New lampposts for Glendale

From the Daily News:

Dozens of new lampposts will line parts of Glendale, Queens, after a more than decade-long push to beautify the area, state Sen. Joseph Addabbo Jr. said Monday.

“Our city streets are a constant reminder of our history, but sometimes they need a little upgrade,” Addabbo (D-Queens) said.

The 44 new "Type F" lampposts with teardrop light fixtures will be installed along five avenues between Woodhaven Blvd. and Union Turnpike in the spring.

The project was conceived by resident Tom Pappas and former state Sen. Serphin Maltese.

So the Argentos move in and suddenly the area gets beautified?

Como still running

From City Hall:

On Monday afternoon, Anthony Como conceded his State Senate race to Joe Addabbo, issuing a statement that concluded, “I remain committed to public service and look forward to the new challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.”

By Monday night, he was already on to those new challenges and opportunities, renewing the bid to be executive director of the Board of Elections that he abandoned in June to seek the Senate seat. Como called several commissioners and began the outreach to the county chairs who would be crucial in putting him in the top job, now vacant again after George Gonzalez’s firing.

But Como’s newest attempt to get the $172,000-per-year job, which has prompted derision from several close Board observers who see him as now looking for a job in the wake of the Senate loss, may be over before it gets off the ground. To be selected, Como would need at least six votes, and he does not appear to even have a solidified bloc of the five Republicans: Bronx GOP Commissioner J.C. Polanco is not on board.

Polanco, who supported Como through the spring, had put himself forward as an alternative for executive director after Como withdrew. But after the Queens GOP made a surprise, ill-fated attempt to install former State Sen. Serf Maltese in the top job, Polanco joined with the Democrats to vote for Gonzalez and break what had been a six-month stalemate. According to a source, Polanco remains disgusted with Como and the Queens GOP, and is completely opposed to supporting the former City Council member for executive director.

Asked about his position on Como, Polanco referred instead to his call for a nationwide search for executive director, as Council Speaker Christine Quinn and Council Government Operations chair Gale Brewer have supported.

Sorry, Serf!

From the Daily News:

The board’s 10 commissioners voted as Kappstatter reported, with Republican J.C. Polanco of the Bronx defecting from the GOP ranks and voting with the five Democratic commissioners to promote George Gonzalez of the Bronx to executive director and to name Dawn Sandow to assume Gonzalez's deputy executive director’s post. Sandow, a Bronx Republican, had been the deputy chief clerk of the Bronx Board of Elections office.

Polanco had initially led the unsuccessful effort to block Gonzalez from getting the top executive job on the board -- even offering himself as a candidate. But after months of deadlock, Polanco saw the wisdom of cutting a deal of his own and jumping ship to the Democrats’ side.

Several Republicans also nominated former Republican State Sen. Serphin Maltese of Queens for the executive director’s job, but that motion was defeated by a split vote, with four Republicans (other than Polanco) voting yes, two Democrats voting no and four commissioners (three Democrats plus Polanco) abstaining.

Serf's back...

From City Hall:

Former State Sen. Serf Maltese wants back into politics.

But instead of running himself, Maltese wants to run all city elections, in a bid to become the new executive director of the city Board of Elections.

“I am writing you to indicate that I would like to be considered for the position of Executive Director of the Board of Elections in the City of New York,” Maltese wrote in an email that was sent around to commissioners Wednesday evening. “My biography accompanies this request and I believe that my background and experience would qualify me for this position of great responsibility and importance.”

That 2,000-word biography details Maltese’s history in local politics, hitting all the highlights and many of the awards he picked up during his 20 years representing Queens in the State Senate. Maltese lost by double digits to Joe Addabbo in 2008 in one of the two seats that swung the majority to the Democrats.

And in an ironic twist, Addabbo is this year being challenged by former Council Member Anthony Como, who had been agitating for the executive director job before pulling out at the last minute to pursue the State Senate race. Como, though a former commissioner, had been unable to rally the six votes necessary to get a majority of the 10 commissioners.

In his email to the commissioners, Maltese indicated that he had a running start in getting to six.

