Sunday, October 25, 2009

Billie Jean King betrays LGBT community

LGBT "icon" Billie Jean King becomes a "bad" role model.

Billie Jean King made a political endorsement in the 2009 race for Mayor of New York City that has surprised and disturbed many people in the LGBT community.

















"Of course anyone has the right to endorse who they want, but Billie Jean's endorsement of Mike Bloomberg is unfortunate.

How can this role-model for the LGBT community endorse a man who has, at the very least, a spotty record on LGBT issues?

Sure, he claims to be for marriage equality, yet his administration challenged a 2005 ruling by State Supreme Court justice Doris Ling-Cohan ordering the city to issue marriage licenses. If you are for mariage equality, why fight the issuance of licenses to same-sex couples?

Sure, he claims to be for marriage equality, but he is the single biggest donor to New York State Reublicans, the party responsible for holding up passage of a marriage equality bill in the State Senate.

Maybe Billie Jean did not know these facts (she has homes in both Chicago and NYC - maybe a little too much time by the lake?) - but as an activist, one would imagine she has done her homework.

It must be exciting hanging out with the mayor on the first day of the US Open, where your name adorns the Tennis Center. It's too bad your endorsement sends the wrong message about a man that has consistently denied the LGBT community support, and has actively worked against the interests of that community by supporting NYS Reublicans." -- Submitted by Disappointing on Tue, 09/01/2009 - 13:59.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Republican drag queens support hate

Self-hating GOP drag queens
want to constitutionalise a ban
against marriage equality !

This morning, the e-mail message I received in my inbox said that voters in New York City are going to "make compromises," thereby creating a justification in their minds that it is O.K. "enough" to re-elect a failed mayor to an ill-fated and controversial third term, even after we know that in 2005 he appealed New York Supreme Court Judge Doris Ling-Cohan's ruling that would have paved the way for same-sex marriage.

My apologies to Ms. Francis.

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Term limits issue bedevils Bloomberg

Anger Over Term Limits Dogs Mayor

By MICHAEL BARBARO
Published: October 3, 2009

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s re-election campaign can generate reams of statistics on how quickly the city repaired potholes in each neighborhood. It can produce memos on climate change and public health, and even translate its campaign fliers into Creole.

Just don’t ask about term limits.

Rosemary DeStefano found that out on her doorstep in the Bronx the other day when a Bloomberg volunteer showed up, asking for her vote.

When she complained about how the mayor had the law changed to stay in office, the volunteer recited details of his economic plan. When she persisted, he extolled Mr. Bloomberg’s promise to create 400,000 jobs.

“They missed the whole point,” she said.

With five weeks remaining until Election Day, little seems uncertain in the contest between the colossally advantaged incumbent, Mr. Bloomberg, and his lesser-known rival, William C. Thompson Jr. But interviews with both campaigns and dozens of voters reveal that anger over a single issue still simmers, seemingly immune to a flood of television commercials and glossy brochures.

That bedevils Bloomberg advisers and gives hope to his underfunded challenger.

Disenchantment over the change in the law helped topple four veteran City Council members this fall, the greatest repudiation of incumbents in a generation, and has catapulted two local lawmakers who opposed the measure into citywide office.

“The Bloomberg campaign can’t convince voters to not be upset about this. It won’t work,” said John H. Mollenkopf, a professor of political science at City University who has informally advised the Bloomberg campaign.

“If you ask New Yorkers what they did not like over the last eight years,” he added, “term limits is the major negative.”

Mr. Thompson is building his entire campaign around the topic, adopting the slogan “Eight Is Enough,” accusing the mayor of breaking his word and preparing commercials that portray him as a power-hungry mogul who plays by his own rules.

He will make it a major line of attack during two candidate debates and turn it into a rallying cry in the days leading up to Election Day, the anniversary of the term limits change, which Mr. Bloomberg signed into law on Nov. 3, 2008. “It will be a big theme,” said Eduardo Castell, Mr. Thompson’s campaign manager.

