Daily Campaign Roundup: League of Conservation Voters Endorses Numerous Democrats
By Mike Connery on 08/02/2010 @ 03:23 PM
TODAY'S CAMPAIGN ROUND-UP.... Today's installment of campaign-related news. The NYLCV endorses 14 Democratic incumbents and five Democratic challengers. New York in contention for Race To The Top Funding because of leadership of Sen. Sampson and Senate Democrats. Democratic Candidate Tony Avella speaks of tax caps and a more transparent Senate in an interview with The Albany Project. Democratic Candidate Regina Calcaterra bringing a "different style" in her campaign out on Long Island.
- New York League of Conservation Voters endorses a slew of Democrats - The NYLCV, a non-partisan, policy making and political action organization that works to make environmental protection a top priority, announced their support of numerous Democratic Senators and candidates this morning. They endorsed 14 incumbent Democrats and 5 challengers - Dave Mejias, Susan Savage, Joanne Yepsen, Kathleen Joy, and Mary Wilmot. NYLCV President Marcia Bystryn had this to say specifically about Savage: “Susan Savage is exactly the kind of 21st century leader that New York needs. Susan knows that a healthy environment, green jobs and clean energy are not luxuries for the good times – they are the ways forward to a stronger, more economically vibrant New York.”
- If New York wins $700 million in Race To The Top funding, Senate Democrats are to thank - Joe Williams, Executive Director of Democrats for Education Reform, wrote an op-ed in The New York Daily News today that argued the leadership of Senate Majority Leader John Sampson and his fellow Democratic senators are responsible for New York still being in the race for federal dollars. Going forward, Williams argued, "the commitment the Democrats demonstrated for reform needs to be matched by elected officials, school districts and unions across the state."
- Democratic Candidate Tony Avella interviewed by The Albany Project - Tony Avella, running against 38-year Republican incumbent Frank Padavan, was interviewed by The Albany Project. Readers were free to send in questions in advance to ask the former City Councilman. When it came to taxes, Avella declared that he believes that "it is essential to place limits on the ever increasing property taxes and address increases from annual property tax assessments." On the way the Senate operates, Avella said that "clearly, the Senate must have greater transparency, allow members greater opportunities for input and have much stronger ethics rules."
- Newsday: Regina Calcaterra brings "different style" in State Senate Race - Dan Janison, of Newsday, profiled the race between Regina Calcaterra and 34-year Republican incumbent Ken LaValle. He mentioned that Calcaterra is" hailed by her supporters as a sharp, energetic fighter" and mentioned her work representing the state's pension system in the high-profile lawsuit against WorldCom.
Daily Campaign Roundup: Democrats On The Offensive; GOP Busy Attacking Its Own
By Mike Connery on 07/30/2010 @ 03:43 PM
TODAY'S CAMPAIGN ROUND-UP.... Today's installment of campaign-related news. Democratic Candidate Dave Mejias fights for fair wages for health care workers. Democratic Candidate George Sava calls out Dean Skelos on fiscal hypocrisy. SRCC attacks one of its own.
- Dave Mejias criticizes his opponent for opposing $1-per-hour pay hike - Democratic Candidate Dave Mejias attacked his opponent, 21-year incumbent Kemp Hannon, for opposing a $1-per-hour pay raise for Nassau health-care workers . Mejias denounced Hannon’s position, saying: “A guy who has an extra $60,000 to loan his campaign telling workers they don’t deserve a $1 an hour raise is outrageous. 34 years in Albany has made Kemp Hannon quite comfortable, and he obviously doesn’t care what it’s like to try to feed a family on $20,000 a year.” Hannon has received $19,500 in campaign contributions from the Health Care Providers PAC since 2005. After the representatives from health care providers industry failed to provide evidence that the pay raise would hurt health care providers, an attempt to block the raise was unanimously rejected by the Nassau County Legislature on July 26.
- Democratic Candidate George Sava attacks Dean Skelos over wasteful spending and excessive taxes - After 26-year incumbent and Bruno-successor Dean Skelos criticized Democrats for holding an extra legislative session, George Sava hit Skelos with the sad truth of some hard facts. Sava responded by saying: "Skelos is the expert when it comes to wasting tax money. After all, he voted to double state spending over 14 years, stuck taxpayers with a bill for over $1.2 million to fund his office last year, and allowed property taxes to rise 320 percent since he was elected. Nassau County tax payers are suffering. We need public servants who don't just point the finger but come up with real solutions."
