By Kate Pastor
kpastor@riverdalepress.com
Stella D’oro workers, out on strike for nearly a year now, won their first victory yesterday when the National Labor Relations Board ruled in their favor.
“There’s nothing else I could ask for,” said Joyce Alston, president of Local 50 of the Bakery, Confectioners, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union, which represents the 136 striking workers.
The union charged the company with negotiating in bad faith and the union is reporting a favorable ruling in the case.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Stalled
In the last couple of weeks, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and the Riverdale/Kingsbridge area's Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz have both been inundating the media with announcements about bills passed and laws poised to change.
On Tuesday, Mr. Silver's staff issued a statement indicating that the Legislature's lower house convened for 13 hours and 2 minutes on Monday and acted on 202 bills, while holding 15 committee meetings.
None of these bills are going anywhere; they have to pass both the Assembly and the state Senate, and given the state of the Assembly's august companion chamber, it's highly unlikely even the most time-sensitive work will be done this year.
On Tuesday alone, Mr. Dinowitz also issued releases announcing three of those bills: One announcing harsher penalties for those who cause physical injury to someone who is obtaining, providing or assisting someone with reproductive health services; another creating an alert system for missing adults; and a third attempting to curb illegal debt collection practices.
Monday was the last regular day of the legislative session. There was an extraordinary state Senate session yesterday to vote on as many bills critical to the continuance of government in New York as possible, since Albany has been wrought for weeks with a dispute over who is in charge in the Legislature's upper house: the Republicans, the Democrats, or the small cadre of registered Democratic politicians who shuttle or threaten to shuttle between the two depending on the issue of the day and the state of negotiations.
But, as we report in this week's issue of our paper, that session went nowhere because the Republicans refused to acknowledge it and the governor's office may not have provided the documents necessary to vote on bills. In fact, there were two legislative sessions yesterday; the Republicans held their own. It's becoming increasingly apparent that none of the votes held yesterday will count for anything.
While Gov. David Paterson has said he'll call the state Senate to Albany every day until critical bills are passed, Assembly members have all gone home.
I sent Mr. Dinowitz a text message yesterday asking if he would be present upstate for the show.
"In Bx," he replied. "We did our job. No time for the circus."
On Tuesday, Mr. Silver's staff issued a statement indicating that the Legislature's lower house convened for 13 hours and 2 minutes on Monday and acted on 202 bills, while holding 15 committee meetings.
None of these bills are going anywhere; they have to pass both the Assembly and the state Senate, and given the state of the Assembly's august companion chamber, it's highly unlikely even the most time-sensitive work will be done this year.
On Tuesday alone, Mr. Dinowitz also issued releases announcing three of those bills: One announcing harsher penalties for those who cause physical injury to someone who is obtaining, providing or assisting someone with reproductive health services; another creating an alert system for missing adults; and a third attempting to curb illegal debt collection practices.
Monday was the last regular day of the legislative session. There was an extraordinary state Senate session yesterday to vote on as many bills critical to the continuance of government in New York as possible, since Albany has been wrought for weeks with a dispute over who is in charge in the Legislature's upper house: the Republicans, the Democrats, or the small cadre of registered Democratic politicians who shuttle or threaten to shuttle between the two depending on the issue of the day and the state of negotiations.
But, as we report in this week's issue of our paper, that session went nowhere because the Republicans refused to acknowledge it and the governor's office may not have provided the documents necessary to vote on bills. In fact, there were two legislative sessions yesterday; the Republicans held their own. It's becoming increasingly apparent that none of the votes held yesterday will count for anything.
While Gov. David Paterson has said he'll call the state Senate to Albany every day until critical bills are passed, Assembly members have all gone home.
I sent Mr. Dinowitz a text message yesterday asking if he would be present upstate for the show.
"In Bx," he replied. "We did our job. No time for the circus."
Thursday, June 18, 2009
The Grinch who stole Eid al-Adha?
Oliver KoppellHe voted "no" earlier this morning on a resolution asking the state to allow the city Department of Education to close city schools on two Muslim holidays. His was the only "no" vote.
I first saw this on PolitickerNY, who first saw it on Gotham Schools' Twitter.
"I just feel that we can’t, we shouldn’t deprive kids of school," said Mr. Koppell. "And we should make accommodation for everybody’s religious observance."
In fact, he in effect said, asking the state to add two more days off for religious observance pushes the city farther down a slippery slope.
