the Cover-Up by the CFB and Board of Ethics On the NYCLASS Election Corruption, The Council is Openly Bribeable To A Developer Deal </span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/boss-tweed-cheer-article-1.2513173">BOSS TWEED WOULD CHEER: Stink of manure as Council plans to vote for big raises on the very day it votes on de Blasio’s horse bill</a></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">(NYDN) * </span></span></span><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">There was no smell of fresh hay when Mayor de Blasio reached a horse carriage deal with Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito on the very day he blessed pay hikes for her members. Now there’s the stink of manure as the Council plans to vote for even bigger raises for themselves on the very day it votes on de Blasio’s horse bill. This isn’t horse trading; it’s daylight bribery. First, animal rights activists pump a critical $1 million into de Blasio’s election campaign. Next, de Blasio says he’ll spend $25 million on a <st1:place w:st="on">Central Park</st1:place> stable to keep promises to the activists. Next, a Council that had refused to kill the carriage industry gets a big payday and goes along with a plan that purports to limit the horses to <st1:place w:st="on">Central Park</st1:place> but, in fact, will starve the industry to death well before a necessary new stable opens. Meanwhile, the Council is writing a pay raise bill in secret with plans to take far more than the hike an independent commission recommended. In doing so, Mark-Viverito and company will violate decades of sensible precedent. In every previous pay raise round — in 1979, 1983, 1987, 1991, 1995, 1999 and 2006 — the Council voted into law the salary recommendations of special temporary commissions set up to provide the public with an independent judgment of how much pay levels should be increased. Never has a Council passed raises greater than a commission thought warranted. This time, the panel recommended hiking the Council salary 23% from $112,500 to $138,315 while abolishing extra stipends doled out to loyalists. Instead the Council is moving to set salaries closer to $150,000. De Blasio got his money, the animal rights activists got their stables, and Council members are sealing the deal with big money in their pockets.* The New York City Council completed a package of bills on that would adopt provisions on outside income and financial disclosures while raising pay to $148,500 a year, far above a city commission’s recommendation,</span></span><a href="http://goo.gl/MPUq2F" style="color: black;" target="_blank"> The NewYork Times reports:</a><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"> * The New York City Council has scheduled two separate hearings on Feb. 9 and 10 for de Blasio's controversial zoning plans related to his overall affordable housing goals, though it’s not clear which officials will testify,</span></span><a href="http://goo.gl/os9DXN" style="color: black;" target="_blank"> Politico New York reports:</a><br />
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<span lang="EN"><br /></span><span lang="EN"><br /></span><span lang="EN"><span style="background-color: #a64d79; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold;">Will the Fact That All 3 Paper Editorials Oppose Mayor's Horse-Carriage Plan Means Nothing to Council Members </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: "";"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">Three major NYC daily newspaper editorials reject mayor's horse carriage plan; will</span></span> </span><a href="https://twitter.com/NYCCouncil" style="color: black; font-family: '';">@NYCCouncil</a><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "";"> listen? Zero community support for plan.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN"><span style="background-color: black; color: red; font-family: ""; font-size: x-large;"><b>As True News Follows Thomas Nass Using It's Editorial Pictures to Explain Corruption the News and Post Go Fleet Street Selling Sex to Get Internet Hits</b></span></span></div>
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Journalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10190956898079079756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801194346072845032.post-76849908146793621832010-01-24T07:16:00.001-08:002010-09-18T13:31:47.063-07:00Steve Ratner Pension Mess<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">As Reported in True News</span></span><br /><a href="http://truenewsfromchangenyc.blogspot.com/2009/05/nobody-asked-me-but.html">Steve Rattner the Untouchable</a><br /><br /><a href="http://truenewsfromchangenyc.blogspot.com/2009/05/whos-afraid-of-steve-rattner-everyone.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>Who's Afraid of Steve Rattner? Everyone?</a><br /><br /><a href="http://truenewsfromchangenyc.blogspot.com/2009/04/pensiongate-explodes-we-need-judge-like.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>NY PensionGate Explodes in New Mexico</a><br /><br /><a href="http://truenewsfromchangenyc.blogspot.com/2009/04/whose-guarding-peoples-pensions.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>Whose Guarding the People's Pensions?</a><br /><br /><a href="http://truenewsfromchangenyc.blogspot.com/2009/08/8-millionaires-on-enriched-council.html">Everyone is Covering Up the Pension Scandal for Their Own Reasons</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /></span><a href="http://truenewstop10.blogspot.com/2010/01/bloomberg-pension.html">bloomberg pensionMess</a><br /><br /><a href="http://truenewsfromchangenyc.blogspot.com/2009/04/wolf-at-thompsons-door.html">The Wolf at Thompson's Door</a><br /><br /><a href="http://truenewsfromchangenyc.blogspot.com/2009/08/true-news-wolf-at-thompson-door-part-ii.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>True News: Wolf at Thompson Door, Part II . Avella Opens A Cut</a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><a href="http://truenewstop10.blogspot.com/2009/10/how-much-will-new-yorkers-have-to-pay.html">Who Rob the People's Pensions</a></span></span><br /><h3 class="post-title entry-title"> </h3> <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Nobody Asked Me, But . . . <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">True News was First Before the Daily News Again</span> </span></span><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/election_2009/2009/10/12/2009-10-12_mayor_tears_into_bill_on_pensions.html#ixzz0Tj480beS">Mayor Michael <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Bloomberg</span> tears into rival Bill Thompson on pensions</a> In this article the Daily News took credit for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Bloomberg</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">atacking</span> Thompson on the pension funds because the paper said the mayor was responding to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">DN</span> article that was written the day before that showed Thompson taking $158,000 from pension fund middlemen who won more than $2.2 billion in business with the city. On<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> April 21, 2009 True News</span></span> wrote <a href="http://truenewsfromchangenyc.blogspot.com/2009/04/wolf-at-thompsons-door.html">The Wolf at Thompson's Door</a> which exposed how <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Thompson</span> was getting campaign contributions from former managers of his pension who after leaving his office became money man and received tens of millions from his office the same pension funds that they reorganized Thompson Pensions funds to make it more available to money manager type deals. Since that April story True News has written over a dozen stories about how Thompson has abused the pension funds offering many important leads that have not been follow up by the other papers or the campaigns. <a href="http://truenewsfromchangenyc.blogspot.com/2009/04/wolf-at-thompsons-door.html"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">From True News</span></a> "It was reported yesterday in the Times that it was under former top Thompson aide Josh Wolf-Powers’ advisement that Steven <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">Rattner</span>’s private investment firm Quadrangle Group hired the now-indicted Hank Morris as its placement agent. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">Rattner</span> badly wanted to gain access to investment from the State’s pension fund and according to the Times, “Wolf-Powers told Mr. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">Rattner</span> that he could not think of any investment firm that had persuaded the city’s pension fund to invest without using a placement agent.” Josh Wolf-Powers was his aid who left Thompson office and formed his own company and recieved pensions funds from the comprtoller.<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/19/nyregion/19pension.html"> On August 18 the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">NYT</span></a> reported that one quarter of the money Thompson raised came from people who do business with his office. <a href="http://www.villagevoice.com/2009-06-03/columns/pension-fixers-go-right-on-pushing/">On June 3 the Village Voice Robbins</a> wrote how campaign consultants closed to Thompson not only acted as money managers with the city's pension funds but gave campaign contributions to the City Comptroller. The journalist culture which thinks they are the center of the world until your paper prints the story is elitist and in this new emerging <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Internet</span> world factually wrong <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/election_2009/2009/10/11/2009-10-11_bills_pension_for_trouble_middlemen_gave_158g_to_campaign_and_got_city_business.html">Pension middlemen gave $158K to Bill Thompson's campaigns and got $2.2B in city business</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>*** Does anyone believe that dysfunctional Albany does not rig every major big with a contractor? <a href="http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/gov_casino_flip_stirs_fears_of_rigging_wwGIYCH0xmJlewhaPlBX9M"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Gov's</span> casino flip stirs fears of rigging </a> (Dicker <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">NYP</span>) There's growing fear that Gov. Paterson is manipulating the bidding process for the long-delayed, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">multibillion</span>-dollar contract for a massive video-lottery casino at the Aqueduct Race Track *** How does <a href="http://squiermedia.com/our-work/Bloomberg.aspx"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Squier</span> Knapp Dunn communications</a> which has received many of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Bloombergs</span> millions get the voters to turn out in a dull mayoral campaign? After spending 65 million <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Squier</span> has failed to get <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Bloomberg</span> positive numbers to increase. In the debate this week Thompson will be fighting for his life - Term Limit extension, developers taxes and parking tickets pushing the middle class out. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Squier</span> will be trying to paint <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Bloomberg</span> clam and in charge. This might not be the best debate Strategy to make sure voter turn out which has been in the single digits in the 2009 primary and runoff, reaches the 45% to 50% where experts believe <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Bloomberg</span> will be easily elected. The non religious Jewish vote is a real question inside the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Squier</span> war room *** In New York with a 10% plus unemployment rate Stimulus is not about creating jobs its about paying off the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">UFT</span> and their members in an election years <a href="http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/ed_waste_7FybXnr74QTv4WwlVFj1dN">$1B ed. '<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">waste'Few</span> new stimulus jobs at DOE (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">NYP</span>)</a><br /><br /><a href="http://truenewsfromchangenyc.blogspot.com/2009/07/follow-pension-money-ny-magazine-hangs.html">Follow the Pension Money: NY Magazine Hangs Morris, Rattner Richardson Not Involved?