Brooklyn Political Roundup, October 4: Donovan Endorses Quaglione; Brannan writes letter to Lhota

In Public Service From The Political Staff Of The Brooklyn Daily Eagle

October 4, 2017 By Paula Katinas & John Alexander Brooklyn Daily Eagle

U.S. Rep. Dan Donovan has officially endorsed John Quaglione for City Council. From left: State Sen. Marty Golden, Quaglione, Donovan. Photo courtesy of John Quaglione

Share this:

There’s a lot going on in the City Council race in District 43 (Bay Ridge-Dyker Heights-Bensonhurst).

U.S. Rep. Dan Donovan (R-C-Southwest Brooklyn-Staten Island) has officially endorsed John Quaglione, the Republican nominee for the City Council seat currently held by Vincent Gentile, who cannot run again due to term limits.

“I am grateful and honored that Congressman Dan Donovan has pledged his full support to see that I am elected to represent the people of the 43rd Council District in November,” said Quaglione.

Donovan, who previously backed Liam McCabe in the Sept. 12 primary, has promised to fully support Quaglione.

“I’ve personally known John for almost 20 years, and he is exactly the kind of leader we need in the City Council,” said Donovan. “He brings a fresh approach to every problem and has innovative solutions to tackle the issues we are facing, like an ‘eyes on the street’ database and ending the bottle and can tax. He will bring some much-needed common sense to the City Council to fight back against Bill de Blasio’s failed liberal policies.”

* * *

Greenfield Cuts Ribbon on Refurbished Seth Low Park

Brooklyn lawmakers and city officials have been busy in the borough this week. Here’s how some of them have been spending their time.

Councilmember David G. Greenfield (D-Borough Park-Midwood-Bensonhurst) and Brooklyn Parks Commissioner Marty Maher cut the ribbon on a $4.4 million renovation to Seth Low Park at Bay Parkway and 74th Street in Bensonhurst.

The park, which was originally acquired by the city in 1924, now has improved walkways and ballfields as well as new landscaping. Greenfield obtained funding for the project as part of his effort to secure $35 million in the city budget to renovate all 13 parks in his council district.

“This park is very centrally located. It’s near a library, senior centers and several schools,” Greenfield said in a statement. “This park is on the edge of my district, but I promised that I would renovate every single park in my district. The reason I’m so committed to this is because everyone deserves a beautiful park for their quality of life. That’s why I’m renovating all 13 parks and playground in my district.”

* * *

Hamilton Mourns Las Vegas Victims

State Sen. Jesse Hamilton (D-Crown Heights-parts of Park Slope, Sunset Park) issued a statement expressing solidarity with the victims of the massacre in Las Vegas in which a lone gunman killed 59 people and injured more than 500 others at a country music festival on Oct. 1.

“On Sunday, an evening that began with music and merrymaking ended in mass murder. Our hearts are with the people of Las Vegas, struck by a vicious attack that has left at least 59 dead and more than 500 wounded. In addition to those recovering from natural disasters over the past weeks — Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico, Mexico and across the Caribbean — now, we have this murderous rampage that has left so many deeply wounded and mourning loved ones, and so many asking how something like this can happen. In the wake of such carnage and cruelty, the horror and hurt of it all can feel overwhelming. What can we do to help? We can resolve to stand in solidarity with the victims and their families. We can reaffirm our steadfast commitment to our common human dignity. We can decide to see one another through this tempest,” Hamilton stated.

* * *

Nadler Blasts Anti-Abortion Bill

U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler urged members of the House to vote against a bill to restrict abortion rights. The legislation would ban abortions after 20 weeks.

Nadler (D-Upper West Side-parts of Bay Ridge-Bensonhurst), the senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, blasted the measure, charging that has no meaningful exception in place to protect a woman’s health.

“Shamefully, the bill places new and cruel restrictions even on women accessing abortion after rape or incest. Forcing minors to report a sexual assault to law enforcement before they can access an abortion is heartless, and puts these young women at even more risk. The bill would require adult sexual assault survivors to seek medical treatment or counseling at least 48 hours before an abortion, putting these women through the additional trauma of invasive examinations, and building senseless roadblocks between women and their doctors,” Nadler said on the House floor.

* * *

Council Candidates to Debate in Dyker Heights

Fran Vella-Marrone, president of the Dyker Heights Civic Association, announced that her organization is hosting a debate between two of the candidates running for the City Council in the 43rd Council District (Bay Ridge-Dyker Heights-Bensonhurst).

Democrat Justin Brannan and Republican John Quaglione will face each other in the debate on Tuesday, Oct. 10, at St. Phillip’s Episcopal Church Hall, 1072 80th St., at 8 p.m.

* * *

Justin Brannan Writes Second Letter to Joe Lhota

By John Alexander

Justin Brannan is not taking “no response” for an answer. The Democratic City Council nominee has written another letter to MTA Chairman Joe Lhota regarding his frustrations with the service on the R subway train line. Brannan is clearly determined to hear from Lhota since this is the second letter he’s penned in less than two weeks.

Brannan’s first letter was a follow-up to a letter written in July by his former boss, Councilmember Vincent Gentile, who expressed his own concerns about the New York subway system. Gentile never received a response from Lhota.

In the letter Brannan explains, “Cosmetic changes to these stations, while appreciated, do not have any impact on the ability of all residents to actually use the subways. All subway stations that are currently being renovated and those that are slated to be renovated in the future should all meet requirements set by the Americans with Disabilities Act.”

“This is not about convenience, it’s about necessity,” Brannan told the Brooklyn Eagle. “And for the MTA to argue that it is too expensive to make subway station’s accessible to people with disabilities is particularly odious when they just spent $24 million dollars on bells, whistles and Wi-Fi at the Bay Ridge Avenue station.”

* * *

Bob Capano is Staying in the Race for City Council

By John Alexander

Bob Capano has announced that he will remain in the race for the 43rd City Council District seat. Formerly running on the Republican Party line, Capano was defeated in the Sept. 12 primary by Quaglione. Capano gained the support of the Reform Party, headed by Guardian Angels founder and popular WABC radio personality Curtis Sliwa.

Capano has also agreed to act as campaign manager for District 48 (Brighton Beach-Sheepshead Bay- Manhattan Beach-Marine Park-Midwood) Republican City Council nominee Steve Saperstein. Saperstein is challenging incumbent City Councilmember Chaim Deutsch for the hotly contested seat.

Capano, who also served as director of Community Relations under former Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz told the Brooklyn Eagle, “Steve Saperstein is a political outsider ready to bring badly needed sanity to City Hall. As the Republican, Conservative and Reform Party candidate, he offers Brooklyn an outstanding opportunity to have a strong voice opposing the failed, status-quo policies of the current City Council.”

Brannan, Capano and Quaglione will face off against each other in the Nov. 7 election.