Tag Archive: Ed Braunstein

Nov 01 2012

Hurricane Sandy reveals true colors of elected officials

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Politics

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November 1, 2012

Many politicians abandoned their constituency during the worst natural disaster in New York history while others stuck by them till the very end.

The scene was a biblical manifestation of Sodom and Gomorrah. Gusty winds howled at a hundred miles an hour, transformers exploded reigning down blue fire and brimstone, senior citizens cowered in terror clutching flashlights and ancient trees in dire need of pruning loomed over rooftops just moments away from collapse. Meanwhile the smoke and cinder billowed from Breezy Point, the acrid smell wafting into Central Queens as what was spared from the water burned to the ground. Friends, if you’re reading this you already know the danger we’ve been through in the past 72 hours but what you may not know is that your elected representative may have abandoned you.

Look, we are not asking for politicians to channel their inner Bruce Willis for every little thing and you certainly don’t need to be a superhero 24\7 when you have a family to take care of, but as an elected official they have a sacred duty to take action where it’s needed, to be a leader, and above all else to keep the public informed. Looking at four politicians we can see their true colors revealed during this storm.

Stavisky ‘surveys’ a fallen tree limb in Flushing.

Of all the ethical dilemmas and corruption I’ve uncovered regarding Senator Toby Stavisky, her absenteeism during the hurricane takes the cake. At first, I considered her absence politics as usual until I spoke with civic leaders that expressed concern of her whereabouts. Days after the disaster and they still have not seen or heard from Senator Stavisky.  A photo circulated FB of Toby gawking at a tree that crushed a car in Flushing. It looks staged and meaningless. As of now it’s the only documented instance of  her working in the district after the storm. According to several sources, she was not seen or heard from in parts of her district that were hit the hardest. Community leaders from these areas were not even contacted, and yet, the worst is still not over for them.  Was Stavisky unconcerned about these people? In politics it’s easy to spin the issue with a photo, to doctor a presence, but you can’t do it all the time. Sooner or later someone is going to call shenanigans. For example the photo caption illustrates the point. It says Stavisky was ‘surveying,’ which is pol-speak for standing around doing nothing (similar photos with politicians are popping up everywhere).  Look, we’re not expecting an octogenarian to play firefighter, but is she able to perform the duties of office especially in times of natural disaster when people look to the elects for leadership?

If Facebook is our virtual town hall,  then ladies and gentleman, we’ve been jilted. But Toby is not the only absconder in times of crisis. If you live in Northeast Queens, Assemblyman Ed Braunstein didn’t do much either and he’s an able-bodied 30-year-old man without children.  His FB page posted general storm information, but that’s

Dan Halloran seen here clearing the debris from Hurricane Sandy

not the point, there’s simply no personal communication from the Assemblyman nor the Senator as to what they themselves did during the storm and it’s either because they didn’t do anything or because they don’t utilize social media.

For some elects, a staffer updates their page with generic information but the issue is that the politician in question is not the author behind their social media communications and it appears to be an accepted practice. Why is this even tolerated? Some people say they always vote for the person and not the politics. But how can you vote for the person if they are hiding behind a junior staffer impersonating the elected official? Sounds like a fraud.  Without personal updates and pictures are we to assume they were out doing their due diligence and fulfilling their obligation to the people? I don’t think so. The people want to know what did you physically do in the past 72 hours? And why weren’t they online keeping us up to date?  Don’t we pay elects to be available to us, so chosen because we believe they will hear the clarion call and rise to the occasion?

Assemblywoman Grace Meng and City Councilman Dan Halloran (both rival Congressional candidates for NY6) deserve a round of applause for their actions during the crisis. Dan Halloran was literally driving around during the brunt of the storm reporting conditions and removing debris. Grace Meng was in a constant state of communication by talking with people, keeping everyone calm, informed, and directing people in need of assistance to the appropriate services and means of relief. Both of their respective district offices were open and operating on extended hours taking calls from constituents.

During the entire storm Grace Meng posted live comforting people and keeping everyone informed with updates.

Social Media is the future of all communication, and it’s growing bigger everyday. When the power goes out, it’s also a reliable means of communication (sometimes it’s the only means for some people) and that’s why I must commend the elects who went out into the district immediately before or during the storm and utilized their personal FB posts, tweets, and emails to keep people informed and to give them a sense of comfort that help and a friendly voice was only a tweet away.

Can you have too much of a good thing? Sometimes constant updates and glory seeking action shots open up a pol to charges of political grandstanding. While this may be true in some cases, we have to look past the superficial and see it as evidence that they are doing their job. A personal FB or twitter feed should be an absolute requirement and if your elect doesn’t have one, you need to ask why not.

