Dishonor Roll: The 29 City Councilmembers Against Democracy: David Yassky

Showing posts with label David Yassky. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

The Dishonor Roll - The Shame of New York

Speaker Christine Quinn

Quinn on City Council Slush Fund

Christine Quinn Defends Member Items

Council Aids Indicted for Member Item Rip-Offs
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QUINN: SLUSH FUND HELPED ME
New York Post, By TOM TOPOUSIS, May 12, 2008

Embattled City Council Speaker Christine Quinn has admitted for the first time that she understood that the multimillion-dollar slush fund gave her political advantage.

Quinn, who is likely running for mayor, says she knew that the use of the funds - which are now the subject of federal and city investigations - could be helpful to her.

"Did I think, as a speaker, having the [reserve] money to give out through the year might give me political leverage? Of course, I did," Quinn told New York magazine for its current edition.

Sources have said that Quinn doled out the funds to curry favor with certain council members and special-interest groups.

For a candidate for mayor, the support of key council members across the city could be very useful in building a citywide campaign, experts have said.

Since 1999, about $17 million in council monies have been set aside in phantom organizations that were later given out at the speaker's discretion. Quinn said she recognized that her interest in using the council's discretionary funds for political purposes contradicts her reform agenda and push for "transparency."

"I'm not going to lie to people that I didn't think that. Is that a good reform thing to have thought? No. . . . But that's the truth," Quinn said.

tom.topousis@nypost.com

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Slush Probers Eye Fraud Rap for Quinn
New York Post, April 13, 2008

Slush Probers Eye Fraud Rap for Quinn
By Brad Hamilton, Angela Montefinise and Melissa Klein
New York Post

April 13, 2008 -- Feds probing the City Council budget scandal are weighing wire- and mail-fraud charges against those who helped send millions into a secret slush fund, The Post has learned.

"If you pick up a phone and tell someone to do something illegal, that's wire fraud," said a law-enforcement source familiar with the probe. "If you send a check, that's mail fraud."

Sources said prosecutors are considering several targets, including council Speaker Christine Quinn, though it was unclear whether they had found any evidence against her.

Other council members and staff are also under scrutiny, along with staffers from the council's finance division and the city Office of Management and Budget, sources said.

Mail and wire fraud each carry a maximum $1 million fine and 30 years in prison.

The federal probe is now squarely focused on who was involved in setting up the fake groups used to hide and hold on to funds for later use in the budget cycle.

Sources said the money - more than $17 million over the past six years - was doled out as political favors to groups affiliated with lawmakers who had been loyal to the speaker's agenda. Quinn claims it helped groups that fell through the cracks.

The feds are also looking at who handled the financial transactions.

Mike Keogh, the council's former budget director who was dismissed by Quinn after the practice was uncovered, told The Post only that he was cooperating with the investigation.

Councilman Kendall Stewart (D-Brooklyn) has been subpoenaed but said he was not a target.

Quinn, a presumptive mayoral candidate next year, also denies being a target.

She has reportedly hired a defense attorney, former federal prosecutor Lee Richards III, to help her handle inquiries by agencies probing council funds.

The Manhattan US Attorney's Office began looking into council finances last fall after receiving a tip that staffers were diverting official funds for their personal use, the source said.

Quinn says she spoke to the feds and the city Department of Investigation when she discovered the bogus organizations last fall - at the same time prosecutors were probing financial records of council staffers.

On April 3, The Post broke the news of the secret slush fund and how her office diverted $4.7 million into pet projects by funding 30 phantom organizations since 2007. About a quarter of the fund recipients are headquartered in Quinn's district, which encompasses Chelsea, Greenwich Village and parts of Midtown.

The news sparked the interest of the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, but after a sit-down with the feds two weeks ago, the DA agreed to step back.

Two council members told The Post that crimes had been committed - and several want an independent audit.

"What happened is at the very least fraud," one said. "It's as clear as day. And if more than two people knew about it, it's conspiracy to commit fraud."

"There are some pretty bold lies being told."

Meanwhile, Quinn announced Friday major reforms that would essentially eliminate slush funds from the system.

From now on, community organizations will need to submit detailed requests for a portion of the speaker's discretionary funds, which amount to $21 million to $25 million, Quinn said.

While some legislators criticized the move as weakening the council, others fully supported it.

"This is real reform, and while it does weaken the speaker's position, it will allow the council to focus on other, crucial budget decisions," Councilman David Yassky said. "It will have a major long-term payoff."

