Tirado Returns as CB7 District Manager

In mid-June, Community Board 7 voted in favor of forcing District Manager Fernando Tirado to take unpaid leave of absence while he ran for state Senate in the 33rd District.  Board members said that they wanted to avoid the appearance of partisanship and conflicts of interest.

Tirado's quest to unseat State Senator Pedro Espada, Jr. came to a grinding halt last week when he was kicked off the ballot, and this morning he was back at his desk in CB7's office on East 204th Street.  He just sent out the following e-mail to those on the Board's mailing list: 

Dear Residents,

I would like to inform you that starting today, I am back at the Community Board office as your District Manager. I want to thank everyone for their patience and I am looking forward to working with you in the coming year. There are many announcements that have come in and I will truncate them into one e-mail so that it doesn’t overwhelm your mailbox.

Two quick announcements, first, the Bedford Park Senior Center will be hosting a demonstration by the Board of Elections on the new electronic voting machines that will be used this year on August 24^th from 11AM to 12PM at 243 East 204^th Street. If you would like the BOE to come to your organization or group to provide a demonstration of the new voting process, please e-mail them at Demo@boe.nyc.ny.us.

Second, mark your calendar for the Board’s first meeting of the new session to be held on September 21^st at 6:30PM, also at the Bedford Park Senior Center.

Thank you and take care.
Fernando

BxNN Presents: The 33rd Senate District Candidates On the Issues (Part 6)

The Bronx News Network recently asked candidates in 33rd District senate race to answer, in writing, a number of questions which we hope will shed light on where they stand politically, their position on key issues in the community, and what they would do if elected.

Over the past several days we have posted their unedited answers on this blog, a few at a time. Last week, we published Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4. Yesterday, we published Part 5. Today, we will conclude our series with the candidates' views on independent redistricting and member items (discretionary funds intended for local nonprofit groups).

There are four candidates in the race - Pedro Espada, Jr. (the incumbent), Daniel Padernacht, Gustavo Rivera, and Fernando Tirado - which is turning into one of the most watched in the city. Padernacht, Rivera, and Tirado got back to us with answers, but Espada didn't. In an e-mail, a staffer of his wrote: "Thank you for the survey, however we will not be participating at this time. The Senator's positions will be made available via other media, including his website and Facebook, at a later date."

Part 6

QUESTION: Do you support an independent redistricting panel?

BxNN Presents: The 33rd Senate District Candidates On the Issues (Part 5)

The Bronx News Network recently asked candidates in 33rd District senate race to answer, in writing, a number of questions which we hope will shed light on where they stand politically, their position on key issues in the community, and what they would do if elected.

In the coming days we're going to post their unedited answers on this blog, a few at a time. Last week, we published Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4. Today, we are focusing on social issues and legislative reform. Tomorrow, we will conclude our series with the candidates' views on independent redistricting and member items (discretionary funds intended for local nonprofit groups).

There are four candidates in the race - Pedro Espada, Jr. (the incumbent), Daniel Padernacht, Gustavo Rivera, and Fernando Tirado - which is turning into one of the most watched in the city. Padernacht, Rivera, and Tirado got back to us with answers, but Espada didn't. In an e-mail, a staffer of his wrote: "Thank you for the survey, however we will not be participating at this time. The Senator's positions will be made available via other media, including his website and Facebook, at a later date."

Part 5

QUESTION: What’s your position on same-sex marriage? Abortion rights?

BxNN Presents: The 33rd Senate District Candidates On the Issues (Part 4)

Two weeks ago, the Bronx News Network asked candidates in 33rd District senate race to answer, in writing, a number of questions which we hope will shed light on where they stand politically, their position on key issues in the community, and what they would do if elected.

In the coming days we're going to post their unedited answers on this blog, a few at a time. Part 1 was published Tuesday. We published Part 2 Wednesday and Part 3 Thursday. Today, we are focusing on housing and crime issues. On Monday, we will center the debate on hot button social issues and on what legislative issues the candidates would prioritize if elected.

