Anyone see a common thread here?

From the NY Times:

The chockablock density that defines this part of Queens may have also have been its undoing. Doctors and community leaders say poverty, notoriously overcrowded homes and government inaction left residents especially vulnerable to the virus.

From Huffington Post:

You call your district the “epicenter of the epicenter.” What makes your district specifically so vulnerable to all this?

"Well, we have a lot of service workers that live here, undocumented folks that live here, immigrants who are here, and oftentimes, we see that those folks are of lower income, and in order to survive, they have to live in overcrowded, illegally converted homes, which only makes the spread of COVID worse. So there’s really no place for many people who live in my community to self-isolate because sometimes they live 20 to 25 people in a house. We’ve seen this on numerous occasions here in the district." - King Tweeder Council Member Danny Dromm

But remember, folks, if you want to downzone your neighborhood or prevent out of character development, you're racist and should move to the suburbs.

The borough tower jails approval is nigh and all it took was to knock off a few stories

Queens Eagle

 Negotiations around the city’s initiative to build new jails in four boroughs have determined that all of the facilities will be smaller than currently proposed, though talks continue around the specific heights, sources close to the deal-making told the Eagle.

The plan to close Rikers Island by replacing the isolated jail complex with four new borough-based detention towers is heading toward a City Council vote next month — and it’s on its way to passing the 26-vote threshold necessary to set the plan in motion, according to City Hall and City Council sources.

A critical issue in rallying support for the plan is reducing the jails’ heights, which vary borough to borough. The Mayor’s Office has already conceded reductions, resulting in more council support, according to a source with knowledge of the negotiations. 

“Council leadership, members and the administration have invested many hours working on a plan that the majority of the council could get behind,” a City Hall source told the Eagle. “Talks absolutely continue, but the fruitful efforts up to this point are leaving those involved feeling very good about the project.”

With just weeks left until the full-council vote on the unprecedented four-site land-use measure, the Brooklyn Eagle reached out to all 51 councilmembers to get their preliminary stances on Mayor Bill de Blasio’s plan.

Already, 18 councilmembers have told the Eagle that they plan on voting yes, or that they are leaning toward voting yes. Nine councilmembers said they are leaning toward or have decided on a “no” vote, while 16 said they remain undecided. The remaining 11 members of the council did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

Three former councilmembers told the Eagle that the jail plan will likely pass, though it may take some back-room deal-making. The former councilmembers requested anonymity so as to not alienate former colleagues. 

“It’s going to happen. They’re going to posture and do things and maybe some will vote no,” said one. “It doesn’t get this far and not go through.”

“It will get done, but there will be a lot of tweaks,” said political consultant George Arzt. He believes a compromise between City Hall and the council on the height of the proposed facilities will enable councilmembers to save face with constituents opposed to the plan. 

“The administration has enough of an opening with the reduced jail population to cut the height of the buildings, and I think that is the most significant factor in getting this done,” Arzt said. “That allows councilmembers to say, ‘They wanted X, but we did Y, and we got this done for our constituents.’”

Council Speaker Corey Johnson has not explicitly stated how he will vote on the final proposal, but he lent his support to the plan when it was announced last summer by the de Blasio administration. He also co-wrote an op-ed in April with former Chief Judge of the New York State Court of Appeals Jonathan Lippman outlining why he believes the borough-based jails land-use proposal — called ULURP — is essential to closing Rikers. In the op-ed, Johnson and Lippman list changes they would like to see, “such as finding non-jail, hospital-based alternatives for people with serious mental health diagnoses,” as well as investment in communities “hit hard by the inequities of the criminal justice system.”

The speaker’s support of the plan is pivotal when it comes to a full-council vote.

Queens Eagle

Yesterday, the Queens Daily Eagle generated some conversations in City Hall after contacting all 51 city councilmembers — in conjunction with sibling publication, the Brooklyn Eagle —  to find out where the legislators stand on the controversial land use application for building four new jails, one in each borough except Staten Island.

The Queens jail, part of a stated proposal for closing the detention centers on Rikers Island, would rise 270-feet and house a maximum of 1,150 detainees behind the Queens Criminal Courthouse in Kew Gardens. Queens’ 15 councilmembers differ on the proposal.

