Riverdalian Charles Moerdler named to MTA Board

   Prominent labor lawyer and Riverdale community leader Mr. Charles Moerdler has been named to the MTA board. It is unclear just whom Mr Moerdler will replace on the MTA board as there are several members who are holdover  members beyond the expiration of their terms. With his extensive labor background it is suspected that Mr. Moerdler will represent either the  Transit Workers Union, or the Metro North Railroad Unions. 

    There are 17 members of the MTA board appointed by either the Governor, Mayor of New York City, 7 surrounding county executives serviced by the MTA, employee unions, and New York City Transit Riders Council. The 17 member MTA board is headed by Mr. Jay Walder, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

The Battle For Control Of The State Senate May Not Be Over
   

    Newsday is reporting that former Democratic State Senator Craig Johnson has filed a notice of appeal Monday of a judge's ruling certifying Republican Jack Martins as the winner of the election in the 7th State Senate District, his attorney said. "We are optimistic that justice will be served on appeal". 

    Johnson believes that a hand count of all 85,000 ballots is needed to unearth votes for him that were missed by the new electronic voting machines.  Currently Republicans have a 32-30 margin in the State Senate, but should the full hand recount change the results in this race the State Senate would become deadlocked at 31-31.

Bronx Annual Chanukah Menorah Lighting Ceremony

    On Monday, December 6, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and the Bronx Jewish Community Council hosted the Bronx Annual Chanukah Menorah Lighting Ceremony at the Bronx County Building. The event, attended by elected officials, Jewish community leaders and dozens of residents, featured a live musical performance by Dafna, a world-renowned recording artist, performer, educator, and music therapist.

     “The Bronx Annual Chanukah Menorah Lighting Ceremony is a great opportunity to both celebrate the holiday season with our borough’s Jewish community and to renew the bonds of solidarity and friendship in faith that bind our residents together. Once again, Bronxites of all faiths and ethnic backgrounds join with communities across the world in commemorating the Festival of Lights,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

       Above Bp Diaz lights Menorah with Rabbi Greenblatt inside borough hall.
         They then went outside to light the giant Menorah on the steps of borough hall below.

 

It's Official Democrats Loose Control of State Senate

    

     With new voter ballot scan machines, it took over one month to finally count all the ballots and declare all the winners in the State Senate races. The result is, after all that hard work in 2008 to finally win the majority (after 40 years of Republican control) State Senate Democrats have given back control of the State Senate to Republicans 32-30. Not only did they loose control; of the state house, but Democrats reelected the man who lead them to defeat Brooklyn Senator John Sampson as their leader.

     Some will say it was Pedro Espada Jr that caused the loss to Republicans, while others will point to the AEG scandal at Aqueduct Race Track, and others will say it was newly elected governor Andrew Cuomo who did not do enough to help senate Democrats either win more seats or get reelected. As we predicted there were three new Democratic State Senators elected this year, one in Queens, one in Hudson Valley, and one in Buffalo. The flip side however was that Democratics lost five seats while gaining only three for a net loss of two seats, and control of the State Senate.

     This will mean a loss of millions of dollars in member items to senate Democrats, as well as chairmanships of committees, as the party in power controls who gets what committee. Worse is that Republicans in the State Senate will control redistricting in 2011 on how State Senate districts will change. We have already heard that the 34^th State Senate district (D-Jeff Klein) may change to include some of the area of former State Senator Frank Padavan's Republican stronghold, while dropping some heavy Democratic areas of the Bronx. This would then give Senator Klein a reason to run for that new proposed East Bronx congressional seat that may open up after redistricting

Croton Facility Monitoring Committee Meeting

    Wednesday December 15th at 7PM in the DEP community office 3660 Jerome Avenue is the next meeting of the CFMC. The agenda includes a brief update by DEP on M/WBE subcontracts of Schiavone & Skanska. A construction update and report on a recent smoke condition at the Jerome Park Reservoir & status of the forve main. Public acess to JPR and schedule for the next meeting.

Senator Klein Celebrates 1^st Night Of Hanukkah With Bronx Seniors
HOLDS 17^th ANNUAL MENORAH LIGHTING CEREMONY 

    On Wednesday, December 1st, State Senator Jeff Klein (D-Bronx/Westchester) held his 17th Annual Menorah lighting ceremony at the Bronx House in Pelham Parkway to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah. Rabbi Izzy Greenberg joined Senator Klein along with dozens of Bronx seniors to kick-off “The Festival Of Lights.”

    "When we celebrate Hanukkah, we celebrate miracles and wonder and are reminded of how fortunate we are to live in a community where we can prosper and raise our families safely and in peace,” said State Senator Jeff Klein

    Rabbi Greenberg led the ceremony with the traditional Hanukkah prayer and blessing which was followed by the lighting of the first candle of the Menorah. Seniors enjoyed kosher snacks and refreshments provided by Senator Klein.

Senate Democrats Reelect Sampson as Leader

    With two State Senate seats still undecided, and a best case scenario of a 31-31 tie in the State Senate Democrats reelected Brooklyn Senator John Sampson as their Conference Leader. The State Senate is currently 31-29 in favor of the Republicans, with the two seats likely to go one to each side giving the Republicans back control of the State Senate 32-30.    

    This despite the fact that as I predicted Democrats would pick up three new seats in the State Senate which they did. Tony Avella won in Queens, David Carlucci in Hudson Valley, and Tim Kennedy in Buffalo, but Democrats  lost five other seats under John Sampson's leadership as they should go back into the minority in the State Senate by 32-30.    

    It was Senator Sampson, who was one of the people named in the investigation of the Aqueduct Racino, in a bid to put slot machines in the race track by a failed bidder that was reported to have been favored.

    So will end the Democratic control of the State Senate, unless a miracle happens that Democrats win both seats still contested resulting in a tie, give the tie breaking votes to the new Lieutenant Governor Robert Duffy.

Thompson Ends Senate Race, and
Democrats Hope of Majority in State Senate

   Current Democratic Senator Antoine M. Thompson officially conceded today to his Democrat turned Republican opponent Mark Grisanti. This now means that the Republicans have a 31 to 29 lead on Democrats in the State Senate with two seats left to finish recounting. It looks like the best case scenario for Democrats would be a 31-31 tie. In that case the tie breaking vote would come from newly elected Lieutenant Governor Robert Duffy.

   In the Westchester race incumbent Suzy Oppenheimer should be able to stay ahead of her Republican opponent, while on Long Island incumbent Senator Craig Johnson trail Republican Jack Martins. Democratic hopes are that even if when all the votes are counted, that a recount of the paper ballots will give the win to Johnson. The hope could be that if voters filled in more than one circle on their ballot that there was a foul up in the machine as to alter the actual voter count, thus a full ballot hand recount would give Democrat Johnson the win.