Ognibene & O'Shea Closing Attorneys: Real Estate, Home Closings, Mortgages, Election Law, Ballot Access, Campaigning Tactics and Ensuring Candidacy

Unions made the NY difference

oolawyers — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 21:17:24 +0000

Republicans nationally just had one of their best days ever — but New York stands out as one of the few places that the wave missed. Every Democrat running for statewide office won, three in landslides, plus Attorney General-elect Eric Schneiderman and Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, who’d both been thought vulnerable to defeat by attractive Republican opponents.

More significant, the Democrats may have kept their 32-30 control of the state Senate, and they re-elected almost all of their Assembly members, despite poll numbers showing voters were disgusted with Albany governance.

OK, New York isn’t completely different: Democrats lost at least five House seats and seven to 10 Assembly seats. Democrats did fairly well in a few other states on Tuesday, among them California, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Hawaii.

But, compared to most of the country, we certainly voted differently — and have for at least a decade.

While there are many reasons for this, a crucial one is organized labor. New York has more than 2 million union members, second only to California — more than 25 percent of workers here are union members, tops in the nation.

And New York unions are politically active. Some limit their actions to donating to favored candidates; others make sure their members are registered to vote and inform them of which candidates support the union’s positions.

But many do much more — from forming the base of the Working Families Party (which was remarkably successful in last year’s New York City Council elections) to having union members canvass or phone voters in close races.

A personal example: Last Friday, someone helping Republican state Sen. Frank Padavan told me that the campaign was worried because the United Federation of Teachers was making a major effort on behalf of his Democratic opponent, former City Councilman Tony Avella.

This was the first I’d heard Padavan might be in trouble; internal polls supposedly had him with a big lead. But the teachers unions can be quite effective: I served as a consultant this year for an incumbent assemblywoman who lost the Democratic nomination by 56 votes — and whose opponent was encouraged to run by the New York State United Teachers, which was his largest contributor.

The unions were effective again. Avella was one of two Democrats to take a GOP Senate seat; the other was David Carlucci in Rockland County. UFT President Michael Mulgrew told me that hundreds of union members campaigned for both candidates, with members from Manhattan and The Bronx going to Rockland.

Mulgrew also says the union was active on behalf of Tim Kennedy, a Democratic Senate candidate in Erie County, who was defending a seat that most observers thought was hopeless — but who won.

Conversely, the two Democratic senators who lost were not endorsed by either the teachers or the AFL-CIO, as is one whose race is too close to call, which may determine who controls the Senate.

Original Article, Click Here

Author: JERRY SKURNIK

Jerry Skurnik is a partner in Prime New York, a political consulting firm.

Most Yonkers voters found propositions on the back of ballots

oolawyers — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 21:11:59 +0000

Concerns that Yonkers voters did not know about two propositions on Tuesday’s ballot were premature given updated numbers from the Westchester County Board of Elections.

On Election Night, initial results for the two initiatives showed that no more than 250 people voted for the propositions, an impossibly low number that left residents wondering what went wrong.

Updated, though still unofficial results show that poll workers did indeed do their jobs and inform the public about the propositions, which were printed on the back of the ballots in Yonkers.

Proposition 1, which addressed mayoral appointments, was approved by 13,265 votes, about 52 percent of the total vote.

Proposition 2, which addressed mayoral succession, was approved by 18,650 votes, or almost 73 percent of the vote.

The updated unofficial results do not include one of the city’s 316 districts, nor do they include absentee or provisional ballots.

On Wednesday Yonkers Mayor Phil Amicone appointed a new Charter Revision Commission to begin working on new charter amendments for next year’s November election.

City Council President Chuck Lesnick said today that Amicone’s appointment of the commission blocks any potential ballot initiatives from the public or the City Council’s ability to put a proposition on the ballot.

“It’s not circumventing anything. I called the Charter Revision Commission because over the years this charter has been left in its state and has not really changed with the times, and I?felt it was necessary for the CRC to each year look at several different issues and aspects of it that could improve the charter so that it better serves the people and the government and the City of Yonkers,” said Amicone, adding that council members can submit their suggestions to the commission. “Their input into it is no different from mine or a citizen’s input into what they can and should look at.”