</a><br /><br /><h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://truenewsfromchangenyc.blogspot.com/2010/03/hidden-pension-blame.html">The Hidden Pension Blame</a></h3><br /><h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://truenewstop10.blogspot.com/2010/01/mccall.html">McCall</a></h3><a href="http://truenewstop10.blogspot.com/2010/01/ferrer-pension.html">Ferrer Pension</a><br /><h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://truenewsfromchangenyc.blogspot.com/2009/10/wall-street-hijacks-federal-agencies.html">Wall Street Hijacks Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for Stuy Town</a> Brought with Pension funds</h3><a href="http://truenewstop10.blogspot.com/2010/01/gmac.html">GMAC</a><br /><br /><h1>House Republicans want investigation of Rattner's handling of Delphi</h1> <h4>David Shepardson / Detroit News Washington Bureau</h4> <p><i>Washington</i> -- Two Republican members of Congress want an investigation into the conduct of former Obama <a itxtdid="20426882" target="_blank" href="http://www.detnews.com/article/20100429/AUTO01/4290460/1361/House-Republicans-want-investigation-of-Rattner-s-handling-of-Delphi#" style="font-weight: normal ! important; font-size: 100% ! important; text-decoration: underline ! important; border-bottom: 0.075em solid darkgreen ! important; padding-bottom: 1px ! important; color: darkgreen ! important; background-color: transparent ! important; background-image: none; padding-top: 0pt; padding-right: 0pt; padding-left: 0pt;" classname="iAs" class="iAs">auto</a> czar Steve Rattner. </p><p>In a letter to the chairman and ranking member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Reps. Mike Rogers, R-Brighton, and Christopher Lee, R-N.Y., urged the committee to investigate Rattner's conduct. </p><p>Rattner, who headed the Obama auto task force from February until July 2009, "has been implicated in an alleged 2005 kickback scheme involving <a itxtdid="19800036" target="_blank" href="http://www.detnews.com/article/20100429/AUTO01/4290460/1361/House-Republicans-want-investigation-of-Rattner-s-handling-of-Delphi#" style="font-weight: normal ! important; font-size: 100% ! important; text-decoration: underline ! important; border-bottom: 0.075em solid darkgreen ! important; padding-bottom: 1px ! important; color: darkgreen ! important; background-color: transparent ! important; background-image: none; padding-top: 0pt; padding-right: 0pt; padding-left: 0pt;" classname="iAs" class="iAs">New York</a> State pension funds through his role as a co-founder of the Quadrangle Group investment firm." </p> <!--startclickprintexclude--> <div class="articleAdsL"> <p>Advertisement</p> <!-- OAS AD 'ArticleFlex_1' begin --> <script language="JavaScript"> <!-- OAS_AD('ArticleFlex_1'); 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Quadrangle issued a statement criticizing Rattner. </p><p>"We wholly disavow the conduct engaged in by Steve Rattner. ... That conduct was inappropriate, wrong and unethical," the company said. </p><p>The investigation calls "into question the integrity and objectivity of Mr. Rattner's panel, particularly the decision to allow some Delphi Corp. retirees, including many salaried retirees, to lose their pension benefits through the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation while simultaneously protecting the benefits of other Delphi retirees." </p><p>In an interview, Rogers said salaried retirees were treated "horribly." </p><p>"It was completely unfair how they were treated," he said. "We need to ask some really hard questions about how this happened." </p><p>Jenny Rosenberg, a spokeswoman for the committee chairman, Rep. Ed Towns, D-N.Y., said he had no immediate comment. </p><p>Dozens of Congress members have sharply criticized the disparate treatment of Delphi's hourly and salaried retirees. </p><p>Earlier this month, 12 members of the House Oversight Committee sent a letter to General Motors CEO <a itxtdid="20917857" target="_blank" href="http://www.detnews.com/article/20100429/AUTO01/4290460/1361/House-Republicans-want-investigation-of-Rattner-s-handling-of-Delphi#" style="font-weight: normal ! important; font-size: 100% ! important; text-decoration: none ! important; border-bottom: 1px dotted darkgreen ! important; padding-bottom: 0px ! important; color: darkgreen ! important; background-color: transparent ! important; background-image: none; padding-top: 0pt; padding-right: 0pt; padding-left: 0pt;" classname="iAs" class="iAs">Ed Whitacre <nobr style="color: darkgreen; font-weight: normal; font-size: 100%; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" id="itxt_nobr_12_0">Jr<img style="display: inline ! important; height: 10px; width: 10px; position: relative; top: 1px; left: 1px; padding: 0pt; margin: 0pt; float: none; border: 0pt none;" name="itxt-icon-77" src="http://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/2_bing.gif" /></nobr></a>. questioning whether the company was being unduly influenced by its government owners -- and cited Delphi as an example. </p><p>Last July, Delphi abandoned its pension plans in bankruptcy covering 70,000 people, saddling the PBGC with a $6.2 billion liability. </p><p>Some of the company's salaried retirees will receive up to a 70 percent cut in the <a itxtdid="19796158" target="_blank" href="http://www.detnews.com/article/20100429/AUTO01/4290460/1361/House-Republicans-want-investigation-of-Rattner-s-handling-of-Delphi#" style="font-weight: normal ! important; font-size: 100% ! important; text-decoration: underline ! important; border-bottom: 0.075em solid darkgreen ! important; padding-bottom: 1px ! important; color: darkgreen ! important; background-color: transparent ! important; background-image: none; padding-top: 0pt; padding-right: 0pt; padding-left: 0pt;" classname="iAs" class="iAs">value</a> of their pensions because the PBGC has limits on the amount it can insure. </p><p>The average retiree losing pension benefits will see about $850 a month cut, but some will not see any cut. </p><p>GM agreed to "top off" the pensions of most of Delphi's hourly retirees at an estimated cost of $1 billion. </p><p>Members of Congress have unsuccessfully sought records relating to the task force's decisions to allow the different treatment. </p><p>"Many Delphi retirees will lose significant portions of their promised pension benefits while others will be kept whole. This is unfair and unjust," Rogers and Lee wrote. </p><p>Delphi emerged from bankruptcy in October after it eliminated retiree health care and life insurance for salaried retirees. </p><p>Treasury Department spokeswoman Meg Reilly declined to comment and Rattner didn't return a message seeking comment. </p><span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZT01xeO3Ex4/TFlMBggFVCI/AAAAAAAADKg/0udlxczcg3w/s1600/rat.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZT01xeO3Ex4/TFlMBggFVCI/AAAAAAAADKg/0udlxczcg3w/s200/rat.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501512008597853218" border="0" /></a>Rattner works for Bloomberg's Non Profits Organizations</span></span><br /><a href="http://www.nypost.com/p/news/business/rattner_clams_up_UC7yX0NKHXNLEWr6dbhxUO">Rattner clams up</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>Ex-car czar took fifth 'many times' with SEC: mag (NYP) Former car czar Steve Rattner was mum on several occasions last year when the<a href="http://www.nypost.com/t/Securities_and_Exchange_Commission" class="topiclink"> </a><span class="topiclink">Securities and Exchange Commission</span><a href="http://www.nypost.com/t/Securities_and_Exchange_Commission" class="topiclink"> </a>interviewed him under oath about his role in the messy New York State pension "pay to play" scandal, according to an upcoming report. Rattner, the founder of Quadrangle Group, a private-equity firm, has been implicated in a kickback scheme that paid bribes to a middleman in return for his fund receiving wads of investment cash from New York's robust $140 billion public pension fund.(NYP) * <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703545604575407880301612228.html?mod=WSJ_NY_LEFTTopStories">Kelly: Mayor's Frequent Flier</a> (WSJ) * NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703545604575407880301612228.html?mod=WSJ_NY_LEFTTopStories">took five free trips</a> to Florida on Bloomberg’s private jet last year, the value of which, according to Kelly, are “unknown”.Journalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10190956898079079756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801194346072845032.post-91448221602226695982010-01-23T17:50:00.001-08:002010-01-23T17:50:25.946-08:00weakng Editorial<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-size: 130%;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Editorial Boards Get No Respect</span></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: 130%;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">NYT</span> Begs Albany to Change Again and Again</span> </span><span><span style="font-size: 100%;">At least there doing it on a regular basis now</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/19/opinion/19tue1.html?ref=opinion">One Star for Ethics Reform </a>The reforms proposed by Senator John Sampson, the Democratic leader in the State Senate, and the Assembly speaker, Sheldon Silver, would inevitably get the best-we-can-do-at-the-moment label. That’s not good enough (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">NYT</span> Ed) True News has point out that the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">NYT</span> editorials on Albany always fall on deft ears <a href="http://truenewsfromchangenyc.blogspot.com/2009/11/audacity-of-brunos-corruption-editorial.html">The Audacity of Bruno's Corruption: Editorial Board Outrage Over the Years Leads Nowhere</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-size: 130%;"> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">NYP</span> Begs for Charter Schools</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> . . . Albany </span>Ignores</span> A special session to act on charter schools ended last night with <a href="http://www.timesunion.com/ASPStories/Story.asp?storyID=890395&newsdate=1/19/2010&BCCode=MBTA"><strong>no action.</strong></a> David Paterson and others <a href="http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20100119/NEWS01/1190339/1003/NEWS01/Gov.-David-Paterson--lawmakers-work-to-receive-federal-school-funds"><strong>ripped</strong></a> a bill proposed by Democratic legislative leaders, but the two houses of the legislature didn’t consider that bill or one submitted by Paterson. (TU/GNS) *Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the application for federal funding could be <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/19/nyregion/19charter.html?ref=nyregion"><strong>“undermined by legislative shell games,”</strong></a> and some <a href="http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/pols_trying_to_DNxrBLOouXbZOfgsD4oseJ"><strong>parents are angry</strong></a> with the lack of action. (NYT/NYP) ** <a name="&lid=tab_region_link&lpos=ny_news" href="http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/pols_trying_to_DNxrBLOouXbZOfgsD4oseJ">Parents rage at Albany over charter-busting bill</a> (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">NYP</span>) *** <a name="&lid=tab_region_link&lpos=ny_news" href="http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/the_education_gap_hits_home_t2L3PfIQwuJ8RcAeihZICK">The education gap hits home</a> (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">NYP</span>) *** <a href="http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/editorials/whither_merryl_control_BAndnldUKcIMulJ1FR296I">Whither <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">Merryl</span> control?