Has Quinn Evolved on Congestion Pricing?

Christine Quinn may of evolved on the issue of congestion pricing ahead of her mayoral bid, Capital New York reports. “I don’t anticipate congestion pricing coming back around,” City Council Speaker Christine Quinn told an audience at New York Law School today, according to Dana Rubinstein. “It didn't do well and I don’t expect that proposal to come back around in that way.”

 Hence as pointed out, Quinn once supported it vigorously. "I stand here today strongly in support of congestion pricing," said Quinn in 2007. "It is a tough choice and it is a bold idea." Quinn said she was persuaded of its merits. A failure to restrict such restrictions would lead to people being “literally choked by the level of traffic in this city," According to an excerpt in the NY Times. This isn't a political decision,” she said.

Following her speech,Azi Paybarah asked Quinn if she would like to see congestion pricing return. "I think that is just not going to happen," she said.

de Blasio Returns $15K Contributions From Homeless Shelter Operator

Public Advocate Bill de Blasio has quietly decided to return thousands of dollars of campaign contributions from one of the city’s largest operators of homeless shelters, The NY Post reports. 

“I just made the decision that it was smart to give it back and move on,” de Blasio said. “Again, I’ve just made the decision to return the money and that’s all I have to say,” de Blasio responded when asked whether he knew Lapes’ background before accepting the contributions. 

Catsimatidis Splashes Feb. Robo-Call To 400K City Republicans

Just to prove you money talks, Republican mayoral candidate, who's polling at 5% in the Republican primary, according to the latest NY1/Marist poll, launched a grandiose early robo-call to 400,00 Republican residents in the city, in a ibd to boost his credentials.

“Jobs, jobs, jobs. I’ve created thousands of jobs right here in New York City and as mayor I’ll create hundreds of thousands of new jobs,” Catsimatidis, who describes himself as an “independent Republican businessman”, vows in the recording.

Video: Erick Salgado Touts Pro-Israel Creds and Conservative Values in Russian Radio Interview

Democratic mayoral candidate, Rev. Erick Salgado, who is hoping to assemble a coalition of minority groups and multiracial communities together in support of his candidacy for Mayor, uploaded  a recording of an interview he conducted Feb. 7th with 'Russian media Mogul'  -as describes in a NY Times profile - Gregory Davidzon.

The interview, that was conducted in English and translated in Russian back and forth was about the issues concerning Russian voters, which like other issue concerning voters is: Israel. Given the fact that NYC serves as the home for a majority of Jews outside the Jewish Homeland. "As a Latin evangelical, we have been pro-Israel a hundred percent," he said. Adding that his church is very heavily supportive of Israel.

Some Snippets of the Mayoral Election NY1/Marist POll

Christine Quinn's support among Liberal Democrats is the highest with 43%, with de Blasio in second place with only 13%. 

Quinn's lead is bigger among Conservative Democrats with 38%, compared to only 33% among moderates. John Liu is in 2nd place with 16% of Conservative Democrats. Hence, 47% are still uncertain and might change their vote before election day. 

Bill Thompson has the support of less than a quarter of his strongest base:  African American voters, trailing Quinn's 29% of support. Only 32% have indicated they might change their preference before election day.

Brooklyn Tea Party Leader Backs Conservative Democrat Candidate Over Republican Favorite

Brooklyn Tea Party President, and former Assembly candidate, Joseph Hayon announced his resignation as president, joining the campaign of Conservative Democratic candidate Rev, Erick Salgado for Mayor, the Brooklyn Independent GOP Fountainhead blog reports. 

"While I completely value the Tea Party's general position against wasted spending, to lower our taxes, and to root out government corruption, sometimes some of the Tea Party values contradict with the family values I hold dear -- religious freedom and traditional marriage," Hayon told the the fifteen Tea Party members who gathered at the monthly meeting. "When a candidate such as Erick Salgado comes along, who is completely against the Tea Party on the issue of immigration because of his family values, I will support him over Joe Lhota," he added.

New Marist Poll: Quinn and Lhota Vaguely Lead In Mayoral Primaries

Chris Quinn and Joe Lhota, respectively lead in their party's mayoral primaries  a new NY1/Marist poll shows. In the Democratic primary  Quinn garners 37% of registered Democratic voters followed by former Comptroller Bill Thompson at 13%, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio at 12%, Comptroller John Liu at 9% and former Councilman Sal Albanese at 2%, with 26% of registered Democrats undecided. 

Erick Salgado Protests Bayonne Bridge Project

Via SI Advance: Westerleigh resident, and Democratic mayoral candidate Rev. Erick Salgado, and a dozen members of the North Shore community met at the Bayonne Bridge on Sunday morning, Feb. 3, to protest the proposed three-year Bayonne Bridge construction project. Salgado expressed his concerns about the impact of the project on the lives of local residents and businesses. 

Independence Party Teaser Ad: Carrion As 3rd Party Candidate May Spoil Ya'll

The pretty bizarre mayoral election season may become even more exciting with a possible third party Independence Party challenger. Former Bronx Borough President Alfoldo Carrion Jr., who's awaiting the decision of the Republican county chairmen, is touted as a likely Independence Party candidate, following full-page ad spotted in free metro daily Wednesday, the Daily News reports. 

The newspaper ad by the Independence party touted its role in electing Mayor Bloomberg and declaring that it was “now working with” Carrion “to become an independent candidate for mayor.” Sources inside the party and the Carrion campaign said the party will make the endorsement official within two weeks.

Poll Shows Thompson Lacking Minority Base Support

While conventional wisdom and political punditry would suggest that Bill Thompson is the favorite and destined to at least make it to the Democratic primary run-off, based on his appeal to black and minority voters, a poll analysis, shared with Chris Bragg for The Insider, indicates a drop so far in Mr. Thompson’s support among black and Latino voters compared to the same time in 2009. 

And a comparison between Thompson's current numbers and those of Fernando Ferrer at a similar point during his 2005 mayoral campaign shows Mr. Thompson a  50 points behind where Mr. Ferrer (who is Latino) was among Hispanics, and 13 points back among African-Americans.