The city is taking a similar tack in reducing the number of alternate-side parking days to accommodate religious observance.
Reducing school days or alternate-side parking days until everyone's holidays were recognized would be onerous, he said.
"I regret it," said Mr. Koppell, "because I think we should expand as I say the policies that we have to allow kids freedom to practice their religion."
He has asked his counsel, he said, to draft legislation that would call on the state to ensure that any city schoolchild who needs to take a day off for religious observance would not be penalized; allow for make-up exams for children who miss exams thanks to religious observance; and require city schools to take religious observance days into consideration when scheduling major events.
And he thinks the city should "consider" revoking days off on Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Good Friday.
He stopped at Christmas.
"Well, Christmas, I think, is celebrated by so many people we probably shouldn’t change that," he said.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Security increases after D.C. attack
The New York Times City Room blog reports that sites of Jewish interest citywide — including Riverdale Temple and Riverdale Jewish Center — are under the increasingly watchful eye of the NYPD after a gunman identified as an 88-year-old white supremacist opened fire inside the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., fatally wounding a security guard.
The shooter was identified as James von Brunn, whom, according to The New York Times, attempted in 1981 to storm a board meeting of the Federal Reserve with revolver, a hunting knife and a sawed-off shotgun in order to take board members hostage.
The shooter was identified as James von Brunn, whom, according to The New York Times, attempted in 1981 to storm a board meeting of the Federal Reserve with revolver, a hunting knife and a sawed-off shotgun in order to take board members hostage.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Dinowitz: "I told you so"
State Sen. Pedro Espada Jr. has apparently struck a deal with Senate Republicans in which he is now president pro tempore of the Senate, and Republican Dean Skelos is majority leader.
That means that after not-quite five and a half months of Democratic control, the Republican Party may once again seize control of the state Legislature's upper house.
This, a frustrated Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz just called to tell me, is exactly the set of circumstances he and the Riverdale political establishment sought to avoid — by supporting the incumbent, Efrain Gonzalez Jr., even though he was under indictment.
Mr. Gonzalez pled guilty earlier this month to fraud charges in connection with routing $400,000 in taxpayer money to his own pocket while a state senator. He was under indictment before last year's primaries, in which Mr. Dinowitz and Riverdale's Benjamin Franklin Reform Democratic Club endorsed him.
"He would have been returned to office and he would have lost his job … and we would have had neither Efrain Gonzalez Jr. nor Pedro Espada. Of course we knew that at the time," Mr. Dinowitz said.
He later added he knew they were endorsing someone who was likely guilty of stealing taxpayer money, not that they knew for a fact that Mr. Gonzalez had done the deed.
Given what was at stake, he said, the ends justified the means.
"You already saw the difference in having a Democratic senate … in terms of the bottle law, the Rockefeller law," Mr. Dinowitz said.
The Democratically controlled state Senate has passed reforms to the much-maligned Rockefeller drug laws, loosening sentences for low-level offenders.
The reforms also allowed judges to seal the records of some criminals, which caused a stir the Republicans used to their advantage.
The Senate also extended the Bottle Bill to add a deposit to bottled water.
"Now they’re going to put into power people who are going to oppose the interests of New York City when it comes to housing … who are going to oppose a lot of other positions," Mr. Dinowitz said.
That means that after not-quite five and a half months of Democratic control, the Republican Party may once again seize control of the state Legislature's upper house.
This, a frustrated Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz just called to tell me, is exactly the set of circumstances he and the Riverdale political establishment sought to avoid — by supporting the incumbent, Efrain Gonzalez Jr., even though he was under indictment.
Mr. Gonzalez pled guilty earlier this month to fraud charges in connection with routing $400,000 in taxpayer money to his own pocket while a state senator. He was under indictment before last year's primaries, in which Mr. Dinowitz and Riverdale's Benjamin Franklin Reform Democratic Club endorsed him.
"He would have been returned to office and he would have lost his job … and we would have had neither Efrain Gonzalez Jr. nor Pedro Espada. Of course we knew that at the time," Mr. Dinowitz said.
He later added he knew they were endorsing someone who was likely guilty of stealing taxpayer money, not that they knew for a fact that Mr. Gonzalez had done the deed.
Given what was at stake, he said, the ends justified the means.
"You already saw the difference in having a Democratic senate … in terms of the bottle law, the Rockefeller law," Mr. Dinowitz said.
The Democratically controlled state Senate has passed reforms to the much-maligned Rockefeller drug laws, loosening sentences for low-level offenders.