The new commission’s members are:

Julius Walls, Chairman
Robert Gottschall, Vice-Chairman
Ralph Puma, Secretary
Martin Ball, Member
Joseph Tinelli, Member
Steve Szulhan, Member
Christopher Alkins, Member
Polli Jassal, Member
Oliver Charles, Member

Original Article, Click Here

Entry written by egarcia

Short Sales Resisted as Foreclosures Are Revived

oolawyers — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 22:56:08 +0000

PHOENIX — Bank of America and GMAC are firing up their formidable foreclosure machines again today, after a brief pause.

But hard-pressed homeowners like Lydia Sweetland are asking why lenders often balk at a less disruptive solution: short sales, which allow owners to sell deeply devalued homes for less than what remains on theirmortgage.

Ms. Sweetland, 47, tried such a sale this summer out of desperation. She had lost her high-paying job and drained her once-flushretirement savings, and her bank, GMAC, wouldn’t modify her mortgage. After seven months of being unable to pay her mortgage, she decided that a short sale would give her more time to move out of her Phoenix home and damage her credit rating less than a foreclosure.

She owes $206,000 and found a buyer who would pay $200,000. Last Friday, GMAC rejected that offer and said it would foreclose in seven days, even though, according to Ms. Sweetland’s broker, the bank estimates it will make $19,000 less on a foreclosure than on a short sale.

“I guess I could salute and say, ‘O.K., I’m walking, here’s the keys,’ ” says Ms. Sweetland, as she sits in a plastic Adirondack chair on her patio in the Phoenix neighborhood known as Pasadena. “But I need a little time, and I don’t want to just leave the house vacant. I loved this neighborhood.”

GMAC declined to be interviewed about Ms. Sweetland’s case.

The halt in most foreclosures the last few weeks gave a hint of hope to homeowners like Ms. Sweetland, who found breathing room to pursue alternatives. Consumer advocates took the view that this might pressure banks to offer mortgage modifications on better terms and perhaps drive interest in short sales, which are rising sharply in many corners of the nation.

But some major lenders took a quick inventory of their foreclosure practices and insisted their processes were sound. They now seem intent on resuming foreclosures. And that could have a profound effect on many homeowners.

In Arizona, thousands of homeowners have turned to short sales to avoid foreclosures, and many end up running a daunting procedural gantlet. Several of the largest lenders have set up complicated and balky application systems.

Concerns about fraud are one of the reasons lenders are so careful about short sales. Sometimes well-off homeowners want to portray their finances as dire and cut their losses on a property. In other instances, distressed homeowners try to make a short sale to a relative, who would then sell it back to them (a practice that is illegal). A recent industry report estimates that short sale fraud occurs in at least 2 percent of sales and costs banks about $300 million annually.

Short sales are also hindered when homeowners fail to forward the proper papers, have tax liens or cannot find a buyer.

Because of such concerns, homeowners often are instructed that they must be delinquent and they must apply for a modification first, even if chances of approval are slim. The aversion to short sales also leads banks to take many months to process applications, and some lenders set unrealistically high sales prices — known as broker price opinions — and hire workers who say they are poorly trained.

As a result, quite a few homeowners seeking short sales — banks will not provide precise numbers — topple into foreclosure, sometimes, critics say, for reasons that are hard to understand. Ms. Sweetland and her broker say they are confounded by her foreclosure, because in Arizona’s depressed real estate market, foreclosed homes often sit vacant for many months before banks are able to resell them.

“Banks are historically reluctant to do short sales, fearing that somehow the homeowner is getting an advantage on them,” said Diane E. Thompson, of counsel to the National Consumer Law Center. “There’s this irrational belief that if you foreclose and hold on to the property for six months, somehow prices will rebound.”

Homeowners, advocates and realty agents offer particularly pointed criticism of Bank of America, the nation’s largest servicer of mortgages, and a recipient of billions of dollars in federal bailout aid. Its holdings account for 31 percent of the pending foreclosures in Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix and Scottsdale, according to an analysis for The Arizona Republic.

The bank instructs real estate agents to use its computer program to evaluate short sales. But in three cases observed by The New York Times in collaboration with two real estate agents, the bank’s system repeatedly asked for and lost the same information and generated inaccurate responses.

In half a dozen more cases examined by The New York Times, Bank of America rejected short sale offers, foreclosed and auctioned off houses at lower prices.

“When I hear that a client’s mortgage is held by Bank of America, I just sigh. Our chances of getting an approval for them just went from 90 percent to 50-50,” said Benjamin Toma, who has a family-run real estate agency in Phoenix.

