Peter Koo on THE PEREZ NOTES

Jeff Dinowitz on THE PEREZ NOTES

Jorge Fanjul responds to Latino Running for QCYD President

"Mr. Perez,

I thank you for the attention you have given our race, I believe it is a testament to the important role young people play in political discourse today. That is why I choose to serve as Policy Director of the Queens County Young Democrats and why I am now running for President. I would like to clarify however that I do not live in my colleague, Ms. Jessica Ramos' district as stated in your piece. She lives in the 39th Assembly District and I reside in the 34th Assembly District. I was also surprised to hear the news that she is no longer running as I first became aware of her ending her candidacy from reading your piece in The Perez Notes and El Diario. Ms. Ramos always stated she was a candidate and as such no ask was made of her for an endorsement. If I had been made aware that she was no longer considering a run, I would certainly have asked for and welcomed her endorsement as a young female leader within our community.

Cordially,

Jorge D. Fanjul
Candidate for President of the Queens County Young Democrats"

Jason Otaño on THE PEREZ NOTES

I had the opportunity to interview, City Council candidate for the 34th CD Jason Otaño. Here are some of Jason's views, on the issues of the day. Below the quotes, is the audio of the interview.

Education

"When we look at the education of our children, we also have to look to the education of our parents, as a city council member, I would definitely push for parenting academies. I think we need to create resources for parents to assist them."

"The jury is still out on charter schools. I'm not quite sure where I fit, in regards to whether I'm pro, or con."

Mayoral Control of schools

"I'm against it."

Outsider label

"Listen I've been a Puerto Rican kid from Brooklyn all my life. I don't need to read an instruction manual, about how to be a Boricua on south 5th. I had an abuelita too, and she was buried right there in Ortiz funeral home right there on south 4th. So, this neighborhood isn't alien to me. I've worked in these neighborhoods, since I was a kid, when we were dealing with voter registrations, joining Richie Perez on whatever issue might have occurred from Sunset Park to Los Sures, if there was a Latino community I've been involved."

"I've studied, I've had relationships with folks, I've had family in the area for all of my life, and I'm not necessarily worried about that carpetbagger moniker. I think it's going to play a very small part in the discussion."

"When I moved into the community, the first thing I wanted to do was get involved, which is why I reached out to Luis Garden Acosta, and he asked me to be part of the affordable living aspect of the green light district. If a man like that doesn't consider me an outsider, I don't know how anybody else could."

Labor Unions

"I do strongly believe, that out of any candidate that arises in that district, that I'll be the strongest labor candidate. I grew up in a labor household."

"I served on the pension board. I served on the NYC employee retirement system. I've had a really good relationship with 3 of the largest labor unions in the city Teamsters, TWU, DC 37, and so obviously, I've been talking to them for some time."

"Greg Floyd for one has been, a very vocal supporter of me, of my candidacy, very encouraging figure for me."

Fundraising

"I have not started fundraising, my goal would be somewhere around 200 thousand to a quarter of a million."

Consultants

"That will be Eddy Castell from the MirRam group. I've had a long relationship with Eddy and Roberto."

"Roberto Ramirez was the President of the Puerto Rican Bar Association, and so I'm a very active member of the BAR association, and I've had a long relationship with him as well."

Part 1.

Part 2.

Bill de Blasio on THE PEREZ NOTES

I had the opportunity to interview, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio. Here are some of the Public Advocates views, on the issues of the day. Below the quotes, is the audio of the interview.

SOTU AG Schneiderman

"The fact that the President is putting him in such a position of leadership, speaks volumes to the President's commitment on the issue, but also says Schneiderman, who was kind of the rebel on this issue ultimately won the day."

Teacher Evaluations

"I was disappointed in the Mayors speech. I think the Mayor after 10 years has sort of re declared war on the UFT. I could not understand why that was productive. I think we'll get there bluntly, but I don't think it's gonna be because the Mayor had a tantrum during his speech."

Pension Reform

"The way to do that is with labor. I've talked to a number of labor leaders, and they have substantive ideas on ways to move forward, that would save money. I think that's the conversation that gets things done."