The reforms also allowed judges to seal the records of some criminals, which caused a stir the Republicans used to their advantage.
The Senate also extended the Bottle Bill to add a deposit to bottled water.
"Now they’re going to put into power people who are going to oppose the interests of New York City when it comes to housing … who are going to oppose a lot of other positions," Mr. Dinowitz said.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Mayoral Control
Parents, teachers and educators:
What do you think about mayoral control of the schools? Should the City Council let the law sunset? Should it be revised? Or should it be left intact?
Let us know what you think by writing a blog post, sending an e-mail to kpastor@riverdalepress.com or calling 718-543-6065 ext. 302.
Names and contact information will be appreciated.
What do you think about mayoral control of the schools? Should the City Council let the law sunset? Should it be revised? Or should it be left intact?
Let us know what you think by writing a blog post, sending an e-mail to kpastor@riverdalepress.com or calling 718-543-6065 ext. 302.
Names and contact information will be appreciated.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Scharper steps down from principal post
By Kate Pastor
kpastor@riverdalepress.com
Philip Scharper has officially resigned from his post as principal at PS 24.
The announcement was made by Interim Acting Principal Deidre Burke at the school’s parents’ association meeting last night. It comes more than two weeks after Mr. Scharper was sent to the “rubber room,” where educators await the outcome of Department of Education investigations.
The resignation creates a formal vacancy and will allow the C-30 process for finding his replacement to begin after June 16, according to Department of Education spokeswoman Ann Forte.
kpastor@riverdalepress.com
Philip Scharper has officially resigned from his post as principal at PS 24.
The announcement was made by Interim Acting Principal Deidre Burke at the school’s parents’ association meeting last night. It comes more than two weeks after Mr. Scharper was sent to the “rubber room,” where educators await the outcome of Department of Education investigations.
The resignation creates a formal vacancy and will allow the C-30 process for finding his replacement to begin after June 16, according to Department of Education spokeswoman Ann Forte.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Riverdalian behaving badly?
Bernard Kerik.
Disgraced former NYPD Commissioner Bernard Kerik is now under indictment, the Associated Press reported Wednesday.
The indictment charges that he lied to White House officials who were vetting him as a potential Homeland Security chief.
He told them that he had no financial dealings with people seeking to do business with the city. In reality, contractors seeking city business spent over $255,000 on his Riverdale apartment.
He's awaiting trial on "tax fraud and illegal payoff charges," adds the Daily News.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Ari Hoffnung withdraws from race
Rep. Anthony Weiner isn't the only one to recently bow out of this year's campaigning.
Last night Ari Hoffnung, co-president of the Riverdale Jewish Community Council, announced on his blog that he will not challenge Oliver Koppell for the incumbent councilman's seat, and has withdrawn from the campaign.
His withdrawal marked the end of his second run for City Council. He lost to Mr. Koppell four years ago.
The last-minute announcement came as a surprise to Stephen J. Budihas, president of the Association of Riverdale Cooperatives & Condominiums. ARC hosted a candidates forum last night, and Mr. Hoffnung was expected to be there. Before the forum began last night, Mr. Budihas said, Mr. Hoffnung called to explain his sudden move.
We'll have more on the candidates forum later today.
Last night Ari Hoffnung, co-president of the Riverdale Jewish Community Council, announced on his blog that he will not challenge Oliver Koppell for the incumbent councilman's seat, and has withdrawn from the campaign.
His withdrawal marked the end of his second run for City Council. He lost to Mr. Koppell four years ago.
The last-minute announcement came as a surprise to Stephen J. Budihas, president of the Association of Riverdale Cooperatives & Condominiums. ARC hosted a candidates forum last night, and Mr. Hoffnung was expected to be there. Before the forum began last night, Mr. Budihas said, Mr. Hoffnung called to explain his sudden move.
We'll have more on the candidates forum later today.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Eyewitness account of alleged terror plot’s end
By Jason Fields
jfields@riverdalepress.com
Sitting on his terrace four floors above the intersection of West 239th Street and Independence Avenue, Daniel Langer was pulled out of his chair by what he described as a bang followed by loud, sustained shouting. When he looked down onto the street, he saw numerous police and other cars with lights flashing, as well as uniformed NYPD officers and people wearing jackets with “FBI” branded on the back.
As he watched, more police cars and emergency service vehicles “streamed,” into the area surrounding the Riverdale Jewish Center, one of the targets of the alleged plot.
