Here is a sampling of people who have endorsed Mark Green for Public Advocate of NYC with statements:

Bobby Kennedy
Environmental Law Attorney

"My Uncle Teddy finally felt that, after the death of his brothers, the election of Barack Obama was the fulfillment of his life. That he had fought.  That America had ultimately come around.  And there is one other guy who has been there that long, with him, and that's Mark Green.

The post that he running for is the conscience of the City.  It is the post that is supposed to remind all of us how democracy is supposed to function,  how the little guy should have as much power as the big powerful wealthy voices. There is nobody who understands it better than Mark. "

Gloria Steinem
Feminist Icon and Activist

 “Mark Green’s record of real progressive reform and his successful fights for women in particular – helping domestic violence victims in the workplace, changing divorce laws, stopping discriminatory pricing based on gender – show the kind of outspoken Public Advocate he was and should be again.”  

National Organization for Women – New York City Chapter

"NOW-NYC is proud to endorse Mark Green, who clearly stands out as the candidate with the most skills, accomplishments and vision.  New York City needs a Public Advocate who understands the struggles women in our city face on a daily basis. Mark Green is that person.”

The New York Times has endorsed Bill de Blasio for a position that no one's sure should even exist. It's a position so embarrassing that it can only be released in a lightly read Saturday newspaper.

My opinion (shared by many) is that the Public Advocate position should not exist.

My "public advocate moment of zen" happened way back in the 1990s, when I was championing appreciation for model Audrey Munson. Miss Munson had posed for the statue "Civic Fame" on top of the Municipal Building (and just a few floors above the Public Advocate's office). I discovered that Miss Munson had also posed for "Miss Manhattan" for the Manhattan Bridge (now at the Brooklyn Museum), Miss Munson was the lady in the Plaza Hotel Fountain, and she was very much else. Munson was the first person to pose nude in film (re-creating her famous poses), but had fallen into obscurity and had lived that last 60 years of her life (she died at age 104 in 1996) in a mental institution. The New York Times had just written a Munson piece about my research for its City section.

The NY Post has an Editorial supporting  Curtis Sliwa who has been talking about running for Public Advocate as an Independent on a platform of  eliminating the do nothing office which will cost $1.8 million this year (which is down from the $2.9 million the office has cost last year).

I like this quote from Sliwa "If elected I would close and padlock the office, fire all the employees and, most importantly, fire myself."

It's about time someone made the case for getting rid of this useless post that's costing NYC taxpayers millions of dollars every year!

I hate to say it but this might be the one job that Sliwa is actually qualified for! As long as he really intends to follow through on his promise to eliminate the office he's got my vote!

State This!

Perhaps love goes too far on the sarcasm scale, but ...

Here's the deal for tomorrow's Stated City Council Meeting:

First, Council Member Vallone will be re-re-re-introducing a bill for New York City to secede from the State; or at least to form a Commission that will look into said matter. We likey!

Second, Council Member Oddo will be triple-re-introducing a bill to prohibit the use of non-wooden bats. Apparently, they hurt less?!?!

Thirdly, our esteemed Public Advocate will be expressing her concerns by seeking to restrict the use of tanning beds in tanning salons. That is way too smart for us to understand...

Or Not?

Since the establishment (especially ours) tends to move in lockstep, should be interesting to see whether or not the Mayor's salary panel, the City Council Speaker and our other elected officials follow Hillary's lead on this one:

Sen. Clinton wants no raise without a minimum wage boost

Questions is, what can Council Members, BPs, the Public Advocate and others offer New Yorkers first, before suckin' on the public trough?

Curious minds (and taxpayers) want to know...

Deal or No Deal?

The edit heads at the Daily News vote No Deal today for City Council pay raises (of which, Barry Popik reminds us).

But we here at Backroomie, we're in to matters even more ludicrous. And that's the panel that Mayor Bloomberg created to render advice on this matter.

Frank Lombardi of the said News recently reminded us that this panel historically is but a facade for money-hungry lawmakers, and that in the past 23 years they have never NOT recommended a salary increase. OK.