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[TOP]
"At Tammany ... Err ...City Hall"
The Mystery of Michael Bloomberg
Entitlements for the Elected The Golden, Rule.
Commissioner Department of Buildings years of ineffectual reform attempts, the crane collapse, Firemen's deaths at DBank tower and the resignation of Pat. Lancaster. Grading the City scroll + Links
Buffaloed by Albany Pataki, Spitzer Bruno Troopergate, that fun ol NYYState crowd.
Budget deficts Indian Games
Govt gambling schemes-
Indian Casinos [BOTTOM]
"Albany's cloistered, secretive and cynical ways cannot be trusted to produce solutions to the many vexing problems faced by our state and its citizens.."-Charles H. Nesbitt, NYState Assembly Minority Leader, letter to NYTimes 7-10-03*
"It was state legislative leaders, like rival feudal lords, business lobbyists and other persons of influence who collectively ran the state for the last decade or so." [-Staten Is Advance, 2-9-2007]
JUL2007 [7-25 Henry Stern NYPost->] Governor, Repent Now. "Tell the whole truth immediately..[if you delay] the authorites will not hesitate to prosecute you, the way you saw to it that they went after Comptroller Alan Hevesi."
JAN 2007 Gov. Spitzer, Atty Gen Cuomo. Pataki getting 24/7 state security [unlike M. Cuomo] at $20k per week is the most inauspicious thing Spitzer did at first. Spitzer pushed the right button in his swearing in and State of the State speech. But inauspiciosuly, Sptizer allocated a State office and assistant - to his wife! FEB2007-another low precendent was set for this administration with the unfortunate S SILVER railroading thru the appointment of new Comptroller DiNaploi, who is widely called "unqualified."
He got started with reform sorta eliminating "gifts" to LEGISLATORs and requiring itemizing million$ of pork "Member Items" doled out by Bruno-Silver w NO voting involved but [1-29-2007 NYSun reports $800+mil left "capital pork" funds that can be spent at discretion of SILVER, BRUNO and the Governor. It looks REALLY bad ALREADY- Mid 2007 campaign finance [hardly] reformed in compromise with Assembly - NO limit on PAC contributions and hardly any on LLC.
Fall 2006. As Pataki about to exit the Titanic, Hevesi looked very dysfunctional himself..[but at least the he abused his office for his wife, not a girlfriend.] Hev. got re-elected, paid back what they said he owed. He resigned, copped a plea. You VOTED for him?? DUHH, so a new Comptroller will be appointed instead of elected. Note as Herb London [NYSun 12-27-2006] said, Hevesi [and any NYS Comptroller] unilaterally controlled the $145Bil Pension Fund, of his 2006 campaign "kitty" only $340,000 of total about $5Mil came from "sources other than the asset management community."
"Bruno says his business activities have all passsed muster with the Legislative Ethics Committee - a cruel joke! Bruno appoints 3 of 6 on that committee, the Chair gets paid extra, and commitee NEVER disciplined ANYONE! [-see How do you spell ethics hypocrisy? B-r-u-n-o, B. Hammond, Daily News 8-14-2007]
"So Bruno has his points, and he has made them. But what else doe Bruno have to offer a state where govenment is for sale, the economy is lagging, taxes are too high, electric power is overpriced, graduation rates are deplorable, 15% of the population lacks health
insurance and 20% of the kids live in poverty?"
As far as SILVER goes, on staff of WEITZ & LUXENBERG trial laywers which "makes part of its living suing city and state taxpayers. Do you get a price of that action?" [-Hammond "Fess Up Now," Daily News DEC 21 2006]. Silver [FEB 2008?] appointed the senior partner, yes, Mr. Luxenberg to be 1 of 13 on the unpaid volunteer NYState judicial - screening commission! [- ]
Saying the law MEANS NO! to licenses for illegals and those without Soc Security numbers, NY State Association of County Clerks OCT 4 2007 voted to oppose SPITZER on this and follow post 9-11 ID rules the GOVERNOR just said NO to.
NYC issues 6,100 Blackberrys. NYC has more cellular phones (around 2,900-NY POST 12-11-95) than any other local government-> LA / 575, Dallas/ 783, Phila. /600.
Riddle me this.. why was 'independent' Mayor Bloomberg so weepy-soft on the Governor [as opposed to his crusades to regulate and judge real-life stuff of everyday people!] Steve Mawlsberg's pondering [WABC] makes us question at LEAST either the Mayor's political integrity or character!
-MAY 2008->news 58 women in lawsuit; Bloomberg LLP discrimination over pregnancies. MON JUL 30 2007-Details made public from 1997 sexual harassment lawsuit against Bloomberg by an exec employee, settlement in 2000, raises question: Could the real Bloomy be a sexist pig? PLUS - No details available, of course, about two [2!] other similar[?] lawsuits made and withdrawn.
Gabe Pressman, venerable 54-year career reporter is probably well know to all "real NYers" over a certain age, said in NYTimes "Why won't Mayor Bloomberg take my questions?".
