r i s i n g sta r s
Brian PaUL
age: 26 Research and Policy Coordinator, Common Cause New York
E
ven after Brian Paul had finished drawing Common Cause New York’s “reform maps” last year, he had no idea how much of an impact they would make on the state’s congressional landscape for the next 10 years. When the special master appointed to
resolve the impasse in the state Legislature ultimately decided the congressional lines, she cited the maps Paul had spent months laboring over as a model for her own. “We were very surprised that the political deal was not worked out between the parties that would have allowed them to advantage and disadvantage incumbents as they have in the past,” admits Paul.
aLExis grEnELL
age: 29 Media and communications strategist
s
ome people are just born to advocate. Take Alexis Grenell, media strategist for such politically active groups as Common Cause and the Citizens Crime Commission. “I was always this way,” she says. “I came out of the womb opinionated.” She may have been born brassy, but she gained her experience in politics the old-fashioned way: working her way up the
CITY&STATE
As a lifelong student of maps, Paul’s academic interests led him to get a degree in anthropology and classics from Vassar and a master’s in urban planning from Hunter College, where he studied under Tom Angotti at the Center for Community Planning & Development. While Paul is proud of what he has achieved at Common Cause, his first job out of graduate school, there has been one disappointment: the new lines for the state Legislature, which he bemoans as just as gerrymandered as ever. Laments Paul, “It shows how deep the cynicism runs in this state that there wasn’t more of an uproar against what happened there.” How did your past jobs get you to where you are now? “This is my first full-time position in politics, but my work at Hunter got me hooked on trying to empower the public to engage in complex policy issues.”
ranks as a staffer. A Bronx native, Grenell started out working for Sen. Jeff Klein, and then with the Senate Democratic Campaign Committee. She helped coordinate Joe Addabbo’s crucial victory in Queens, and used that experience to leverage a job with the Cuomo administration. Since transitioning from government to advocacy, Grenell has had more time to flex her writing muscles. She’s been published in the New York Post, and her work has been picked up by CNN and NPR. She’s also continuing to hone her skills at media and communications. And, of course, her opinions. “The success of an issue or idea is not necessarily based on its merits,” she says. “There is a strategy around what turns into reality. And that’s politics.” How did your past jobs get you to where you are now? “I worked in government for five
If you were not working in politics, what would you be doing? “I might go back to school for a Ph.D. in urban planning or political science at some point, but my work will always be deeply involved in politics and policy.” Five years from now, what will it say on your business card? “I really think I’ll still be here at Common Cause in five years. This is a great organization, and the good-government model has room to grow and become more inclusive and engaged with local communities.” If you could have a superpower, what would it be, and why? “I’d want a ‘truth ray’—a beam of light that can suddenly render someone unable to tell a lie or try to deceive. Can you imagine how that would revolutionize press conferences in this state?”
years and some change, and then I really decided that I wanted to work on issue campaigns and organizations that I was inspired by, and to help them advance themselves.” If you were not working in politics, what would you be doing? “I’m trying to do that, which is really writing and publishing. Attempting to influence the world with my ideas. I want to be what I am.” Five years from now, what will it say on your business card? “I hope I don’t have a business card in five years. But if I did, it would say ‘Thought monger.’ ” If you had could have a superpower, what would it be, and why? “It would be to talk to animals and be friends with a tiger. I want to be best friends with a tiger in the worst way. I want to be Mowgli.”
Indian Point, A Good Neighbor We Want To Keep By John Federspiel
For many years the Hudson Valley Hospital Center has been a neighbor to the Indian Point Energy Center. Our main entrance is only four miles from Indian Point. Being a neighbor means more than location; it also means helping each other and being an active and contributing member of the community. We have developed a close and meaningful relationship with Indian Point over the years as the Hudson Valley Hospital Center is an emergency planning partner. Indian Point personnel have provided insightful training, plus true community leadership and have worked closely with us as board members. In 2005 when we decided to upgrade our emergency room to a full service, state of the art, 24- hour No Wait facility. Entergy, the owner of Indian Point, was there for us and helped us fund our expansion. There have been calls by some, many from outside our community for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) not to relicense Indian Point. This is an unthinkable course of action for many reasons. From a health perspective this makes no sense. Indian Point is a non-polluting, affordable and reliable source of energy for our region. The alternative is burning more fossil fuels to replace the 2000 megawatts of power provided by Indian Point. There would also be economic consequences to closing Indian Point that are directly related to healthcare costs. Our hospital currently spends significantly on electricity. If the low cost power supplied by Indian Point had to be replaced by imported fuels, our energy costs would increase dramatically. When a hospital’s expenses go up, while reimbursements to health care providers are being reduced, the unfortunate outcome may be a reduction in services. Closing Indian Point would mean the loss of thousands of well- paying jobs at Indian Point and across our community that depends upon it, skyrocketing electric rates for consumers and a further downturn in an already shaky economy. The loss of these local jobs will impact our hospital greatly by swelling the ranks of the uninsured. We simply cannot afford to lose this economic lifeline. John Federspiel is president of the Hudson Valley Hospital Center in Westchester County. He has spent more than three decades in health administration, holding a variety of executive leadership positions. S P E C I A L
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New York AREA’s membership includes some of the state’s most vital business, labor and community organizations including the New York State AFL-CIO, Business Council of New York State, Partnership for New York City, New York Building Congress, National Federation of Independent Business and many more. W W W. A R E A - A L L I A N C E . O R G www.cityandstateny.com | May 21, 2012
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