By MICHAEL SCHENKLER

Dear Mayor Mike,

I am impressed.

The school governance, the teacher’s contract, the budget — although I personally would have liked to see the Council’s education tax surcharge — highlight your most recent successes. You have in your first 6 months in office very effectively functioned as this City’s CEO instilling confidence in the people and bringing government to a new moral high. While effectively negotiating, you have apparently not fallen prey to the obscene political deal-making that has marred our City in the past; nor have you presented yourself in the autocratic manner that has been so divisive in the past administration.

Mike, I applaud your exceptional beginning as Mayor.

Now for the real reason for writing — the City needs your help.

I have frequently also praised the new City Council that took office when you did. Giff Miller, Queens’ Leroy Comrie, Melinda Katz, and most of the Queens delegation, most of the entire Council have proven to be hard working, committed, dedicated, creative public servants. The new class of Council members have brought vitality, drive, and integrity to a body that was mired in old-school politics and self-serving motives. The new Council has risen far above the old standard and has restored some integrity to the body and confidence to the people.

I fear they are about to blow it all.

I believe you can stop them.

Let me explain.

The not very well kept secret going around today is that my friend Speaker Giff Miller, along with Gov Op Chair Bill Perkins and another six members who are term limited next year, are about to lead the charge to “tinker” with the term limit law effectively extending their right to run for another two year term. There are two variants of this scenario being kicked around by Council leadership. The real problem is that these guys (and gals) intend to change the term limit law passed by a referendum of the people without going back to the people.

Mike, you’ll remember that the old council tried to go back to the people in ’96 and were resoundingly told not to mess with the term limit law. Twice the people have spoken.

Now, Giff and company have a valid presentation that should be heard. Perhaps there is a more equitable way for term limits to proceed on a go forward basis. One of their two proposals — insuring no one is term limited unless they have had eight years in office — is a proposal that I believe has merit and should be put to the people in a referendum.

However, instead of coming to you and the Charter Revision process, these self-serving council members are actually planning to introduce and pass legislation to subvert the will of the people. They’ll cal it “tinkering” or “fixing” an inequity in the law. They’ll say they are making the process better. In fact they will be extending their own terms in office. One variant gives extra years to everybody. The law will at a minimum enable the eight members who are term limited next year to run again. It will enable Giff Miller to be reelected and remain as Speaker. It will enable the present Council perks, lulus, and wonders to continue. The leadership will subtly threaten members who are not with them. Committee chairmanships, member items and district allocations will be used to round up the votes to override a Mayoral veto.

Mike, it could get ugly.

It all can be prevented.

Although I am a novice in the Charter Revision process, I believe in reality, you are in control of it. You could simply have two matters put to the people:

First and most importantly, “any law passed by referendum since the last charter revision in 1990, can only be modified or repealed by referendum.”

This referendum would be crafted by your Counsel to make ineffective any Council action prior or subsequent to the referendum altering the term limit or any law voted on by the people.

Secondly, allow Giff and his colleagues to place on the ballot their term limit “tinker” that they believe improves the law. Take the issue to the people and let the people decide.

You have the power to instruct the commission to preserve the will of the people. This, I believe is a moral imperative and is consistent with your position attempting to depolitcize the process.

While I feel passionate that the people’s will must not be subverted, I also feel the Council has a right to be heard. If indeed an almost lame duck Speaker can convince the Council to request a referendum item modifying term limits, I would encourage you to consider it. You need not support it. However, providing the out of control, self serving process of term limit subversion, a legitimate outlet, may serve to restore some confidence in a Council that is on the verge of throwing away all the integrity and moral high ground they brought to office.

Mike, please enable the will of the people to rule this city. If given the opportunity, no one will oppose a referendum saying that once passed by the people via referendum, a law can only be changed by the people by referendum.

I believe it is a no-brainer.

I know it is the right thing.

I respectfully submit the idea to you.

