Vallone minds work in interesting ways

From the Queens Courier:

Councilmember-elect Paul Vallone has picked the team he’ll take to City Hall in January, The Courier has learned.

The seven-member staff consists mostly of longtime supporters and includes two former employees of Queens elected officials and the aunt of a local assemblymember.

The incoming lawmaker appointed Jonathan Szott as his chief of staff, snatching the top aide from his term-limited brother, Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr.

He is also taking Michael Yon from his part-time gig at Assemblymember Ron Kim’s office to work constituent services and community outreach in the Korean communities.

Both workers received blessings from their former bosses before the switch.

The hires were finalized last week, the freshman legislator said.

They include Communications Director Lionel Morales, Director of Constituent Services/Treasurer Vito Tautonico and part-timers Breeana Mulligan and Ahmed Nazar.

Kate Boehme, the aunt of Assemblymember Ed Braunstein, will also help part-time in the communications department. Boehme and other members of Braunstein’s family helped a lot with campaigning, Vallone said.

Not really much of a surprise here. Well, except that he will apparently be the first council member to have a treasurer... This, however, is hilarious:

Also up in the air is where the incoming councilmember will work.

The Flushing branch of the family’s law firm at 25-59 Francis Lewis Boulevard will close after five years, as Vallone prepares to transition into a full-time elected official.

High hopes of transforming the office into his City Council headquarters may be dashed since the bathroom is not yet wheelchair accessible.

So, hold on. You're closing your law office because you became a council member? Does this make any sense? One would think that the law office would remain open, with other attorneys taking over the work. That's what a "small business owner" would do. Well, unless of course, the law office, the Lions Club and the Clinton Democratic Club were only founded as vehicles for P.V. to get name recognition to run for Council. But that couldn't possibly be the case, now could it?

The lawmaker-to-be said he has already gotten commitments from the city’s School Construction Authority officials, saying they will move away from building a school in Whitestone.

And while it is too late to change plans for a Bayside school at the former Keil Bros. site — something Vallone said he opposed, despite other claims — the city pledged to keep the school zoned for School District 26 only, Vallone said.

“It’s still an unfortunate location, but that’s a major victory,” he said.

Look, pal, you were BUSTED. Members of the City Council's Land Use Committee - the very people you are about to join come January 1st - spilled the beans on your blessing of the school at the Keil Bros site. It seems that the "deal" that Paulie V. made behind closed doors was screwing Bayside with a school they don't want in order to protect his base in Whitestone from the school that they don't want. And of course zoning is for just District 26 - it's an elementary school, my dear Watson. Please stop acting like you did anyone a favor here. What you did was stab the community in the back.