The mayor’s political advisers privately acknowledge the public anger, but since they cannot reverse Mr. Bloomberg’s actions, they are looking for ways to deflect attention from it.

They have created a new round of commercials that play up Mr. Bloomberg’s middle-class roots, to soften his image as an imperious billionaire who defied the will of the voters.

They are leveling frequent attacks at Mr. Thompson’s record, as president of the Board of Education and comptroller, to send the message that, even if voters are still resentful about term limits, they would be foolhardy to entrust a complex city to an untested leader.

If voters insist on talking about term limits, volunteers are instructed to tell them the mayor “is not guaranteed” a third term and has given them “more choice” by changing the rules.

“Bill Thompson wants to make this election about one issue,” said the mayor’s campaign manager, Bradley Tusk. “And given his track record that’s understandable. But the performance of the mayor has an enormous impact on people’s lives, and because of that, voters choose their mayor based on very real tangible issues.”

No one is predicting that resentment over term limits will, by itself, be enough to cost the mayor the election. But in interviews, political analysts and pollsters said that unease over the issue helps account for a stubborn anomaly in New Yorkers’ feelings about the mayor. Polls consistently show that a large majority (roughly 70 percent) approve of his performance, but that a significantly smaller number (50 percent) plan to vote for him in November.

The 50 percent figure has not budged in months, even though the Bloomberg campaign has spent about $65 million to promote the mayor’s record. “Term limits has a lot to do with that,” said Geoff Garin, Mr. Thompson’s pollster. “It has put a ceiling on good will toward the mayor.”

Marilyn Arthold, 64, who lives in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn, said she “personally likes the mayor,” but is outraged by how he changed the term limits law, which she voted for in the 1990s, and she will consider voting against him because of it.

Those involved in the mayor’s campaign said the issue has unexpected staying power, a year after City Hall introduced the legislation allowing officials to serve three consecutive terms, not two.

“It comes up a lot with voters,” said one campaign staff member. Back in the fall of 2008, when Mr. Bloomberg and his aides fought to change the rule, they made two predictions: that voters would be distracted by a closely watched presidential election, and that any anger over the move would recede by Election Day 2009.

They may have been overoptimistic, pollsters and analysts said.

“The anger in the electorate remains an inconvenient truth for the Bloomberg campaign,” said Bruce N. Gyory, a political consultant.

New York voters approved a referendum limiting council members and officials elected citywide to two four-year terms in 1993, and then ratified that vote in a second referendum in 1996. Mr. Bloomberg, in overturning the law, rewrote it through legislation that was approved by the City Council; critics and good-government groups said any change should have gone before the voters.

Mr. Bloomberg had been outspoken in his opposition to changing term limits, saying any effort to do so would be a “disgrace.”

Just how much it will hurt him on Election Day remains an open question, however. Many voters who intensely opposed the change said they planned to vote for him, citing his skills as a manager and a weak opponent.

“If it were anyone else, I would probably be against him,” said Carlo Dioguardi, who lives in Battery Park City and voted in favor of term limits. “I don’t think anyone else can do the job he’s done.”

As for those who are less forgiving?

The campaign’s strategy of changing the topic occasionally backfires. A few days after Ms. DeStefano’s confrontation with a Bloomberg campaign volunteer in the Bronx, a handwritten letter arrived in her mailbox, ticking off the mayor’s plans to improve the economy in the borough. Ms. DeStefano, a 75-year-old Republican, tore it up.

“I didn’t ask about jobs,” she said. “I asked about term limits.”

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Vanishing New York is a documentary-in-progress about the luxury development that is changing our city, pricing out artists, small businesses and even the middle class. The film explores why this is happening now and at such a rapid pace. It is both an indictment of current city policies and the story of how people are fighting to stop these changes. If you would like to help us finish the film, go to www.vanishingny.org to see how you can make a tax-deductible donation.

