November 4, 2011

Dear Fellow Conservatives,

The Westchester County Conservative Party and the Yonkers Conservative Party are committed to supporting candidates that share our conservative ideals and principles.  Yonkers Mayoral candidate Mike Spano does not and never has respected those principles.

In July of 2007 when Mike Spano cynically switched his party affiliation to Democrat he said, “This is where I belong. This is where I’m comfortable.”  If representing the hardcore-liberal Democrat and Working Families Parties is where he “feels comfortable” then there is no way that Mike Spano can, in good conscience, claim he represents the Conservative Party or real conservative voters.  Unfortunately, as the result of a well orchestrated effort by the Spano-family political machine and their operatives, Mike Spano’s name will appear on the Conservative ballot-line on Election Day, Tuesday November 8th.  This type of political deal making is exactly how Andy Spano ended up on the Conservative ballot line in 2009 when he lost to County Executive Rob Astorino.

Mike Spano’s record in both word and deed stand in direct conflict with the principles that true Conservatives embrace.  True Conservatives advocate for smaller, more efficient and more effective government at all levels.  Every year Mike Spano has been in office, he has voted to raise our taxes, and expand the role of government in our lives.  Spano regularly votes in favor of unfunded mandates from Albany that effectively kill jobs, handcuff small businesses and result in a ballooning tax bill for Yonkers residents.

True Conservatives believe in the sanctity of human life throughout existence.  Mike Spano believes that state government should use taxpayers’ dollars to fund abortions and he has confirmed that many times over with his votes.  He has also voted to fund human embryo and stem cell research.

Michael Spano personifies the big government, high taxes, pro-abortion, liberal agenda.  His voting record put simply is despicable.  For Spano to even attempt to gain access to the Conservative Party line was the absolute pinnacle of hypocrisy and calculated political opportunism.

If you care about principles over political tricks, If you care about the economic health of our city and its residents, If you believe that back-room deals and self-serving political families have no place in Yonkers government, then please join me on November 8th in voting for Mike Spano’s opponent.  It is time to stand up to the Spano political machine for the sake of the Conservative Party and for the sake of Yonkers.

Yours Truly,

­
Hugh Fox Jr.
Chairman, Westchester County Conservative Party

This weekend’s Nor’easter resulted in a nearly 500 percent increase in emergency calls to the New Rochelle Fire Department.  Considering that the city had only 27 fire fighters on-duty to respond during the weather emergency makes this allegation unlikely baseless.

The fire fighting unit being referred to, responded to an emergency at the assisted living apartment building and then was immediately dispatched to another emergency incident at another site.

City officials said Thursday they would look into the matter.

Editor’s note: The union initially called the allegation unlikely, then issued a revised statement about an hour later changing the wording to “baseless.”

November 4, 2011

Mr. John Murtagh:

Last night at the Mohegan Heights Civic Assoc. candidates’ night you made a comment towards me which that confirms your arrogant, condescending, pompous, ignorant attitude towards other people.

While I was speaking your cell phone rang aloud. I deferred for a moment, so that you could silence it. You then looked at your phone and said to me before the entire audience:

“It’s your wife. She wants you to go home.”

This bizarre statement, patently false, demonstrates a serious flaw in your character, which has been observed by many during your time in public life. Many have called you arrogant, rude, condescending, pompous, demeaning and insulting. Your comment certifies all of those appellations.

Obviously, you were annoyed that you had to turn off your cell phone, a gesture which others might consider common courtesy at a public forum. Yet, with indignity, you lashed out bringing a member of my family, into an insult directed at me.

By the way, don’t flatter yourself. Julie is way out of your league. You are probably one of the last people who would be honored to receive a phone call from her. Rest assured, however, that you insulted her, as well, in making the absurd statement.

You show that you have little regard or sensitivity for others unless they bow to you. How dare anyone challenge you or disagree with you?

The conclusion to be drawn is that you are unfit to be a public servant. You have little ability to care for people. If you can make such a sexist, insulting statement in a public forum to a peer or an elder, how could you sincerely have any desire to respect a constituency? You are unable to view others, except as inferior to you.
Members of the audience approached ma at the conclusion and expressed their outrage at your statement and conduct.

Your recent political mail had the theme of what nice words people use to describe you. You falsely complimented yourself by issuing that literature.

You also omitted one thing that many people do say to describe you:

“You are a Pompous Ass”.

No apology would be accepted, since it is sure to be insincere and vacant.

