Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz endorse J. Gustavo Rivera in 33rd State Senate District

   This morning J. Gustavo Rivera picked up the endorsement of Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and Assemblyman Jeffry Dinowitz of the 81th A.D. 

   BP Diaz said that he has know Mr. Rivera for many years, it is important for him (Diaz) to have partners in government to work with, that he (Diaz) has such relationships in the city council, state legislature and even congress, with the exception of the 33rd State Senator Pedro Espada Jr., and 86th Assemblyman Nelson Castro. Diaz added that it is important to vote out elected officials that give the Bronx a bad reputation such as Senator Espada. 

   Assemblyman Dinowitz in his endorsement speech brought up the senate coup last June and said that all the hard work and bills passed by the Assembly died while Pedro Espada played with the fate the balence of power in the state senate. Dinowitz added that as Senate Housing Chairman Espada has blocked every piece of pro tenant legislation. 

   J. Gustavo Rivera thanked both BP Diaz and Assemblyman Dinowitz for their endorsement, and added "Pedro Esapda Jr. has forgotten who he represents". He also thanked Yudelka Tapia a candidate from last years 14th City Council race who was there to also support Mr. Rivera's candidacy. 

  BP Diaz was questioned if his endorsement of Mr. Rivera will cause any family problems, since Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. his father has endorsed Pedro Espada Jr. Diaz Jr. answered back with "this is not the first time, nor will it be the last time that I will differ with my father Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. BP Diaz added that in 2002 Pedro Espada Jr. abandoned the Democratic Party and that was how my father became a state senator. 

   When Dinowitz was asked how he is endorsing Mr. Rivera, he answered as an assemblyman whose district is part of the 33rd state senate, and not as Bronx County Committee Chairman. When asked if he will pursue  dis enrollment procedures should Espada win the Democratic Primary, Dinowitz said " let's hope that issue of party enrollment will be mute after the election".

   Tonight is the first of two scheduled debates between all three candidates for the 33rd State Senate, and it is suspected that only J. Gustavo Rivera and Dan Padernacht will show up. The debate can be seen on Bronxtalk hosted by Gary Axelbank on Cablevison  channel 67 at 9PM, and check the channel listing for Verizon Fios.

Frankie Avalon Concert in Loreto Park

   While he didn't bring his Beach Party movies co-star Annette Funicello with him to the Loreto Park concert, the fans still came out to see Frankie Avalon Thursday night. The concert by Frankie Avalon was set up by State Senator Jeff Klein as part of his free Summertime Symphonies concert series.

 Above Senator Klein with Frankie Avalon as he signs an autograph for a fan.

More Endorsements for Gustavo Rivera in the 33rd Senate Race

   It is all but set in stone that Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. along with Bronx Democratic County Committee Chairman Jeffrey Dinowitz will endorse J. Gustavo Rivera in the 33rd State Senate race. We are told that this will happen Monday morning 11AM at City Hall.

   Assemblyman Dinowitz answered my question of the endorsement with "that's what I read all over". While the Ben Franklin Club (Dinowitz's home base) had recently endorsed J. Gustavo Rivera in the 33rd senate race, Dinowitz was reluctant then to add his endorsement due to the fact that he wanted to remain neutral as he was being asked by the New York State Democratic Party to throw Pedro Espada Jr. out of the Democratic Party. As County Committee Chairman, Dinowitz would be the person to initiate party dismissal proceedings.

   The endorsement of J. Gustavo Rivera by BP Ruben Diaz Jr. will put the Diaz family at odds, as Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. has endorsed incumbent Pedro Espada Jr. in the33rd State Senate race.

Just Where Does Assemblyman Nelson Castro Live?

   That is the question Bronx Democrats are asking, as the Daily News reports that the Bronx Democratic Party is pulling out all the stops in backing 86th Assembly District Male District Leader Hector Ramirez including trying to yank current 86th Assemblyman Nelson Castro's Democratic Party registration on an issue of residency.

  Here's the link http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2010/08/bronx-dems-trying-to-nudge-ass.html

to read the whole story, Bronx Democratic County Leader Carl E. Heastie's reply to charges of using the new head of the Board of Elections to invalidate Assemblyman Castro's voter registration, and even the Board of Election notice of intent to cancel Castro's democratic registration.

   Kudos to Bob Kappstatter Daily News Bronx Bureau Chief on a great story.