“I can assure you that I have the confidence and backing of my Queens County Chairman, the Honorable Phil Ragusa, our Queens County Republican Commissioner the Honorable Judith Stupp and my former Senate colleague Senator Marty Golden,” Maltese wrote.

However, Serf's resurrection may swing the vote over to the Dems. How ironic.

Dusting off the dinosaur

Anthony Como Files Petition Signatures for New York State Senate (15th District) with the Board of Elections

Anthony Como filed his petition signatures with the Board of Elections bringing him another step closer to winning the New York Senate seat in the 15th District. Como and his team of over 100 supporters were extremely excited after filing well over the required amount of petition signatures to secure the Republican, Conservative and Independence Party lines.

Anthony Como addressed his team and supporters, “I want to express my sincerest thanks to all my friends, family and supporters who carried and signed petitions for me. During this process we strengthened existing friendships, created new alliances and mended broken relationships. We have come together for a common cause and will fight together to bring State government back to where it belongs, in the hands of the people. Now that the petition process is over, I look forward to meeting residents and getting my message out of bringing reform, transparency and dignity to Albany.”

(Pictured L to R. Anthony Como and Senator Serphin Maltese)

Not so fast, boys! The Independence Party is not exactly on board.

Ricatto campaign vehicle kills 9-year old

Child dies under wheels of RV
BY TONIA N. CIMINO and PETE DAVIS

An eight-year-old was struck and killed by an RV emblazoned with "Mike Ricatto Special Election 32nd City Council District" as he crossed the street.

The accident happened at Woodhaven Boulevard and Liberty Avenue, between Rockaway Boulevard and Liberty, at about 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 6.

A police source said that the child, reportedly a young boy, had his skull crushed. The source also told The Courier that the boy, who attended P.S. 63, was with another child when the fatal accident occurred.

"I saw a limp body covered with a white sheet," said a worker who answered the phone at P.C. Richard - located across the street from where the incident took place. "There were a whole bunch of police and ambulances," said the employee, who did not give a name.

The vehicle remained on the scene, and the driver, said the source, who had a suspended license, has been arrested.

Visit www.queenscourier.com for updates on this story.

May God bless this poor child's family. (For those of you who don't know, Mike Ricatto is a developer who doesn't live in the district but is who Serf Maltese put up to run for the seat because the other Republican in the race, Eric Ulrich, helped Tom Ognibene instead of Anthony Como in last June's special election.) Allowing an unlicensed driver to take the wheel of an oversized campaign vehicle is exactly the type of poor judgment we've come to expect from the Maltese crowd.

A note to Senator Maltese and Councilman Como

I am going to take it easy today, kids. Too much partying last night...

Maltese & Como send thugs & cops after volunteers

Things are getting heated and strange outside polling sites in Council District 30/State Senate District 15. A Nunziato volunteer rested a sign against the bottom of this Como/Maltese sandwichboard, being that they are on the same ticket and are all being supported by Mike Ricatto who donated the frames. The Serf volunteers called the cops and one of their thugs to the scene, claiming that their signs and frame were being destroyed. As you can see, they weren't.
Said thug is pictured above, pointing and yelling at the photographer with his car blocking traffic. The police came, talked to both sides and left. About 2 hours later, a police officer told an Addabbo volunteer that she couldn't stand behind the official board of elections sign that indicates a safe distance at which you may electioneer. She was told to stand on the next corner. The same thing apparently also happened at PS229 in Maspeth. Sad that Serf and Como feel the need to call police over palm cards and signs. And even sadder that they did it to someone from their own party.
Desperate times call for desperate measures, I guess. Sucks to have to actually have to take part in a competitive race, doesn't it?

A message from Crappy to the candidates

I got robocalls this morning from Mayor Bloomberg on behalf of Serf Maltese and Anthony Como's mother on behalf of her bouncing baby boy. It's bad enough you have to bombard my house with written campaign crap but now you're annoying me with phone calls. Please just go away.

P.S. Addabbo is no better but apparently doesn't have my phone number.

Bloomberg's bad jokes make Maltese smile

After asking the audience to guess his age, Bloomberg said, “I am so old, even I can’t remember.” And he wasn’t done. “I am 66. But here’s the question. How old is my mother?”

