Campaign Roundup: Hear Women Roar
By Mike Connery on 11/01/2010 @ 04:50 PM
DAILY CAMPAIGN ROUNDUP … Our daily roundup of campaign news.- On Tuesday, Hear Women Roar - Errol Louis of the Daily News sees the potential for women voters to play a pivotal role in NY's elections.
- Growing Signs that Latinos Will Jam Polls for Midterms - Louis's DN colleague Albor Ruiz sees a similar situation happening with Latino voters.
- Calling for Change in the 44th - YNN profiles the stark contrast between Democratic candidate Susan Savage and long time Albany incumbent Hugh Farley.
- 23 Reasons Frank Padavan is Bad for Women - Tony Avella has been on the stump all week, hammering Padavan for his atrocious record on women's issues. NY1 has the video.
- Journal News Endorses Oppenheimer - The Journal News endorsed the reelection of Senator Suzi Oppenheimer over the weekend.
- Fair Campaign Group Sides with Oppenheimer - Westchester County Fair Campaign Practices Committee ruled against Republican Bob Cohen, saying that his mailers were inaccurate and misleading.
- Locals Seek Senate, Hoping Anger Will Help Them - The Post Star profiles the campaigns of challengers Joanne Yepsen and Susan Savage.
- Cuomo Endorses Susan Savage - Andrew Cuomo has endorsed another Democratic Senate challenger.
Greg Ball: "I Am The Malcolm X"
By Mike Connery on 10/28/2010 @ 04:34 PM
DAILY CAMPAIGN ROUNDUP … Our daily roundup of campaign news.- Fairness Panel Rules Ball Campaign Mailer Mostly Misleading - Once again the Fair Campaign Practices Committee has ruled against Greg Ball for lying in his campaign literature.
- I Am The Malcolm X - Greg Ball, the "Carl Paladino" of the Hudson Valley, can now boast a new name. Mike Kaplowitz's tracker caught the controversial assemblyman comparing himself to Malcolm X.
- Gillibrand for Kaplowitz - Senator Gillibrand endorses Mike Kaplowitz in his race against Greg Ball.
- Tony Avella Slams Frank Padavan on Women's Issues - Frank Padavan has been a disaster for women in Queens, and Tony Avella is bringing that issue to the fore of his campaign.
- Patty Ritchie Ignores AARP - In what has become standard procedure, Patty Ritchie is again ducking constituents - this time seniors.
- Candidates, Parties Pour $2million into 49th - The race between Dave Valesky and Andrew Russo is getting expensive.
- McDonald Takes Cash from Downstate Bosses He Rails Against - Joanne Yepsen's campaign is pointing out that Senator Roy McDonald has taken hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations from downstate bosses.
- An Interview with Jeff Klein - Our Deputy Majority Leader and DSCC Chair sits down for an interview with one of his local papers.
- Carlucci Pushes Strong Ethics Reform - In a new Op-Ed, David Carlucci pushes for strong ethics reform and property tax caps.
Frank Padavan Lied About His Role in the State Senate Coup
By Mike Connery on 10/22/2010 @ 04:45 PM
No One Cares Less Than Frank Padavan
By Mike Connery on 10/14/2010 @ 12:05 PM
Women for Tony Avella launched a new video today, highlighting Frank Padavan's atrocious record on women's issues and featuring women from the district calling for the election of Tony Avella.Hitting a similar theme today, Planned Parenthood takes political protection to a new level. The group is distributing condoms at bars in the 11th Senate District warning voters to protect themselves from incumbent Frank Padavan.
Avella: I’m Running to Take on the MTA
By Mike Connery on 09/13/2010 @ 04:00 PM
The MTA is holding public hearings this evening to discuss another round of fare hikes and proposed route cuts. Although the MTA has already implemented service cuts and layoffs, the authority says the hikes are necessary to close its budget gap, but hard working New Yorkers are feeling the burden of higher fares and decreased service in their daily lives.
Gene Russianoff of the Straphangers Campaign advocates participation in these hearings, saying “you can’t win it if you’re not in it.” Tony Avella, for one, is stepping forward to take on the MTA to fight for the rights of commuters and New Yorkers. Watch Avella’s statement on the MTA and why he’s running for state senate:
Daily Campaign Roundup: Independence Line in Doubt for Some GOP
By Mike Connery on 07/14/2010 @ 01:54 AM
TODAY'S CAMPAIGN ROUND-UP.... Today's installment of campaign-related news. Sen. Darrel Aubertine receives education award, called a "hero" by state's largest farmer advocacy organization. Democratic Candidate Regina Calcaterra slams her opponent for deceiving voters about his record. Republican Candidates Frank Padavan and Andrew Como to possibly lose important Independence Line ballot access.
