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robert jackson

By Hunter Walker 2/03 6:39pm

Uptown

Robert Jackson (Photo: Facebook)

Crowded Race Shaping Up To Replace Robert Jackson

Councilman Robert Jackson is planning to run for borough president in 2013, and already a host of candidates are lining up to take his place for the Upper Manhattan council seat.

Among them are longtime Washington Heights politico Maria Luna, who last ran for this same seat in 1992, a current and a former district leader who squared off in a pitched electoral battle last year, an aide to neighborhood institution Charlie Rangel, two former challengers to Mr. Jackson, a community board vice chair and a 24-year-old City Council staffer from across town.

Legislative lines for the District, which currently includes Morningside Heights, West Harlem, Hamilton Heights, Central Harlem, Washington Heights and Inwood, could shift before the race next year. In the meantime,  many of the aspiring heirs to Mr. Jackson's seat are watching each other and other local politicians before deciding what move to make.

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13 By Hunter Walker 1/30 1:11pm

Schoolyard Showdown

Keith Wright (Photo: NYS Assembly)

Keith Wright Wants To Take Control of City Schools Away From Mayor Bloomberg

Assemblyman Keith Wright said the Department of Education's plan to close the middle school at Wadleigh Secondary School of Performing Arts is the final straw that has convinced him to propose a bill that would repeal mayoral control of city public schools.

"People are up in arms. They are quite frankly tired of the dictatorial and despotic policies coming out of City Hall where they just arbitrarily and capriciously decide that they're going to close schools," Mr. Wright told The Politicker. "This is the Alamo as far as I'm concerned right now. This is the absolute Alamo and I'm not going to take it anymore." Read More

By Colin Campbell 1/30 11:48am

nuts4nuts needs help

(Photo: Getty)

Council’s Minority Caucus Pushes to Reduce Fines on Street Vendors

The City Council's Black, Latino and Asian Caucus is renewing a push to reform the way that street vendors are fined. In a letter to Consumer Affairs Committee Chair Dan Garodnick, the co-chairs of the caucus, Robert Jackson and Fernando Cabrera, advocate legislation to significantly reduce the financial burden of these fines.

"Under current regulations, distance-from-the-curb violations and license-display violations command the payment of fines ranging from $50 to $1000, based upon the number of subsequent violations," the letter explained. "The Caucus believes that this fine structure is unfair to the vendors because it compoundsviolations that may not be related."

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By Colin Campbell 1/27 2:59pm

he's running

Robert Jackson (Photo: Facebook)

Robert Jackson Really Wants You to Know He’s Running for Manhattan Borough President

After a press conference on improving college readiness for black and Latino students this afternoon, The Politicker caught up to Councilman Robert Jackson to ask him about the likelihood he'll fully enter the Manhattan Borough President race. The current Borough President, Scott Stringer, is expected to run for Mayor.

Mr. Jackson jogged in place as a response. "Look at me, what I am I doing now? What am I doing? What am I doing?" he repeatedly asked. "I'm running. I'm running."

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By David Freedlander 1/26 11:34am

NYPD

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Lone Muslim Councilmember Defends NYPD’s Screening of ‘The Third Jihad’

Robert Jackson, a City Councilmember from Harlem and the only Muslim in the body, defended police commissioner Ray Kelly today against charges  that he should resign.

"There is a press conference right now on the steps of City Hall calling for the resignation of Ray Kelly," Mr. Jackson said. "I am not at the press conference."

Critics are calling for Mr. Kelly to resign after it was revealed that the NYPD screened repeatedly a movie called "The Third Jihad" that depicts Muslims as violent extremists. At first, NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said that the video was screened just a few times and that Mr. Kelly did not participate in the making of the film. Both accounts turned out to be false. Read More

2 By Hunter Walker 1/11 7:48pm

They're Ba-ack

The scene in Zuccotti Park this afternoon. (Photo: Hunter Walker)

Protesters And Politicians Return To Occupy Wall Street

Last night, the barricades surrounding the site of the original Occupy Wall Street encampment in Zuccotti Park came down for the first time since the protesters were evicted November 15. Protesters have been coming to the park to celebrate ever since and, this afternoon, they were joined by Councilmen Ydanis Rodriguez and Jumaane Williams.

Councilman Rodriguez came to the park to announce his plan to donate the $5,000 stipend (or "lulu" in City Hall lingo) that he receives from the Council for chairing the Committee on Higher Education to the Occupy Wall Street general assembly. Read More

By Azi Paybarah 8/04/11 9:43am

bloomberg's world

Bloomberg’s New Initiative Moves Jackson, Annoys Barron

Mayor Michael Bloomberg's new Young Men's Initiative -- which seeks to improve the job and health opportunities for young black and Latino men in New York City --  is being called the corner stone of his third term, and something he hopes is replicated across the country.

Bloomberg and fellow billionaire George Soros are each putting in $30 million of their own money to help fund the $130 million, 3-year- program.

It is also coming with about 880 days left in the mayor's tenure. Read More