Three Queens councilmembers flat-out say they will vote against the plan. Democrat Paul Vallone, nominal Democrat Robert Holden (he won his seat on the GOP line) and Republican Eric Ulrich all told the Eagle they will vote no on the plan to create four “borough-based” jails. 

Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer leans toward opposing the jail for different reasons than his conservative colleagues. Van Bramer has aligned himself with the progressive wing of the party and the No New Jails coalition, which calls on the city to divest from jails and invest in social services, housing and education for low-income people of color disproportionately affected by the criminal justice system.

Of the 11 remaining Queens councilmembers (including Antonio Reynoso, whose district is mostly in Brooklyn), six say they are firm yes votes. The six supporters are Councilmembers Karen Koslowitz, Daniel Dromm, Rory Lancman, Francisco Moya, Adrienne Adams and Reynoso.

Meanwhile, Councilmembers Donovan Richards and Costa Constantinides say they are leaning yes, but have not decided yet. 

Councilmembers Barry Grodenchik and I. Daneek Miller say they are undecided. Councilmember 

 Peter Koo has not responded to multiple requests for comment.

Each of the supporters premised their vote on changes ultimately being made to the height and scope of the project.

Koslowitz, for example, said she supports the plan — so long as the city reduces the height. Several councilmembers signalled that they would vote in lockstep with Koslowitz, who is taking a stand in favor of a politically unpopular project.

 Councilmember Daniel Dromm told the Eagle he is “definitely supporting [Koslowitz’s] principled, moral stance" to support the Kew Gardens jail, despite "NIMBY pushback in her district.”

"I really admire her” for standing up, even though the plan is unpopular among her constituents, he added.

To cap this shitshow off, a few words from Speaker Cojo the dancing clown:

Gotham Gazette 

  The plan that the mayor has put forward is an essential step in the path to close the Rikers jail complex. Conversations with communities have already led to initial reductions in the height and density of the planned facilities and more thoughtful plans regarding the treatment of incarcerated women. Moving forward, we expect to see more work from the administration to improve the plan—such as finding non-jail, hospital-based alternatives for people with serious mental health diagnoses—and to address neighborhood concerns.

"Non-jail hospital based alternatives" In other words, a hospital.

End of summer caption contest

It's Friday and Danny and Karen are ready for bed. So go ahead and caption this photo!

Claremont Terrace apartment house has become a zombie

From the Queens Chronicle:

Councilman Danny Dromm (D-Jackson Heights) said Dr. John Ko promised him last February that long-delayed work at 1 Claremont Terrace in Elmhurst would be done in one year.

Thirteen months have passed, and the lawmaker says the unfinished, graffiti-covered apartment building abutting the Long Island Rail Road tracks is still in the same unsightly condition.

“It’s become a zombie apartment building. It’s just horrible,” Dromm told the Chronicle on Monday. “Our patience has come to an end.”

The property the building sits on is one of the more historic ones in Elmhurst, as Samuel Lord — the co-founder of Lord & Taylor, the oldest department store in America — purchased the site in 1840, eventually building homes for his four daughters there.

But 12 years ago, the final, decaying Lord home was demolished and construction began on the eight-story building.

But once the shell of it was completed, work seemingly came to a halt.

And in the years since, Dromm said, the site has become an on-again, off-again homeless encampment — “they had tents and everything” — and a magnet for graffiti vandals.

Happy St. Patrick's Day from Queens Crap!

Tickets going fast! Oh wait, there are no tickets. Just a big Irish tweederfest. Who wouldn't want the Tom Manton Irish Person of the Year award?

Danny Dromm's creative math

Danny's in debt? Better check it out.

Yes, that outstanding $201 that he owes from 2013 (even though he has a positive balance of $2,703) really warrants a fundraiser like this.

The last election hasn't even been certified yet and he's fundraising for the next one. Since he's term limited Lord only knows what he's running for next.

Dromm plans to fight Holden

From the Queens Chronicle:

While Koslowitz was optimistic Holden will become a valued member of the delegation, Councilman Danny Dromm (D-Jackson Heights) said in a Monday interview he will “fight against” the incoming lawmaker’s possibly caucusing with the Democrats.

According to Dromm, Holden ruined any chance of fostering a relationship with him on Election Night, when the civic leader pledged in his victory speech to “battle some of the lunatics in the City Council that are trying to destroy the city.”

