De Blasio allies coordinate rapid response against Skelos

[hrmjustin]

By Eliza Shapiro

De Blasio-allied union leaders and elected officials sent out over a dozen statements pouncing on Dean Skelos after the Senate Republican Leader told reporters Monday he would not allow a vote on de Blasio's proposed tax hike to fund his pre-K program.

Kevin Finnegan, the political director of 1199SEIU, one of de Blasio's most influential union allies, seemed to offer a veiled threat to Skelos and the senate Republicans who would stand in the way of the mayor's tax plan.

"We will be bringing hundreds of our members to Albany to express directly to our state legislators that this is one of our highest priorities, and we will remember in the Fall elections who took a stand for working families,” Finnegan said in a statement.

Other unions, including 32BJ and CWA, also issued statements criticizing Skelos. The union statements, as well as several statements from the Campaign for Children, part of de Blasio's official UPK NYC campaign, were sent from associates at Berlin Rosen, which represented de Blasio throughout his campaign.

http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/city-hall/2014/02/8540112/de-blasio-allies-coordinate-rapid-response-against-skelos

[Squinch]

1. ....and where is my union??? Absent! Honestly, they are so lame. I'm calling every union contact

I know, for whatever that's worth...



(I'm banging my head a lot over this one!)

[hrmjustin]

4. Skelos is a joke but the fact that those traitor dems caucus with him is a sin.

[Smarmie Doofus]

7. Is Jeffrey Klein ( my senator) backing Skelos on this?

He heads a small group of Quisling DEMs that block DEM control of the body by caucusing w. the MINORiTY gop. ( For those who don't follow.)

If so... it's my job to see he pays for this politically.

[hrmjustin]

8. I imagine he is backing Skelos on this. I would not be surprised if Cuomo backs Skelos on this.

[sabbat hunter]

3. Governor Cuomo

Has already called for Pre-K funding from the state, negating the need for the new NYC tax.

If we don't need the tax, we shouldn't push for it.

Instead DeBlasio should concentrate on getting a new teachers contract sealed, and push the MTA to get new contracts for its unions.

[hrmjustin]

5. I am for raising the taxes so that they won't cut other areas to pay for it.

[Squinch]

6. Cuomo has cut other programs for children due to "budget concerns."

Now he is so desperate to prevent a tax increase on the wealthiest in NYC that he has offered DiBlasio a blank check.

That means that instead of those who make more than 500,000 paying a little more in taxes - to the point where most STILL won't pay as much in taxes as you and I do - he is going to take from the tax money that you and I have already paid, and cut FROM US somewhere else.

I want the tax increase. There is no reason not to, and we can use the money. Either for that teacher's contract, or infrastructure, or whatever. Or reinstatement for those programs for 0-3 year olds that Cuomo cut in spite of the fact that he has unlimited money to pay for preK when the alternative is that his hedge fund friends will be taxed a little more.