Yassky Looking for a Lil’ TLC?
That’s Taxi and Limousine Commission, not tender lovin’ care.
The scuttlebutt from political blogs and the New York Times on February 12 was that former Councilmember David Yassky is the front-runner for the Taxi Commissioner job, a post appointed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
The report runs contrary to other sources which have said that Yassky, who has a law degree from Yale, was exploring positions in private practice, but the move may make sense.
As a council member, in 2007, Yassky successfully lobbied Mayor Bloomberg and the TLC for the conversion of the city’s fleet to hybrid vehicles, significantly reducing emissions. Last year, he proposed reforming the process by which taxi drivers receive licenses.
Yassky, who was unable to be reached for comment, voted to extend term limits while still a council member but did not choose to run for a third term himself, instead mounting an ultimately unsuccessful bid to be the city’s Comptroller.
Marty buffs up
With a creative piece of photo-editing, Borough President Marty Markowitz turned himself into a piece of cheesecake that his favorite Junior’s might envy.
Yep, the borough beep’s recent inauguration featured – among other treats – a slide of his head superimposed on the trim physique of recently elected Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown.
The laughter invoked was loud; the point of the slide hardly less subtle – to trumpet a potential run for mayor on Markowitz’s part in 2013.
“I can see the next race for New York City mayor has already begun,” Markowitz noted, looking out at an audience that included three fellow beeps and numerous other politicos.
“Don’t forget about yours truly,” he went on.
“I’m doing everything I need to win,” he added – at which point the cheesecake photo was projected for all to see.
“I have four years to get in shape,” Markowitz noted, after the guffaws died down.
LGBTers headed for Albany
Members of Brooklyn’s Lambda Independent Democrats will be joining dozens of LGBT groups on Marriage Equality New York’s Lobby Day on February 23.
Protestors will be converging on midtown Manhattan to jump a bus that will take them to Albany.
We’re sure that one of the major stops on the list will be State Senator Carl Kruger (D-Brighton Beach, Mill Basin), the only Brooklyn Democrat to vote against gay marriage when it came up for a vote late last year.
Since the vote was taken, gay activists have picketed Kruger and have tried to address Kruger’s constituency at two Community Board 18 meetings with no success.
News of the lobby day comes as four marriage equality activists were arrested Friday morning outside the Marriage Bureau Office on Worth Street in Manhattan.
The activists, part of the group Queer Rising, reportedly padlocked themselves to the front door, barring engaged couples from entering.
On the same day over 20 same sex couples applied for marriage licenses at the Worth Street office but were turned down. When a member from one of the gay couples and a member of one of the lesbian couples — who never knew each other before the protest — walked up and asked for a license, they were immediately approved, organizers said,
Pol fears ‘nasty’ summer
If the state doesn’t come up with sufficient funding for a summer youth employment program, Brooklynites will pay the price, according to City Councilmember Lew Fidler.
“Governor [David] Paterson zeroed the amount of money for summer jobs,” Fidler told the Mill Basin Civic. “If we are going to have all those kids on the streets all summer long and the mayor is going to cut more cops, it’s going to be a long, hot, nasty summer.”
Sampson honors Thelma Davis
State Senate Democratic Conference Chair John Sampson honored Thelma D. Davis with a lifetime achievement award for community service at the annual State Black and Latino Caucus in Albany last weekend.
Thelma Davis, mother of the late City Councilmember James E. Davis, marched with Dr. Martin Luther King during the civil rights era, assisted thousands of people as a registered nurse, and helped create the Love Yourself Stop the Violence movement.
Additionally, she is one of the first graduates from Medgar Evers College, is the vice president of the Albany Senior Citizens organization and the treasurer of the local AARP chapter. Davis also serves as the president of the James E, Davis Stop Violence organization.
New Democratic club and its president making waves
Renee Collymore, president of the new Parliament Democratic Club, is thinking outside the box and garnering some political attention for it.
The Fort Greene native is recruiting top-notch professionals that has great potential to move the city.
Recently, her club teamed up with Gin Lee, a prominent architect to implement his solar power design called Renewable Energy Development, which would increase energy production, decrease energy consumption and potentially save the city millions of dollars.
Lee’s customer list for this top rated project include the Wyndham Hotel (NYC), Kaufman Hotel (NYC), Varick Hotel (NYC), Mercedes-Benz, Ferrara, Cipriani and more.
“I’m interested in lowering energy costs, not only for business owners, but for landlords and every property owner in the city. Saving money is extremely needed and cost effective solutions is the answer” say Collymore.
“I’m not here to be famous, but here, to be great. I want to change the world,” she added.
Color barrier boo boo
Senate Democratic Leader John Sampson’s people made a bit of a off-color boo boo last week when they called a party sponsored by the Brooklyn delegation “Brooklyn Night: An All White Affair.”
If that wasn’t bad enough, the “white” event — which required that guests where all white, nothing else — took place during the state Association of Black and Puerto Rican Legislator’s conference in Albany last weekend.
Insert your own joke here.
While some senators got the humor, others acknowledged the faux pas on the invitation.
“It’s kind of jarring when you look at it listed on the calendar of events,” one senator noted.
Gillibrand pushes back
While prospective U. S. Senate Candidate Harold Ford trolls for support from the powerful Kings County Democratic machine, incumbent Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is making inroads with the more independent arm of the party.
Last week’s meet-and-greet with Gillibrand at 52nd Assembly District Leader Jo Anne Simon’s Boerum Hill home drew a host of independent minded elected officials including Rep. Nydia Velázquez, Assemblymembers Joan Millman and James Brennan and district leaders Lori Knipel, Alan Fleischman, Walter Mosley and Olanike Alabi.
“It was a meet and greet for people to have the opportunity to meet the senator, talk with her and get to know her,” said Simon, noting it wasn’t a fundraiser.
Gillibrand characterized the meeting as an opportunity to get back in the borough.
“It was great to be in Brooklyn again and talk with so many community leaders about the need to save and create good-paying jobs and protect the environment,” said Gillibrand.
“I am working hard every day to help Brooklyn families and give voice to those who don’t have one,” she added.
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