The perks of public office

From the Daily News:

The explosion of Capitol corruption scandals in recent years has turned a bunch of campaign accounts into legal defense funds.

Twenty elected officials since 2004 spent a combined $6.78 million on legal fees related to criminal and ethical investigations against them, a Daily News/New York Public Interest Research Group analysis shows.

The list has included some of the most powerful elected officials in Albany, including former Gov. David Paterson, convicted former Controller Alan Hevesi, former Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and pervy Assemblyman Vito Lopez.

In the past two years alone, state lawmakers spent nearly $2 million in campaign funds on legal fees, led by the $1.5 million paid by former state Sen. Carl Kruger. He’s serving seven years in federal prison after pleading guilty in 2011 to bribery and other corruption charges.

The state Board of Elections in a 1989 formal opinion ruled the use of campaign cash for lawyer bills is legal if the investigations are related to someone’s office or campaign.

Some lawmakers and government reformers say that needs to change.

State rescues failing hospital - in Brooklyn

From NY1:

As first reported by NY1 on Saturday, Governor Andrew Cuomo's administration says the plan to save Long Island College Hospital will move forward with state grant money.

The deal calls for merging the hospital, located in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, with SUNY Downstate.

Long Island College Hospital appeared to be in jeopardy earlier this week when the state decided to review the $62 million grant needed for the merger.

However, sources say after a meeting with elected officials Friday night in Manhattan, a deal was reached to keep the grant in place.

That allows about 2,500 workers to keep their jobs.

In a statement, Cuomo said he made the decision to go ahead with the grant, despite former Governor David Paterson's concerns.

Cuomo also said he consulted with local community and elected officials.

The merger is the first time in state history that a private medical center will be run by a public one.

What's wrong with this autoreply?

From: Governor Cuomo [Governor.Cuomo@exec.ny.gov]
Date: February 9, 2011 10:46:09 AM EST
Subject: Thank you for your Correspondence

Thank you for your email. Feedback from New Yorkers and others is essential to my work as Governor, and it is important to me to know your views and issues of concern. Due to the volume of emails this office receives, it can take some time to provide a personal response to your correspondence. I want to assure you, however, that your email has been received, and will be read and shared with the appropriate members of my staff.

I encourage you to visit my website at http://www.ny.gov/governor/, and please feel free to contact my office again about this matter or any other.

Once again, thank you, and warmest regards.

Sincerely,

Governor David A. Paterson

Should Dave take some of the blame?

From Capital Tonight:

Mayor Bloomberg has been bearing the brunt of the blame for the lackluster post-blizzard clean-up, but one state lawmaker thinks there’s more than enough of that to go around with a share belonging to outgoing Gov. David Paterson.

Assemblyman Bill Colton, a Brooklyn Democrat, said Paterson should have declared a state of emergency after the storm, following New Jersey’s lead, arguing that would have allowed for the mobilization of resources – from the National Guard, for example – to help the city with its sub-par snow removal effort.

“I think the governor clearly had a responsibility to, at the very minimum, call the mayor and say: Do you need help? Should we call a state of emergency? At the very minimum, the governor should have done that,” Colton told me during a brief telephone interview this afternoon.

“There should at least have been a discussion of whether it was needed.”

When I noted Paterson has one foot out the door (although he has managed to find the time to issue more than a few pardons and a commutation), Colton replied:

“The reality is the snow occurred a week ago and it would seem to be that he’s got to keep his hand on the helm of the ship.”

Toby concerned about pork in her hot dogs

From Forest Hills Patch:

The new year won't be happy for New York State's kosher food inspectors, as Gov. David Paterson decided this month to terminate them as of Jan. 1, 2011, as part of an effort to trim a budget deficit that will probably exceed $10 billion next fiscal year.

Paterson plans to slash about 95 percent of funding for the Division of Kosher Law Enforcement, which is part of the state's agriculture department. Currently, the state employs eight kosher food inspectors who carry out about 5,000 inspections a year, examining roughly 3,000 food sellers and manufacturers. All eight will lose their jobs.

However, local politicians and other members of the observant Jewish community railed against the decision, claiming that the state will lose its ability to ensure the integrity of kosher products, thus weakening kosher traditions and respect for kosher law.