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Misogynistic Mayor may cost Quinn her Leadership

The mayor doesn't like discussing the subject of the class action sexual harassment case against him and his company.

New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn's power base is now in question -- following her close association with Mayor Michael Bloomberg and his controversial push for third term extensions.

Bloomberg tricked Quinn into doing his dirty work on extending term limits, and then left her out to fend herself against voter anger. More evidence of his bias against women.

From the New York Times : Answers About Michael R. Bloomberg, Part 2 :

Q. Are the sexual harassment issues that are being brought against Bloomberg L.P. recent, or were they prior to his terms as mayor? If they are later than 2002 hasn’t he divested himself from any active role in the company and should it not be a relevant issue? If events occurred during his company stewardship, that is a different matter and should be brought to bear in the current campaign. Would you comment on this subject? — Posted by Ned Brody

A. A complicated subject. Mr. Bloomberg and his company faced three sexual harassment and discrimination lawsuits when he was still in charge of Bloomberg L.P. One suit, by a woman who charged Mr. Bloomberg with snapping “Kill it!” when she told him she was pregnant, claimed that he and other company executives subjected women to “repeated and unwelcome” sexual comments and overtures. That suit was settled the year before Mr. Bloomberg became a mayoral candidate. He did not admit guilt, and the plaintiff accepted an undisclosed sum and agreed to remain forever silent. A second harassment suit was dropped because of legal blunders by the woman’s lawyer, and a third was withdrawn after the plaintiff’s husband, another Bloomberg employee, pleaded guilty to stealing from the company.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

YouTube censors Blogger

WEEKS BEFORE NYC MAYORAL ELECTION, YOUTUBE.COM SUPPRESSES FREE SPEECH

YouTube.com has censored the artist-activist-citizen journalist Suzannah B. Troy by suspending her entire account (300 videos).

Suzannah B. Troy, a New York City-based artist, citizen journalist, and blogger, has had her YouTube.com account inexplicably suspended by the popular video website.

http://www.youtube.com/user/Suzannahartist

First Suzannah B. Troy, next us.

Ms. Troy has spent months creating, editing, and posting hundreds of original citizen journalist videos focusing on the controversial election this year of local candidates running for third terms in office. In particular, Ms. Troy's videos have been highly critical of the New York City Council and Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

The nature of the videos on her YouTube.com account have ranged from breaking news-quality videos of voter demonstrations, to video blogs of her commentary on the elections, to artistic interpretation of news events. There is no reason for her account to be suspended by YouTube other than for the political and artistic nature of their content.

Please write to Youtube at: press@youtube.com and ask them for their official policy of suspending accounts of artists and citizen journalists.

We are only weeks away from an important election, which shall decide if City Council Members and Mayor Bloomberg will thwart the will of voters' two referrenda on term limits. And missing from the free exchange of ideas during the critical debates that will be taking place in the time leading up to the election will be Ms. Troy's body of work.

Without you stepping in to blog, publish, or report about this questionable suspension of Ms. Troy's YouTube account (as well as the potential of loss of hundreds of videos), other citizen journalists may face the same sad fate : cyber suppression.

Please consider the importance of voter participation in free and open democratic elections.

UPDATE: After pressure, YouTube.com restores Blogger's account

The blog site Queens Crap is reporting that YouTube has restored Suzannah B. Troy's account.

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Christine Quinn shamed by protesters

Christine Quinn is under investigation for the potential misuse of slush funds by the New York City Council, she has lost the support of important constituents in her City Council District, she favors the over-development of Manhattan, and she now faces opposition from voters, who dislike the slimy way that the New York City Council extended term limits in their own favor.
















Photo credit: Suzannah B. Troy


Blogger News Update : WHY DOES THE QUINNSTER LOOK SO ASHAMED OF HERSELF?