Both Grace Meng and Dan Halloran’s visibility during Hurricane Sandy meant a lot to the community and it should be a model for all elects to follow for future crisis. While both are candidates locked in a very tight race, Halloran and Meng stepped up to the plate way before Gary Ackerman’s retirement, unlike Braunstein and Stavisky who’s complacency in office appear to render them useless in times of tragedy.  Meng, Halloran, even Addabbo and Ulrich rose to the occasion. Their selfless actions, notifications and updates may have saved lives. Measuring the effectiveness of personal social media communication from the elects won’t be scientific, however from my personal experience and observations during the storm, it relieved tensions and the feeling of helplessness with one loud voice that stood above the rest: You are not alone. All elects should take note.

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Oct 04 2012

Behar says two years later and Albany is still a mess!

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Blogs

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October 4, 2012

For interesting and thought provoking political commentary check out www.boycottevil.com

Steve Behar, a former candidate for Assembly and campaign manager for James Sanders’ primary victory, is calling shenanigans on so-called “independent reform” candidates.

Behar’s blog, www.boycottevil.com is a must read for political enthusiasts. In his most recent article (which caught my eye), names were omitted, however I’m willing to bet the farm he was referring to State Assemblyman Ed Braunstein (and other candidates too) who rode into office touting reform platforms and two years later have failed to deliver on any of their promises.

Legislative reform bills are also suggested and worth further exploration. I know they are mere suggestions but it’s more than most politicians have done in their first term(s).

Anyway, hope is not lost as another essay contest from disgraced ex-Assemblywoman Ann-Margaret Carrozza’s protege may very well clean up the cesspool in Albany.

Check out the article below:

From BoycottEvil: Very soon voters in New York State will once again head to the polls to vote in the upcoming Election.  While I am NOT a candidate for office this year, the season brings me back to 2010 when I was a candidate for the New York State Assembly.  It also reminds me of how dysfunctional our state government still is and how hard it will be to fix it.

In the two years since I ran for the Assembly, our state government in Albany has once again been a miserable failure and remains a cesspool of corruption.  Two years ago nearly every candidate from Montauk to Buffalo was a self-proclaimed “Independent Reformer.”  These charlatans promised to reign in the lobbyists and special interests, to institute independent redistricting and pass ethics laws to curb the corruption in Albany.  None of that happened in the last session of the legislature.

Lobbyists and special interests still buy and own our politicians.   Many times it’s not the most informed candidates who win an election.  It’s also not the most well-intentioned candidates who win elections.  Instead, most of the time it’s the candidate who is best at selling his or her soul to the monied lobbyists and special interests who get elected.  Once these rascals get to Albany, instead of writing and passing legislation for the betterment of their communities and our state, they push legislation and push contracts that support their financial backers.

Regarding independent redistricting, while in 2010 nearly every candidate signed Mayor Koch’s pledge to pass an independent redistricting law, once they got to Albany the same folks forgot their pledge and saddled our state with hideous, politically motivated districts for the next ten years. Instead of having an independent commission draw district lines that are concise and compact and keep communities together, we once again have politically motivated districts that snake through and divide communities in order to protect the incumbent representative’s re-election prospects.

The worst act of insult was the legislatures passage of a joke of an ethics law.  The law did nothing to stop the corruptive influence of dirty money in Albany.  No one cared to pass campaign finance laws to stop the corruption.  No one cared to close the loopholes that monied interests use to by-pass the current campaign finance laws.  No one passed any laws to stop the revolving door between government officials and the lobbyists.

My suggestion to the winners of the 2012 state elections is to go to Albany and actually do something!  I suggest you start with three important pieces of legislation.

1.     It’s time to pass real campaign finance reform that eliminates the strangle hold that lobbyists and special interests have on our politicians. Arizona, Maine and Connecticut each have enacted public financing of elections laws that have worked.   It is time to create such a program for New York.  It’s time that politicians answer to the people that vote for them and not the people who finance their political campaigns.

2.   While it won’t help for until the next decade, Albany must pass an independent redistricting law now so that we don’t have to deal with the political shenanigans that we witnessed this year.

…. For the full article visit the site.

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Jun 06 2012

Something To Look Forward To Each Day!

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Politics

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June 6, 2012

http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/qchron.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/76/57603b2e-49dd-5da3-b650-9913e668ac59/4e1f482a316fd.preview-300.jpg

Tim Furey (above). When is the last time anyone with red hair won an election? Hold on a sec, Dan Halloran has red hair.

An Irish street brawl is about to erupt on Bell Boulevard.

Tim Furey, a republican, will take a shot at Ed Braunstein for the 26th Assembly District.

Furey, who ran against Mark Weprin and lost, has been relatively quiet about his intentions. Suspicions were confirmed after he appeared on the petition sheets of Senate hopeful Joe Concannon.

Rumor has it the GOP reached out to Furey after Ralph Cefalo declined the party’s nomination.

