City council progressive caucus member tells constituents to never walk alone

 

Queens Post

City Councilwoman Julie Won is calling for residents to walk in groups and to try to avoid walking alone at night following a spate of gunpoint robberies in her western Queens district over the last 10 days.

Won took to social media late Tuesday to ask residents to be more vigilant following two muggings occurring at gunpoint Tuesday morning, Feb. 21, with one incident occurring in Sunnyside and the other in Woodside.

The first incident took place on 44th Street at 11:15 a.m., where a 33-year-old man was set upon, while the second occurred around 15 minutes later on 49th Street in Woodside with the victim being a 59-year-old man, according to police. It is understood that the same two suspects carried out both robberies.

The muggings come after three similar incidents in the neighborhood last week.

“Our community’s safety is our top priority,” wrote Won, who represents the 26th Council district that covers Sunnyside, Woodside, Long Island City and a portion of Astoria.

“Please be vigilant — walk in groups when possible and avoid walking alone late at night unless absolutely necessary.”

The lawmaker said that in light of the crimes, the 108th Precinct has increased its patrol of the area with extra marked and unmarked vehicles, as well as boots on the ground.

Won is also calling for residents to report all emergencies to 911 and wrote that the 108th Precinct holds its monthly community meeting every fourth Tuesday at Sunnyside Community Services, located at 43-31 39th St.

Council Members none too happy with Viverito

From Capital New York:

City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito is facing her first widespread fight with members, nearly three months after winning the job.

The burgeoning discontent has been prompted, most recently, by the speaker's appointments to the body's "budget negotiating team," or BNT.

Several members, including some of her allies in the Progressive Caucus, are furious they were left out of the group, and recently held a conference call to air their concerns, multiple sources told Capital.

Other members are upset they were not informed directly by the speaker or her aides about the makeup of the team, which reviews the city's budget and determines the Council's priorities before it is adopted on July 1.

Mark-Viverito promised to be more approachable and inclusive than her predecessor, Christine Quinn, who was often criticized for ruling the Council with a heavy hand. But between the delayed consultation over the paid-sick bill, which members learned about from the media, and the new appointments to BNT, some of her colleagues are growing skeptical of that campaign commitment.

Several of the members interviewed for this article said they felt Mark-Viverito, so far, has been less inclusive than her predecessor.

What was promised

From the Queens Tribune:

Sources say the Progressive Caucus was originally split, 12-9, between Mark-Viverito and Dan Garodnick, with Garodnick getting the support of County Leadership.

That’s when the calls started, with the Progressive Caucus telling Council members that they had the votes, and that if a Council member pushed back, those committees would be gone.

“If you’re not with them, you’re not getting a committee,” QConf was told.

Among the promises made to the Queens delegation, Julissa Ferreras (D-East Elmhurst) would be named Majority Leader. Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Woodside) would head up the Finance Committee and Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights) would get the Education Committee.

Daneek Miller and Donovan Richards (D-Laurelton) were also reportedly promised committee slots, although specifics were unknown as of press time. melissa mark-viverito

“The other three we know, because they were openly talking about it,” a source said.

Republican Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) was also reportedly promised a committee chairmanship in exchange for his support of Mark-Viverito.

Sources within the real estate industry, who supported Ulrich in his most recent election battle, have expressed disappointment with Ulrich. The sources say that they feel betrayed, since Ulrich promised he would stand against the Progressive Caucus, but instead went back on his word for a promised chairmanship.

QConf was also told that David Greenfield (D-Brooklyn) was offered the Land Use Committee as a means of swaying Brooklyn.

Queens Machine loses if Mark-Viverito wins

From the Daily News:

The election to choose a City Council speaker is three weeks away, but that hasn’t stopped allies of Democratic front-runner Melissa Mark-Viverito from celebrating.

In a move likely to rankle her detractors, Mark-Viverto’s political club has already begun organizing her “victory” party, the Daily News has learned.

Club leaders say the ascension of the East Harlem pol would be so historic — Mark-Viverito is vying to become the first Hispanic speaker — that a big bash is warranted.

A club official said Mark-Viverito is “in no way, shape or form involved in planning” for the party.

But Mark-Viverito has acted like the race for speaker is a done deal, even though the position will not be filled until all 51 Council members vote Jan. 8.

If this holds up, Joe Crowley's power will be seriously curbed. While I am not a fan of Mark-Viverito for her positions and the fact that we really don't need another Speaker who is a clone of the mayor, seeing the Queens Machine get castrated would give me much pleasure. Big losers would be: Costa Constantinides, Mark Weprin, Elizabeth Crowley, Paul Vallone, Karen Koslowitz and Rory Lancman.

Is Virginia Joe still relevant?

From The Politicker:

As the City Council’s growing Progressive Caucus sways the council speaker’s race, insiders are questioning whether their sizable bloc of Queens members will remain loyal to the caucus–or be picked off by their county leaders.