Bank of America officials also declined interview requests. A Bank of America spokeswoman said in an e-mail that the bank had processed 61,000 short sales nationwide this year; she declined to provide numbers for Arizona or to discuss criticisms of the company’s processing.

Fannie Mae, the mortgage finance company with federal backing, gives cash incentives to encourage servicers, who are affiliated with banks and who oversee great bundles of delinquent mortgages, to approve short sales.

But less obvious financial incentives can push toward a foreclosure rather than a short sale. Servicers can reap high fees from foreclosures. And lenders can try to collect on private mortgage insurance.

Some advocates and real estate agents also point to an April 2009 regulatory change in an obscure federal accounting law. The change, in effect, allowed banks to foreclose on a home without having to write down a loss until that home was sold. By contrast, if a bank agrees to a short sale, it must mark the loss immediately.

Short sales, to be sure, are no free ride for homeowners. They take a hit to their credit ratings, although for three to five years rather than seven after a foreclosure. An owner seeking a short sale must satisfy a laundry list of conditions, including making a detailed disclosure of income, tax and credit liens. And owners must prove that they have no connection to the buyer.

Still, bank decision-making, at least from a homeowner’s perspective, often appears arbitrary. That is certainly the view of Nicholas Yannuzzi, who after 30 years in Arizona still talks with a Philadelphia rasp. Mr. Yannuzzi has owned five houses over time, without any financial problems. When his wife was diagnosed with bone cancer, he put 20 percent down and bought a ranch house in North Scottsdale so that she would not have to climb stairs.

In the last few years, his wife died, he lost his job and he used his retirement fund to pay his mortgage for five months. His bank, Wells Fargo, denied his mortgage modification request and then his request for a short sale.

The bank officer told him that Fannie Mae, which held the mortgage, would not take a discount. At the end of last week, he was waiting to be locked out of his home.

“I’m a proud man. I’ve worked since I was 20 years old,” he said. “But I’ve run out of my 79 weeks of unemployment, so that’s it.”

He shrugged. “I try to keep in the frame of mind that a lot of people have it worse than me.”

Back in Phoenix, Ms. Sweetland’s real estate agent, Sherry Rampy, appeared to receive good news last week. GMAC re-examined her client’s application and suggested it might be approved.

But the bank attached a condition: Ms. Sweetland must come up with $2,000 in closing costs or pay $100 a month for 50 months to the bank. Ms. Sweetland, however, is flat broke.

A late afternoon desert sun angles across her Pasadena neighborhood.

“After this, I’ll never buy again,” Ms. Sweetland says. “This is not the American dream. This is not my American dream.”

Original Article, Click Here

Author: Michael Powell

With Friends Like These…

oolawyers — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 19:38:04 +0000

Here are some clips of Roger Stone and Tom Ognibene expressing their dismay during separate “Inside City Hall” interviews over the turn Carl Paladino’s campaign took last week when the candidate got into a fight with Fred Dicker and accused his opponent, Andrew Cuomo, of having affairs.

Stone insisted that “somebody” inside the Paladino camp is giving the candidate bad advice, but declined to directly blame his protege, Michael Caputo, who is serving as campaign manager and chief mouthpiece for the Buffalo businessman.

Stone isn’t formally working for Paladino (he keeps insisting his only official candidate for governor is the Manhattan Madam), but the many links between the GOP consultant and the Paladino campaign have been well documented.

“He’s not crazy,” Stone said of Paladino. “That’s not fair. He’s not unhinged. I think they are inadvertently creating a false impression of him.”

“He’s a very thoughtful caring guy. He’s very smart. He can articulate the issues. He gave a very good speech at Crain’s this morning, but it all gets overshadowed by this discussion of divorces and girlfriends and affairs, which I don’t think the voters of New York really care about.”

(Stone neglected to note that the candidate himself stepped on his own message at Crain’s by calling Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver a “criminal” during the post-speech Q-and-A portion of the morning).

Ognibene, Paladino’s hand-picked LG running mate (before he was defeated by Rick Lazio’s running mate, Chautauqua County Executive Greg Edwards in the GOP primary), participated in the “Wise Guys” segment and expressed confidence in Paladino. He did, however, say Paladino got “sidetracked” and needs to “refocus” the campaign onto the economy and jobs.