The blog, Dump Christine Quinn, has posted a damning report about the increasing pressure being put on New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn by the anti-third term movement :


"Recently, a group of New Yorkers who do not believe that Christine Quinn should be re-elected to her City Council seat representing Council District 3 gathered to express their First Amendment rights to free speech. As the Quinntessa herself has said, 'That's democracy!'

"But what struck me is the way she strode into the residential building in which one of her appointees to a Community Board was hosting a fundraising on her behalf: head hung. She looked embarrassed, actually; ashamed even.

"So, Miss Quinn, I am writing to suggest that the next time you are protested, you would be wise to turn to the gathered rabble, smile and wave. Because you should look as though you actually believe in all the bad things that you are doing to your constituents.

"This hang dog thing makes me worry that even you know you've sold your soul to the devil."

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Voters oppose third term for Quinn

NY1 poll asks :
Should Christine Quinn be re-elected ?
76% say NO !

On Tuesday, September 15th, vote for Yetta Kurland
for City Council !

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Quinn's Donor Analysis Revealed

The people who are paying for Christine Quinn's ill-fated third term re-election campaign aren’t the same people she’s elected to serve.

A new website called, The Quinn Report, is raising some serious issues about City Council Speaker Quinn's campaign :


* "Nearly 62% of Quinn’s individual donors live OUTSIDE Council District 3. The question is...what’s their interest in this race ?"


* "Nearly three-quarters of all donations of $1,000 or more come from donors who do not live in Council District 3."


Read more in: Donor Analysis.

Quinn booed entering fundraiser

What can you do to help ?

The primary is Sept. 15, tell all your friends that live in the West Village, Chelsea, Midtown West, Clinton/Hell's Kitchen to vote Christine Quinn out of office.

To do this, cast your votes for Yetta Kurland.

Video Credit: Suzannah B. Troy

Protesters follow Quinn to fundraiser

What's wrong with Quinn ?

Protesters gathered outside the private setting for a fundraiser to benefit the ill-fated third-term candidacy of City Council Speaker Christine Quinn. The protest event, held tonight at 6:30 p.m. at 61 Jane Street, was intended to shed light on Speaker Quinn's numerous failures to the constituents of her city council district.

Video Credit: Suzannah B. Troy

Monday, August 31, 2009

Nervous, Quinn spending thousands on polling

Christine Quinn, the incumbent City Council speaker, is reacting to a highly competitive race for the District 3 seat.

City Hall News is reporting that candidate Yetta Kurland may be making inroads against incumbent Christine Quinn. Although it is not yet established whether Ms. Kurland has truly over-taken Speaker Quinn among likely voters, an amazing fact was revealed in the campaign disclosure statements of both campaigns.

"According to Campaign Finance Board filings, both Kurland and Quinn’s campaign have spent sizeable sums on internal polling. Quinn’s campaign made two separate payments of $5,250 each to Global Strategy Group for “polling costs,” while Kurland’s campaign made three payments to consulting firm Prime New York for polling and phone data, for a total of $971."

Seems that Speaker Quinn's expenditure of over $10,000 on polling suggests that she is worried about something: possibly on the success of her ill-fated, third-term re-election campaign ?

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Quinn resistance now on radio

Crotch Shot Radio Show interviews Suzannah B. Troy.

Listen as Ms. Troy discusses the slush fund scandal, pension fund scandal, over-development, the third term power over-reach, and the collapse of our infrastructure.

Monday, August 24, 2009

No third term for Christine Quinn

In 2008, Christine Quinn backed Mayor Michael Bloomberg on a controversial bill that overturned voter-approved term limits and allowed for the Mayor, City Councilmembers (including Quinn herself), and Borough Presidents to run for third terms, reversing the results of two successive public referenda.

Please vote for Yetta Kurland, candidate for NYC Council in the 3rd District. She is campaigning to restore trust and integrity to the City Council. A believer in civil liberties and civil rights, she is an attorney who is representing an individual wrongfully arrested during the 2004 Republican National Convention.

