Holding Our Breath - Editorial on Marriage Equality Bill - Queens Tribune

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First and foremost – we thank and congratulate Sens. Shirley Huntley and Joe Addabbo for changing their position on gay marriage. The two were the only remaining Queens Democrats who had previously voted against gay marriage; this week they said they changed their minds. Yes, we recognize that they perceived the issue to be in opposition of their constituents, and we are glad to see that the people they represent spoke up in great numbers to convince them to change their position.


We certainly realize that this is not a fait accompli. As of printing, there were only 31 Senators committed to voting in favor of granting members of the LGBT community the right to marry one another; 32 are needed, and a vote was expected by Friday.

This newspaper has taken great pride in championing what we feel is the basic equality of civil rights for all New Yorkers. If, indeed, the measure does pass, it will be a historic day in New York – and one of celebration here in Queens, home to one of the largest organized gay communities on the East Coast.

We patiently await the vote of the Senate. Do the right thing. We all should be equal.

DC #37 Lobby Day with Senator Shirley Huntley

On May 3, 2011 Senator Huntley met with many members of District Council 37 (DC 37) in her Albany office and at the convention center. Senator Huntley has supported the hardworking efforts of DC 37 and the millions of middle to working class people who are a part of the group. DC 37 spoke with Senator Huntley about legislation and other pending bills that would be very controversial or have their football spirit.

Some of the issues DC 37 supports include a wide range of topics. Renewal of Rent regulation was very important to members due the fact that there is a housing crunch in New York City for affordable housing. They also support restarting New York City Off-Tracking Betting to bring more jobs and revenue to the communities they live in. Most of the DC 37 members supported extended the Personal Income Tax surcharge. They felt everyone had to pay their fair share, but the wealthiest New Yorkers were not doing so and wanted them to be charged more.

The bills DC 37 did oppose included the Last In, First Out and New York City Property Tax Cap.

Same-Sex Marriage Advocates Aim at Republicans [Updated] by Azi Paybarah - | The New York Observer

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Same-sex marriage advocates, who have been coordinating their efforts with Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo, announced they're bringing their Republican counterparts into the fold.

"We are thrilled to have Log Cabin Republicans join the coalition" said Brian Ellner of the Human Rights Campaign.

What impact they will have on Republicans—many of whom voted against the bill two years ago in the State Senate— is unclear.

A spokesman for the Republican State Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos said it's not clear when a vote on this will take place. Cuomo reportedly wanted a vote by June.

"Senator Skelos makes it a point to meet with advocates on both sides of this and every other issue," Skelos spokesman Scott Reif emailed me to say. "At the appropriate time, the conference will discuss whether or not this bill should come to the floor this session."

One Republican who may be changing his vote is State Senator James Alesi of Monroe county. He "agonized" over the issue right before voting no, back in 2009. Now he is saying he's undecided. Democrats from Queens who voted no - Joe Addabbo and Shirley Huntley - are also reconsideringthe issue.

Update: Ellner elaborates. "It's clear we are going to need a bi-partisan coalition to get this passed" he said in a brief interview just now. His coalition, and the Log Cabin Republicans will be "sharing resources and relationships and intelligence" which "did not happen in the past."

In 2009, only 24 State Senators voted to legalize same-sex marriage. Currently, 26 state senators are on the record saying they'll vote for it. Advocates estimate they'll need a handful of Republicans to cross over and support the measure. An April 11 Siena poll said Republican voters were "nearly evenly divided" on the issue.

Senator Shirley Huntley Session Remarks on Resolution J993 Honoring Thomas White, Jr.

Senator Shirley Huntley session remarks on Resolution J993 Paying tribute to the life and accomplishments  of Thomas White, Jr., a distinguished citizen and a devoted member of his community.

Noose Found Hanging Outside Apt Building, Near School by Francesca Maxime - WPIX

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It's a disturbing reminder of hate, in Howard Beach. A noose was found hanging from a tree outside an apartment complex, and right near Walter Ward elementary school, Wednesday. The noose was not on school property, however.


People who live in the Lindenwood section of Howard Beach were surprised to learn someone had hung a noose in this day and age. One mother who'd lived in the neighborhood for 46 years said she was 'shocked,' and concerned because her son attends Walter Ward. Another resident said that while the neighborhood had experienced racial tensions int he past, he thought people living in this diverse area, now got along.


Senator Shirley Huntley had this to say about the incident: 'We know all too well that symbols of hatred fuel an atmosphere of intolerance and anger that can endanger lives. That is why it is disturbing to hear that a noose was hung from a tree near a public school in Lindenwood. I am outraged by this evil display. It is a painful reminder of the darkest chapters in our nation's history and proof that we must remain vigilant.'


Senator Huntley also thanked area police officers, for investigating the incident as a possible hate crime."

Former Gay Marriage “No” Votes Addabbo And Huntley Now Undecided by Laura Nahmias - City Hall News

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As Gov. Andrew Cuomo met with marriage equality activists on Wednesday, former no-voter State Sen. Jim Alesi announced he was now “undeclared” on the issue.

