With only 15 days until Primary elections on Thursday, September 13, candidates seeking to win their party’s support and become candidates for state legislative positions can be expected to make their final effort to get their names and messages heard before Queens voters go to the polls and cast their ballot.
In all, there are only nine elections at stake—six for Democrats, two for Republicans and one for the Independence Party—and in those nine contests, 21 hopefuls will be putting their futures on the line, so it’s time to pull out all the stops to get their supporters out to vote.
There are only two races where the outcome is still hard to predict—the voting for the 10th state senate Democratic nomination between incumbent Shirley Huntley and opponent Councilmember James Sanders and the new 40th Assembly District race in Flushing where five Democrats, four of them East Asians, are battling for the nomination.
Any indictment would surely hurt Huntley, who is seeking her fourth term. Sanders’ prospects of winning had already been good since his home district in Far Rockaway had been included in the redrawn district. The candidates are: Ron Kim of Whitestone, an attorney who has the Democratic Party endorsement; Myung suk Lee, a Korean language weekly newspaper publisher from Flushing; Ethel Chen, of Flushing; Yen S. Chou, of Oakland Gardens and Martha Flores- Vasquez, also of Flushing, where she is a local Democratic District leader.
In both the 10th senate and 40th AD contests, winning the Democratic Party nomination will set up easy general election chores for the candidates because Democratic voters predominate in those areas, namely Southeast Queens for the senate seat and Flushing for the Assembly seat.
Sanders may have picked up some help in winning over Huntley during the past weekend. Several newspapers reported that Huntley had informed them that she expected to be arrested shortly in connection with charges being investigated about state funds she had secured and sent to non-profit organizations in her district.
Huntley, 74, also assured them that she expects to be cleared of any alleged wrong doing. She said she had expected to turn herself in this past Monday to the State Attorney General’s office.
Any indictment would surely hurt Huntley, who is seeking her fourth term. Sanders’ prospects of winning had already been good since his home district in Far Rockaway had been included in the redrawn district. The yearlong probe by the AG didn’t help, nor did denials by a union that its endorsement had been withdrawn after she had announced it.
Also damaging, by implication, was the recent announcement that Albany powerhouse Assemblymember Vito Lopez, of Brooklyn, had been censured for alleged sex harassment charges brought by two women working in his office.
Finally, Sanders’ cause was helped when supporters announced formation of a new Democratic club in Richmond Hill, which endorsed him over Huntley.
In the other Democratic primaries, incumbents seeking nominations to run for re-election seem assured of victory. They are state Senator Toby Ann Stavisky (Whitestone) 16th District, opposed by John A. Messer, whom she defeated easily two years ago; and Assemblymembers Barbara Clark (33rd AD/Cambria Heights) and Assemblymember Michael Miller 38th AD/Woodhaven). Clark faces Clyde Vanel and Miller is opposed by David Adomo.
The remaining Democratic Assembly primary is for the 25th AD nomination in the Bayside/Fresh Meadows district between Jerry Iannece, who has the Democratic organization’s endorsement, which gives him an edge over opponent Nilly D. Rozic.
On the Republican side of the ledger, Councilmember Eric Ulrich (Ozone Park), faces some opposition from Rego Park attorney Juan D. Reyes for the 15th senate district seat, which was redrawn to stretch from Howard Beach to Forest Hills. We give the edge to Ulrich.
Another Republican primary has Philip Gim of Whitestone facing Sunny Hahn of Flushing for the 40th AD nomination.
In the only Independence Party primary, Ulrich faces Joseph A. Tiraco for the nomination, which Ulrich is the favorite to win.
RON KIM CALLS FOR MORE SUPERMARKETS: In a recent news release, Ron Kim, one of the entries in the 40th AD/Flushing Democratic primary, called for more “mainstream supermarkets” in Queens. Joining with labor leaders at a rally, Kim and the group urged New York state to seek both state and private funding to protect current supermarkets and provide public funding to help open new ones because they provide good jobs.
