Khari Edwards, an aide to Senator John Sampson who previously worked for Governor David Paterson, looks like he’s ready to move out of Albany politics and into City Hall.
On Wednesday evening, Mr. Edwards is holding a campaign kickoff event for Councilwoman Tish James’ seat. Ms. James is widely expected to run for Public Advocate in 2013, leaving a vacant seat behind her for aspiring politicians in her Central Brooklyn district. Read More
In order to muscle their paid sick day bill through the City Council, advocates have been making a concerted media push to connect the issue to female New Yorkers, and it’s hard to deny that they’ve developed some traction. In particular, the aim seems to be to persuade Council Speaker Christine Quinn, a leading mayoral candidate in 2013, into coming on board by developing public pressure on the matter.
Feminist author Gloria Steinem may have put it most bluntly, defining it in a New York Times interview as critical for her support, as women disproportionately have jobs affected by the bill in addition to needing to care for sick children, but that’s hardly the only media hit. Read More
Councilman Dan Halloran, who’s also the Republican candidate for Congress in Queens, is going to be out of commission in the near future as he undergoes surgery to remove a benign tumor.
“As a member of the City Council, I’m used to my every move being public. It’s one of the downsides to a life of public service, but I have grown accustomed to it,” Mr. Halloran wrote to his supporters this evening. “Today, however, I need to share with you something about the most private of subjects – my personal health.” Read More
As Councilwoman Jessica Lappin eyes a run for Manhattan Borough President, another candidate is publicly eyeing her seat in the City Council.
“If Jessica Lappin announces … I will be running for the seat,” Hill Krishnan, an adjunct professor at New York University, told The Politicker this afternoon.
Mr. Krishnan leaned on his background as an Indian immigrant to articulate his his motivations for running.
“I came to this country just ten years back,” he buoyantly explained. “This country has given me everything. I’ve lived the American dream and this is my opportunity to give back.” Read More
Councilwoman Diana Reyna’s Chief of Staff, Antonio Reynoso, who had long been rumored to have interest in her seat in 2013, is now talking openly about it.
“Born and raised in this district, I really feel that I’ve got a pulse on the community. I’ve been here, and I’ve lived it, and I know the issues that affect this community,” Mr. Reynoso said in a recent interview with Roberto Perez. “As a leader and a representative, I’ll be sure to represent the interests of my community, and this community in the 34th District.” Read More
Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer said there is no “rhyme or reason” for how the City Council allocates millions of dollars in “member items,” and that rich neighborhoods often get more money than poorer communities.
There is “no statistical relationship between a district’s need and it’s member allocation,” Stringer said in a conference call this afternoon when his office released a review of data from the last four year.
The Manhattan Borough President said his staff look at nine of the country’s largest cities and that none of them distribute as much money in as “arbitrary” manner. Read More
A spokeswoman for City Councilman Joel Rivera confirms he is now also selling real estate as a member of the ReMax agency.
The company announced his hiring in a press release this morning. Read More
The City Council voted today to require the mayor’s office to post all executive orders and MOUs online in an effort to make documents only available through FOIA requests available to a broader audience.
Under the new legislation, beginning next month the administration will have to submit newly-enacted executive orders to the City Council as Read More
We are live at a packed City Council hearing on a proposal to mandate a living wage for city-subsidized projects.
The hearing got off to something of a rocky start when Darlene Mealy, who is leading the hearing in her capacity as chair of the Committee on Contracts, stumbled over the names of some of her colleagues and forgot others outright. Read More