He is not the only one. State Sen. Joe Addabbo—whose “no” vote at the beginning of the roll-call in 2009 has been tagged by some as setting off a domino effect of “no” votes that led to the bill’s failure—said he is back on the fence as well.

“You can probably be listing me as undeclared. I mentioned to pro-marriage equality groups and those in my district, I’m going to talk to the people in my district and get a consensus on where they are,” Addabbo said. “I have actually said we’ll make a better effort this time, to get a more clear idea of where the constituents are.”

There were 24 yes votes in 2009, and with the various changes from the 2010 elections, there are now 26.

Addabbo was one of eight Democrats who voted no on the measure two years ago, along with State Sens. Ruben Diaz Sr., Darrel Aubertine, Shirley Huntley, Carl Kruger, Hiram Monserrate, George Onorato and Bill Stachowski. Aubertine, Monserrate, Onorato and Stachowski are no longer in Albany. Kruger, who also voted against the bill, is reportedly turning himself in to the U.S. Attorney on possible corruption charges, leaving unclear where he will be if and when a new vote is called on gay marriage.

State Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr. is still a no, and an ardent one.

“How can the issue of homosexual marriage demand the governor’s attention at this critical time when we are supposed to be dealing with the Budget to protect the poor and the needy?” Diaz said in a statement issued Wednesday afternoon.

That leaves State Sen. Shirley Huntley. The Queens Democrat once said she would not vote for the bill even if someone were to give her a million dollars, avoided that kind of rhetoric when asked for her stance on the measure Wednesday evening.

“I don’t have any thoughts,” she said. “I’m thinking about the budget and senior centers in my district. When it comes up, I’ll think about it.”

For years, marriage equality advocates have said that several Republican Senators might be willing to vote yes on the issue if enough Democrats supported it. Possible swing votes were once thought to be State Sens. John Bonacic, John Flanagan, Betty Little, Joe Robach, Kemp Hannon and Ken LaValle.

But they do not seem to be swinging yet.

A spokesperson for Bonacic said “he voted no on it in 2010 and we don’t see a change in that position right now.”

Similarly, a spokesperson for Sen. Betty Little, who also voted no, said the Senator’s position “had not changed.”

Attempts to reach Sens. Flanagan, Robach, Hannon and LaValle were unsuccessful.

Greg Angelo, chairman of the New York Log Cabin Republicans, said, “I can say what we’ve always said. Republicans will vote yes if there are enough Democrats in favor of the bill. We’re still working closely with Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos on this.”

Skelos last year pledged to bring the issue up for a vote again, though he remains a no himself.

Republican State Sen. Mark Grisanti’s position remains unclear, even after being called out by Lady Gaga over the weekend for his position on gay marriage, while she played a concert in his district.

Music fans noted that she is set to play a concert in LaValle’s district, at the Nassau Coliseum, in late April.


-- with additional reporting by Chris Bragg

Senator Shirley Huntley Talks About Eating Disorder Prevention...

Senator Shirley Huntley holds Press Conference for Eating Disorder Prevention.

Senate Democrats, NYC Elected Officials, and Housing Advocates Call For Renewal and Strengthening of Rent Regulations to be Included in SFY 2011-12 Budget

Sen. Espaillat, Senate Dems, NYC Elected Officials, & Housing Advocates Call For Renewal and Strengthening of Rent Regulations to be Included in SFY 2011-12 Budget

With rent regulation laws that protect over 1 million units of affordable housing in New York City dangerously close to expiring, Senator Adriano Espaillat was joined by his Senate colleagues, City elected officials, and over 150 advocates to call for the immediate extension and expansion of tenant protections.

To prevent the expiration of rent regulations and the most significant “tenant tax” in the history of New York, which could force over a million New Yorkers from their homes, Senate Democrats are calling for Sen. Espaillat’s omnibus tenant protection bill (S.2783-A) to be included in the SFY 2011-12 budget. The laws governing rent regulation are set to expire on June 15, 2011. Between 1994 and 2010, it is estimated that over 300,000 units of affordable housing were removed from rent regulation.

“Raising rents on middle-class and poor families that are already struggling in this tough economy is tantamount to a crushing tax that will drive New Yorkers from their homes,” said Senator Adriano Espaillat, Ranking Democrat on the Senate Housing Committee That’s why I have introduced legislation strengthening rent control and other crucial regulations that protect tenants and stabilize communities across New York. As elected officials, leaders, and grassroots activists, we stand united in fighting to preserve the millions of homes that might be lost if rent regulations are allowed to expire on June 15th.”

Mary Tek, spokesperson for the Real Rent Reform campaign, said, “We thank Senator Espaillat for recognizing that our current, weakened rent laws have resulted in the loss of over 300,000 affordable homes for New York’s families. We need real rent reform that not only renews rent protections, but also strengthens them by repealing vacancy destabilization. Without these steps, over 1 million families face unsustainable rent hikes leading to increased homelessness, destabilized communities, and the further erosion of New York’s economy.”

Senate Democratic Conference Leader John L. Sampson said, “To maintain our communities, grow our businesses, and keep middle-class families in their homes, we must extend and expand tenant protections. If rent regulations expire over a million New Yorkers could be driven from their homes by a devastating tenant tax. Including tenant protections in the budget process will safeguard tenants and stop an affordable housing crisis from crippling New York.

New York City Public Advocate Bill de Blasio said, “These laws are the only thing standing between our city and the largest affordable housing crisis in this country’s history. If we don’t act here and now, hundreds of thousands of working and middle class families could lose their homes. We must live up to our historic responsibility to keep the more than million apartments under threat affordable.”

Key Components of S. 2783- A/ Espaillat:

• Repeals vacancy destabilization and re-regulates most of the apartments that have been lost through this loophole in the last two decades.
• Allows New York City and suburban municipalities to bring former Mitchell-Lama and Section 8 buildings under rent stabilization.
• Reduces the statutory vacancy bonus from 20% to 10%.
• Reforms preferential rent loophole that enables landlords to increase stabilized rents by hundreds of dollars when tenants renew their leases.
• Reforms the provision that allows landlords to empty entire buildings by claiming they need more than one unit for themselves or their family members.
• Reforms the Major Capital Improvement (MCI) program by making rent surcharges temporary and which end when the landlord has recovered the cost of the improvement.
• Reforms the Individual Apartment Improvement (IAI) program by reducing the monthly rent increase from 1/40th to 1/60th of the cost of the improvement.
• Adjusts high-income deregulation thresholds to more accurately represent inflation.
• Repeals the Urstadt Law which would restore home rule powers over rent and eviction legislation to the City of New York.

Ana Maria Archila, Executive Director, Make the Road Action Fund, said, “Immigrant renters in New York City confront serious challenges finding safe, decent, and affordable housing. The deregulation of thousands of rent regulated housing units has been disastrous for immigrants, drastically cutting the supply of affordable housing in our communities. We cannot wait any longer. We must repeal vacancy decontrol this year."

With 14 Gone, Shirley Huntley Tops List Of Senate Democrats’ Staffer Layoffs by Chris Bragg and Laura Nahmias - City Hall News

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Most Democrats have had to lay off a staffer or two in the transition from the majority to minority party in the Senate.

Then there is State Sen. Shirley Huntley, of Queens, who has lost nearly three quarters of her staff. According to a comparison of recent Senate payroll records to those released on Friday, Huntley lost 14 of her 23 staffers. These represent the latest, and most sizable to date, round of Senate Democratic payroll cuts last month.

Though far from the Senate leadership, Huntley had one of the largest payrolls. Now, Huntley said, she was scrounging for money to try and hire a few part-time employees to attend community board meetings and other events.

She blamed the Senate Republicans for her and her staff’s plight.

“All I can say is that we were nicer to them than they were to us,” Huntley said. “These are people who weren’t involved in politics—it was a job. Now a lot of people are unemployed and they have no place to go. I don’t know what they’re going to do.”

Huntley paid nearly $34,000 to the 23 staffers in the first two weeks of January, which translates to a rate of about $879,000 annually. Huntley now has a payroll just over $8,000 every two weeks—a rate which translates to $208,000 annually.

Now in the minority, Democrats have been asked to trim their total payroll from about $40 million to $27 million. Each senator is being asked to get individual payroll costs to $350,000. For senators who had smaller staffs to begin with, that translated into fewer cuts.

Huntley insisted, though, that each and every staffer had been needed.

“Some people have larger staffs, and some people don’t care about staffs. I have 300-some thousand constituents and my staff served all parts of the district,” Huntley said.

Minority Leader John Sampson had 24 staff members before the transition and now has 15, not including central staff. The Senate Democrats were forced to cut 130 positions total.

Even some of the Senate Democrats’ higher profile staffers have been let go. Tom Connolly, the Independence Party vice-chair, is gone from the payroll of State Sen. Carl Kruger. Connolly had been with Kruger’s office since 2007, when then-Majority Leader Joe Bruno gave the Brooklyn Democrat the chairmanship of the Social Services Committee. Jason Koppel, the chief of staff for Kruger, confirmed the departure.

Connolly did not return a phone call seeking comment.

But not all Democrats have had to cut back. State Sen. Jeff Klein, who is part of the four-member breakaway Independent Democratic Conference, before the transition had 19 staffers and a bi-weekly payroll of $34,600. Now, Klein has two fewer staffers, but his bi-weekly payroll has actually jumped by more than $1,000 a month.

When the Democrats took the majority in 2008, the Republicans had to make cuts also, but Democrats note that they allowed GOP staffers until April 1 to leave the payroll.

Democrats are still hoping the GOP majority conference will decide to equally allocate resources, although a measure introduced to equally allocate resources in the senate Rules committee was voted down last week. Adding to the Democrats’ problems is their overspending while in the majority, including on 56 different employees for former State Sen. Pedro Espada, according to payroll records.

The Senate Democrats will have to make another round of cuts if the GOP does not allocate more resources to the conference.

“We’ve made significant payroll reductions to bring spending down to appropriate levels,” said Austin Shafran, the spokesman for the Senate Democrats. “Further reductions are ongoing, and greatly depend on whether the Republicans will be as equitable with resources.