“Middle class families see direct, concrete benefits when their communities are home to full service supermarkets,” said Kim, who previously worked in the state Department of Small Business Services. He also worked as an aide to Assemblymember Mark Weprin.
Kim described supermarkets as “places that contribute to the overall quality of life in our neighborhoods by providing good jobs and healthy food for our families. Most importantly, neighborhoods with supermarkets stocking fresh fruits and vegetables have far lower rates of obesity and diabetes than those without.”
Kim concluded, “It is incumbent upon New York state to do everything in its power to incentivize the retention of current supermarkets, and the expansion or construction of new supermarkets in underserved communities.
“New York state should undertake a complete review of the regulatory process to consider ways to reduce possibly costly mandates, simplify the burdensome inspection process… and possible other ways to reduce the cost of starting and operating supermarkets.
MORE STAVISKY ENDORSEMENTS: The state AFL/CIO, which represents 2.5 working men and women in New York state, has announced its endorsement of state Senator Toby Ann Stavisky for re-election.
Toby has been a champion for working families since the time she was first elected…,” said NYS AFL-CIO President Mario Cilento. “Her focus on job creation and steadfast advocacy for raising New York’s minimum wage is exactly what middle class families need in Albany.”
Cilento promised campaign support and get-out-the-vote efforts for Stavisky.
KING ENDORSES ULRICH: One of the state’s top Republicans, Congressmember Peter King from Long Island, has endorsed Councilmember Eric Ulrich, who is seeking the Republican and Independence Party nominations for the 15th District state senate seat in South Queens in the September 13 primary and the November general elections.
Previous endorsements for Ulrich came from the Conservative and Independence organizations and Congressmember Bob Turner (R–C–Queens/Brooklyn).
King, who chairs the Homeland Security Committee, noted in his endorsement, “Eric understands that the way to put New Yorkers back to work and grow our economy is by lowering taxes on families and small businesses and reigning in the reckless government spending that has created unsustainable deficits and threatens our competitiveness.”
On another matter, the court ruling that the MTA’s payroll tax is unconstitutional, Ulrich stated, “It is good for small businesses in Queens” and “hopefully, this will force the MTA to identify smart, cost-saving solutions to balance its budget, rather than simply cutting bus service and raising fares. Albany must get the MTA’s budget under control. Asking small businesses to shoulder the burden for public transportation is unfair and I am glad the court agreed.”
VIPS CAN’T CUT PARADE LINES, SAYS MIKE: Last year when a councilmember and aides to the Public Advocate tried to cut through police checkpoints at the annual West Indian Day Parade, a dangerous ruckus ensued and many people were put in jeopardy.
This year, no one will be able to go through cop lines at the West Indian Day Parade, or any other lines in the future, Mayor Bloomberg ruled last week.
“We believe the cops didn’t do anything wrong,” the mayor said, referring to last year’s incident. “But regardless, we looked at this and the city’s main job at public events… is to keep the public safe.”
Police lines are set up so emergency vehicles can get through, the mayor explained.
HEALTHY FOODS, $10 A BAG, AT QUEENSBRIDGE: “We have a diabetes epidemic and an obesity epidemic,” Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer explained in announcing that a countermeasure will be offered to help right the situation at the Queensbridge Houses in Long Island City.
Under the new program, farm fresh produce, which is rarely seen at the development, will be offered to residents at $10 a bag for a week’s supply. Once a week, GROW NYC will set up the tables near the Neighborhood Settlement in Queensbridge and produce will be trucked in directly from local farms.
Van Bramer, who’s funding the program, explained, “Access to healthy food is particularly challenging in areas where those options are not good and are not available.”
DEALING WITH FLOODING FROM STORMS: The summer of 2012, like other recent summers, has brought many water flooding experiences to New York City and many other places. Last week, the City Council, led by Councilmember James Gennaro (D–Fresh Meadows), its environmental maven, voted to order a city panel of climate scientists to draw up plans to deal with rising sea levels and overbearing heat that could result from climate change.
With an eye toward dealing with the floods, Gennaro said, “What we really are getting hit with are these very extreme weather events. We need to be very mindful of sea level rise and what that could mean for New York City.”