Carlo Calvi

In the Marcotte-Fitzpatrick race, the committee found that each candidate had distributed a piece of campaign literature that did not indicate who had paid for the material. In addition, it faulted Fitzpatrick—the former mayor of Tuckahoe—for claiming in the same mailer in question that he had been appointed “Deputy Mayor for Planning.” The committee found no such position existed.

In the Myers-Keith race, it faulted the Myers camp for sending an email Oct. 26 to supporters of the Westchester Children’s Museum suggesting Keith did not support public parks or county funding for children’s educational programs and related groups. Keith was able to prove to the committee that she has been a longtime supporter of the Children’s Museum, it said.

The committee either discounted or made no finding on a number of other complaints brought between the parties.

The Fair Campaign Practices Committee has no force of law; its decisions are meant to influence candidates toward better behavior.

Acting state Supreme Court Justice Robert DiBella of New Rochelle, Judicial Hearing Officer Edward Borrelli of Yonkers and Somers attorney Paul Marx are seeking the seats.

DiBella has the Republican, Democratic, Conservative, Working Families and Independence party lines. Borrelli has the Republican and Conservative lines. Marx has the Democratic, Working Families and Independence lines.

The 9th district covers Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess and Orange counties. State supreme court justices serve 14-year terms.

According to Castelli, “The new law amends the Civil Service Law and the Military Law to prohibit public employers from abolishing positions based on a person’s military status. Under the measure, public employers are mandated to comply with the Federal Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Act (USERRA) of 1994, and public employers are expressly prohibited from denying employment, employment benefits, or re-employment rights to any person or prospective employee based on past or current military service.” He also thanked state Sen. Greg Ball for steering the bill to passage in the Senate.

New York State Assemblyman George Latimer, D-Rye, wants the chamber’s Transportation Committee to look into delays and cost overruns on the reconstruction of Interstate 287. Latimer, the only Westchester County legislator serving on the committee, forwarded The Journal News’ May 1 report on problems with the decade-long road project to committee Chairman David Gantt, D-Rochester, on Tuesday.

“I met with (Gantt) after the meeting and asked him to read it so we could have a conversation and determine what the next step should be,” Latimer said. “I could theorize a lot of different steps, but rather than theorizing it, my job – and I contacted my fellow colleagues in Westchester – is to have a conversation and figure out what the next step in the game plan will be.”

“But there’s no question, you can’t read a report like that and just say, well, that’s the way things are,” he added. “That’s not an acceptable response.”

The Journal News report revealed that the I-287 work, which began in January, 2000, has cost an average of $63 million per mile of construction. The work, which is now due for completion at the end of next year, has cost nearly $544 million in state and federal money, with more than $67 million in cost overruns. A review of state Department of Transportation documents shows that the bloated price tag was largely caused by repeated instances of
poor planning and lax oversight by state engineers, and by unexpected construction obstacles and mishaps.

Gantt did not return calls seeking comment.

Meanwhile, New York State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, D-Yonkers, said she has raised her concerns over the I-287 project to state Sen. Charles Fuschillo, R-Massapequa, who chairs the state senate’s Transportation Committee.

“Clearly it goes back to the issues that we always have on every level of government, and certainly the things that we are addressing here, which is
more accountability, more oversight,” said Stewart-Cousins, whose district encompasses much of the expressway.

“I think everyone is very, very concerned with making sure that taxpayers are not paying much more than they should to do the kinds of things government actually should really be very proficient in getting done,” she said.

Democrat Ken Jenkins’ request comes just after The Journal News published an article highlighting the fact he gave a $20,000 contract to a nonprofit where his wife is a trustee.

Now Republicans are crying foul — saying his call for a probe is mostly political grandstanding and theatrics.

Read Jerry McKinstry’s full story from today’s paper here.

“‘All good things must come to an end’ is a proverb I don’t really believe in,” Rogowsky said in a statement. ”However, one good thing will come to an end this year, and that is the honor and privilege I have had to represent the people of Port Chester, Rye Brook and Harrison.” Rogowsky will have served his district for almost 13 years.

Starting in 2003, Katherine Brezler has been involved with the Yonkers Democratic Committee as a District Leader in the 1st and 2nd Wards. Currently, Katherine resides in the 11th Ward and is seeking election to the Yonkers City Council, representing the 5th District.

As a Teacher’s assistant at Family School 32 in Yonkers Katherine has been a staunch advocate for Yonkers’ children, their families and the neighborhoods whose futures will be shaped by our next generation. Katherine began as a substitute teacher in the Yonkers School District while finishing a Masters in Education at Lehman College. Currently, Katherine is enrolled at Hunter College finishing a second Masters Degree in Urban Affairs.