The Mayor at all costs does not allow follow-up questions from reporters at his new conferences. "I remember when New York reporters, even the uniformed ones were tough, feisty, irreverent. Some of the younger reporters today seem not to know these days ever existed. They have grown up in the authoritarian days of Mayor Giuliani and Bloomberg."
Greener NYC? Congestion pricing scam! Pro developer Mayor pushing dense areas to max build-out has no use for light rail, new trolleys or such ANYYWHERE EVER for NYC. Note w42 st build out and dead 41st-10Av |7| extension [see MORE->] station.
2007 spending: |
Have they no shame? Have YOU no pride?
NYTimes editorial 5-8-2008. Quinn's 'revised reform package' is change, NOT "reform"; making the process a little more open, NOT stopping friends and family from receiving $$ and absolutely no chance of eliminating "member items" and putting all city $$ spent go through the regular budget process! [More also way down in scroll box below "Member Items"..] See all NYC papers 4-17-2008 "How federal prosecutors say aides to Brooklyn Councilman Kendall Steward looted taxpayer money."-NYPost. Two of them were arrested on fraud and money laundering..they shopped around for an [yes MAYOR] Agency to approve $$ funds going to actual group they then took money off the top for themselves. NYC Dept of Investigation finally [APR 29 or 30 2008] asking the Dept of Youth and Community Affairs for records connected with this Donna Reid Fund they approved, yet anther Agency, Dept for the Aging - denied. Council members are sending grant money OUTSIDE their districts to heavy-hitter developers, and community groups in response to their campaign donations, showing they are more important than local constituents! City Council members can potentially get a piece of $200k the City Council Speaker has available for max $25,000 stipend nicknamed "lulus" in addition to salary, for committee assigments that end up of course as somewhat as rewards. The members of the NY City Council get an [office] shopping fund of $231,700 each. The Council has a $55mil budget, Individually they have NO limit on outside income and no minimum time they have to work as a Council person. I don't know how many have city cars.
In the wave of token reform and diclosure, MAY 14 2008-Mayor's Office disclosed quietly it funneled additional $4.5mil in current budget, primarily [85%] to 3 Council members and the Brooklyn Borough Pres. all DEMS, who all 'crossed party lines' in 2005 and endorsed [then] Republican Bloomberg for re-election - no word about prior year(s). Bloomberg said it is no secret- anyone can find out if they just "call 311" - yeah sure; The NYPost 5-15-2008 called it "The Mayor's Slush Fund." MAY 5 2008-The Daily News found Council members secretely funded unregistered charities through "fiscal conduits" that are not the discretionary funds list - that "often have ties to the lawmakers themsleves." UP in ALBANY, single - member items -NOT even counting jointly sponsored member "initiatives"- total from NYCS Assembly 4,485 member items $62.24mil and 5,5,191 NYS Senate item $85mil. SO we are all tainted. You must feel good paying all those taxes so they can give your little league some of the $$ tax money!
Council Speakers discretionary spending; "council initiative" and "member items" increasingly since 2001 channeled $$ to slush "reserve 'Schedule C' fund" secret holding codes involving phantom group names between budgets. She and past speaker[s] and the council have the lattitude to distrbute hundreds of millions additionally over the years largely obfuscated in procedures, and a good percentage of that fraudulently and stolen from the taxpayers- actual amounts still being determined! The real deal, as Councilman YASSKSY put it APR 2008, ["Time to Clean Up" NYPost 4-29-2008] it is an unspoken bargain between the Mayor and the Council "We get complete discretion to allocate some $100 million worth of "earmarks"; in return the rest of the Mayor's $59 billion budget sails through without significant changes." Well, you don't vote f__ "fiscal conduits" and aides in but YOU do keep re-electing these incumbents of ONE party and hardly make a fuss while they screw you! And certainly not if you or your pet cause is a beneficiary of these fund$$! SO this is all is not enough to get C. QUINN to resign, she said it would be changes, there would be 'reform'. She had p-od many other council members with move to restrict THEIR spending, which papers showed would give Mayor's office more overisght over these expenditures. Councilmembers want to save their own butts as much as or MORE than to set things right and certainly not cede more power to the Mayor, are making weakened, tarnished Quinn back off. FEDs and NYC are investigating, and Quinn is using tax money to pay a criminal lawyer to represent her, and another lawyer to represent the council!
Past good government reform during KOCHs time is clearly a failure. BUT former Parks Commish Stern [NYSun 4-30-2008] reminds of the good ol bad ol days of the Board of Estimate, which was the MAYOR, Comptroller, President of City Council [orig of the Board of Aldermen] and 5 Borough Presidents -NOT the Council- since NYC was formed in 1898 met like a Board of Directors to approve budgets and land use issues, until it was abolished in 1989 instead of being reformed, by approval and public vote on Charter Commission recomendations in response to a Supreme Court decision on proportional representation. NOW the council's business seem to be speaking for the people on foreign policy and dishing "millions to poiltical favorites" with no overisght of "kickbacks, do-nothing groups, irresponsible allocation and nepotism." He thinks it is time again for a new Board, with better proportional voting than in the past to meet constitutional tests, and take stop these -what I / you SHOULD call these mini-me Boss Tweeds that populate the Council!
