Paul Graziano announces City Council candidacy

From the Times Ledger:

When discussing his decision to enter a crowded Democratic primary race and challenge City Councilman Dan Halloran (R-Whitestone), Flushing’s Paul Graziano did not hesitate to emphasize his focus on fighting over-development in northeast Queens.

For nearly two decades, the urban planning consultant has kept a close watch on the borough’s historic buildings and landmarks and has become a known name in the civic association community because of it. In an interview with TimesLedger Newspapers, the borough activist said he hoped to address quality-of- life issues in northeast Queens by taking a look at zoning laws and considering designating historic districts.

“I believe in property rights, but we need to save the things that are important to us,” Graziano said. “There has to be a balance. It is outrageous that we have had to fight tooth and nail for our districts.”

After attending college at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Graziano returned home to Flushing to realize new concerns over his hometown’s future landscape. With his interest piqued, he then went on to educate himself on zoning law as well as the civic community, earned a masters of science in urban affairs and planning from Hunter College and helped form the North Flushing Civic Association.

Graziano spent the better part of the last 20 years working in various civics throughout northeast Queens and even teamed up with state Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside) as a land use and planning consultant in his earlier days as a councilman to help draft a zoning study of the 19th Council District, where he is now running. The redrawn district now includes Little Neck, Bayside, Douglaston, North Flushing, Whitestone, Auburndale and College Point.

That study eventually went on to ensure that any new development in northeast Queens would remain respectful, or in-context, to the surrounding community, Graziano said.

“It was a huge change. Now, areas have stabilized dramatically,” Graziano said. “This still allows for development, but creates a more predictable outcome. It is about saving neighborhoods that deserve to be saved.”

And from Bayside-Douglaston Patch:

In September, he will face off in the Democratic primary for the City Council’s 19th District against Paul Vallone, who is the brother of Councilman Peter Vallone Jr., Empire State Development’s Austin Shafran, Democratic state committeeman Matthew Silverstein and former state Assemblyman John Duane.

“I’m involved in the Democratic Party but all of the other people I’m running against are either in elected office or part of the machine,” Graziano said. “I’m not connected with any of that.”

Graziano, who has a master’s degree in urban affairs, left the Green Party in 2009 to assist then-Councilman Tony Avella in his bid for mayor. But he said the communities that he hopes to represent are not driven by political party loyalty.

“It’s a very apolitical district that focuses on quality of life issues,” said Graziano, who listed education and neighborhood preservation as two of his top campaign issues. “As someone who went to the public schools here and, as someone who is about to get married, there are great concerns about the way the schools have been moving. Districts 25 and 26 have typically been the gold standard, but 25 was recently listed as a district in need. It’s very distressing.”

This photo from the Queens Examiner shows that Graziano attended Tony Avella's press conference on 149th Street last Friday:



Curiously, the Queens Gazette used a cropped shot:

Then you look at their main page and see this:


There actually are 8 Vallone mentions on the online cover of the Gazette this week. Granted, they are Peter Vallone, Jr. mentions, not Paul Vallone.  Pete's head must have exploded when he saw another Italian-American vying for "his brother's seat."

And then the cherry on top of the hysteria over this particular candidate entering the race comes from Queens Politics, courtesy of blogger Adam Lombardi:

Rumor has it Tony Avella propped up a lobbyist for the City Council primary to divide the voting blocs in district 19.

Paul Graziano, who works at an architectural firm in New Jersey as an urban planner (and also worked for Avella) could be part of a massive scheme of voter manipulation with Tony Avella at the helm.

Was Graziano influenced by Avella to run? It’s the million dollar question. The relationship is there and is very concerning.

Questions arise like did Tony Avella hand out proclamation in return for bankrolling his campaign as Graziano did time and time again? Is it favor for a favor? Are the voters going to buy into this power play? After all, seems like Graziano often rewards his former boss in campaign donations for such recognition.

Graziano is an activist, a good activist at that, and we don’t want to see him promoted beyond his level of ability. But to see him being used as a pawn in Avella’s devious political manipulation of the electoral system speaks volumes about his character. 

It’s not rocket science folks.

There is no rumor that this happened, because Paul Graziano is not a lobbyist. The only former lobbyist in the district 19 race is in fact, Paul Vallone. I highly doubt that people other than Lombardi and the Vallones are so delusional that they believe Tony Avella pushed Graziano into the race. Graziano ran for City Council in 2001, has long been mentioned as a possible candidate this year and has been urged by many residents of the newly drawn 19th council district to throw his hat into the ring.

Lombardi seems to be seriously suggesting that Graziano donated money to Avella and is running for Council as a favor to him in return for proclamations which have no monetary value. This kid should lay off the funny cigarettes.  He actually sits on the board of the Bayside Historical Society, yet insinuated on his blog that there was some kind of backroom deal involving awards given out at their meeting.  All to show allegiance to the Vallones.  Now that's kinda sick, dontcha think?

The ultimate stupidity: "Graziano is an activist, a good activist at that, and we don’t want to see him promoted beyond his level of ability."

Lombardi fancies himself some sort of reformer, but instead is doing a wonderful job of being Paul Vallone's Mini-Me, and is blogging about things that are WAY beyond his own level of ability or comprehension.

In simpler language: When this troll doesn't like what he sees, he simply makes shit up.

Many with whom I have spoken feel that Graziano is more than qualified to be a council member. And judging by what's in the council now, I totally agree with them!

[That's right folks, I have Photoshop again.  Let the fun begin.  Lots more where this came from...]