Politics on the Hudson

Legislator Ken Jenkins this week won another two-year term as chairman of the Westchester County Board of Legislators, making the Yonkers Democrat the de facto lead-horse in a race against Republican County Executive Rob Astorino in two years.

“He’s obviously the front-runner,” said Mike Edelman, a Republican strategist who for years worked with Jenkins as a political commentator on television. “He needs to have the confidence of the Democrats on the board.”

While having the support of Democratic legislators throughout the county goes a long way with local party leaders, it may not translate into “free-sailing” for Jenkins, according to Edelman, since other Democrats such as Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, Assemblyman George Latimer and County Clerk Tim Idoni have been mentioned as possibilities for the seat.

There could be a Democratic primary for the post, Edelman said, and a lot can happen in the next year, including the entry of other Democrats.

Jenkins, who will be serving his second term as chairman, will be leading with the board’s new 10-7 dynamic, which means Democrats don’t have a veto-proof supermajority. That should “stop the game playing and brinksmanship,” Edelman said.

“Now, they’re going to look badly” if they don’t compromise and work together, Edelman said.

Politics on the Hudson first reported that Jenkins was a possible candidate a year ago.

Reginald LaFayette, chairman of the Democratic Party, did not return phone calls and Jenkins said his main focus will be his current job.

“Somebody’s going to run, I can tell you that,” Jenkins said. “We have a little while to consider” whether we’re going to run.

“What I have my eye on is offering a different perspective” than the county executive, Jenkins continued. “We have had differing philosophies from the very beginning.”

Assemblyman Gary Pretlow, D-Mt. Vernon, is talking with the Journal News ed board now talked with the Journal News ed board yesterday afternoon. (updated)

You can watch it here, and also prior recent interviews with Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, a faceoff between Assemblyman Michael Spano, D-Yonkers, and Republican challenger James Faulkner.

It also has a clip with Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi, who was in with the board last month.

(added) Interviews Thursday include George Latimer and challenger Rob Biagi, and Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins and challenger John Murtagh.

You can watch the interviews here.

   Democratic candidates running for Assembly seats and the Democratic Assembly Campaign Committee had a total of $13.9 million in the bank as of late yesterday, according to an analysis by the New York Public Interest Research Group. Republicans, who are in the minority in the Assembly, had a total of $2.4 million.

   Incumbents have the advantage over challengers, NYPIRG found, with $11.9 million in their bank accounts compared to $555,000 for challengers. Quite a few Democrats don’t have opponents for their Assembly seats.

   Here are some examples:

  —Amy Paulin, D-Scarsdale, has about $392,000. Her opponent, Republican Anthony Pilla, has $700.

  —Sandra Galef, D-Ossining, has about $80,100. Her Republican challenger, William Gouldman, has $22,300.

  —George Latimer, D-Rye, has about $74,700. His GOP opponent, Rob Biagi, has $10,400.

  —Adam Bradley, D-White Plains, has 268,400. He has no opponent.

  —Greg Ball, R-Patterson, has $4,300. John Degnan, his challenger, has about $1,900.

Westchester Republicans today announced their candidate to take on Assemblywoman Amy Paulin in the 88th Assembly District — it’s Anthony Pilla, a 39-year-old Realtor from White Plains who ran unsuccessfully for City Council a year ago.

Pilla, in a telephone interview a few moments ago, said he was undaunted by the district’s heavy Democratic registration numbers and planned to make property tax relief the focal point of his candidacy.

“If we don’t do something about it, we are just killing ourselves,” Pilla said.

The 88tht Assembly district includes the cities, towns and villages of White Plains, Eastchester, Bronxville, Tuckahoe, Scarsdale, Pelham and Pelham Manor. Paulin is a Democrat from Scarsdale.

   A bill that aims to curb underage drinking and drunken driving by encouraging more training of servers in bars and restaurants received final passage in the Legislature this week and is awaiting action by Gov. David Paterson.  

   The legislation would allow bar and restaurant owners to get a reduction on their liquor liability insurance if they and their workers completed a course. All establishments would need at least one employee to complete the management training course in order to receive the insurance incentive. They would learn about civil and criminal liability for illegal sales of alcohol, how to identify an underage drinker, alcohol’s physical effects, and other topics.

   Assembly bill sponsor Amy Paulin, D-Scarsdale, Westchester County, said a recent study showed that alcohol was a factor for close to 30 percent of teens killed in car accidents in New York.

   “In order to prevent these tragic accidents, we must make sure that the peopel closest to the problem are equipped to recognize underage drinkers and stop serving them and any customer who has had too much to drink,” Paulin said in a statement.  (more…)

   College dormitories will go smoke-free if Gov. David Paterson signs legislation that was passed by the Senate last night and the Assembly in January. The bill would amend the state’s Clean Indoor Air Act to include dormitories and other group residential facilities owned or operated by public or private colleges, universities and vocational institutions.  