Katherine’s experiences working in Yonkers City Hall have supplemented her background in education and urban affairs by exposing her to the inner workings of municipal government and the challenges that many localities are facing. The budget shortfall that Yonkers is facing has given Katherine a hands-on experience necessary in understanding not only the budget process but also how to evaluate the difficult choices that she will have to make upon election to the City Council: difficult decisions that must balance the City’s ability to maintain a high quality of service with the sensitivity to the fact that taxpayers are already being stretched too thin.

Katherine Brezler has written a grant application to fund a vegetable garden at Family School 32, where she currently teaches and has always stressed the importance of civic engagement inside and outside of the classroom. Currently, Katherine runs an after school program called “Tackling Environmental Issues” that has exposed students to important environmental policies that directly affect residents of the City. With her guidance, Katherine’s students have also written letters to food services, the Office of the Yonkers City Council President and the Yonkers Green Policy Task Force advocating for important measures that will help shape the future of Yonkers.

The Brezler family is deeply rooted in public service. As a teacher Katherine has pursued a career in public service in the footsteps of both her parents and grandparents. After serving in World War II, Katherine’s grandfather and great uncle started IBEW Local 363 in Rockland County. Later, Katherine’s grandfather James Damiani became the Assistant Commissioner of Labor under Governor Mario Cuomo. Katherine’s father is currently a physician at West Point and her mother is a Nurse Case Manager in the Veteran’s Administration in New York City.

Katherine is also involved with the Westchester Young Democrats and the Westchester Hispanic Democrats. While at Hunter College, Katherine helped create the campus’ Urban Sustainability Coalition and contributed to the college newspaper. She currently lives on Tuckahoe Road with 1 roommate and her dog Brutus.

The Westchester County Fair Campaign Practices Committee honored its first chairperson as it completed its 20th year of operation. During election campaigns in 2010, the Committee made ethics findings in 11 cases. The number of hearings has ranged to as many as 26 in one year.

Some two dozen committee and former committee members helped celebrate the retirement of Ruth Hinerfeld of Larchmont at a party at the home of Evelyn Stock of Scarsdale, the present chairperson who joined the Committee in its second year. Those attended included another original member, Bruce Jennings, now Hastings-on-Hudson trustee, and Guy Parisi, attorney in Rye who was the first Republican ex-officio non-voting member and who again filled that position in 2010.

The Committee was created by the League of Women Voters of Westchester in 1991 in response to a challenge made in an editorial published by Gannett Westchester Rockland Newspapers, predecessor to The Journal News. That editorial called for the establishment of an independent organization to hear and decide accusations of false, unfair or misleading campaign tactics. The first committee had five members, one alternate and non-voting representation from the political parties.

Hinerfeld, as a former president of the League of Women Voters of the United States, was the logical choice to be the WCFCPC chairperson. The committee now has 14 members. Hinerfeld served continuously until she stepped down in the summer of 2010, acting as a mentor for those who joined the Committee and filling in as chairperson when needed, the last time from 2006 to 2008.

During a brief ceremony, Hinerfeld was praised not only for her devotion to the WCFCPC and for providing good judgment and institutional memory, but for years of service as a civic organization executive, serving in many roles for the League of Women Voters, including its national president, helping arrange the debates for the U.S. presidency in 1980. She also served on the nation’s Advisory Committee for Trade Relations for Presidents Ford and Carter. She is presently a trustee of the Institution of International Education and a docent at the Bronx Zoo.

— Via reporter Candice Ferrette

A swearing-in ceremony for Thomas J. Abinanti, a Democrat who won the 92nd Assembly District seat, is set for Sunday, Jan. 9 at
2 p.m. at Greenburgh Town Hall, 177 Hillside Avenue, Greenburgh.

Update: (We just received this in)   Assemblyman-Elect Steve Katz will hold three ceremonies to mark his assumption of the 99th district seat. They are all Saturday, Jan. 1. The first is at noon at the Putnam County Courthouse, 40 Gleneida Ave., Carmel. The second is at 1:30 p.m. at Yorktown Town Hall, 363 Underhill Ave., Yorktown Heights. And the third is at 3:30 p.m. at Pawling Town Hall, 160 Charles Colman Blvd., Pawling.

Meanwhile, New Rochelle will swear in two elected officials on Saturday: Susan I. Kettner, newly-elected City Court Judge, and Jared R. Rice, newly-elected City Councilman in the 3rd Council District. That ceremony is set for 1 p.m. at New Rochelle City Hall, 515 North Avenue.