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Quinn Probed over Bogus Grant Groups
New York Post, April 3, 2008

This $$ is Hers for the Faking
Quinn Office Probed over Bogus Grant Groups
By Frankie Edozien
New York Post

April 3, 2008 -- City Council Speaker Christine Quinn's office hid millions of taxpayer dollars by allocating grants to phantom organizations as a way of holding the funds to dole out political favors later - bogus bookkeeping that is the subject of city and federal probes, The Post has learned.

Among the dozens of fabricated groups that were slated to receive funds were the "Immigration Improvement Project of New York" ($300,000), the "Coalition for a Strong Special Education" ($400,000) and the "American Association of Concerned Veterans" ($422,763).

The total amount set aside in 2007 and 2008 for the fake organizations - which are each listed by name in the city budget after being inserted at the council's request - was $4.7 million. In the two years, 30 phantom groups were listed, council aides confirmed.

The money, in effect, became a slush fund for the speaker and was later used at Quinn's discretion to reward groups that were loyal to her and to fund favored council members' pet projects, sources told The Post.

The scheme gave "the speaker a stash of cash with which to thank or pay off politically important allies or cooperative council members," a source said.

Quinn insisted in an interview yesterday with The Post that all of the taxpayer funds were ultimately used for legitimate purposes.

The never-before-exposed practice of hiding the funds dates to 1988, council aides said last night.

"It was used at the speaker's discretion," said an insider who worked for the council at the time it was headed by Quinn's predecessor, Gifford Miller. "People would come in and say 'We need money for this or that.' "

Sources said it may have been started to make an end run around the City Charter, which requires that all funds be allocated at the start of the fiscal year. That limits the speaker's ability to dole out monies throughout the year as needs arise.

In the interview, Quinn, who plans to run for mayor next year and has made "transparency" in budgeting one of her pet causes, admitted she knew some funds were being held in reserve, but learned only several months ago they had been allocated to sham organizations.

Quinn said she ordered that the shady practice be abolished and only recently discovered her staff had not complied.

"I was kind of sick over the fact that there were things listed in the budget that were not accurate and that my instructions to the staff were disregarded," Quinn told The Post.

When she learned several months ago that the practice had continued, Quinn said she turned over information about the bogus bookkeeping to "appropriate authorities," including the city Department of Investigation and the Manhattan US Attorney's Office.

Quinn's aides insist she blew the whistle on the practice, but authorities have been investigating some aspect of the council's finances since last year, sources have said.

Quinn recently hired an outside law firm to help comply with requests from investigators for documents and information dating back several years.

In a development that sources said was tied to the scandal, two of Quinn's top finance aides were either forced out or resigned earlier this year.

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QUINN TARGETING TERM FOE'S PLUM
New York Post, By SALLY GOLDENBERG and DAVID SEIFMAN, October 15, 2008

In a major power play, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn is threatening to oust a powerful committee chairman because he is a leading opponent of extending term limits, The Post has learned.

Sources said Councilman David Weprin (D-Queens) could be stripped of his post as chairman of the Finance Committee for speaking out against legislation engineered by Mayor Bloomberg and Quinn to allow officials to serve a third term.

The speaker is dangling the prized chairmanship, worth an extra $18,000 paycheck above the regular $112,500 council salary, before legislators who have not decided how to vote on the explosive issue, sources said.

One source said Quinn indicated there will be "significant reorganizing of everything, like the Finance Committee" next year after the council elections.

Weprin, in his second term in the council, has repeatedly bashed the proposal but has not said whether he would run for a third term if it passes. He could not be reached for comment.

Another critic who could get the boot is General Welfare Committee Chairman Bill de Blasio (D-Brooklyn), one of the loudest critics of the term-limits deal. He earns a $10,000 stipend for his chairmanship.

"That would be extraordinarily inappropriate," de Blasio said of the possible ouster. " I have not heard that, but if they attempt that, I will make a very public issue out of it."

Quinn has denied that threats or promises are being used to corral votes, and on Sunday said accusations of "horse trading, arm twisting, anything of that nature, is just quite frankly false and untrue."

Quinn will soon have at least three other chairmanships to lure undecided members. John Liu, who chairs Transportation, Michael McMahon, who heads Sanitation, and Tony Avella, who oversees the influential Zoning Subcommittee, all plan to leave the council next year.

Members could vote as early as Oct. 23, and the council will hold public hearings at City Hall tomorrow and Friday.

