Maloney for ‘Ms. Mayor’: Saying Christine Quinn will be “the first woman mayor of the greatest city in the world,” Congressmember Carolyn Maloney proudly endorsed the City Council speaker Monday at the site of a major Downtown voting bloc, Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village. “Anyone with brains and hard work can get the job done,” Maloney scoffed, “but we need someone who can do the impossible. She’s been the second most powerful person in New York City for seven years,” the veteran lawmaker said, “passed seven on-time budgets.” She praised Quinn’s “smarts, her dedication, her ability to work in a collaborative way. … Public safety and homeland security are the number one responsibility of the mayor, and she understands that,” Maloney said, adding, “She has promised to reappoint Ray Kelly as Police commissioner.” Quinn interjected a “Yay!” for Kelly. “She can lead on the tough issues, she can bring all the stakeholders together, she can listen to all points of view and find a solution,” Maloney continued. “She’s tough; she’s not afraid of anything or anybody.” She will be, Maloney said, “the first woman to be called Ms. Mayor of New York
Mayor Bloomberg made a point at Lucky’s Cafe after his portion ban was put on hold by a judge.
City.” Quinn, in turn, praised Maloney for working hard to keep Stuy Town affordable and for “making New York City a better community for women and girls and the L.G.B.T. community.” The two pols then joined a contingent of ST/PC supporters for a stroll up the First Ave. retail strip from 16th St. to 20th St. Quinn popped into Bruno Ravioli to chat up a tableful of tradesmen having a bite and sound them out on their views on the economic situation, then re-emerged onto the sidewalk to compliment a mom and her two young kids on their matching Nepal-style earflap hats. She doled out a slew of kisses and hugs and petted Callie, J.C. Myska’s dog. Myska said he’s voting for Quinn because he’s going to enroll in the Police Academy and he supports keeping on Kelly as top cop. Along the route, we asked Quinn if she backs the mayor’s “portion ban” idea, under which fountain sodas at restaurants, movie theaters, delis, etc. could not be served in cups more than 16 ounces in size, and if she’d continue to push for the regulation and implement it, if elected. “I am not a supporter of the ‘soda ban,’ ” she told us. While Quinn said she thinks “the mayor’s done a lot on health,” she feels the portion ban for soft drinks is different than the smoking ban, for example, since drinking a sugar-saturated soda doesn’t impact other people. Maloney interjected, “I would say that people don’t care about the size of their drinks. They care about jobs — and that’s what she’ll focus on.” Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, another mayoral candidate, however, does strongly support the portion ban. He appeared with Mayor Bloomberg the week before at Lucky’s Cafe, at 34th St. and First Ave., the day after Judge Milton Tingling struck down the implementation of the new soda-size limits, which Tingling trashed as “arbitrary and capricious.” “I hope the city wins the appeal, for the good of our children,” de Blasio said. Borough President Scott Stringer, who is running for city comptroller, also stood with the mayor at Lucky’s in support of the portion cap. “To ignore this is giving in to the soda cartel,” he declared.
Declaring for district leader: Jonathan Geballe and Keen Berger last Thursday announced the start of their campaign for male and female Democratic district leader for the 66th Assembly District, Part A. Geballe is running for his first full term after having been recently elected to fill the seat left by Brad Hoylman upon Hoylman’s being elected state Senator to fill the seat of Tom Duane, who retired from the Senate. “Jonathan has been at the forefront of the battle for election protection and voters’ rights,” said Berger, who has been D.L. nine years. “He has stood with the Village on landmark preservation and our battle to stop hydrofracking and protect our city and state’s water supply. I am thrilled to have a partner who will fight for the concerns of our community.” Said Geballe, “It has always been my wish to preserve the Village’s storied past while growing its vitality for the future. The streets of the Village, East and West, tell us its history, but the Village is always foremost about its people, from the youngest infants to our seniors. Filling Brad’s shoes is a challenge I’m ready for. I’m eager to advance the causes he has championed in areas like securing a new middle school at 75 Morton St. and designating the remainder of the South Village as a historic district.” Now we’re waiting for State Committeeman Arthur Schwartz’s announcement that’s he’s running to reclaim the district leader seat he grudgingly gave up six years ago after local pols pushed him out of the way so Hoylman could start his political rise. Tony Hoffman, president of Village Independent Democrats, Geballe and Berger’s home club, admitted to us that, “It’s going to be a tough race.”