The Live Stream  channel is http://www.livestream.com/gannettnewyork

You can also check out our election page for updated headlines, previous stories, candidate bios and more. Browse a photo gallery of images from the day. And follow our reports of glitches at various polling sites around the three-county area and beyond.

The details: St. Theresa’s Church; 1394 Pleasantville Road Briarcliff Manor; Monday, Nov. 8; 7:30 pm.; free admission.

“We have a lot of politicians who give lip service to helping veterans,” said Pete Fiumefreddo, an Army Veteran and chairman of the Westchester County Veterans Political Action Oranization. “They hand out a lot of plaques and citations to veterans groups, but we really don’t see them working on veterans issues. We are endorsing candidates who we believe will best serve the interests of veterans.”

The group is co-chaired by Army veteran Ronald Tocci, a former state assemblyman who also served as New York’s commissioner of veterans affairs. Organizers say the group, which formed earlier this year, is focusing on efforts to create a “Veterans Village,” assisted living facility at the Montrose VA site in Cortlandt and to support candidates it believes will fight for veterans causes.

The group endorsed the following candidates in Tuesday’s elections:
• Republican Robert J. Castelli, an Army Vietnam veteran, seeking re-election in the 89th state assembly district.
• Marine Corps veteran Peter Parente, a Republican who served in Desert Storm, seeking election to the New Rochelle City Council representing District Three.
• Marine Corps veteran James Maisano, a Republican, one of seven candidates seeking election as state Supreme Court Justice for the ninth judicial district.
• Andrea Stewart-Cousins, a Democrat, seeking re-election in the 35th senatorial district.
• Democrat Jeffrey Klein, seeking re-election in the 34th senatorial district.
• Democrat John Hall, seeking re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives in the 19th Congressional District.

Here’s their finding, from a hearing last night:
“The Committee agreed with Mr.Cohen that scenes and events were fabricated, and it dismissed the Oppenheimer side’s contention that it was fair political discourse. A mother and child who appear in the commercial with facial expressions to convey a negative message about Mr. Cohen’s building were not his tenants and a sign was altered to imply that one of his buildings was condemned or closed for safety reasons by a ‘Department of Health and Safety’ when no such agency existed. Also, as a picture is shown of a boy standing in front of an unfinished wall, a voice states: ‘…and left children sick with lead poisoning.’ The wall is not on Mr. Cohen’s property and the boy is not one of his residents.
The Fair Campaign Committee’s Guidance to Candidates states that candidates should not use campaign advertisements that depict fictional or hypothetical events.”

The committee works to “promote a climate in which candidates conduct honest and fair campaigns.” It does not have any power of law, or the ability to compel Oppenheimer to pull the advertisements.

After the jump, the responses from state Democrats and the Cohen camp:

Austin Shafran, a spokesman for the State Democrats’ Senate campaign committee, responded in a statement:

“Our ad used actors because we didn’t want to expose current tenants to reprisals from a landlord with a documented history of over 600 housing code violations and complaints.  Bob Cohen complained about the use of actors, but never denied a single substantive allegation in the script of the ad because every allegation is documented in either
public court settlements he reached with his victims or the public record of housing violations…. Bob Cohen may not like the content of the ad – and everyone is entitled to be a critic – but the fact remains Bob Cohen exposed tenants to lead paint, caused negligent injury to multiple tenants, and racked up more than 600 health and safety violations and
complaints.  That’s a record of a slumlord, not a senator, and we stand by the documented research we have compiled about his record of failure.”

And from Cohen’s campaign:

“The Committee basically confirmed what we’ve been saying all along – that the whole focus of Senator Oppenheimer’s campaign thus far has been based on a pack of lies,” said spokesman Josh Hills. “Her advertisements are fiction; complete with imaginary tenants and a fabricated a government agency. They even used a building that is not owned by Bob Cohen as a backdrop. Her whole campaign is based on untruths.

“Now that Senator Oppenheimer’s campaign has been exposed as a fraud, it is time to get this race focused where it belongs – on the issues,” said Hills. “No more lies and no more red-herrings. It is time to give Westchester residents what they deserve: a real debate on problems and solutions. Hopefully, Senator Oppenheimer will now make an effort to refocus her campaign on the issues that matter most to Westchester residents – property taxes, education, and jobs – in spite of her abysmal record on all of them.”

Candidates for both the New York State Assembly and Senate are expected be there to debate the issues and field questions. Among those expected to attend are: Amy Paulin and Rene Atayan competing in Assembly District 88; George Latimer and Bill Reed in Assembly District 91 and Suzi Oppenheimer and Bob Cohen from Senate District 37.