Furey, like a linebacker from Nortre Dame’s Fighting Irish, will storm into the district and attempt to sack Braunstein.

Both Braunstein and Furey are of Irish decent and have large families with a history of community service. Predictions? It is likely that Matt Silverstein gets caught up in Irish Street Brawl, forced to take sides. In the midst of the chaos, Joe Concannon body slams Matt Silverstein, hosts victory party at Sullivans.

Will Furey be able to chase the snakes out of Bayside? The challenge will likely force Ed and the Democrats to come out in full force against Halloran, Concannon, and the entire GOP in a no-holds-barred battle of the Boulevard.

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Jun 01 2012

GOP hopeful declines to run against Braunstein

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Politics

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June 1, 2012

For want of a nail the kingdom was lost.

Recently the Queens GOP tapped Ralph Cefalo, a resident of Malba, to run against freshman Assembly member Ed Braunstein, but it’s not going to happen.

“It was all about timing…just look how late in the game the redistricting is,” said Cefalo who refused to be a ‘sacrificial lamb’ just to be the token resistance to another term for Braunstein.

Cefalo cites the lengthy redistricting process and the exclusion of his voting base as the key factor in his decision.  “The areas where I would have been strongest – including Malba and Malba Gardens – are no longer in the district.”

Cefalo also believes there was not enough time to mount an effective campaign time before the lines were finalized.

In the meantime he will be helping Councilman Dan Halloran’s congressional campaign in areas where Halloran is not so strong including Glendale, Middle Village, and Forest Hills.

“I’ll be helping Dan to see what I can do for him,” said Cefalo.

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Ralph Cefalo’s letter:

My Fellow Republicans, after much reflection and discussion with both family and close advisors, I have chosen not to seek election in the 26th Assembly District.   There are a number of reasons for this decision.   Among the reasons is the fact that due to the recently redrawn district lines, come next January my family and I will no longer reside in the 26th Assembly District.   Additionally, the assembly position is not the seat that I initially sought to run for and I feel that at this time it is too late to begin a campaign for the assembly. 

I will continue to support Republican candidates and work with them to achieve success in November.  I firmly believe in the ideals and values of the Republican Party and have been a staunch supporter for the past thirty-five [35] years.  I thank the leadership of the Queens GOP for asking me to run for the assembly.   Most importantly, I thank all those who have faith and confidence in me.   Rest assured that as I have in the past, moving forward I will continue to work for our community.

 

Thank You and May God Bless America

 

Ralph M. Cefalo 

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Apr 13 2012

Co-op Condo Council Meeting turns into Soapbox Theatre

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Politics

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April 13, 2012

Photo credit: John Scandalios

Sadly, there was no popcorn.

An Oscar worthy performance by Toby Stavisky, Tony Avella, Mark Weprin, Ed Braunstein, and Bob Friedrich.

Over eight hundred condo and co-op owners packed into the North Shore towers for a meeting concerning property tax evaluation but it wasn’t long before the scene broke into chaos and Tony Avella laid the smack down on his colleagues.

Civility went out the window.

“It was very intense, but quiet…till Tony got up to speak,” said a bystander.

“Everyone here is lying to you,” Tony told the crowd as an awkward silence swept the room.

Tony was shouting, “Nothing is going to happen here!”

The audience was stunned.

Each legislator represented a different version of a bill to help condo and co-op owners through reducing tax assessments.

The Co-op Council endorsed Tony’s legislation, while Toby Stavisky and Ed Braunstein co-signed a competing bill, and Mark Weprin’s brother, David, had a bill on the floor too.

The stage was set for an inevitable confrontation and Avella set off the fireworks.

On their merits, many members of the crowd favored Tony’s bill, as it was a better concept. Tony’s bill would establish a 1A designation for co-ops and condos capped at a 6% increase per year and no more than a 20% increase over five years.

The Mayor is also in favor of Tony’s Bill, but his colleagues didn’t care, they had their own bills to promote.

While most seemed to agree that Toby Stavisky and Ed Braunstein were first to respond to the issue, many owners seemed to favor Tony Avella’s proposal, however, each elect was trying to decide who had the bill that would serve the condo\co-op community best

Councilman Mark Weprin was furious with Mr. Avella’s tirade. “Tony, you’re the problem,” he said as Ed Braunstein lashed out over him, “We’ve never even see you anywhere, Tony!” and pointed his finger at Senator Avella.

The crowd began to boo and hiss while Ed Braunstein continued to slander Senator Avella.

Many attendees were disgusted with the lack of cooperation between their elected officials. After all, this wasn’t a campaign debate, this was a serious issue. Some people even walked out. And who could blame them? They just witnessed all of their elected officials fighting with one another like children and it was simulcast on a big screen projector.