Those who recognise the peril cannot escape due to you feckless masses who re elect anyone stroking them and cannot organize change -
NY State Supreme Court judgeships are not selected democratically - neither appointed by our elected officials competitive elections, but through "judicial conventions, over which party leaders exercise almost total control." so much money coming in from courthouse donors-[NYTimes, Metro 8-18-03 "Parties Select Judges, and Donor List Is Court Roll Call"]. [NYPost 9-22-03 NY State Senate renting empty Roy Goodman's old midtown NYC office for 2 year at cost of $170k a year justified as belonging to Joe Bruno of upstate Renssalaer Co., while renting another office for R. Goodman's successor]. "NY GOP: R.I.P. [-Geo. J. Marlin, NYPost 11-7-04] Leading the decline: Gov Pataki and Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno have abandoned ideology for cronyism and patronage - and seen Republican fortunes plummet for a decade." The State houses rarely can override a Gov's veto. The divisions of Rep-Dem and near-hatred by upstate NY towards NYC has them [upstate] receiving state aid and revenue incl for schools etc. to a greater degree than their population would entitle them. F__ Albany!
With the current economic, umm troubles, it has not continued to be possible to keep from public bamboozled completely, yet so far still PS- END the border war with NJ that only hurts the average citizen!
"The Mystery of Michael Bloomberg" [and the KEY to early 21st cent NY]
So many of us would have much higher regard for the Mayor and could more easily feel fully supportive of the Police, we have the current ticket blitz under daily [not publicly called-]QUOTAs which even make some cops feel
uncomfortable and a distraction from real law enforcement and one more think in the pressure to cook the books on crime stats [-NYTimes Metro 6-20-03, 10th precinct stats fudged], seems unless you have big *tits*, you cannot ask get attention of Police to ask a simple question of a Police Officer without being ignored or worse. In the Giuliani administration it also took the form of restrictions of the people from access to public buildings, restrictions on the press, restriction on public marching and protest, made thousands of stops of non-white people by plainclothes police [-who if they were civilians would be properly labeled goons or a mob-] looking for drugs or weapons. Common sense is often overpowered by heavy-handed actions that contributed to a widespread undercurrent of alienation, and in some cases, hatred towards the Mayor, the Police and the gov't. WHo does not have some gripe beyond ordinary NYC ennui and bits of offense at minor daily outrages of NYC lie? So wider dissatisfction if no perceived because of "diversity"! The huge number of different communities and constituencies that don't usually work together see their own problems with city governemt failures as unique plus they discount difficulties of others because they are 'others'; as groups from another Borough, ethnic, religious group and neighborhood, hardly individuals.
THE PRESS under BLOOMBERG is well-managed. They give him a big pass.
The mdeia salivate at coming expected $80mil spending for a third Bloomberg Mayoral campaign. QUINN made a strong statement backing continued term limits as recently as DEC 2007. Some councilpeople oppose term limits extensions also knowing they would run again if that failed. Quinn "...in a bid to salvage her political career amid speculation that City Council members considered ousting her, caved in to pressure... the most serious threat to her leadership yet ...yada yada, a meeting of the Black, Latino, and Asian caucus was held during the weekend to discuss the possibility of acting against the speaker, according to a council member who asked not to be identified."[-G. Rauh, NYSun 5-5-2008] She was coy about her mayoral ambitions for a fall 2009 run, but put this aside in her current weak position, now backs the Mayor [and herself, and most Council people] in amending term limits to allow them all to run again, let another DEM run in opposition to the Mayor fall 2009 and prolong her political shelf life instead, even towards a 2013 mayoral run, and reinforce it by removing Council persons as Committee chairs who do NOT support term limits changes such as David Weprin [Finance Committee] amongst at least 4 where there are undecided members she could punish! [-see NYPost 10-15-2008] "People [council members] were being told if you do the wrong thing there will be negative ramifications." - Councilman deBlasio [-Goldenburg, Riesman "Mike & Chris made threats over term limits: foes" NYPost 10-20-2008] Spokesperson for Mayor and CouncilSpeaker Qunin 'Denied, denied, denied.'
I would like to know if one of the biggest little scandales is the great divide between perks and office style of Elected and appointed officials, [oh Union officials too] and the regular city workers. No big-time elected official has been indicted in NYC lately. Maybe the last time an official got in way over his head publicly was in the scandals during Kochs time and the Borough President of Queens, Manes, committed suicide. Giuliani lost his hard-on for Kerik and had to [ask for ?] accept Kerik's resignation from Giuliani Partners 12-22-04. Kerik rose quickly with the aid of his NYC Gov "Godfather" Giuliani who picked him up and propelled his rise from G's driver to Dept of Corrections Comm. to Police Commish to a rich partner in Giuliani Partners to -almost- head of Dept of Homeland Security. Kerik was so highly recommended by Giuliani that it got this far WITHOUT Kerik filling out the FBI investigative package yet. Do you really believe that, as first said, it was Kerik's "Rosario" [nannygate] problem [is that SUCH an obscure "Will&Grace" reference?] that caused him to withdraw? But Bernie [the "TASER"] Kerik charmed existence was taken down a notch. He copped a plea June 2006. Then they had to take his name off the city jail bldg at the Civic Center otherwise known as the Tombs. In NYC, our version of good ol boys are mafioso-ish characters such as Giuliani and Kerik. Kerik HIMSELF wrote he was "made" when appointed to POLICE COMMISSIONER [Kerik, "The Lost Son", p 253]. He did not rise through the ranks or pass any promotion exam. After what has just been revealed I have no hesitation in characterizing them that way. Kerik abused his executive position with NYC to have affairs including use of what was a free apartment for emergency use during the WTC cleanup became his leased love-nest in a Battery Park City apt. and took work free from some contractors on his house. Well, it all doesn't mean he would not have done a good job, though. GIULIANI seems not to be very damaged by this scandale.
