Once again, New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn has removed the veil of her Manhattan liberal independent reformer image to reveal that she is a seasoned Democratic party machine leader. She follows in the fine tradition of her predecessors, former Council Speakers Gifford Miller, Peter Vallone and the late Tom Cuite of Brooklyn.
In January 2010, Quinn announced her appointments of various Council committee chairpersons. Councilmembers loyal to their respective county organizations (the ones that endorsed her candidacy for speaker) were rewarded with salary increases known as lulus ranging from $4,000 to $28,000 to chair Council committees. These were raised again in January 2011 and 2012. The average salary for a New Yorker is $41,000 per year. A councilmember’s base salary is $112,500 plus bonuses, for a part-time job.
Under Quinn’s reign, it continues to be the usual political quid pro quo with councilmembers. Vote as instructed by the speaker and members will continue to receive the perks of office. These include salary bonuses for chairing Council committees, extra cash for local district offices, staff and mailings, along with your share of several hundred million dollars available for funding local neighborhood pork-barrel projects to grease the wheels of re-election.
There are clear consequences when you vote against the wishes of Quinn and speak your mind on behalf of constituents, taxpayers and common sense as Councilmember Elizabeth Crowley has on numerous occasions. Quinn sent a clear message to Crowley when discretionary spending for her district was cut from $660,000 to $378,321 in the recently adopted 2012 municipal budget.
The five county Democratic political bosses don’t care if you are liberal or conservative, gay or straight, man or woman — just play ball like Quinn and you’re welcome to the smoke-filled clubhouse back rooms!
Larry Penner
