Jim Brennan | The New York Observer

Tax-Capping Skelos Concerned About Paterson's Cuts

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:51:55 -0400

In response to David Paterson’s call for billions of dollars in new budget cuts, Republican State Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos put out a statement opposing the reduction of aid to local governments because, he says, it might force a rise in local property taxes.

Which the State Senate just voted to cap.

Skelos said in a public statement, “While we are working cooperatively to get a head start on the 2009-10...

Assembly Sale

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 10:10:31 -0400

The shared district office of Assembly members Jim Brennan and Rhoda Jacobs may not be open on Saturdays, but somebody is doing brisk business there....

Bills Push Moratorium on New York Foreclosures

Fri, 07 Mar 2008 16:58:52 -0500

There are a lot of different bills floating around state and federal governments these days proposing various reprieves for subprime borrowers in danger of foreclosure. One of the most far-reaching plans is a bill being pushed by two state legislators proposing a one-year moratorium on foreclosures in New York to allow at-risk mortgage holders to remain in their homes while they work with their lenders to restructure loans.

Carrion Announces Campaign Co-Chairs

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 09:10:40 -0500

The co-chairs for Adolfo Carrion’s comptroller campaign will be former state comptroller H. Carl McCall and business executive Leo Hindrey Jr. of InterMedia Partners, the campaign announced this morning.

Hindrey, the former C.E.O. of the YES Network (which broadcasts Yankees games) also helped raise money for another Bronx politician seeking citywide office: Fernando Ferrer, who ran for mayor in 2005.

During an interview with Hindrey back then, Greg Sargent asked, “Isn’t your real...

Brennan Favors Tax Increase on Wealthy Over Loophole Closures

Wed, 23 Jan 2008 17:20:35 -0500

Just as it did last year, Eliot Spitzer's state budget proposes raising revenue partially by closing corporate tax loopholes. But Assemblyman Jim Brennan of Brooklyn, who is also running for city comptroller, isn't confident in the governor's approach, because last year's loophole closures didn't accomplish the stated goals.

“I expressed some misgivings on relying on these loophole closures,” Brennan told me. “Not because I’m against it. But as a practical matter, corporations minimize their...

Campaigning for Comptroller

Mon, 11 Dec 2006 10:15:48 -0500

I just ran into Councilman Simcha Felder on the City Hall steps and asked him about his possible bid for city comptroller. He said he's eyeing that seat first because, as a certified public accountant and tax auditor for a number of years, "I have a better understanding of numbers than most of the people" who are considering that race. That would be a reference to the Chairman of the council's finance committee David...

Jeffries To Silver: Atlantic Yards' Density Worries Me

Tue, 28 Nov 2006 10:55:30 -0500

Hakeem Jeffries, the state Assembly member-elect for the 57th district, which is ground zero for Atlantic Yards, did not sign on to his future colleagues' demands to scale down the Forest City Ratner project, but he is speaking to Assembly Speaker Shelly Silver about it. Jeffries told The Real Estate on Tuesday that he had a conversation about a week to 10 days ago to express many of the same concerns as Assembly members...