Senator Toby Stavisky seemed the most composed. She had to because she’s up for a tough election- somewhere – and she needs her bill to pass to appeal to the hundreds of co-op and condo voters in either district 11 or 16. But the council endorsed Tony’s bill and Tony didn’t give Toby the opportunity to co-sign.

[UPDATE: as a matter of prestige, Toby, wishing to muscle her way into Tony's popular Bill, did in fact co-sign Tony's bill, but instead of coalescing with her colleague and finding common ground, she tried to steal the thunder as a glory hog.]

On background, Tony’s angry with Toby. Where’s Toby going to run? What’s she waiting for? You could see the frustration on Senator Avella’s face and it all came out in public.

People were somewhat surprised and taken back by Tony’s remarks and how aggressive he was. There were a lot of people who were in support of his legislation, but others felt that his conduct was no way to get anything accomplished. It was a somewhat mixed reaction but Toby and Ed were definitely upset.

The crowd began to heckle Braunstein, who was still pointing fingers.

After a while Ed relented and threw his hands up at the audience. A voice yelled from the back, “Ed, you’re not doing your job!” And another man shouted, “Maybe he’s not cut out for this!”

It must have been traumatic for Ed. The people were upset. Bob Friedrich took to the podium and began a spirited back and forth ‘dialogue’ with Braunstein.

Turning to the elected officials who were fighting like children, Friedrich pointed at them and told the audience, “This is the problem.”

Braunstein felt personally attacked by Friedrich, who insisted that the elected officials need less talk and more action. Friedrich also pointed out that the tax assessments occurred in the past two years while Braunstein was in office.

There was a deafening silence that halted the room and Braunstein abruptly stormed out of the theatre.

Eight hundred people were disappointed with the lack of cooperation between the elected officials.

They were all Democrats, all arguing, and going nowhere fast.

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UPDATE April 13. 1:30pm:

City Councilmember Mark Weprin called to clarify his comments. Weprin felt Senator Avella’s comments at the meeting were innaccurate. “We’ve been working together for quite some time,” said Weprin, adding, “It wasn’t lip service - we’re going to get something done. Weprin explained that he did not understand why Tony would lump all of the legislators together. “It is incorrect to say we haven’t been working together, we’re going to come up with a solution not just press releases,” said Weprin.

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Feb 08 2012

Revenge Of The Siths

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Politics

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February 8, 2012

They got me! Ok, ok but let's move forward.

Just when you think the Senate lines were gerrymandered, take a look at the funky Assembly lines and you’ll see another baby alien popping out of a stomach.

Vince Tabone, the Executive Vice Chair of The Queens County Republican Party ran for Assembly against Ed Braunstein in 2010 and lost, but the defeat wasn’t enough for the Democrats in charge of the Assembly LATFOR process. Vince Tabone has become a victim of political gerrymandering.

Tabone, a Bayside resident, lives with his family in a quaint home on 215th St, a sleepy tree-lined road with longtime residents.  If the new lines become official, one side of 216th St. will be in the 26th A.D, where, coincidentally, Tabone ran for Assembly, and the other side will be designated in Rory Lancman’s 25th A.D.

 

Tabone's house pictured here with current Assembly lines in District 26.

Guess which side of the street Tabone’s residence could be located?  It just so happens that his house is proposed for inclusion in the 25th A.D.

Tabone was not shocked at the proposed redistricting. “I looked at it and I wished I could say I was surprised, but after being in politics awhile you get a little cynical,” he said.

Tabone was redistricted from the ED’s where he did extremely well, but instead of crying foul he looks at the results of LATFOR as more of a wakeup call for civic-minded citizens. “It’s disappointing the people don’t have as much of a choice as they think they do,” said Tabone, adding, “The [Assembly] lines look as contorted as it did before, there’s only a minor change and in my case they cut me out of the district.”

This is Tabone's home under the proposed lines. His side of the street is in the 25th A.D.

Tabone was asked what was the lesson learned and he replied rhetorically, ”The people, they don’t realize how things are done. But what are you going to do? What’s my recourse to sue or appeal to Shelly Silver?”

Technically Tabone could rent an apartment in the 26th A.D and still run (to avoid carpet bagging charges), stay put and run this cycle, or if Rory Lancman takes out Turner there is a possibility to field a viable Republican candidate for the 25th A.D. But another run for Tabone seems unlikely. The road to Albany is cold and lonely and generally not an ideal job for a family man, especially for Tabone who hopes to continue his mission of supporting and developing the Queens County Republican Club.

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Maps are from CUNY: The Center for Urban Research

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Dec 19 2011

Where Will They Be In 2020?

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Politics

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December 19, 2011

Zartan, what will be the future of these public figures?

Queens-Politics looks into the crystal ball to find out what political hopefuls and hotshots could be doing in the near future.