</a><span style="font-size: 130%;"> <span style="font-size: 100%;">(<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">NYP</span> Ed) ***</span></span><a name="&lid=tab_region_link&lpos=" href="http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/teacher_unions_are_big_spenders_R2SBojRG5hiAwjh9D1UKDM">Teacher unions are big spenders on campus</a><span style="font-size: 130%;"> *** </span><a name="&lid=tab_region_link&lpos=" href="http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/ny_regents_are_board_stiffs_study_pgFJ5wA9wWyDaDDxlrhRpL">NY Regents are board stiffs: study</a><span style="font-size: 130%;"> *** </span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/19/nyregion/19charter.html?ref=nyregion">School Plan for U.S. Aid Gets No Vote in Albany</a><span style="font-size: 130%;"> *** </span><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/education/2010/01/19/2010-01-19_charter_bill_an_insult_to_mlk_sez_mike__then_signs_off_on_it.html">Mayor <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">Bloomberg</span> rips charter school bill for insulting Martin Luther King, but signs off on it</a> *** <a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/local/New_York/WABC-TV_New_York/SIG=1340nc97j/*http%3A//abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/education&id=7226081&rss=rss-wabc-article-7226081">NY Legislature rejects charter school bill (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">WABC</span>)</a> *** <a class="" href="http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/21695/senate-spat-as-republicans-frustrate-adjournment-on-charter-schools/" target="_top">Senate spat as Republicans frustrate adjournment on charter schools</a><span style="font-size: 100%;"> (TU)</span> *** <a href="http://www.timesunion.com/ASPStories/Story.asp?StoryID=890395">The charter school bill</a> has to be passed by 4:30 p.m. today *** Teachers unions <a href="http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/teacher_unions_are_big_spenders_R2SBojRG5hiAwjh9D1UKDM"><strong>spent $5 million</strong></a> lobbying and campaign contributions last year. (NYP) *** Obama will <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/18/AR2010011803674.html?hpid=topnews"><strong>expand</strong></a> the Race to the Top program by $1.35 billion. (WP) *** Paterson <a href="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/N/NY_EDUCATION_FUNDING_NYOL-?SITE=NYMID&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT">accused lawmakers</a> of "elitist sophistry" and scolded them for setting a bad example for the state's school children *** "It's sending a negative message to Arne Duncan and the U.S. Department of Education that we're going to control the growth and location of charter schools, if we allow them to be created at all," <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703626604575011391417058952.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_MIDDLENexttoWhatsNewsTop">said top Paterson aide Larry Schwartz</a>. (Jacob Gershman at WSJ!) *** The <a href="http://www.dnainfo.com/20100118/central-harlem/rev-al-sharpton-speeds-away-with-harold-ford-jr-gillibrand-left-dust">Sharpton to Ford</a>: "Get in the damn car." *** <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2010/01/nolan-charter-bill-dead.html">Nolan: Charter Bill 'Dead' (Updated)</a><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-weight: bold; font-size: 130%;"><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Daily News Begs Thompson to Change</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/columnists/hammond/index.html">Throw down the gauntlet, Dave: The budget speech Gov. Paterson should give</a><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-size: 130%;"> <span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">What the DN does not get is that the gov always changes or flip flops </span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Gov Broken Field Daily Senate Flip Flops </span></span> <a href="http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/21446/patersons-ford-flip/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to Paterson’s Ford flip">Paterson’s Ford flip</a> (Tuesday, Jan 12) Today's <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">NYT</span></span></span> <a href="http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/13/now-paterson-supports-a-ford-run-for-senate/">Now Paterson Supports a Ford Senate Bid</a> "Paterson says there is no reason why Harold E. Ford Jr. should not run for a Senate seat, two days after suggesting that he find another state to mount a campaign." (Wednesday, Jan 13th) *<span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2010/01/paterson-uses-the-c-word.html" rel="bookmark">Paterson Uses The 'C' Word</a> Paterson today referred to former Harold Ford as a "carpetbagger" and suggested <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">More Broken Field Gov Run: </span>In 2010-2011 executive budget by<br />the governor who once said he was dead set against more tax increases<br />and then slowly but surely walked that back. </span><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2010/01/taxes-taxes-taxes.html" rel="bookmark">Taxes, Taxes, Taxes</a>Journalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10190956898079079756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801194346072845032.post-53978823414214479862010-01-23T17:44:00.000-08:002010-04-25T10:38:31.580-07:00Ethics<span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ethic Battle Continues </span></span><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2010/01/23/2010-01-23_slimeball_ethics.html#ixzz1K5PZRNZo"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Slimeball</span></span> ethics: Legislators turned ethics bill into just another cynical political ploy</a> *<a href="http://www.queenstribune.com/not4pub/Not4pub_012110.html">The Governor the Legislature and Reform (Queens Tribune</a> *** Dreams of Taking the N to LaGuardia (<a href="http://secondavenuesagas.com/2010/01/19/dreams-of-taking-the-n-to-laguardia/" target="_blank">Second Avenue Sagas</a>)<br /><br /><h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://truenewsfromchangenyc.blogspot.com/2010/01/gov-lays-trap-for-albany.html">Gov Lays A Trap for Albany</a></h3><br /><h3 class="post-title entry-title"> <a href="http://truenewsfromchangenyc.blogspot.com/2010/02/rules-dont-apply-politics-culture-of-we.html">The Rules Don't Apply Politics: A Culture of We Can Do What We Want</a> </h3> <div class="post-header"> </div> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZT01xeO3Ex4/S2gyD7-n_5I/AAAAAAAABBs/nglCycJkdiw/s1600-h/111.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 243px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZT01xeO3Ex4/S2gyD7-n_5I/AAAAAAAABBs/nglCycJkdiw/s320/111.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433647993643859858" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">The Rules Don't Apply Politics</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">A Culture of We Can Do What We Want</span></span><br /><br />The big picture here is that pols treat government as if it is their candy story. As New Yorkers suffer through the highest unemployment rate in decades, business and stores close and move out to escape high taxes, it seems the culture of Pay to Play among this new generation of pols has not only increased but embolden with a total lack of ethics.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pay to Play Albany</span></span> <a href="http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/editorials/floyd_flake_friends_lAnKE37xXHiIMZbzB3fsLJ">Floyd Flake's friends</a><br /><br /><h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://truenewsfromchangenyc.blogspot.com/2010/02/why-are-we-electing-these-bums-nothing.html">Why Are We Electing These Bums? Nothing on Creating Jobs or Attracting Business to the City</a></h3>Journalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10190956898079079756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801194346072845032.post-55766681298878374622010-01-07T17:41:00.000-08:002010-01-07T17:42:09.775-08:00bloomberg pension<span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Nobody Asked Me, But . . . <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">True News was First Before the Daily News Again</span> </span></span><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/election_2009/2009/10/12/2009-10-12_mayor_tears_into_bill_on_pensions.html#ixzz0Tj480beS">Mayor Michael <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Bloomberg</span> tears into rival Bill Thompson on pensions</a> In this article the Daily News took credit for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Bloomberg</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">atacking</span> Thompson on the pension funds because the paper said the mayor was responding to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">DN</span> article that was written the day before that showed Thompson taking $158,000 from pension fund middlemen who won more than $2.2 billion in business with the city. On<span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> April 21, 2009 True News</span></span> wrote <a href="http://truenewsfromchangenyc.blogspot.com/2009/04/wolf-at-thompsons-door.html">The Wolf at Thompson's Door</a> which exposed how <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Thompson</span> was getting campaign contributions from former managers of his pension who after leaving his office became money man and received tens of millions from his office the same pension funds that they reorganized Thompson Pensions funds to make it more available to money manager type deals. Since that April story True News has written over a dozen stories about how Thompson has abused the pension funds offering many important leads that have not been follow up by the other papers or the campaigns. <a href="http://truenewsfromchangenyc.blogspot.com/2009/04/wolf-at-thompsons-door.html"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">From True News</span></a> "It was reported yesterday in the Times that it was under former top Thompson aide Josh Wolf-Powers’ advisement that Steven <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">Rattner</span>’s private investment firm Quadrangle Group hired the now-indicted Hank Morris as its placement agent. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">Rattner</span> badly wanted to gain access to investment from the State’s pension fund and according to the Times, “Wolf-Powers told Mr. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">Rattner</span> that he could not think of any investment firm that had persuaded the city’s pension fund to invest without using a placement agent.” Josh Wolf-Powers was his aid who left Thompson office and formed his own company and recieved pensions funds from the comprtoller.<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/19/nyregion/19pension.html"> On August 18 the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">NYT</span></a> reported that one quarter of the money Thompson raised came from people who do business with his office. <a href="http://www.villagevoice.com/2009-06-03/columns/pension-fixers-go-right-on-pushing/">On June 3 the Village Voice Robbins</a> wrote how campaign consultants closed to Thompson not only acted as money managers with the city's pension funds but gave campaign contributions to the City Comptroller. The journalist culture which thinks they are the center of the world until your paper prints the story is elitist and in this new emerging <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Internet</span> world factually wrong <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/election_2009/2009/10/11/2009-10-11_bills_pension_for_trouble_middlemen_gave_158g_to_campaign_and_got_city_business.html">Pension middlemen gave $158K to Bill Thompson's campaigns and got $2.2B in city business</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>*** Does anyone believe that dysfunctional Albany does not rig every major big with a contractor? <a href="http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/gov_casino_flip_stirs_fears_of_rigging_wwGIYCH0xmJlewhaPlBX9M"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Gov's</span> casino flip stirs fears of rigging </a> (Dicker <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">NYP</span>) There's growing fear that Gov. Paterson is manipulating the bidding process for the long-delayed, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">multibillion</span>-dollar contract for a massive video-lottery casino at the Aqueduct Race Track *** How does <a href="http://squiermedia.com/our-work/Bloomberg.aspx"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Squier</span> Knapp Dunn communications</a> which has received many of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Bloombergs</span> millions get the voters to turn out in a dull mayoral campaign? After spending 65 million <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Squier</span> has failed to get <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Bloomberg</span> positive numbers to increase. In the debate this week Thompson will be fighting for his life - Term Limit extension, developers taxes and parking tickets pushing the middle class out. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Squier</span> will be trying to paint <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Bloomberg</span> clam and in charge. This might not be the best debate Strategy to make sure voter turn out which has been in the single digits in the 2009 primary and runoff, reaches the 45% to 50% where experts believe <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Bloomberg</span> will be easily elected. The non religious Jewish vote is a real question inside the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Squier</span> war room *** In New York with a 10% plus unemployment rate Stimulus is not about creating jobs its about paying off the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">UFT</span> and their members in an election years <a href="http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/ed_waste_7FybXnr74QTv4WwlVFj1dN">$1B ed. '<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">waste'Few</span> new stimulus jobs at DOE (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">NYP</span>)</a> *** <span style="font-weight: bold;">An agressive press are you kidding Mr. Mayor</span> "You should get rid of the public advocate," <a href="http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/10/bloomberg_clear_on_his_plans_t.html">said Bloomberg</a>, hinting he might try to do just that. "It's a total waste of everybody's money. Nobody needs another gadfly and we have an aggressive enough press." *** It is not the Public Administrator that works for the city's Surrogate Judges that is corrupt it it the court itself <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/fea/20050704/202/1472">Surrogate's Court And Why It Should Go<em></em></a> Why go after corrupt lawyers and judges year after year change the court <strong style="font-weight: normal;"></strong><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/bronx/2009/10/11/2009-10-11_willful_abuse_of_dead_2_probes_to_see_if_estate_lawyer_took_bogus_advance_fees.html">Lawyer eyed by feds in corruption investigation of Bronx public administrator's office</a> <span style="font-weight: bold;">More Surrogate Corruption</span> <a href="http://manhattansurrogatecourt2008.blogspot.com/">Facts About Manhattan Surrogate Court 2008</a> , <a href="http://truenewsfromchangenyc.blogspot.com/2008/12/surrogate-elect-indicted-where-public.html">Manhattan Surrogate Judge-Elect Nora Anderson Indicted</a> Dummy down public "New Yorkers who can tell you the precise number of electoral votes in Ohio and Indiana give only blank looks when asked how their own local judges are selected" <em><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 153);"><strong>--<a href="http://www.villagevoice.com/2008-12-10/columns/prosecutors-target-a-brand-new-judge/">Tom Robbins, Village Voice</a></strong></span></em><a href="http://www.villagevoice.com/2008-12-10/columns/prosecutors-target-a-brand-new-judge/"> </a> *** Some Battle there has not been a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">GOPer</span> elected to the City Council in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">decateds</span> <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/brooklyn/2009/10/11/2009-10-11_battle_for_brooklyn_city_council_seats.html">Battle for Brooklyn City Council seats</a> <span style="font-weight: bold;">*** </span><span class="h2"><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/10/AR2009101002360.html?hpid=topnews">Big Losses Put Pensions at Risk</a></span>Out nearly $1T in investments, governments may cut workers' benefits or take risks to rebuild assets.<span style="font-weight: bold;"> (Washington Post)</span> *** <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">Gothamist</span> got it very wrong. Star Ledger endorsement of independent candidate for governor, Chris <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">Daggett</span> helps divide the vote for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">Corzine</span>. It is better for him if the people who think the gov is corrupt vote for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">Draggett</span> then give Christie the 2 or 3% he needs to win <a href="http://gothamist.com/2009/10/11/star-ledger_delivers_f-u_to_corzine.php">Star-Ledger Delivers F-U To <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">Corzine</span>, Christie (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">Gothamist</span>)</a><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span>Journalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10190956898079079756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801194346072845032.post-84907535619025769252010-01-07T17:26:00.001-08:002010-01-07T17:27:17.037-08:00nobody votes<h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://truenewsfromchangenyc.blogspot.com/2009/09/nobody-votes-special-interest-win.html">Nobody Votes, Special Interest Win</a></h3><br /><h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://truenewsfromchangenyc.blogspot.com/2009/09/wfp-return-to-tammany-hall.html">WFP: Return to Tammany Hall Power</a></h3>Journalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10190956898079079756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801194346072845032.post-52744134147983277322010-01-07T17:24:00.000-08:002010-01-07T17:25:08.095-08:00Ferrer Pension<strong><span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Ferrer's</span> Pay to Pay Politics </span></span><span style="font-size: 100%;">NY1 does not ask <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Ferrer</span> about the 100,000 he made from getting pension funds from Comptroller Thompson <a class="l" onmousedown="return clk(this.href,'','','res','8','')" href="http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9903E3DA1E30F93AA35756C0A96F9C8B63">After Introduction From <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Ferrer</span>, Firm Earned $100000 From State ...</a> When <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Ferrer</span> was questioned by On the Road to City Hall and called on the president to endorse Thompson </span></strong><a href="http://www.ny1.com/content/news_beats/ny1_itch/106486/freddy-ferrer-calls-on-obama-to-endorse-thompson-for-mayor/Default.aspx">Freddy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Ferrer</span> Calls On Obama To Endorse Thompson For Mayor</a> *** <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2009/09/29/2009-09-29_state_sen_pedro_espada_should_be_in_jail.html">State Sen. Pedro <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Espada</span> 'should be in jail,' says Dem Neil <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Breslin</span> </a>*** <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Ferrer</span> <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/brawlforthehall/2009/09/fernando-ferrer-obama-should-e.html">wasn't thrilled by</a> Al Gore's praise of Mayor <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Bloomberg</span>, either *** <a onclick="return trackclick('222028', 'The+Left+Goes+For+Critics%26%23039%3B+Jugular');" href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0909/27682.html">The Left Goes For Critics' Jugular</a> - Jeanne Cummings, Politico *** <a href="http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/democratic_fundraiser_hsu_sentencing_EoXpfvrK0CDygbmao3Xv8L">Democratic fundraiser Hsu sentencing today</a> *** <a href="http://www.newsday.com/news/schumer-leads-dems-in-receiving-wall-street-money-1.1483431" target="new">Schumer Rakes in Wall Street Cash</a> (Politico) *** <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/29/dylan-ratigan-rips-health_n_303127.html">WATCH: Dylan Ratigan Rips Evasive Lobbyist: "All You Did Was Play Cable Dodgeball" </a>Journalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10190956898079079756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801194346072845032.post-51747007035863278712010-01-06T16:33:00.001-08:002010-01-06T16:33:45.448-08:00Terror Trial<span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">$200 Million Least of Our Problems</span></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> It is not amazing that WBCS </span><em style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Pablo Guzmán</em><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> got this out of Morgenthau it show you how out of touch the New York press is to a great story. The most experienced prestigious prosecutor in the nations says </span><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/local/New_York/WCBS-TV_New_York/SIG=127fcege9/*http%3A//wcbstv.com/local/robert.morganthau.retirement.2.1399910.html">Morgenthau: 9/11 Trial In NYC 'A Huge Mistake'</a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> and nobody notices? *</span><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2010/01/05/2010-01-05_200m_a_year_for_terror_trial_here.html">Security for 9/11 trial would cost $200M a year: sources</a> The amount is nearly triple the $75M Obama's attorney general, Eric Holder, initially estimated, sources say * <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" href="http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2010/01/05/2010-01-05_obama_owes_new_york.html">Obama owes New York: Feds must pay every security penny for foolish terror trial </a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">(DN Ed)</span>Journalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10190956898079079756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801194346072845032.post-136387041982689582010-01-03T15:47:00.001-08:002010-01-03T15:47:48.614-08:00Albany Pols<span style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 130%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">McDonalds</span> No:</span> Pay to Play Institutionalized Extortion in Albany</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>Today's <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">NYP</span> says <a href="http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/moonlight_erenade_zLDKNErFynojdfAUPv6ALM">Nearly half of Albany's pols have 2<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">nd</span> jobs</a>. Not to mention wives, children or other family members on the government <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">payroll</span> or working for those funded by government. None of these people are flipping fries at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">McDonalds</span>. There working at jobs they got by using their elective office as the pleas of <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2009/05/20/2009-05-20_labor_leader_brian_mclaughlin_sentenced_to_10_years_in_prison_for_stealing_from_.html">Brian <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Mclaughlin</span></a> and <a href="http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/24/seminerio-pleads-guilty-in-federal-court/">Tony <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Seminario</span></a> and trial of Bruno prove. "Former state Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno allegedly pitched a friend Jared <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Abbruzzese</span> on a $30,000-a-month consultant job because he saw Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver making big bucks as a lawyer -- and he too wanted in on the side-gig action. "He started talking about Sheldon Silver and how Sheldon Silver was getting paid 40, 50, 60 thousand a month from the trial lawyers association," <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Abbruzzese</span>, whose relationship with Bruno kicked off a far-flung FBI probe, said on the stand <a href="http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/senator_shocking_sleaze_excuse_Ow7lqyRiKm8cKuK6tPKbFI#ixzz0XahZ19x8">Pal says Bruno wanted his own 'Shel game'</a>, <a href="http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/clients_really_do_shel_out_O8FjG9xBPolHgZCGdlOczK">Clients really do Shel out $$</a> , <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2009/11/15/2009-11-15_joe_bruno_golf_outing_with_cablevisions_jim_dolan_may_have_derailed_west_side_st.html">Joe Bruno golf outing with Cablevision's Jim Dolan may have derailed West Side Stadium plan</a>Journalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10190956898079079756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801194346072845032.post-22622748751909699882010-01-03T15:18:00.001-08:002010-01-03T15:18:16.360-08:00Espada<span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pay to Play <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Espada</span><br /></span></span><a href="http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/bronx/gag_reflex_by_espada_as_charity_bn404xRKtfqtusec4a9ChK">'Gag' reflex by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Espada</span> as charity probe heats up</a><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span>Embattled Bronx politico Pedro <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Espada</span> Jr. is advising staffers at his health-care charity to check with his lawyers before speaking to state investigators probing allegations of financial misconduct (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">NYP</span>)Journalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10190956898079079756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801194346072845032.post-8820493711932775752010-01-03T15:15:00.000-08:002010-01-03T15:16:14.622-08:00Ross Perot<span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Suckng</span></span></span> Sound</span></span> In 1993 businessman Ross Perot said "NAFTA will cause a giant <em>sucking sound</em> as jobs go south of the Boarder and overseas" New York's leaders not to learn by Perot very accurate prediction of American job loss are not hiring overseas contractors <a href="http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2009-11/24/content_9028469.htm">China State Construction nets $100m US subway deal</a> (China Daily) Musical Chairs Permanent Government<a href="http://queenscrap.blogspot.com/2009/11/same-tired-shit-may-run-for-different.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>Same tired shit may run for different offices (Queens Crap) </a>It very <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">dangerous</span> out thereJournalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10190956898079079756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801194346072845032.post-52980809136920900982010-01-03T11:56:00.000-08:002010-01-03T11:58:02.164-08:00campaign debate<h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://truenewsfromchangenyc.blogspot.com/2009/10/broken-debate-caused-by-clueless.html">A Broken Debate Caused by Clueless Reporters</a></h3><br /><h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://truenewsfromchangenyc.blogspot.com/2009/10/will-debate-interrupt-campaign-spin.html">Will the Debate Interrupt the Campaign Spin?</a></h3>Journalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10190956898079079756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801194346072845032.post-8604792918002942552010-01-03T11:49:00.001-08:002010-04-25T10:06:25.955-07:00Mccall<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pay to Play <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">Liu</span> Already? </span></span><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2009/11/mccall-to-chair-liu-transition.html">Carl McCall under investigation by the the AG in the pension scandal is to be named to head John <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">Liu</span> transition team.</a> <div class="post-body entry-content"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CComputer%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--><span style=";font-family:";font-size:12pt;" >McCall firm </span><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CComputer%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--><span style=";font-family:";font-size:12pt;" >Convent Capital </span><span style=";font-family:";font-size:12pt;" > was subpoenaed in May, because he accepted a money manager fee and was unlicensed by the SEC. McCall received </span>$48,221 for assisting <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">Steinberg</span> Asset Management in 2005 which received 25 million in pension funds from State Comptroller <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">Hevesi</span>. After he turned over the papers McCall said in a statement, that this is the only deal in which he participated involving the fund he once controlled. McCall is the former State Comptroller(1993 to 2002). <a href="http://www.oag.state.ny.us/media_center/2009/mar/mar19a_09.html">McCall also admitted that he talk to </a><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CComputer%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} p {mso-margin-top-alt:auto; margin-right:0in; mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; margin-left:0in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--><a href="http://www.oag.state.ny.us/media_center/2009/mar/mar19a_09.html"> Mr. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">Loglisci</span>, who is currently indicted </a>for his role in the pension scandal. <a href="http://www.nysun.com/editorials/pensions-and-politics/77115/">In a 2002 article on pensions and politics a New York Sun editorial stated that</a> <span><i>"The New York Times</i> reported that 35 percent of McCall's $5.2 million reelection campaign fund came from firms that received contracts to manage the state's pension fund. It cited one California firm that received an $85 million contract last December, three days after executives donated $16,000 to McCall's campaign. Two months earlier, the paper made similar charges regarding law firms doing business with the comptroller's office. A glowing<b> </b><i>Times</i><b> </b>endorsement was a big help to McCall in '94—he can probably forget about that in '98.</span> <a href="http://www.villagevoice.com/2002-08-20/news/carl-mccall-s-secret-self/">The Village Voice in an article by Wayne Barrett also in 2002 reported</a> on how Comptroller McCall ignored using the pension funds for moral causes and playing up to whatever the corporations wanted <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Queens Machine Thankful for GOP Wins</span></span> The two candidates who won the democratic primary in the 19 and 20 were long shots and not part of the Queens machine inner circle so it was no surprise that their operatives worked in two GOP council races to regain support in those areas. The machine is rebuilding the type of coalition they had with GOP State Senator Surf Maltese for years <a href="http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/04/republicans-win-2-council-races-in-queens/">Republicans Win 2 Council Races in Queens</a> *** <a href="http://www.cityhallnews.com/newyork/article-1013-for-quinn-election-night-was-about-shoring-up-queens.html">For Quinn, Election Night Was About Shoring Up Queens</a> (City Hall) <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Wall Street Should Find a New PR guy</span></span> <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/05/business/05pay.html?ref=nyregion">Some Wall Street Year-End Bonuses Could Hit <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_39">Pre</span>-Downturn Highs</a> and stops acting nuts <a target="_self" class="usg-AFQjCNHlJM8QK8TTNkcGK2-2vvhB6MFSLQ " href="http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/nov2009/db2009112_606442.htm">New York Businesses Get H1N1 Vaccine</a> *** <a href="http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20091104/FREE/911049981" title="Wall Street's top trading firm saw $100 million-plus in revenue more days than not last quarter, comfortably bankrolling an 80% hike in average pay for its 31,700-strong work force."><span style="font-weight: bold;">L</span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_40">iving</span> the good life at Goldman Sachs</a> *** <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/04/at-goldman-sachs-its-most_n_346260.html">On 3 Out Of 5 Days, Goldman Sachs Makes $100 Million On Trading Alone</a><div style="position: fixed;"><div id="new_selection_block0.1280372232198238" style="border: medium none; overflow: hidden; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
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<br />Read more at: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/&cp" target="_blank_">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/&cp</a></div></div><span style="font-weight: bold;"> *** </span><a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheat-sheet/item/bank-bonuses-up-40-percent/wall-street/?cid=cs:headline17" class="cheat_strip_p ">Bank Bonuses Up 40 Percent</a>
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<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" ><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Liu</span> Cleaning Up Thompson Pension Fund Pay to Play?</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>You would not know it<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>by reading today's <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">NYP</span> that the case Tony <em><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Avella</span></em> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Bloomberg</span> made during their campaign that Comptroller Thompson received campaign contributions from those doing business with his office was true<span style="font-weight: bold;">. </span>During his term in office Thompson tripled the amount paid to money managers. It is no wonder that Thompson received a quarter of his campaign contributions from those wanting to do business with his office. The investment expenses of the city's five pension funds ate up $310 million last year, compared with $102 million in 2002. Fees were paid to 229 money managers, up from 74 in 2002. In fiscal 2008, private-equity firms billed <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">NYCERS</span>, the largest of the five pension funds, $33.3 million to manage $1.6 billion. By comparison, managers overseeing $10.2 billion in bond holdings got only $10.7 million. It is clear that incoming Comptroller John <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Liu</span> is cleaning up the type of corruption that is being uncovered by AG <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Cuomo</span> with the New York pension funds. The strange thing about the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">NYP</span> story is that it made no mention of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Cuomo</span> investigation or the pay to play charges made by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Bloomberg</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Avella</span>. What have convictions in an organised pay to play nationwide RICO type investigations and we have pay to play inside the NYC Comptrollers office which <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">liu</span> is