(Sunday, March 10, 2002) As I’ve explained before, due to a hectic work week, I almost always write my columns on the weekends. It gives me time to work my words, research online, review notes and write leisurely. On the other hand, it allows the news time to change and commentary time to age.

At times we’ve updated our column to keep pace with our fast changing City and Borough. For instance, the item you see on this page analyzing the April 16 Special Election in Queens’ 31st AD is, as of this writing, as accurate a picture as has appeared in print anywhere. We believe our prediction to be on the money and can only hope that our old friend Juanita Watkins doesn’t reveal her hand too quickly so as to make our column seem like old stuff. Tom Manton, as always, will likely play it close to the vest till the deal is done.

Also, as we write this on Sunday, we anticipate tomorrow’s (Monday’s) six-month anniversary memorial to the World Trade Center tragedy. We’ve read about the towering light sculpture that will be visible for some twenty miles. By the time this column is on the street, we will know of the fantastic Queens views of the memorial light sculpture that will dominate our sky for the next month.

We are certain that many of the fascinating images of the memorial light sculpture will be worthy of sharing and invite our readers to send us their best photos. We’d like to share them with all of our readers. (Please include the location you took the photo, your name, address and phone number — we’ll just print your name and community). Email digital photos to Not4Pub@QueensTribune.com; or snail mail them to us at Not4Pub, 174-15 Horace Harding Expressway, Fresh Meadows, NY. 11365.

Raucous Caucus ?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for ethnic groups, special interest groups and the like uniting to use their collective voice to advocate for and advance their common good. However, it does give cause for concern when a member of the New York State Board of Regents expresses that her only interest is children of one color.

Public servants bring to their job their unique background and heritage but are responsible to advance the greater good. Certainly the ethnic caucus is an old and meaningful part of government advocacy, but isn’t it incumbent upon members of such caucuses to insure that they reach out to be inclusive and advance the greater good of all citizenry?

To discuss just that matter, we called Council Finance Chair David Weprin on Friday. Now we’ve known the Weprin family forever. It seems that there has been at least one Weprin in elective office for as far back as we’ve been chronicling the news. As a matter of fact, more than 15 years ago, when this writer’s award-winning political column, Quips, Queens In Politics, first appeared on these pages, David’s father Saul was Speaker of the NYS Assembly. After Saul’s untimely death in 1992, David’s younger brother Mark won their father’s Assembly seat while David filled his shoes as Democratic District Leader. David last year, won the Council seat. David and Mark’s mother Sylvia has been an active participant in civic and political affairs since Saul first appeared on the scene.

I never knew Sylvia was born in Cuba.

Armed with the knowledge of his mother’s heritage, Weprin has applied for membership in the Black and Hispanic caucus of the City Council. The group, which focuses on the concerns of the Black and Hispanic citizens of our City, welcomed John Liu – the Council’s first Asian – as a member shortly after his election.

However, although Weprin is not complaining and insists he doesn’t want to create an issue over it, the son of a Cuban immigrant was told to write a letter to request membership. It seems, he was told, that they want to review their membership policy. David insisted to this writer that it was all fine with him and he supports their agenda whether or not they accept him into membership.

Now David may not be as Hispanic as Hiram Monserrate or caucus co-chair Angel Rodriguez, but then again, Leroy Comrie isn’t as dark as Allan Jennings. What measurements are used? John Liu, the Asian from Flushing is quickly accepted, but David Weprin, an orthodox Jew from Jamaica Estates whose mother migrated from a Hispanic country, not so quickly.

Why?

And should the good offices of the City Council be used to foster organizations that thrive on our differences?

“One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all”

Avoiding the discussion of the “under God” phrase, let’s for the moment focus on the word  “indivisible.” That which cannot be divided — our nation — seems to function on all levels with a government that is made up of members who chose to divide themselves into groups based on their differences.

David and I chatted about the revived Council Jewish study group or caucus being open to everyone and sponsoring events open to all. The recent Council event celebrating the Chinese New Year sponsored by Liu and the Speaker was open to all.

But on a Federal, State and City level, the special interest groups — most notably the Black and Hispanic (Black and Puerto Rican in Albany or the Congressional Black Caucus in D.C.) — set an agenda to further the elevation of their members to positions of power and advance their group’s agenda through the legislative body.