Link: http://capitaltonight.com/2010/10/with-friends-like-these/

Author: Liz Benjamin

Top Advisor Says Paladino Campaign Has Taken “Detour”

oolawyers — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 19:26:14 +0000

In a highly unusual move, a top advisor to Republican gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino expressed concern about the campaign’s direction Tuesday in an exclusive interview on NY1′s “Inside City Hall.”
Key strategist Roger Stone says the Buffalo businessman should be focusing on the issues and not the personal life of his rival, Andrew Cuomo.

“I just think that they have gotten a little afield here and the campaign needs to dial back to Carl Paladino’s very specific issue prescription for the state. That is what needs to be debated,” Stone said. “It’s fair to say that this is a detour and I think the voters and certainly people in the party and those who want change in New York want to get this debate back to issues.”

The comments come after Paladino recently accused his Democratic opponent of infidelity, and faced off last week with a New York Post reporter over the explosive charge.

“Any discussion of extramarital affairs, divorces, girlfriends — that’s not what voters want to hear. This state is in a death spiral,” Stone said.

Stone’s concerns were also echoed Tuesday by Paladino’s former running mate, Tom Ognibene, on the “Wise Guys” segment of “Inside City Hall.”

“Carl has to begin to talk about what the people need in this state — economic growth, jobs. Those are the things that he should concentrate on,” said Ognibene, who narrowly lost the Republican primary for lieutenant governor last month.

Paladino, meanwhile, did get specific at a forum held by Crain’s New York Business earlier in the day.

While addressing the city’s business leaders, he vowed to break up the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, end guaranteed state pensions and slash state spending by a fifth.

Overshadowing those details was his calling New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver a criminal, who he says he’s not apt to work with even if it leads to a partial government shutdown.

“Gentlemen and ladies of the Legislature, if you don’t give me a budget by March 31st, except for public safety and health, our government will shut down. And it will be on your backs,” Paladino said. “Don’t think that’s a bluff. Google me. I don’t bluff.”

Paladino is campaigning on the self-proclaimed “mad as hell” theme. It’s a notion that worries some voters who are wondering if the Republican candidate is too angry to be an effective leader.

“The people of New York don’t want someone to commiserate with them. They want someone to reform the system. And fix it. And get the economy running,” Cuomo said.

In response to both Stone’s and Ognibene’s comments on “Inside City Hall,” Paladino spokesman Michael Caputo said, “We take their counsel very seriously.”

Link: http://www.ny1.com/content/news_beats/politics/126607/top-advisor-says-paladino-campaign-has-taken–detour-/

Author: Josh Robin

New York Governor Candidate Paladino Threatens New York Post Editor Fred Dicker

oolawyers — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 19:17:18 +0000

Republican gubernatorial contender Carl Paladino confronted New York Post State Editor Fred Dicker in Lake George, accusing him of sending reporters after his daughter.

Allegations that a photographer went near a window at the house of a 10-year-old girl while she was getting ready for dance rehearsal. The girl is apparently Paladino’s daughter from an extra-marital affair.

Paladino’s campaign has also accused Fred Dicker as having a bias promoting Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Cuomo.

Carl Pasquale Paladino (born August 24, 1946) is an American businessman from Buffalo, New York. He was previously known for serving as Chief Executive Officer of Ellicott Development Company, a real estate development company he founded in 1973. Paladino has won the Republican nomination as a candidate for governor of New York. His candidacy has been supported by the Tea Party movement. Paladino’s campaign platform emphasizes fiscal reform in Albany and improvement of the state’s educational system.

In addition to his business developments, Paladino also is a senior managing partner in the law firm of Paladino, Cavan and Quinlivin, a firm that specializes in corporate and real estate law.

Paladino was honored in 1991 by the City of Buffalo as Buffalonian of the Year and in 1993 as Alumnus of the Year by St. Bonaventure University.
On April 5, 2010, Paladino officially entered the race for Governor of New York. Tom Ognibene, the former minority leader of the New York City Council, is his chosen running mate. At the state Republican convention, Paladino received 8 percent of the weighted vote; only delegates from Erie and Orleans counties voted for him. Paladino fell short of the 25 percent needed for automatic ballot access. Paladino had 3,000 volunteers circulating petitions in an effort to force a primary election. With a legal minimum requirement of 15,000 signatures to force a primary, he aimed for 40,000 signatures and submitted 28,000, enough of which were valid. Paladino went on to defeat Lazio in the primary election on September 14, 2010 with heavy support in his native Western New York. Paladino will compete in November against Democrat Andrew Cuomo and several other minor-party candidates, assuming that they all successfully petition their way onto the ballot.