There are four candidates in the race - Pedro Espada, Jr. (the incumbent), Daniel Padernacht, Gustavo Rivera, and Fernando Tirado - which is turning into one of the most watched in the city. Padernacht, Rivera, and Tirado got back to us with answers, but Espada didn't. In an e-mail, a staffer of his wrote: "Thank you for the survey, however we will not be participating at this time. The Senator's positions will be made available via other media, including his website and Facebook, at a later date."

Part 4

QUESTION: What’s your position on vacancy decontrol? Any other housing legislation you would like to see moved in Albany?

BxNN Presents: The 33rd Senate District Candidates On the Issues (Part 3)

Two weeks ago, the Bronx News Network asked candidates in 33rd District senate race to answer, in writing, a number of questions which we hope will shed light on where they stand politically, their position on key issues in the community, and what they would do if elected.

In the coming days we're going to post their unedited answers on this blog, a few at a time. Part 1 was published Tuesday. We published Part 2 yesterday. For Part 3, we asked them how they would balance the state budget as well as their position on sin taxes. Tomorrow, we will publish their answers to questions about addressing crime problems and housing policy.

There are four candidates in the race - Pedro Espada, Jr. (the incumbent), Daniel Padernacht, Gustavo Rivera, and Fernando Tirado - which is turning into one of the most watched in the city. Padernacht, Rivera, and Tirado got back to us with answers, but Espada didn't. In an e-mail, a staffer of his wrote: "Thank you for the survey, however we will not be participating at this time. The Senator's positions will be made available via other media, including his website and Facebook, at a later date."

Part 3

QUESTION: How do you think the state can balance the budget this year? What do you cut? How do you raise more revenue?

BxNN Presents: The 33rd Senate District Candidates On the Issues (Part 2)

Two weeks ago, the Bronx News Network asked candidates in 33rd District senate race to answer, in writing, a number of questions which we hope will shed light on where they stand politically, their position on key issues in the community, and what they would do if elected.

In the coming days we're going to post their unedited answers on this blog, a few at a time. Part 1 was published yesterday.

There are four candidates in the race - Pedro Espada, Jr. (the incumbent), Daniel Padernacht, Gustavo Rivera, and Fernando Tirado - which is turning into one of the most watched in the city. Padernacht, Rivera, and Tirado got back to us with answers, but Espada didn't. In an e-mail, a staffer of his wrote: "Thank you for the survey, however we will not be participating at this time. The Senator's positions will be made available via other media, including his website and Facebook, at a later date."

Part 2

QUESTION: If you were a member of the City Council last December, would you have voted for or against the Bloomberg administration’s proposal to turn the Kingsbridge Armory into a shopping mall? Do you support legislation in the Council right now that would mandate developers seeking city subsidies to require retail tenants to pay a living wage to their workers?

BxNN Presents: The 33rd Senate District Candidates On the Issues (Part 1)

Two weeks ago, the Bronx News Network asked candidates in 33rd District senate race to answer, in writing, a number of questions which we hope will shed light on where they stand politically, their position on key issues in the community, and what they would do if elected.

In the coming days we're going to post their unedited answers on this blog, a few at a time.

There are four candidates in the race - Pedro Espada, Jr. (the incumbent), Daniel Padernacht, Gustavo Rivera, and Fernando Tirado - which is turning into one of the most watched in the city. 

Padernacht, Rivera, and Tirado got back to us with answers, but Espada didn't. In an e-mail, a staffer of his wrote: "Thank you for the survey, however we will not be participating at this time. The Senator's positions will be made available via other media, including his website and Facebook, at a later date."

PART 1

QUESTION: Will you serve as a full-time legislator? If not, what other jobs will you also keep?

PADERNACHT: It is my plan to serve as a full-time Senator with an office in Albany, and two offices in the District. All the offices will be staffed by qualified and competent staff. I will continue to practice law as a solo practitioner though I will restrict my caseload to a handful of matters.


RIVERA: I will gladly and willingly serve as a full-time legislator whether the law is changed or not. I have been a university professor for 11 years and a part time faculty member for last 6 years at Pace University. I would love to be able to continue to teach if I am elected, which is the only job I would consider keeping – but only if it doesn’t interfere with my legislative duties and is not deemed a conflict of interest.