We understand and appreciate it.

We understand the purpose of the Congressional Black Caucus or the Women’s Caucus or whatever. But sadly we note the absence of a unity caucus: a special interest group committed to celebrating and promoting our similarities. It seems that the halls of government can be more divisive than the streets of the city.

Now we hear that Queens Council member Allan Jennings has announced that his mother is Jewish and he has applied for admission to the Jewish caucus.

With a sincere sense of humor and unity we have only two words in reaction to the latest adventures of Allan Jennings: “Oy Vey!”

We have no great moral lesson here. We certainly would expect Jennings’ prompt admission to the Jewish caucus. And likewise, David Weprin must be admitted to the Black and Hispanic caucus. I only hope that its members might even reach out to more white guys and gals. Isn’t that what the “indivisible” stuff is all about?

Perhaps someday, we all can be part of one caucus.

After a strangely long period of silence, last Friday Governor Pataki finally called a special election to fill the vacancy in the office of Member of Assembly in the 31st District in Queens County caused by the death of Pauline Rhodd-Cummings.

The election, in this overwhelmingly Democratic District will be held on April 16th and will go to the candidate who is granted the Democratic line.

No, that’s not the law; it is however, a fact in much of Queens and a certainty in Southeast Queens. So, although there has been much scurrying by nearly a dozen of Assembly member wanabees, the target of their energies must be four district leaders and Dem County Chair Tom Manton.

Yes, the official election will occur in the 31st Assembly District on April 16, but the real selection will take place shortly on Austin Street at Democratic County Headquarters when Tom Manton calls a meeting of the four District Leaders of the 31st — Juanita Watkins, Bob Simmons, Allan Jennings and Michelle Titus. At that meeting, the Democratic designee and the winning selection shall be made. A majority vote in that County headquarters backroom elevates one candidate to the Democratic line without a primary — only in Special Elections do district leaders have such absolute power.

Mentioned over the past month as potential candidates are (alphabetically):

• Brian Block – aide to State Senator Malcolm Smith;

• Michael Duvalle – a registered Democrat interested in running as Republican, real estate retiree;

• Henrietta Fullard – educator, activist, the current Pastor of the Bethel A.M.E. Church who ran for City Council District 31;

• Liz Goldsmith Bishop – president of Mothers Against Guns, former Parent Teacher Association president and member of the Central Queens Community Corporation;

• David Hooks – State University of New York career planner and District 31 Council Candidate in 2001;

• Evan Grey – Minister, Macedonia Baptist Church;

• Andrea Jones – civic leader;

• Taj Kumar –Jamaica civic leader;

• Fred Lewis –former aide to Mark Green;

• Charles A. Pringle, Jr. - Bronx assistant District Attorney who formerly worked for Assembly Deputy Speaker Arthur Eves, former Congressman Floyd Flake, and former Mayor David Dinkins;

• Michelle Titus – attorney, Democratic district leader who failed to gain a ballot position in the battle for City Council District 28.

Additionally, Patrick Jenkins, chief of Staff to Congressman Greg Meeks, was touted as being the strongest candidate in the field. But Jenkins’ hope rested on the long shot that the Governor would not call a special election allowing Jenkins, not currently a resident of the 31st AD, to move into the district . . .  an allowable exception during a redistricting year.

In Special Elections, insiders have the decided advantage. You can’t get anymore inside than being a district leader.

Michelle Titus starts out with her own vote.      She also, according to party pundits, starts out with the opposition of her co-leader Allan Jennings because she did not support his successful candidacy for Council. That leaves king maker (or queen maker) Juanita Watkins, the leader who was responsible for Pauline Rhodd-Cummings’ elevation to the Assembly, to once again lead the party’s selection process.

Watkins is a shrewd and skilled politico. Although her co-leader Simmons is an uncertain factor,  there is little doubt that Watkins will reward a party loyalist. Since Juanita doesn’t want to go to Albany herself, it would be a pretty good bet that another District Leader will get her nod and County Leader Tom Manton will likely quietly champion such a cause.

We’d bet that on April 16, the people of the 31st District will elect Michelle Titus to the Assembly.

Just ask Juanita Watkins.