Post 9/11 NYC Is Political
Mecca For Busy Election Year
By John Toscano

New York City is going to be a popular place for political events this year as both out-of-towners and New York state-based pols try to give the still-recovering city economy a boost.

Over the weekend, Mayor Michael Bloomberg put out the welcome mat for about 200 mayors attending the United States Conference of Mayors convention, which the organization split between here and Washington, D.C.

The mayor addressed the group Friday when the mayors discussed ways to promote travel and tourism, and provide assistance to families and small businesses. That night he also hosted his colleagues at a Gracie Mansion reception.

However, the mayor did not tag along on Saturday when the municipal executives visited ground zero. Instead, former Mayor Rudy Giuliani was on hand to accompany the mayors on a tour of the ravaged World Trade Center site and address them afterwards at a special breakfast. Also addressing the group were United States Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and Congressmember Charles Rangel (D–N.Y.)

DEM, GOP CONVENTIONS: In May or June, both Democratic and Republican state party organizations will be holding their nominating conventions here, giving the city’s lagging economy another shot in the arm. State Democratic Party Chairman Assemblymember Denny Farrell (Manhattan) said after September 11 that it was appropriate to hold his party’s conclave here and state GOP Director Patrick McCarthy expressed similar sentiments. Time and place have not yet been determined.

Speaking of conventions, Republican National Committee Chairman Mark Raciot said recently that New York City is among the top contenders to land the GOP Presidential Convention in 2004.

"I certainly think (New York City) is a sentimental favorite to virtually everyone," said Raciot.

TOP 3 GOP’ERS AT FUNDRAISER HERE: Another planned major political event, a fundraiser for Governor George Pataki at the mayor’s posh Upper East Side town house, featuring President George W. Bush as the main guest, may not help the city’s economy much, but it will generate loads of excitement.

The February 6 event at Bloomberg’s place will be a $15,000-a-head bash to help fill Pataki’s campaign war chest. It will be followed later the same day with a $1,500-a-head reception for Pataki at the Sheraton New York Hotel, also with Bush on hand.

This will be an opportunity for making some points with the president and governor to enlist their aid in filling a budget gap estimated at $4 billion. It also helps to affirm Bloomberg’s Republican credentials, which were somewhat tattered after Bloomberg, who turned from Democrat to Republican to run for mayor, appointed many Democrats to jobs in his administration. In this instance, Bloomberg is rendering aid to Pataki in the most helpful and meaningful way, raising money to promote his campaign.

MONSERRATE SLAPPED: City Councilmember Hiram Monserrate is one of two new Queens Democratic lawmakers failing to land a Council committee chairmanship. While 11 of the 13 Dems in the delegation got chairmen appointments, Monserrate and Tony Avella (D–Bayside/Whitestone) must settle for subcommittee posts.

Pols in the Hispanic community are somewhat annoyed that Monserrate missed out. They’re saying it happened because Dem Leader Thomas Manton was paying back Monserrate for failing to support Manton’s choice, Alan Hevesi, for mayor after Manton gave the party organization’s endorsement to Monserrate. Instead, Monserrate endorsed and campaigned for former Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer.

We think that’s a credible explanation of Manton’s motives and actions, but how then could Avella’s not getting a chairman’s post be explained? Avella is as loyal a Democrat as you’ll find in the borough. He’s a district leader (as is Monserrate) and thus part of the party organization and has very close ties to organization forces in the Bayside/Whitestone/College Point region.

Avella also has 20 to 25 years of experience in dealing with a wide range of community matters at a leadership level. Neither Manton or Avella cared to discuss the matter, although sources close to Manton pointed out he grabbed 11 chairmanships, so failing to get a 12th was excusable. What’s more, the blow was softened by Avella and Monserrate getting subcommittee chairmen posts.

VALLONE JR. PLEASED: One of the new committee chairs from Queens, Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr. (D–Astoria) told us he was happy with being appointed Public Safety Committee chairman because the post deals with such an important area of government, one with which he has had some training. He stated:

"One need only look at my predecessor (former Council Speaker Peter Vallone Sr.) to know that the City Council can and will make a difference both in the fight to keep our city safe from foreign attack and in the fight to ensure that our city returns to the way it was just 10 years ago."

His reference to Speaker Vallone was to point out his sponsorship of the Safe City/Safe Streets program which was successful in reducing street crimes dramatically.

As for his experience matching the job, Vallone Jr. cited his six years as an assistant district attorney and his later experience as an attorney specializing in criminal law.

GALLAGHER’S COMMITTEES: Councilmember Dennis Gallagher, Queens’ only Republican member in a heavily Democratic Council, was hardly likely to get any committee chairmanships. However, he landed some respectable committee memberships. Among them were Finance, Aging, Youth Services and Civil Service and Labor.

"These are committees that all have an effect on the 30th Council District, which I represent," stated the Middle Village–Glendale lawmaker. He said despite the Finance Committee’s difficult task of creating a budget in the face of a $4 billion deficit, he would use his position "to maintain essential services in our community." He added he will also try to ensure that seniors receive their fair share of services and funding.

COUNCIL REFORM: Councilmember David Weprin (D–Bayside/Queens Village) and Hiram Monserrate (D–Corona/East Elmhurst) jointly announced last week that they would implement the Government Access and Accountability Campaign as a test pilot program in their respective districts. "The Campaign will reform the way City Council members serve by developing a mechanism to effectively communicate with all of the city’s residents about problems and available solutions," they declared. For more information, log on to www.nynice.org.

SHIFT IN CUOMO–McCALL RACE: The latest Quinnipiac University poll of the race between Democratic gubernatorial hopefuls H. Carl McCall and Andrew Cuomo shows McCall pulling even with the former HUD commissioner.

Each drew the backing of 38 percent of those polled. Last November, Cuomo led McCall by 37 percent to 29 percent, and a June poll had Cuomo ahead, 44 percent to 31 percent.

In other polls, Pataki leads either Dem challenger by a safe margin. Pataki’s prospects were bolstered further last week when powerful labor leader Dennis Rivera resigned from the Democratic National Committee. That was a resounding affirmation of Rivera’s cozying up to Pataki in recent weeks, signaling his possible backing of Pataki in this year’s gubernatorial contest. Rivera moved closer to Pataki after the governor pushed a bill through the legislature which will give Rivera’s health care workers a three-year raise totaling $1.8 billion. However, to implement the wage increase, Pataki will have to coax most of the $1.8 billion out of President Bush and Congress, a tall order.