"These cuts would undoubtedly mean that untrained Agriculture and Markets inspectors would monitor kosher food, resulting in little or no protection from fraudulent products," said State Sen. Toby Ann Stavisky. "Who is going to make sure that hot dogs containing pork products don't wind up next to the Hebrew National ones?"

There are about 82,000 kosher-certified products for sale in New York State, which is the world's largest manufacturer and consumer of kosher products outside of Israel. The state has enforced kosher inspections since 1915.

Interestingly, there is no Division of Halal Law Enforcement... Why was the state funding a religious practice in the first place?

Push to reopen Parkway Hospital

From the Times Ledger:

Robert Aquino, the former chief executive officer of the now-defunct Parkway Hospital, sent a letter last week to the state health commissioner in an effort to pressure the state to reopen the Forest Hills medical center, which he said would strengthen health care in a borough hit hard by the closure of three major hospitals and add more than 1,000 jobs.

“We felt that before Gov. David Paterson leaves, he could do something to help Queens,” Aquino said in an interview. “We’re following the emergency room times in Queens, and they’re getting worse and worse and worse. Maybe Gov. Paterson could in the 11th hour call the commissioner and say there is a disaster in Queens and we need to do something about it.”

Aquino said he sent the Dec. 3 letter to Health Commissioner Richard Daines because he worried that if state officials did not act to reopen Parkway now, it would be months before Gov.-elect Andrew Cuomo would have the time to address the issue.

It will get worse before it gets better

From the NY Post/AP:

ALBANY — New York’s hard times just got harder.

The Paterson administration says closing the latest deficit may require cuts of perhaps 1 percent in every area including a midyear cut in school aid.

Budget Director Robert Megna says the $315 million shortfall in the current budget must be addressed by Dec. 31. That’s when Paterson’s term ends and Andrew Cuomo, a fellow Democrat, takes office.

In January, the state Senate may also be in Republican hands pending a recount of votes from Tuesday.

The state fiscal year ends March 31. The 2011-12 fiscal year is now projected to have a $9 billion deficit.

Megna says one reason for the latest deficit is that the poor economy has driven 4.9 million New Yorkers into the Medicaid health care system, compared to 4.2 million in 2007.

Dromm upset over improved deportation system

From the Times Ledger:

Secure Communities, which ICE’s website says will remove criminal aliens from the United States, runs an automatic check of a person’s criminal history and immigration status through systems kept by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The program has already been enacted in jurisdictions in 33 states and ICE’s website tells stories of individuals identified through the system who had previously been deported for assault or drug convictions who were able to be quickly deported again.

Epstein said that while no jurisdictions in New York use Secure Communities yet, Gov. David Paterson had signed a memorandum of understanding to bring the program to New York.

Representatives from local groups, including New Immigrant Community Empowerment, the New York Civic Participation Project, the Immigration Defense Project and the Queens Community House, said those they knew of people or family members who had had negative experiences with ICE and were deported from the country or kept in a detention cell in another state for much lesser convictions.

“We are afraid that Secure Communities would cause more instances like these in our communities and cause more fear in our communities,” said Rozina Abduo, a Bangladeshi immigrant from Queens Community House.

Walter Sinche, a member of Alianza Ecuatoriana Internacional, cited one case in which an Asian man and a Mexican man in New Jersey had been fighting outside a business where one of them worked. The manager called police to the house of the Mexican man and, despite their not being involved in the fight, most of the other people in the house were either deported or are going through the process of being deported.

City Councilman Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights), who was arrested in June along with Councilwoman Julissa Ferreras (D-East Elmhurst) for protesting Arizona’s immigration law, said the initiative represents an attack on America’s immigrant communities.

“We must gather together politically to fight against it,” he said.

It's official: We're a disaster area

From the NY Post:

President Barack Obama has declared a major disaster in New York City following last month's deadly storm that spawned two devastating tornadoes, killing one woman and causing massive damage.

Gov. David Paterson announced Thursday that Obama issued the federal disaster declaration for Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island. The declaration clears the way for an influx of federal funds to pay for up to 75 percent of the response, debris removal and repairs to public property.

Federal and state inspectors have estimated the damage and cleanup costs at $27 million.