But Seriously, Folks: Bloomberg Stumps for Maltese

After fielding some guesses from the children and adults, Bloomberg gave them the answer (99) and finally got around to politicking. “Anyways, if my mother was here, she would say thank you to Senator Maltese because he really helped get this done,” Bloomberg said, jabbing his finger into the podium. The crowd applauded. Maltese smiled and waved.

Bloomberg spent a moment being earnest. Then he quickly went back to entertaining the crowd.

“Let me tell you how old Senator Maltese is. There’s nobody that remembers how old he is. But he’s been the senator for twenty years, is that right?” Bloomberg said, turning to Maltese, who briefly looked surprised before recomposing his face into a grin.

Bloomberg spoke for a few more moments (“If I lived here, I would vote for him. But I live in Manhattan, so I can‘t”), stood around for Maltese’s remarks (“Don’t eat too much candy. It’s an idle request. I’m Senator Serf. Have a great day.”) and then left.

Outside the church, without Maltese, Bloomberg was chatty. He spoke to a boy dressed as a football player who wants to play in college (“I had a cousin, long since dead, who went to Rutgers,” Bloomberg told him).

Ever feel like this city is just one big bizarro world?

Photo from Daily News

The State Senate race and eminent domain abuse

Eminent domain abuse is actually an issue in the Queens campaign of Democratic challenger Joseph Addabbo v. incumbent Republican Senator Serphin Maltese. The district in question includes Willet’s Point. Serphin Maltese signed a letter supporting the eminent-domain-abusing project. Joseph Addabbo, signed a letter opposing the redevelopment plan. One ought to presume that a Democratic victory in the race would lead to an important shift in the direction of reform.

The article is much, much longer:

Still Looking for a Chance to Vote on Eminent Domain Abuse

Citizens Union sticks with Frank

In a fiercely contested election for a State Senate seat in Queens, Frank Padavan the longtime incumbent, has received the backing of Citizens Union, a nonpartisan civic organization founded more than a century ago to fight the corruption of Tammany Hall.

Citizens Union Backs Senator Padavan

Mr. Padavan, a Republican who was first elected to the State Senate in 1972, was preferred by the organization over his Democratic challenger, City Councilman James F. Gennaro.

The organization said that it preferred Mr. Padavan “because of his long-held support for much of Citizens Union’s reform agenda and effective representation in Albany.”

Citizens Union, however, noted that Councilman Gennaro “is also an effective and well-liked Councilmember who could provide able representation in the Senate if he were elected.”; however, Citizens Union ultimately thought that a compelling enough case did not exist for it to no longer support Senator Padavan.

And in other State Senate campaign news - a fight over who is the better tweeder! Check this out:
Joseph Addabbo, Serphin Maltese duke it out over voting block

...the two were asked how they could bring funding into the South Asian and West Indian communities in areas such as Richmond Hill and Ozone Park.

Maltese noted he has funded 235 neighborhood groups. But only one - the United Hindu Cultural Society in South Ozone Park - was from those ethnic groups, he acknowledged.

Maltese put the onus on the South Asian and West Indian communities, charging them with "not communicating your needs and your wants to me."

"I ask you, respectfully, tell me your needs," he said. "I want you to knock on my door. I want you to request funding - you deserve it."

Addabbo pounced.

"It's not going to take me 20 years to get funding into your community - that is an absolute disgrace," Addabbo thundered.

He glared at Maltese.

"You should know the groups in your community that need funding," Addabbo charged. "You have not funded United Hindu for seven years now."

And finally:

Campaign for Control of State Senate May Prove to Be Most Expensive Ever

Addabbo bill to stop foreclosure

On most days, Anjad Brijlall tends his garden and small lawn outside his tidy Ozone Park home twice a day.

But the beauty of Brijlall's garden stands in stark contrast with the seediness of the vacant, foreclosed home across the street where refuse mingles with knee-high weeds.

"Nobody has been living there for about six months," Brijlall, a 72-year-old retiree, said of the eyesore, now owned by a large bank. "I'd be glad to see a good neighbor buy it and keep it nice and clean."