TIRADO: Currently, I have no other plans other than to serve as a full-time legislator.







QUESTION: How would you describe yourself politically (e.g. liberal, conservative, etc.)? Name three political figures you admire. What books have you read recently?

PADERNACHT: Politically, I would describe myself as a reasonable progressive. Three political figures that I admire are Bill Clinton, John Kennedy, and Abraham Lincoln. I am currently reading Meditations by Marcus Aurelius.

RIVERA: I am a progressive. I believe we must address the basic issues: quality education, universal healthcare, pensions for retirees, unemployment, and regulation of business to protect hard-working families.

President Obama is a great example of a progressive elected official committed to serving his community and I was honored to play a key role in the 2008 presidential race, witnessing first-hand an incredible movement that inspired my generation. I also admire Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who is a Bronx heroine in every way and the best sort of role model anyone from the Bronx can have. Of course, the dedication and passion of Cesar Chavez is an inspiration to political organizers everywhere.

The three books I have read most recently are: The Power Broker by Robert Caro; Millenial Makeover: MySpace, YouTube, and the Future of American Politics by Morley Winograd and Michael D Hais; and Last Words by George Carlin.

TIRADO: I consider myself to be more closely associated with Conservative or Centrist Democrats / Blue Dog Democrats in ideology. I believe strongly in having an efficient government that practices transparency and does not turn a blind eye to wasteful or needless spending.

Thomas Jefferson, Luis Muñoz Marín, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

American Gospel, The Faiths of our Fathers, and Warrior of the Light.

Editor's note:  Tomorrow's post will include candidates' responses to questions about the Kingsbridge Armory and unemployment.

The 33rd Senate District covers much of the west Bronx (Graphic courtesy of the Senate's website)

Momentum Builds for Rivera as Pressure Mounts For Others to Drop Out

As the political stars appear to be aligning in support of Gustavo Rivera's bid to topple incumbent Pedro Espada, Jr. in the 33rd Senate District, fellow Espada challengers Daniel Padernacht and Fernando Tirado refused to go along with the program.

"Unless something dramatically changes by midnight, I'm staying in the race," Padernacht said.

Candidates have until midnight tonight to drop out of the race without their names appearing on the ballot. After that, if the candidates' petition signatures hold up -- they need the signatures of at least 1,000 unique registered Democratic voters -- then their names will be on the ballot.

Common political handicapping says more challengers will favor Espada in the primary. And Rivera is gaining momentum as the most politically and institutionally supported challenger.

He compiled the most signatures of any challenger -- 6,200, he says. He has the most political endorsements, including Councilman Oliver Koppell who announced his support earlier today in front the Amalgamated Houses. And he recently received backing from deep-pocketed, anti-Espada Democrat Bill Samuel's New Roosevelt Initiative as well the Working Families Party.

Padernacht said he's received numerous calls since Friday asking him to step down and let Rivera take on Espada one-on-one for the Democratic ticket.

Specifically, Padernacht says he's received pressure from SEIU 1199 (the healthcare workers union) and the office of Public Advocate (and former Councilman) Bill de Blasio, one of the city's rising Democratic stars. Neither SEIU or de Blasio's office could be reached for comment.

In Fund-Raising Efforts, Espada Out in Front

Last week, state legislators running for reelection, and those challenging them, filed financial disclosure reports with the state's Board of Elections.  Those reports are now listed on the Board's website.  To see how much money a candidate has raised, click here and enter their name.

In the 33rd District senate race, the picture looks like this:

• Pedro Espada Jr. (incumbent) has raised $81,775 since March, and a total of  $386,225 since the beginning of last year. 
• Gustavo Rivera has raised $65,535. 
• Daniel Padernacht, $19,405.   
• Fernado Tirado, $2,335.

To see how much candidates have spent, click here and search by name.  (For Padernacht, search "Citizens for a Brighter New York.")