YouTube documentary examines Quinn's record

Christine Quinn: Behind the Smile

"See how openly gay City Council Speaker Christine Quinn has betrayed NYC voters, the gay community, and the democratic process while masquerading as a reformer. " -- from Donny Moss's YouTube documentary, "Christine Quinn: Behind the Smile."

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Quinn, NYC Council extend Term Limits

Flashback to October 2008: Amid High Emotions, Council Clears Bloomberg's Third Term Bid by WNYC reporter Kathleen Horan.

"Speaker Christine Quinn, who brought the mayor's bill to the floor, defended the extension of term limits by saying it was increasing voter choice."

""Make no mistake," said Speaker Quinn. "I believe that our great city will get through these challenges and emerge stronger than ever before. I also believe that in challenging times like these, the voters should have the choice — the choice to continue their current leadership. They should have the right to vote for the current mayor, or a new one, for their current City Council member, or a new one. That is exactly what is at stake today."


To listen to the entire WNYC radio report, please click on the mp3 player above.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Quinn Pads Campaign Staff with City Staff

Breaking News! According to documents the Village Voice has obtained, thirty-one of the "more than 90" volunteers who are working on Christine Quinn's re-election campaign are current staff members on the City Council payroll. Yet, the Board of Elections strictly prohibits City Council employees from working on political campaigns during business hours.

Now I understand how all of Speaker Quinn's staff staked claim so early to the line of people trying to get into the City Council debate of last week. Everybody's been trying to figure out how did her supporters get their hands on the limited number of tickets and manage to show up at NYU hours before people typically get out of work.

I just don't see how Speaker Quinn can keep playing dumb, while all these questionable acts (slush fund scandal, now using city time for political activities) keep happening around her -- and coincidentally, all in her favor.

Either Speaker Quinn really is ignorant of what is going on, or she is not. Either way, this doesn't portray the kind city council member I'd want to have return for a third term.

Quinn won't commit to Demoractic Mayoral Candidate

Christine Quinn ends her loyalty to the Democratic Party

Both Yetta Kurland and Maria Passannante-Derr said they would support the Democratic nominee for Mayor, but Christine Quinn said, "I'm not going to make that commitment tonight."

The audience responded with jeers and shouts of, "You're no Democrat."

Shame on the Working Family Party's endorsement of Speaker Quinn. In 2008, Speaker Quinn spearheaded Mayor Michael Bloomberg's bill to extend term limits without a public referendum.

All information in this post was quoted or paraphrased from the YouTube video excerpt of the debate.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Sunday, August 16, 2009

On third night, debate video appears

Extracts of debate statements by Yetta Kurland, candidate in the District 3 race against incumbent Speaker Christine Quinn


I was beginning to believe that no debate took place, since I hadn't seen any video of the debate on the internet, yet.


But here, on the evening three days after it was reported that a debate took place, a YouTube video has surfaced with extracts of statements made by Ms. Kurland. I am glad that Ms. Kurland held Speaker Quinn's feet to the fire regarding the scandals over term limits extensions and the City Haul slush funds.


Saturday, August 15, 2009

Shameful press and ticket policy at City Council Debate comes under fire

Christine Quinn, NYU use private security to possibly trample on the media's and on voters' First Amendment rights.



Whenever it is alleged that police officers of the NYPD participate in corruption or other forms of serious misconduct, the police department has an Internal Affairs Bureau that investigates these allegations against members of the police force. But who has oversight or power to investigate private security firms operating in New York City ? On the global level, there has been plenty of controversy involving private security firms in respect of allegations of abuse of "detainees." According to Amnesty International, "Over three years ago, the Justice Department (DOJ) required that all cases of detainee abuse by private military and security contractors be handled by one US Attorney's Office." Meanwhile, at the local level, such as in New York City, there is new evidence that the use of private security firms by local politicians and public institutions is leading to possible violations of voters' First Amendment rights.