With southeastern Queens emerging as the epicenter of the city's subprime mortgage crisis, City Councilman Joseph Addabbo is drawing attention to a stalled bill that would help rid blocks like Brijlall's of such blight.

Addabbo pushing bill to fight foreclosure blight

Addabbo, who is trying to unseat veteran GOP state Sen. Serphin Maltese (R-Glendale), blasted the Senate's Republican leadership...for failing to pass a bill that would allow the city to clean up foreclosed homes and bill the banks that now own them.

Aqueduct deal official

Gov. David Paterson and the Senate's Republican majority said Thursday the deal is final to put lucrative video slot machines at Aqueduct race track. The project promises to bring more than 1,000 jobs to Queens and $370 million upfront to the state as it faces deepening deficits.

But just hours after announcing the agreement in separate statements, Paterson and the Republican majority couldn't even agree if their the deal is the same one that the GOP Senate rejected almost two weeks ago, before the economic development issue became a political issue.

The Aqueduct plan will include a 328,000-foot gaming and entertainment facility for the 4,500 video slot machines, a hotel with as many as 500 rooms, a spa, a 60,000-foot conference center, 3,000-seat "event center," and up to 30,000-square feet of retail space, according to Delaware North Cos. of Buffalo, the winning bidder. The facility is scheduled to be complete in 12 to 14 months, according to the company.

The video slot machines will operate through the state Lottery Division and provide the state at least $10.3 billion earmarked for education over 30 years, according to the agreement.

Aqueduct Video Slots Deal Final

"It will revitalize the neighborhood surrounding the race track and bring new energy to the community," said Sen. Serphin Maltese, a Queens Republican whose district includes Aqueduct.

Delaware North Gets Nod to Develop Queens Racino; Community Groups Peeved

Serf Maltese's attorney arrested on kiddie porn charges

A Patterson lawyer was charged yesterday with illegally possessing child pornography on his laptop computer.

Robert Groezinger, 53, surrendered to federal authorities in White Plains to face a two-count criminal complaint that charged him with receiving and possessing child pornography.

Putnam lawyer charged with possessing child porn

For the past 20 years, Groezinger has served as a part-time associate counsel for state Sen. Serphin Maltese, R-Queens. But he was fired yesterday after he was charged in U.S. District Court in White Plains.

"The senator absolutely has no tolerance for this type of activity," said Victoria Vattimo, a spokeswoman for Maltese.

Sorry, you seem to have a history of employing sex pervs, Serf.

And check this out!

You gotta love it.

Why Albany wants City term limits overturned

State Senators and Assembly Members across the five boroughs will breathe a sigh of relief the day the Council extends term limits. Why? Just ask longtime incumbent State Senators Serph Maltese and Frank Padavan from Queens. Both of them are locked in tense general election campaigns, because Council Members Joe Addabbo Jr. and Jim Gennaro thought they had to go looking for new jobs now that their time in the Council was up.

How Extending City Term Limits Secretly Benefits Our Statewide Politicians

Yes, the issue of the Democrats taking control of the Senate is an indisputable catalyst too, but, if this aim were first and foremost for Addabbo and Gennaro, how come they didn't run for these seats in 2006? The Democrats wanted the Senate then too.

For the past couple of years, our Assembly Members and State Senators have secretly feared the same fate as Maltese and Padavan. And don't think this is just a Democrat vs. Republican thing. Our City Council Members, for the most part, are ambitious men and women, for whom retiring into the private sector (read: obscurity) has little charm. Do you not think that there are plenty of Council Members eyeing up their fellow Democrats' seats?

Serf sells out; signs Willets Point letter

The letter to City Council Members being circulated by the Flushing Willets Point Corona Local Development Corporation sounds like ad copy from a real estate brokerage firm. It includes a roster of names that support the taking of private property from one party and giving it to another. I have to assume that many of the signatories to this letter do not understand The Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution nor are they familiar with the fact that since the infamous 2005 U.S. Supreme Court 5-4 decision in Kelo vs. The City of New London that 42 States have amended their state constitutions to prohibit the taking of private property from one owner to give to another private owner to develop for private use to increase the tax base.

