!00 PERCENT Looking back on 2017

100 PERCENT

By Robert Press

Looking Back at 2017

   As we look back at 2017, it was the year that could have been, your fired, and still a mystery. the Yankees could have won the World Series, if they had just one more player to take them there. Donald Trump took the office of president, and those words rang out as they did on television, "YOUR FIRED". The John F. Kennedy 'Conspiracy Theory' after declassification of most government documents still remains a mystery. Now let's get back to the political world where there was many things that happened.

 2017 opened with a potential hotly contested Democratic primary for Mayor of New York City. One by one the potential challengers to incumbent Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio dropped out, with one even saying that he would run for mayor 'only if de Blasio was indicted'. That proved to be true on the other side of the isle as potential Republican candidates for mayor were saying just about the same thing, dropping out one by one also as the mayor was not indicted. 

 Mayor de Blasio faced only a token opponent in the primary, and a weak opponent in the general election. The story however in the Bronx was the Democratic primary. Since Comptroller did not run for mayor people looked at the borough presidents. Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. decided that he had four more years to enhance his profile citywide, or run for mayor against an incumbent Democratic mayor. Diaz Jr. was re-elected BP of the Bronx, but it was his father who made a move to City Hall. Now former State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. became City Councilman Ruben Diaz Sr. from the 18th council district. 

 Another former Albany legislator also made the move to the City Hall, when former Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj, was elected to the 13th City Council seat, replacing term-limited Jimmy Vacca. This has given the Bronx a vacant 32nd State Senate seat, and a vacant 80th Assembly seat. There is time to call a special election to fill both seats as well as one or two other state legislative seats that became vacant when the legislators decided to run for a different office. However the question of having a special election so close to the beginning of the regular petition process, and having a special election, then the federal primary for congress in June, the regular primary in September, and then the general election in November is a good argument for not having the special elections. 

  The relationship between Mayor Bill de Blasio and Governor Andrew Cuomo has widened as each is blaming the other for many of New York City's woes. Mayor de Blasio was not indicted, and was able to easily win the primary and general election. Within a week after the general election however another NYCHA scandal broke about false reports to the federal government on the removal of lead paint in some NYCHA Houses. Had this come out before the general election it could have possibly changed the outcome of the election. 

 As has become the norm as the state primary season approaches, anti State Senate IDC (Independent Democratic Conference) forces have announced two candidates that will be running against two IDC members. A third IDC member will be facing a challenge from a former Mayor de Blasio staffer. The idea is to have State Senator Jeff Klein and his IDC to rejoin the mainline Democrats or face primaries this year. Governor Cuomo has gotten involved in the matter, and now it seems that the mainline Senate Democratic Conference leader (who was at the anti IDC rally held in the Bronx) is trying to say that the governor's deal is no good to her conference. We will have to wait for 2018 to find out how that soap opera ends. 

  Lastly, with Mayor Bill de Blasio coming back from a visit to Iowa, people are saying that he wants to run for President. I think that de Blasio wants to run for Vice-President with a presidential candidate from California. This way if not elected they can start a movement to secede from the United State to form their own country. I may have left out some items, but there is only so much room here in this column. It also appears that you will see me back in 2018, as the job offers are coming in. I am enjoying my well deserved vacation, and will see you in 2018.  

  If you have any comments about this column you can e-mail me at 100percentbronxnews@gmail.com or call me at 718-644-4199.