At the first City Council debate on Thursday night, August 13, 2009, for the District 3 seat among the candidates Yetta Kurland and Maria Passannante-Derr, and the incumbent Christine Quinn, the private security force of New York University prevented at least two political candidates, two journalists with media credentials certified by NYPD, one freelance reporter, a few dozen undecided voters, and demonstrators from attending the political debate. The setting for the debate was 19 West 4th Street, a facility operated by NYU. According to its website, NYU is the "largest private university in the United States," and "also one of the largest employers in New York City, with over 16,000 employees."


Norman Siegel, a respected attorney and candidate for New York City Public Advocate, was denied entry to the debate, as were two reporters: one from each of City Hall and NY1. In a race that may determine who may may be the next City Council Speaker (or may not be, should Speaker Quinn lose the election), organizers of the debate issued only 5 press passes. General attendance by spectators was limited to ticket holders, and there emerged a controversy over the distribution of tickets. Criticisms were made by demonstrators, including the author of this post and by Suzannah B. Troy, that the distribution of tickets favored one candidate, who whose supporters could get in line several hours before the beginning of the debate. (A basis for criticism is the press release issued by Mary Anna Mancuso, press secretary for Ms. Passannante-Derr, which stated that Speaker Quinn became aware of the ticket procedures ealier than did her opponents.) Rumors also circulated among voters opposing Speaker Quinn that the incumbent allowed her staff to leave work early that day, so that she could fill the crown in her favor. Enforcing the restrictive access rules was the private security force of NYU. After the debate, Ms. Troy said, "It appears as if Christine Quinn was given inside information about the structuring and set up of the debate, allowing her to fill the audience with as many supporters as possible, and then NYU, a mega real estate developer and backer of the Bloomberg administration, endeavored to exclude as many people as possible, including the press."


Outside the debate, Mr. Siegel, demonstrators, and undecided voters tried to reason with representatives and security officers for NYU. Because of the importance of the political race for this singular New York City Council seat, when it became apparent that NYU security was going to steadfastly deny the 3 reporters access to the debate, passions became enflamed. Mr. Siegel, the reporters, and protesters immediately charged that the Freedom of the Press was being trampled on by the organizers of the debate, including NYU. Freedom of the press is one of the cornerstones of our democracy, and everyone left outside were dumbstruck. Why was a reputable institution such as NYU willingly being complicit in the willful rejection of media with certified press credentials from a debate that will determine who may be our next democratically-elected City Council Speaker ?

A concern of the protesters and of Mr. Siegel was that police and security can sometimes deny voters and the media their First Amendment rights. Here was an instance where citizens and voters were exercising their First Amendment rights to peacefully protest; yet the very actions by the private security force of NYU was arguably denying us our rights. That night, in the conversations that took place between Mr. Siegel, demonstrators, and undecided voters outside the debate, it was revealed that Speaker Quinn has, in the past, used private security to bully protesters into moving off of public property.


In an ominous warning, Mr. Siegel warned us that once politicians learn that there is little or no consequence of denying citizens their Freedom of Assembly, we face the prospect of losing those rights – because the government, politicians, other public institutions, and now private security firms have learned that they can infringe on our rights and get away with it.


Update! After its initial posting, this entry was corrected and supplemented with additional information, including a link to the text of Ms. Passannante-Derr's press release.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

NYU and The Villager Close the Door on Democracy

First City Council Debate among Candidates for Democratic Primary in the 3rd District Race. Debate facility owned and operated by: New York University (19 West 4th Street).

An over-flow crowd formed outside one of NYU's buildings. Because the venue was so small, and only 5 press passes were issued to cover the re-election of the Speaker of the City Council (this, in a city of over 8 million people), there were more interested people who wanted to get in -- but who were turned away by NYU. At least 2 journalists with media credentials, at least one other freelance reporter, and a long line of undecided voters of Hells Kitchen, Chelsea, and the West Village looked on in complete helplessness as NYU officials turned them away.

This is NOT what democracy looks like !

