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Lorigo: Local Conservative Nod For Grisanti Won’t Come Easy
Jan 30th - 11:43 am
One of the byproducts of the Senate GOP’s plan to gerrymander the district of their most vulnerable member, Sen. Mark Grisanti, so it’s entirely within the boundaries of Erie County is that the Conservative Party endorsement will be controlled by local officials and not state Chairman Mike Long.
Theorectically, that’s helpful to Grisanti, who very much needs the Conservative line, but lost his chance of landing it – in Long’s eyes, anyway – when he crossed over to vote “yes” on same-sex marriage with the Democrats.
Erie County Conservative Chairman Ralph Lorigo told me and Nick Reisman last last night’s CPPAC that he hasn’t locked the door against Grisanti the way Long did for teh Democrat-turned-Republican senator and his three GOP colleagues who heeded Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s call to provide the deciding votes for gay marriage.
On the other hand, Lorigo said, Grisanti has to come through an executive board of 35 people and “convince a number of those people that he’s deserving at this point in time.” The local Conservatives had “high hopes” for Grisanti, the chairman said, and they weren’t thrilled that he had indicated he would vote “no” on marriage and then changed his mind.
“That vote hurts Mark Gristanti in terms of getting a conservative endorsement,” Lorigo told us. “….I gave him a list and said, ‘Mark, if you want to come back and try to seek our endorsement, you have to champion conservative values, and that’s his task, whether or not he can champion conservative values enough to be able to effectively ask for that endorsement.”
“…I’m talking about all values, social values and economic values. If he can come back and say that, ‘Look, I’ve done this in terms of the pro-life movement.’ Some of the things that were discussed here about the issues of pro-life or Second Amendment, as well as the economic issues. If he can come to us and have become a champion of some of those issues, he might be able to earn the endorsement. But it’s not going to be easy.”
Amedore On That District (Supposedly) Designed Just For Him
Jan 25th - 3:34 pm
The mythical 63rd Senate district, about which much has been written, but nothing concrete has been seen as of yet (thank-you, LATFOR!) was reportedly drawn with GOP Assemblyman George Amedore in mind.
That’s an obvious conclusion, since the new district apparently includes, by the assemblyman’s own assessment, about 99 percent of his current Assembly district. But, Amedore cautioned, that’s going on the report that appeared in yesterday’s TU. He insists he has no inside information on the Senate GOP’s actual plan – or when it might be released, for that matter.
UPDATE: In the interest of fairness, Newsday’s Yancy Roy was actually first with the news of the 63rd seat’s location in the Schenectady area. Props.
Amedore’s interest in running for the Senate is well known. He told me he made his aspirations clear to the Senate Republicans some time ago, just in case his current senator, Sen. Hugh Farley, might be inclined to retire. (So far, no dice).
However, the assemblyman took issue with the suggestion that the 63rd seat has been created just for him, insisting he had no input into the process.
“I’ve got to be honest, I keep hearing that from various people. (The Republicans) didn’t come to me and say, ‘Hey, look!’…Looking at that diagram of that district, and then you do some overall numbers looking at the demographics, right now that enrollment looks more Democrat than it does Republican. People say, ‘Oh, it was designed for you!’ I don’t see that to be the case.”
“I’m certainly interested. I’ll be looking at it more closely Let’s see what happens with the see. Again, I’m honored to be able to serve the people in my community. If this seat was to come about, and I would be able to do more for them, then I think it’s something I should take a look at.”
Amedore was first elected in a (very expensive) special election battle for former Assemblyman Paul Tonko’s old seat back in 2007. (Tonko left to become a member of the Spitzer administration, and has since become a congressman, holding a seat that used to belong to ex-Rep. Mike McNulty).
His win was viewed as a big loss for the Democrats, who have tried to no avail to win back the seat.
Unshackle Upstate Wants To ‘Unlock NY’
Jan 13th - 10:21 am
The word “reduce” comes up a lot in Rochester-based Unshackle Upstate’s 2012 policy agenda.
Namely, the business-friendly lobbying organziation wants to reduce taxes, local mandates, spending and state debt.
Meanwhile, the group also wants to stimulate private-sector job growth.
“While progress has been made to strengthen our economy and communities, our leaders in Albany must do more to help New York regain its title as the Empire State,” said Brian Sampson, Executive Director of the organization. “In 2012, we will closely monitor the actions of every legislator on the key issues outlined in this agenda. Make no mistake – those who fail to support measures that will help businesses and families thrive will be held accountable. We will ensure that promises made are promises kept.”
The group is also part of a larger effort to reduce mandated spending now that 2 percent ceiling on local property tax levy increases is in place, along with a repeal of the Triborough Amendment to the Taylor Law.