When asked by a reporter about Quinn's arm twisting, Bloomberg defended her.
"Her job is to corral people and convince them to support legislation," he said. "This is an administration-sponsored bill . . . Do you really want us to not go out and promote [it]?"

Last night, the executive board of the teachers union voted to oppose any changes to term limits, except by voter referendum. The issue goes before the full union today.

During a rally at City Hall opposing the legislation, state Sen. Kevin Parker (D-Brooklyn) called the mayor "the worst kind of petty, grubby little politician that
anybody has ever seen in this city."

Bloomberg, who endorsed Parker's opponent in the September Democratic primary, scoffed at the comment, saying, "I didn't hear him and I wouldn't dignify anything like that with a response."

david.seifman@nypost.com

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

David Yassky

Yassky ‘betrayed’ voters
By Gersh Kuntzman, The Brooklyn Paper, 10, 30, 08

Voters are angry about the City Council’s 29–22 vote last week to set aside term limits and allow Mayor Bloomberg to run for a third term — and lots of them are taking it out on David Yassky.

The Brooklyn Heights councilman has become the main whipping boy for Brownstone Brooklyn outrage about the Council’s Oct. 23 vote to set aside two prior public term-limit votes — mostly because this self-proclaimed reformer has been shown to be just another self-serving, double-talking pol, critics said.

“Yassky’s real intention was always to serve another four years in office,” said Ken Diamondstone, who had planned to run for Yassky’s seat, but is now undecided because Yassky is now widely expected to abandon his quest to succeed no-longer-term-limited City Comptroller Bill Thompson and run for re-election instead.

“By doing an end run around the people’s strong stance on [term limits], Yassky clearly demonstrated that he believes his own interests trump the voice of the voters,” Diamondstone said.

Hours after the historic vote last Thursday, Yassky argued before the Independent Neighborhood Democrats, a reform-minded Carroll Gardens political club, that he did just the opposite.

He explained that after long soul-searching, he decided that he could support a 12-year term limit if it went before the public again. Yet when his amendment to do just that was defeated, he voted with the mayor.

And that’s not kosher in so-called progressive circles.

“David’s vote was more painful than the other 28 ‘yes’ votes because he represents a district that leads the city when it comes to politicial reform,” said Alan Fleishman, a Democratic district leader and Yassky constituent. “David’s ‘yes’ vote was politically motivated based on his aspirations to run for higher office. The voters of Brownstone Brooklyn deserved better.”

Yassky’s Council colleague, Bill DeBlasio, who opposed the term-limit change, blasted Yassky’s lack of integrity.

“He was not sincere,” said DeBlasio (D–Park Slope), who now says he’s running for Public Advocate, though he could run for his own seat. Yassky “did not act with integrity” because his amendment “was not offered in an honest spirit.”

“It was an artifice and a maneuver on his part to give him cover,” added DeBlasio. “How could you call for a referendum and then vote for the mayor’s bill?”

Assemblywoman Joan Millman (D–Carroll Gardens) also attacked Yassky’s integrity.

“What he did was not the progressive thing,” said Millman. “It outraged people. And his explanation was convoluted and torturous. If you put forth an amendment, you need to gather support for it. And if it fails, you should vote against the bill.”

Reached on Tuesday after hearing a week’s worth of criticism, Yassky rejected the notion that he opposed overturning the public will on term limits even though his ultimate vote did just that.
“I believe I still have the moral high ground because in the end, I voted for what is in the best interest of the city,” he said. “I did want to change term limits. I said that all along. I did not want to do it by overturning the will of the voters, but when that failed, I voted for 12 years instead of eight.”

Yassky claimed that personal motivation had nothing to do with his vote; he said he is still running for Comptroller, just as he was before he voted to allow himself to run again for his seat.

But most political insiders believe that Thompson will eventually choose a safe re-election as comptroller over running against the billionaire mayor.

“And when that happens,” said one local elected official who sought anonymity because he is still raising money for his own run against a no-longer term-limited councilmember, “Yassky will get to appear like a good Democrat by announcing that he won’t take on Thompson.”

And when THAT happens, the insider continued, the five people who were already running for Yassky’s seat — Ken Baer, Diamonstone, Jo Anne Simon, Evan Thies and Steve Levin — will opt out rather than face an incumbent with a comptroller-sized war chest.

UPDATE: On Friday, former New York State Sierra Club chapter chairman Ken Baer told The Brooklyn Paper that he is in the race whether Yassky runs again or not. A story on the subject is here.