Andrew Mark Cuomo (born December 6, 1957) is the New York State Attorney General. He was elected on November 7, 2006. Previously Cuomo was the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Bill Clinton between 1997 and 2001. Cuomo announced his intention to run for Governor of New York on May 22, 2010.

On September 18, 2009, advisors to President Barack Obama informed Paterson that the President believed Paterson should withdraw his 2010 gubernatorial candidacy, stepping aside for “popular Attorney General Andrew Cuomo.” On January 23, 2010, the New York Daily News reported that Cuomo would announce plans for a gubernatorial campaign at the end of March. Later reports indicated he would announce his gubernatorial campaign coinciding with the state Democratic Convention in late May. On May 22, 2010, Cuomo announced his run for governor in a video posted to his campaign website. Cuomo announced his choice for Lt. Governor on May 26, 2010; Rochester Mayor Robert Duffy was offered, and accepted, the position on the ticket alongside Cuomo.

Fredric Uberall “Fred” Dicker is a long time columnist for the New York Post. He is the state editor for New York since 1982 where he has covered Hugh Carey, Mario Cuomo, George Pataki, Eliot Spitzer and David Paterson.
Prior to 1982, Dicker was a state government reporter for the Albany Times Union, a morning daily newspaper owned by the Hearst Corporation. Just prior to the capital assignment, he covered the federal deportation trial for accused Nazi war criminal Vilis Hazners for the Times Union.

In October 1987, Dicker was shoved out of the offices of the New York State Assembly House Operations Committee by a senior aide to the then Assembly Speaker Mel Miller. A 2005 New York Observer story on Dicker stated that he is a “political institution in his own right” and his reporting “regularly drives news coverage”. Dicker broke the Troopergate scandal in July 2007 when New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo’s office admonished Governor of New York Eliot Spitzer’s administration for ordering the State Police to create special records of Senate majority leader Joseph L. Bruno’s whereabouts when he traveled with police escorts in New York City.

Link: http://www.arlingtoncardinal.com/2010/09/30/new-york-governor-candidate-paladino-threatens-new-york-post-editor-fred-dicker/

Tom Ognibene Speaks About Eric Ulrich

oolawyers — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 20:45:29 +0000

Lt. gov. candidate Edwards has new political partner

oolawyers — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 19:46:54 +0000

ALBANY – Five weeks from today voters head to the polls, and over the last few days so much has happened politically – you almost need a score card to keep up.

Shaking hands with Albany County Republicans Tuesday night – Republican Greg Edwards fully expected he’d still be in the race for Lieutenant Governor. It’s just who he’s paired up with now that’s put him in an interesting position.

On Primary Day, he won the Republican and Conservative line for Lieutenant Governor. But Carl Paladino overwhelmingly beat out Rick Lazio. Come November, that means Paladino and Edwards are running together. And with five weeks to go until Election Day, Edwards spoke convincingly about the partnership.

“I really take it as a call to carry on in the race with Carl Paladino,” said Edwards. “They need to stop the runaway train in Albany. Carl and I can do that.”

Up until this week, Lazio was still part of a three way race for Governor – running on the Conservative Party line. But Monday he bowed out. We’re told he’s been nominated for a judge’s race downstate. That nomination is one of only a few ways to get off the ballot at this late stage of the game.

”The state supreme court thing is a charade in several senses because even if he goes on the ballot he can’t win in the Bronx…I don’t like that aspect of our system,” said Al Magid, a political analyst.

But at the same time, the retired UAlbany political science professor says it makes sense because getting out of the race is Lazio’s best bet. He explains it from Lazio’s point of view.

“I can’t win so what the hell’s the point. All I can do is spoil and if I spoil, as much as I hate Paladino, I don’t want Cuomo as governor and I don’t want to enhance his prospects of winning,” said Magid.

On Wednesday, state Conservative delegates will meet at the Holiday Inn in Colonie. Paladino is fully expected to get the Conservative designation.

“I’m hopeful it works out and he can join me on the Conservative ticket, the Republican and the Taxpayer line,” said Edwards.

