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: 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.”
Daily Campaign Roundup: Calcaterra On The Offensive On Education
By Mike Connery on 06/30/2010 @ 04:45 PM
TODAY'S CAMPAIGN ROUND-UP.... Today's installment of campaign-related news. Regina Calcaterra slams Ken Lavalle on school funding. Sen. Craig Johnson toughens New York's drug laws.
- Democratic Candidate Regina Calcaterra slams Lavalle’s apathy towards education funding – Calcaterra called her opponent, 34-year Republican incumbent Ken LaValle out of touch for saying that Suffolk County school districts may not feel much pain without hundreds of millions of dollars of restored state school aid funding. "LaValle says most school districts may not feel much pain if this important funding is not restored. Try telling that to the overtaxed, overburdened, out-of-work residents in our neighborhoods and communities from Port Jefferson to Mastic to Montauk,” Calcaterra said. "During the past 20 years alone of Ken LaValle's 34 years in Albany, Suffolk County property taxes have risen by more than 550 percent. That's too much pain already.”
- Sen. Craig Johnson’s legislation toughens drug laws – Legislation sponsored by Sen. Johnson which toughens existing laws to make it so a person who sells a controlled substance that causes a death would be charged with manslaughter passed the Senate yesterday. “A gravely serious heroin epidemic is gripping Long Island's youth and those who sell death to our children must be held accountable. This legislation will give prosecutors one more tool to protect our communities and safeguard our future,” Sen. Johnson said.
GOP Politics Makes For Strange Bedfellows
By Mike Connery on 06/28/2010 @ 04:25 PM
The pathetically desperate Albany-style relationship between Steve Levy and the Senate GOP has continued to fester.
A few weeks ago, Capitol Confidential reporter Jimmy Vielkind revealed that Tom Libous and Levy were conducting a backroom deal to salvage their sinking political fortunes.
Now, Liz Benjamin of The Capitol Report details how Levy is working closely with additional Senate Republicans – chief among them 34-year incumbent Ken LaValle– to promote what Levy describes as “economic development.”
Levy, a turncoat Democrat and practitioner of the politics of bigotry, is desperate to revive his political career after a disastrous attempt to capture the GOP gubernatorial nomination. His only asset is $4 million leftover from his failed bid.
Libous, chair of the Senate Republican Campaign Committee, finds himself the head of a cash-starved organization that is a shadow of its former self. The Capitol reported earlier this year that the SRCC had just under $1 million on hand at the end of January. That was less than a fifth of what it had on hand at the same point in the 2008 cycle when the GOP lost 3 seats.
LaValle, who has been in the Senate since 1976, finds himself in a battle for his political life out on Long Island. He is facing a serious challenge from formidable Democrat challenger Regina Calcaterra, a proponent of government reform and fiscal responsibility who has successfully represented the pension funds of police, firefighters, and teachers, and strengthened the enforcement of labor laws, as a corporate fraud lawyer.
With no party to call home, it is clear that Levy wants to buy his way into the good graces of a GOP that already rejected him on the merits. The desperate GOP, meanwhile, is willing to look the other way at Levy’s hate-mongering, ideological flip-flops, and even their own conference’s rejection of Levy in order to inject some life into a Senate GOP that looks DOA.
Benjamin summed it up best: “The point here really isn’t what the party-switching county executive is calling for, but rather that he’s continuing to stand with the Republicans even after their county leaders rejected his effort to run on their line for governor.”
Levy has refused to endorse GOP gubernatorial hopeful Rick Lazio. Levy has also refused to rule out a third party bid for governor. Despite this, Senate Republicans –from the top of the SRCC leadership in Albany down to the endangered 34-year incumbent on Long Island – look the other way in a desperate bid to grab whatever cash they can get a hold of.
Maybe one day the Senate GOP will define “economic development” in jobs and growth for New Yorkers, and stop measuring it in the amount of dirty campaign cash they can convince Steve Levy to shower them with.
Democrats Help New Yorkers While GOP Helps Themselves
By Mike Connery on 06/28/2010 @ 11:45 AM
TODAY'S CAMPAIGN ROUND-UP.... Today's installment of campaign-related news. Regina Calcaterra fights for higher quality and lower tuition at SUNY schools. Tony Avella stands with Queens residents in protesting MTA service cuts. Democrat Edward O'Shea to run against Republican incumbent Michael Nozzolio. Steve Levy and Senate GOP still desperately plotting. Sens. Aubertine and Johnson passing comprehensive legislation that will help New Yorkers across the state.