The Sept. 16 storm barreled across the three boroughs, toppling thousands of trees. A macroburst with winds up to 125 mph added to the destruction.

One tree came down on the parked car where Iline Levakis was sitting, killing her.

FEMA won't replace trees

Dear QCC members and friends,

The Queens Civic Congress has learned that any disaster aid program administered by FEMA would not include funds to replace the thousands of trees lost in the September 16 storm. QCC urges you to contact members of Congress to plead for assistance in replacing the downed trees that provided enormous environmental and aesthetic benefits to our neighborhoods.

Thus, FEMA would not help with the restoration of trees in MacArthur Park in Forest Hills where half the trees were destroyed rendering this local park a disaster. Nor would FEMA offer assistance to replace the hundreds of trees Middle Village or Forest Hills lost.

There is nothing like a tree.

Please contact your local member of Congress and ask him/her to demand tree replacement assistance for the affected boroughs from FEMA.

Pat Dolan
Rich Hellenbrecht

Photo from Twitpic

Has Osvaldo redeemed himself?

From the NY Post:

The Queens man who went from ex-con to hero soldier -- after Gov. David Paterson granted him a surprise Christmas pardon -- is back from Afghanistan, but no closer to fulfilling his dream of being an NYPD cop.

Army Specialist Osvaldo Hernandez, 28, who had served eight months in prison on a gun-possession rap before becoming a paratrooper in Afghanistan, had been issued a "full and unconditional" pardon on Christmas Eve by Paterson.

However, Hernandez just returned from his second tour in Afghanistan, where he supervised a team of machine gunners and was recently promoted to sergeant, but he is no closer to being a cop.

"It's been over five years now serving in the United States Army," he told The Post today in an interview. "I've put my life on the line for this country, but that's something I feel really good about and I'm ready to do it for the NYPD."

Hernandez's lawyer said his NYPD application remains in limbo.

He said he hopes the NYPD will consider his application and allow him to be a cop.

Bloomberg supports NYPD quotas

From the Village Voice:

In a July 2 letter obtained by the Voice, Mayor Bloomberg pleaded with Governor Paterson to veto a bill that broadened a ban on the use of quotas by Police Departments, and sought to prevent the NYPD from tying them to disciplinary action like transfers or shift changes.

The fascinating thing about this letter is that despite years of denials by the Police Department of the existence of quotas, Bloomberg all but admits that they indeed exist, and not just for tickets, but for arrests and, most controversially, for stop-and-frisks.

"The law defines a quota as a 'specific number of tickets...which are required to be issued within a specified period of time,'" Bloomberg writes. "The city finds the present law contrary to the effective management of public resources, and opposes in the strongest terms any expansion of this provision to include summonses or arrest activity for violation of any law or stops for suspected criminal activity."

The admission that there are quotas for stop-and-frisks is controversial because the practice is supposed to be done when an officer believes a crime has or is about to take place. In other words, they are supposed to be tied to conditions in the field, not some artificial number coming from police headquarters.

Bloomberg goes on to compare public sector quotas with private sector management goals. "For an employee whose function it is to issue parking tickets, a measurement clearly relevant to job performance is the number of summonses issued over the course of a reasonable period of time," he writes.

He closes by saying that the law could cause traffic and crime problems to increase. "By second-guessing the management of public safety agencies in their ability to measure arrest productivity and stop, question and frisk activity, the Legislature could cause fewer criminal arrests and summonses, more quality of life violations, more criminal activity, and actual injury to innocent victims," he writes.

Paterson, though, snubbed Bloomberg and allowed the bill to become law.

State is broke and city is owed millions

From the NY Post:

State government ended the quarter in deficit for only the second time in modern history last month and could go broke again before the summer's over, state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli warned yesterday.

The state's general fund ended June more than $87 million short despite improved tax collections, DiNapoli said in his monthly cash report.

The comptroller traced the gap to the Legislature's failure to pass a complete budget and Gov. Paterson's decision to carry $2.9 billion in delayed payments into this fiscal year.

"There are fiscal storm clouds rolling in," DiNapoli said in a statement.

"The next school aid payments are due in September, and New York's cash umbrella may not be big enough. The state could, once again, be seriously in the red."