“Calling your future colleagues lunatics is not a good way to start,” Dromm said. “I do wish him well. I hope his constituents benefit from him being in office, but I’m not sure that’s going to happen.”

The openly gay lawmaker also said he’s taken issues over the years with Holden and his views that “border on racist and homophobic,” adding that the councilman-elect is a “total Republican” no matter what party he’s affiliated with.

“In my opinion, Bob represents the Trump side of the Republican Party, and he’s just as explosive as the president,” he said. “He’s always been a Republican. He has no Democratic credentials and he doesn’t represent anything the Democratic Party stands for.”

When asked what advice he had for the incoming rookie lawmaker, Dromm said Holden needs to eliminate name-calling and insulting from his arsenal.

But as of right now, the councilman said he couldn’t think of a single issue on which he even agrees with Holden, nevermind wants to work with him on.

“I don’t know what those issues would be. Look at the type of stuff you read on Queens Crap,” he said, referring to the pro-Holden blog that features mercilous attacks on lawmakers and a comment section often full of offensive remarks. “If this is what’s coming into the Council, he’s in for a rude awakening.”

The writer likely meant "merciless". The Crowley-de Blasio strategy of namecalling & insulting has now been employed by Mr. Dromm, which is pretty funny, since the progressives today scream about tolerance and inclusiveness all the time yet practice their own brand of namecalling & insulting. Pretty sure the homophobic claim was debunked - by this blog - which also highlighted that in the past Dromm chose to back Crowley over a more qualified gay candidate to score his own political points with the Machine.

This blog has always been anti-Machine which means anti-Crowley, but not really "pro"-anyone, because we've learned that all too often, today's reformer is tomorrow's hack. (Just ask Danny.) You can look back at the coverage of this election and make your own determination as to whether or not we were cheering Holden on or pointing out how awful the incumbent was.

But hell, it's Thanksgiving, so why not have some fun?

Council members think terrorists are heroes

From the Queens Chronicle:

On Monday, Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito (D-Manhattan, Bronx), a native of Puerto Rico, released a letter to the parade’s board commending the organization “for recognizing that Oscar Lopez Rivera represents the voice, tenacity and resolve of Puerto Rico and its people.”

The letter, signed by 30 members of the City Council including seven who represent Queens, concludes by saying, “We stand in solidarity with Oscar and express our full support for the board’s decision to recognize and uplift the legacy of Oscar Lopez Rivera.”

The Queens Council members who signed on include Costa Constantinides (D-Astoria); Danny Dromm (D-Jackson Heights); Julissa Ferreras Copeland (D-East Elmhurst); Peter Koo (D-Flushing); Daneek Miller (D-St. Albans); Antonio Reynoso (D-Brooklyn, Queens) and Donovan Richards (D-Laurelton).

The Chronicle contacted the offices of all Queens Council members to ask about either their reasons for signing the letter or whether they intend to march. A handful responded via email.

“Oscar Lopez Rivera was pardoned by President Obama because he was never convicted of a violent crime,” Councilman Dromm (D-Jackson Heights) wrote. “He is one of a number of people being honored at the parade for his work highlighting the struggles of his people. The parade is an event that gives all of us an opportunity to celebrate the Puerto Rican people and I proudly support their efforts.

“Additionally, I am curious as to why some people are so unwilling to give Oscar a second chance but glowingly highlight a visit from Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams to dedicate Easter Rising Way in Maspeth [last November] an effort that I also supported.”

Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Glendale) said she was not attending the parade but that her reasons had nothing to do with Lopez Rivera.

She also took issue with any implied criticism tying Adams, a leader in Northern Ireland Sinn Fein political movement, to terrorism. While he had been imprisoned by the British as a young man, he has continuously denied involvement with the Irish Republican Army, a violent revolutionary group long tied to Sinn Fein.

“Adams was central to bringing peace to a long, bloody conflict in Northern Ireland,” Crowley wrote. “I’m pleased that while he was visiting New York City, he could make time to celebrate a historic moment in Maspeth at the co-naming of Easter Rising Way.”

Councilman Rory Lancman (D-Fresh Meadows) will attend.

Do you ever feel like you're living in a bizarre nightmare by staying in NYC?

