The Hot Seat Two Brooklyn state senators whose districts got bushwhacked in the first reapportionment proposal are biding their time to see what the final plan harbors, although if no major changes occur, a high octane three-way Democratic primary in the 25th Senatorial district could roil the political waters. State Senators Seymour Lachman and Carl Kruger both said that they definitely will run for reelection this year, although neither can be sure exactly where.

Lachman has an obvious choice between his current "home" 22nd Senatorial District, and the "new" 25th District, where there is no incumbent. Lachman's current district is slated to lose Coney Island and portions of Midwood and Borough Park, while picking up Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights and Mill Basin. That district is viewed by many as created especially by the senate Republicans for GOP Councilmember Marty Golden, who did not return a call seeking comment.

If Lachman should find that district unappealing, he could run in the 25th, which includes Flatbush, Midwood, Borough Park and parts of Bensonhurst. "That looks like a very good district," said Lachman. "Over 50 percent of my election districts are in that district. I don't envision any serious problems whatsoever. "That district (the 25th) is tailor-made for me. I would like to have more of the current district in it, but if I can't, it's still tailor-made for me," he said.

Of course, other folks may be looking at that district as well. For example, former Councilmember Noach Dear. The 25th District, with its large Orthodox Jewish constituency, was hand-drawn for Dear, said one source. The rumor mill has Dear running as a Democrat and then switching parties if elected to protect the Republican senate majority. Dear only said that he is keeping an open mind about all possibilities, although he mentioned no specific district. "I'm exploring all possibilities, and when I'm ready to announce, I'll let you know," he said. "I'm exploring all my options."

Lachman, however, said that he and Dear were friends, and that over 20 years ago he recommended Dear for his first public position, a spot on the community board. "We're friends and we have mutual family members though we're not related," said Lachman. "I can't see him running in that district, and I haven't had any calls from him."

Another state senator who may be considering the 25th District is Carl Kruger. Kruger's 21st Senatorial District would change the most of all under the draft proposal, going from 84 percent white to 84 percent black. Unless the proposal is seriously revised, Kruger would have to run somewhere else, and the 25th is perhaps the most sensible state senate district. He could also run for the assembly, said one source.

Kruger himself said that he was organizing an effort to bring a wave of civic leaders and elected officials to the public hearing at Borough Hall on March 8 in an effort to show large scale dissatisfaction with the proposal. "It's my interest, unlike perhaps some of my colleagues, not to be concerned whether there's an incumbent protection plan, but whether our communities are kept together," he said. Like Lachman, he stressed that the draft was just a draft. "The preliminary draft is just that-a preliminary draft susceptible to public hearings and court challenges," he said.

Don't Tread On Him Councilmember James Oddo, the minority leader, issued a warning to Council Democrats who are quick to discount their four GOP colleagues. "Some folks who think, 'there are only four of them,' will get a rude awakening," said Oddo.

How can Oddo talk so tough when he commands such a small delegation? The answer is that when it comes to Council redistricting, Oddo's party is in the majority. A 15-member commission will draft the council reapportionment proposal. GOP Mayor Bloomberg has seven appointments, while Oddo has three, giving the Republicans 10 spots. "I'm looking at the whole process as more of a shield than a sword," said Oddo. He said that his vision was to protect his members and create some "fair fight" districts. "If we expand to seven or eight [Republican] councilmembers, I think that we'll have a really good balance," he said.

Some Democrats have already recognized the cards he's holding, while others have not. "My more astute new colleagues have recognized that," he said. "But the people who think they can continue to [mess with] Republican members will find themselves re-districted out to Weehauken."

Name Dropping Speaking of Oddo, he formally introduced a bill this week to take most of the responsibility for street re-namings away from the Council and delegate it to community boards. The relevant city agencies would have to sign off on any name changes, and the local councilmember would still have the power to bring controversial name changes to the full Council. However, the bill would divest the Council of primary responsibility for something most view as a comical waste of its time. "One of the easy hits on us is that all we do is street namings," he said. Aside from changing the Council's image, the bill is also aimed at clearing the table for the Council to deal with substantive issues, such as the budget, he said.

Make Her An Offer She Can't Refuse Susan Lasher put the skids on a rumor that she is eyeing a run at Adele Cohen's assembly seat-sort of. "I have not considered it," she said. "Maybe I'll think about it." Lasher, who is married to former Councilmember Howard Lasher, lost the Democratic primary for her husband's old seat to Domenic Recchia, the current councilmember.

While Lasher said she isn't seriously considering an assembly run, she didn't put it out of the realm of possibility either. "I would be honored to represent the community on any level, but it's not something I'm considering," she said. Let's see what happens. Let someone make me an offer," she said.

Getting Off Easy Brownstone Brooklyn state senators saw less drastic changes proposed for their districts than their southern colleagues. State Senate Minority Leader Martin Connor would lose the Williamsburg, Sunset Park and Red Hook portions of his district under the draft, but would pick up turf throughout Brownstone Brooklyn and some in Manhattan. The proposed loss of Williamsburg is likely an attempt to deprive Connor of a solid Hasidic voting block. With the loss of Sunset Park, Connor's district would drop from 35 percent Hispanic to 20 percent. The percentage of Asians would climb to 23 percent from about 10 percent.

Sue Gold, Connor's spokesperson, said that it was too early to comment on the proposal and questioned its legality. "It would be inappropriate to comment," she said. One source said that if the draft plan is a GOP attempt to weaken Connor, it didn't appear effective. "If they thought they were hurting him, they're nuts," said the source.

Newly elected State Senator Carl Andrews is slated to lose Flatbush, but pick up portions of Park Slope and Windsor Terrace, a change that insiders have viewed differently, with some saying it would make him more vulnerable to a challenge from that part of the district. While his district would remain almost 64 percent black, the big change is that many Caribbean-Americans would be replaced by African-Americans.

State Senator Velmanette Montgomery's district would change very little, picking up some territory in sunset ark and becoming slightly more Hispanic.

Borough Politics Archive

2002
February 25 column.
February 18 column.
February 11 column.
February 4 column.
January 28 column.
January 21 column.
January 7 column.

2001
December 10 column.
December 3 column.
November 19 column.
November 12 column.
November 5 column.
October 22 column.
October 1 column.
September 6 column.
September 4 column.
August 30 column.
July 23 column.
July 2 column.
June 25 column.
June 11 column.
May 28 column.
May 21 column.
May 14 column.
May 7 column.
April 30 column.
April 23 column.
April 9 column.
April 2 column.
March 26 column.
March 19 column.
March 12 column.
March 5 column.
February 26 column.
February 19 column.
February 12 column.
February 5 column.
January 29 column.
January 22 column.
January 15 column.
January 8 column.
January 1 column.

2000
December 25 column.
December 18 column.
December 11 column.
December 4 column.
November 27 column.
November 20 column.
November 13 column.
November 6 column.
October 30 column.
October 23 column.
October 16 column.
October 9 column.
October 2 column.
September 25 column.
September 18 column.
September 11 column.
September 4 column.
August 28 column.
August 21 column.
August 7 column.
July 31 column.
July 24 column.
July 17 column.
July 10 column.
June 26 column.
June 19 column.
June 12 column.
May 15 column.
May 8 column.
April 24 column.
April 10 column.
March 13 column.
March 7 column.
February 21 column.
February 14 column.
February 7 column.
January 31 column.
January 24 column.
January 17 column.

1999
December 16 column.
December 9 column.
December 2 column.
November 25 column.
November 18 column.
November 11 column.
November 4 column.