A few initial observations:

• Espada, the chair of the senate's Housing Committee, received a glut of money from the real estate industry, which is only likely to fuel critics' arguments that he sides with landlords over tenants. He also received big bucks from several beverage companies, as have many state legislators who opposed Gov. David Paterson's "sugar tax."
• Rivera received $6,000 from the union 1199 SEIU, whom he once worked for but has not yet officially been endorsed by. 
• Tirado has spent all the money he's so far raised. 
• Staples has been doing some good business these past few months. 

In the coming days, we'll try and delve a bit deeper - who gave what to whom, what this means, etc.  In the meantime, feel free to chime in with your own thoughts (no personal attacks please) in the comments section.

By the way, unlike in city races, candidates in state races don't receive matching funds, so what they raise is what they get.  Earlier this year, Paterson proposed overhauling this system in an effort to fight corruption.

Primary Petitions Due Today

Candidates vying for a spot on the primary ballot this fall have a deadline to meet today. Petitions, or voter signatures of support, have to be filed with the Board of Elections office by the end of the day.

Legislators and legislative hopefuls had the last five weeks to collect signatures--a daunting task, considering the signatures must be from voters registered with the candidate's respective party and who live in their district. Congressional candidates need 1,250 valid signatures, state Senate candidates need 1,000, and 500 are required for the state Assembly.

Here's a little update on how the candidates in the 33rd Senate race fared:

We already know that incumbent Pedro Espada's filed his petitions--he did it very publicly at a press conference at the Bronx Board of Elections office on Monday. He said he had 10,000 collected.

Fernando Tirado told us this morning that he's already filed over 1,000 signatures. He declined to give a specific count, but said he had enough to "cushion" the potential signatures that could get thrown out by the BOE.

Kingsbridge attorney Daniel Padernacht said he filed his on Monday and had more than 4,500 signatures.

Gustavo Rivera's count was 6,250, according to campaign advisor Elizabeth Lorris Ritter.

Speaking of Rivera: City Hall News reported this morning that Gustavo took a spill while exiting a bus on the Grand Concourse. Ritter confirmed as much, saying Rivera lost his footing last Wednesday, tripping down the bus stairs and landing face first on the sidewalk. He went to the emergency room at Montefiore to get patched up, she said, and is fine, with the exception of some bruises and "quite a shiner."

An Endorsement for Gustavo Rivera; Fernando Tirado on The Perez Notes

We're a few days late on this. Gustavo Rivera, one of several candidates looking to unseat State Sen. Pedro Espada, Jr., has been endorsed by Bill Samuels and his organization, the New Roosevelt Initiative.

"Rivera is simply the strongest candidate to challenge Espada and I urge everyone who wants [sic] a better legislature to unite behind him," said Samuels in a statement.

Samuels, a businessman, activist, and, until recently, a candidate for lieutenant governor, also pleaded with the other candidates - Daniel Padernacht, Desiree-Pilgrim Hunter, and Fernando Tirado - to step aside and unite behind Rivera. (So far, none of them have.)

The New Roosevelt Initiative has already committed at least $250,000 towards ousting Espada, so its decision to endorse Rivera is a big plus for his campaign.

In other news concerning the 33rd District Senate race, Tirado recently appeared on the political radio program, The Perez Notes. We've yet to listen to it, but topics of discussion include the Kingsbridge Armory, and, presumably, Tirado's campaign. 

As for Espada, he's holding a press conference today outside the Bronx Board of Elections to address his future as a Democrat, following the State Democratic Committee's attempts to remove him from the party.  More on this later.

Board Directs Senate Canidate Fernando Tirado to Take Leave of Absence

Last night, during its final meeting before the summer hiatus, Community Board 7 held a closed-door executive session and voted overwhelmingly to direct District Manager Fernando Tirado to take a leave of absence while he runs for senate in the 33rd District.

Tirado announced his candidacy in late May to the surprise of many of the board's 30-plus volunteer members. Several board members expressed reservations about whether the board's work as a non-partisan government agency might be compromised in some way by Tirado's run for office. They asked Tirado to come up with a plan, in writing, for juggling both roles.