Avella protests sex offenders at shelters; Dromm protests booze ads

While Elmhurst residents were rallying against the presence of sex offenders at the Pan Am family shelter...



their council member, Danny Dromm, was protesting subway Budweiser ads with a bunch of bible thumpers.

Rats fleeing sinking ship

From the NY Post:

The fund-raising scandal surrounding Mayor de Blasio is so toxic that he hasn’t been able to sell out his birthday bash at a tiny venue, even with comedian Louis C.K. headlining.

City First Lady Chirlane McCray on Sunday — the mayor’s 55th birthday — sent out an e-mail blast urging supporters to snap up tickets to the Thursday-evening event at Brooklyn Bowl, a Williamsburg bowling alley and concert venue that holds up to 600 people.

“Remember to get your tickets now if you haven’t yet — news that Louis C.K. will be there has traveled fast and space is filling up,” McCray wrote.

The e-mail came a week and a half after the de Blasio campaign announced that the comic — who had no trouble selling out three shows at Madison Square Garden — would be introducing Hizzoner at the event to benefit his anticipated 2017 re-election bid.

Tickets cost $100 to $250, according to an invitation form on the ActBlue Web site for Democratic fund-raising efforts.

One Democratic activist said McCray’s e-mail pitch was “like the infomercial: ‘Hurry up while supplies last.’”

“I don’t know anyone who is going,” the source said.

I know someone!

Council members spend more time with developers than constituents

If you don't read anything else this week, I suggest you read THIS.

And this is probably only the tip of the iceberg!

Dromm co-sponsored dirtbag's program

From Progress Queens:

New York City Councilmember Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights) was a co-sponsor of $300,000 in discretionary funding awarded to a sensitivity training program that was supported by Jona Rechnitz, one of two men reportedly the subject of a Federal corruption investigation tied to both the New York Police Department and the de Blasio administration.

Mr. Rechnitz’s support for the training program was revealed in a report published by The New York Post. Councilmember Dromm’s co-sponsoring of the funding was identified in the City Council’s Fiscal Year 2015 Schedule C, which details the awarding of discretionary funding.

According to the report in The New York Post, Mr. Rechnitz was introduced to municipal legislators during tours of the Museum of Tolerance New York, where the sensitivity training was reportedly held. The individual, who orchestrated the tours and introductions, was the lobbyist Michael Cohen.

It is not known if Councilmember Dromm took one of those tours or if he met with Mr. Rechnitz or Mr. Cohen.

Councilmember Dromm’s office did not answer several advance questions submitted to him via e-mail by Progress Queens, and a message left with his communications director, Michael Mallon, was not returned.

About the landmark backlog

Sorry to be late with this. The LPC decided to designate 3 of the 8 items on the backlog list for Queens:

Bowne Street Community Church
Lydia Ann Bell and William Ahles House
Pepsi Cola Sign

However, the following were removed from their calendar:

Old Calvary Cemetery Gatehouse - Van Bramer
First Reformed Church and Sunday School of College Point - Vallone
Proposed Douglaston Historic District Extension - Vallone
Spanish Towers - Dromm
Fairway Apartments - Dromm

Included are the names of the council members who did not support the designations of the dropped items.

Will council allow illegal aliens to vote in city elections?

From the Queens Chronicle:

This bill, first reported by the New York Post on Monday, would grant illegal immigrants the right to vote in city elections. And that’s where a crystal clear line in the sand has to be drawn: absolutely not. No way. Never.

The bill has not been introduced yet; no record of it exists in the City Council’s online legislative database. According to the Post report, it is expected to be laid on the table in the spring. And it was recently discussed at a gathering of the Black and Latino Caucus.

Bertha Lewis, the former head of the leftist group ACORN, which was disbanded over its shady practices, is among those lobbying for the measure.

“We want to expand the right to vote for everybody, not suppress the vote,” the Post quoted Lewis as saying at the ethnic caucus event. “What a radical idea.”

Yes, it sure is a radical idea — when you want to expand the vote to people who either broke the law as soon as they arrived in the country, or did it when they violated the terms of their visas by not leaving when they agreed to leave.

That’s going to be a bridge too far for all but the most radical members of the Council, and seeing who supports the bill will be a good measure of determining who really is radical. According to the Post report, Lewis has discussed it with members including Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, Councilman Jumaane Williams of Brooklyn and Dromm. Among those three, only Williams has said he supports it so far. Dromm’s office declined to comment on it when asked this week by the Chronicle.

