Was Thomson Independent Or Just Politically Naive?

"Ive always thought that good education should never be a political question," Queens School Board member Terri Thomson told me. "I want to get politics out of education. The only question that should be asked is, Does it help the children? But I guess that the Board of Education is the kind of super politicized place where the only questions anyone asks are Who suggested that?, Who is helped or hurt politically by that?, and What are the interests that are influencing your veto? That isnt education; its pure politics."
There isnt much doubt that Thomson, who is in her first year as Borough President Claire Shulmans appointee on the Board of Education, has been cast into a political shark tank. Here was the swing vote in the dismissal of Schools Chancellor Rudy Crew and she again cast the swing vote to hire Harold Levy as interim chancellor. On the first vote, she went with the desires of Mayor Giuliani and her mentor, Shulman. On the second vote, she went directly against their desires. That is political independence indeed. But was it also deeply, and perhaps fatally, politically naive?
"Ive been trashed all over the place," Thomson told me. "In the past few weeks, Ive read dozens of newspaper stories about myself. The shame is that almost all of them arent true. The newspapers didnt check their facts. They blast me and they blast me and theres nothing I can do about it. Sure, maybe, when they find out the truth, theyll print something in retraction. The damage, however, will be done. How do you get your reputation back?"
The attacks are in large part coming from the mayors political coterie. That should surprise no one. Thomson was the swing vote in a 4-3 decision to hire Harold Levy as interim chancellor, a decision the mayor and Shulman both opposed. Had Thomsons vote gone the other way, or if she had decided not to vote at all, Levy would not have been confirmed.
Why might Thomson have decided not to vote but to recuse herself from voting? Because both Thomson and Levy work for Citicorp. True, they work in different divisions of a large company. But, Thomson did have the potential for a serious conflict of interest. That potential conflict of interest is the substance of the attacks on Thomson. While I do not believe Thomson committed any improper act in voting for Levy, she did leave open the question of conflict of interest, an act of singular political naivete.
Why did Thomson cast her vote for Levy rather than walking away form the process? "We need a competent chancellor now, someone who will be able to make policy for the Board as a whole, not someone who will just fill the time." She then spent 10 minutes describing Levys very impressive credentials. After listening to Thomson, I was impressed. There is no doubt in my mind that Levy is someone who can do an exceptional job for the Board of Education. Levy fully deserves the job that Thomsons vote gave him.
But, given the same situation, would a politically-savvy board member in Thomsons position have voted for Levy? Probably not, especially since that member would have recognized the question of conflict of interest as a serious impediment. He/she would also recognize that the swing vote, no matter what the issue, draws political wrath from the group that loses the vote. In Thomsons case, the losers were both the mayor and Shulman. Most board members would have worried about putting themselves into the political hotseat at a moment when they were personally vulnerable. At best, they would have recused themselves and not voted.
Thomson is a down-to-earth mother of two, who lives with her husband, Eddie, an electrician in the Electchester project in Flushing. She is also an experienced political operative who handled highly charged issues as chief of staff to State Senator and later Congressman Gary Ackerman. She is both approachable and skilled in government. For Terri to go against the wishes of Shulman is most unusual given the fate of her predecessor Carol Gresser; we may actually be witnessing in Terris vote a singular act of political courage.
Thomson is at heart an idealist who would like to help create an efficient school system that works for the people of the City of New York. She is also part of a seven member board that decides the most politically explosive issues that New York has to offer. Can Thomson swim with the sharks and still keep her independence and idealism alive? That remains to be seen.
DOES HEVESI RUN? One New York paper is suggesting that City Comptroller Alan Hevesi wont run for mayor next year in order to run for State Comptroller in 2002. Thats an interesting theory that might actually play out.
The sure thing for Hevesi, would the Democratic nomination for state comptroller. Hevesi almost certainly can have the statewide Democratic nomination for comptroller if Carl McCall runs for governor. There, hed become the instant favorite to win against probably weak Republican opposition. Moreover, there are no term limits in statewide office  and Hevesi would become the favorite to succeed McCall (assuming McCall won) or to oppose Republican Pataki for governor (assuming Pataki won).
OGNIBENE FOR GOVERNOR? FOR MAYOR? FOR WHAT? Talk to Councilman Tom Ognibene and hell tell you hes running for mayor. So why has Ognibene filed a committee with the State Board of Elections (Friends of Tom Ognibene 2002) for governor? Could it be that the Queens councilman, who helps run the Queens Republican Party, has broken with Governor Pataki? Could it be that Ognibene is about to lead the Queens Republicans against the incumbent Governor of his own party?
Ognibene himself would not answer my calls. But State Senator Serphin Maltese, who is co-chair of the Queens Republican Party, told me that the filing was a mistake. "We really meant to file Tom for lieutenant governor, not for governor," Maltese told me. "We didnt realize the mistake. Im going to go now to call the governors people and assure them that were not about to go against George Pataki."
SEARS TO RUN FOUR COUNCIL On Sept. 15, I wrote that Democratic District Leader Helen Sears was waiting in the wings for the right moment to declare for the Jackson Heights council seat held by John Sabini. I suggested then that Sears would be a formidable candidate should she declare. In recent weeks, Sears has both declared for that office and has run a highly successful fundraiser. Sears now becomes the frontrunner for the designation of the Democratic county Organization. However she will have a hard fight against the field and especially against Ellen Raffaele, Sabinis chief of staff.
CHILIOTIS INTERESTED IN COUNCIL RACE? Latest word is that labor leader Arthur Chiliotis may be interested in running for council in Northeast Queens 19th Council district. Chiliotis would be a strong candidate for the Democratic nomination for the seat currently held by Councilman Mike Abel. He has already hired top campaign lawyer Jerry Goldfeder to mastermind his petitioning effort. But one New York labor leader is saying that Chiliotis wont run as a Democrat in a crowded field, but will instead seek the Working Families party designation in the general election. Having only a minor party designation would make Chiliotis an unlikely winner. What are Chiliotis real plans? Only Chiliotis knows for sure and hes not talking at least not yet.
— Arthur Nitzburg
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