Daniel Squadron | The New York Observer

Bloomberg, Into the Albany Muck

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 19:50:00 -0400

In his second and final campaign event of the evening of July 20, Michael Bloomberg visited a steaming hot volunteer headquarters in Riverdale, where he talked about his attempts to narrow the achievement gap between minority and white students. He was troubled. “People said you couldn’t do anything about it in the last seven years,” he said, sweating in a monogrammed white shirt. “And I think in the next four years, assuming we get mayoral control...

Obscene Gesture: Senate Dems Take Up Anti-Mayoral Control Bill

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 21:14:00 -0400

ALBANY—Not only have Democrats in the State Senate turned their back on Michael Bloomberg's vision of school governance legislation, they're mooning him. Senators will act on a bill—called the "Better Schools Act"—that is stridently opposed by the mayor because it dilutes his influence over the school system by eliminating his ability to appoint a majority of the Panel for Educational Policy and giving members a fixed two-year term. It also has other mechanisms for increasing...

Squadron: My Form Is Already Public, Why Isn't Yours?

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 11:58:00 -0400

ALBANY—Daniel Squadron is practicing what he's preaching. He will unveil a bill today alongside Majority Leader Malcolm Smith which will require, among other things, that the categories describing income and asset holdings on required ethics disclosure forms be made public un-redacted; currently, the public can see who a legislator worked for, but not how much they made. (And even then, only a category would be available). Squadron gave me a copy of his undredacted 2007 form...

Smith: Legislative Leaders Shouldn't Have Outside Jobs

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 13:29:00 -0400

ALBANY—Majority Leader Malcolm Smith just told a bunch of reporters that he thinks legislators should have to disclose the amount of money they earn from other jobs, and that leaders should have no outside income whatsoever. "I believe, at this point in time, the paradigm needs to shift on how state government manages its members," Smith said after speaking at a luncheon. "There are enough circumstances and cases where it's gotten us in trouble, and...

Smith: Let Paterson Bring His Ethics Proposal to My Committee Hearings

Tue, 26 May 2009 14:01:00 -0400

ALBANY—It looks like it will indeed be a rough road for David Paterson's proposal for a new ethics panel. Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith put out a statement inviting Paterson or his surrogates to present the plan at one of three upcoming public hearings. "We welcome the Governor's submission of ethics reform legislation and look forward to a presentation from his office at one or more of the three hearings the Senate Ethics Committee has scheduled...

Republicans, Unhappy With the Budget, Just Don't Show Up

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 12:15:00 -0400

ALBANY—Since it doesn't look like there's any way they can stop the budget they've decried from going through, State Senate Republicans are making a gesture toward obstructionism. Here's a photo of the half-empty chamber. As Liz points out, the Senate was supposed to convene at 9:30 this morning, and after Republicans didn't move from conference, Democrats started up anyway, passed a few resolutions—including one by Daniel Squadron honoring the late blogger Bob Guskind—and stood at...

Squadron's First Bill

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 17:12:00 -0400

ALBANY—Not quite yet. The State Senate was set to consider (and likely pass) freshman Daniel Squadron's first bill today, which would require utility companies to inform customers they can compare power rates at www.powertochooseny.com, which is sponsored by the Public Service Commission. "We laid it aside because we're doing it tomorrow," Squadron told me. The bill is co-sponsored by Brian Kavanaugh, Squadron's apartment-mate in the...

Sources Say the Senate Presents an M.T.A. Plan Today; The Senate Denies It

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 11:08:00 -0400

ALBANY—After two weeks of public hemming and hawing on the issue of the M.T.A. bailout, Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith will present a plan to members this afternoon to plug the M.T.A.'s deficit, sources say. Sources involved in formulating plan with Senate leadership said that central staffers worked on the plan all weekend, and are trying to keep it as much under wraps as possible so as not to be co-opted by Assembly Speaker Sheldon...

Lots of MTA Talk From Everyone Except Malcolm Smith

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 15:16:00 -0500

ALBANY—Where's Malcolm? All eyes are on the State Senate—and Majority Leader Malcolm Smith—as the deadline to act on the MTA's deficit approaches. There don't seem to be enough votes in the chamber to pass the plan proposed by Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver last week, yesterday which Republicans oppose because of a payroll tax, and which is opposed by several Democrats because it includes $2 tolls on the East and Harlem River bridges. But the majority leader...

Stabilization Machinations! Pols Ratchet Up Rent Rules Rhetoric

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 15:16:32 -0500

The residents of 47 East 3rd Street, after a five-year losing battle to keep their homes, may at least get some karmic revenge.

"You are looking at a personal residence," State Senator Daniel Squadron said Thursday of the five-story, red-brick tenement behind him, in kicking off a drive to limit the practice of "owner-occupancy" evictions. "It is such a blatant violation of the spirit of the law."

In December, the nine remaining tenants accepted a settlement of...