Fire at Elmhurst hoarder house

"Hey Crappie, I haven't seen any mention in the local papers about the fire at the Elmhurst hoarder house on 84th street and 57th Ave a couple weeks ago. Fire Dept. had to cut a hole in the neighbors attached roof to put out the fire. As far as I know there was no injuries.

For years neighbors have been complaining about the unsightly mess of piles of trash in the front and back yard and also of the threat of fire to the other attached homes. Multiple visits by the DOB, Sanitation, Fire Dept., mental health workers and even Councilman Dromm couldn't convince the woman to clean up her act even when faced with fines.

I've watched the TV show Hoarders many times and in some of the cases the municipality will evict the homeowner if they don't clean up the house. It seems NYC doesn't have the same regulations.Anyway now all the yard trash is gone but I heard it's a real mess inside." - anonymous

This house was previously featured here in January of last year.

Dromm only let de Blasio supporters inside town hall

From Progress Queens:

Dozens of New Yorkers showed up to a town hall meeting held by Mayor Bill de Blasio (D-New York City) at Public School 69 on Thursday evening in Jackson Heights, Queens.

But these dozens were forced to stand inside a make-shift police pen outside P.S. 69, to wait to see if municipal employees could accommodate them inside.

At least five municipal staff paced outside P.S. 69 with iPads, like they do at Apple stores, checking people's names on a reservation list that would determine if the New Yorkers would be allowed to attend the town hall meeting.

Contrary to a previous report published by Progress Queens (subsequently corrected), the town hall meeting turned out not to be open to everybody. Attendees had to apply for a reservation with the office of Councilmember Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights), who would then pre-approve attendees, in order to screen out any critics of the de Blasio administration. A request was made via e-mail by the publisher of Progress Queens to Councilmember Dromm, seeking a reservation. After that request was never answered, the publisher of Progress Queens carried a protest sign outside the site of the town hall, drawing attention to the restrictive policies in effect on town hall attendees.

When the publisher of Progress Queens explained that Mayor de Blasio was holding a town hall meeting at P.S. 69, many individuals complained that their children attended P.S. 69, but the school administration hadn't informed them about the mayor's town hall. Unfortunately, the publisher of Progress Queens had to explain to the disappointed parents that Councilmember Dromm had required an R.S.V.P. from town hall attendees, from which he would screen attendees based on the degree of their political support for Mayor de Blasio.

Jackson Heights residents concerned about gentrification

From Progress Queens:

The members of the Land Use Committee of Queens Community Board 3 have not responded to a letter submitted on behalf of the Jackson Heights community of residents, seeking comment about recent, major changes in commercial businesses.

The September 13 letter was sent by e-mail to the general e-mail account of Queens Community Board 3. The letter was signed by long-time Jackson Heights resident Susan Lippman and Louis Flores, the latter, who is the author of this article and the publisher of Progress Queens. In the past, Ms. Lippman has been a contributor to Progress Queens.

The letter sought to express concerns that have been growing in the community about changes in retail stores on 82nd Street, changes that community residents say may reflect upward pressure on commercial rents and a harbinger of gentrification.

A popular clothing store on 82nd Street closed and relocated to Junction Blvd., and plans were immediately made for the clothing store's former 82nd Street location to be replaced by a Banana Republic, raising concerns that the commercial landlord may be raising rents in order to attract expensive, chain store retailers.

Word is also spreading in the community that a 10-story hotel may be set to rise at 37-23 72nd Street near Broadway.

The e-mail transmitting the letter to Community Board 3 was copied to the office of Councilmember Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights), who also did not provide any response to the e-mail.

Avella only elected official interested in landmarking Elmhurst church

Letter to Tony Avella re: landmarking Old St. James Parish Hall

I wrote letters to State Senators Toby Stavisky and Council Member Danny Dromm regarding the lack of landmark status for Old St. James Parish Hall on Broadway, as they represent Elmhurst. I also sent the same letter to State Senator Tony Avella. Only Mr. Avella responded. I recently received a response from the LPC indicating that they were taking a look at what was submitted. Unless more elected officials show concern over the status of landmarks in their communities, there really isn't much of a chance or preserving what's left of Queens history.