- Senate GOP attacking one of their own - Republican Greg Ball is running for the GOP nomination in SD-40, where Democratic Candidate Mike Kaplowitz has been running a stellar campaign. One major problem for Ball -- the SRCC is actively working to derail his campaign. In response to his organizing a “Women for Ball” event, the SRCC issued the following statement: “This is a tired rerun of what happened two years ago when news first broke that Greg Ball had been hit with an order of protection for stalking his ex-girlfriend. The facts are the facts, and Greg Ball stands accused of groping a waitress at an Albany bar, an account several eyewitnesses confirmed. Today, he trots out a woman whose mother is on the payroll of Ball political ally Steve Katz to spread lies. Those accusations are slanderous and are subject to legal liability. The residents of Dutchess, Putnam and Westchester counties are tired of the distractions, tired of the conspiracy theories and tired of all of the excuses. You can’t take anything Greg Ball says seriously.” For once, a statement well put by the SRCC.
Daily Campaign Roundup: Kaplowitz Calls For Pension Reform
By Mike Connery on 07/26/2010 @ 04:36 PM
TODAY'S CAMPAIGN ROUND-UP.... Today's installment of campaign-related news. Democratic Candidate Mike Kaplowitz presents his ideas for pension reform. Democratic Candidate Dave Mejias interviewed by The Albany Project. Democratic Candidate Joanne Yepsen fights for the future and security of the Saratoga Race Course.
- Democratic Candidate Mike Kaplowitz tackling pension reform - Westchester County Legislator Mike Kaplowitz proposed eliminating the use of overtime for calculating a public employee’s pension and called for creating a pension plan for new public employees that would be similar to a 401K plan. Both measures, he said, could save taxpayers an estimated $2.2 billion over the next three years. “The costs of public pensions are killing New York State taxpayers,” he said. By 2013, Kaplowitz said, public employee pensions will cost taxpayers $6.8 billion -- up from $2.4 billion in 2009.
- Democratic Candidate Dave Mejias profiled by The Albany Project - Dave Mejias, running against 21-year Republican incumbent Kemp Hannon on Long Island, was interviewed by The Albany Project. Readers were able to send in questions in advance to ask Mejias, a former Nassau County Legislator. Mejias started out making his case quite strongly: "After 34 years in Albany, Kemp Hannon has forgotten who he represents. He works harder for party bosses and political insiders to maintain the status quo than he does for us. Why else would he have blocked ethics reform, voted to raise taxes over 400 times and most recently voted against restoring school aid?"
- Democratic Candidate Joanne Yepsen fights for the future of Saratoga Race Course - The head of the state Senate’s racing committee, Sen. Eric Adams, saying he’s concerned about the selection of Aqueduct Race Track’s gaming operator because only one bidder remains. Last week, Adams and Democratic Candidate Joanne Yepsen held a roundtable at Saratoga National Golf Club to discuss the racing industry’s impact on the local economy. Yepsen said all stakeholders — New York Racing Association, New York City Off Track Betting and the Aqueduct racino operator — should be brought together to deal with racing’s future collectively. Several years ago, NYRA had a management contract with MGM to run Aqueduct’s racino, but the state wouldn’t approve it for unexplained reasons. “We’ve got different people running the state now,” Yepsen said.
Daily Campaign Roundup: Endorsements Continue To Pile Up
By Mike Connery on 07/23/2010 @ 04:46 PM
TODAY'S CAMPAIGN ROUND-UP.... Today's installment of campaign-related news. Numerous Democrats endorsed by Human Rights Campaign New York. Tony Avella received major union endorsement. Republican incumbent Stephen Saland spends $19,000 on dinner.
- Human Rights Campaign New York endorses Democratic candidates for State Senate - The Human Rights Campaign New York endorsed numerous Democratic challengers and incumbents who are all supporters of marriage equality and whose election will "put New York on a path to fairness and equality for same-sex couples in the state." They endorsed incumbent Senators Brian Foley, Craig Johnson, Tom Duane, and Dave Valesky -- and Democratic candidates Dave Mejias, Tony Avella, and Regina Calcaterra. Not a single Republican was endorsed by the group.
- Democratic Candidate Tony Avella endorsed by major retail union - Tony Avella, running against 38-year Republican incumbent Frank Padavan, was endorsed Thursday by a massive retail union yesterday. The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, which represents 100,000 workers across the United States and Canada, gave Avella the nod Thursday, calling him “an independent voice for working New Yorkers and taxpayers.” “He’s exactly the kind of reformer we desperately need in Albany right now,” said Stuart Applebaum, the union’s president.
