via Empire Zone

Gov. Eliot Spitzer continued his attacks on Democratic legislators this morning. His latest target: Assemblyman George S. Latimer of Westchester County.

“I had supported George for the Assembly because I thought he supported reform, and I’m terribly disappointed to see both what he did, how he voted and what he has said,” the governor said this morning, during a stop in Mr. Latimer’s district. “We’ll see what happens down the road. I’m sure there are candidates out there who do support reform. That’s what I said up in Syracuse that’s what I’ll say in Buffalo, that’s what I’ll say wherever I go across the state.”

via the New York Post

“There’s nothing like losing a skirmish that leads me to want to win the next round more,” Spitzer told a group of donors at a breakfast in Manhattan, according to a source at the event.

“The knockout blow is coming very soon,” he threatened - hinting at a possible coup against Silver.

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“I don’t think tactics that impugn our integrity work,” Canestrari said. “We need to deal with these things in a rational, unemotional manner.”

Another shocked Assembly Democrat said, “He’s f- - -ing nuts. He’s like a maniac. . . I first thought his aggressive thing was a posture, a strategy to make us the enemy, but I no longer think that. Now I think he’s got a very serious temper management issue.”

(more)

When certain people talk about the history of Brooklyn, their story starts and ends with the Dodgers. Invoking the legacy of Jackie Robinson and the diverse and motley crew that won the 1955 World Series championship barely hints at the central role that African Americans have played in the evolution of Brooklyn or the millennia of human habitation in this land that precedes the 1957 demolition of Ebbets Field. Even superficial reminders of the previous inhabitants of the New York, like place names, are endangered. If real estate developers had their unfettered way, Canarsie, named for a local chief, would become – let’s say – Citi-village – and the job of cleansing the Native American from Kings County would be complete. The last Native American aboriginal to Brooklyn died around 1810.

A while ago, I reported on the candidates who filed petitions to run in contested Primaries in New York City. Now I’m reporting which elections in New York State do not have a traditional Republican vs. Democrat contest. That is, the Congressional & State Legislative districts where either the Democrats or Republicans do not have a candidate running.

Congress

4 Democratic Members of Congress – Rep. Gary Ackerman, Rep. Gregory Meeks, Rep. Anthony Weiner & Rep. Maurice Hinchey have no Republican opponents.

State Senate

15 of the 62 State Senators do not have major Party opponents. 7 are Democrats from New York City plus 1 Republican from NYC – Marty Golden.

It's been a tough week for Republicrat Morshed Alam, who is Democrat Rory Lancman's opponent for the open 25th District State Assembly seat in Queens. First, he got caught using a non-union printer for his lit and posters, even though the lit in question touts his being a DC37 member and claims he "Supports labor's right to organize and for their members to be treated with dignity and respect." I guess that doesn't apply to workers in the printing trade. Then the New York Observer caught him fabricating endorsements. The reporter's conversation with Councilman Leroy Comrie is particularly funny ("He's been calling me and begging me and calling me and asking me and calling me and asking me."). Then the Queens Tribune outed Alam as also running on the Republican line (understandably, Alam was "reluctant" to discuss his Republican endorsement). And finally Alam's campaign finance filing showed him with barely $14,000 on hand. (Rory Lancman filed with over $78,000 on hand). Like I said, it's been a tough week for Morshed.

Back in 1985, the Erie County Legislature, with Albany's permission and approval, passed an extra 1% sales tax - a “temporary” sales tax that has come up for - and passed - renewal every year since.

Originally passed to plug a County budget hole, the City of Buffalo didn't receive a share of that particular 1%. (To call it a “penny” is really facile propaganda).

In that 21 years, when the County was flush with cash, the call went out to share part of that particular sales tax with the municipalities in general, and Buffalo in particular.

In February, the Erie County Legislature voted 11-4 to allocate and share $12.5 million generated by that 1% "temporary" sales tax with the municipalities. This came about because Assembly Majority Leader Paul Tokasz (D-Cheektowaga) held this year’s renewal of that 1% hostage.