He also witnessed a dark-skinned man being led into a police car, possibly one of the suspects, Mr. Langer said.
“When I first saw the police, I thought it was just some local crime thing,” Mr. Langer.
Instead, what Mr. Langer saw was the foiling of an alleged terrorist plot involving four men and neutralized C-4 explosive, which authorities said they planned to use to destroy Riverdale Temple and the RJC.
Standing amid a crowd of media the following morning, David Winter, executive director of RJC, said of the media throng, “It could be a lot worse. They could be here for something terrible. Instead they’re here for a victory against terrorism.
jfields@riverdalepress.com
Sitting on his terrace four floors above the intersection of West 239th Street and Independence Avenue, Daniel Langer was pulled out of his chair by what he described as a bang followed by loud, sustained shouting. When he looked down onto the street, he saw numerous police and other cars with lights flashing, as well as uniformed NYPD officers and people wearing jackets with “FBI” branded on the back.
As he watched, more police cars and emergency service vehicles “streamed,” into the area surrounding the Riverdale Jewish Center, one of the targets of the alleged plot.
He also witnessed a dark-skinned man being led into a police car, possibly one of the suspects, Mr. Langer said.
“When I first saw the police, I thought it was just some local crime thing,” Mr. Langer.
Instead, what Mr. Langer saw was the foiling of an alleged terrorist plot involving four men and neutralized C-4 explosive, which authorities said they planned to use to destroy Riverdale Temple and the RJC.
Standing amid a crowd of media the following morning, David Winter, executive director of RJC, said of the media throng, “It could be a lot worse. They could be here for something terrible. Instead they’re here for a victory against terrorism.
'Petty criminals' behind bomb attempt met in prison
By N. Clark Judd
njudd@riverdalepress.com
It was all over in about 25 minutes.
That’s what Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said about last night’s attempted bombings at Riverdale Temple and Riverdale Jewish Center. Four men planted what they believed was active C-4 explosive in two parked cars, one for each Independence Avenue institution.
The explosives were inert, Mr. Kelly said; an FBI informant had sold it to the alleged would-be bombers, along with an inoperable Stinger missile launcher they planned to use to shoot down planes at a New York Air National Guard base near their homes in Newburgh, N.Y.
Mr. Kelly said the institutions’ proximity to the Henry Hudson Parkway may have made them “convenient” targets for James Cromitie, David Williams, Onta Williams and Laguerre Payen, the men accused of attempting the bombings.
With the exception of Mr. Payen, who is Haitian, the men are all American citizens. According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the men believed they were receiving their supplies from Jaish-e-Mohammed, a terrorist organization based in Pakistan. Mr. Kelly said the men wished to retaliate against the United States for its involvement there and in Afghanistan.
Asked if it was safe to infer the men were amateurs because they could not tell they had been sold inoperable equipment, Mr. Kelly replied, “The only thing I would infer is they wanted to kill people.”
He added the men apparently had virulent anti-Semitic tendencies.
In a press conference this morning, Mr. Kelly said the men were “petty criminals” who had all spent time in prison, where they are believed to have met.
NYPD Emergency Services Unit officers waited nearby last night as the men planted what they thought were explosives outside the temple and the Jewish center, Mr. Kelly said. When the men returned to their sport-utility vehicle, police approached in an armored vehicle called a BearCat, shattered the windows — the windows were tinted and the officers needed to see inside — and made their arrests, said Mr. Kelly.
A witness previously told The Riverdale Press she heard gunshots. Mr. Kelly said no weapons were discharged in the event; it’s likely the witness was hearing the SUV’s windows being shattered.
Mr. Kelly said Riverdale would see an increased police presence in the coming weeks; local elected officials expressed fear that someone would attempt a copycat attack.
“I think our community needs special protection now,” said City Councilman Oliver Koppell. “I’m sure we’ll get it.”
njudd@riverdalepress.com
It was all over in about 25 minutes.
That’s what Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said about last night’s attempted bombings at Riverdale Temple and Riverdale Jewish Center. Four men planted what they believed was active C-4 explosive in two parked cars, one for each Independence Avenue institution.
The explosives were inert, Mr. Kelly said; an FBI informant had sold it to the alleged would-be bombers, along with an inoperable Stinger missile launcher they planned to use to shoot down planes at a New York Air National Guard base near their homes in Newburgh, N.Y.