cleaning up before he brings in his own team? <a href="http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/liu_set_to_derail_pension_manager_xNz2whuyFHTums0rMZIPpN"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">Liu</span> set to derail pension-manager gravy train</a> Will anyone connected with the city's controllers office go to jail? Will these changes result in more transparency? Don't hold your breath <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">All In the Family</span></span> Also not mentioned in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">NYP</span> story is that the head of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Liu</span> transition team Carl McCall was also on the money manager gravely train <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">recieving</span> $48,221 helping to arrange for investments from the state Common Retirement Fund <a href="http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=797755&category=STATE#ixzz1LJIkxuis">McCall firm surfaces in probe </a>Leading Democrat, ex-comptroller says he provided advice to company seeking to manage pension funds*<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/07/nyregion/07agents.html"> Former Comptroller McCall’s Firm Is Subpoenaed in Pension Inquiry</a> (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">NYT</span>) ***The federal enforcement agency demanded records of any contacts <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">Broidy</span> had with former <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">CalPERS</span> CEO former <a style="cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal;" class=" lingo_link lingo_link_hidden" href="http://topics.sacbee.com/CalPERS+board/" rel="nofollow"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">CalPERS</span> board</a> member <a style="cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal;" class=" lingo_link lingo_link_hidden" href="http://topics.sacbee.com/Alfred+Villalobos/" rel="nofollow">Alfred <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">Villalobos</span>,</a> among others *** The federal enforcement agency demanded records of any contacts <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">Broidy</span> had with former <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">CalPERS</span> CEO <a style="cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal;" class=" lingo_link lingo_link_hidden" href="http://topics.sacbee.com/Fred+Buenrostro/" rel="nofollow">Fred <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">Buenrostro</span></a> and former <a style="cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal;" class=" lingo_link lingo_link_hidden" href="http://topics.sacbee.com/CalPERS+board/" rel="nofollow"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">CalPERS</span> board</a> member <a style="cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",Times,serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal;" class=" lingo_link lingo_link_hidden" href="http://topics.sacbee.com/Alfred+Villalobos/" rel="nofollow">Alfred <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">Villalobos</span>,</a> among others * <a href="http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9903E3DA1E30F93AA35756C0A96F9C8B63">After <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">Introducing</span> Alfred <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">Villalobos</span> to Comptroller Thomas <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_39">DiNapoli</span> in May 2007 Freddie <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_40">Ferrer</span>, Firm Earned $100,000 From State Pension Fund </a>*<a href="http://www.sacbee.com/business/story/2371879.html"> Feds investigate ex-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_41">CalPERS</span> officials’ possible link with fallen financier</a> *** <a href="http://www.liunewyork.com/blog/2009/09/22/h-carl-mccall-freddy-ferrer-betsy-gotbaum-endorse-liu" class="l" onmousedown="return clk(this.href,'','','res','1','','0CAoQFjAA')">H. <em>Carl McCall</em>, <em>Freddy Ferrer</em>, Betsy Gotbaum Endorse <em>Liu</em><em></em></a>*** <a href="http://dealbook.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/10/blue-wolf-executive-to-head-pension-benefit-guaranty/">Blue Wolf Exec Joshua Gotbaum to Head U.S. Pension Agency</a> (Joshua Gotbaum is Betsy Gotbaum step son) * This is a good start to understanding Joshua Gotbaum company Blue Wolf <a href="http://truenewsfromchangenyc.blogspot.com/2009/04/wolf-at-thompsons-door.html">The Wolf at Thompson's Door</a> *** <a href="http://truenewsfromchangenyc.blogspot.com/2009/08/true-news-wolf-at-thompson-door-part-ii.html">True News: Wolf at Thompson Door, Part II . Avella Opens A Cut</a>
<br />
<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Pay to Play Pension Boss McCall </span></span>As usually it what the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">NYP</span></span> does not say in there story about the pension manager<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>firm Ariel Capital Management that is most important. <a href="http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/mccall_firm_skips_city_biz_pXNMvdL4wdtb7YIdEAhhDL">McCall firm skips city biz</a> Ariel an investment company tied to <span class="topiclink">Carl McCall</span> -- and fired by the city last year -- says it won't bid for city pension business while he's the chief adviser to incoming city Comptroller <span class="topiclink">John <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Liu</span></span></span>. McCall's job with Comptroller <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Liu</span></span> is that of transition chief that will expire once the comptrollers office is fully staffed. Does that mean the company which was dismissed over disappointing returns and involved in pay to play with the outgoing Thompson ($30,000 to the campaigns <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">contibution</span></span>) will return once McCall is finish with the transition. After all a lot of people in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Liu</span></span> office will owe their jobs to him. And McCall has done business with more than one company who do New York pension fund business and was no stranger to pay to play when he was comptroller <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/23/nyregion/accountants-gave-to-mccall-after-getting-state-contract.html">Accountants and law firms Gave to Carl McCall After Getting State Contract</a> *** <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2009/11/mccall-to-chair-liu-transition.html">Carl McCall is also under investigation by the the AG in the pension scandal is to be named to head John <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Liu</span></span> transition team</a> * <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2009/05/07/2009-05-07_mccalls_linked_to_pension_fund_mess.html">McCall's linked to pension fund mess</a> *** <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/07/nyregion/07agents.html" class="l" onmousedown="return clk(this.href,'','','res','8','','0CCUQFjAH')">Ex-Comptroller <em>Carl McCall</em> Is Part of <em>New York Pension</em> Inquiry </a>McCall firm Convent Capital was subpoenaed in May, because he accepted a money manager fee and was unlicensed by the SEC. McCall received $48,221 for assisting <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Steinberg</span></span> Asset Management in 2005 which received 25 million in pension funds from State Comptroller <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Hevesi</span></span>. After he turned over the papers McCall said in a statement, that this is the only deal in which he participated involving the fund he once controlled. What about Ariel Capital Management? McCall is the former State Comptroller(1993 to 2002). McCall also admitted that he talk to Mr. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Loglisci</span></span>, who is currently indicted for his role in the pension scandal.<span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" > </span><em style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;">Ariel Capital Management was a big contributor to indicted former Chicago Governor </em><em face="arial" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Blagojevich</span></span></em> <a href="http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/rezko/826716,CST-NWS-rezkofile100320.stng" class="l" onmousedown="return clk(this.href,'','','res','2','','0CA0QFjAB')">Pension fund firms big donors to gov :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES </a>* <a href="http://truenewsfromchangenyc.blogspot.com/2009/04/wolf-at-thompsons-door.html">The Wolf at Thompson's Door</a> * <a href="http://truenewsfromchangenyc.blogspot.com/2009/08/8-millionaires-on-enriched-council.html">Everyone is Covering Up the Pension Scandal for Their Own Reasons</a> <span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">UPDATE</span></span> <a href="http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-calpers-inquiry21-2009dec21,0,4378407.story">CalPERS probing investment advisor's ties to middleman</a> Documents show Alfred J.R. Villalobos was helping private equity firms win deals with the California pension fund while also working for a firm hired by CalPERS to give it investment advice. Villalobos firm Arvco Capital<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/09/nyregion/09ferrer.html">After Introduction From Ferrer, Firm Earned $100,000 From State Pension Fund</a>
<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></div>Journalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10190956898079079756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801194346072845032.post-40896127580340599882010-01-03T11:41:00.001-08:002010-01-07T17:31:04.180-08:00Council Spending<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Council Spends Like There No Recession</span></span> With 6000 less offices since 2001 a terror trial that will drain manpower for the next 5 to 10 years. Problems on the subways <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/20/nyregion/20subway.html?ref=nyregion">Sex Offenses on the Subways Are Widespread, City Officials Are Told</a> and children with guns shooting children should the city be spending a billion and a half on a new police academy <a href="http://queenscrap.blogspot.com/2009/11/city-council-approves-college-point.html">City Council approves College Point police academy</a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Looks like the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">NYT</span> Does Not Read</span></span> For years papers have been waring about illegal apartment death traps. Today's <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">NYT</span> says the fire reveals the fire traps <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/20/nyregion/20fire.html?hp">Fire Reveals Illegal Homes Hide in Plain Sight</a> <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Death trap warnings over the years</span></span> <a href="http://www.citylimits.org/content/articles/viewarticle.cfm?article_id=2517">THE BATTLE OF <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">tRICHMOND</span> HILL</a> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">llegal</span> subdivisions are transforming suburban homes in Queens into modern-day tenements and fire-traps (City Limits 1998) * <a href="http://www.indypressny.org/nycma/voices/270/news/news_2/">High demand for illegal Chinatown apartments</a> (May 2007) *<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/1997/07/24/nyregion/bill-would-increase-penalties-for-dividing-houses-illegaly.html"> Bill Would Increase Penalties For Dividing Houses <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">Illegaly</span></a> (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">NYT</span> 1997) * <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/13/nyregion/13housing.html">Queens Leads City in Complaints About Illegally Overcrowded Houses </a>(2005)<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size: 130%;">More Organized Crime: City Council </span></strong><a href="http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/council_members_matche_burn_city_yx2CjwcRAsxjOKVVDcRsnN">Council members' matche$ burn city </a>That's what a slew of City Council members are doing -- accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxpayer matching funds to mount new campaigns, even though they have virtually no opposition in November *** <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/election_2009/2009/10/02/2009-10-02_cash_for_clunkers_races.html">$3.1M more in tax funds for candidates - even the shoo-ins</a> (NYDN) *** <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2009/10/02/2009-10-02_gluttons_liu_and_fidler_shooin_candidates_are_gaming_the_campaign_finance_system.html">Editorial: Liu and Fidler: gluttons</a> Public Advocate-to-be Bill de Blasio did the right thing yesterday by declining to accept the huge pile of taxpayer dollars that are available to help him run a general election race against, essentially, no one. Not so controller-to-be John Liu (DN Editorial) *** <a href="http://www.politickerny.com/5528/fidler-prepares-worst-expensively">Fidler Prepares for the Worst, Expensively</a>Journalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10190956898079079756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801194346072845032.post-28591611506897579962010-01-03T11:40:00.001-08:002010-04-25T10:15:40.025-07:00nyt editorial<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Memo to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">NYT</span>: Albany Has Already Been Convicted</span></span> Brian M. McLaughlin<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/21/nyregion/21sentence.