Melinda Katz

Feedback Loop: Melinda Katz's Effective Fund-Raising Using Story of Her Effective Fund-Raising

by Azi Paybarah for The New York Observer February 8, 2008

Here's a fund-raising email from a 2009 candidate for comptroller which may partly explain why that industry is so generous to some city candidates.

The message, forwarded to me by an interested reader, is from City Councilwoman Melinda Katz, and it includes a profile of herself that was published in the Real Deal. The profile describes how Katz leverages her position on the powerful Land Use committee to raise money.

Here's the Katz fund-raising email.

From: melinda@melindakatz.org [mailto:melinda@melindakatz.org ]
Sent: Tuesday, February 05, 2008 8:06 PM
To: #####
Subject: Update re NYC Comptroller

#####,
Thank you again for your consideration and support of my campaign to become the 43rd Comptroller of New York City. As you probably know by now, our campaign continues to thrive. We raised more money than all of the other candidates with a total approaching $2 million in the January filing! Not only have we raised the most money, we are the only candidate with union endorsements, elected official endorsements and a Finance Committee with over 120 distinguished New Yorkers on it.

Below is a recent profile I thought you might be interested in reading. Let me know if you have any thoughts or ideas on continuing to grow the economy of New York City.

Sincerely,
Melinda

P.S. If there is someone you think might be interested in joining my Finance Committee, please send me their contact information and ask them to visit my website www.MelindaKatz.org to familiarize themselves with my background and experience.

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Katz gets help from industry heavy hitters

by Judith Zimbalist for The Real Deal, January, 2008

Melinda Katz may not be a household name, but she's in charge of the most powerful committee in the City Council and has helped shepherd through legislation that has changed the landscape of development in New York City.

As the chair of the council's Land Use Committee, Katz makes hundreds of high-voltage zoning decisions and hears requests from developers and property owners that often require her to balance preservation with the omnipresent construction that has defined her tenure in the council.

Now, the Queens Democrat is looking for a promotion and is considered one of the frontrunners in the race to become the city's next comptroller.

With the exception of Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrión - who many predicted would run for mayor, but just announced his intention to run for comptroller instead - Katz has raised more money than any of her competitors.

As of the last campaign filing disclosure, she had banked $1.33 million, while Carrión had $1.36 million, City Council Member David Weprin had $1.25 million, and Council Member Simcha Felder had $1.06 million. Several others, including Council Member David Yassky, who has yet to file his first disclosure, also plan on running.

Katz's position as head of the Land Use Committee gives her a unique perch to raise money from. And, she has been effectively leveraging it.

Several major developers are helping her raise cash, and her finance committee is filled with some of the biggest real estate heavyweights in city. They include the CEO of the Extell Development Company, Gary Barnett; the head of the Durst Organization, Douglas Durst; the father-and-son team at Two Trees Management, David and Jed Walentas; the president of the Related Companies, Jeff Blau; the president of Muss Development, Joshua Muss; and a number of others.

Developer Howard Milstein is scheduled to host a fundraiser for her on January 10, just before the next campaign fundraising period ends. The invitation, which invites guests to "Max Out for Melinda," was posted on the New York Observer's Web site.

"Katz has capitalized on the people she has come into contact with. There's nothing untoward, but this is the underbelly of political fundraising," the executive director of the Citizens Union, Dick Dadey, said. "Clearly her position as chair of Land Use helps her raise money in her run for comptroller. People want to be seen supporting those who have a role in effecting their interest."

Her fundraising strategies are not unique. Many candidates turn to development and real estate contacts for cash. But her position gives her added clout and raises questions about how appropriate those contributions are.

This year those donations may be even more closely examined because of new legislation passed by the Bloomberg administration and the council to cap contributions from entities doing business with the city, from lobbyists, and from those who have land use items under review. The legislation, which has not yet gone into effect, is intended to crack down on even the appearance of pay-to-play.

The Daily News recently reported that Katz received roughly $30,000 in donations from people tied to four companies that are fighting Mayor Bloomberg's proposal to redevelop Willets Point in Queens. The donation raised eyebrows because the project needs to go through her committee.

Katz is not shy about her fundraising. She says it is a show of confidence in her abilities. "There's always going to be stories about contributions," she told The Real Deal. "The fact of the matter is I am fortunate that people have faith in what I want to do."

She has also been quoted saying that her donations do not influence the policy positions she takes.

