Goldfeder Has Inside Track to Fill Pheffer's Vacant Seat by Howard Koplowitz -YourNabe.com

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Y. Philip Goldfeder, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer’s (D-N.Y.) director of intergovernmental affairs, is expected to run for the seat vacated by former state Assemblywoman Audrey Pheffer (D-Rockaway Beach) and has the inside track to become the Democratic nominee in the yet-to-be announced race, a source close to Goldfeder told TimesLedger Newspapers.

Goldfeder, who declined to comment, has been Schumer’s director of intergovernmental affairs for 2 1/2 years and previously worked as the Queens director of Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s Community Assistance Unit.

Pheffer’s seat became vacant after she accepted the position of Queens county clerk last month.

Political insiders say Gov. Andrew Cuomo wants the special election to replace Pheffer to take place on Primary Day, Sept. 13, which means he is expected to announce the contest June 24 at the earliest.

Under previous law, special elections had to be held within 30 to 40 days of the governor’s announcement, but the law was tweaked to 70 to 80 days in order to accommodate ballots from overseas.

Before his position with Bloomberg, Goldfeder, a Rockaway resident, worked for City Councilmen James Sanders (D-Laurelton) and James Gennaro (D-Fresh Meadows).

Democratic district leaders in the Assembly district decide who makes it on the ballot as a Democrat, with two of the leaders — Lew Simon and Geraldine Chapey — expected to run in the race.

But the source close to Goldfeder said he is expected to be supported by the other two district leaders — Jo Ann Shapiro and Frank Gulluscio — which would be enough backing for Goldfeder to make the ballot on the Democratic line.

Jo Ann Shapiro, who was Pheffer’s chief of staff, declined to run and Gulluscio is also not expected to be a candidate.

The source said Goldfeder is close to Shapiro and noted he worked on Gulluscio’s failed Council campaigns and the two district leaders are said to be backing him.

On the Republican side, district leader Jane Deacy is a candidate for the seat and she has the backing of Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park).

The source said Ulrich’s criticism of Goldfeder — he said Goldfeder is virtually unknown outside of Rockaway — was a “silly statement,” pointing to Goldfeder’s career working for two councilmen, Bloomberg and Schumer.

“Phil has spent his entire career working from within the diverse borough of Queens,” the source said.

Audrey Pheffer Aide's Out Of Assembly Race by Lisa L. Colangelo -| New York Daily News

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The scramble to fill the seat of former Assemblywoman Audrey Pheffer has taken another turn, with her longtime aide announcing she will not run for the post.

Our Lisa L. Colangelo reports:

That clears the deck for Phillip Goldfeder, an aide to U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer. Goldfeder is being touted as the Queens Democratic Party's pick to replace Pheffer, who recently stepped down from her legislative post to become the Queens County Clerk.

The district includes parts of Ozone Park, Howard Beach and the Rockaways.

"I've been very blessed being able to work with Audrey for all those years," said Joann Shapiro. "It allowed me to serve at a certain level, and I think I did it well."

Shapiro said she made the decision not to run after having discussions with her family. "I don't plan on leaving the community," she said. "I will continue to serve in a different capacity and am looking forward to it."

Goldfeder, a Far Rockaway native, has worked for both Republicans and Democrats, including a stint on Mayor Bloomberg's 2005 campaign and City Councilman Simcha Felder's unsuccessful campaign for state Senate. He could not be reached for comment yesterday.

The seat will be filled by a special election, possibly on Primary Day in September.

The four Democratic district leaders - Shapiro, Frank Gulluscio, Lew Simon and Geraldine Chapey - will decide who runs on the party line for that race.

Former Police Officer Jane Deacy is the likely candidate on the Republican ballot.

Supporters said Goldfeder's connections in Far Rockaway could help bring out the important Jewish vote.

Others said he has few community ties outside of Far Rockaway and only recently started attending local civic and political club meetings.

"I think Jane's chances have gotten better," said City Councilman Eric Ulrich, a Republican who is touting Deacy as a candidate. "Outside of Far Rockaway, Phil is virtually unknown."