- Independence Party divide threatens to boot Republican Candidates Frank Padavan and Andrew Como from ballot line – Dysfunction within the Independence Party could cost two Republican State Senate candidates the crucial Independence line this fall, according to State Independence Party chair Frank MacKay. 38-year Republican incumbent Frank Padavan, who is being challenged by former New York City Council Member Tony Avella, and Anthony Como, who is challenging Democratic Sen. Joe Addabbo, have been using signature gatherers from the State Independence Party’s rival New York City faction to help them petition onto the Independence line. “This certainly doesn’t help their cause with the executive committee,” said MacKay.
- Democratic Candidate Regina Calcaterra slams opponent for playing politics as usual and voting to kill small business fund he is now praising – Calcaterra criticized her opponent, 34-year Republican incumbent Ken LaValle, for knowingly deceiving voters on Eastern Long Island about his support for jobs creation, saying he supports a measure to fund small businesses even after he voted to kill the legislation. In a press release dated July 9, LaValle touted the recently funded Small Business Revolving Loan Fund as "a valuable resource for small businesses and entrepreneurs" that "encourages job creation." He boasts, “I have always supported creating and protecting jobs throughout the state and, more specifically, our local region." However, LaValle omitted the fact that he voted against that very program by voting against the 2010-11 state budget. “Newsflash for Mr. LaValle: press releases do not create jobs, actions do," said Calcaterra. "This is the worst kind of hypocrisy, taking credit for a program you voted against. Once again we see Republicans playing political games that are typical of an Albany insider. We need honest representatives in the Senate who vote their convictions, not try to score points by playing with people’s jobs.”
- Sen. Darrel Aubertine receives Rural Schools Association ‘Appreciation Award’, deemed a ‘hero’ by New York Farm Bureau – The New York State Rural Schools Association honored Sen. Aubertine with its annual Appreciation Award for his work on behalf of rural schools. “We’d like to acknowledge the contributions the Senator is making as chair of the Rural Resources Commission and his continued support for both the Center for Rural Schools at Cornell and the Rural Education Advisory Committee,” said Lawrence A. Kiley, executive director of the Rural Schools Association. “It’s all indicative of the support the Senator is showing the small and rural school districts of New York State. Particularly in times like these, our association is appreciative of the fact that we have someone who advocates for and understands rural New York.”
Sen. Aubertine also received strong backing from the New York Farm Bureau this week after his Republican challenger, Patricia Ritchie, attacked Democrats for cutting funds for agriculture programs over the past two years. The state's largest farmer advocacy organization came to Sen. Aubertine’s defense and consider him to be "a hero," said Peter Gregg, a New York Farm Bureau spokesman. "Agriculture was almost exclusively the only portion of the state budget that was able to restore at least partial funding," he continued. "We are extremely grateful for Sen. Aubertine. He worked miracles to get the funding restored at the levels at which he did. There was absolutely no money and he somehow found it… He worked really hard this spring and this early summer on this farm labor that would have really wiped us out if it passed," Mr. Gregg said. "He fought for us tooth and nail. And for that, we consider him a hero."
Daily Campaign Roundup: Wilmot Fights For Schools
By Mike Connery on 06/29/2010 @ 02:45 PM
TODAY'S CAMPAIGN ROUND-UP.... Today's installment of campaign-related news. Mary Wilmot fights for mayoral control of schools while Republican James Alesi refuses to take stand. Tony Avella continues to stand up for Queens residents while Republican incumbent Frank Padavan is AWOL from Senate. Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins pushes more legislation through Senate.
- Democratic Candidate Mary Wilmot comes out in favor of mayoral control of schools - Wilmot announced yesterday that she is in favor of mayoral control of city schools. Such a bill is close to passage in the Senate. Her opponent, Republican James Alesi, has been too afraid to take a position on the issue yet. The time is now to stand up for the children of the Rochester City School District,” said Wilmot. “Our City School District children and their parents deserve better than the silence and indecision coming from Mr. Alesi’s office. … New York taxpayers spend $18,000 a year per student, we graduate only 46% of our incoming kids, … the silence is deafening, his year long indifference defends an unacceptable status quo.”