Mr. Kelly said the institutions’ proximity to the Henry Hudson Parkway may have made them “convenient” targets for James Cromitie, David Williams, Onta Williams and Laguerre Payen, the men accused of attempting the bombings.
With the exception of Mr. Payen, who is Haitian, the men are all American citizens. According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the men believed they were receiving their supplies from Jaish-e-Mohammed, a terrorist organization based in Pakistan. Mr. Kelly said the men wished to retaliate against the United States for its involvement there and in Afghanistan.
Asked if it was safe to infer the men were amateurs because they could not tell they had been sold inoperable equipment, Mr. Kelly replied, “The only thing I would infer is they wanted to kill people.”
He added the men apparently had virulent anti-Semitic tendencies.
In a press conference this morning, Mr. Kelly said the men were “petty criminals” who had all spent time in prison, where they are believed to have met.
NYPD Emergency Services Unit officers waited nearby last night as the men planted what they thought were explosives outside the temple and the Jewish center, Mr. Kelly said. When the men returned to their sport-utility vehicle, police approached in an armored vehicle called a BearCat, shattered the windows — the windows were tinted and the officers needed to see inside — and made their arrests, said Mr. Kelly.
A witness previously told The Riverdale Press she heard gunshots. Mr. Kelly said no weapons were discharged in the event; it’s likely the witness was hearing the SUV’s windows being shattered.
Mr. Kelly said Riverdale would see an increased police presence in the coming weeks; local elected officials expressed fear that someone would attempt a copycat attack.
“I think our community needs special protection now,” said City Councilman Oliver Koppell. “I’m sure we’ll get it.”
Bombing attempt foiled at Riverdale Jewish centers
NYPD officers stand guard outside Riverdale Jewish Center earlier tonight after law enforcement officials briefed elected officials and temple leaders about an attempt, foiled earlier that evening, to plant explosives outside the center and outside Riverdale Temple just a few blocks to the north on Independence Avenue. N. Clark Judd // Riverdale Press
By N. Clark Judd
njudd@riverdalepress.com
Four men were arrested in connection with an attempt to plant what they believed to be car bombs in front of Riverdale Temple on Independence Avenue on Wednesday night, according to eyewitnesses and a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The men also allegedly planned to plant explosives near Riverdale Jewish Center, just a few blocks away, and to shoot down military planes located at the New York Air National Guard Base at Stewart Airport in Newburgh with Stinger surface-to-air guided missiles.
“At about 9:15 we heard screaming, and then two gunshots,” said Lindsay Sherman, who lives in an Independence Avenue apartment building.
When she went outside with her boyfriend and members of her family, she said, she saw dozens of law enforcement officers arresting two men near Riverdale Temple.
The two men were whisked into unmarked cars and taken away. She saw a van and another, smaller car, both near Riverdale Temple, also towed away.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI and NYPD arrested James Cromitie, David Williams, Onta Williams, and Laguerre Payen tonight in connection with this plot.
It is as yet unclear who was arrested at the scene and who wasn’t.
“We were having this nice women’s night out,” said Marilyn Sopher, who was standing in front of the RJC, “and there were, all of a sudden, helicopters and planes … I thought I was in a flight pattern.”
Ms. Sopher later said that aircraft occasionally fly over her house, but “she never saw so many.”
Rabbi Jonathan Rosenblatt of Riverdale Jewish Center got a call from Det. Luis Rodriguez, the 50th Precinct’s community affairs officer, asking him if he could open RJC’s shul for a meeting — Det. Rodriguez couldn’t say what it was about, Mr. Rosenblatt said.
“That’s as much as I knew three minutes before the meeting.”
The alleged would-be bombers believed they were acting in conjunction with a Pakistani terrorist group, said Rabbi Rosenblatt, who was briefed by law enforcement.
The alleged bombers wanted to get back at the United States for its involvement in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Rabbi Rosenblatt said he was told.
The person the suspects went to for munitions was an informant working with the FBI, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.
Meeting with the group in Newburgh and driving with them to a location closer to Stamford, Conn., this person supplied the group with an inactive Stinger missile and three IEDs (improvised explosive devices) that each contained over 30 pounds of inert C-4 plastic explosives, according to the U.S. Attorney’s press release.
The weapons were inoperative. Law enforcement officials watched and waited for the plot to reach its climax, on Independence Avenue under the dim streetlights on this warm summer night, before swooping in to arrest the alleged conspirators.