Katz has a reputation for being smart, ambitious, and personable. She works tirelessly and, between hearings and fundraisers, often makes the rounds singing at events in the city.

She worked at the elite law firm Weil, Gotshal, & Manges before being elected to the state Assembly in 1994. In 1998 she narrowly lost in a Congressional race to Rep. Anthony Weiner, and in 2001 she was elected to her current seat.

While she has played a part in mega rezonings, like Greenpoint/Williamsburg and the far West Side, which Bloomberg pushed for, she has even more influence over hundreds of other lower-profile land use requests that get less public scrutiny.

Her committee votes on everything from zoning variances to landmark issues. The decisions her committee makes not only have the power to change what gets the green light, but are also often worth a lot of money to whomever is seeking the change.

While nobody is suggesting she makes those decisions in a vacuum - both Council Speaker Christine Quinn and her other council colleagues also wield a lot of say - she is the land use clearinghouse.

Balancing the development proposals that the mayor has made a hallmark of his administration with the opposition is a significant part of her job. Opponents often argue that the administration's development proposals are out of sync with the characteristics of the surrounding neighborhoods.

Ken Fisher - Chair of the Bar Association's Land Use Committee, former City Council member and partner in the law firm Wolf Block - said she balances it well.

"There's a very strong antidevelopment crowd in the council," he said. "I've had council members say to me they're happy if nothing gets built in their districts."

He said many view Katz as levelheaded because she hears parties out and knows when to be aggressive.

For her part, Katz can rattle off neighborhoods that have been up-zoned, down-zoned, slated for more affordable housing, or earmarked for mixed-used purposes.

"People can be yawning, and I find land use and the economy of the city to be one of the most exciting topics that exists," she said. "It's the future of the city."

Comments

Anonymous (not verified) says:
She is really pushing the ethical envelope. I hope she doesn't get burned.

February 08, 2008 12:45 PM

Anonymous (not verified) says:
Absolutely unethical. The sick thing is shes not half as bad as another shameless hack thats using unethical "committee leverage" to raise money for Comptroller.

February 08, 2008 1:29 PM

politiquer (not verified) says:
Term limits turned Councilmembers into mad fundraising dogs.

What is truly sad however is our pathetic Mayor. The press gives him a free pass on building collapses and the hard ball politics his allegedly non political city hall plays and the incompetence of his commissioners and managers who cant get things right.

But even worse is when he shrouds himself in campaign finance reformer mode. This is the same gyu who raised $2 million for Joe Bruno's corrupt State Senate preservation in return (yes, quid pro quo) for a congestion pricing endorsement. Bloomberg's own company plays hedge games with all candidates at the Federal level.

Who is he trying to kid?

February 08, 2008 2:22 PM

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BUILDING 'BLOCK$'

By CHUCK BENNETT, The New York Post

November 29, 2007 -- Queens businesses in the way of the mayor's massive redevelopment plan for Willets Point gave nearly $30,000 to a city councilwoman with the authority to block the project, campaign-finance records show.

Councilwoman Melinda Katz, chair of the powerful Land Use Committee and a 2009 candidate for city comptroller, raked in $29,500 over the summer from people tied to four companies fighting the redevelopment.

Katz solicited the bulk of the donations at a June 18 fund-raiser, according to her spokeswoman. That event occurred just five days after she held an oversight hearing on the plan where she voiced serious concerns.

Mayor Bloomberg's plan cannot move forward without approval by Katz's committee. She is holding a second hearing today.

Bloomberg's $3 billion Willets Point plan would convert the area - now a collection
of salvage yards, metalworking shops, and garages called the "Iron Triangle" - into a convention center with hotels, housing and stores.

The 62-acre area, which is home to 200 businesses, is right in front of the new Mets stadium site.

The city's Economic Development Corp. wants to force existing businesses to sell their land at the current market rate, not the more valuable price it would fetch after rezoning. If the businesses don't go along, the city has threatened taking the land through eminent domain.

"This is one way to have our voices heard," Dan Scully, an executive with Tully Environmental, a recycling company that is opposing the city, said of the donations.

"The city is . . . trying to hang the blight label on Willets Point when they are the ones who cause the conditions that exist here."

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Alan Gerson

POLS PUNK'D IN 'UZBEK' PRANK

NY Post, By JEREMY OLSHAN, October 18, 2008

A handful of city and state officials jumped at the chance to meet with Uzbekistan President Islam Karimov, a dictator so brutal that he reportedly boils his detractors to death.