But as of right now, Tom Ognibene, the former Councilman from Queens that Paladino originally tapped to run as his Lieutenant Governor is still on the Taxpayer Party line as the Lieutenant Governor candidate.

Here’s where it gets trickier.

Tuesday evening I asked Greg Edwards how Paladino feels about running with him on a ticket and Ognibene on another?

He told me he thinks that issue will be resolved in the next 48 hours, and he’s excited where he finds himself. But he didn’t elaborate on what that might mean.

Article: http://wnyt.com/article/stories/S1766165.shtml?cat=300

Paladino Announces Tom Ognibene as LG Pick

oolawyers — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 21:14:38 +0000

Videos From: http://wnymedia.net/?REMsZU_2

‘Let’s Get Ready To Rumble’ With Andy Vs Carl

oolawyers — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 21:02:12 +0000

After sitting on the sidelines watching his opposition rivals waging a mild fight to take him on in November, Andrew Cuomo, the Democratic gubernatorial nominee, must have been surprised (as were the rest of us) to see pugnacious Carl Paladino emerge as his GOP opponent in the general election when Rick Lazio had been expected to win the nomination.

We say “surprised” because realistically, Cuomo should be confident he can defeat any Republican since the odds are always with a Democrat in a statewide race and Cuomo also has an excellent record as attorney general to bolster his election effort, plus a healthy $24 million campaign bank account to spread his message.

It’s possible Cuomo was not surprised at Paladino’s easy victory over Lazio, because the Siena College poll about a week before the primary showed the upstate millionaire had virtually erased Lazio’s lead and had momentum going for him as the primary election approached.

So what kind of a Cuomo vs. Paladino campaign can we expect?

It’s for sure Paladino can be expected to continue his angry, “mad as hell” style, fueled by his successful appeal to Tea Party voters. He has said as much in interviews since his election. In one typical response to an interviewer, the 64-yearold Buffalo developer declared: “They say I am an angry man, and that’s true. We are all angry.”

And in his victory remarks after winning the primary, Paladino stated: “We are mad as hell. New Yorkers are fed up. There is a people’s revolution. The people have had enough.”

Paladino’s campaign manager, Michael Caputo, confirmed that angry “would be the campaign theme”, as he noted in another story, “Anger in 2010 is the most unifying theme in America, and Carl is not afraid to tell it like it is.”

And showing that he would continue his use of frank, colorful and anger-tinged words along the campaign trail, Paladino reacted to ex-Mayor Edward Koch and ex-state Comptroller Carl McCall, who described him as “unfit to serve” as governor by responding, “Take a look at the nuts making those statements—the three Stooges.” He also allegedly called ex- Governor George Pataki a “degenerate idiot”.

There’s no way we can predict what will happen or what Cuomo’s reactions might be in the heat of battle.

All we’ve had to go on so far is a 30- second campaign ad put out by Cuomo before the primary. In it, a narrator describes Albany as “a swamp of corruption overrun with lobbyists and special interests” which “could get worse”. It goes on to take aim at Lazio and Paladino—Lazio for being a Wall Street lobbyist for years and Paladino as a developer who has given nearly a half-million dollars to politicians while receiving $10 million a year in government rents.

Through a spokesman, Paladino’s response to the ad was that Democrats are the “snakes managing the swamp”.

But Cuomo, 52, stated in one story last week, “I don’t know Mr. Paladino, and I don’t think my characterization is all that relevant or appropriate.”

So we await further developments in the next 40 days leading up to the November 2 election.

There’s also a possibility of formal debates between the pair. That surely could lead to some sizzling moments.
Meanwhile, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D–Manhattan), who strongly opposed Governor David Paterson’s proposed caps on local school and property taxes, said in a published report he is anxious for Cuomo to be elected governor because, “I don’t see a problem finding common ground with him on most issues, including a property tax cap.”

Although the state senate has passed Paterson’s tax cap proposal, calling for a four percent cap or 120 percent of inflation, whichever is lower, it has never come up for a vote in the Assembly and Silver has said it would not pass there. It will be interesting to see what Silver could work out with a Governor Cuomo on this issue.

On another front, Cuomo continues to try to beef up a “Republicans for Cuomo” contingent as part of his strategy to defeat Paladino. In the most recent move along those lines, former state Republican Chairman Pat Barrett has been brought aboard the Cuomo campaign management team which heretofore consisted of Congress member Nydia Velazquez (D–Brooklyn) and former New York City Comptroller Bill Thompson.

