Meeting 3
October 20, 2009

“Fed up
with Albany”

“ The state has become a
national embarrassment, a
swamp of intrigue and
corruption, a $131 billion
monster controlled by a
crowd of smug officials
whose main concern is
keeping their soft jobs.
-New York Times
”

“ Albany needs adult
supervision ... In many states,
reform only comes when
people are truly ashamed of
their lawmakers and vote
them out of office. New
York’s moment of shame is
now.
-New York Times
”

Senator Hiram
Monserrate
convicted of
Misdemeanor
Assault

“
It all comes back to the state
legislature. Albany can show that it is
genuinely interested in considering
reform by putting the convention
question on the ballot. Alternately, it
can ignore calls for change. This, of
course, would further reinforce the
cynicism of New Yorkers and push
them further away from public life --
and from democracy. If the
legislature wants to avoid this fate,
which is of its own doing, then it
should take up the calls for reform.
-Fmr. Gov. Mario Cuomo
”

Sen. Olympia Snowe (R)
Votes “Yes”

Senate Finance Committee
Health Care Reform Vote
Yes 14
No 9
Democrats Republicans

On Schools
Bloomberg:
“Over the next four years, Mike will create 100 new charter schools, doubling
the number currently in the city. The City will work to expand the Harlem
Children’s Zone and create two new “Children’s Zones”, one in Central Brooklyn
and one in the South Bronx.”
Thompson:
“Fire Schools Chancellor Joel Klein. New York City needs a Chancellor who is
an educational leader and who cares about children and what goes on in the
classroom. ... Instead of closing schools indiscriminately, the Mayor should be
working to reduce class size and supply prompt technical assistance to
schools in need.”

On Safety
Bloomberg:
“Because Mike will never relent in his fight against crime, he will equip the NYPD
with new technologies like GPS-tracking and crime scene footprint analysis
software that will help cops prevent crimes, detectives solve them, and
prosecutors obtain convictions.”
Thompson:
“Support higher NYPD starting salaries in order to ensure that we're able to
attract the best and brightest to police our City. Bill believes that the hardest
working police force in the world-in perhaps the most target rich
environment in the world-must be paid accordingly.”

On Small Business
Bloomberg:
“Cut taxes for small businesses and freelancers. Reduce red tape by introducing
one stop shopping for city permits. Create new Business Improvement Districts
in Staten Island and Brooklyn. Increase loans to small businesses so they can
meet payroll and stay open.”
Thompson:
“Create a citywide Local Retail Retention Taskforce where employers,
workers, and the City collaboratively develop new mechanisms to better
support small, retail sector employers. Create new zoning tools, such as Retail
Retention Zones, that restrict the type and size of retail establishments in
targeted areas in order to prevent large, national chains from putting locally-
owned retail establishments out of business”