And he pointed out that political connections can only go so far during an election.

"At the end of the day, political capital is not transferrable," Ulrich said. "They don't care who you work for and who you know. They will vote for the candidate who will do the best job."

Senator Gianaris: No Tax Help for Big Electric by Rebecca Henely > YourNabe.com

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State Sen. Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria) condemned a bill passed in the Senate Monday to give tax abatements to power generators, saying it would provide them with an unfair tax benefit.

“I think they’re trying to use the excuse of rate payer relief to give a tax break to their friends in the energy industry,” Gianaris said of the Senate Republicans, all of whom voted for the bill along with three Queens Democrats.

Gianaris has been critical of potential increases to electric rates. The bill, sponsored by state Sen. George Maziarz (R-Newfane), offers property tax abatements to power generators on the grounds that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission did not take into account the increased peak demand expected from New York City between 2011 and 2014 when setting the tax benefits for the power generators. The bill has been sent to the state Assembly, but has not been passed.

Maziarz did not respond for comment by press time Tuesday evening.

Gianaris, who supports a bill by Sen. Andrew Lanza (R-Staten Island) that would prevent FERC’s increase in energy capacity prices for power generators from being passed on to city residents, said Maziarz’s measure would give a windfall to the energy industry and Lanza’s bill should have been passed instead.

FERC had originally planned to increase capacity prices to offset city property taxes, even though the city already offers property tax credits to power generators. Mayor Michael Bloomberg, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Gov. Andrew Cuomo have come out against FERC’s decision.

“The last thing we want to do is be giving money away to an industry that’s experiencing record profits,” Gianaris said.

The Senate has not passed Lanza’s bill. The Staten Island senator also voted for Maziarz’s bill.

In addition to the Senate Republicans, seven Democrats voted for Maziarz’s legislation, including state Sens. Joe Addabbo (D-Howard Beach), Jose Peralta (D-East Elmhurst) and Toby Stavisky (D-Whitestone). State Sen. Shirley Huntley (D-Jamaica) was excused from voting.

Senator Schumer on Death of Osama bin Laden Video - State of Politics

Senator Chuck Schumer on State of Politics blog about death of Obama bin Laden...

Schumer: ‘Thunderous Strike For Justice’ by Elizabeth Benjamin - Capital Tonite

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Senator Charles Schumer’s statement on Osama Bin Laden’s death.

“This is a thunderous strike for justice for the thousands of my fellow New Yorkers — and citizens from all over the world — who were murdered on 9/11. It took close to ten years, but the world’s most wanted terrorist has finally met his deserved fate. New York’s heart is still broken from the tragedy of 9/11, but this at least brings some measure of closure and consolation to the victims and their families.

“This is a massive accomplishment for the countless military and intelligence personnel who have been urgently dedicated to this task for the past decade. Because Bin Laden’s evil dogma has poisoned the minds of so many others, we cannot let up in the war on terror. This successful mission sends a definitive message to those who would test the resolve of the people of the United States of America: do not doubt our resolve; if you do us harm, we will find you, we will mete out justice, and we will prevail.”

Bloomberg Pressing For Fingerprints On Social Security Cards by: Erin Billups - NY1.com

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h/t to Javier Castano at QueensLatino.com for alerting me to this situation by King Mike...

Mayor Michael Bloomberg says putting fingerprints on social security cards would help control the nation's borders, and give employers a way to check whether potential hires are legal citizens.

"The companies could just run it through a computer," Bloomberg said Friday morning on his weekly radio show. “And if you're an undocumented illegal, they just don't give you the job. And you're not going to come here if you cant get a job."

The mayor's remarks come on the heels of his trip to Washington on Tuesday, where he took part in a discussion on immigration policy with President Obama and other politicians.

Photo from QueensLatino.com

Advocates for immigrants rights say they're surprised Bloomberg is making this proposal.

"This is a plan that's ill advised and should not be pursued and is incompatible with some of the values that the mayor claims to be important to him," said Donna Lieberman of the New York Civil Liberties Union.