Eminent Domain abuse is nothing more than theft

However, the present and former politicians that put their name on this letter have jeopardized their good name and their own political career. As a matter of record, Claire Shulman and Helen Marshall long ago should have been staunch advocates of getting the necessary funds from the City to provide the essential services and amenities that the taxpaying businesses at Willets Point deserved. Indeed, the City has caused the very blight that they complain about, a blight that has encumbered the growth of private businesses. And, despite the City’s abject neglect the 225 businesses still employ over 1300 taxpayers.

I strongly urge State Senator Serphin Maltese to remove his name from this ignominious letter and immediately reach across the aisle in the NYS Senate to propose and pass legislation that would bring NYS in line with the 42 States that have amended their constitution to prohibit the taking of private property that is not for public use.

To summarize: Serf, a "property-rights Republican" who wraps himself in the American flag every opportunity he gets, signed a letter in favor of eminent domain abuse at Willets Point as payback for the campaign cash Bloomberg dumped into the state Republican party's coffers.

Joe Addabbo signed a letter against eminent domain abuse.

Train still stinking up the nabe

Middle Village and Glendale residents are reeling from the reek of rusting rail cars loaded with refuse from Long Island.

The stench of the garbage has raised an outcry at Christ the King High School, prompting state Sen. Serphin Maltese (R-Glendale) to write a letter to the New York & Atlantic Railway asking for a remedy.

Residents make stink over trash

"It has been previously brought to your attention that the noxious odors with their attendant bacterial base ... are the subject of continual complaints by our students and staff," Maltese wrote Sept. 24. He is chairman of Christ the King's board of trustees.

The freight cars are loaded on Long Island and hauled by the railroad to an interchange with the larger railroad CSX, which takes the garbage to sites in Ohio, West Virginia and Alabama. The stench spreads when cars wait on a stretch of track near the Metropolitan Avenue Long Island Rail Road station for a CSX locomotive to pick them up.

GOP pushes for ballot lineup change

From the Daily News:

A move is afoot by city Republicans to change the ballot lineup in two key races this November in hopes of assisting their candidates in Democratic-dominated districts.

The GOP wants to bump the congressional contest for departing Rep. Vito Fossella's seat up a line in the 13th Congressional District, making it appear second on the ballot and just under the presidential race.

The hope is that expected high turnout for John McCain on Staten Island would help the GOP's candidate, Robert Straniere. The closer his name appears to the top of the ballot, the better his chances of not getting lost in the shuffle of down-ballot races.

Straniere is fighting to keep scandal-scarred Fossella's seat in GOP hands. It is the only Republican-held congressional seat in the city. Last week, Straniere declined a Manhattan Supreme Court nomination that would have cleared the way for a Fossella comeback bid.

Democrats are crying foul about the possible ballot change, saying the Justice Department must preapprove it. Elections commissioners will vote on the change Friday.

Republicans are also talking about moving Queens Sen. Serphin Maltese's race in the 15th Senate District down a ballot line - by moving up the 30th Council District race in which Republican Councilman Anthony Como is defending the seat he won in June.

This would bump Assembly races to the bottom of the ballot and separate Maltese from Assemblyman Anthony Seminerio, who was recently arrested on corruption charges.

Maltese is a top Democratic target in the battle for control of the GOP-led state Senate and is running neck and neck with his opponent, Queens Councilman Joseph Addabbo, according to a recent poll.

Candidates have tax problem with Mike

EVERY local candidate that Mayor Bloomberg has endorsed in the upcoming election is running away from his call to raise property taxes six months earlier than scheduled.

MIKE'S OWN CANDIDATES FIND HIM TAXING

GOP state Sen. Serphin Maltese is slamming his challenger in a tight Queens race, Democratic City Councilman Joseph Addabbo, for also lining up with the mayor on the property-tax hike six years ago.

"That tax increase is still costing the taxpayers of New York City," Maltese declared in a mailing.

That's awfully awkward for Bloomberg, who has repeatedly praised the "courage" of the 41 council members who approved higher taxes in 2002 to stave off financial calamity after 9/11.

"We obviously do not agree with Senator Maltese on this one," said Stu Loeser, the mayor's spokesman, a gentle swipe at Bloomberg's own candidate in a race critical to GOP control of the state Senate.