- Republican senator Stephen Saland spends $19,000 on dinner - Showing just how out of touch he really is, Saland attended a $19,000 black-tie dinner for his re-election campaign that was thrown by a politically connected couple in April at their Rhinebeck, Dutchess County, estate. The $19,000 dinner was listed as an in-kind donation to Saland's campaign. That means it was for services rendered for a political function, but not a direct monetary contribution. "There's a lot of trust with the reporting by the campaigns," said Dick Dadey, executive director of Citizens Union, a good-government group. "There's very little if any verification."
Daily Campaign Roundup: 'Year of the Woman' Continues
By Mike Connery on 07/19/2010 @ 03:56 PM
TODAY'S CAMPAIGN ROUND-UP.... Today's installment of campaign-related news. Jimmy Vielkind of Albany Times Union looks into the 'Year of the Woman' and our slate of female candidates. NARAL New York endorses Democratic Senate candidates. Republican candidate Lee Zeldin gets angry and heated at a candidate screening. Democratic fundraising totals dwarf GOP numbers. Democratic Candidate Joanne Yepsen's fundraising haul still garnering press.
- ‘Year of The Woman’ continues –After POLITICO’s piece dubbing 2010 ‘Year of the Woman’ in New York in reference to our crop of female candidates, Jimmy Vielkind of the Albany Times Union chimed in, wondering if “dissatisfaction with state of state cause voters to think gender at polls?” He noted that our crop of 10 women candidates may benefit from the palpable anti-incumbency sentiment.
- NARAL Pro-Choice New York endorses numerous Democratic candidates - NARAL Pro-Choice New York announces their first round of endorsements in the 2010 election and named the following Democratic candidates for State Senate as 100% pro-choice candidates: Regina Calcaterra, Dave Mejias, Carol Gordon, Mike Gianaris, Didi Barrett, Susan Savage, Kathleen Joy, Pam Mackesey, and Robin Wilt. Not a single Republican Senate candidate was endorsed by NARAL.
- Lee Zeldin “turns angry” at candidate screening – Newsday reported that at a screening for a possible endorsement of Lee Zeldin, the Republican candidate running against Democratic Sen. Brian Foley, Zeldin “turned angry” when his military record came up. James LaCarrubba, Brian Foley's top aide, said no one questions Zeldin's service, just his demeanor. "We appreciate his service. But this is a man who wants to represent 300,000 people. And a candidate in a room full of people should be able to control his temper," he said.
- Senate Democrats significantly outraise GOP foes – With all the numbers in, Senate Democrats can now report a combined $25 million in fundraising for re-election efforts over the last 20 months, $10 million more than GOP lawmakers. "I think we'll expand the majority," said Sen. Jeff Klein, the chairman of the DSCC.
- Democratic Candidate Joanne Yepsen’s impressive fundraising haul continues to garner attention - The Saratogian became the latest media outlet to focus on Yepsen’s fundraising numbers. Yepsen announced last week that she has raised more than three times as much as her opponent since she announced her candidacy less than three months ago. Yepsen brought in a total $70,000, and currently has $60,000 cash on hand. Her opponent, Roy McDonald, shockingly announced that his cash on hand actually went down over the past six months. After starting January with $48,000 in the bank, he now has just $44,000.
Daily Campaign Roundup: Calcattera, Democrats Fighting For Long Island
By Mike Connery on 07/09/2010 @ 03:46 PM
TODAY'S CAMPAIGN ROUND-UP.... Today's installment of campaign-related news. Long Island to be battleground in November elections. Democratic Candidate Regina Calcaterra praised by local media. Press questions SRCC chair Tom Libous' ties to Steve Levy and Carl Paladino.
- Long Island a fertile battleground for Democrats this November – Newsday profiled this year’s Senate races yesterday and identified various races across Long Island as being competitive for Democrats this year. Mentioned as the most vulnerable Republicans were 34-year incumbent Ken LaValle, who is being challenged by Regina Calcaterra, and 21-year incumbent Kemp Hannon, who is being challenged by Dave Mejias.
- Democratic Candidate Regina Calcaterra praised by local press – T.J. Clemente, the most recent reporter to profile Calcaterra in her race against 34-year incumbent Ken LaValle, lauded her as a “young gifted fighter with energy and ideals.” He also added: “There are forces at work when she speaks. Every word about this election seems to bring up a passion seen only in individuals with a singularity of purpose.”
- The New York Observer also questions SRCC chair Tom Libous’ ties to political turncoats– We weren’t the only ones to bash SRCC chair Libous’ ties to Steve Levy and Carl Paladino. The New York Observer also found it puzzling, calling it “somewhat odd that Libous would appear alongside Paladino, since Rick Lazio is now the GOP's gubernatorial designee, and Paladino is threatening to run on a third party line.”
