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Volume XXI • Number 32 • August 7 - 13, 2014 •
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Klein returns to Dems; Koppell cash dries up Oliver Koppell’s comeback campaign seems to have hit a speed bump, in the form of lagging campaign donations. In the wake of the agreement that will bring Senator Jeff Klein’s Independent Democratic Caucus back into the mainstream Democratic fold, Senator Klein holds a 20 to one fundraising advantage over former Councilman Koppell. The Senator’s closing balance as of last filing was $2,058,518.78, while Mr. Koppell had only $101,035.72 on hand. Senator Klein thus had a $1,957,483.06 advantage. It now appears that Mr. Koppell will fall far short of the half-million dollar goal se set for himself as the necessary amount to beat Mr. Klein, an incredibly optimistic scenario at best. The Koppell campaign announced that it will file its second campaign finance report this week and will report more than $25,000 in contributions raised in just three weeks. This brings Koppell’s contributions to almost $200,000 with the monies that have come in even after the filing cut-off date. Meanwhile the parade of union endorsements
continues to march into the Klein camp. The International Operating Engineers Local 891 endorsed Senator Klein for reelection this past Wednesday. “Senator Klein has always been available to discuss meaningful labor issues that affect the men and women of Local 891. Having a voice in Albany is important to bringing our member’s issues and concerns to those that can make positive changes for all New Yorkers,” said President Robert Troeller. The century-old union’s membership maintains school buildings across New York City. “I’m honored to receive the endorsement of the International Union of Operating Engineers 891, whose members keep our school buildings in tiptop shape, and I’m proud to be a voice in the State Senate for them and all hardworking New Yorkers,” said Senator Klein. The International Union of Operating Engineers Local 891 adds to the growing list of unions backing state Senator Klein. Labor endorsements include: the Transportation Workers Union Local 100, the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Workers Union,
Plumbers Union Local 1, the Uniformed Firefighters Association of Greater New York, Teamsters Joint Council 16, DC 9 IUPAT, Steamfitters Local 638, the New York Hotel and Motel Trades Council, the Detectives’ Endowment Association, the National NYCPD 10-13 Organization, Port Authority PBA, the Uniformed Fire Officers Association, the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Workers Union Local 338, the Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association, the Sergeants Benevolent Association, 32BJ SEIU, the Metallic Lathers and Iron Workers Local 46, the Bridge and Tunnel Officers Benevolent Association, the International Union of Elevator Constructors, the Uniformed Sanitationmen’s Association Local 831, the Bricklayers and Allied Craftsmen Local #2, the NYS Troopers Police Benevolent Association, TWU Local 106, CWA District One, the Nassau County Police Benevolent Association, the New York State Supreme Court Officers, the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York and the New York State Laborers’ Political Action Committee.
De Blasio’s Vision Zero after Nightmare on Jerome Avenue By DAVID GREENE Exactly 11 days after a driver was killed when his speeding and out-of-control vehicle struck a metal pillar for the overhead subway on Jerome Avenue, the city has begun to reduce the speed limit from 30 to 25 miles-per-hour along the dangerous stretch of roadway. As part of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s “Vision Zero” plan to reduce or eliminate traffic fatalities across the five boroughs, the city has begun implementing the reduced speed limit along 15 roadways, including Jerome Avenue, where Department of Transportation (DOT) workers began changing speed limit signs along Jerome Avenue between East 161 Street to Bainbridge Avenue. According to DOT statistics, five people have been killed along Jerome Avenue between 2010 and 2014. Other street’s headed for a slowdown in Manhattan include a 7-miles stretch of Broadway as well as Seventh Avenue. In Brooklyn include sections of Coney Island Avenue and Flatbush Avenue and Roosevelt Avenue in Queens and Victory Boulevard in Staten Island. The speed limit along Third Avenue in the Bronx is also targeted for a speed reduction. The DOT has identified 27 roads where slow zones would be implemented. During a press conference at Columbus Circle, DOT Com-
missioner Polly Trottenberg told reporters, “Slow Zones are a critical and widely endorsed element of Vision Zero.” Meanwhile, the NYPD has still
not identified the driver killed on July 24, when his vehicle was split in two after striking the subway pillar outside of Herbert H. Lehman College.
A man was killed when his car slammed into a pillar of the elevated subway line along Jerome Avenue.Bedford Park residents awoke to a horrific scene after the fatal accident on Jerome Avenue.--Photo by David Greene.