Fortunately for Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and a host of others who neglected to do their homework, the invitation was a prank.

Unfortunately for them, the Cityfile blog, which perpetrated the prank, posted the voicemails of staffers itching to set up the one-on-ones.

"The president has personally requested an opportunity to meet," read the invitation set on phony letterhead from the nation's New York consulate. The missive said that Karimov has $1 billion to invest in the United States.

According to Cityfile, of the 15 letters sent out, seven officials wanted a meeting, including City Council members John Liu, Alan Gerson, Daniel Garodnick, David Yassky, Assemblyman Dov Hikind and Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum.

A spokesman for Silver said he declined the invite, but the blog claims the lawmaker initially expressed interest

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Helen Sears

Grief for Council pols over car perks
BY LISA L. COLANGELO, DAILY NEWS CITY HALL BUREAU, August 13th 2008

It's tough to get a parking spot in Jackson Heights, Queens - unless you are City Councilwoman Helen Sears.

Sears (D-Queens) has a reserved parking spot directly in front of her district office. There's even a Department of Transportation sign warning drivers the spot is for "Council Vehicles" only during peak hours.

While all Council members receive parking placards from the DOT that allow them to park in many restricted areas and even avoid paying the meter, four have their own private parking spots on city streets.

Sears, Councilmen Al Vann and David Yassky (both D-Brooklyn) and Councilwoman Helen Foster (D-Bronx) have spots outside their district offices reserved for their own use from 7a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays.

"The way to solve the problem of scarce parking isn't by doling out perks that just benefit the privileged few," said Wiley Norvell of Transportation Alternatives, an advocacy group that has issued numerous studies on parking in the city. "We need smart policies that benefit everyone.You don't solve the problem by giving three people free parking and exacerbating the problem for everybody else."

Foster and Yassky's parking spots were requested by their predecessors,but both Vann and Sears asked the DOT for their specially designated spots, city officials said.

"It's very useful for doing the job," said Yassky. "Our district stretches from Williamsburg to Park Slope. We are out in the field a lot."

Sears, Vann and Foster did not return calls from the Daily News.

Parking is at a premium in many city neighborhoods. Last month The News reported that more parking tickets were given out in the 115th Precinct - which includes Jackson Heights - than any other precinct in the city.

"We should be setting an example and not getting special privileges," said City Councilman Tony Avella (D-Queens). "Other New Yorkers, including those with special needs, are routinely denied special consideration to get such a parking spot."

Avella is pushing for a bill that would create a registry of all parking placards issued to elected officials and city workers. And he pledged to cut up his own placard at a press conference Wednesday.

"I should have to endure what everybody else does in the city in terms of parking," said Avella. "I'd rather have the permit go to a police officer than me."

DOT officials wouldn't comment on individual Council members but said they review and award requests for specially designated parking spots on a case-by-case basis.

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Bloomberg's Member Items

Daily News Blog, by Elizabeth Benjamin, May 13, 2008

On the heels of Mayor Bloomberg's little-publicized announcement last week that he had requested a review of discretionary fund allocation on his end of City Hall comes a memo from Deputy Mayor Ed Skyler outlining a host of reforms.

The memo reveals that the mayor himself controls a pot of cash - the amount of which fluctuates from year to year, I'm told - for which Council members and borough presidents can apply during budget negotiations to direct to the nonprofit of their choice.

This creates the "mistaken impression that the Mayor's Office is funding its own 'Member Items,'" Skyler writes, adding: "This should be rectified."

The non-member items awarded by Bloomberg last year totaled $4.52 million. This is on top of what the members got through their own Council discretionary funds and also on top of capital funding.

The list of who got what reveals the top beneficiary was Councilman Simcha Felder - long known to be a close ally of the mayor - with $1.925 million.

No. 2 on the list was another Bloomberg favorite: Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, who got $900,000 for two concert series (recall that he's a big concert promoter).

Bloomberg also went out of his way to assist two of the Council's Republican members, providing $250,000 each to Minority Leader James Oddo and Councilman Vincent Ignizio. (Note: Nothing for ex-Councilman Dennis Gallagher).

The rest are as follows:

- Councilman Domenic Recchia, $625,000.

- Councilwoman Helen Sears, $50,000.

- Councilman James Vacca, $20,000.

- Councilman Peter Vallone Jr., $400,000. (One of first Democrats to endorse Bloomberg in 2005).

- Councilman Erik Martin Dilan, $100,000

Dishonor Roll: The 29 City Councilmembers Against Democracy