Please let me know what you think,

Regards,

Michael Schenkler,
Publisher, Queens Tribune
MSchenkler@queenstribune.com 

Ethnic Politics: The Numbers Game

By MICHAEL SCHENKLER

Part of the science of campaigns refined in recent decades, has been the computerized identification of block voters. Ethnic sorting programs allow the pros to develop mailing lists targeted to such groups.

Professional firms have long existed to provide campaigns with targeted mailing labels generated by computer. The leading firm in our City offering this service to candidates is Prime New York. Jerry Skurnik and Stu Osnow have been providing reliable voter information since they left the Koch administration a lifetime ago.

Skurnik was good enough to provide us with a brief analysis of the voting patterns in the three new Queens legislative districts. This information is helpful in planning a campaign and predicting the out come.

Sadly, with 7 Congressional, 14 Assembly and 8 Senate seats up in Queens, incumbents will easily walk away with all but three. Queens population growth has resulted in redistricting creating one new Senate and two new Assembly seats – three districts without “shoo-in” incumbents.

Although legislative direction and published reports have indicated that the new Senate (13th) and one of the new Assembly Districts (39th) are drawn for Hispanics and the other Assembly District (22nd) is Asian, Skurnik’s numbers indicate things are not that clear.

Chart #1 shows the census data, with ethnic information on all residents

Since residents include children and non-citizens, Skurnik has matched the names of registered voters to an ethnic dictionary to determine the percentage of voters in Chart #2.           In Queens, to complicate analysis, these elections will be decided in the Democratic Primary by registered Dems. Prime New York estimates the Democratic enrollment in Chart #3.

Play with the numbers yourself. Things are not always as clear as they seem. We must take the analysis one step further and try to predict which registered Democrats will actually come out and vote.

In the weeks between now and the Primary, we’ll provide you with more to analyze.

Stay tuned.

Terri Thomson: My Friend, A Queens Hero

The New York City Board of Education, in the form we have known it, has faded into history.

Last Thursday, Tamara and I had the pleasure of saluting Terri Thomson on her final day of service as a member of the Board of Education. At a small reception given by Queens Beep Helen Marshall, speaker after speaker praised Terri. Kids, parents and principals joined the chorus of Queens superintendents in telling of Terri’s personal involvement and commitment to the kids.

Chancellor Harold Levy stopped in to light-heartedly, salute the person who he blamed for his job.

Helen Marshall was nice enough to offer mean opportunity to speak. Surprised, without notes or script, this is the gist of what I said:

“Thank you Borough President Marshall.

The two people in this room that I’ve known the longest are Helen Marshall and Terri Thompson. I’ve known Terri for almost thirty years (she looked at me incredulously — yes Terri, at least 28). Terri has been my educator, my banker, my Congressional Office Chief of Staff, but above all, my friend. It’s been a wonderful relationship for the past almost thirty years.

I’ve known the Borough President for some 40 years.

In the early 60’s, my father became principal of P.S. 143 in Corona. Helen Marshall was the President of the Parent’s Association.

In the late 60’s, decentralization and the New York City Board of Education – empowered much like the Board we have known – were created after a study by McGeorge Bundy and the Ford Foundation. My uncle, Murray Bergtraum was the first member from Queens to serve on that Board. In the early 70s I became a teacher in and later served as Assistant Principal in P.S. 219 Queens, District 25. I later became a principal. My mother and many other family members taught in the City school system I am a product of that system.

As you can see my roots in education in New York run deep.

I have been privileged to know many of the Board of Ed members. None has been more committed to the children of our City or more heroic than Terri Thomson.

Terri has also been the subject of my weekly column on several occasions. I felt the need to speak out when Terri was treated unfairly because she voted her conscience on behalf the kids.

Terri, you have served wisely and proudly. You have made your mark on our school system and city. You have always stood tall and have done what you believed was in best interest of the kids.

I congratulate you for a job well done.

The city will miss you.

I know the kids love you.

I love you.

Thanx.