The indictments Oct and Nov 2003 of the Brooklyn Democratic Party leader, C. Norman for grand larceny, attempted extortion, and coercion, and also J. Feldman, executive director of the party are a confusing local only story. Re-second round of charges and ongoing probe, "The probe started when Judge Garson, after being arrested on charges he sold justice from the bench, offered to provide prosecutors with evidence that politicians were selling judgeships." [-NYSun 11-18-03]
NYTimes 10-29-2007 after NY Daily News Special Investigation published OCT 28, 29 2007 a [G. Smith-]"Earlier this year, several Mayoral aides got involved in trying to influence the outcome of a Long Island State Senate race that had implications for the Republican
Senate majority..." [T]he politicial involvement us spelled out in numerous e-mails from NOV 2006 directly to Jeffrey Kay [Director of Operations Office of Mayor] Kevin Sheekey [Deputy Mayor] and a Deputy to Dan Doctoroff at City Hall from Anthony [Skip] Piscitelli Blackbery in ALBANY keeping them informed of SPITZERs schedules, committee appointments, steered his clients to meetings [and so, contracts] with NYCity and especially about the DEM opposing a Republican the Mayor backed [had contributed $75k to the party] in the special election FEB 6 2007. Piscitelli is the former lobbyist for NYC in ALBANY 1990-94, chief lobbyist there thru JULY 2006 then an aide to FIRE COMMISSIONER Scoppetta until resigning NOV 30 2006 to become a private sector lobbyist a week afterwards. He starting these dealings back with NYC officials and its clients apparently in violation of conflict of interests [less than the legal year after leaving office]. Two other Bloomberg staffers took leaves of absences to work on the campaign. The Mayor's Press Secretary said these communications were not even an appearance of violation on part of Mayor's staff, but The Mayor asked the Conflict of Interest Board to "investigate" if Mr. Piscitelli did anything wrong.*
Everyone elected official and high appointee gets on the gravy train. FY2005 [Jun30-Jul1] $15.2 million in NY City Council non-salary expenses was obtained with a Freedom of Info request summer 2005 looked like a huge credit card bill for food, printing expenses and goodies of all kinds including over $50,000 spending at J+R. We [regular civil service emplyees] get a yearly memo from the Mayor reminding us we cannot accept any gifts of any real value. For 2005 "holidays" J Klein repealed scrooge-like 2004 order to NYC teachers notifying them they could not accept any gift worth more than $7 or any group gift if any child gives over $5. They now want to use common sense, but it is true some gift spending gets excessive, but the DEPT of Ed cannot mandate social and economic equality of all parents!
The rules, like taxes, are for the "little people". For accepting 12 Yankees tickets / $820 value in JULY 2006, a fine of $2,460 by the Public Integrity Commission NOV 4 2008 to R. Gerardi from a company the State "Energy Research and Development Authortity" had a contract with. -see DailyNews 11-5-2008. 2006-In the NYC-State $300Mil++ construction deal for the new Yankee Stadium includes thousands of Yankee tickets allocated to those connected to the politicians who greased the deal plus a new "Community Development Agreement" for youth group etc funding that channels thru the pols in charge [which really means solely the BRONX Democratic organization] $800,000 year for 40 years which though the team will spend $800Mil, is financed by NY State triple tax-free bonds. The Mayor in 2003 attempted to control other city official from accepting free Yankee tix -which was not announced to be even be part of this allocation. A NYC Comptroller audit concluded the METS owed the city $4.5 mil, a total disputed by the team which hinged on interpretation of lease provisions.-see NYPost 7-8-03. In addition, the NYPost reported [7-10-03] YES [the Yankees and Nets etc sports group] gave tix valued at the $75 gift threshold, and meals at luxe Four Seasons to local politicians including State Sen. David Paterson that is being investigated by the State Lobbying Commission.