A general fund shortfall of $87 million will have little practical effect on the $134.4 billion-a-year government because officials can shift money from other accounts, but it demonstrates the severity of the state's financial woes.

The general fund slipped into the red for the first time ever in December and could face another cash crunch in September, when the state's on the hook to pay the estimated $2.8 billion in school aid.

Paterson has threatened to call lawmakers back for a summer session if they don't act on a budget soon.

The state's rapidly approaching its Aug. 11 record for the latest budget in its history.

And on the city level, from Crains:

Mayor Michael Bloomberg wants you—to pay up.

As part of plans unveiled Monday by the city to save $500 million over the next four years, the mayor wants to step up pressure on delinquent debtors.

Mr. Bloomberg says he has instructed the Department of Finance to report debtors to credit reporting agencies, hire more outside debt collectors and make it easier for New Yorkers to pay the city what they owe.

The plans are part of an overall strategy to improve the efficiency and reduce the size and waste of city government that could produce long-term annual savings of $500 million a year.

Hospital closure bill passes

From the Times Ledger:

The closings of St. John’s and Mary Immaculate hospitals inspired a bill passed by the state Legislature last week that would require the state to hold a hearing about plans to shutter hospitals and issue plans for filling the gap in health care services in affected communities.

Sponsored by Assemblyman Rory Lancman (D-Fresh Meadows) and Sen. Shirley Huntley (D-Jamaica), the state Legislature unanimously passed the Hospital Closure Planning Act last week. Lawmakers will send it to Gov. David Paterson’s desk within the next several weeks, after which he will have 10 days to decide whether or not to sign the bill that borough lawmakers said addresses a need to give the public more of a voice about hospitals slated to be shuttered.

Lancman and Huntley have criticized the state DOH for its response to the closure of St. John’s and Mary Immaculate and said this act will help lay the groundwork for a comprehensive plan to meet New York’s health care needs. The bill would require the state DOH to hold a public forum within 30 days of a hospital closure and issue a plan for addressing the consequence of the loss of health care services.

Paterson had vetoed the Hospital Closure Planning Act in September 2009, but lawmakers said they revamped the bill to address his concerns, including decreasing the number of hearings from two to one.

Genting is last bidder standing

From the Daily News:

In a stunning move, the State Lottery has disqualified two of the three bidders for the ill-fated Aqueduct “racino” project.

SL Green and Penn National Gaming were rejected only seven days after submitting their applications in the latest round of bidding for the long-delayed project.

That leaves just Genting New York in the running.

Genting “appears to conform with all requirements of the bid submission process and will continue to be evaluated,” the Lottery said in a statement.

If Genting ultimately is not approved for the Aqueduct project, the bidding process will have to start again. A recommendation from Lottery is due to Gov. Paterson and legislative leaders by Aug. 3.

Lottery officials said Penn National and SL Green, which was partnering with Hard Rock International and Clairvest Group, did not conform with the set criteria. Both failed to submit signed copies of the mandatory bid requirements.

Instead, the two bidders offered “altered versions” containing numerous changes they wanted.

Bill mandates legal conversion of illegal loft space

From the Brooklyn Paper:

Gov. Paterson signed legislation on Monday to require illegally converted loft buildings to get up to code — a move that could make such residences safer, but at the same time could result in higher rents that will push out Williamsburg’s artists and the industries they live near.

The bill, known as the Loft Law, will extend rental protections to tenants living in the illegal apartments in former factories and warehouses in manufacturing zones in Greenpoint, Williamsburg, Bushwick, and Maspeth.

As such, the bill’s champions heralded it as victory for tenants.

“Loft tenants finally have the peace of mind and protections that they deserve,” said Assemblyman Vito Lopez (D-Williamsburg), who worked on the bill for 10 years.

But such protection comes at a price, opponents say. Manufacturers and their supporters fear that they will be further displaced by a new wave of conversions and subsequent gentrification when landlords pass along the cost of their building renovations in the form of higher rents.

Mayor Bloomberg agrees. As the passed bill was making its way to Paterson’s desk, the mayor sent a last-minute plea to the governor urging a veto on the grounds that the bill would “send a clear and discouraging message” to industrial tenants looking to settle in the city by prioritizing residential ones.