Fingerprints for Food Stamps

"This administration is continuing a Giuliani practice, and I have to call it like it is. It's a Giuliani era practice, it is the kind of thing Rudy used to love to do, tough on the poor and Michael Bloomberg should know better, for whatever strange reason, he will not move off it, and I think that the fact that the Governor called him out on it, this should be the break point, but the Mayor keeps holding on to this really inhumane practice."

Minimum Wage Increase

"I was glad the Mayor called for an increase in the minimum wage, I bluntly, it sounded like a pretty minimal increase in the minimum wage, and I use the term responsible. I thought WOW, I want to know more about that, but I'm glad he sees that we have to address that problem, you know he continues to be very negative on living wage and paid sick leave. They're just fundamentally good ideas, but I don't expect the Mayor to hear that, or want to respond."

Gustavo Rivera on THE PEREZ NOTES

I had the opportunity to interview, State Senator Gustavo Rivera. Here are some of Senator Rivera's views, on the issues of the day. Below the quotes, is the audio of the interview.

Redistricting

"The fact is that they (Republicans) have probably had maps since October when the hearings were done."

"Whatever draft is presented, I can almost guarantee you it will be driven by politics, and not by what it should be driven by, which is demographic shifts, communities of interest, and the opportunity for minority populations across the state, to be able to choose someone of their own choosing."

"If there's something that you know about Governor Cuomo, is if he looks you in the face, and he says something is going to happen it does. He has committed himself to vetoing any lines that come from a partisan process."

63rd Senate seat

"This is a perfect example of a blatant political move by the Republicans, to keep an artificial majority. The 63rd seat, which is a fiction it is unconstitutional."

Independent Caucus

"I disagree with the action, that the IDC has taken because, I believe that it weakens our hand as a democratic conference."

Senator Diaz Vs. Senator John Sampson

"The Reverend is a colleague, that I have many many disagreements with, even though he expresses it in a way that is certainly not a way in which I would express it. The issue of member items is a real one."

"Anything else that he has said about John Sampson about leadership, about those sort's of things that is the Reverend being the Reverend."

Gustavo Rivera on THE PEREZ NOTES

Bill de Blasio on THE PEREZ NOTES

Diaz Jr. not interested in running for Public Advocate El Diario La Prensa

Roberto Perez | 2012-01-25 | El Diario NY

Rumors that Bronx Borough President, Ruben Diaz Jr. is interested in running for Public Advocate appear to be false, according to sources close to Diaz Jr. He is still exploring a Mayoral run and has no interest in the position.

Latino running for QCYD President

Jorge Fanjul, from the office of City Comptroller John Liu, is running for president of Queens County Young Democrats.

In an interesting move, Queens district leader and vice president of QCYD Jessica Ramos decided at the last minute not to run for the position, and is supporting the other candidate in the race Nick Roloson, who serves as chief of staff to Assemblyman Mike Miller. Ramos is backing Roloson instead of Fanjul, because Fanjul never asked Ramos for her support despite living in her district.

The other candidate is Antwaun Gavins, from the office of state Sen. Jose Peralta. The election will be held on February 15. Currently, the QCYD has over 150 members with 95 of them eligible to vote. The QCYD, emerged on the political scene, after receiving the blessings of the Queens Democratic Party, at the request of Assemblyman Francisco Moya and it now looks like it will be a breeding ground for the party, in years to come.

Otano going with MirRam

City Council candidate for District 34, Jason Otano, said he plans to hire the MirRam group. In a recent interview, Otano alluded to his long relationship with MirRam partner Eddy Castell, and his membership in the Puerto Rican Bar Association, under the direction of another MirRam partner Roberto Ramirez. Otano also made mention of his relationship with Luis Garden Acosta, founder of El Puente, which could mean a possible endorsement. The other candidates mentioned are Antonio Reynoso, chief of staff to the current Council member Diana Reyna and District Leader Maritza Davila.

http://www.eldiariony.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120125/IMPORT01/301259933/-1/COLUMNISTAS

Díaz Jr. no está interesado en el puesto de Defensor

Los rumores de que el presidente del condado de El Bronx, Rubén Díaz Jr. está interesado en postularse para Defensor Público parecen ser falsos.
http://www.eldiariony.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120125/IMPORT01/301259933/-1/COLUMNISTAS

Chris Banks on THE PEREZ NOTES

Costa Constantinides on THE PEREZ NOTES

Julie Menin on THE PEREZ NOTES

Jason Otano on THE PEREZ NOTES

John Sabini on THE PEREZ NOTES

This is an interview, I conducted with Chairman of the New York State Racing and Wagering Board John Sabini. I conducted this interview, on October 10, 2007. This interview, is a part of THE PEREZ NOTES archives.