There is very little competitive campaign action in most parts of Queens because one party and one firm control the electoral landscape. The only exception is on the north end where a cast of ambitious characters strut their stuff and vie for the next available seat — or do what they can to get a choice candidate elected into office.

Having studied the subjects in detail, let’s examine what could probably become of them, say ten years from now.

 

 

  • Steve Behar, a former Assembly and Council candidate goes national. Fed up with the corruption in Queens County, Steve realizes he’ll never raise enough money without submitting to the lobbyists and decides never again to work in local politics. Eventually he becomes National Director for Howard Dean’s campaign in 2020. Still driving the same truck.
  • Ed Braunstein rises to Speaker of the Assembly. When Shelly finally retires, Ed asks, why did my uncles get me into this mess? Eventually he gives up civic life to open Eddy’s Irish Bistro on Bell Boulevard. He becomes happiest man in Queens. Please note it has a kosher menu.
  • Dave Fischer becomes Chief of Staff for Ed Braunstein’s successor, Terrence Park. He spends his Saturday nights studying the Rosetta Stone to learn the Korean language.
  • Ann-Margaret Carozza is still practicing law off of Bell Boulevard. She buys another mansion, this time in Westchester County.
  • The Haggerty brothers take over the Queens GOP after John does hard time. Vince Tabone moves back to Astoria to resurrect the Frank Kenna Republican Club and runs against Michael Giannaris for state Senate every two years for a decade. Loses every time.
  • City Councilman Dan Halloran becomes Congressman Dan Halloran. Dan shows up in Northern Ireland with Joe Crowley both wearing kilts to broker a peace deal. Dan and Joe win over the leadership of Sinn Féin with their karaoke duet.
  • After numerous times of being passed over, State Committee Member Matt Silverstein becomes District leader without the county nod. He opens up a political consulting firm with the elderly Corey Bearak to make a killing of the growing Asian population. To celebrate, Matt orders 10,000 balloons from Devon O’Connor.  In the year 2021, he makes a 7-figure salary and buys up an entire floor at Bay Terrace. Loses support after arguing with the Bay Club Board of Directors because they won’t let him install a Jacuzzi.
  • Elio Forcina, an attorney and Former Assembly candidate, defends Evan Stavisky, founder of the Park Side Group for his indictment of influence peddling. They become best friends and Elio soon switches parties and moves to Rockland County to live in Evan’s 200-unit coop development.
  • Evan Stavisky, having made all of the judges in Federal court, beats all 91 charges. He becomes Chief of Staff to President Andrew Cuomo and appoints Elio Forcina Ambassador to Israel and G. Gordon Liddy as Secretary of Labor.
  • Tony Avella remains State Senator for many years but gets disenfranchised with the Animal rights movement after they make fun of him for wearing leather loafers. Tony later admits independent redistricting is like beating a dead horse.
  • After losing three more races to Frank Skala for chairman of the Community Board, Jerry Iannece makes a comeback worthy of Richard Nixon. While leaving the last Community Board meeting as presiding Chair, Jerry is overheard mumbling to himself, “you’re not gonna have Jerry to kick around anymore.” Years later he becomes Queens Borough President and decides to close all the Community Boards, calling them “a giant waste of time.”
  • Debra Markell tries to stop Jerry from shutting down the Community Boards using the legal service of Councilmember Paul Vallone. Debra decides to drop the case if Jerry offers her and three family members patronage posts in Borough Hall. Afterwards, Debra donates her land to Al Centola for development of a bocce ball court. Assembly Member Terrence Park protests saying there are too many bocce ball courts for the Italians, we need more poker tables for the Koreans.
  • Warren Schreiber lobbies to have Bay Terrace become a separate city. Proposes name change to Stavisky Land.
  • After working a few years with the Queens Courier, Robert Hornak made Vicki Schneps use her connections to get him a job at Fox News. He becomes the political Joe Franklin and wins an Emmy for his round table debate with Dennis Gallagher and James McClelland.
  • City Councilmember Eric Ulrich eventually loses his seat. Realizes there are no Republicans in South Queens and moves to Whitestone. Erects marble statue in memory of Tom Ognibene at the Frank Padavan Library in Queens Village. Never quite makes it to Governor.
  • Harry Giannoulis beats federal indictments and sells his share of the Parkside Group to Austin Finan. Revenues go down 10,000%. Harry eventually repents for his high crimes against the people of New York and opens up a storefront church on Northern Boulevard in Douglaston.
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Pols Unite To Save Jobs In Queens

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Councilman James Gennaro joins (l. to r.) Councilman Dan Halloran, Assemblyman Ed Braunstein, Assemblywoman Grace Meng, Assemblyman Philip Goldfeder, state Sen. Toby Stavisky, U.S. Rep. Joseph Crowley, Assemblyman William Scarborough and Assemblyman Michael Simanowitz.