WILL LAZIO RUN ON CONSERVATIVE LINE? One of the major questions left unanswered after Paladino defeated Lazio last week was if Lazio would remain as the Conservative Party candidate in the general election. Odds are he will, we believe, because of his loyalty to the Conservative Party and its chairman, Michael Long.

As matters stand, the Working Families Party, which has endorsed Cuomo, will wind up with the necessary 50,000 votes for Cuomo on its ballot line. But there’s a chance Lazio could get more than the WFP, so he’ll probably run on the Conservative line.

The downside is, however, if Lazio says “yes” to Mike Long, he’ll draw some voters away from Paladino, but surely it wouldn’t be realistic to think that it would make a difference to Lazio. There’s also virtually no chance that Long would ask Lazio to surrender the Conservative line so it could go to Paladino. Long and his party members don’t want to have Paladino as their candidate, Long has said.

WILL OGNIBENE BE ON BALLOT? Former Council member Tom Ognibene, who’s been a major figure in the Glendale/Middle Village/Ridgewood community for many years, lost a very close race for the nomination for the Republican candidate for lieutenant governor on Election Day. He was on the Paladino slate and lost to Greg Edwards, who was on Lazio’s ticket. However, Edwards was also Lazio’s running mate on the Conservative Party line so Edwards remains alive on both the GOP and Conservative Party tickets.

But Ognibene is still slated to be on the ballot as lieutenant governor on Paladino’s second ballot line, the Taxpayers Party. Paladino associates say he would still like to have Ognibene as his running mate on the Republican line and is exploring ways to try to make it happen.

GIANARIS IN SWEET SPOT: Assembly member Michael Gianaris is in an enviable position. He has authored a truly historic bill, one which would establish an independent commission to redraw legislative districts, thus taking that power away from the legislators themselves.

Every reform group, from former Mayor Edward Koch to the Citizens Union and beyond, is strongly in favor of the measure and the New York Times has called Gianaris’ bill “the real key to reform” in Albany.

On Election Day, Gianaris is running, but not for his Assembly seat; he is seeking the 10th state senate seat from which George Onorato retired, and which Gianaris is a solid bet to win. Therefore, when the reapportion reform bill he wrote in the Assembly comes up for a vote in the senate after next January 1, Gianaris will likely be able to vote for it again, this time as a senator. Very few people ever get a chance to do that.

Gianaris’ bill has been approved by the Assembly Governmental Operations Committee and will probably be one of the bills the 2011 Assembly considers after it starts its session next year.

SHEEKEY SET UP HAGGERTY DEAL, HAGGERTY SAYS: According to a Daily News story last Saturday, John Haggerty who’s charged with stealing more than $1 million from Mayor Bloomberg, has said in court papers that former Deputy Mayor Kevin Sheekey thought up the whole deal.

Haggerty of Forest Hills is presently awaiting trial. The charges arose out of a scheme under which Bloomberg gave a large sum of cash to the state Independence Party for campaign purposes during the mayor’s most recent re-election campaign in 2009. Independence Party leaders then turned over $1.1 million to Haggerty for an Election Day poll watching assignment, but he allegedly used most of the money for his own purposes. Haggerty’s lawyers claimed his client carried out the poll watching assignment satisfactorily.

The mayor has never discussed the deal publicly, but a 41-page motion submitted to the court by Haggerty’s attorneys says: “It was Mr. Sheekey who decided that Mr. Haggerty should contact the Independence Party and request that ballot security be conducted through that political party.”

The Independence Party didn’t have to report any of those details until two months after the election on Nov. 3, 2009. At that time, they listed payments to a shell company which Haggerty had set up. Haggerty is under indictment and presently awaiting trial.

TABONE BLASTS OPPONENT, THANKS THE LOSERS: Republican candidate Vince Tabone, running for the 26th Assembly District seat in Eastern Queens, congratulated his opponent, Ed Braunstein, upon winning the Democratic primary and also Braunstein’s opponents, John Duane, Elio Forcina and Steve Behar, “for participating in the democratic process”.

But then he did a quick about-face and lambasted Braunstein for being “part of the Albany establishment”.