The business lobby, which Gov. Andrew Cuomo successfully rallied last year, is probably coming off its most successful legislative session in decades. In addition to the property tax cap, Cuomo has mad a concerted effort to recast the state as a business friendly destination.
The governor’s main thrust has been businesses respond to efficient government and this year he wants to have the private sector invest more in New York in order to spur job growth.
Was Buffalo’s $1B Politically Motivated?
Jan 6th - 2:54 pm
Monroe County GOP Chairman Bill Reilich thinks so.
There has been a lot of complaining by upstate leaders since Gov. Anderw Cuomo announced in his State of the State address Wednesday that Buffalo would be singled out for special treatment. The “what about us” chorus started up almost immediately, particularly from officials in Rochester (hometown of former mayor-turned-LG Bb Duffy), who feel they’ve been particularly screwed by the state of late and were also reeling from the news of Kodak’s likely bankruptcy filing.
Cuomo told The Buffalo News the city is deserving because it has “unique needs,” and he recognized there would be the inevitable complaints from other upstate communities.
“You look at newspapers today, and you’ll see I’m criticized by other parts of the state for focusing on Buffalo,” the governor said. “I say, ‘You’re right. I’m focusing on Buffalo because I believe Buffalo has a great need and I believe Buffalo’s needs have been ignored for a long time.”
Reilich, whose county is home to the city of Rochester, was in Albany for the State of the State. He told YNN’s Casey Bortnick he was surprised to hear the governor call for $25 billion worth of new spending, even though that’s intended to be a mix of state, federal and private dollars, saying he’s unsure New York is in a position to spend that kind of money.
In addition, the chairman was predictably unhappy to see spending at either end of the state – Buffalo and NYC, where Cuomo wants to see construction of a 3.8 million square foot convention center that theoretically would be attached to a casino – with nothing in between. He suggested politics might have motivated this move.
“Buffalo has newly elected county exec, a Democrat, and maybe that’s why those dollars are going there,” Reilich said at about the 8:08 minute mark in this video.
NOTE: This is a rather lengthy interview, that focuses mostly on state GOP Chairman Ed Cox’s announcement that this year’s convention will be held in Rochester. Reilich is, not surprisingly, very pleased by this turn of events, and hinted there will likely be a “nationally known figure” attending to drum up interest. He did not reveal who that might be.
Wegmans Drops Baldwin Ad, Then Goes Back (Updated)
Jan 4th - 10:33 am
Update: Wegmans Director of Media Relations Jo Natale sent out this response to the decision today:
”We regret ending the Alec Baldwin holiday commercials one week earlier than planned in response to a couple of dozen complaints. We have decided to run the commercials again, effective immediately.
“Clearly, many more people support Alec, as evidenced by the hundreds and hundreds of tweets, emails, and phone calls we have received. We enjoyed working with Alec Baldwin and his mom, Carol, and would do it again. We appreciate all the kind things they have said about Wegmans and respect the good work they do for communities.”
Actor, Words With Friends Afficionado and sort-of political figure Alec Baldwin won’t be the Wegmans pitchman anymore, the Associated Press reports today.
The beloved Rochester-based supermarket chain is dropping Baldwin from their ads following his mishap on the American Airlines flight.
From the AP:
Alec Baldwin’s antics aboard an American Airlines flight have gotten him grounded as a spokesman for a New York-based supermarket chain.
A spokeswoman for Wegmans Food Markets tells Rochester media outlets that the company pulled television ads featuring Baldwin after some customers complained about his behavior that resulted in his being booted from a Dec. 6 flight at Los Angeles International Aiport.
Baldwin poked fun at the incident on Saturday Night Live and on twitter.
Baldwin, known for his outspoken liberal views, started appearing in the ads in 2010 during the holiday season. His mother, a Syracuse-area resident known for her prodigious charity fundraising, loves the chain, prompting Baldwin to appear in the ads.
I can’t seem to find any of the old Baldwin ads on YouTube, but here’s his appearance on Letterman discussing the supermarket.
Ulster County Executive: NYC DEP An ‘Occupying Nation’ (Updated 2x)
Jan 2nd - 2:26 pm
Ulster County Exectuive Mike Hein is upping the ante in his ongoing battle with the Bloomberg administration, accusing the NYC Department of Environmental Protection of acting like an “occupying nation” within his county, siphoning off precious drinking water for downstate residents without much thought or care about the impact on the community that is home to its watershed.
Hein, who just started his second four-year term, accused DEP of “polluting our waterways and causing massive regional economic hardships.” He urged Mayor Bloomberg to pay a personal visit to Ulster County to “see firsthand the damage being wrought by NYC DEP’s broken policies and out-of-balance bureaucratic influence.”