- Democratic Candidate Regina Calcaterra assails opponent’s support of SUNY tuition hikes while fighting reform – Calcaterra criticized her opponent, 34-year Republican incumbent Ken LaValle, for fighting much-needed reforms throughout SUNY while being on record as supporting regular tuition hikes for students and their parents. "Before students and their parents have to pay one more additional dollar in tuition at SUNY, we need to institute major accounting and oversight reform throughout the entire state university system," she said. "Ken LaValle has it exactly backwards. He's fighting reforms even though he's previously said publicly he'd be OK if SUNY increased tuition on a regular basis."
- Democratic Candidate Tony Avella stands with Queens residents in protesting MTA service cuts – Avella is standing with the residents in Queens who are irate over the recent MTA service adjustments that severely effect the country’s service. 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. Avella stood with dozens of Queens residents yesterday in front of one of the Q15A buses in a show of solidarity and support.
- Edward O’Shea to challenge 18-year Republican incumbent Michael Nozzolio in SD-54- O’Shea, the vice chairman of the Wayne County Democratic Committee, announced he is running against Nozzolio - only the third person to do so in the past 18 years. O'Shea is an English professor at the State University of New York at Oswego. "When our main government agency, our legislative body, is not working for us, that's a major problem," he said. "Senator Nozzolio has been in office for 18 years, and if he were a reform-minded person, he would've done something about this already."
- Steve Levy continues desperate political maneuvers, teams up with Senate GOP – Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy, who left the Democratic party in a failed effort to win the GOP gubernatorial nomination, is now looking to remain politically relevant by working with incumbent GOP lawmakers, Liz Benjamin of Capital Tonight reports. As she writes: “The point here really isn’t what the party-switching county executive is calling for, but rather that he’s continuing to stand with the Republicans even after their county leaders rejected his effort to run on their line for governor.” Levy’s presence continues to be a potentially divisive issue for Republicans as he has not yet endorsed GOP candidate Rick Lazio, nor has he ruled out running on a third party line.
- Sen. Craig Johnson passes legislation that will improve quality of life for seniors, upgrade New York’s infrastructure- Sen. Johnson was successful in pushing two integral legislative packages through the Senate last week. Sen. Johnson passed a comprehensive legislative package that will expand and increase access to services for seniors on Long Island and across New York. “After a lifetime of hard work and providing for their families, our seniors deserve fundamental protections and services in order to continue to lead healthy and active lives,” he said. “My legislation would expand the opportunity for seniors to get the tax relief for which they are entitled. While more needs to be done, this package will help more seniors stay in their homes and in their communities.”
Sen. Johnson was also responsible for the passage of a comprehensive strategy to build safer roads and highways which will cut costs for municipalities and improve the quality of life for residents throughout the state. “This is a blueprint that will help Long Island and the rest of New York State plan better and plan smarter,” he said said. “I am proud of this legislative package, which will help make Long Island more pedestrian friendly, less congested and more environmentally sustainable.” - Sen, Darrell Aubertine fights to restore crucial agriculture funding and pushes local trade benefits for district – Sen. Aubertine continued to fight for the additional funding and support of local businesses in his district last week. Aubertine first made sure that the most recent budget moved around limited revenue for agriculture programs to better target essential programs, while also restoring key funding the governor’s budget would have omitted. “This budget agreement restores more than $2.5 million in local funding for agriculture and reprioritizes funding to help our state’s number one industry,” Sen. Aubertine said.
Also, a bill sponsored by Sen. Aubertine that would extend Foreign Trade Zone benefits from Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority's industrial park and port to businesses throughout St. Lawrence County passed the Senate last week. This was a step officials said would be required to argue for the change to the U.S. Foreign Trade Zone Board, who makes the final decision. "We need to give our communities the ability to create and sustain jobs, and this legislation is part of a larger effort to grow the economy of St. Lawrence County," he said. - Sen. Brian Foley hosts forum to educate school administrators about addressing bullying – Sen. Foley hosted a forum for school administrators his school district to inform them on how to best address the issue of bullying within their schools. "Bullying is something that cannot be tolerated among our students, whether it occurs within the four walls of the school or within the limitless walls of the internet after school hours," said Foley. "The goal of today's event is to give school administrators the most up-to-date information about the known dangers and effects of bullying, the legal aspects of it and how administrators can best work with parents to address concerns.”
Convention Preview: Regina Calcaterra on Why She's Running
By Mike Connery on 05/26/2010 @ 01:01 AM
New York Senate Dems are in Rye this week for the State Party Convention. Tomorrow we'll unveil a slate of candidates that are ready to challenge incumbents and bring real change to Albany.
As a quick teaser to our announcement, here's video of Regina Calcaterra, the Democratic challenger to incumbent Ken LaValle in Suffolk County. Regina addresses the crowd at a New York Senate Dems reception, and talks about why she was compelled to run in 2010.