“Residential uses, even illegal and unsafe ones, pay far higher rents than, and place enormous economic and political pressure on, industrial and manufacturing uses,” said Bloomberg. “Ultimately, the encroachment of residential uses in these areas will force businesses to relocate and, in many cases, leave the city altogether, along with the good-paying jobs and economic diversity that they support.”

Here we go again....

From CBS 2:

The New York State legislature is considering a host of new tax increases to help deal with its budget crisis.

Now there's talk of restoring a tax break that many New York shoppers probably take for granted.

For the last three years, clothing and shoes costing less than $110 have been exempt from the state's four percent sales tax, costing New York $690 million in tax revenues each year.

With a state budget gap of $9.2 billion dollars and a budget that's three months late, there's talk of bring back the sales tax on clothes under $110.

Governor Paterson confirms that informal tax discussions with Albany lawmakers are underway.

"They have some proposals on the table," said Paterson. "We're reviewing them, and frankly, they don't sound bad."

Electronics recycling becomes state law

From NY1:

New Yorkers looking to get rid of their dusty old computer monitors will soon be able to recycle them for free.

Under a new law signed by Governor David Paterson, manufacturers that sell electronics are required to accept old and used products for recycling.

They also have to pay a registration fee and face surcharges if they fail to meet goals.

The so-called "e-waste" law also increases some fees for generating hazardous waste.

New York is the 22nd state to enact an electronic waste recycling law.

There is currently no uniform federal law.

It takes effect next April.

Parks reopened at the expense of the environment

From NY1:

Dozens of shuttered state parks should reopen, just in time for the Memorial Day weekend.

Early this morning, the State Assembly passed a bill that would provide $11 million for park operations this year.

This afternoon, the State Senate voted this afternoon to approve the measure.

The agreement reached with Governor David Paterson yesterday takes about $80 million from the state's Environmental Protection Fund. Of that money, $6 million will go toward reopening the parks and the remaining $74 million will go toward closing the state's $9.2 billion budget deficit.

The Paterson administration had closed 41 parks and 14 historic sites, including Bayswater Point Park in Queens to try to save money.

Critics say taking money from the Environmental Protection Fund will lead to drastic cuts for the Bronx Zoo and Botanical Garden, but the Assembly speaker says those institutions will not be affected.

"These are important for tourism, for recreation, all the things that make New York great,” said Bill Ulfelder of the Nature Conservancy. “To reduce this spending is devastating. The EPF has been treated like a punching bag through the budget process."

The money shuffle may solve the problem for now, but there are no guarantees New Yorkers won't be locked out of their park again next year.

Looting one fund to save another

Photo by Geoffrey Croft

From A Walk In The Park:

In Bayswater Point State Park in Far Rockaway, the two gates were already padlocked last weekend. A small square sign affixed to a pole read, "Park Closed." The 12-acre park located on the south shore of Jamaica Bay in Queens is a popular spot for fishing and family outings.

"You gotta be kidding," said Rick Hill, 39, when told how much the state would save by shutting down the park. "That's ridiculous – I mean, to close a park for $5,000. That's not even money."

A father of four, Mr. Hill said one of the main reasons he bought his house five years ago was because it was next to the park. He also fears the closed park will become neglected and overgrown.

On May 14th, The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation announced it was accepting a $100,000 donation from Citibank to restore services cut last year at Long Island State Park as well as to fund summer programs in Westchester and Rockland Counties. The gift will also allow the swimming area at Zach’s Bay to extend its operating season through Labor Day.

There's no subsidized NYC company that wants to donate $5,500 so Bayswater can stay open???

From Eyewitness News:

Senior officials in the Paterson administration say Gov. David Paterson will introduce a bill Monday that would keep all New York parks and historic sites open for the year including the upcoming Memorial Day weekend.

But the officials say the Legislature will have to agree to take $6 million from the Environmental Protection Fund to pay for it.

The staffers say lawmakers in stalled budget talks as recently as Saturday insisted that a top priority is to keep the parks and historic sites open. Paterson sees the move as a way to address a chief concern he shares, but only with the corresponding cut he has insisted upon.

What a great idea! Let's rob Peter to pay Paul!