I on politics
By John Toscano
Gianaris Runs For Re-election Next Year, State AG Race In ’06

The next round of statewide elections is four years away, in 2006, but there has already been some talk about them, sparked by a comment from Attorney General Eliot Spitzer that he’s interested in running for governor. Spitzer’s announcement in turn brought some comments from would-be successors, a group which includes Assemblymember Michael Gianaris.

Gianaris faces the prospect of a very busy four years—preparing for a campaign next year for a third term in the Assembly, while he sets a foundation for a possible run for Attorney General in 2006.

As the 33-year-old lawmaker explains, "My first priority is to get re-elected next year [to the Assembly] and possibly do [the attorney general’s race] in the future."

The course that Gianaris has set for himself is already in motion. He has been as far west as Sacramento, California for a fundraiser which, he said, "some friends staged for me" and as far north as Buffalo recently for an Erie County Democratic dinner to meet people and raise campaign funds.

At this point, Gianaris’ main problem is to become known around the state, obviously a must for a first-time run for statewide office so he’ll be shuttling back and forth to attend major Democratic functions wherever they occur.

His second objective is to raise the cash to enable him to put on a first-rate campaign for the attorney general post, and he’s off to a good start in this regard.

"We already have about $450,000 in the bank and I figure that by the end of the year that will grow to about $1 million, which will be more than any of the others looking to succeed Spitzer," he said.

This should easily see him through the Assembly race without his spending too much money on what should be an easy road to re-election. Once Gianaris is re-elected, Spitzer’s plans should be much clearer, and if the present attorney general goes for the state’s top job, Gianaris will be set for an all-out drive to succeed him.

Gianaris, a Harvard graduate, is a busy young pol these days, with attending to business in his Astoria/Long Island City district as his top priority and also finding time to travel to important party and other functions throughout the state "trying to spread the word on where I stand on the environment, consumer issues and homeland security, among others," he says.

TIME FOR A HEVESI MOVE, TOO: After Forest Hills’ Alan Hevesi was elected state comptroller last year, many pols took it as a foregone conclusion that the veteran public official would almost surely be considered as a possible Democratic contender for governor in 2006.

This view has certainly been bolstered in the past few months as Hevesi has become identified as the public’s knight in shining armor for his efforts unmasking the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) as a scheming, money grabber in raising transit fares and bridge tolls.

Hevesi started by issuing an audit which found that the MTA had manipulated its books to make the fare increase appear absolutely necessary, which, Hevesi’s audit said, was not the case. The two court decisions reversed the fare and toll increases, making Hevesi’s audit findings look even better. Now Hevesi has issued the results of another analysis which, he says, calls for a $1.75 fare for the rest of this year, not the 50-cent increase to $2 that the MTA wants.

All in all, taming the once untouchable MTA has helped Hevesi to regain the luster he lost in a dismal showing in the 2001 mayor’s race and make him a viable candidate for governor in 2006.

MAYOR–COUNCIL TUSSLE STILL ON: If you thought that the $90 million in service restorations announced by Mayor Michael Bloomberg last week was the end of the budget story for this year, think again.

While the mayor stole some of the City Council’s thunder in ignoring the body in his announcement on restoring garbage pickups and senior park and library services, all of which councilmembers had been clamoring for, the Council still has several issues to use as a wedge before agreeing to pass the budget.

Chief among these is the reopening of six firehouses, including Engine 261 in Long Island City, keeping the Queens and Brooklyn zoos open and restoring $5.4 million for senior services which the mayor did not discuss last week.

Rest assured the council will be hard to live with if the mayor does not agree to some of its budget proposals. The lawmakers will dare him to pull another $90 million out of his hat before the 2003–04 budget is passed.

GOOD NEWS FOR MILLER: The way was cleared for Council Speaker Gifford Miller and five other councilmembers to run for re-election this year when the Court of Appeals, the state’s highest tribunal, refused to hear an appeal from a lower court decision that upheld term limit law amendments pushed by Miller. Assuring Miller another term in the Council as Speaker keeps his standing as a mayoral candidate in 2005 alive and well.

CONTROLLING CAMPAIGN FINANCES: Two actions were taken last week to control big spenders such as Bloomberg in political campaigns.

First, Councilmember Dave Weprin (D–Hollis) and several colleagues introduced a bill to prevent high-financed campaigns by individuals, organizations and corporations in elections. "This legislation will create a balance in the campaign process to ensure fairness to all interested parties by limiting the maximum single contribution to the maximum amount allowed for...Mayor of New York City [which is currently $4,950]." Weprin said.

It’s believed this is aimed at the mayor, who proposed a change in the City Charter to ban political parties in elections. There is concern in the council and elsewhere that the mayor might open his wallet and spend freely to try to win his point. This is the second Council bill proposed to block the mayor from spending freely to get the Charter change.

The other proposal to curb the influence of unfettered spending in a city contest came from the city Campaign Finance Board (CFB). It applies to anyone who does not choose to raise campaign funds under the board’s matching funds program. Anyone so choosing would be limited to spending $5.7 million in the primary and the same amount in the general election. Such a candidate would also have to disclose expenditures, participate in debates as do all other candidates and permit auditing of campaign financial records.

The mayor spent $74 million on the race for Gracie Mansion in 2001.

LIU SEEKS CAR ALARM BAN: Asserting that audible car alarms have proven to be more of a nuisance than an effective means of preventing car theft, Councilmember John Liu (D–Flushing) has introduced a bill to prohibit the sale and installation of audible motor vehicle alarms. The bill is up for a hearing today before the Committee on Environmental Protection.

The first violation would be a misdemeanor and carry fines from $500 to $1,000; subsequent violations would carry fines up to $5,000.

MARSHALL, McLAUGHLIN HONOREES: The Ridgewood Democratic Club, headed by Assemblymember Catherine Nolan, holds its annual dinner–dance Saturday night at Niederstein’s Restaurant in Middle Village. Honorees are Borough President Helen Marshall Assemblymember Brian McLaughlin and Pastor Michael Ross.