Pols are big athletic supporters in their 'sweetheart' deals. The biggest damn shame of the billion$ of our NYC tax dollars in corporate welfare are the stadium subsidies! ...Agreements of DECEMBER 2001 at the very end of the Giulini administration, NYC handed the Yankees and METS new stadium promises 1/2 funded by NYC and lease clauses giving them 5 one-year extension with rent deductions of $5mil year for "stadium planning" expenses with few restriction placed on them. YANKEEs deducted from lease from NYC Parks Dept owned to NYC, up to $5mil year/ $25mil total for 5 yrs to end of 2005 "stadium planning" expenses. Salary and lobbying costs were the stated legit purposes, but it took a FOIA request from "Good Jobs N Y" to pry figures on showing this was stretched to include lavish dinners, crystal baseball gifts and such to officials - plus lobbyist fees that went to $700/hour!. The Bloomberg admin EXTENDED terms after it expired! The city did not audit those expense claims until pressured to so by 2008; Comptroller found $11mil+ improper[ why not illegal?] deductions from he rent paid to NYC [US!] from 2003-2006. An agreement was reached to pay back in parts May 2008 to Mar 2009! expenses deducted from rent which included $359,617 [Tishman Speyer, builder] somehow got to pay to ITs top employees bonuses besides $$ taken by Yankee execs for their own travel and entertainment! The Yankees also "inflated their revenue-sharing expenses by more than $24 million improperly reducing the amount owned to the city in rent." of $2.4mil! [-See Gonzalez DailyNews 11-7-2008 also Village Voice Oct 3-9 3007, plus issues July26-Aug1, Aug30-Sept5 2006.] The METS also have this but still details are being sought by the authors under a FOIA request.
They sang in "EVITA" the money kept rolling in from everywhere Yankees, Mets, and finally to top them all, the Mayor wheeled and dealed the taxpayers to commit us to pay for half or more of the $4bil cost [See MORE->] of Ratner's Brooklyn NETS arena and towers project alone yet he squealed about S. Silver and people of NYC being such big losers for not getting $354mil from the Feds because we do not have congestion pricing!
These clauses remained even with lease negotiations under your "brilliant businessman" Bloomberg but worse is that a means to recover this money to NYC thru new rent etc of new stadium was thrown out with elimination of these payments in new stadium financing schemes; there will be NO RENT, NO REAL ESTATE TAX and no sales tax on construction materials etc. Former Mayor Giuliani MAY 2007 denied violating regulations, he did not get a break on the price of his 5 Yankees championship rings he [one bought way later than he got it] has and that when he did not pay for box seats at games he was there officially as Mayor. -"[Giuliani] spearheaded the elimination of the city's unique commercial rent tax outside Manhattan. But instead of repealing the rest of the tax, he sought [unsuccessfuly] to use it as a dedicated revenue source to finance new stadiums for the Mets and Yankees." [-McMahon, Rudy's real tax record, Daily News 8-76-2007] Per stadium agreements [I'm sorry it is almost a myth - I should check with the Union to try to get tix!] that an allotment of game tickets theoretically available to any city employee but are a perk to officials and their friends. Anyway, the deal for NEW Yankee Stadium includes a 4-person "Landlord's Suite" for NYC at EVERY home game plus the right to purchase up to 180 tickets "for the best seats available" at face value [-Lisberg, DailyNews 7-29-2008]! There seems to be a similar deal at the METS "CitiField" for 145 tickets. SO who is gonna get them? POLS, Union biggies and friends, or..?
NY State[-law 1982] caved to the owner of Madison Square Garden [MSG] who threatened move teams to NJ so it gave them a permanent $1mil+ year electricity discount to Mad Sq Garden and a property tax exemption worth est $11.7 mil in 2004. Dec2004 an Assemblyman tried and failed to stop those taxpayer-funded breaks. Since the MSG owner loudly, publicly funded an anti-westside stadium campaign, the Mayor said he like to see the tax breaks pulled and Gov [Pataki] payed lip service to looking at the value of these to the taxpayer. But king SHELDON SILVER "said it would send a bad message if the state undid an economic package given to a business owner over a personal dispute between the firm and Bloomberg."[-NYPost 12-7-04]. Yeah well it should have been pulled after the first 10 years!
The Congestion's near free: The city rents public streets to its developers for construction purposed for as little as $50 for three moths [A. Karni, NYSun 5-14-2007], 200,000 permits a year issued to close traffic lanes, "A spokesman for the transportation department Edward Timbers, said the road-closing permits were 'not a source where we can seek to generate revenue.' No not even on billion-dollar skyscraper projects where a street can be narrowed for years. Oh, those fees can come from NYC f__ you and me over for everything.
Our newer NY 2008: Online sales tax, so far unique to NY. USENET [newsgroup] censorship/ cut off JUNE 23 2008. [See MORE->] DEMS are doing this in NY, NOT your demonised Republicans!
Money from this online sales tax could cover half or more of the ALBANY porkfest going to back to YOUR COMMUNITY GROUPS and such s___. These items are now public, but who decides to spend the tax money on each item is STILL secret! And who needs $354Mil Fed bonus $ by adding a congestion tax, when contrary to 197_ provisons, 1% emergency sales tax surcharge mandated to expire after payback of MAC Bond aid to NYC and by JULY 1 2008, POST 4-15-2008 says the MAYOR umm persuaded ALBANY to renew, at a cost to taxpayer of $1.2Bil a year, for NYC support of it and the rest of just-passed State budget!