After several conversations, candidate for NYC Public Advocate Norman Siegel was able to persuade and influence NYU officials to allow a handicapped man in a wheelchair access to attend the debate. But the 3 other reporters, and the rest of the voters, were turned away.

It took the persuasive skills of Mr. Siegel and the video recording by several citizen reporters before NYU chose to make room for the handicapped man. In essence, you need on your side a mob with at least one brilliant legal mind to change the minds of closed minded public institutions.

Houston Mayor Wants to End Term Limits, Too

Look at what Bloomberg-Quinn have started

"Mayor Bill White on Wednesday raised the specter of changing the term limits on Houston elected officials, urging City Council members to consider appointing a special commission to examine whether the restriction to three, two-year terms imposed by voters in 1991 has been too stringent." The Houston Chronicle has reported.

"...Term limits passed in cities and state legislatures all over the country in the early 1990s in a wave of reform that also brought the idea to Capitol Hill as part of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich's Contract With America, where it failed. In recent years, however, challenges to term limits have been growing.

"Last year, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg fought and won a battle to allow him a one-time extension so he could serve a third four-year term. Former San Antonio Mayor Phil Hardberger also led a successful 2008 ballot initiative to extend that city's two two-year term limit to two four-year terms," the article reported.

Friday, August 7, 2009

City Council Gives Its Staff Raises

August 6, 2009, 6:56 pm

By Ray Rivera

From the City Room blog of the NYTimes :

At a time when many American workers are taking pay cuts, the New York City Council is giving its employees raises. Following the lead of the mayor’s office, which bumped its staff’s salaries last month, the Council on Thursday gave its employees back to back raises: 4 percent retroactive to March 2008 and another 4 percent retroactive to last March. The raises, which did not require a vote by the Council, mirror those announced last month by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg for nearly 6,700 managers and nonunion workers.

The mayor’s raises will cost the city $45 million this year and come in the middle of the worst recession in decades. The council’s raises, affecting 550 council aides and central staffers, is expected to cost about $3.9 million for this year’s salaries and last year’s retroactive increases.

“We have taken every step towards achieving a responsible budget at the Council, and have in fact lowered our spending by more than $4 million over the past two fiscal years,” Maria Alvarado, a spokeswoman for the Council speaker, Christine C. Quinn, said in a statement. “We made a decision to provide the cost of living increases after they were enacted by mayoral personnel orders in July.”

The raises, first reported on The Daily News’s Web site on Thursday, will bump the Council’s highest paid employee, Charles Meara, the chief of staff, to $209,973 from $194,132, a gain of $15,841. The Council’s next highest paid employee, Ramon Martinez III, whose title is first deputy chief of staff, will rise to $207,303 from $191,664.

City officials say the raises, which do not apply to council members, are based on salary increases negotiated last year with District Council 37, the city’s largest municipal union. The offices of the district attorneys and borough presidents have or are expected to enact similar raises. New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr., a Democratic candidate for mayor who last month blasted the mayor’s decision to give his staff raises, has frozen the salaries of all his employees who make over $90,000 a year.

Saturday, August 1, 2009

A little bit crummy and a little bit chummy


Christine Quinn has shown that Gay Politicians can be just like Straight Politicians


The writer-editor of the Dump Christine Quinn blog wrote a terrific piece about Why the Gay Community Must Outgrow Identity Politics.


We can't just settle for electing a "compromised" LGBT politician, who is going to go along with the questionable tactics of crooked politicians while she is in office. For example, by using slush funds to funnel money to the LGBT community, Ms. Quinn is only doing some of the same shady political wheeling and dealing that gets politicians indicted.


I wonder if we shouldn't be choosing LGBT leaders for public office, so that they could show the other office-holders that gay people are different -- for example, better -- when it comes to working with integrity when handling the public's business.