J. Gustavo Rivera Expected to pick up Citywide Elected Officials Support

   It is being reported that 33rd State Senate candidate J. Gustavo Rivera will pick up endorsements from two citywide officials. It is expected that NYC Public Advocate Bill de Blasio and NYC Comptroller John Liu will endorse Gustavo Rivera against Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada Jr. today.  

  This would be a significant  endorsement for candidate Rivera, as he has only picked up support of those mostly outside the senate district, with the exception of City Council members Cabrera, Koppell, and Palma.

  It should be noted that Senator Pedro Espada Jr. is expected to skip the two debates that have been set up for the candidates of the 33rd State Senate District.

Assemblywoman Rivera Refuses Debate With Giuffre

  Here is the press release from Robert Giuffre candidate for the 80th Assembly District, upon learning that 80th Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera will not debate him on Bronxtalk September 6th.
    Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera refused to debate challenger Robert Giuffre.  Gary Axelbank, host of the popular BronxTalk television program, announced the news yesterday (August 26, 2010) via press release.  The Giuffre campaign believes Mr Axelbank was 100% correct when he said:
    "This is yet another low in Bronx elected representation.  One would think that incumbents would be eager to boast of their records on the eve of a primary or at least feel a sense of responsibility to their constituents and the democratic process itself.  Unfortunately, that's not the case.  It's the height of arrogance and disrespect."
    The Giuffre campaign presses on with its grassroots effort to unseat the dysfunctional Assembly member. 

  

Friends of Rob Giuffre

Democrat for Assembly – District 80

GiuffreforAssembly.com

Contact: 347-538-6231

 

CARL PALADINO BREAKS BREAD WITH HISPANIC MINISTERS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS

   Senator Ruben Díaz Sr. who  is  also the President of the New York Hispanic Clergy Organization  and Pastor of the Christian Community Neighborhood Church in the  Bronx, welcomed Mr. Carl Paladino to the clergy breakfast at Maestro’s Caterer’s this morning. 

   According  to  Senator  Rubén Díaz, an invitation has been sent to New York Attorney  General  Andrew Cuomo  and to Mr. Rick Lazio also candidates for Governor  of the State of New York. “The purpose of this meeting is to hear their   responses  to  our  community  needs  such  as  Education,  Health, Employment, Housing and other issues. By doing this, our community will be educated  in their position and will have a better understanding regardless of their political parties,” stated Senator Díaz.

   Rev. Diaz said that every election candidates tell us how much they love us, what they will do for us, and that they want our votes, but after the election they are gone. "We are going to give all the candidates the courtesy to come and speak to us". 

   When Republican candidate for governor Carl Paladino arrived shortly after the start of the breakfast, Rev. Diaz told him "you are the only one of the three candidates for governor to give us the respect to show up here, and speak to us". "If the other two candidates won't respect us by showing up they must not want our vote". 

   Candidate Paladino said that he is a businessman, lawyer, and a  developer, who is running for office for the first time. "I am an outsider to Albany, I am the only anti abortion candidate, I am against gay marriage (as marriage is between a man and a woman he added), and I will fix what's wrong in Albany". Paladino added that he will go to Albany with a baseball bat (that bat being the voters he added) to bring back a government that will serve all the people. Paladino wants to lower spending by 20 percent, taxes by 10 percent, and create job expansion. Paladino said that Washington is a disgrace, and that Albany makes Washington look like a bunch of choir boys. 

   Rev. Diaz said to Paladino that we might agree on some issues and that they might disagree on some, but that you came to talk to us. Diaz said that the meeting was arraigned through the Bronx Republican Party County Leader Jay Savino (who could not attend due to business), and that Bronx Board of Election Commissioner J.C. Polanco stood in for Savino. 

   Rev. Diaz then ask Paladino "the papers say that you are anti hispanic, and want to put us all in jail". Paladino replied by saying that there are those who want to slow me down and call me a racist, but those who know me laugh at that. Paladino added that the public school system has failed all children, and that he was in favor of charter schools. Paladino continued to say that he would set up a system where people would have to choose to finish school, join the national guard, or go into fields of service such as forestry in rural areas, or in urban areas service to the cities. 