The driver for the NYC [DEP] Dept of Environmental Protections Commissioner was reported to have been paid $90,000 which includes overtime for the second years in a row."[-NYPost 6-13-04]. 522 NYC Dept of Environmental Protection staff on supposed "first responder" status take city hybrid cars home. The story was 'broken' JULY 2008 on Fox5 local news..and it turns out actual many ACTUAL DEP first respnders are not geting those cars! The favored and connected employees get them and use them for local NYC 'field visits'. The Agency Commisssioner had let it slide! SEPT 30 2008 directly asked by a Fox5 reporter about this, MAYOR said [as usual] since he does not have the specifics, he will "look into it."
Earlier NYPost APR 18 2004 showed 1,547 city staff w personal use of city fleet cars, just 5 fewer than in 2002 and cut of 74 vehicles. BUT Feb 27 2005 they reported 1,718 civilians used official cars for commuting. Most of these assignments are based on rank, not need. "Mayor Bloomberg ordered a citywide review of lights and sirens assigned to civilians, a perquisite that had become a convenient way for some officials to speed through congested street." -after FEB 2004 Ch2 news [caught] reported Dep MAYOR Carol A. Robles Roman "routinely used her lights and sirens to cut around traffic on her commute to City Hall. " This resulted in their removal from cars of 255 city officials."[-NYTimes Metro 11-4-04 "With Siren Blaring, Fire Official Rushes to Scene of Photo-Op"] Lastest story of [minimal/ symbolic] savings from MTA forcing free liftime pases away from msot of the board and some family members JUN 2008 , NYPost[7-7-2008] showed 60 of MTA bridge & tunnel mgmt/technical staff got MTA maintained cars, some bending the rules to use them for commuting to work, the excuse is being "on call" though budget cuts mid Sept 8 MTA announced.
NY State is not tight with the taxpayers money either. NY State Controller Carl McCall, claims Albany residency, ran against Gov. Pataki for Gov., bills NY $125 a day travel expense money, while living at HOME [Daily News Feb. 26 2002] ..he has a condo on the west side, his wife Joyce Brown is President of F.I.T. [Design college of the State Univ. of NY] in Chelsea and they both stay in the refurbished luxe Penthouse apt. on the top of the residence tower on 27st campus. He was a past President [not Chancellor] of the Board of Education. A big liberal for the people all right. Gov Pataki "who spent more than $45 million for his re-election bid last year, repaid the state a "token" amount of $4,000 for use of the state air fleet during the campaign.." though not detailing the expenses..Gov not required to pay if the trip is last stop in a campaign or more than half campaign related. [-NYPost 7-29-03] I work for the city and we are prohibited from accepting tips, and anything other than inexpensive personal gifts. The State rule is $75 limit. The Gov and State Ethics Commission [5 members, Pataki picked 3 of them] had no comment on such gifties as these expensive trips on PRIVATE jets, all details remained secret though a spokesman for the GOV said he reimburses at a [lower!] rate of first-class air travel. Great, that mirrors the practice of CEOs using company jets for personal. Many other State and Federal officials also make imperious and some illegitimate use of helicopters and air transport trips and when they reimburse the company it is at lower tax-related rate, not luxe charter fees.
Fiscal crisis pressure cut former Mayor Giuliani's NYC-paid bodyguard staff in half [1-14-03 NY POST] from a approx. 20 man 24-hour contingent giving him 4 bodyguards at a time. Mayor Bloomberg personally prevented total phase-out of Police detective bodyguards. The paper also says Giuliani's former wife, Donna Hanover had city bodyguards until "last week". Former POLICE COMMISH., H. Safir, had up to 13 NYPD detective bodyguards for 16 months after leaving office, til 1-1-02 ended by new Mayor Bloomberg. Former Chairman of the MTA (Metropolitan Transportation Authority) and got a $200,000 severance check. He left only a $150,000 salary, with a $31,706 Housing Allowance and a car, with free public transit privileges for life. (This was back in 1995, and he may have had to pay back some of these special pension
privileges). Besides the government elite with drivers, hundreds of other public officials get bridge passes from the MTA, as do some politicians for Port Authority crossings, and 7,600+ Port Auth current/ retired employees! MTA board members [and board member from some of the other NYState Authorities] illegally got subsidised health care if they cared to; this might be cut under Spitzer/Cuomo in 2007 - oops Paterson mid 2008. I'm tired of going on about the budget shortages that caused 'them' (MTA and NYCTA) to raise the fare over and over and cut services including ACCESS/ closing entrances[!] even as ridership increased at all hours.
Jim Dwyer [NYTimes 3-19-2008] called 1990s time when NYC "gave up on the function of building inspection...[T]he city's construction business, particularly outside of Manhattan, is becoming the modern version of the 19th century coal mine." Not since KOCHs time have NYC prosecuted fire/building violations even if as misdemaeanor cases generally- in Criminal Court! The system was turned to self-certifying for most permits, self-certifying for most corrections of violations [-notarised statement] civil-based penalty system under ECB [ENVIRONMENTAL Control Board!-[-See J. Cox, 'Bad builders belong in prison' 3-14-2008 Daily News].