Asked why Riverdale Jewish Center was targeted, Rabbi Rosenblatt responded, “That’s a good question.”
He said that for those in parts of the world where people eat “the diet of hate,” Israel, the United States and Jewish people in general get conflated.
“Scared? I’m not scared, but it’s sad that two religious institutions would be the target of people filled with hate,” said Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, who was on the scene.
His wife was in Riverdale Temple all evening, practicing for a bat mitzvah the weekend after next, he said.
The services, for adults wishing to perform the Jewish rite of passage, will continue as planned, Mr. Dinowitz said.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Horace Mann closing due to flu concerns
The Horace Mann School in Riverdale will close for the remainder of the week due to flu fears, as of this afternoon.
This morning the school sent an e-mail out to parents and students, saying that the closure was due to “an unusually-high number of student absences, the majority of which have been related to flu-like symptoms, including several confirmed cases of Influenza A, but not Swine Flu.”
The decision to close all the school’s divisions was made in consultation with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the e-mail says. Right now, the plan is to reopen Tuesday, May 26.
Afternoon and evening activities run by the school are canceled today.
This morning the school sent an e-mail out to parents and students, saying that the closure was due to “an unusually-high number of student absences, the majority of which have been related to flu-like symptoms, including several confirmed cases of Influenza A, but not Swine Flu.”
The decision to close all the school’s divisions was made in consultation with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the e-mail says. Right now, the plan is to reopen Tuesday, May 26.
Afternoon and evening activities run by the school are canceled today.
Monday, May 18, 2009
PS 24's Principal Scharper ousted
By Kate Pastor
kpastor@riverdalepress.com
Principal Philip Scharper has been reassigned from PS 24, according to sources.
Marvin Shelton, President of District 10’s Community Education Council, confirmed Mr. Scharper’s removal from the school by District Superintendent Sonia Menendez, saying he had been “temporarily reassigned pending investigation.”
The principal, who has had complaints lodged against him for religious proselytizing and for contributing to an environment rife with bullying as well as instances of corporal punishment, was last at school on Friday, Mr. Shelton said.
“Where he’s reassigned to, I have no idea,” he said.
kpastor@riverdalepress.com
Principal Philip Scharper has been reassigned from PS 24, according to sources.
Marvin Shelton, President of District 10’s Community Education Council, confirmed Mr. Scharper’s removal from the school by District Superintendent Sonia Menendez, saying he had been “temporarily reassigned pending investigation.”
The principal, who has had complaints lodged against him for religious proselytizing and for contributing to an environment rife with bullying as well as instances of corporal punishment, was last at school on Friday, Mr. Shelton said.
“Where he’s reassigned to, I have no idea,” he said.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Campaign finances are out
The city Campaign Finance Board produced the latest campaign filings today.
According to city records available online, incumbent City Councilman Oliver Koppell has been busy, raising nearly $66,000 since October. He's raised $106,000 and spent about $54,000 on the 2009 election, according to city records.
This is a pretty significant swing, since Mr. Koppell actually started fundraising after the other two candidates.
Then again, he is an eight year incumbent who has been getting elected out of Riverdale for decades.
Ari Hoffnung raised no money in the same time period.
Mr. Hoffnung said he couldn't recall when he last raised a dime, but it's been a while.
"This is not a time to knock on doors," he said, referring to the dismal economy.
Also, his campaign kitty is full anyway — at $81,000 — and matching funds, which match dollars raised by contributors in the city with taxpayer dollars, kick in this year. He said he'll try to raise a little more closer to the election.
Tony Cassino has been active and now has nearly $94,000. He's spent about $58,000 of that.
According to city records available online, incumbent City Councilman Oliver Koppell has been busy, raising nearly $66,000 since October. He's raised $106,000 and spent about $54,000 on the 2009 election, according to city records.
This is a pretty significant swing, since Mr. Koppell actually started fundraising after the other two candidates.
Then again, he is an eight year incumbent who has been getting elected out of Riverdale for decades.
Ari Hoffnung raised no money in the same time period.
Mr. Hoffnung said he couldn't recall when he last raised a dime, but it's been a while.
"This is not a time to knock on doors," he said, referring to the dismal economy.
Also, his campaign kitty is full anyway — at $81,000 — and matching funds, which match dollars raised by contributors in the city with taxpayer dollars, kick in this year. He said he'll try to raise a little more closer to the election.
Tony Cassino has been active and now has nearly $94,000. He's spent about $58,000 of that.
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