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5 By David Freedlander 2/08 5:31pm

2013

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Eric Adams Makes Brooklyn BP Run Official

State Senator Eric Adams put an end to speculation about which office he would seek, announcing in an email to supporters this afternoon, "At the behest of many of you, Eric has decided to pursue his dream to run for the office of Brooklyn Borough President in 2013. "

Mr. Adams had been rumored to either be a  BP candidate in 2013 or make a run for Public Advocate, but the email today--sent by his chief of staff, Ingrid Lewis-Martin--makes plain that he has decided to go with the former.

"The road to Borough Hall is long and can be rocky, but with your continued support we can pave the way and set a smooth course," the email reads. "I will send you periodic emails and news updates to keep you informed and abreast of all of the ways in which you can be a part of our journey to Brooklyn Borough Hall." Read More

9 By Hunter Walker 1/30 10:16am

Year of the Dragon

Grace Meng (Photo: NYS Assembly)

Grace Meng ‘Frustrated’ With Mayor Bloomberg’s Response To Lunar New Year Bill

Assemblywoman Grace Meng doesn't buy Mayor Michael Bloomberg's claim that he can't make Lunar New Year a public school holiday because "you cannot have … a day off from school for every single holiday or we’d have no school.”

"I think he is exaggerating when he said that we had no school days left," Ms. Meng told The Politicker. "His policies on immigrant services have been very good, they're very progressive. He's done a lot for immigrant communities in New York City and it's frustrating for me that he doesn't understand why this community wants its first and most important holiday off." Read More

By Hunter Walker 1/26 4:23pm

Gerrymandermania

Senator Squadron (Photo: NYS Senate)

Senator Daniel Squadron: ‘Partisan Redistricting is a Poisonous Process’

State Senator Daniel Squadron doesn't think the new legislative lines proposed by the Republican Senate Majority will hurt him, but he still blasted the redistricting process as partisan and unjust in a statement sent out soon after the maps were released.

"Even though the worst of the Republican political shenanigans aren't impacting the district I represent as they are some of my colleagues' districts, the conclusion is undeniable: partisan redistricting is a poisonous process," Senator Squadron. Read More

1 By Hunter Walker and Colin Campbell 1/26 2:05pm

Year of the Dragon

Revelers in Chinatown celebrating the last Lunar New Year in 2011. (Photo: Getty)

Mayor Bloomberg Doesn’t Want To Make Lunar New Year a School Holiday

At a press conference at Silvercup Studios in Queens today, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said he doesn't support the push to make Lunar New Year a holiday in New York City public schools.

"No. I mean, You cannot have ... a day off from school for every single holiday or we'd have no school," Mayor Bloomberg said in response to a question from The Politicker.
Read More

1 By David Freedlander 1/25 3:56pm

Public Advocate

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Is Tish James For Real? [Update]

Brooklyn City Councilwoman Letitia James has been quietly laying the groundwork for a run for public advocate for some time now, and in many respects, has a pretty good shot at winning. The field to replace Bill de Blasio (assuming he runs for mayor) is pretty small at this point, and the two other names mentioned as possible contenders--current de Blasio aide Reshma Saujani and State Senator Daniel Squadron--are both young and with less time in public life than Ms. James. Plus, Ms. James is well-liked by her peers and has strong ties  to labor.

But one thing appears to be a serious problem for her going forward:  her anemic fundraising. Read More

1 By Hunter Walker 1/23 1:27pm

Year of the Dragon

Revelers in Chinatown celebrating the last Lunar New Year in 2011. (Photo: Getty)

Daniel Squadron And Grace Meng Ask Bloomberg To Make Lunar New Year a School Holiday

State Senator Daniel Squadron and Assemblywoman Grace Meng celebrated the Year of the Dragon by sending Mayor Michael Bloomberg a letter asking him to make the next Lunar New Year a holiday in city public schools.

"According to Asian customs, all the members of a family gather together on the eve of the New Year to prepare a giant feast and perform certain rites. Because of these important customs, a school holiday would allow Asian American children to celebrate the holiday with their families," they wrote.

Currently, public school students receive an "excused" absence if they give written notification they're missing class for Lunar New Year, but those absences still count on their record. Read More

1 By David Freedlander 1/13 12:31pm

2013

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Squadron Hauls In $133,000 For Possible City, Borough Run

A source close to State Senator Brooklyn State Senator Daniel Squadron said that the lawmaker has raised $133,000 in the most recent fundraising period.

The dollar figure represents a significant haul for Mr. Squadron, who opened a citywide campaign account over the summer but only started raising money for it in late October.

According to the source, Mr. Squadron "is interested in running for public advocate, but is also looking at Brooklyn borough president and comptroller." Read More

2 By David Freedlander 12/21/11 11:42am

High Tech

From Daniel Squadron via Twitter

Lawmakers Push for Brooklyn High-Tech Campus

Our own Nitasha Tiku has the definitive take this morning on why Cornell was chosen over Stanford to build a new high-tech engineering campus here, but this morning a handful of lawmakers gathered in Brooklyn to push to keep the competition open.

The group would like to see an NYU and Polytech campus for applied sciences open in the borough, at 370 Jay Street, currently the site of a long empty MTA headquarters.

"By pursuing NYU-Poly's proposal, the City can bring a world-class applied sciences institute to Brooklyn and Brooklyn's incredible talent and vibrant tech scene to the world," said State Senator Daniel Squadron. "A Center for Urban Science and Progress at 370 Jay presents a long-awaited opportunity to finally put the nearly-abandoned building to use, allowing Downtown Brooklyn to continue to grow and thrive." Read More

1 By Hunter Walker 11/04/11 9:14pm

suggested reading

Roundup: Giuliani Says Obama ‘Owns’ Occupy Wall Street; Santa Survives; Zuccotti Potties

Rudy Giuliani said President Obama is responsible for Occupy Wall Street and predicted the movement will "take his presidency down."

Steve Ballone, a Democratic candidate for Suffolk County executive, saved Santa.

U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, State Senator Daniel Squadron, and Councilwoman Margaret Chin are thankful for the port-o-potties in Zuccotti Park.

According to new poll numbers, Governor Cuomo is surprisingly popular. Read More

1 By Reid Pillifant 8/15/11 1:14pm

same-sex marriage

Getty Images

Gillibrand World Tour: Five Boroughs in Two Days, But Diaz Preaches Caution

Starting in Harlem tomorrow morning, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand will make a Schumer-esque, five-borough tour in less than 48 hours.

The slew of events will touch on everything from employment, to same-sex marriage, to first-responders, to the military -- and will give her a chance to rub elbows with more than a dozen downstate elected officials.

It all begins with an Urban Jobs Act event alongside Congressman Charlie Rangel, Assemblyman Keith Wright and the National Urban League. Read More