A Comptroller audit [released JUN 24 2008] found danger to public because Dept of Buildings /their inspectors "permitted buildings with multiple hazardous violations to go uncorrected for years." The bldg dept did not meet its own standards to audit 10% of the self certifying jobs for compliance by 33%. The Department "failed to reinspect 20 percent of the properties due for reinspection as part of it Hazardous Re-inpection program, because inspectors could not gain access to the properties. Owners commonly do not return forms 'requesting' reinspections! News, Post, Times, Newsday 6-25-2008. The Department disputed the report, calling it "misleading" and they are now following the recommendations of the report. Oh...Their number increased since the 2001 low of 277, but there are still about half as many bldg. dept inspectors 2007/08 [426] than there were in the early 1990s [about 800], a relatively quiet time in construction. Situation so dire that Mayor announced MAY 18 2008 funding for hiring of 63 more inspectors.
In an audit of 155 projects that had been certified by private engineers or architects as having met the city codes, 80 percent of the jobs turned out to have problems, the Buildings Department found." [-Jim Dwyer, About NY, "A Hole In Brooklyn And Scandal At City Hall" A foundation was missing 90-foot slabs, but passes inspection anyway" NYTimes 10-27-2007] Dr. Heyman of Bellevue Hosp, a neighbor mobilised his local civic group fall 2005 and together they tried to get NYC to take stop over-big project in an area of single family homes, but "Every level of Michael R. Bloomberg's administration blew him off. But he was right. They were wrong." ..even as high up as the Borough Commissioner; his inspectors came 18 times during construction but builder got away with incomplete foundation ON FEB 15 2006 deadline when local down-zoning would clearly rule out the new 5-fl condo bldg. Project was passed by Dept of Buildings as per routine. NY Times inquired and the deed was exposed, building permit was withdrawn OCT 2007. But Times also did the Mayor a "favor" by burying this story in Section "B" on a Saturday!
No investigation, just b__s to stand up to unions, special interests to challenge ol [State] WICKS Law. Bloomberg, Giuliani et al have ever uttered much publicly about that [it is a STATE law] even after NYState Senators [Republican-J Bruno] killed [JULY 2007] a reform measure to at lease raise WICKs contract threshold up from $50.000. Battle of the Badges continues"Two-and-a-half years after Sept. 11 and eight years after Gov. Pataki ordered [the NYPD and FDNY] to create formal procedures [emergency situation command protocols], the city still has not formulated an emergency plan."[-am New York, 5-6-04]
The FEDs got around to issuing violations and $464k in fines FEB 20 2008. "As Fire Inquiry At Ground Zero Grows, So Do Legal Bills" NYC and LMDC incur $2.2mil+ and growing bill for private legal services for them to face off aganst the Manhattan District Attorney! Rashbaum/ Bagli, NYTimes 2-21-2008. Add on 2 killed family members lawsuits now... Immediately post fire- NYC REacted, stepped up inspections double -over- the mandated every 15 days at construction sites. OCT 9 2007 -Firemen's org said Commissioner should resign for a cover-up because Dept order no e mail sent on the case and that an important hard drive with info on the case was confiscated. Scoppetta made himself unavailable to the press after the fire and accidents and Bloomberg only took questions from soft reporters. [-J. Gonzalez, "Where have you gone, Scoppetta & Bloomy" Daily News 8-24-2007]; this Fire Commissioner and past Children's Services Commissioner was praised!. Scoppetta testified JULY 31 2008 at Grand Jury aobut potential for criminal charges to anyone in theis tragedy. DBank late NOV 2007 NY City/State LMDC fiddled about for new demolition contractor and still figuring if decontamination should be at the same time as or finished BEFORE demolition. Ed. Marquette DOB inspector was assigned to inspect MAR 4 after "311" hotline complaints of support of the crane at 51st off 2av..he did NOT go, falsified the report, and was ARRESTED MAR 20; NYC Dept of Buildings "March 25, Buildings Commissioner Lancaster announced changes to the Department's protocol regarding the erection and dismantling (including jumping) of tower cranes.
APR 2008 the Buildings 'Chair'woman and the Commisisoner confirmed before a City Council hearing the 43fl under-construction tower on e51st is actually NOT permitted by the zoning! though the complex rules in this 'contextual' zoned parcel favor those who play with the rules to build higher... A Buildings inspector was then required to be present on a construction site whenever a tower crane is being raised or lowered, until further notice." OOPS just as this 'futher notice' was being undone, MAY 30 2008 another crane broke, 2 dead- 1 apartment building evacuated. The Mayor said not to worry, that crane was inspected 2 days before it broke, so it was not for the same REASON as the one in MARCH! This is a 20-yer old crane. Assistant Chief Inspector Delayo was arrested JUNE 6 2008, Dept of Investigation found he accepted about $10,00 in bribes, including falsifying crane inspection reports; this case in unrelated to MAY crane break. In THAT case, the crane co reused-repaired the lighning struck- cab turtable. ..they say DUBAI and CHINA got much of the biggest/best of the bunch, bidded prices way up and about 1/4 of all the bigggest cranes in the world are in Dubai, NOW!