The facility, which employs more than 1,000 workers, may be shut down as the Postal Service struggles with a major budget crisis.

Posted on:
December 9, 2011

Permanent link to this article: http://queens-politics.com/2011/12/pols-unite-to-save-jobs-in-queens/

Nov 29 2011

In The Halls Of Justice, The Only Justice Is In The Halls

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Politics

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November 29, 2011

Loyalty?

How does the Democratic party perpetuate its own power? Through manipulating the court system, according to the NY Times.

The Queens county surrogate court is a bastion of power hungry party loyalists. They are the batteries that makes the machine function.

Operatives and future candidates stay in the loop by towing the party line.

Luckily,  a few brave souls that are not afraid to speak out against a good ol’ boy system where loyalty is measured by submission.

Read the scathing NY Times article for the full scoop.

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Nov 14 2011

Steve Behar, Leader of Progressive Politics

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Politics

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November 14, 2011

Steve is motivated by his heart, and a passion for good government. This is what sets him apart from the other guys.

Sometimes the good guy doesn’t win.

For those of you who don’t know, Steve Behar ran in the democratic primary for Assembly District 26. He didn’t win, but now Steve is having a more positive and influential effect on national and state policy making than many sitting incumbents.

What’s he been up to since an unsuccessful bid for State Assembly? Plenty, and he’s worth keeping your eye on.

Steve has been very active with the 99% movement at Zucotti park. He’s a member of The Alternative Banking Working Group, a committee that is part of Occupy Wall Street.

The ABWG is a voluntary organization. Its members are a very impressive group of Ivy League finance professors, attorneys, former investment bankers, and members from the financial press, even diplomats.

Steve and I agree that traditional media has a tendency to portray the 99% demonstrators as pot-smoking hippies.  This is not accurate. It’s a stereotype and you’ll sound like a fool for proliferating it.

The group, which meets every week, is exploring options  like encouraging people to transfer their money to other institutions whether mutually owned or for profit community banks and credit unions.

“We are creating new alternative financial institutions that better serve the community, and we are currently working on a regulatory regime that will be more stable to avoid future financial crisis,” said Behar.

Out of all of these candidates for Assembly, Steve Behar is the only one who was extremely knowledgable about public policy making. His former opponents have also admitted this to me, ex post facto of course.

I campaigned against Steve in the Democratic Primary for AD 26. We called him the one-man army. Little did I know that Steve is extremely knowledgeable and well spoken about public policy.

After getting to know him in the past few months (we went down to Occupy together a number of times and I’ve interviewed him for a few different outlets) I have come to realize in hindsight that Steve knew more about the issues than any other candidate.  He is an expert policy professional and I regret that he is not representing us in the Assembly right now.

Behar is well qualified to advocate for increased transparency in government. He has earned a Bachelors degree in Economics and Political Science from Albany University, an MBA in Finance and Management from Tulane University, a J.D from Tulane and an LLM in Securities and Financial regulation from Georgetown University.

Steve has traveled the country with the New York Democratic Lawyers Council making sure that everyone gets a chance to vote and that there are no irregularities at the polls. Steve was the lead election protection lawyer for Hillary Clinton in northern New Hampshire, as well as Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s run for Congress in Dutchess County. Steve was also influential in the Howard Dean campaign of 2004.

During the 2011 election, Steve was an aide to Queens-born Nassau County Legislator Carrie Solages who ousted a 16-year incumbent. His expertise in ballot security operations came in handy when the Republican party handed lists of voters to poll workers at every poll site that were meant to be challenged.

“Republicans said that they sent mail to those names on the lists because that they didn’t  believe they lived in the district anymore,” said Behar.

Was it coincidence that every voter on the list was a person of color?  No one knows for sure.

I asked him, “That’s not normal procedure, is it Steve?” and he replied, “In Nassau County it is!”

For more information see GOP Thug Uses Nasty Intimidation Tactics In Nassau County Race.

Steve is not planning to run for office anytime soon. While his advocacy for good government is well known throughout national politics, Steve is a local voice with strong community roots in Bayside where he is also a member of Community Board 11, the place he calls home.

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Nov 11 2011

AWOL Politicians celebrate Veterans Day

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Politics

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November 11, 2011

Could you imagine Evan Stavisky driving a tank? Many Queens elected officials support military service, but no one is a real combat vet.

Everyone seems to dance around Memorial and Veterans day, but who really spent there formative years in the military or at an upstate college with beer slides sitting Indian style and smoking pot? A generation ago everyone would have served, nowadays the party machine boasts that Ed Braunstein sat on the Community Board for a year. My how things have changed.