Be sure to watch through to the end to hear Regina's great knock on LaValle, and check back tomorrow to see our full slate of announced candidates.
Ken LaValle is #1 at Wasting Taxpayer Millions on Mailers
By Mike Connery on 05/11/2010 @ 05:07 PM
Ken LaValle is #1. At least when it comes to spending taxpayer money on legislative mailers. That's according to a recent report conducted by Gannett's Albany bureau, and his opponent, Democrat Regina Calcaterra, is calling him out on it.
“While New York has been careening out of fiscal control, lawmakers have been wastefully spending millions of taxpayer dollars on legislative mailers telling us how great they are – a practice that must be reined in immediately,” she said in a statement.
She added, “It shouldn’t take a investigative report by one of the country’s biggest newspaper companies to uncover how much lawmakers spend on constituent mail.”
Behind the paywall at Newsday, there's more from Calcaterra on LaValle's spending habits and how we can efficiently reform the system for legislative mailings to take advantage of 21st Century communications channels:
"The amount that the money LaValle spent on the mailers could have:
- Paid a full-year salary for between three and five teachers in Eastern Long Island Schools;
- Paid the salaries of five state troopers;
- Or paid a full year of tuition for 71 students at SUNY Stony Brook Southampton.
"It shouldn't take a investigative report by one of the country's biggest newspaper companies to uncover how much lawmakers spend on constituent mail," said Calcaterra, who is running in New York's First Senatorial District. "Every piece of mail from a New York State legislator should contain a line that clearly identifies the exact cost of the mailer to the taxpayer.
"But even that's not enough," she said. "Email, websites and social networking can clearly eliminate much, if not most, of the ridiculous cost both parties have racked up in constituent mailing. The budget for franking privileges should be cut to a fraction of what it is today. This abuse must stop now."
The Calcaterra campaign is holding the grand opening of their campaign office this weekend, followed by door knocking in the district. If you are in Suffolk County, stop in and help her out.
LaValle Flip Flops on Budget Extenders
By Mike Connery on 04/22/2010 @ 11:00 AM
Earlier this week, in a rambling speech that jumped from Albany dysfunction to schools and job creation, Ken LaValle flip-flopped on a vital budget extension vote, switching from a "yes" vote in previous weeks, and joining sixteen of his colleagues as a proud member of the Party of No.
LaValle complained about the tough choices Democrats made in slimming down the 2010-2011 budget, but his vote, if successful, would have cut funding immediately for all manner of jobs and vital services that New Yorkers rely on, including our troopers, guardsmen, corrections officers, nurses, and social service workers who care for our veterans, the homeless, and mentally disabled.
Beyond the immediate consequences of his vote, LaValle's age seems to be showing, as he's apparently forgotten about the 97 budget extenders and 11 late budgets passed during the Pataki/Bruno era of government:
- 2008: 9 days late/ 2 extenders
- 2004: 133 days late/ 12 extenders
- 2003: 42 days late/ 5 extenders
- 2002: 42 days late/ 8 extenders
- 2001: 125 days late/ 12 extenders
- 2000: 39 days late/ 3 extenders
- 1999: 126 days late/ 19 extenders
- 1998: 14 days late/ 4 extenders
- 1997: 126 days late/ 10 extenders
- 1996: 104 days late/ 14 extenders
- 1995: 68 days late/ 10 extenders
Would Senate Republicans Prefer a Government Shutdown?
By Mike Connery on 04/20/2010 @ 01:26 PM
Yesterday the State Senate voted to pass budget extenders that will fund the essential functions of government and protect vital services on which millions of New Yorkers depend. The budget extenders allow the state to continue paying our troopers, guardsmen, corrections officers, nurses, and social service workers who care for our veterans, the homeless, and mentally disabled. They provide funds for Medicaid, Social Security, and Unemployment.
Without these extenders, the state cannot function, and New Yorkers already struggling to make ends meet with take yet another hard hit. This is a big deal, with an immediate impact on the lives of hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of the state's residents. So it's worth noting that 16 Republicans - as they have so often since they lost the majority - said 'No' to a functioning government, 'No' to services for their constituents, and 'No' to paying the first responders we rely upon in emergencies by voting against the budget extenders.
Here is the list of Republicans who voted against yesterday's bill. It's a wall of shame if ever there was one:
- John DeFrancisco
- John Flanagan
- Martin Golden
- Joe Griffo
- Kemp Hannon
- William Larkin
- Ken LaValle
- Tom Libous
- Carl Marcellino
- Michael Nozzolio
- Michael Ranzenhofer
- James Seward
- Dean Skelos
- Dale Volker
- George Winner
- Catharine Young
Here's my question. With so many New Yorkers struggling, and the state facing one of the biggest fiscal crises in recent memory, does this gang of 16 really think shutting down parts of the government and letting vital services lapse is a good idea? I wonder if their constituents would agree with their answer.