The county executive also said his constituents are essentially required to subsidize NYC water rates as the result of “no win” legal proceedings. Already cash-strapped rural towns have to choose between costly legal proceedings to defend against tax litigation and settling for less than the DEP’s fair share of property taxes, Hein alleged.
“The people of Ulster County fully appreciate the importance of providing water to their neighbors, the millions of NYC residents and businesses. That being said, the balance between providing that water and protecting our pristine environment, our economy and our taxpayers has been grossly manipulated by the NYC DEP and unfairly titled in NYC’s favor,” Hein wrote.
A Hein spokesman told CapTon producer Michael Johnson that nothing in particular spurred the county executive’s letter. He merely wanted to issue a personal appeal to the mayor in the latest chapter of an upstate-downstate struggle over water has been going on for years.
Most recently, Hein accused the city of breaking the law through unregulated releases of turbid water from the Ashokan Reservoir into the lower Esopus Creek. Last month, he sought the DEC’s intervention, filing a petition he said would be the precursor to a full-blown lawsuit.
Hein, whose position is relatively new (full disclosure: it was created by a charter revision commission headed by my father, Jerry Benjamin), has been speculated to harbor ambitions for higher office – perhaps Congress, although it’s unclear what the lines in his neck of the woods are going to look like after this round of redistricting is done. There has been some speculation that Rep. Maurice Hinchey’s district, NY-22, could be on the chopping block.
UPDATE: NYC DEP spokesman Farrell Sklerov just issued this response, calling the County Executive’s letter a cheap political stunt. Here’s the statement:
“This is not the first time County Executive Hein has resorted to cheap political stunts. Unfortunately, he rarely is supported by the facts. The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is actually an economic engine upstate, investing $1.5 billion over the past two decades in watershed protection efforts that support sustainable economic development with good jobs for local communities. We also contribute more than $130 million per year in direct tax revenue and employ nearly 1,000 upstate residents.
Not only that, but DEP sprang into action following the devastation of Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee, providing emergency help with recovery efforts and spending millions of dollars to help local businesses and homeowners get back on their feet. At the end of the day, DEP provides one billion gallons of water a day to nine million New Yorkers, including one million upstate, thousands of who are in Ulster County. By every measure the product is outstanding.”
Update 2: And Hein spokesman JJ Hanson just fired back.
“This is yet another example of the DEP’s disgraceful spin machine attempting to deflect from reality. It is not that far of a drive for the Mayor to visit Ulster County and see for himself what the facts actually are.”
Downstate Shouldering Upstate
Dec 20th - 10:03 am
Here’s more fodder for the upstate-downstate divide.
Downstate taxpayers pay more to the state and get less in return than upstate residents, according to a Rockefeller Institute report released this morning.
For example, suburban downstate taxpayers in Westchester, Rockland, Nassau and Suffolk counties contributed 23.6 percent to state coffers, but area received roughly 18 percent of state funding. If funding was spread out proportunately, the region’s revenue would have increased $4.6 billion to $7.9 billion.
The 48 upstate counties, not including the relatively well-off Capital Region, contributed about 24 percent to state revenues and received a share of about 35 percent in local assistance. The area would lose more than $1 billion if the funding formula was changed to be more equitable.
Of course upstate New York, already reeling from severe flood damage, has some truly improverished areas due to decades of job loss from an exodus of manufacturers leaving the area.
“This report’s findings reveal a special capacity of state government,” said Thomas Gais, director of the Rockefeller Institute. “A state can move money from one region to another in ways that local governments cannot. New Yorkers may disagree on whether the current balance of giving and getting is the best one. Our report does not directly answer that question. But it provides a well-documented, empirical basis for a public conversation over the purposes and effectiveness of state revenues and expenditures —- a conversation, we hope, that will not divide our communities but help all our regions understand how their respective roles can be knit together to serve New York’s common interests.”
Albany DA Admits Intimate Relationship With Jr. Staffer (Updated)
Dec 3rd - 4:46 pm
Albany County District Attorney David Soares today acknowledged a longstanding intimate relationship with a junior female staffer whose siblings have been prosecuted on multiple occasions by his office.
Soares, 42, said he has been involved in a “committed” relationship with legal secretary Stacey Quackenbush, 26, for at about a year. Soares is divorced from his first wife, Tina Pantuso Soares, with whom he has two children.
UPDATE: According to Soares’ attorney, Jim Long, the district attorney and his estranged wife are still legally married. However, they are in the midst of a no-fault divorce proceeding, with an agreement pending that has yet to be signed by both parties. Also, Soares’ wife emailed and stressed that her last name is “Soares” and should be reported as such. Hence, the change above.
The district attorney called his relationship with Quackenbush a “personal issue” that is “not newsworthy and certainly not appropriate for public debate or discussion.”
Soares said he is aware of the appearance of a conflict and indicated Quackenbush has been seeking employment elsewhere.