Spokesman Robert Hornak said on behalf of Tabone that Tabone will run on his record as “a proven reformer and job creator who has fought for Northeast Queens as a community activist”. He said they would contrast Tabone’s record with Braunstein’s, “whose only work experience has been as an aide to Assembly Speaker Shelly Silver”.

WEINER OPPOSES JET PLANE SALES TO SAUDIS: Citing Saudi Arabia’s history of financing terrorism and its failure to help the U.S. when gas prices soared, Congressmember Anthony Weiner is opposing a proposed deal for this country to sell Saudi Arabia jet planes and other high tech weapons.

In a letter to President Obama, the Forest Hills lawmaker also complained the deal would undermine the security of Israel and he threatened to block the sale with congressional action if necessary.

Weiner was joined by 104 members of Congress in 2008 in introducing a resolution of disapproval of the sale of satellite guided missiles to Saudi Arabia.

ADDABBO HAILS NEW LAW

AGAINST BULLYING STUDENTS: State Senator Joseph Addabbo Jr. (D–Howard Beach) announced that Governor David Paterson has signed into law legislation that would protect school children from facing harassment and abuse in school.

“This law exemplifies our commitment to providing all students with a safe learning environment,” Addabbo said. “I’m proud to support this legislation. Incidents of harassment, bullying and intimidation should not be tolerated in our schools.” The lawmaker added, “Bullying has been a problem in our schools for far too long.”

BUSINESS GROUP ENDORSES PADAVAN: State Senator Frank Padavan has been endorsed by the National Federation of Independent Business, a broad-based small business association headquartered in Washington with affiliates throughout the country.

Mike Elmendorf, the organization’s New York state director, stated that Padavan (R–C, Bellerose) has been a staunch defender of small business in the legislature and has stood with small business on key issues, including opposing “the biggest tax increase in New York state history”.

Elmendorf cited Padavan as “an experienced leader who gets results and we need him back in Albany”.

Padavan is being opposed in the November 2 election by former Council member Tony Avella of Bayside. Padavan’s 11th senate district covers Northeast Queens.

MAJOR UNIONS BACK MARKEY: Seeking her seventh term in Albany, Assembly member Margaret Markey (D–Maspeth) announced she has received several endorsements from major labor organizations.

Among them are the New York State AFL-CIO, District Council 37, one of the largest municipal employees’ organizations, and the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT). NYSUT President Richard Ianuzzi stated, “[Markey’s] advocacy and voting record have earned [her] our endorsement.”

ULRICH SUES OVER SCHOOL BUS CUTS: Declaring that the city Department of Education’s elimination of school bus service for 7th and 8th grade students citywide impacts students in his district in Ozone Park and the Rockaways, Councilmember Eric Ulrich (R–C) has joined a suit aimed at restoring the service.

Ulrich declared, “The city has left the residents of the Rockaways and other neighborhoods to fend for themselves and is placing thousands of children at risk by making it difficult for them to get to and from school. Nevertheless, I am optimistic that the judge will eventually rule in our favor when presented with all the evidence.” Ulrich said six schools in the 32nd Council District are impacted by the DOE action including P.S. 114, St. Francis De Sales, Scholars Academy, St. Camillus, St. Rose of Lima and P.S. 47.

Ulrich also spoke out against Mayor Bloomberg’s proposal to expand the public smoking ban to public parks, beaches, boardwalks, pedestrian plazas and other public places.

CLINTON DEMOCRATIC CLUB MEETS: Clinton Democratic Club President Paul Vallone and state Committee Member John Dorsa congratulated Ed Braunstein on his primary victory in the 26th AD (Bayside) at the club’s first meeting of the year recently.

Other speakers at the meeting included Assembly member Rory Lancman and state Senate candidate Tony Avella, who is challenging Senator Frank Padavan for the 11th senate district seat. The club is located at 25-59 Francis Lewis Blvd. in Flushing.

HALLORAN BLASTS SMOKING BAN: Mayor Bloomberg’s proposed expansion of the public ban on smoking “is another step towards making our city a complete ‘nanny state,’” Council member Dan Halloran charged last week. Halloran (R–C, Whitestone), who is not a smoker, declared, “Our government needs to get out of people’s private lives. The mayor is happy to tell government to leave Wall Street alone, but he wants to dictate to Main Street what to eat, how to act and what to do.”

Article: http://www.qgazette.com/news/2010-09-22/Political_Page/