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>Ex-Labor Leader Is Sentenced to 10 Years for Racketeering </a>(<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">NYT</span>) * Anthony S. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Seminerio</span> <a href="http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/24/seminerio-pleads-guilty-in-federal-court/">Queens Assemblyman Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case</a> Today's <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">NYT</span> could be considered by some in Albany who constantly escape the law to be double jeopardy <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/20/nyregion/20bruno.html?hp">How Albany Works Is Also on Trial</a> * <a class="" href="http://blog.timesunion.com/bruno/bruno-pal-up-for-questions-on-pay/1774/" target="_top">Bruno pal up for questions on pay</a><br /><br /><h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://truenewsfromchangenyc.blogspot.com/2009/11/audacity-of-brunos-corruption-editorial.html">The Audacity of Bruno's Corruption: Editorial Board Outrage Over the Years Leads Nowhere</a></h3><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Memo to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">NYT</span>: Albany Has Already Been Convicted</span></span> Brian M. McLaughlin<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/21/nyregion/21sentence.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>Ex-Labor Leader Is Sentenced to 10 Years for Racketeering </a>(<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">NYT</span>) * Anthony S. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Seminerio</span> <a href="http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/24/seminerio-pleads-guilty-in-federal-court/">Queens Assemblyman Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case</a> Today's <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">NYT</span> could be considered by some in Albany who constantly escape the law to be double jeopardy <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/20/nyregion/20bruno.html?hp">How Albany Works Is Also on Trial</a> * <a class="" href="http://blog.timesunion.com/bruno/bruno-pal-up-for-questions-on-pay/1774/" target="_top">Bruno pal up for questions on pay</a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Today's <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">NYT</span></span></span> Editorial</span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/30/opinion/30mon1.html?ref=opinion"> It’s All About the Money</a> <span style="font-weight: normal;">Twenty years have passed since a commission report declared New York’s campaign finance laws a disgrace and still nothing has changed in Albany</span></span><br /><h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://truenewsfromchangenyc.blogspot.com/2009/10/times-publisher-compares-print-media-to.html">Times Publisher Compares Print Media to the Titanic</a></h3><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">More From the NYT Editorial</span> <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/24/opinion/24thu1.html?ref=opinion">The Temptations of $126 Billion </a><br />"Earlier this month, a California venture capitalist pleaded guilty to helping his company land a very rich deal with New York’s pension fund. In order to manage a $250 million portion of the $126 billion state pension, Elliott Broidy gave nearly $1 million in gifts to officials in the state comptroller’s office. . . Mr. Hevesi resigned three years ago after admitting to a felony. Since then, two of his top former associates are fighting criminal charges relating to the pension fund investments. Four others have pleaded guilty for security fraud, including one of the last political bosses in the state: Raymond Harding, who was a leader of the Liberal Party. And an investigation of New York’s pension scandal by Attorney General Andrew Cuomo and the Securities and Exchange Commission is ongoing. New York’s pension fund desperately needs protection. It needs to be guarded by financial experts and watched carefully by the public. It is about more than the fundamental need for good government in Albany, although that’s enough for most people. If the pension loses ground, taxpayers must make up the difference. The Temptations of $126 Billion. "<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Looks like the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">NYT</span> Does Not Read</span></span> For years papers have been waring about illegal apartment death traps. Today's <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">NYT</span> says the fire reveals the fire traps <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/20/nyregion/20fire.html?hp">Fire Reveals Illegal Homes Hide in Plain Sight</a> <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Death trap warnings over the years</span></span> <a href="http://www.citylimits.org/content/articles/viewarticle.cfm?article_id=2517">THE BATTLE OF <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">tRICHMOND</span> HILL</a> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">llegal</span> subdivisions are transforming suburban homes in Queens into modern-day tenements and fire-traps (City Limits 1998) * <a href="http://www.indypressny.org/nycma/voices/270/news/news_2/">High demand for illegal Chinatown apartments</a> (May 2007) *<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/1997/07/24/nyregion/bill-would-increase-penalties-for-dividing-houses-illegaly.html"> Bill Would Increase Penalties For Dividing Houses <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">Illegaly</span></a> (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">NYT</span> 1997) * <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/13/nyregion/13housing.html">Queens Leads City in Complaints About Illegally Overcrowded Houses </a>(2005)<br /><br /><h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://truenewsfromchangenyc.blogspot.com/2010/01/what-editorial-boards-thought-of.html">What the Editorial Boards Thought of Paterson's Effort</a></h3>Journalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10190956898079079756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801194346072845032.post-58400090968304455062010-01-03T11:38:00.001-08:002010-01-03T11:38:29.515-08:00bank deutsche<span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Council Wimps,</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> What Mob</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">?</span></span> The council ignores the real reason for the death of two firefighter at the <span class="topiclink"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Deutsche</span> Bank</span> by passing meaningless laws that will not solve the problem. In the last several months we have been told of organized crime involvement in both the contractors taking down the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Deutsche</span> Bank and the NYC Building Department which is responsible for regulation them. What is the council answer to this problem passing a bill that prevents building crews from performing demolitions at the same time as asbestos abatement. In New York is your a legislator it OK to ignore reality,<span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 100%;">because the public reelects you no matter how you behave. </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">In the city and </span>Albany</span> <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/01/opinion/01Tue2.html?ref=opinion">Not I, Said the New York Senate</a><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span>As New York State’s money supply runs down, its senators need to start taking real actions instead of hiding from reality <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/money/2009/12/01/2009-12-01_borrow_sorrow_new_yorkers_in_debt_for_648b.html">New York's debt level of $64.8 billion is higher than ever</a> <span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Capital of the Mob World</span></span> <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/01/nyregion/01union.html?ref=nyregion">Former Prosecutor Appointed to Investigate Corruption in Crane Operators’ Union</a>Journalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10190956898079079756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801194346072845032.post-65010719524379790872010-01-03T11:36:00.000-08:002010-01-03T11:37:04.197-08:00McLaughlin<h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://truenewsfromchangenyc.blogspot.com/2009/12/contractor-goes-to-jail-nyt-what-did.html">Contractor Goes to Jail: Question to the NYT: What did McLaughlin Fix?