He also suggested a report of his connection to Quackenbush, which appeared Friday night on a local blog – Albanycitizenone.com – was politically motivated.
“I find it unfortunate that my personal relationships are the subject of political fodder less than 24 hours after the announcement of my political opponent,” Soares said in a statement released Saturday afternoon.
“This is clearly a political effort to malign my reputation for the simple reason that my record as Albany County District Attorney is one that I am proud of.”
Albany County defense attorney Lee Kindlon announced on Thursday his plan to challenge Soares, a fellow Democrat, in a primary next year.
Kindlon, 35, of Delmar, is the son of prominent local defense attorney Terence Kindlon and a former prosecutor in the US Marines.
During his announcement, Lee Kindlon assailed Soares’ “lack of leadership” and felony conviction rate, which decreased every year from 2004 to 2008, according to a Times Union report.
Kindlon also accused Soares of being “occupied with matters other than the day-to-day operations of his office.” A Soares spokeswoman did not response to these allegations.
Soares has not yet said whether he’ll seek a third term. But a source familiar with his thinking said the district attorney will run, and will most likely announce his campaign in January.
The revelation about his relationship with Quackenbush – and whatever fallout follows – will not likely deter Soares’ political plans, the source said.
SU Chancellor Cantor Talks Fine Case
Nov 29th - 2:04 pm
Syracuse University Chancellor Nancy Cantor, in Albany today for her role in the Central New York Regional Economic Development Council, stuck to a tight script when asked about the future of longtime iconic basketball Coach Jim Boeheim’s future with the school.
“Coach Boeheim is our coach and he’s getting the team ready for tonight,” she told reporters in her first public comments in the wake of Bernie Fine’s dismisal amid child sexual abuse allegations. “I’m very pleased with what he statement he made Sunday night.”
Asked if she was confident in Boeheim’s future with the team, Cantor again stuck to the same line.
“Coach Boeheim is our coach and he’s getting the team ready and he made a statement Sunday night,” she said.
Syracuse plays East Michigan tonight, the first game since Fine’s departure.
Boeheim, a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame and coach of the team for 36 years, is under fire in the wake of the Fine allegations. He initially supported Fine, but after a recording of a conversation between Fine’s wife and an accuser surfaced, backed off.
The case has drawn comparisons with the Penn State scandal, after Defensive Coordinator Jerry Sandusky was charged with child rape. Longtime head coach Joe Paterno was fired by the university in the wake of the scandal.
Earlier today, Syracuse Police Chief Frank Fowler issued a lengthy statement “clearing up some misconceptions” about the case. Fine has not been charged.
Cantor defended the college’s role in the case, saying the school has been “candid.”
“We’ve been very straight forward and candid with this process,” she said. “We felt that it was important both for Bernie Fine and the university to move forward.”
Syracuse Police Chief Tries To Set Record Straight On Fine Case
Nov 29th - 12:15 pm
The Bernie Fine child abuse case has done no favors for the Syracuse Police Department’s reputation.
Between Bobby Davis’ claim that he was basically blown off when he first made allegations against the now former SU basketball coach back in 2002 and (now settled) squabbling with the Onondaga County DA’s office over control of the case since ESPN brought this mess back to life two weeks ago, the department has simply looked terrible.
That has not been lost on Chief Frank Fowler, who issued a lengthy statement today in the interest of clearing up what he called “some misconceptions” that have surfaced in the media about how the department handled Davis’ initial allegations 10 years ago – as Fowler put it, “under a previous Syracuse Police Department Administration.”
“It is my belief that the public has the right to know who knew what and when in 2002 and 2003,” said Fowler.
“The Syracuse Police Department will continue to work diligently with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the U.S. Secret Service and the Onondaga County District Attorney to fully investigate all allegations,” he continued.
“I was not the chief in 2002 and I cannot change the procedures in place at that time or the way this matter was then handled. But what I can and will do as Chief today is ensure that moving forward all reports of sexual abuse are formally documented.”
“I have ordered a review of all Syracuse Police Department policies and procedures regarding the documentation of sexual abuse allegations made over the phone and appropriate changes will be made accordingly.”
Fowler’s detailed account of what happened when Davis first contacted the department follows after the jump. What’s most interesting is his claim that Fine contacted the department via phone, but never met with anyone there in person. Fowler says the department had no contact with any alleged victims until just this year when two came forward with “new evidence.”
He didn’t get into specifics, but that might be the recording made by Davis of his conversation with Fine’s wife, Laurie, in which she seems to acknowledge her husband had engaged in sexual abuse. Although the Syracuse Post-Standard and ESPN had copies of the recording since 2003, Fowler says the department did not, and heard nothing about its existence over the past eight years.
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