The breakfast is free but requires reservations, which can be made by calling the Temple office at 914-235-1800.

In addition to our guide, the League of Women Voters has their own site up and running for Westchester County’s elections, providing polling place and candidate information based on an address and zip code. Find it at http://www.smartvoter.org

 “While I am out there talking to our neighbors, and yes even Democrats, they all seem to be saying the same things.  Taxes are too high, businesses and jobs are being chased out of New York, Albany is dysfunctional, and that it is time we make changes, its time we get some new people in elected office,” Cohen said in a statement. “It’s time to do something about the mess, the embarrassment of our dysfunctional state government. And my experience as a self-made businessman, as a community activist and concerned citizen, as a father have put me in a position to do something about the problems that we all know exist in our state.”
 
According to his campaign bio, Cohen, who is also an attorney, runs a real estate and construction company in Manhattan. He has been a volunteer firefighter in Scarsdale for 17 years and is a member of the non-partisan Town and Village Civic Club Education Forum.

The 37th Senate District is comprised of Harrison, Mamaroneck, New Castle, most of New Rochelle, North Castle, Ossining, Rye Town, Rye City, Scarsdale, and White Plains.

Jaffe is the President & CEO of the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce and former Treasurer of the Manhattan Borough Development Corporation. He attended Dobbs Ferry public schools, graduated cum laude from SUNY Albany, studied business at the University of Utah and earned a law degree from NYC’s Cardozo Law School. He has lived in West Harrison for a decade, and is married with three children.

Look for more on his platform in a future edition of The Journal News and on LoHud.com.

“I am deeply disappointed with today’s indictments of individuals who, if proven guilty, have brought shame upon themselves, their positions of public trust and the people they represented. Those of us who have endeavored tirelessly to build a better future for this city, and who have done so with integrity, condemn such criminal actions in the strongest possible terms and urge a swift and appropriate administration of justice. As always, we will continue to run an honest and ethical city government so that the people of Yonkers may be assured that the few who seek personal gain over the public good are just that—-a shameful few.”

A week ago, Tony Castro was touting himself as the real Democrat in the race for Westchester District Attorney.

Tonight, he hopes for a nomination to run for state Supreme Court on the Republican ticket.

If he gets the nod, it will end his third bid for District Attorney. He would have to give up the Independence and Working Family lines that he held in the DA race.

After he lost to incumbent Janet DiFiore in last week’s Democratic primary, Castro suggested he would bow out of the race if he was convinced he couldn’t win and if it would help Republican Dan Schorr beat DiFiore in November.

Castro could not be reached for comment today. But Doug Colety, chairman of the Westchester Republican party, said he expected Castro would be nominated tonight at the party’s judicial convention in Poughkeepsie.

Colety said he wasn’t dissuaded by the fact that Castro was a Democrat.

“He reached out to us to be interviewed. We found him qualified and it wasn’t like we were bumping anyone else,” Colety said.

Four state Supreme Court judgeships are up this year in New York’s 9th Judicial District, which covers Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Orange and Dutchess counties. In addition to Castro, the Republicans are expected to nominate incumbent Orazio Bellantoni, a Supreme Court justice since 1996; Yonkers City Judge Charles Wood; and Terry Stewart, a lawyer from Pawling in Dutchess County.

The head of the Westchester Democratic party, Reginald Lafayette, said Castro was a hypocrite for running with the GOP for judge after complaining about DiFiore’s 2007 switch from Republican to Democrat.

“It shows the intent to put him in the DAs race was to beat up on Janet DiFiore,” Lafayette said. “He spent the whole time complaining that she switched parties, that he was the true Democrat. Doesn’t it show the height of hypocrisy? At least Janet stood by her convictions. She said she switched for ideological reasons.”

The Democrats will hold their judicial convention tomorrow night in White Plains.

He was barred from setting one up in Manhattan’s Central Park, and Englewood, N.J., after officials and residents fought his plans to stay there.

Bedford police Sgt. Thomas Diebold would not comment, referring media inquiries to the U.S. Secret Service.

“We were notified by the Secret Service earlier this morning,” Diebold told The Journal News this afternoon. “We have no comment on it from our end.”

Read the rest of Shawn Cohen’s story, which we’ll continue to update, here.

County Executive Andrew Spano released this statement (using an alternate spelling): ” “I have heard unconfirmed reports that Khadafy may in fact be staying in Westchester. There is no legal way to prevent this as he is a head of state, despite the fact that he has a long history as a terrorist.  However, from my point of view, he is not welcome in Westchester.”