</a></h3>Journalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10190956898079079756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801194346072845032.post-39035924990700993042010-01-03T11:35:00.001-08:002010-01-03T15:51:15.192-08:00morality<h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://truenewsfromchangenyc.blogspot.com/2008/12/ny-s-leaders-have-losted-values-and.html">NY' s Leaders Have Lost the Values and Morality that Once Made it the Greatest City in the World</a></h3><br /><h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://truenewsfromchangenyc.blogspot.com/2009/11/greatest-generation-vs-todays-take.html">The Greatest Generation vs. Today's Take Albany Generation</a></h3><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">True News Telling It Like It Is Before the Media and Pols </span></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">November 11, 2009</span><a href="http://truenewsfromchangenyc.blogspot.com/2009/11/greatest-generation-vs-todays-take.html"> The Greatest Generation vs. Today's Take Albany Generation</a><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Today </span>“When you look at the avoidance behavior and the almost denial that many of the legislators seem to be in, you recognize that they have let their political issues usurp doing what’s right for the people,” Governor Paterson</span> <a target="_self" class="usg-AFQjCNGRvh7kUwZYP3vwlK_KGvTjruBaHQ " href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=atUFbzLg2rZk&pos=8"><b>New York</b> Lawmakers Put Themselves Before State, Paterson Says</a><span class="source"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Bloomberg</span></span>Journalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10190956898079079756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801194346072845032.post-7467761336278926692010-01-03T11:33:00.000-08:002010-01-03T11:34:04.468-08:00albany tax<h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://truenewsfromchangenyc.blogspot.com/2008/12/nyc-economy-rapidly-deteriorating.html">Tax Hell 137 Hikes, 88 New Fees</a></h3>Journalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10190956898079079756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801194346072845032.post-49261229286227672412010-01-03T11:27:00.001-08:002010-01-03T11:27:46.949-08:00paterson albany<h2 class="date-header">November 12, 2008</h2> <div class="post hentry uncustomized-post-template"> <a name="2887547164105857894"></a> <h3 class="post-title entry-title"> <a href="http://truenewsfromchangenyc.blogspot.com/2008/11/gov-paterson-blasts-three-rebel-dems.html">Gov. Paterson blasts three rebel Dems</a> </h3></div>Journalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10190956898079079756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801194346072845032.post-9050514170038669402010-01-01T18:49:00.001-08:002010-01-03T15:07:53.135-08:00Kingsbridge<span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Almost Kingsbridge Armory Last Mall in New York? </span></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> With the coming commercial crash it could be a very long time before the new mall can be financed and built in New York. </span><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" href="http://www.mybanktracker.com/bank-news/2009/12/22/commercial-real-estate-industry-poised-for-collapse-due-to-lack-of-liquidity/">Commercial Real Estate Industry Poised For Collapse</a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:100%;" ><a style="font-weight: normal;" target="_self" class="usg-AFQjCNEJPfqNx_XPPEqWwrJ6WD-i3koQ-Q " href="http://www.mybanktracker.com/bank-news/2009/12/22/commercial-real-estate-industry-poised-for-collapse-due-to-lack-of-liquidity/" id=""> Due To Lack Of Liquidity</a></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> * </span><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" target="_self" class="usg-AFQjCNHhkQnpnmjAcQtoE9Kh3i42nzDUNA " href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-death-of-the-american-mall-2009-12" id="">Welcome To The Most Depressing <b>Commercial Real Estate</b> Disaster In America</a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> *</span><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" href="http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/editorials/no_jobs_promise_he_ll_keep_vnlbQuj5wlZQQlhdl7951O">'No jobs': A promise he'll keep</a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> Kingsbridge Armory (NYP) *** </span><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" href="http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/queens/2009/12/23/2009-12-23_untitled__wage23q.html">Protestors storm Queens Center Mall over living wage</a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> *** </span><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" href="http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/queens/2009/12/23/2009-12-23_untitled__wage23q.html">Julissa Ferreras and Danny Dromm extend</a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> the Kingsbridge Armory fight to Queens Center Mall</span> *** <a href="http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/archives/2009/12/the_bronx_may_b.php">The Bronx May be Up But Its Wages Are the Lowest</a> * <a href="http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/archives/2009/12/on_the_jobless.php">On the Jobless Front in NYC: Now You Can See How Poorly Your Own Neighborhood is Doing</a><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span>Journalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10190956898079079756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801194346072845032.post-50202269149241078432010-01-01T18:48:00.001-08:002010-01-01T18:48:32.813-08:00Gilly<span style="font-size: 130%;"><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/editorials/jelly_brand_dummies_up_zLORV4CLCAiEUarZFR7NwJ#ixzz1Ji33szPA">Jelly-brand dummies up</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> Ducks NYP Interview</span></span> . . . Both <span class="topiclink">Mayor Bloomberg</span> and Gov. Paterson say ObamaCare will be a financial nightmare for the Empire State. disproportionate burdens on New York state and New York City."Burdens, says Paterson, that could cost the state $1.1 billion to $1.25 billion <em>a year </em>in Medicaid funding... a press aide spoke forSen. <span class="topiclink">Kirsten Gillibrand</span>: "The Senate health-care bill is good for New York [because it would] provide health insurance to 2.7 million residents who do not currently have it." . . . and that's a crying shame, because this isn't about passing out a little pork. It's about an inequitable Medicaid funding formula, thanks to which New York has gotten the short stick for decades. Under the Senate bill, other states will see their Medicaid reimbursements rise to an average of 65 percent -- while New York's would remain flat at just 50 percent, the lowest in the nation (NYP Ed) * <a href="http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/gilly_nd_opinion_VSt3bkTnNexl9Pgvg564sM">Gilly's 2nd opinion </a>Defends health bill against gov and Bloomberg (NYP) * <a name="&lid=tab_region_link&lpos=" href="http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/dave_and_mike_med_plan_would_be_Bktkshq8AGGg4EDZgsKFXJ">Dave and Mike: Med plan would be bitter pill for NY</a> * <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2009/12/23/2009-12-23_whats_up_with_mute_chuck_ask_nyers.html">Schumer mum on health bill that could hurt NY</a> * <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/12/23/2009-12-23_community_clinic_users_sick_at_thought_fed_health_bill_could_shutter_centers.html">The Senate health care bill would hurt</a> community care clinics in New York City ***<a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2009/12/23/2009-12-23_taken_for_a_huge_ride.html#ixzz1JhEXSiCT"> Taken for a huge ride: State's Medicaid mistakes are costing the taxpayers multimillions</a> *** <a href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1209/30909.html">Schumer goes hunting, bags Nelson</a>*** <a href="http://www.observer.com/2009/politics/skelos-sue-health-care-bill">Skelos: Sue the Health Care Bill</a> *** <a href="http://bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a_et4JAdyG4g&pos=8"><span style="display: inline;" class="news_story_title">Schumer Says Every State Got Special Treatment in Health Bill </span></a>(Bloomberg News)Journalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10190956898079079756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801194346072845032.post-71575177195114262372010-01-01T18:32:00.001-08:002010-01-01T18:32:26.229-08:00Horse<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Horse Head</span> in Bed Message <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Again</span> </span></span> In 2007 Eliot Spitzer ruled that that the New York Racing Association (NYRA) continue to do what it’s done for more than 50 years—run thoroughbred racing at Saratoga Race Course, Belmont Park and Aqueduct. Many members in the legislature had their own campaign contributors who they want to run the state's racetracks. This split campaign contributor pay to play perks for New York's elected officials has continued with into the Paterson administration and is the main reason why a vendor for slot machines has not been chosen for Aqueduct, while the state continues to lose about a million a day in need tax revenues . State comptroller chosen by the legislature has delivered the horse head right into the bed of the NYRA, with the hope of removing them from running the tracks. This fight is about serious money, where the only winner are the elected officials on the winning side and they campaign contributors who get the contract. The public spin fight is about control. The NYRA says it was running out of cash and may be forced to cancel the storied Belmont Stakes set for June 5. DiNapoli is skeptical and wants to know what happened to the millions of taxpayer dollars the financially ailing group got while waiting to open video lottery terminals at Aqueduct. <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/12/28/2009-12-28_nyra_says_neigh_to_audit_controller_vows_to_ride_herd_on_agency_and_subpoena_boo.html">New York Racing Association will receive subpoena to turn over books to auditors in Belmont crisis</a> *** <a id="ctl00_contPlace1_ShowTopStoriesList_dataListTopStories_ctl01_ctl00_HeadLInk" href="http://ny1.com/1-all-boroughs-news-content/top_stories/111106/state-comptroller-subpoenas-racing-association">State Comptroller Subpoenas Racing Association</a> More Play to Pay for Albany and the lobbyist <a href="http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20091218/FREE/912189997/1072" class="darkblue">Hurdles remain for NY tribe's Long Island casino</a> <span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">***PM</span></span> <a href="http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/21105/nyra-responds-to-dinapoli/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to NYRA responds to DiNapoli">NYRA responds to DiNapoli</a>Journalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10190956898079079756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801194346072845032.post-21740637268770778982010-01-01T18:30:00.003-08:002010-01-03T15:16:55.681-08:00Albany's Pay to Play Collection Agency<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Albany's Pay to Play Collection Agency</span></span> As the new legislative session starts it time for incumbents most who are never challenged to raise money and the lobbyist working for special interests to buy their votes. To bad there is no <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_44">dysfunctionalism</span> when it comes to raising money, only in governing the state competently <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2009/12/old-habits-die-hard.html" rel="bookmark">Old Habits Die Hard</a> * <a href="http://www.observer.com/2009/politics/schneiderman-raises-dinapoli"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_45">Schneiderman</span> Raises, With <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_46">DiNapoli</span></a> * <a href="http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/fair_elections_pc/?rc=fb_share1">Tell Congress: Make Fair Elections a Priority in 2010</a><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 130%;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Incumbent TV</span> </span>The state legislature will <a href="http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20091128/NEWS01/911280336/1003/Viewers-to-get-expanded-view-of-state-Legislature"><strong>launch</strong></a> C-SPAN style channels in January. C-SPAN has independent journalist that devote a large amount of time to callers opinions. All the pols and jack asses in the clueless good government groups are talking about is increasing what gets covered on the Legislature cable TV station. With there member items Albany has used the government budget to get reelected and for personal pocket cash. Now they are onto <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">corrupting</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">journalism</span> and good government groups who have failed to achieve any real reforms in decades in Albany are waving them in to corrupt freedom of the press. UnrealJournalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10190956898079079756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-801194346072845032.post-46729457179870376542009-12-25T15:36:00.001-08:002009-12-25T15:36:11.950-08:00hevesi<h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://truenewsfromchangenyc.blogspot.com/2009/12/hevesi-team-is-on-pay-to-play-varsity.html">The Hevesi Team is on the Pay to Play Varsity Division</a></h3>Journalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10190956898079079756noreply@blogger.com0