Members of the caucus have pledged to remain unified as they try to crown the city’s second-most powerful leader, even though they have yet to decide which candidate to support. But some wonder whether Queens Democrats–whose bloc vote has made them the most influential force in past speaker’s races–may stand in the way.

The caucus, which is expected to number roughly 20 next year, currently includes at least six members who hail from Queens, including the newly-elected Daneek Miller and Costa Constantinides. (Other county Democratic organizations, notably Brooklyn and the Bronx, also control a significant bloc of votes.)

Interviews with a wide range of Queens sources yielded varied opinions. But overall, political observers and even caucus members aren’t certain that Queens can be bucked completely. “If I had to guess right now, I think the Queens elected officials will most likely line up with county in the end,” said term-limited Councilman Peter Vallone Jr., who hails from the borough.

For some, the benefits of the party’s backing seem too enticing for members to refuse.

“Is anybody going do more for Queens members than Crowley will?” asked another Queens Democrat, alluding to the choice committee chairmanships and election ground troops the county organization has bestowed upon members in the past. “What will the Progressive Caucus do for Queens members, for their ambitions, locally and in the future?”

Mr. Miller, who defeated a county-backed candidate to win his seat, nonethless reaffirmed his pledge of loyalty to the caucus. “The caucus has agreed to vote as a bloc,” he told Politicker, adding: “I think that people are firm in their commitment to a progressive New York City and the bottom line is I expect they will live up to their commitment.”

Mr. Constantinides, who did not return a request for comment, pledged to support the caucus upon his election but remains a close ally of Mr. Crowley. The other four Queens members of the caucus–Donovan Richards, Danny Dromm, Jimmy Van Bramer (who has floated his name for speaker) and Julissa Ferreras–offered few hints on their plans today.

"Progressives" looking to hurt small businesses

From the Times Ledger:

Two Queens city councilmen took to the streets Tuesday morning to get support from parents over a bill that would mandate small businesses to give their employees paid sick leave.

Councilmen James Sanders (D-Laurelton) and Danny Dromm (D-Jackson Heights) joined members of the Paid Sick Leave Coalition outside schools in the borough to push for the passing of Intro 97-2010. The bill would mandate that businesses with 19 or fewer employees offer at least five paid sick days, while bigger companies would have to give a minimum of nine days.

Sanders, who spoke with parents outside PS 132 on 218th Street in Springfield Gardens, said the bill would be beneficial for New Yorkers not only economically but also in terms of health.

There is no federal or state law that requires companies to provide their employees with paid sick leave, but Washington, D.C., and San Francisco have laws that provide for this work amenity. An October 2009 study by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research found that 1.2 million New Yorkers, roughly 42 percent of the population, do not get paid sick leave.

The bill is currently slated for a vote in the Council after Council Speaker Christine Quinn (D-Manhattan) tabled it in the summer.

Dromm also promoted the bill at an event outside PS 69 on 37th Avenue in Corona.

Oh how nice. You guys think that the average baker or florist has 5 extra days pay laying around for each employee? We will be seeing more unemployment if this bill passes.

The good news is it will sink Christine Quinn's mayoral campaign if she doesn't get indicted first.

Taxpayers footing tweeders' tweeding fees

From the NY Post:

In a move that has infuriated some City Council members, lawmakers' new Progressive Caucus will use taxpayer money to pay annual dues -- a privilege not granted to any other caucus, The Post has learned.

Each member of the 12-person group, which comprises the most liberal council members, will pay $2,500 annually to hire a staffer and buy office supplies, sources said.

Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who is not a member of the caucus, approved the new arrangement, but refused to lend the progressives an employee from her own staff, as she does with the Black Latino & Asian Caucus, the sources said.

"Why don't they just use their [existing] staff? Why are they double-dipping?" fumed one member who is not on the Progressive Caucus. "They're using taxpayer money to support a liberal viewpoint."

Quinn spokesman Jamie McShane said, "The pooling of individual expense budgets by members for legislative work in accordance with council procurement rules is appropriate."

In other words, we taxpaying schmucks are paying their tweeding fees. The Queens members of the caucus are Daniel Dromm, Julissa Ferreras and James Van Bramer.

Here's an editorial from the NY Post:

Now, how exclusionary, race- and ethnicity-based "caucuses" qualify for tax dollars is a mystery; one needn't wonder how willing Quinn would be to fund a White Caucus to understand that.

Not at all, is the answer -- and she'd be correct.

But she shouldn't be ponying up to assist ideological separatism, either -- especially since the subsidy, like the progressive caucus itself, is meant to underwrite partisan political activity.

Again, the money is so small it really isn't the issue here.

But the principle is important: If council members feel the need to form little cliques, they should pay for them out of their own pockets.