- Democratic Candidate Tony Avella slams Frank Padavan for missing budget session – Avella rightfully criticized Republican incumbent Padavan for opting to campaign in his district rather than travel to the Capitol for the Senate’s budget session. “Padavan’s Albany absence is a slap in the face to the hardworking taxpayers in our district,” Avella said. “When he should have been working to resolve the budget crisis and education funding, he was too worried about his own political future.”
Avella also has continued to receive press for leading a protest against MTA service cuts in Queens. One of the most controversial changes was with the Q15A, a new alternate route of the Q15 bus meant to pick up riders stranded by the elimination of the Q14. The route has now routed down a residential stretch of 10th Ave. that residents say is too narrow. - Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins pushes safe distance law through Senate - A bill sponsored by Sen. Stewart-Cousins requiring a requiring safe passing distance as a motorist passes a cyclist was passed by the Senate. The bill was introduced after Merrill Cassell was struck and killed by a Bee-Line bus Nov. 6, 2009, in Greenburgh. “The buffer zone is a reasonable and necessary safety precaution for cyclists that often need to maneuver around cracks, potholes or the hazards that cycling on our roads can present,” Stewart-Cousins said. “This legislation will serve to educate the public about the need for motor vehicles and bicyclists to share our roads safely.”
New York Senate Dems Hits Republicans on Taxes and Budget
By Mike Connery on 04/16/2010 @ 05:26 PM
Yesterday was tax day, and once again hard-working New Yorkers sent too much of their tax dollars to Albany.
While New Yorkers continue to pay more than their fair share, Republicans are sitting on the sidelines, running from decades-long record of taxing, spending and borrowing away the financial stability of our state. To add insult to injury, they are refusing to participate constructively in the current budget process, and trying to blame Democrats for their own mess.
New York Senate Dems are determined to hold Republicans accountable for these actions.
Today we launched a series of robocalls into the districts of 14 Republicans who are ducking and dodging their record on taxes while the people of New York foot the bill. Calls were placed into the districts of Dean Skelos, Steve Saland, Hugh Farley, Roy McDonald, Owen Johnson, Kemp Hannon, John DeFrancisco, Tom Libous, Joe Robach, Michael Ranzenhofer, Ken LaValle, James Alesi, Frank Padavan and Joe Griffo.
Voters in each of those districts received a call informing them of their Senator's record on the budget and taxes, and asking them to call and ask their Senator to work with Democrats to resolve our state's budget crisis.
You can listen to a few of those calls below:
Dean Skelos
Kemp Hannon
Owen Johnson
Senate Republicans bear the brunt of responsibility for landing us in our current fiscal straits. They owe it to their constituents, and to all New Yorkers, to engage in good faith negotiations to help fix their mess.
We're not going to let them run from their record any longer.
Ed Note - We're still in beta and working out the hiccups, and this post was accidentally deleted from our system on Monday April 19th. A new copy was uploaded on Tuesday April 20.
Taking on the Last Senate Republican in Queens
By Mike Connery on 04/16/2010 @ 09:26 AM
Two great press hits coming out of the Queens Courrier yesterday. The first is a wide-ranging profile of Tony Avella and his effort to unseat GOP incumbent Frank Padavan, He's In It To Make a Difference.
Tony Avella insists he hates politics, but that’s not stopping him from running for another elective office. “I’m not in it for the money or the ego,” Avella said. “I’m in it to make a difference.”
The former city councilman, who served the 19th District for two terms, is now seeking the 11th state Senate District seat, which has been held by Republican Frank Padavan for the last 38 years. He believes Padavan is part of why the state Legislature is dysfunctional and that it’s time for a change.
On why he's running, and the electoral math:
Known as a maverick in Democratic circles, Avella is in the enviable position now of being the fair-haired boy. “The Democrats need to maintain the majority in Albany,” he said. “I can have an influence because the voices for change aren’t loud enough.”
He believes Padavan has become entrenched because the district has been gerrymandered in his favor. “It will be a mini-mandate if I win,” Avella said, noting his former council district overlaps the Senate area, which he considers a plus.
For this race, the party sought him out to run. “They are embracing me,” he said. “It’s helpful for the Democrats to have a maverick and a reformer.”