John D. Sabini is the Chairman of the New York State Racing and Wagering Board, having served in this capacity since August 2008 when he was confirmed by the New York State Senate. Sabini had previously been a member of the New York State Senate, a Democrat first elected in 2002. He represented parts of Jackson Heights, Corona, East Elmhurst, Elmhurst and Woodside. He previously represented much of this area as a New York City Council Member for the years 1992-2001.

Early life

A lifelong resident of Jackson Heights, Sabini won election to the Community Advisory Board at Elmhurst Hospital at age 16. At 19, he was appointed to Community Board No. 3-Q, where he served until his election to the Council.
Sabini holds a degree from New York University's College of Business and Public Administration, now known as the Stern School, and attended its Graduate School of Public Administration, now known as the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.

Sabini served as District Administrator for Congressmen James H. Scheuer and Stephen J. Solarz. He also served as Director of the State Assembly's Subcommittee on Senior Citizen Facilities. Prior to his election to the City Council, Sabini was Vice President of the MWW Group, a public and government relations firm based in New Jersey.

Career

When the newly configured 13th Senate District was unveiled in the Spring of 2002, Sabini became a candidate who amassed broad support within the Democratic Party. In 2004 and 2006 he became the Democratic nominee and was unanimously re-elected in the general election.
When joining the Senate, Sabini received several high-profile appointments unprecedented for a new member. He was appointed as the ranking member of the Elections Committee and was the Senate Democratic conferee on a conference committee designed to set up the state's framework to comply with the federal Help America Vote Act. Sabini was also appointed to the Rules Committee, the first freshman Democrat since 1937 to serve in that capacity.

In 2006, Sabini was appointed as Assistant Minority Leader for Intergovernmental Affairs. He serves as the liaison between the Senate Minority Conference and the Governor's office, the State Assembly, Congress and local governments. Sabini is simultaneously maintaining his ranking membership status on the Transportation and Racing, Gaming & Wagering Committees.

Sabini was also appointed to several high-profile panels in 2006. In February he served as the only New York State representative on a national transportation leadership summit at the White House. In April he served as the only New York City legislator on Governor Eliot Spitzer's special panel to determine the future of thoroughbred racing in New York and the operations of Belmont Park, Aqueduct Race Track and Saratoga Racecourse.

In his first term, he introduced the bill that established by law the Flight 587 Memorial Scholarship, honoring the victims of that flight that crashed on the way to the Dominican Republic. Recently, he introduced a bill — which also later passed into law — to prevent the scheduling of statewide exams during major religious holidays.
The crisis surrounding the Queens County Democratic Organization following the death of Donald Manes in 1986 was a defining moment in Sabini's career. Sabini was thrust into the position of County Chairman at the time when scrutiny from the media and federal investigators threatened the future of the party. His success in stepping in to clean up the party earned him glowing editorial support from The New York Times and Newsday.

On the City Council, Sabini held the post of Council representative to the City's Commission on Public Information and Communications, a panel seeking ways to improve interaction between New York City residents and city government and increased use of technology. He was appointed Chair of the Council's Subcommittee on Landmarks, Public Siting and Maritime Uses and was chosen for membership on the Council's influential Land Use Committee and on the Subcommittee on Planning, Dispositions and Concessions. In his legislative duties, he introduced and co-sponsored many bills that have helped to improve the quality of life for New Yorkers, including the Aggressive Panhandling bill and the Landmark Notification Law, which requires the commercial tenants doing business in historic districts be informed about their responsibilities under the city's landmarks law.