Mayor Michael Bloomberg started to question the need to look into environmental impacts and, as a result, for example, the Willets Point development, is being built at an elevated level to provide safety from flooding, as have several other developments.
Meanwhile, about a week ago, one of those out-of-nowhere rain storms suddenly flooded basements and some outdoor locations. In Glendale, for instance, the floods caused so much havoc and problems that Councilmember Elizabeth Crowley (D–Glendale) was hit by another flood—of phone calls—reporting damage.
One flooding incident occurred at an underpass at 76th Street and Cooper Avenue where the water rose so high that an 86-year-old nun, trapped in a car that was disabled by the rising tide had to be rescued by the Fire Department EMTs.
Crowley, meanwhile, spurred on by the calls she received, called the Departments of Environment and Design and Construction and was told that apparently a local pumping station did not have the capacity to deal with the flooding produced.
PROPOSE ELECTRIC CARS AS CABS: Councilmembers Mark Weprin (D–Oakland Gardens) and James Vacca (D–The Bronx) have introduced legislation to encourage the NYC Taxi Limousine Commission (TLC) to use, for the first time, electric cars, which have zero emissions, to protect the environment.
Weprin, chair of the Zoning and Franchises Committee, explained; “Increasing the use of electric vehicles will reduce carbon emissions, protect the environment, and make New York a more sustainable city for future generations.
Vacca stated, “Although electric vehicles represent only a tiny portion of car users, the growth potential is enormous, and the city should be looking at any viable way to encourage electric vehicle use.”
The Weprin/Vacca bill would allow TLC to approve electric vehicles for use as medallion taxis as long as they meet the TLC’s relevant safety criteria. TLC already approves certain hybird vehicles for use as medallion taxicabs when they meet its internal criteria.
ASKS DEP ‘RESPOND TO OVERDUE FLOOD CLAIMS’: A year since Southern Queens residents filed flood claims with the city following Hurricane Irene, they have still not been settled, and Assemblymember Phillip Goldfeder (D–Rockaway) thinks the city should take action on them now.
Goldfeder said in a letter to the Department of Environmental Protection, “Southern Queens and Rockaway residents were hit the hardest by Hurricane Irene and many local residents have waited nearly a year for relief from the damage. Time is of the essence in settling claims that would provide assistance to cover the costs associated with property damage due to city negligence.”
GIANARIS PUSHES TO EXPAND BUS SERVICE: Following pronouncements that previously cut transportation services in Western Queens would not be restored, state Senator Michael Gianaris is calling on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to expand Q103 bus line hours of operation. He sent a letter to MTA Chairman Joe Lhota requesting a review of the Q103 for possible expansion to night and weekend service.
The Q103 is currently only operational on weekdays, with service terminating shortly before 7 p.m. It travels between Astoria and Hunter’s Point in Long Island City, along which a burgeoning arts corridor in Western Queens has been established. The bus is already well-utilized and demand for increased service hours will only grow as this arts corridor further develops and the community prepares for construction of the Cornell-Technion Applied Sciences Campus on Roosevelt Island. The only bridge connecting to Roosevelt Island empties directly onto the Q103 route between Astoria and Long Island City.
“Western Queens has experienced a population and development boom, and it is important that mass transit keeps pace with that growth,” Gianaris said. “The emergence of our LIC arts community and the opening of the Cornell-Technion Campus on Roosevelt Island make an expanded Q103 service a necessity.”
In July, Gianaris also called on the MTA to include the W subway and the QM22 bus on its list of service restorations. Gianaris believes Queens is in need of more transportation options, particularly as previously cut services are not restored.
LIU GUEST SPEAKER AT JFK DEMOCRATIC CLUB MEETING: The JFK Regular Democratic Club will have as their guest speaker City Comptroller John C. Liu at their meeting on August 30, 7:30 p.m. at the Jewish Center of Kew Gardens Hills, 71-25 Main St., Lower Level Meeting Room in Kew Gardens Hills.