Then, last night, the board sat down to discuss the matter and ultimately voted in favor of a measure that directed Tirado to take a leave effective tomorrow. The board also reserved the right to re-evaluate the situation periodically. Board member Ozzie Brown said 22 people voted for the measure, six voted against it, and three abstained.

I talked to Paul Foster and Ozzie Brown of the board earlier today. They said that it wasn't that they feared Tirado would abuse his office, but rather that the board wanted to avoid even the appearance of conflict of interest or partisanship.

"We needed to protect the board," said Foster, who took over as chair of the board when Greg Faulkner left at the end of last year.

In an interview, Tirado said he thought he could effectively handle both roles and wanted to stay on until the petitioning process ends in mid-July. But he also said he understands the board's decision and says this will free him up to focus full-time on his campaign, which pits him against four other Democratic candidates, including the incumbent, Pedro Espada, Jr. 

In the meantime, the borough president's main community board guy, Tom Lucania, will most likely take over for Tirado in his absence.

I'll have more on this later.

New In The Tremont Tribune

May's Tremont Tribune is on the streets and online. Check out some of our latest stories:

• The primary race for Pedro Espada's state senate seat is getting crowded, with Community Board 7 manager Fernando Tirado and former Gillibrand staffer Gustavo Rivera both declaring their candidacy. 
• Speaking of Espada: some coverage of his current legal woes, as well as his recent financial contributions to a three local groups. 
• Tenants in two apartment buildings on Garden Street, owned by Milbank Real Estate, have found themselves living in terrible conditions after their buildings went into foreclosure last year. Now, a legal group is working on behalf of residents in ten other Milbank buildings to hold the bank that oversees the mortgage responsible for maintenance. 
• Assemblyman Michael Benjamin, whose district covers much of CB6, says he won't be seeking re-election this fall. He's toying with the idea of running against Congressman Jose E. Serrano instead. 
• A group of students from PS/MS 3 have scored a grant to help fund their quest to clean up a local park.

For more, including some great photos of recent events and our community calendar, visit www.tremonttribune.org. And don't forget to follow us on Twitter and Facebook!

At Low-Key Event, Tirado Sets Sights on Espada's Seat

Last night, Fernando Tirado, Community Board 7's district manager, formally announced his decision to run for State Senate in the 33rd Senate District. 

Standing next to the World War I monument on Mosholu Parkway in front of his family and 20 or so friends and neighbors (including three or four CB 7 board members), Tirado gave a brief speech which, while short on specifics as to what he'd do if elected, was high on hope for a better tomorrow.

"For too long we've had to endure the frustration of a government that does not work for the people," said Tirado, who read from a prepared speech. "I tell you today that it's not only time for a change, it's time to move forward from the political culture of inaction that has paralyzed Albany for too long."

Speaking afterwards he said he would continue as district manager until the end of the petitioning process (in July), and that, if he made it onto the ballot, he'd then decide what to do next.  He added, "As you get closer to the primary I am going to ask [the Board] for some time so that I can concentrate on the campaign."

The seat Tirado is after is occupied by Pedro Espada, the powerful yet embattled state senator and majority leader, who could face several challengers in September's Democratic primary.  

So what does Tirado have to say about Espada?  He's not saying, at least for now.  "I'm not going to comment on any candidate including the current senator," he said. "I want people to judge me for me and what I can bring to the table."

Espada wasn't in attendence, but two of his staffers kept an eye on proceedings from the other side of the street.

Another Challenger to Join Race Against Espada

Later this evening, Fernando Tirado, the district manager of Community Board 7, will announce his candidacy for state senate in the 33rd District, joining an increasingly crowded lineup of folks challenging the embattled Pedro Espada, Jr.

With about roughly four months until the Democratic primary, there are now five candidates vying for Espada's seat: Tirado (pictured), activist Desiree Pilgrim-Hunter, former Gillibrand aide Gustavo Rivera and lawyer Daniel Padernacht.

Tirado has a BA in political science and worked for the city's health department for years before becoming district manager of Community Board 7 (Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights) in 2008. He moved to Bedford Park in 2006 and joined the community board as a member before being plucked to replace long-time former district manager Rita Kessler.