Long ago, military service was a badge of honor for elected officials but today you’ll be hard pressed to find a combat veteran in the Queens Delegation. Dan Halloran comes really close, he completed ROTC training and he was an Eagle Scout, which is like a Green Beret when compared to some of the other guys. Tony Avella honors Veterans every month, much to his credit, and Rory Lancman served in the Army as an officer.

It’s a frightening prospect. Just think about fighting in a hole for 30 days with Bart Haggerty and Vince Tabone right next to you, or  picture Eric Ulrich swabbing the poopdecks off of Jamaica Bay. Imagine Tom Ognibene throwing himself on a hand grenade to save Phil Ragusa. Or try storming  a hill with Leroy Comrie. Peter Vallone does a 5-mile PT workout in Astoria park every morning, while Private Silverstein thumps his chest and proclaims, “I got me 4 two years on state committee so far.” But, to Matt’s credit, he works for America Works, finding employment for Veterans.

Jerry Iannece talked about being chairman of the Community Board like he’s Dwight D. Eisenhower, and John Duane, a former Assembly Member, was on the record as a conscientious objector. All things considered, the thought of Toby Stavisky as a paratrooper jumping out of a plane into Citi field is disturbing.

Some of the biggest political takedowns were against vets. Frank Padavan is a former Colonel and Serphin Maltese served in the Korean War.  Hiram Monserratte and Tony Seminerio were veterans too. I don’t know, but I worked on Elio Forcina’s campaign, and he served in the Marine Corps and I couldn’t imagine him storming anything other than a warehouse of Krispy Kreme donuts with Rob Sperenza taking the flank.

Nonetheless, on this day I honor combat Vets like my Grandfather who stormed the beaches of Normandy with my Uncle Vito. They shared a foxhole and had a dozen confirmed Nazi kills under their belt. They traveled all the way into the beating heart of Europe to slay a dictatorship and came home heroes. Yours truly has always wanted to serve as well, I even signed myself up when I was 17 for the Marines, but the Sarge tore up my paperwork when he found out I’m diabetic.

There are some really great apples in the bunch that take care of vets and this article is not meant to diminish their efforts. Laugh a little.

Some words from my friend Bill reminded me that while no politicians are on the frontlines of war, there are those who support our troops in other noble ways.

“They also serve who only stand and wait….and work, pray and fast for peace, who see to it that those that come back wounded receive the care they deserve, who hire a vet….and who not only today but throughout the year show gratitude to those who fought to keep us free,” he wrote.

A big shout-out to my friend Gary Pace who is in Quantico Bay training for the Marine Corps Reserves as we speak.

If you know of any elected officials from Queens that served in the military email us. Info@queens-politics.com

Happy Veterans Day

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Oct 02 2011

Batter Up: Who Will Challenge Avella In ’12?

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Politics

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October 2, 2011

Go ahead, take a swing, says incumbent State Senator Tony Avella (D-Bayside).

Four possible candidates show the ambition it takes to make a run for Tony Avella’s 11th Senate District in northeast Queens. Who are they?

While no candidate from the GOP has come forward and declared an official run, the 2012 election is right around the corner, and members of the Queens Republican Party have already been asking themselves, am I ready for a face- off with Democrat Tony Avella for the 11th Senatorial District?

Here are a few bets (a primary notwithstanding) for those GOP’ers circling the wagons:

 

1. City Council Member Dan Halloran (R-Whitestone)

Odds of running against Avella = 3 to 1

Dan has excellent name recognition in the community. He’s at all the meetings, almost omnipotent. Beside being the #1 target of the Queens Democratic Machine, Dan is a good representative. His experience with city government plus the professional networks he’s created will help push him over the hill. Dan is also very popular around the neighborhood, even though Dems enjoy a significant enrollment in terms of party registration (93,820 Dems vs. 32,018 GOP). If recent events have taught us anything, party solidarity is beginning to mean less as time goes on, but I digress…

Average folk tend to look past his Libertarian leanings, and his office staff is excellent, fast, and responsive. Dan is young and he has the energy to travel back and forth to Albany. It’s a lot of stress for us down-state folk. Dan’s odds: 3 to1.

2. Vince Tabone, Executive Director of the Queens County GOP.

Odds of running against Avella = 10 to 1.

Vince Tabone is one of those ‘operatives’ turned candidates. Vince pals around with Chairman Phil Ragusa from the Queens County GOP and he has mulled around the thought of taking the chair position from Ragusa for quite some time. Plenty of ambition over at the party HQ. Interesting story about Tabone, when I was working a special election in South Queens, Vince cornered me at the Reception House on Northern Blvd during a local GOP convention and promised to deliver me boots on the ground (code phrase for pro-volunteers) to South Queens. With the election a few days away, and no help from the Queens GOP in sight (we won that election by ourselves) I said, “Vince, you have no boots on the ground, and you can’t deliver what you don’t have.” I patted him on the back and I walked away. Later on he would run a failing bid for State Assembly against now incumbent Ed Braunstein, who I campaigned for.

