Friday, October 23, 2009
In Boro Park, Bloomberg Grapples With Apathy
After an intense lobbying campaign, Michael Bloomberg restored $8 million of what was a $16 million program providing Priority 7 vouchers in Boro Park for free after-school care for children in the neighborhood at a yeshiva of their choice.
But Michael Fragin, who led the mayor’s outreach efforts in Boro Park during the 2005 campaign, said there concern remains that the funding could again be eliminated next year, when the election is over and the city faces a $5 billion deficit.
Fragin said that while Bill Thompson was unlikely to pick up many votes in the neighborhood, the real question for the Bloomberg campaign is voter apathy in an area that proved a treasure trove of votes for the mayor in his last two campaigns.
“It’s more of a question of whether they will vote at all,” Fragin said.
At a meeting Thursday with community leaders and 100 local principals, Bloomberg promised to fully restore the additional $8 million in funding by next December, according to a source with knowledge of the meeting.
The perceived unrest helped prompt Rudy Giuliani’s controversial appearance last Sunday before the Jewish Community Council.
Ezra Friedlander, president of the consulting firm The Friedlander Group, organized the speech for Bloomberg, and said it was intended to remind voters that about the reduction in crime over Bloomberg’s tenure.
Friedlander said this record would trump any unrest over more parochial issues.
“Even Moses couldn’t satisfy all of the Jews,” he said. “Why would we think the mayor would be able to?”
One indication of the unrest has been pro-Thompson coverage in the most influential newspaper in the neighborhood, Hamodia, which also has refused the Bloomberg campaign’s entreaties in search of an endorsement, according to two sources with knowledge of the situation.
Meanwhile, Thompson received the endorsement Thursday of Assembly Member Dov Hikind, the longest serving political leader in Boro Park.
Hikind, who endorsed Bloomberg in 2005, said he struggled with the decision, but that his longstanding close relationship with Thompson ultimately led him to endorse the comptroller.
Skeptical observers also note, however, that Hikind’s brother, Pinchus, draws an $112,000 salary working for Thompson in the comptroller’s office.
Some political observers say that as the neighborhood has grown more socially conservative in recent years, Hikind’s endorsement has lost some of its value, since he at times has backed socially liberal candidates.
During the recent Democratic Council primary to replace Bill de Blasio, for instance, Hikind’s candidate, Brad Lander, got 14 percent of the vote in the area, while the more socially conservative John Heyer got 74 percent.
Hikind, however, said he would continue support who he believes in the best candidate, regardless of political expediency. He added that this also held true in the mayoral race.
“Thompson is behind in the polls, and the odds are for Bloomberg,” he said. “I try my very best to do the right thing, regardless.”
http://www.cityhallnews.com/newyork/article-972-in-boro-park-bloomberg-grapples-with-apathy.html
But Michael Fragin, who led the mayor’s outreach efforts in Boro Park during the 2005 campaign, said there concern remains that the funding could again be eliminated next year, when the election is over and the city faces a $5 billion deficit.
Fragin said that while Bill Thompson was unlikely to pick up many votes in the neighborhood, the real question for the Bloomberg campaign is voter apathy in an area that proved a treasure trove of votes for the mayor in his last two campaigns.
“It’s more of a question of whether they will vote at all,” Fragin said.
At a meeting Thursday with community leaders and 100 local principals, Bloomberg promised to fully restore the additional $8 million in funding by next December, according to a source with knowledge of the meeting.
The perceived unrest helped prompt Rudy Giuliani’s controversial appearance last Sunday before the Jewish Community Council.
Ezra Friedlander, president of the consulting firm The Friedlander Group, organized the speech for Bloomberg, and said it was intended to remind voters that about the reduction in crime over Bloomberg’s tenure.
Friedlander said this record would trump any unrest over more parochial issues.
“Even Moses couldn’t satisfy all of the Jews,” he said. “Why would we think the mayor would be able to?”
One indication of the unrest has been pro-Thompson coverage in the most influential newspaper in the neighborhood, Hamodia, which also has refused the Bloomberg campaign’s entreaties in search of an endorsement, according to two sources with knowledge of the situation.
Meanwhile, Thompson received the endorsement Thursday of Assembly Member Dov Hikind, the longest serving political leader in Boro Park.
Hikind, who endorsed Bloomberg in 2005, said he struggled with the decision, but that his longstanding close relationship with Thompson ultimately led him to endorse the comptroller.
Skeptical observers also note, however, that Hikind’s brother, Pinchus, draws an $112,000 salary working for Thompson in the comptroller’s office.
Some political observers say that as the neighborhood has grown more socially conservative in recent years, Hikind’s endorsement has lost some of its value, since he at times has backed socially liberal candidates.
During the recent Democratic Council primary to replace Bill de Blasio, for instance, Hikind’s candidate, Brad Lander, got 14 percent of the vote in the area, while the more socially conservative John Heyer got 74 percent.
Hikind, however, said he would continue support who he believes in the best candidate, regardless of political expediency. He added that this also held true in the mayoral race.
“Thompson is behind in the polls, and the odds are for Bloomberg,” he said. “I try my very best to do the right thing, regardless.”
http://www.cityhallnews.com/newyork/article-972-in-boro-park-bloomberg-grapples-with-apathy.html
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