Hopefully, that’s not an omen.
Charter chatter
In typical legislative fashion, county solons have run smack up against a deadline for charter revision they knew about some six months ago. It will take special sessions of the legislature this month in order to meet early September board of elections requirements to get charter reforms on the November ballot.
Fingers point in every direction, with plenty of guilt to go around. The charter commission reported out in early May –— or did it? — which should have given legislators sufficient time to debate its recommendations and to write legislation. Legislators say they weren’t properly informed, so here we are, clowns to the left, jokers to the right, scrambling.
Not to add onions to a rancid stew, but it’s of some interest that the charter commission did not recommend changes to the executive-dominated charter revision process. Under the charter adopted in 2006, the executive names five of 11 members with two more allies in his or own party. Three of nine would be dominance enough, but it doesn’t look like revisions in that area will pass muster.
Viva Lopez?
It’s good to see the almost always über-prepared County Executive Mike Hein commit the occasional gaffe in public. Makes him seem more human.
Hein was acting as impromptu MC at his fund-raising birthday party last month at Skytop when he introduced Democrat powerhouse Brooklyn Assemblyman Vito Lopez as Pete Lopez. The latter, a Schoharie-based Republican who represents Saugerties, was not in attendance but no doubt appreciated being “recognized.” Few noticed the gaffe repeated at least twice, I’m told. Vito and Pete probably sound similar in a crowded room. (Attendance estimates coalesced at around 200.)
Hey, it could have been worse. Hein could have channeled Hector Lopez, the former Yankee, or Trini Lopez, the singer. Maybe warbled a few versus of “If I Had a Hammer?” Come to think of it, that could be the theme song for this administration.
How about Craig Lopez, freshman Republican legislator from Pine Bush? J. Lo?
Vito Lopez helped Hein resolve that unpleasantness with warring Hasidic factions over summer-camp control around Wawarsing last spring. The sect is centered in Lopez’s district.
This is an obviously biased, and very poorly written article. Anybody who knows anything about polls or Hudson Valley politics would realize that the Schreibman has a way better chance than the author is letting on.
LOL! Actually, I think Hugh does a very good job of assessing the polling data and overall campaign race. Gibson has big leads in every important category: polling, money, name ID, and ballot lines. Nobody has heard of Julian outside of Ulster County, while Gibson is well known and well liked overall in the parts of the new district that he currently serves. This race doesn’t look to be close right now, as Hugh points out.
Even if Hugh Reynolds slants a little to the right the facts are still the facts. Julian has no name recognition out of Ulster County. The average line voting Dem will more than likely vote for him. Those who know him from the Ulster County DA’s office from either party will not as he did make a great impression and did his then boss DA Donald Williams wrong. You can look that up yourself. It is no secret Julian made no friends there. Then as the Ulster County Democratic Chairman, he made less friends. He lost the Legislature and was the most ineffective Chairman I can remember here in Ulster County. If you know anybody involved in any Democratic campaigns, just ask them what they think of Julian.
So in quite my biased opinion, I feel Gibson has it head and shoulders above Julian in all areas and future polls will reflect that.
How does Gibson’s poll make sense to anyone? 10% undecided in a district that has not been exposed to him? That just doesn’t add up.
I think Gibson has the upper hand right now, but the numbers suggest that Schreibman genuinely has a shot. He is a very sharp guy. I met him, I was impressed by him, and I will be voting for him.
I am no pollster but Gibson is known and liked in all the districts he already served. In the new larger counties like Sullivan, neither are known. In Ulster County Gibson was not known but is making the rounds pretty good and people like him. Schreibman is known in Ulster County as a less than effective do nothing County Chair and not a great Assistant DA. Ask anyone in the old DA’s office. Why would he all of a sudden be a great Congressman?
The polls can either show Gibson up by 10% or up by 19%, I could care less. The fact remains that we do not need more Liberal Congressmen spending all our money in districts all across our country. One Liberal Congressman wants to spend in his district so he cuts a deal with another Liberal and they both support each others project. It is a domino effect. Before you know it we are spending money on nonsense. People in the districts think they are getting free money. Wake up, it’s your own tax dollars coming back only less of it. Read my lips “NO MORE LIBERALS”.