Have A Seat Councilmember Lew Fidler's political stock continued to rise last week, as the freshman was unanimously elected chairman of the Brooklyn Council delegation, making him a primary link between Brooklyn's councilmembers and Speaker Gifford Miller. Normally, the delegation chair is also the chief budget negotiator. However, there is no official administrative scheme-the delegation chairman's role in the budget process was cemented through the Council's practice under former speaker Peter Vallone.

Now, said Fidler, it is unclear exactly what role he and possibly other councilmembers will play in budget negotiations. "My first responsibility is to entreaty the speaker to allow as many Brooklyn people into the negotiating process as possible," said Fidler. Since few Brooklyn members hold leadership positions, any leadership-based structure that the speaker devises to negotiate the budget will naturally disadvantage Brooklyn. "I have already reached out to the speaker and we expect to talk about it," said Fidler. "I don't think they've precisely figured out how they are going to negotiate the budget. I think he'll be fair."

If the budget process does provide substantial room for other Brooklyn members to play an active role, and some believe it definitely will, there will certainly be several members clamoring to build their influence. Fidler had to beat out Angel Rodriguez for the chairmanship. Some councilmembers did not back Rodriguez because they felt they got burned by supporting him in the speaker's race.

But Rodriguez very well may be interested in playing some role in budget negotiations. Other politically heavy members of the delegation include Charles Barron, Yvette Clarke and Bill de Blasio, who could also be expected to vie for budgetary roles. In fact, de Blasio nominated Clarke to serve as co-chair of the delegation, but she did not jump at it. One source viewed the nomination as an attempt to undercut Fidler, but de Blasio said he nominated Clarke, a Caribbean-American, to promote racial diversity and unity.

Apart from that, some believe that no single chair, however competent, can unite a delegation divided by Brooklyn politics. De Blasio said that while the chair was an important conduit for representing Brooklyn's interests, it was not the only conduit. "We shouldn't confuse the personnel with the process. Different parts of the city have done well [in the past] because of larger political dynamics, such as relationships with the mayor," he said. "It's up to the Brooklyn delegation to exert as much influence as possible over the mayor and speaker."

At the end of the day, Fidler was elected the sole chair and given the title of point man. How much opportunity other members will have to bring their influence to bear on budget negotiations remains to be seen. "We're very proud that Lew Fidler was elected by acclimation to be chairman of the Brooklyn delegation," said District Leader Bernie Catcher, a longtime Fidler ally. "That's quite a feat for a freshman."

Perfetto Urged To Buck Norman There are at least a few elected officials who are actively seeking a candidate to oppose the county leader, Assemblymember Clarence Norman, Jr. District Leader Ralph Perfetto said he was recently approached by three individuals who asked him to oppose Norman, but he declined to identify them. "I'd rather not name them," he said.

Perfetto did say that two of the officials were African-American, and that the third hailed from "middle Brooklyn." He added that he turned them down. "Clarence has come around to me and I support him at this point," he said, noting that Norman supported his judicial candidate, Joe Bruno.

But Perfetto is going to have to find something to do, as his portion of the 52nd Assembly District, Bay Ridge, is slated to become part of a new district spanning Staten Island. Perfetto is mulling a run at the seat, especially since he has ties to tStaten Island, where he served as state director of cemeteries. He also has a good relationship with state Senator Vincent Gentile, who represents part of Staten Island.

"I understand they carved out the new district for [Councilmember] Marty Golden. They believe he will have the best shot at it," said Perfetto. "But a couple of legislators have said the seat is tailor-made for me." Another option is for Perfetto to run for male leader in Adele Cohen's Assembly district, which is set to expand somewhat into Bay Ridge. The current male leader is Marty Bromberger.

Mi Casa, Su Casa In a stroke to improve relations between the borough's highest executive and its legislative representatives, Borough President Marty Markowitz has opened his doors to local councilmembers. Markowitz recently hosted a breakfast for the 17-member delegation, at which he announced the opening of a legislator's conference room and offered Borough Hall as an information resource.

"That's a refreshing change," said one councilmember who asked to remain anonymous. Markowitz's predecessor, Howard Golden, had a notoriously stand-offish relationship with many councilmembers. The second-floor office is equipped with meeting space, phones and fax service. Borough Hall is also prepared to offer technical information, including neighborhood planning services, business and economic services, and engineering and topographical services.

Markowitz said that he hopes the centralized resources will help the delegation be more of a team during budget negotiations and "even better advocates for Brooklyn and their districts." "The idea is that legislators could make [the office] a home away from home, in a way," said Markowitz's spokesman, Glen von Nostitz. "Certainly the 17 legislators need to be more united than ever to get what the borough deserves. The idea here is to help bring them together on getting resources for the borough." Coney Island Councilmember Domenic Recchia agreed. "Coming from Coney Island, it is very good to know that I will have a place here in Borough Hall."

Jeffries to Green-- Keep Me Around Backers of Hakeem Jeffries, who challenged Assemblymember Roger Green in 2000, say Jeffries will challenge Green this year if he is cut out of the district in reapportionment. Chris Browne, a Jeffries advisor and a member of the executive committee of the Brooklyn Freedom Democratic Association, said that the portion of Prospect Heights where Jeffries resides could be excised from Green's district and attached to the large Park Slope district being planned for Assemblymember Joan Millman. "If they make a 'Hakeem's Finger' to keep him in Park Slope, he's going to run in whatever district Roger Green is in," said Browne. "In Hakeem's case he won half of the election districts in Prospect Heights, which was considered his strength 2000."

Reaching across Flatbush Avenue to attach Prospect Heights, a predominantly black neighborhood, to Park Slope may run afoul of one-person-one-vote legal challenges, or may not even get Department of Justice approval in the first place, said Browne. "Flatbush Avenue has always served as a dividing line of sorts," he said. And if Jeffries is kept within Green's district, will he decline to run? No promises in that case, said Browne.

Judge DiBrienza? The redistricting plan that would create one main brownstone district for Joan Millman while extending Jim Brennan's district south may have increased former Councilmember Stephen DiBrienza's chances of landing a judgeship.

According to sources, both Millman and Brennan are concerned with facing a challenge from DiBrienza, who has name recognition and political footholds in both proposed districts. That dual threat could persuade both assemblymembers to back DiBrienza for an open civil court seat and eliminate the possibility of a challenge to either of them. "That would serve every interest, except the interest of justice," joked one insider, who quickly added, "Of course, it would serve the interest of just-us."

Borough Politics Archive

2002
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2001
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2000
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1999
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