Welcome to another week that was on Rochesterturning. The MCDC volunteer dinner is shut down, the Regional Market Authority might be, Governor Paterson was in town, and a proposal to dump fracking waste was denied.
Let’s get started.
Local Scene
Mayoral Control - MCDC volunteer dinner was a casualty of the mayoral control of schools debate. The teachers union with other union support planned a picket and after Monroe County Democratic Chairman Morelle canceled the dinner, they held a Press Conference instead. So, the next question is, will the Mayor or one of his events, like say the Mayors Ball, be the target of some action?
County Exec Brooks locks her self in the dressing room and disses the downtown theater proposal. If only there were downtown development that includes an Arts Theater called RenSquare. All that is missing is the feet stomping as she exists stage wrong.
The Genesee valley Regional Market Authority - should it stay, or should it go? An Authority is a quasi governmental entity that has special powers or more specifically, plays by different rules. In this case, it is able to offer businesses below market property use rates. Sounds great if you are a small business just getting started and all, but not all businesses in the market are small start up businesses. Maggie Brooks is against it, as expected, and we poke at some of the talking screaming points.
A view from the State
Katies Law: Assemblyman Joe Morelle is sponsoring a bill to extract DNA samples if you are arrested (not convicted, just arrested). Currently DNA samples are obtained if you are convicted. Seems a wee bit unconstitutional.
Maggie Brooks endorses Rick Lazio for Governor - no kidding. Speaking of Governor - Governor Paterson kicked off his campaign at stops across the State. One of those stops was Rochester. We were there and will have more as time permits. The very short version is, there were few elected Democrats at the kick off - no Mayor for example, so not a lot of elected support which highlights a party rift. Paterson was a powerful speaker and made a strong case for his reelection.
Now, assuming Cuomo tosses his hat in the Governor’s race - who wants to be Attorney General?
Meanwhile, there is a plan to delay State tax refunds - a plan, if implemented, will surely backfire.
Frack that - Remember all that water that gets pumped into the ground to extract natrual gas? The water surry with hazardous chemicals? Well it has to go somewhere - and guess what? -What if it were put into an underground well near Keuka lake? What could possibility go wrong? Well, the application to do just that was withdrawn by an out of state energy concern. This is a huge victory for the Residents of the 29th and Congressman Massa who listened to them.
Federal level
Who else wants to be U.S. Senator - Add Mort Zuckerman to the list for the seat currently occupied by Kirsten Gillibrand. Meanwhile, Harold Ford came to Rochester to make his case.
Run for the Hills - 10% of the GOP House Caucus is leaving. 5% of the Democratic caucus is leaving. Bill Owens (D, NY-23) isn’t one of them, but if conservative Doug Hoffman has is way - he will be. Seems like Hoffman is pandering - saying no to entitlement cuts. Do you believe him?
Health Care - there is a move a foot for the Public Option. How is that defined this time, because last time it wasn’t so public nor was it an option.
It was retro amateur hour from the Tom Reed campaign. Publishing a Press Release linking Congressman Massa with the communist party policies - ergo Massa is a ____. Reed’s actions are taken down by WETM-TV.
Meanwhile - Massa’s office kept their focus on constituents by keeping the lights on during the recent D.C. snowstorm.
Quick Clicks
Bringing War home. There is a cost of war - any war - and this movie shows it.
Praising the Kennedy family.
Wingnuts continues- Scarborough, Cannots, and Global Warming.
That’s it - see you next week…