Category Archives: Politics
New Yorkers might not have to wait months past the deadline to see their budget this year. Governor Andrew Cuomo, along with Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, announced on Monday, April 9, the early passage of the 2012-2013 New York State Budget. The new NYS budget totals $132.6 billion, which is a reduction of $135 million from last year. According to a statement from the New York State Senate, This budget eliminates a $2 billion … Continue reading
Endorsements in Queens’ Democratic congressional primary for the 6th District began rolling out in earnest this week. Assemblyman Rory Lancman won support from former New York Mayor Ed Koch, two local unions and the Working Families Party. Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley snagged the thumbs-up of the Uniformed Firefighters Association as well as the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 9. Assemblywoman Grace Meng, meanwhile, added EMILY’s List—a leading nationwide political resource for women—to her already sizable backing from … Continue reading
The three Democrats lined up to fight for New York’s 6th Congressional District got a glimpse of their Republican challenger if they can make it through their primary. GOP Councilman Dan Halloran won the backing of his party and announced on Monday that he will take on whoever comes out of the Democratic race among Assemblywoman Grace Meng, Assemblyman Rory Lancman and Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley. Ensconsed by supporters at Bowne Park in Flushing, Halloran came out swinging on national security. … Continue reading
It was a week of emocratic musical chairs for the newly official 6th Congressional District. After the unexpected retirement of Rep. Gary Ackerman, three Democratic challengers—including a local councilwoman—announced they will vie for his seat. Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley, Assemblyman Rory Lancman and Assemblywoman Grace Meng will fight for the nomination leading up to a June 26 primary. A day before candidates could start petitioning on Tuesday, a judicial panel put final lines in place for congressional redistricting that had been … Continue reading
It’s official. Congressional and legislative districts both have final lines for the next 10 years despite taking two very different paths to get there. In a decision announced Monday in the Eastern District Court of New York, a judicial panel enacted congressional lines drawn by a magistrate they had appointed to the task. It did so reluctantly, though. The judges said repeatedly in the ruling that the state legislature shirked its responsibility and laid it on the federal government. “In … Continue reading
After the announcement that his congressional district could disappear, Rep. Bob Turner (R-Queens) is doubling down on his political future by announcing a United States Senate run. On Tuesday, March 13, Turner released a statement saying he would challenge Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. “I will travel to the Republican State Convention in Rochester later this week and humbly ask for the Republican nomination for the United States Senate,” Turner said in a release. “I will respectfully ask for the Conservative nomination … Continue reading
This week, members of the State Legislature released a second and final draft of proposed redistricting lines that looked remarkably similar to their last draft. State Senator Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria) blasted them for being 98 percent the same as the previous draft, which he has called the most gerrymandered in New York’s history. It’s uncertain if Gov. Andrew Cuomo will let the maps stand if they are passed by the Legislature. He threatened to veto the first set of maps. … Continue reading
The race is already starting for a congressional district that doesn’t officially exist yet. In the past week, Rep. Gary Ackerman (D- Queens) and State Assemblyman Rory Lancman (D-Fresh Meadows) took their case to the grassroots. Ackerman spoke to possible new constituents at the Forest Hills Civic Association on Tuesday, March 13, and Lancman introduced himself to the Juniper Park Civic Association (JPCA) on Thursday, March 8. They are vying for the proposed 6th Congressional District that stretches from Middle … Continue reading
Queen’s 9th Congressional district has been dismantled and doled out in a redistricting map proposed by a special master appointed to draw nonpartisan lines. The Queens portion of the 9th, which previously covered a swath from Rego Park down to the Rockaways, would be absorbed into three neighboring districts. Stretching west from Middle Village, Maspeth, Ridgewood and Glendale through Flushing and east to Bayside, the new 6th District’s largest voting block would be Asian residents. Woodhaven and Cypress Hills would … Continue reading
Congressman Bob Turner (R-Queens) wants to give parents who pay for private school a tax break. At a news conference in front of St. Margaret School in Middle Village on Friday, March 2, Turner introduced the Tax and Education Assistance for Children (TEACH) Act. “When a parent chooses to send their child to a nonpublic school, they are freeing up capital and opening up a desk for another child. Yet even though they no longer use the resources of the … Continue reading
City Comptroller John Liu announced Wednesday that his office was launching a hotline for the public, city employees and contractors to report possible wasteful spending by city agencies. The hotline, called 212-NO-WASTE, was unveiled as part of Liu’s ‘Campaign to Cut Waste’ during his State of the City Address last week. Staffed by trained professionals in the Comptroller’s Community Action Center, the new hotline is designed so that New Yorkers can make anonymous reports on city agencies wastefully spending money. … Continue reading
Congressman Bob Turner (R-Queens) and the Queens Chamber of Commerce hosted a small-business roundtable with local small business owners at Shalimar Diner, on Austin Street, in Rego Park, Wednesday morning. “Small businesses are the engines of our economy. If we wish to revitalize the American economy to its former strength, we must provide small businesses the means to grow and thrive,” Turner said. During the breakfast, the Congressman noted his own personal business background and the challenges of creating a … Continue reading
Congressman Bob Turner received a campaign donation from embattled Staten Island Rep. Michael Grimm in August, and last week, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee went on the offensive against Turner, saying he took “tainted” money. In a release last week, the DCCC called for Turner (R-Queens) to return a $1,000 campaign contribution from Grimm (R-Staten Island/Brooklyn) because of fundraising malpractice allegations that have been leveled against him. Grimm is facing scrutiny lately for alleged fundraising schemes. A New York Times … Continue reading
After just a four-month respite, a battle for the Ninth U.S. Congressional District spanning Queens and Brooklyn is starting up again. Assemblyman Rory Lancman (D-Richmond Hill) has formed an exploratory committee for a congressional run. He filed the required paperwork with the Federal Election Commission Tuesday. On Wednesday, Lancman was already attacking Congressman Bob Turner, who won the seat in a special election in September. “People elect a representative to go to Washington or Albany or City Hall to produce … Continue reading
Gov. Andrew Cuomo brought his agenda to Queens in January when he reviewed a previous speech in Albany pushing his $25 billion economic development package including the Ozone Park convention center. He spoke to a packed house at Queens College on Thursday, Jan.19, but not everyone was happy to hear it. One protester stood up in the middle of Cuomo’s speech and started yelling. She identified herself as a teacher aligned with the Occupy movement and shouted “Mic Check” as … Continue reading