For now, Ms. Quinn prefers to maintain her close working relationship with Mayor Bloomberg, who, with the help of Ms. Quinn herself, has side-stepped the will of the voters and is running for a third term as New York City mayor.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Sans contrefacon, Bloomberg est trop republique con

"En 2004, il organise la venue à New York de la convention nationale républicaine."

"La popularité de M. Bloomberg est haute, mais sa manipulation des protestataires à la convention 2004 nationale républicaine, quand des milliers de démonstrateurs ont été arrêtés sur les rues et détenus, est une marque noire sur son administration pour beaucoup de Newyorkais et de libertarians civils. -- NYTimes

Monday, July 13, 2009

Bulldozers and cranes: Christine Quinn's development addiction

Quotes by Suzannah B. Troy regarding City Councilwoman Christine Quinn's addiction to over-development.


New York City has named a block on Hudson Street, "Jane Jacobs Way," after an important author and activist, who changed the course of urban planning.


City Councilwoman Christine C. Quinn was there for the renaming ceremony. Quinn has been the subject of investigations regarding her close ties to developers. Activist Suzannah B. Troy was outraged to see Quinn trade on the goodwill of Jane Jacobs.


"It was laughable and yet horrifying the way Jane Jacobs' name was bandied about, and the sheer denial of politicos pretending that Bloomberg-Quinn did not sell out (and destroy) New York to greedy developers from right under the people of New York's feet -- including how many eminent domain abuse battles going on right now here in NYC ?"



"Yes, I get emotional because on every street there are closings, and, at this street naming, it was the usual "orgy of admiration club" -- complete lies and denials. You heard the introduction Quinn is given -- an air brushed rosy introduction, which is extra horrifying because any one using their eyes can see the Village has buildings every where that busted thru zoning and evictions of small businesses everywhere -- because she was part of the corrupt politico that sold NYC and the people out."


See also: Suzannah B. Troy in recession bikini top $6 & almost 47 yrs old protesting Quinn at Jane Jacobs street signing, Jane must be turning over in her grave.

No Third Term for Republicans

No votes for politicians who close firehouses.


Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R-NY) has a record of closing firehouses and shrinking the Fire Department, even though we all know that in the name of the safety of the city, we need firehouses to remain open.



Only a Republican would close down firehouses and layoff fire fighters in a city like New York.



Keep our firehouses open by voting for anybody but Bloomberg !

Sunday, July 12, 2009

New York City has a large and growing debt burden that is threatening to become unaffordable

"The level of NYC’s debt is rising and representing a growing portion of the assessed value of taxable real property."


William C. Thompson, Jr., the Comptroller for New York City, has released the Fiscal Year 2009 Annual Debt Report.


"New York City has a large and growing debt burden that is threatening to become unaffordable as the City’s economy suffers the impacts of a severe global economic downturn. By any commonly accepted measure, New York City ranks above its peers in the amount of debt shouldered by city residents and the city’s economy."


The budget report also indicated that, "New York City’s debt as a percentage of personal income in FY 2006 was the highest at 14.5 percent."

More slush at City Hall and City Council

While City Council uses its plethora of slush funds to funnel taxpayer dollars to shoddy construction companies, the Mayor is playing election year politics with the city budget.


Suzannah B. Troy posted a new video about new reports in the The New York Daily News about the possibilities of city budget corruption and election year budget engineering.


Bye-Bye Bloomberg (No Third Term mix)

"Money and Power Revised Term Limits, and It Won’t Be Forgotten"


No third term for Republicans !



"Mr. Bloomberg knows that his reputation has taken hard blows in the fight over term limits. But he is apparently betting that the passage of time will restore whatever he may have lost in respectability." -- Clyde Haberman, NYTimes, October 27, 2008.

Bloomberg offended by question about term limit extension

Touchy, touchy! Bloomberg on the economy and term limits

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg lost his cool with reporter over a question about term limits.

After discussing the economy and term limits during a May 28, 2009, press conference in Queens, the mayor told the reporter, "You're a disgrace."