I have a memory of George Latimer doing his best to cripple former Governor Eliot Spitzer in the Governor’s then effort to clean up New York politics and the state legislature, and I can’t forget it – and neither should you. Because it is indicative of Mr. Latimer’s enduring character.
The time was early 2007. Every citizen in New York had just undergone the humiliation of seeing another top elected official resigning in disgrace – in this case, the Comptroller Alan Hevisi. Governor Spitzer, whose election I supported, was so determined to get an honest and competent replacement for Mr. Hevisi that he had the temerity to suggest that the selection should be taken out of the hands of George Latimer’s buddies in the Assembly, like Speaker Sheldon Silver, and handed over to an independent commission of former comptrollers. George Latimer successfully opposed that, and helped get a political ally of Sheldon Silver’s nominated and appointed (Tom DiNapoli).
Here’s how New York Times reporter Danny Hakim quoted the Governor’s reaction on February 13, 2007:
“I had supported George for the Assembly because I thought he supported reform, and I’m terribly disappointed to see both what he did, how he voted and what he has said,” Mr. Spitzer said.
I was angry and disappointed too, and as a constituent of Mr. Latimer’s I let him know in no uncertain terms. Surprised perhaps that his constituents were even paying attention, Mr. Latimer invited me to a cup of coffee at the Doral Arrowwood Conference Center, and when I let him know in no uncertain terms that what he had done was a stab in the back to his constituents, he told me quite simply that he had $300,000 in his campaign bank account..and to bring it on: he’d take on the Governor, anyone for that matter, because he had Shelly Silver and his special interest buddies in his pocket, and a financial advantage no one on the horizon could challenge. And that he did. Mr. Latimer has been a consistent creature of Sheldon Silver’s from the get go. Many a time, when a local official asked for Mr. Latimer’s help with an Assembly bill, I heard Mr. Latimer’s constant refrain, “that will cost me a pound of flesh.” Sadly, he hasn’t lost any of that unethical overweight baggage. He would do “Shelly’s bidding” and that of his financial backers, and damn the constituents. I will say this for Mr. Latimer. He has always said this with a friendly smile, all the while prepared to shove the Silver-Latimer knife in your guts.
In a once foolish attempt to point a way to being a true representative of his politically diverse District, I suggested to Mr. Latimer that he should start voting for his constituents, and if necessary, run as an independent so he could be his own man. Not a chance.
And so now we come to this election, where Mr. Latimer has relinquished his Democratic Party Assembly nomination to an equally unctuous potential replacement, Steve Otis, to run for Suzi Oppenheimer’s Senate seat, presumably to temporarily escape the clutches of Speaker Silver. Fortunately he faces a well-funded and talented opponent, Bob Cohen, who, unfortunately, is on the receiving end of the Latimer knife and now scurrilous tongue.
Mr. Cohen deserves the support of every independent, Democrat, and Republican fed up with Albany corruption and mismanagement. And for that matter, that support should be extended to first time Assembly candidate Bill Villanova, running a vigorous clean-up-Albany campaign and sporting an ethically commendable record.
This community has had enough of George Latimer. Every informed Westchester voter ought to support his prompt exit from the legislative payroll by voting for his opponent. Bob Cohen, on November 6.
Know any other legislators - besides George - who walked out 2:30am from a legislative session that was considering a proposal that hadn't seen the light of day, been reviewed by their constituents and which has done zero to fix the cost of retirement benefits in the state of NY? Know any other candidates - besides Bob Cohen - who are in favor of leaving current property tax subsidy paid by individual home owners for condo and coop owners in place? Know any other candidates – besides Bob Cohen – who talk about a 46% increase in county property taxes as if that was what is making Westchester unaffordable when the problem is school taxes, not county property taxes. I find the words you've credited to George Latimer to be inconsistent with every interaction I've had with him. Granted, that goes back only 10 years. But you've written a nice hatchet job. Luckily there are many other people who know George and for whom George has stood up while serving his constituents in Westchester.
And as for those tax increases in the Westchester government, George bragged the other day in a debate that none of the increases were over 4% when he was on the board. I can't imagine someone bragging about how good 4% tax increases are, but George did and it just goes to show everyone he's out of touch & doesn't deserve to be elected to the state senate. Go Bob Go! You have my vote
The entire world should also have known that the rush for the in-the-dark-of-night deal was to ensure that the legislature got their desired redistricting agreed.
And what by the way didn't George like about the pension bill that he couldn't vote for it? Please reply, we're just touching the tip of the George's years as a crappy representative. I'll let you pick the next topic, whatever you want.
Let's move on to taxes, will Latimer support New Rochelle implementing a new transfer tax on real estate and a higher utility taxes? Latimer already supported the utility tax so I think yes. Oh & NR voters shouldn't forget it was George Latimer that took away the tax cap Ron Tocci had put in place. And wasn't it George Latimer that wanted to let New Rochelle sell its Armory to a developer to demolish? That also happened in the middle of the night with the help of Suzi, but thank goodness the vets found out & put a stop to it. What do you say about Gov. Cuomo's signature legislative accomplishment, the tax cap? George is so vehemently against the tax cap, I'm not surprised Cuomo hasn't endorsed him. What's up with that? Not even the governor from his own party is endorsing him that says it all to me. There are so many ways that Latimer's not done right by his constituents and we have a competent middle of the road Republican named Bob Cohen as an alternative choice that I don't see why anyone would vote for the career politician George Latimer.
But wait, wait..I remember seeing him somewhere..where, where...wait, I remember now...he's in the environmental business..he's "creating" GREEN JOBS. What a great former NYS Legislator. http://youtu.be/b8opYArPtPI
Latimer was a party to these situations ... correct? Have you heard him champion the cause of local taxpayers with anything serious? It might be time to scrap the property tax in favor of a state-wide income tax ... and then a fair distribution of those monies so as to slaughter the educational segregation that takes place in this region. "Education by address" is perhaps the last untouched civil rights area.
The pension vote boycotted by George – for all reasons with which I agree – will – at some point – reduce some of the weight. But there will be no material impact for 10-15 years. That makes the reform of little more use than as a campaign platform position. And that’s how it’s being used. Just like the tax cap which has been accompanied by no meaningful reduction in state mandates – and even the Govn’r now says he doesn’t really care about mandate relief. I am personally opposed to eliminating the property tax as a funding mechanism because doing so would prevent me from providing more funds to my district - through a voter controlled tax mechanism - if I wanted to. While the current mechanism leads to significant differences in the rate of spending - within NYS and between communities in different states - it does allow the resident to decide (as opposed to the State) what they want from their schools and how much they're willing to pay to achieve it.
And things will probably get worse at some point ... not just for poorer districts ... because what we have is unsustainable. You know that yourself. I agree about the mandates ... where was George? Any word on any repeal action? Loads of hot air ... not much to show for it. Was he in the fight about pension reform? Didn't see any sort of info explaining his energy there. I know he walked out ... supposedly in a moment of valor ... I'd prefer to hear of his efforts BEFORE the vote.
If Dick, whose commentaries I read here, and in the Westmore News letters, were an objective observer, I might put weight into things he says. But every time, he bashes DEMOCRATS and praises Republicans...therefore, I treat this treatise as another one of the many efforts by Billy, Aidan, and other conservatives to simply elect their boy, and to do so by constant criticism of George Latimer. The truly independent minded people I know are voting for George, even some GOPers who are voting for Joe Carvin and Bill Villanova. Geirge Latimer for State Senate. Far and away the best choice.