The New York Times's Sewell Chan reports on the story, here.

You may have heard that New Jersey Governor John Corzine has called a special session of the New Jersey State legislature to tackle the “intractable” issue of high New Jersey property taxes.  He plans to reduce pensions and benefits for new employees, to offset the cost of the pension enrichment for those cashing in and moving out, and borrowing against the pension funds, passed during the Whitman Administration.  He plans to try to entice, or force, New Jersey’s high-spending school districts to consolidate to cut costs.  And, he plans to raise other taxes, perhaps at the state level, to offset a property tax decline.  Those are tough stands. Compared with the next Governor of New York, however, the fact is Corzine has it easy.

If there's one reality the Lamont-Lieberman race has wrought upon us, the incessant usage of -mentumisms would be it.

And here - on this election day - are but a few from across the sphere from the past few weeks.  I guess ... enjoy?

Possible Web Attack Halts Joe-mentum... 

No-mentum

Joe's No-mentum

In several past posts, and in several future posts, I’ve discussed the winners, those categories of services and people who get far more public funding here than the national average, in some cases more than in anywhere else in the United States.  But despite state and local taxes that were 43% higher than the national average in FY 2004, relative to personal income, and lots of fee income besides, taxpayers are not the only losers in New York City.

Spending on the city’s public schools has been below national average as a share of income, often far below, as far back as the data goes.  Parks, recreation and culture had been above the national average until1989, Ed Koch’s last year in office.  It has been far below average ever since, despite lots of private donations.  Major transportation projects are proposed and planned, but never built here.  Yesterday, the Daily News reported that the city’s libraries are rarely open.  http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/441273p-371556c.html.  No surprise there.

Local Franchises Deserve Equal Pay

Compared to Yassky's other payouts $50,000 for nine months work doesn't seem all that much pay for Geoffrey Davis who is making a great sacrifice for millionaire David Yassky. According to the latest FEC filing Yassky has already paid one national consulting firm $70,343 and another $30,000. The same filing shows that Alicka Ampry Samuel is earning much less than Margaret Kelley. But this accounting is only the beginning since current records don't list the cash that's reserved for District Leader Lisa Kenner and former Councilwoman Priscilla Wooten who is renovating her retirement mansion in Georgia and needs extra dough for decorations. Take a look at a few excerpts from the Yassky FEC report:

Ok. Close your eyes! I've got a little gift for you.

It's something you really don't want, and something you never really asked for. Oh, and the best part, this little gift is really going to fuck you up ... big time! Yeah, that's right - much less security, much more uncertainty coming your way.

And then, get this. Three years from now, I'm going to make some demands on your gifted ass.

First, that you repay me, because this precious gift I gave you cost me dearly. Second, that you sing my praises; and thirdly, that you think the way I think - no matter what I think.

...and a Quinn-Quinn There

Nothing like not quite doing the peoples' biz - and circuitously, at that. Predecessor Miller was a pro at this, and his successor Quinn - not so shabby herself.

First it was the kissing of the ass (may he RIP). And now, it's the revengeful kicking of the ass.

Word on the street: the mighty Quinn is letting out her more political personnel to tackle all sorts of annoyances; one major one being maverick Council Member and Queens County hater, Hiram Monserrate.

12 days after it was discovered that a Board of Elections machine had been tampered with, neither John Ravitz, the Board of Elections Commissioners nor the Brooklyn District Attorney have made a report to the voters and the citizens of New York City. No explanation, innocent or otherwise. It’s enough reason to declare a cover-up.

Enough reason to call for suspension of  all Board of Elections and Court review of any matter involving the Board of Election Data-base.  These guys are waiting for the New York Times, the Daily News, the New York Post,  Newsday,  Channel One, NBC, CNN and CBS.  We would have answers in a New York minute.

---------------------------------------------

Indeed, the stories can be traced back to trickster figures in Africa, particularly the hare that figures prominently in the storytelling traditions in Central and Southern Africa. These tales continue to be part of the traditional folklore of Bantu-speaking peoples throughout that region. In West Africa, the trickster is usually the spider, though the plots of spider tales are often identical to those of rabbit stories.

Many have suggested that the United States incarnation, Br'er Rabbit, represents the Black slave who uses his wits to overcome circumstances and to enact revenge on his adversaries, representing the White slave-owners. Though not always successful, his subversive efforts made him a folk hero. But the trickster is a multi-dimensional character. While he can be a hero, his amoral nature and lack of any positive social restraint can make him a villain as well. For both Africans and African Americans, the trickster represents an extreme form of behavior which people may have to emulate in extreme circumstances. But the trickster is not to be admired in every case. He is an example of what to do, but also an example of what not to do.

It’s time to admit it:  like just about everyone else in New York City, I’m a criminal, but my life of crime may be coming to an end.  My particular crime:  allowing the kids’ dog off leash in Prospect Park, during the designated hours listed on the park’s website.  How is that a crime?  It is a crime because New York City has an ordinance on the books that says at all times, and in all places, all dogs must be on a leash no less than 6 feet long when in public.  No exceptions.  No exclusions. 

When off leash hours were established, the city didn’t bother to change that ordinance.  It decided instead to not enforce the ordinance during certain hours.  It decided, in effect, to make me a guilty criminal, but to let me get away with it.  Now some folks out in Queens who don’t like off leash hours have filed a lawsuit.  It’s goal?  To force the city to enforce its own laws, and ticket those who allow their dogs to be off leash.  Who could argue with that?  I will argue against the city’s original decision to avoid changing the ordinance, and as part of general principle of law and ethics rather than as a specific canine case.  This is a long post, but if you are interested but that bothers you, you can copy it, paste it, and print it out.

I was watching NY1, and there was a "1 on 1" interview with Larry Silverstein. Immediately afterwards (and seemingly part of the program content), there was an ad by the National Collector's Mint for a "2001-2006 World Trade Center Commemorative" coin.

These coins (allegedly) contain silver from a vault recovered from the World Trade Center. Five dollars of each purchase (allegedly) goes to "official" 9/11 families and charities.

The same National Collector's Mint was prosecuted by Eliot Spitzer (in 2004) over deceptive ads for a "Freedom Tower Silver Dollar," also allegedly made from silver recovered from a vault at the World Trade Center site.