In the last Padavan challenge, City Councilman Jim Gennaro (D-Fresh Meadows) lost by only 480 votes, after a recount that lasted for several months. “Padavan insists it was close because of the Obama vote, but we have found a huge drop off of people who voted for Obama but not the others,” he said. “Voting a straight party line doesn’t exist like it used to. Some people voted for the president and left some of the others blank.”
On the issues:
Avella also believes there are a lot of other things that can be done in Albany that affect the city, especially schools. “We have narrowed the gap, but upstate schools still get too much money,” Avella said. “We also need to eliminate the huge amount of waste in the city school system and I think we can do it.”
He recommends firing bad teachers and that ones up for review be given a speedy trial by hiring more arbitrators.
Avella is also no fan of discretionary funds, whereby elected officials dole out money to favored groups. “These groups should apply directly to the budget in a grant application process, not to the elected official,” he said. “It would give an extra level of review.”
Avella favors retaining community boards, panels which Mayor Mike Bloomberg is widely believed to want discontinued or at least diminished in their authority. “Decentralization works,” Avella said. “People know best what’s going on in their neighborhoods.”
Avella indicated he is not about to change his persona in Albany. “I feel I can have an influence and make change,” he said. “If I have to be a pest, I will. That’s why I’m going to Albany. I want to get things done.”
The second article took a hard look at the electoral math in the Queens Senate District and wonders if this might be the year that the last GOP Senator in Queens finally falls -
In 2008, out of 95,000 votes cast - Padavan came within 480 votes of losing to Gennaro partially due to his disappointing voting record. This includes consistently voting to increase deficits, annual excessive spending twice to three times the rate of inflation, supporting several hundred million dollars worth of yearly member item pork barrel projects and participating in the adoption of 30 out of the past 36 budgets late during his term in office. Under Padavan and the former GOP Senate majority -- New York became number two nationally in debt. Each resident is responsible for $4,115 of the $60 billion total. State debt grew from $27 billion in 1995 to $60 billion today growing by billions more in future budgets. State public authorities debt is $72 billion. These combined liabilities plus interest total $196 billion dollars. The voting record for Padavan morphed from being a conservative Republican to RINO (Republicans In Name Only) GOP Senator. Avella may run to the right of Padavan making the case that he is the real fiscal conservative. In 2010, the odds of Padavan remaining in office will be heavily stacked against him. Even if Padavan were to survive in 2010, his current gerrymandered district would probably be redrawn making any attempt to run in 2012 mathematically impossible.
Both articles are worth a look and provide a great overview of what will be one of the most-watched races this cycle.
Avella Will Take on Padavan
By Mike Connery on 04/05/2010 @ 04:30 PM
Former city council member and mayoral candidate Tony Avella has announced that he will challenge Frank Padavan for control of New York's 11th Senate District in Queens.
“While I may not have always done what’s popular, I have always tried to do what’s right. It’s time we elect a State Senator who will look out for the interests of Queens families,” Avella said. He took the opportunity to point the finger at his opponent. “Frank Padavan has been part of the problem in Albany for 38 years. What we need now is a Senator who wants to be part of the solution. If elected, I’ll change the way Albany does business.”
Avella was flanked by other prominent Queens Democrats, including Assemblyman David Weprin (D-Little Neck) and Councilman Danny Dromm (D-Jackson Heights), who gave Avella their endorsement.
Avella, who represented the Bayside, Douglaston, Whitestone, College Point and North Flushing council district now represented by Dan Halloran (R-Whitestone) from 2002-2009, first hinted at a potential challenge to Padavan in early December. Avella, known to be more conservative than most city Democrats, came out in support of same-sex marriage that same month after the State Senate rejected a bill to legalize same-sex marriage in New York State. Padavan joined all 30 Republicans in the chamber in voting “no” on a bill to legalize same-sex marriage. Avella took more steps toward a run in February.
Padavan squeaked back into office last term by the narrowest of margins, beating out Jim Gennaro by just a few hundred votes. Padavan is on the ropes, and Avella could be one of our best shots at picking up an extra seat this cycle.
Here's more on Avella's announcement from the local press:
- Queens Tribune: Avella Sets Sites on Padavan, State Senate
- Queens Courrier: Avella to Challenge Padavan for Senate
- Village Voice: Tony Avella Will Challenge Frank Padavan in State Senate Race
- Your Nabe: Avella Kicks Off Challenge to Padavan for Senate Seat
- City Hall News: The Recalibration of Tony Avella