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.
Calcaterra Takes Tax Fight to LaValle's Office
By Mike Connery on 04/15/2010 @ 08:26 PM
Earlier today, the Calcaterra campaign took the fight right to the doors of Ken LaValle's office, rallying supporters to highlight LaValle's record on taxes. Photo and statement from the Calcaterra campaign below.
Regina Calcaterra rallies supporters.
Calcaterra: LaValle's Pro-Tax Votes Make Every Day April 15 in New York SELDEN, NY - With more than two dozen supporters behind her, and in front of her opponent's district office, Regina Calcaterra, D-New Suffolk, today took aim at state Sen. Ken LaValle's more than 600 votes in Albany to raise or extend taxes and fees, adding $33.4 billion to New Yorkers' tax burden and helping to push the cost of living in Eastern Suffolk County to a near breaking point.
"For those in the First Senatorial District, many will be struggling and scrambling to pay their tax burden by midnight tonight," Calcaterra said. "And it's not just a personal income tax burden, it's a tax burden compounded by high sales tax, high government-mandated fees and high property taxes. And they can thank Sen. LaValle for voting on all of those taxes.
"For 32 of 34 years, he's been in the majority of the state Senate, and he's had the power to make change," Calcaterra said. "And, boy, has he made change for us here."
Calcaterra criticized not just the number of LaValle's pro-tax votes, but what LaValle specifically targeted for higher taxes in that legislation. From 1989 through 2010, LaValle voted in favor of levying or extending taxes on items including child car safety seats, bicycle helmets, beer, drivers' licenses, mortgage filings, hotel rooms and more. For New Yorkers, state government has "even taxed their safety, after Sen. LaValle voted to tax smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors."
She spoke in front of LaValle's district office which, it was revealed earlier this year, was a central cost to the $1 million in annual office expenses the incumbent rang up through the most recent fiscal period.
In addition, just weeks ago LaValle voted against a Senate proposal to provide $291 million in much-needed tax relief to senior citizens - which only compounded their plight of living in one of the most overtaxed states in the country. That's particularly difficult to accept, Calcaterra said, since Suffolk County property taxes have climbed by 550 percent since LaValle entered office.
Calcaterra is proposing sweeping changes to the way state agencies spend taxpayer dollars, including adoption of Generally Accepted Accounting Practices (GAAP) for all state agencies and authorities, expansion of public-private partnerships to raise revenue and continue state programs without having to raise the state tax burden constantly, and cancellation of MTA taxes and fees that were approved beginning in 2005 after LaValle's vote to tax drivers licenses and mortgage filings.
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Calcaterra Hits LaValle on Taxes
By Mike Connery on 04/07/2010 @ 04:30 PM
Behind the paywall at Newsday, Regina Calcaterra is hitting incumbent Ken LaValle over property taxes in Suffolk County:
State Sen. Ken LaValle is again running from his record, complaining about a lack of tax relief provided by lawmakers in Albany after voting against $291 million in property tax rebates for seniors.
LaValle today sent out a mass email that accused Senate leaders of doing nothing to pass a state budget. Little more than a week ago, LaValle voted against a proposal that would have provided the much-needed relief for seniors.
"After more than 30 years of voting for late budgets filled with gimmicks, one-shots, more spending and higher taxes and fees, Sen. LaValle is a couple of decades too late with his complaints," said Regina Calcaterra, D-New Suffolk, a candidate for state Senate from the First Senatorial District.
"Sen. Lavalle's Senate record during that time includes voting more than 500 times to increase taxes, fees or borrowing," Calcaterra said. "In fact, during Sen. LaValle's tenure, property taxes in Suffolk County have increased by more than 550 percent.
"For him to accuse others of blocking tax relief would be comical, were his budget votes in Albany for more than 30 years not so detrimental to residents of Eastern Suffolk County and all of New York," Calcaterra said.
"While acknowledging budget proposals so far are not perfect, Calcaterra said these problems are the result of decades of failed legislative leadership on budget issues. She is proposing significant reforms in financial reporting by state agencies and authorities, cuts in wasteful spending and greater efforts to restore fair share to Long Island taxpayers."
Republicans have presided over 44 years of corrupt deals, deficits and dysfunction. New Yorkers face one of the highest state and local tax rates in the nation, but Long Island residents in particular have suffered a heavy burden. Republicans like LaValle won't be able to run from that record this year.
