Bronx Council Members Koppell and Palma Push Living Wage Bill

In the aftermath of the battle over the re-development of the Kingsbridge Armory, two Bronx Councilmembers, Anabel Palma and Oliver Koppell, introduced a bill that would require a living wage on all projects that get city subsidies. This in-depth piece by Neil deMause at City Limits details the battle lines. Not surpringly, it is backed by a large group of unions and liberal politicians and opposed by major business groups. It was this very issue that doomed the Kingsbridge Armory along with an investment of more than $300 million, so it makes sense to settle this issue for the future. As to the Armory, it still sits as an empty shell while a study is being conducted by a University group at the urging of the Bronx Borough President.

Mayor Proposes Cuts in Borough Presidents' Budgets

Here is a pop quiz, can you guess how much the budget is for the Bronx Borough President's office -- $1 million, $3 million or $5 million? If you guessed $5 million you would still be short a few hundred thousand! That is right, we spend over $5 million to fund the Borough Presidents offices in the Bronx and Brooklyn (this is one of the few occassions Manhattan does not get more than the outer boroughs -- their budget is only $4.4 million). As Michael Saul of the Wall Street Journal reports, if the Mayor has his way, there will be little to dance about as those budgets will be cut dramatically. In the Bronx, it could amount to a cut of 24 percent. Traditionally, the City Council has restored threatened cuts to these offices, but in a year where there are few dollars to go around it may be difficult this time around. But the real question is whether these offices should have $5 million budgets? Do you think they are worth that kind of investment, and are we getting a good return on our precious tax dollars?

Diaz Sr. Continues to Go After AG Schneiderman

State Senator Ruben Diaz, Sr. (center left with two of his Amigos) is continuing his feud with his former colleague and newly elected AG Eric Schneiderman. Here is a posting by Liz Benjamin at Capital Tonight where Diaz criticizes Schneiderman for the amount of money spent on the Senate legal proceedings brought against his fellow Amigo Hiram Monserrate. Schneiderman led the inquiry that led to the expulsion of Monserrate. The Senate was billed about $375,000 by the law firm Kaye Scholer. Diaz set forth numerous questions about the relationship between the law firm and Scheiderman he wanted answered such as "Did members of the firm of Kaye Scholer provide any assistance to help Eric Schneiderman in his campaign for Attorney General or provide assistance to the re-election of any other New York State Senators?” No response yet from State Senate officials.

Espada Had a Million Dollar Payroll!

Looks like disgraced former State Senator Pedro Espada did his part to keep the employment numbers up in the Bronx. As Glenn Blain over at the Daily News reports, Espada had a 50 person staff that accrued a payroll of nearly $1 million in just his final 6 months in office. Blain reports that "Espada's 50-person staff included more than 20 "community outreach" and constituent liaison workers who made as much as $60,000 a year, new disclosure forms show." Of course Espada was not alone, Senate Democratic Conference Leader John Sampson's six-month payroll topped $725,000 and Brooklyn Democratic Sen. Carl Kruger spent $657,353 during the period. No wonder the Democrats overspent their $28 million budget by as much $14 million. All of this raises two important questions that someone needs to answer: who allowed a thug like Espada to get a hold of so much money, and why do these Senators need so many staff members anyway?

Senator Gustavo Rivera Urges Colleagues to "Pass the Pledge" They Made

Here is a posting by Celeste Katz at the Daily News about a video featuring newly minted Bronx State Senator Gustavo Rivera urging his colleagues to keep their word about reforming Albany. More than half the Senators, including virtually all Republicans, signed Ed Koch's pledge to reform the State Legislature. In this video, Rivera tells them to keep their word and "Pass the Pledge."

Report Out on "Crime Wave" in State Government

Citizens Union is out with a very provocative report on the turnover in the NY State Legislature. The report states "that a crime wave is accelerating as the number of legislators who left in the past six years because of ethical and criminal misconduct has tripled over that of the previous six years." Before calling for ethics reform, the report goes on to say that "since 1999 one of every eleven legislators who left office did so under a cloud of ethical or criminal misconduct." I don't think many of us are surprised by these statistics, but you have to give Citizens Union credit for not mincing words.

One bright spot was that more legislators (13) lost their seats outright (not counting those for whom ethical and criminal issues played a factor in their defeat) than at any time in the past twelve years of tracking. The previous high was 7 in 2004. However, in spite of 13 legislators being defeated, the incumbency re-election rate for state legislators remains high. The twelve year incumbent re-election rate still averaged 96% from 1999 to 2010.

Espada Still Running Clinic?

Pedro Espada may have been indicted for fraud and lost his seat in the State Senate, but it seems he is still in charge of the very health care center he is accused of looting. The New York Post reports that at a rally yesterday, Espada "boasted that government funds continue to pour into Soundview -- though he complained that a $3 million grant for a new building has been held up."..."Let me give you some breaking news. With all of the turmoil that has surrounded our institution . . . the fact is we have been approved in the last couple of weeks for $1.7 million in federal funds," he went on to say. Can you imagine, he is still in charge and this place is still getting funded? Wouldn't you think that part of getting any government funds that Espada would be required to resign given the indictment? Only in the Bronx.