Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Avella may run for borough president

From City and State:

The already packed field for Queens Borough President could be getting even more crowded. So far the diverse array of candidates includes Councilmen Leroy Comrie and Peter Vallone, Jr., former Councilwoman Melinda Katz, and State Senator Jose Peralta, with Deputy Borough President Barry Grodenchik also rumored to enter the race.

Now it appears that State Senator Tony Avella might jump into the fray. Asked about the possibility, Avella insisted that his focus at the moment was on his current reelection bid, though he hardly denied having seriously considered the job.

“My basic philosophy has always been to do the most good for the most number of people and if I can be effective as borough president helping the borough of Queens, which I think needs somebody to fight for [it], then I probably will do it,” explained Avella, before adding, “I’m going to give it some thought after the election and I’ll probably come to a quick decision.”

Avella said that whether the Democrats regain the majority in the Senate would figure into his considerations, though it would not be a deciding factor. “Even if I ran for borough president I’d still be [in Albany] for a year to try to get accomplished a lot of things I want to do up there,” explained Avella. “At the same time, you still have the issues in Queens where, in my opinion, Queens doesn’t get its fair share of city services. There are a lot of things the city should be doing differently, and the borough president does get to allocate five percent of the capital budget.”

Avella, who made a long-shot bid for the Democratic nomination for mayor in 2009 against former City Comptroller Bill Thompson, would bring to the race for the borough presidency a record and reputation as an iconoclast willing to embrace reform-minded stances from which his colleagues tend to shrink—even when those positions put him at direct odds with his fellow elected officials.

27 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'll vote for him. I can't remember the last time Queens had a competent or honest BP.

Senator Tony said...

"Yawn...
those long back and forth trips to Albany
are tiring."

Anonymous said...

He should or run for Mayor even better. Put teeth in Beep position - God only knows what goes on the Queens President's office - nothing ever comes out of there??

Anonymous said...

Tony will run for anything
in order to remain in politics.

That's all he's suited for.

He's got no law practice to return to like Vallone
who will trounce him in a BP race!

Anonymous said...

We really don't need borough presidents
or community boards.

Think of all that found money NYC would have
if it eliminated both!

Anonymous said...

Avella history :
Community Assistance Unit; Stavisky staffer;
NYC councilman; NYS senator.

Tony's aspirations:
mayor; borough president; NYS senator re-elect;
????? .

His safety net:
anything the Dem machine offers;
tooth fairy's assistant.


Anonymous said...

"Yowza! Yowza! Yowza!

Step right this way folks
and pick up your bottle of
Dr. Antonio's Miracle Cure...
used by the crowned heads
of the Democratic party".

There ought to be a law
against snake oil salesmen.

Anonymous said...

Whoa...
after all of that anti Avella flack,
we can expect to be hearing from Tony's
loyal fans, consultants and special assistants.

Anonymous said...

Tony's heart is big but his accomplishments are few.

Anonymous said...

Dump that dimwit Helen Marshall!
Tony has my vote!

Queens has a long history of corrupt and downright crooked borough presidents!

Maybe Avella will break that mold!

Anonymous said...

After he gets elected BP, Tony will call for the abolishment of the BP offices, and will declare that he'll not accept a salary for this worthless position.

Jerry Rotondi said...

The policies of the Shul-Manes administration
have left our borough badly damaged.

Some of their civil service "lifers" are still
hanging around, serving developers' desires
over their constituents' needs.

I think that we all embrace the need
for a better borough president.


Anonymous said...

Anon No. 8:

Or from County Organization-inspired trolls.

Anonymous said...

Speaking of borough presidents...
the likes of Donald Manes and, his accomplice,
Claire Shulman:

Both of these crooks allowed
a prime Queens' attraction, the RKO Keith's Flushing Theater, to be destroyed under their watch.

Tommy Huang was only their demolition contractor...
in effect..."Flushing's bad boy".

Say what you will of him, but Brooklyn
borough president Marty Markowitz has recently secured all of the necessary funding to restore the iconic, spectacular Loew's Kings "wonder theater"!

In Queens our beeps barely have the decency
to toss us table scraps.

In this criminals' paradise of a borough...
we get post-digested meals served up steaming hot
in a nice cold porcelain bowl!

Donald Manes:
Queens has nothing but land, and I intend to develop every bit of it".

Anonymous said...

A perfect do nothing office for a do nothing politician.

Anonymous said...

I always felt he'd make a great Public Advocate - he likes to fight for the little guy, he likes to rail against bureaucrats, and he certainly isn't shy about publicity or holding press conferences. Would be the perfect job for Tony.

Anonymous said...

He has my vote. Get rid of that old hag Marashall. She's been around for years but has done nothing for the people of Queens.

Anonymous said...

He has my vote too - very competent, intelligent and caring individual.

Lynda said...

Ok so marshal came from shulman who came from manes who were all tied to Stavisky. See a connection or is it just me?

JP said...

He has my vote; Tony is the best and really cares about the people in his district!!

Anonymous said...

Avella should be mayor however I'll take BP. Anyone who criticizes this man is an idiot.

Anonymous said...

Tony is no bologna. He'd get my vote.

Anonymous said...

"Anyone who criticizes this man is an idiot," said yet another "open-minded" Dem- liberal - progressive. Wow.

Anonymous said...

we don't need a Boro President. It's a waste of taxpayers $$$
They have no real power.

Anonymous said...

RU kidding?
Tony invented baloney!

And you're right...Avella would make a perfect
public advocate.

He even resembles that old classic big mouth,
Mark Greenberg.

Jerry Rotondi said...

Of course we need a borough president.

Who else will be there to collect all that bribe money from developers like Donald Manes used to?

As far as Manes' protege--Claire Shulman is concerned--she never met a developer
that she didn't like.

Anonymous said...

Anon No. 25:

Mark Green.