   “Now we can be assured that all students at all colleges enjoy their right to breathe clean air in their own living space,” Russ Sciandra, director of the Center for a Tobacco Free New York, said in a statement.

   In order to take effect for the 2008-09 school year, Paterson would have to sign it by Aug. 15, Sciandra said. The bill was sponsored by Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, D-Scarsdale, and Sen. Vincent Leibell, R-Patterson.

   In college dorms, smoking in one part of the residence hall causes smoke to seep into other parts of the building, chronically exposing non-smokers to dangerous toxins, Sciandra said. Many colleges offer students the option of living in smoke-free dormitories, but demand often exceeds the supply of available rooms, he said. (more…)

Westchester County Executive Andrew Spano seemed in an especially good mood at his annual birthday bash/fundraiser last night, telling the packed audience how much he loved his job and that he had every intention of seeking a fourth term in 2009.

“It’s probably the best job in the state,” Spano, 72, said. “I mean, who wants to be governor?”

Spano was in such a good mood that, earlier in the evening, he even embraced his frequent nemesis, Legislator Tom Abinanti, a Greenburgh Democrat.

“Every good golfer needs a handicap and he’s mine,” Spano joked about Abinanti.

The festive mood seemed to extend to the audience, as several one-time rivals were spotted playing nice.  Among them were former lieutenant governor candidates Dennis Mehiel and Charlie King. Mehiel chided King for running a negative ad during their 2002 campaign for the Democratic nomination.

Spano’s birthday bash also drew people who are thought to be considering a campaign for his job, including Assemblywoman Amy Paulin. The Scarsdale Democrat said she has not made a decision about whether to run in 2009.

Even former state Sen. Nicholas Spano, a Yonkers Republican who is not related to the county executive, dropped by to work the crowd.

Reaction among the Lower Hudson Valley’s political leaders to the controversy surrounding Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s is remarkably uniform — Basically, they’re all shocked.

“Basically we are all in a state of shock and waiting for further news,” said Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, D-Scarsdale.

“People are walking around shaking their heads,” said Assemblyman Richard Brodsky, D-Greenburgh,  in a telephone interview from Albany.

One of the stronger reactions came from former Rockland District Attorney Michael Bongiorno, a Republican who lost his re-election bid last fall. Spitzer’s efforts to sway ultra-Orthodoz Jewish communities toward Bongiorno’s Democratic opponent is seen as a major factor in the defeat.

“If he hasn’t resigned yet, he certainly should,” Bongiorno said. “He’s a phony, a fraud, and a hyprocrite.”

Assemblywoman Amy Paulin’s previously announced “Walk with Meâ€? event to raise awareness about domestic violence has gained a new sponsor: The Joe Torre Safe at Home Foundation.

Paulin, a Scarsdale Democrat, announced this afternoon that Torre’s charitable organization will become a sponsor and will be sending represenatives to the event. No word, however, on whether Torre himself will be attending the walk.

“The Joe Torre Safe At Home Foundation is proud to serve as a sponsor of the third annual Walk with Me walkathon,â€? Torre, chairman of the Foundation, said in a statement released by Paulin’s office. “Domestic violence is a national tragedy that affects families of all economic means. We must work together to end the vicious cycle of domestic violence and save lives.â€?

The event will begin at The Pelham Town Hall, 34 5th Ave. on October 28th at 1 pm and will be followed by a rally at 2pm. Also sponsoring the walk are the My Sisters’ Place Shelter and several members of Westchester’s Assembly delegation.

Assemblywoman Amy Paulin’s office annouunced today that the Scarsdale Democrat will host the the third annual “Walk with Meâ€? to raise awareness of domestic violence on Sunday, Oct. 28th. The walk begins at Pelham Town Hall on October 28th at 1 pm.

Paulin, who prior to running to office served as executive director of the My Sister’s Place domestic violence shelter in Westchester, will be joined at the event by fellow Assembly members Adam Bradley, Sandy Galef, George Latimer, Richard Brodsky, Mike Spano, Greg Ball, and Gary Pretlow.

“Domestic violence crosses all races and social classes and approximately 1 in 5 female high school students report being physically and/or sexually abused by a dating partner,� Paulin said. “These are statistics we cannot and will not accept and so we will join together— legislators, local organizations, and community members— to say that we will not tolerate domestic violence in our homes or neighborhood.�

For more information on “Walk with Me,� contact Ariana Cox, via phone: 914-723-1115 or 917-439-0932, or via email: paulina@assembly.state.ny.us.