..if she did not go, finger might be pointing at the MAYOR. Was she sacrificed for the "public"? So, with no more wiggle room left,; Patricia J. Lancaster, AIA resigned 5 days later. Appointed by Mayor Bloomberg April 2002 as Commissioner of the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) on what was supposed to be a path to updating the Department. Daily News and other such media position it was too bad she left because OH she was so GOOD she got the building code updated and put DOB records online it was more because she just was not a polticial "insider" [-see Danis,'City Hall Insider' Daily News 4-27-2008]! DO we accept the crap that all the deaths, accidents, not to mention Lancaster's participation in the admin's city for sale to developers are all just the price to pay for a growing NYC?
A Joint Task Force announced at City Hall Sept 26 2002 by Mayor Bloomberg [see PR-252-02] for comprehensive "Reforms at Departments of Finance and Buildings" aimed at ending corruption in the Departments of Finance (DOF) and the Department of Buildings (DOB)" Their Commissioners released a preliminary report containing 23 specific recommendations to make DOF's policies and procedures clear and easy to understand and to eliminate corruption risks in the Real Property Assessments Unit.
NY City officials largest legal contributors are from the Real estate industry Contractors and vendors also "Pay to Play." Reform put off for years, but the Mayor did sign a bill JULY 2007 and first phase of new limitations will take effect Spring 2008. Developers are giving their bigge$t contributions ever well in advance of upcoming 2009 races for major City offices.
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Many local politicians turn out to be bigger schmoozers than celebs who used to be the ones previously excoriated in the tabloids for their 
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Imperial gov't on YOUR dime:
CHRISTINE QUINN NYC's umm highest ranking lesbian. City Council speaker. Same ol politics. Priceless? NO, 2008 State of the City speech written by consultant: $12,000. Her spokesman said it was "a bargain", cheaper than having a full time speechwriter! [-C Katz, 2-11-2008 Daily News]
- name changes were his first proposals of 2008.
Denying it until the brink and JUN 13 public announcment, Mayor agreed to NYState is taking over its operation and gettting some more [$7.5mil] $$ back to NYC, called off his threat close down of the rest, after some NYC OTB closings from SPR 2008. NYC OTB 4th year of deficits. NYC is one of 6 regional admin districts. It was not run well. There was a $9mil loss on "betting handle" of $1.04 billion and on verge of going "bust!", NYC got less than 1.5% of it after NY State and NYRacing Assoc take about 90% of profits. Bloomberg threatened OCT 2007 to close all NYC OTB betting parlours and a couple of cafes in NYC on JUN 15 2008. "..Nassau's more technolgically advanced OTB makes money." [-Short takes, NEWSDAY 6-13-2008] AND how is THAT?
McGreevey was NOT a role model AND SHOULD NOT have BEEN ANOINTED as any leder or role model for the gay community [apparently in the eyes of pols, too - former Morris Co. prosecutor Michael Murphy and NJ State Sen. Lesniak "Pals see McG as gay leader"- NYPost 11-15-04]. ... Latest dirt coming out 2008 on him as he and ex wife battle in court changed your P-C minds about him, yet! . . . "On the plus side, New York is not New Jersey. There, when they talk about three in a room, they mean the former governor, his wife and the driver who says he had sex with one while the other watched." [-Sad but True: Missing The Old Days in Albany, Clyde Haberman, NYTimes 3-25-2008]
The NJ Gov continued his spin control, serving the Democratic party mob doing whatever esp. making resignation effective NOV 15 giving the finger to NJ State constitution in order to hold the office for a DEM successor and has lots of time to use the office to enact various party favors for sure.
Gov. McGreevey made headlines DEC 2002 for his 272 helicopter flights in SEP-early NOV 2002 including 12 for private trips at flying cost of $1,2000 hour, after raising questions about a trip to 'homeland' well, he's Irish, Ireland summer 2002 with a group, maybe with Golan Cipel, his so-called security chief boyfriend too? Cindy Adams [OCT 24 2004 column] said "this creep" Goaln brought down McG. Sometimes Cincdy is just too too [off base!]
CT Gov John Rowland announced his resignation JUN 21 2004 [rather than being made to testify to the Fed investigators] about 6 months after Jan 2004 fed and state investigations started as first steps toward impeachment. Gov. Rowland said Jan 7 "I was wrong when I accepted gifts given to me by state employees and from friends who do business with the state."
..and then Gov Corzine. Umm, seatbelts, honey. Oh you Jersey [State troopers] drivers. Oh the McGreev had them stop and let him out to play at NJ hiway rest stops!
[TOP]
"At Tammany ... Err ...City Hall"
The Mystery of Michael Bloomberg
Entitlements for the Elected
The Golden, Rule.
Commissioner
Department of Buildings years of ineffectual reform attempts, the crane collapse, Firement's deaths at DBank tower and the resignation of Pat. Lancaster.
Grading the City scroll +
Links
Buffaloed by Albany
Pataki, Spitzer Bruno Troopergate, that fun ol NYYState crowd.
Budget deficts
Indian Games
Govt gambling schemes-
Indian Casinos
BOTTOM
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