Dan Cantor

Two things stand out about the Working Families Party's announcement that they oppose changing the term-limits law, which the party formally announced at a press conference on the City Hall steps a few minutes ago.

The first is that they will not withhold an endorsement from any City Council member who votes in favor changing the law. W.F.P. executive director Dan Cantor said, "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

Second, Cantor was unable to say whether all of the group's affiliated unions are in agreement on this issue.

But he did have this line: “Even Hugo Chavez had a referendum and abided by the results. Mayor Bloomberg should do the same.”

Dan Cantor, executive director of the labor-backed Working Families Party, makes the case in an email to supporters:

Sometimes the candidate who'll fight for working families is a challenger, sometimes it's an incumbent who's been doing it for years. Think about Teddy Kennedy if you want the best example of such a person at the national level.

Time after time, on the crucial fights of the day - Silver has been the most important leader standing up to right-wing corporate power. He beat back Republican attempts to end rent regulation, slash public schools, and reduce access to healthcare coverage. He actually believes that the government has a role to play in making sure everyone has a decent shot in life.

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The executive director of the labor-backed Working Families party just released a statement reiterating his opposition to the property tax cap that was passed in the State Senate today, saying it was wrong for those senators to "side" with Governor David Paterson on the plan.

Dan Cantor, Executive Director of the Working Families Party said: "The Senate made the wrong choice today in siding with Governor Paterson on his tax cap plan that will badly hurt school children without cutting taxes.
Thankfully a majority of Senate and Assembly Democrats and leaders like Speaker Sheldon Silver are standing up for our public schools and for real property tax relief. The Assembly's supports full funding for our schools and providing real relief to middle class families and seniors who need it most."

The executive director of the Working Families Party, Dan Cantor, showed support for Sheldon Silver in an interview with OpenLeft published today, calling attacks from the left on the incumbent Democrat “intellectually shallow and politically naive.”  read more »

Dan Cantor wants to emphasize that while media reports (including mine) have emphasized the tax increase included in the Working Families Party economic agenda, there is a bigger picture.

An increase in personal income taxes is levied against those who earn more than $250,000, but it is part of an effort to lower taxes for a greater number of New Yorkers, Cantor, the WFP's executive director, said.  read more »

Here are some of the union members who joined Rep. Jerry Nadler, Council members David Yassky and Mike Nelson and Working Families Party Executive Director Dan Cantor on the City Hall steps today to protest a draft proposal from the city to close the Red Hook Container Terminal, where 633 people work.

Nadler, who I'll venture to say is as knowledgeable as any elected official in the country about the shipping industry, said the end of the terminal could mean the end of New York's relevance as a port city.

From a statement:

"This type of myopia and short-term economic planning will only mean fewer jobs for New York City, a less dominant shipping industry, more vehicular traffic and congestion, and rising transportation costs for all of us. Absent a Brooklyn container port, we would be entirely dependent on the ports located on the other side of the Kill Van Kull. This must not happen."

-- Azi Paybarah

No multi-media today, just old-fasioned text. Dan Cantor, executive director of the Working Families Party, discusses his party's plans for statewide and congressional races, and takes the occasional shot at his interviewer's habits of self-promotion. (Which reminds me: Catch The Politicker on Channel 4 af 6:00.

benobserver: First of all, where is the WFP going to be putting its resources this year?

Cantor: Two main places. Cantor: One - getting a big vote for Eliot Spitzer on Row E/WFP. And two, our health care campaign holding large corporations accountable. Cantor: We want to make sure that they provide decent health benefits for their employees. Nothing fancy, just common decency. Cantor: Where are you putting your resources in 2006? Cantor: Besides the usual self-aggrandizement common to all political reporters??? [Just kidding].

CONTINUED AFTER THE JUMP  read more »

Just a few days after the Boss of Brooklyn, Clarence Norman, put on a three-piece suit and surrender  read more »

While most New Yorkers were preparing to observe the first anniversary of the Sept.  read more »