Overall, Vince was a lackluster candidate who paid volunteers to sit around and eat. It’s true, my people saw his people on Election day hanging out at Gyro World. They were paid volunteers and they came from Long Island. But that’s not the point. The Senatorial electorate doesn’t want another hard-nosed conservative (the anti-gay sort), but that may not stop him from running. Vince is a great fundraiser plus he has an acerbic tongue that puts fear into the hearts of his opponents. Even with the North Shore Towers (a Democratic stronghold with dependable voters) working against him, Vince gave the Democratic County Machine a run for its money.  Vince’s odds: 10 to 1

3. Elio Forcina, Former State Assembly Candidate, Attorney.

Odds of running against Avella = 99 to 1

Elio Forcina is thought to be highly regarded amongst Conservatives as well as the Queens GOP. Elio ran for State Assembly District 26 in a Democratic primary as a Conservative Dem, and won nearly every single ED in Whitestone, (a stronghold of sometimes conservative leaning voters). During his grassroots campaign, Elio stuck to his Conservative roots and ran a platform of fiscal responsibility and increasing transparency in Albany. Wilson Pakula? Elio is also a neighborhood fixture in Clearview Gardens and his campaign banner is still up at the 7-11 parking lot in Whitestone, and probably will be forever.

I see Elio at many meetings, or at least see him in touch with current events on Facebook. I also campaigned for Elio because I thought he’d make for a great Assembly Member. Despite our contrasting views on the role of government, Elio would have been amiable enough to center himself and bring home the bacon to AD 26, he is after all, a neighborhood guy. Elio’s odds = 99 to 1

4. Marco DeSena

Odds of running against Avella = 20 to 1

Marco is somewhat of a mystery. Marco filed to run for Assembly in AD27 and got himself enough signatures to get on the ballot, and that’s where I believe his campaign ended. Marco spent 36 dollars in the election and gave Democrat Mike Simanowitz the edge. If Simanowitz had just three volunteers (he had an army of supporters, including yours truly) that would have been three more volunteers than DeSena had .

I ran into DeSena for the first time at a rally before the election, he came up and introduced himself. The Professor from Baruch College did not give off a candidate’s vibe, and the rally where we met wasn’t in his district. Although the Queens GOP did endorse him, someone over there must either like him, or they couldn’t find anyone else to step up to the plate. So, I don’t know. Something’s going on. DeSena is a variable, and now with an “Assembly run” behind him, at least he got his foot in the door. Marco’s odds = 20 to 1

5. ?

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* Many more may enter or never declare, and there’s no residency requirement for running. Also redistricting is a big issue, so we don’t actually know where Senate 11 will be located. Lastly, Senator Tony Avella is an excellent legislator and an experienced campaigner. He knows the people and the district better than any of the candidates above.

Continue visiting Queens-Politics.com for up-to-date information

 

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Permanent link to this article: http://queens-politics.com/2011/10/circling-the-wagons-who-will-run-against-senator-avella-batter-up/

Sep 30 2011

Elusive Perp Behind Shocking Twitter Feed Baffles Local Pols. A Complete Mystery.

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September 30, 2011

Someone really has some sour grapes for State Assembly Member Ed Braunstein (D-Bayside).

During his bid for State Assembly, Ed harnessed the power of social media. He used Facebook and Twitter to campaign directly to the community, and it was a success. But it wasn’t long before his antithesis, NotEdBraunstein began to blitz his social media presence and steal his thunder. Take a look at these examples:

The real Ed Braunstein followers: 131. His updates are mundane, typically bland with the tone of a 20 year incumbent, a novice Tweeter, probably a young staffer:

    • “I posted 4 photos on Facebook in the album “JHS 194 Bus Rally”
    • “Please check out my brochure about important news and changes to long term health insurance.”
    • “Here is my brochure which includes some useful safety tips for seniors.”

NotEdBraunstein  followers: 369.

    • “Don’t tell anyone I faked being Jewish to get elected in a Jewish district. I’m not as dumb as people think”.
    • “They call me the Forest Gump of the New York State Assembly.  I don’t understand why?
    • “Though I’m not very good at math I hope my Super Lobbyist Uncle Brian Meara will make a lot of $$ from the State.”
    • “I wonder if I can get all that Anthony Weiner publicity if I show my weiner?”

My Favorite line:

    • “If you want to see talk to me I’ll be the stupid drunk guy on Bell Blvd tonite.”

I don’t know the culprit behind the Twitter feed. I have been asked once or twice if it was really me, but for the record it’s not. I even campaigned for Ed. It is however, funny as hell.

Make sure you follow!

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