Christina Wilkinson
President
Newtown Historical Society

How to smackdown a politician

Anthony Del Mundo/Daily News

Dear Editor (Queens Chronicle):

Councilman Dromm: I was deeply offended by your accusation that “Some of those who are now arguing the conditions are not up to par in the facility are the people who were involved with the hateful, vitriolic language being aimed at the residents” in the article “‘Three-nied’: Stringer says no to Pan Am deal” (Sept. 3, multiple editions).

I am one of the many who have brought to light the horrendous conditions at the Pan Am shelter. However, I have never made “hateful, vitriolic language” against these homeless families.

In fact, I would like to understand what you have done for your new constituents, outside of handing out knapsacks?

Did you effectively handle the out-of-control garbage problem? The rat infestation? The roach and bedbug problems? Most importantly, have you done anything to support the installation of a kitchen in each unit so that these families are in safe and humane living conditions? The answer to this is no, as I am sure you would have called the press to toot your own horn if you did anything.

Therefore, if you have no intention of advocating for a kitchen in each unit in the Pan Am shelter, I urge you to focus on the horrendous graffiti problem in Elmhurst, the out-of-control trash all over the streets and sidewalks and the loud airplane noise that is plaguing our area so that you have something to show come election time outside of making inaccurate and unjust statements.

J. Ramos
Elmhurst

________________________________________________

Dear Editor (Queens Chronicle):

Regarding the Pan Am shelter, Councilman Dromm was quoted in your recent article “‘Three-nied’: Stringer says no to Pan Am deal,” as saying “Some of those who are now arguing the conditions are not up to par in the facility are the people who were involved with the hateful, vitriolic language being aimed at the residents.”

By making these remarks Dromm is calling the new immigrants of his district hateful and malicious while ignoring the efforts they have made to improve the living conditions of destitute families at Pan Am. It was Elmhurst residents who raised hell and embarrassed the building management to put in a trash compactor, forced state and city agencies to inspect the hotel, got rid of the rats next to the recreation area and forced the landlord to make the hotel habitable. They have accomplished all this with zero help from Dromm.

The Pan Am building currently has an expired certificate of occupancy, making parts of the building illegal to occupy. The building has various uncorrected violations and tens of thousands of dollars in unpaid penalties. The FDNY could shut down the building at its next inspection and yet Dromm is welcoming families and children to stay in this firetrap. There will be casualties at the next fire; just look at the violations for inadequate sprinklers and fire doors.

Warehousing four people into a single room with bunk beds and no desk is not the solution. These residents need a lease, rent subsidies and job referrals to start from scratch. Dromm’s handshakes and schoolbags are not enough to get them out of the system.

Victor Enriquez
Elmhurst

That's a real lulu

From the Daily News:

Eleven of the 51 members refuse the [lulu] money on the principle that all lawmakers should be paid the same, as is the case in Congress for everyone from the least to the most senior.

Here are the local heroes: Jimmy Van Bramer of Queens, who turns back $20,000 yearly; Brad Lander from Brooklyn and Dan Garodnick of Manhattan, who say no to $15,000 each; and Rory Lancman of Queens, Alan Maisel, Carlos Menchaca and Mark Treyger of Brooklyn, Andy Cohen of the Bronx, Ben Kallos, Mark Levine and Helen Rosenthal of Manhattan, all of whom relinquish $8,000.

Despite having told this Editorial Board or the good-government group Citizens Union that lulus should be limited only to the top leadership, six members pocket the money: Corey Johnson and Ydanis Rodriguez of Manhattan, Daneek Miller, Danny Dromm and Paul Vallone of Queens and Vinny Gentile of Brooklyn.

Seventeen supposed reformers take the money and claim without proof to donate it to charity: From Brooklyn, Robert Cornegy, David Greenfield, Antonio Reynoso, Darlene Mealy, Mathieu Eugene, Rafael Espinal, Chaim Deutsch and Inez Barron. From Queens, Costa Constantinides, Julissa Ferreras, Peter Koo, Karen Koslowitz and Eric Ulrich. From the Bronx, Fernando Cabrera and Ritchie Torres. From Staten Island, Debi Rose. From Manhattan, Inez Dickens.

The rest of the Council makes no bones about grabbing the cash even as they cheapen their offices.