Things like preventing the marginalization of the immigrant community.

"When we add a layer of documentation in order for people to do basic activities there are people that are vulnerable ... for whom this just means they are pushed to the outskirts," Lieberman said.

One company of Bloomberg makes a device for checking fingerprints. If your proposal is approved, will increase his fortune, at the expense of undocumented migrants. Go Bloomberg ... Yes, we can!

Critics of Bloomberg's proposal say putting fingerprints on social security cards would not only be a burden for immigrants, but an imposition on all Americans.

"Once you open the door to such government intrusion what you're doing is you're allowing the Government to collect all sorts of information and we have questions about what this will mean for the future," said Jacki Eposito of the New York Immigration Coalition.

The idea of putting fingerprints on social security cards has been floated by other elected officials, including Sen. Charles Schumer.

N.Y. Senators Join in Census Challenge - USATODAY.com

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Add New York's two Democratic senators to the list of public officials who say the U.S. Census miscounted the population in the Big Apple.

Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand and Charles Schumer agree with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg that the 2010 Census undercounted residents in Brooklyn and Queens.

Sunday, Bloomberg announced the city will officially challenge the Census, which says New York City and the state gained 2.1% from 2000 to 2010, for a record 8,175,133 people. USA TODAY's Martha T. Moore reported on the dispute here.

As Gillibrand noted on her Twitter feed today, an undercount has serious repercussions:

These are high growth areas w/large immigrant populations. It's crucial that #NYC get the federal funds & the representation it deserves.

Schumer, who lives in Brooklyn, said "it strains credulity" that New York City has grown only by 167,000 people in the past decade.

Check out USA TODAY's Census coverage here, including a rollover map that is updated as population and diversity trends are released.

To challenge the Census, the New York officials had to notify Commerce Secretary Gary Locke that they will undergo the formal appeals process known as the Count Question Resolution Program.

Schumer, Gillibrand Scure $13K for Kennedy Taxiways by Phillip Newman - YourNabe.com

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The federal government has awarded nearly $13 million for construction and rehabilitation of taxiways at John F. Kennedy International Airport.

U.S. Sens. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) jointly announced the federal grant, which they said would cut flight delays and improve travel for millions of people passing through JFK, one of the nation’s busiest airports.

The Federal Aviation Administration has made available to JFK two grants totaling $12,912,749 toward taxiway repair and improvement. A $10.9 million grant will help build a new taxiway and another worth $2,012,749 will rehabilitate an existing taxiway.

“By expanding and improving our existing infrastructure at JFK, we can reduce flight delays and improve travel for the millions of passengers who travel through JFK each year,” Schumer said. “As one of America’s busiest airports, JFK needs infrastructure projects like this one in order to ease gridlock and air traffic.”

More commodious taxiways will reduce waiting among arriving jetliners heading for passenger gate areas as well as departing flights.

JFK handled more than 45 million passengers and 1.1 million tons of freight in 2009 alone.

By building an extra taxiway and refurbishing an existing runway, the U.S. Department of Transportation funds will enable JFK to increase its capacity and prepare for an even larger number of passengers in the future. JFK has long been, along with LaGuardia and Newark Liberty International airports among the bottom of the nation’s airports in flight delays.

JFK contributes about $30 billion in economic activity to the New York City area, generates around $9.8 billion in wages and salaries and employees about 35,000 people.

The Bay runway at JFK was widened and rehabilitated last year in a $376 million project carried out while the strip was shut down. The runway, designated 13R/31L, is known as Bay runway because it runs along Jamaica Bay. At 14,575 feet, it is among the world’s longest runways.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand & Senator Chuck Schumer for HRC's New Yorkers for Marriage Equality

Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand have joined HRC’s New Yorkers for Marriage Equality Campaign. Today HRC launched two new videos where both senators proudly support full marriage equality in the Empire State. The new videos and our entire campaign can be viewed online at www.hrc.org/NY4marriage. The two politicians join other prominent New Yorkers, from leaders and advocates, to actors and musicians who are letting America know that New York supports marriage equality.