   When asked how people of color would play a role in the Paladino administration, the reply was that Paladino is color blind, and that people will be chosen by ability and not by color. When I asked one of Paladino's aides who came with him how many people of color are on the campaign staff, I was told out of the eight paid staffers-none, but some of the volunteers are. 

   When it came to the question of immigration Paladino said "children born here are citizens, but illeagal immigrants should be given a clear path to go back where they came from". 

    My question to candidate for governor Carl Paladino was what he thought about the recent test score uproar in New York State and New York City, and was he in favor of bi-lingual education in the schools? Paladino's answer was "I am not familiar with the recent test scores or bilingual education".

Living Wage Study: A Stalling Tactic

   EDC Hires Living Wage Opponents to Conduct Study

   The Living Wage NYC campaign announced today that it is condemning the city’s rigged living wage study. The study, which was recently announced by the New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC), is being spearheaded by Charles River Associates, a management consulting firm based out of Boston. Economists David Neumark and Daniel Hamermesh, who are among the nation’s most vociferous opponents not just of living wage policies but even of the minimum wage, are part of the team.
   “The EDC could have selected a balanced team of experts to give New Yorkers a fair-minded assessment of living wage policies,” said Paul Sonn, policy co-director at the National Employment Law Project. “Instead, it is spending $1 million in taxpayer money to hire economists who are already on record as consistent critics of living wage and minimum wage policies, and who are affiliated with a lobbying arm of the restaurant industry.”

   Hamermesh and Neumark are both strong critics of minimum and living wage policies and have ties to Richard Berman’s Employment Policies Institute, a widely discredited pseudo think-tank, backed by the restaurant and beverage industry.  As exposed by the New York Times in June, the Employment Policies Institute is one of a group of sham, industry-backed “research” organizations established by Berman.  In addition to opposing minimum wage increases, Berman’s groups work to weaken drunk driving laws and promote sales of soda and candy in public schools.  See “Nonprofit Advocate Carves Out a For-Profit Niche,” New York Times, June 17, 2010.

   Neumark is the nation’s leading anti-living wage researcher.  Hamermesh has endorsed Neumark’s research and has been publicly critical of even modest increases in the minimum wage.  Neumark’s living wage research has been criticized by other economists as “neither methodologically sound nor statistically or substantively robust.”
   “Using consultants who have already made up their minds shows that the EDC is not concerned with the economic development of all New Yorkers but the economic development of rich developers and big businesses that are not interested in helping their workers live sustainable lives,” said Valery Jean, Executive Director of Families United for Racial & Economic Equality (FUREE). “The math is easy: to address the revenue crisis, you must provide living wages and health benefits for all.”

   The EDC’s study could hinder progress in enacting the Fair Wages for New Yorkers Act, which will guarantee that when the city gives businesses public subsidies, the jobs they create will pay at least a living wage. All workers employed at subsidized developments will be covered, including employees at retail stores located in subsidized shopping centers, concession workers at subsidized stadiums and cafeteria workers in subsidized office buildings.
   “At a moment when our city sits at the center of the foreclosure and unemployment crisis, Mayor Bloomberg has chosen to spend a million dollars of the city's money to commission a study on how paying a living wage to the poor might affect the non-poor,” said Reverend Dr. Peter Heltzel, Director of the Micah Institute at New York Theological Seminary. “The million dollars being spent on the study could turn 174 minimum-wage jobs into full-time living-wage jobs for a year. It's time for New York to step up to the plate and heed the cries of its impoverished workers.”

   More than 15 cities have enacted such legislation, and they have found that these policies create quality jobs for local residents without slowing growth. New York City is behind the times on this issue and, as a result, our publicly subsidized developments are keeping people in poverty-wage jobs, rather than providing them with opportunities to get ahead.
   Living Wage NYC Coalition partners (in formation): Community Voices Heard; Families United for Racial and Economic Equality; Fifth Ave. Committee; Fiscal Policy Institute; Good Old Lower East Side; The Greater NY Labor Religion Coalition; Jewish Labor Committee; Make the Road NY; Drum Major Institute for Public Policy; Pratt Area Community Council Leadership Group; New York Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church; The Micah Institute at New York Theological Seminary; National Employment Law Project; Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition; Northwest Bronx for Change; NY Communities for Change; New York Annual Converence of the United Methodist Church; NY Jobs with Justice & Urban Agenda; Pratt Area Community Council Leadership Group; Retail Action Project; Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU).