Dwight R. Worley of the Journal News explains how Noam Bramson’s favorite developer operates – bribes, intimidation and silencing communities groups — which Worley says is “business as usual for Forest City Ratner”.
Forest City known for tough political skills around region
In the bribery trial of Sandy Annabi and former Republican leader Zehy Jereis, Scott Cantone, senior vice president for government and public relations for Forest City Ratner, already has testified that the developer provided Jereis with a $60,000 consulting job in return for Annabi’s vote to approve the company’s Ridge Hill retail and residential complex.
Former Yonkers councilman John Murtagh is quoted saying of Forest City Ratner:
“[they have] little or no regard for public opinion. Their entire business model is to exploit every tax loophole and taxpayer-funded subsidy that they can. Promise the world and deliver far less, and do it all by manipulation. Unfortunately, what’s coming out in [the Annabi] case now vindicates what we…were saying about this company and this project five years ago. In the court of public opinion it should be obvious to anyone that Forest City Ratner games the system and does not play by the rules.”
Under Mayor Bramson the New Rochelle City Council has made it routine to make liberal use of executive sessions and highly questionable “2 x 2 x 2” meetings in order to keep discussions with Forest City Ratner executives out of the public eye. This is a bi-partisan failure as both Republicans and Democrats on council have readily accepted this farce to keep discussions of public business with far-ranging implications for New Rochelle residents out of the public eye. Ratner, on the other hand, would not have it any other way.
UPDATE: Journal News issues Clarification…
Scott Cantone’s testimony that Forest City Ratner persuaded former Yonkers Councilwoman Sandy Annabi to change her vote on the Ridge Hill development was improperly characterized in a Page One article Saturday. Forest City Ratner has not been accused of wrongdoing in the case.
political contributions
There is another critical point to consider regarding contributions to an incumbent, especially occupying a lower office such as mayor, councilmember or even assemblyman.
We can all agree that political contributions have at least the potential to play a role in election outcomes. The contributor could be a party supporter, family member, or friend, but just as likely, no more likely, someone seeking some gain.
I have no accusations to make, but I will raise a question as well as cite an interesting article on the subject.
We all are aware of the PAC ruling by the Supreme Court, but think about the more traditional donation stream.
Josh Kraushaar in the Week Magazine, defends the PAC ruling, but the more interesting consideration to me, is the use of contributions at the local level. He does not mention these specifically, but gives information on how funds from PAC and elsewhere are used. They primarily are used to promote a candidacy via the media. Television, print and other ads are very expensive.
Kraushaar makes a point that incumbents generally have a strong edge and data would bear that out. Noam is an incumbent.
Noam has little in the way of media expenses that I am aware of. The Jerome contributions alone were over 250% more than the entire contibution fund available to St Paul. Now consider that the voter registration numbers favor the Democratic Party by something like a 6:1 ratio.
I believe his war chest is well into the 6 figures. So, the questions are why and how. Why is so much money available and how is it or has it been used?
I have absolutely no reason to suspect anything illegal or even questionable. But, I will state that a nest egg like this has vast potential and perhaps the ruling party and its office holders should be uniquely respectful of the true state of the city, its compelling needs to come together, and the perfectly understandable questioning of such a largesse by citizens who distrust the political process, have a powerful incentive to be wary over contributions (see Dwight Worley’s work in the Journal News as well as the ludicrous statment made in todays’ issue by the representative of Forest Hills who actually used the illegal and God Help Us, immoral comment when allegedly Sandy the defendent’s relative was asking for consideration on a flight change to Lebanon to ensure her presence.
Well you can read it for yourself. It is interestiing to learn that Mayor Spano appeared to be on Forest City’s payroll prior to the current election as a consultant.
If Forest City is rationalized any role in our City we deserve the pain it will bring this community and I look forward to anyone in office who has or has not received any contribuion from these folks to send them packing.
The very spirits of the departed veterans who came through the Armory adjacent to where these people wish to bring gain to their coffers with nothing to show for the City cries out for a resounding NO!
Perhaps a consortium of the Democratic Party, office holders from said party, the Jerome family and Forest City would like to toss some funds our way to resurrect, restore, and rebuild our central business district while beefing up our first provider base.
Heck, fellers, I am one bright chap, long in the tooth, but good at what I turn my mind and hand to, and if you will do the aforementioned, you can sign me up at a dollar a year to build up your intellectual, moral, and ethical base. Unless Matt P objects, I would like to throw in spiritual as well, for truly saving this City, our resources, our generation to come and our integrity is truly His Work.
Ratner
The Journal News strongly suggest that Forest City leaves little to be desired in terms of questionable and frankly, objectionable ehtical conduct.
They are a human stain, the worse of the worse and feed the coffers of many to gain their foothold in the door. If Ms. Rackman is correct and she most likely is I think that any cuncil member who either meets on this divide and conquer strategy or votes in favor of these people,is guilty of abusing the public trust.
It is particularly offensive to think that they have any say over the fate of the Armory. If this Napersink understands any direct role in communication or otherwise to the citizens of New Rochelle, it represents time for direct, meaningful, and concerted community action.
I don’t care about so called “gain to the City.” Not in this City. There is gain for Ratner and his band of corporate hoodlums.
I, for one, will work like a citizen possessed to ensure that this stain upon the City honor receives no foothold in the City and that includes searchng for the equivalent of a Sandy Annabi and so many others in this town.
It would be helpful if anyone with direct information would post who in New Rochelle; political party, politician, education head, whoever has received contributions from these folks. Their record speaks for itself.
I have added Phil Reisman of the Journal Nees to my holiday card list.Please be relentless out in TOTS land. We are indundated with problems as it is and do not need to add Forest City to the midst.
As the Italian Coast Guard officer said to the coward who ran his cruise ship aground and manned the lifeboat with his lady friend…
“Vada bordo a cazzo.” that fits the Ratner crew handsomely. If you folks who read this have any sense of civic decency, check the record of Forest City and ask a fundamental question of whether you are comfortable with these stains and more, if you are comfortable with why they are here in the first place and what financial value they bring to New Rochelle.
I believe Noam is on the
I believe Noam is on the receiving end of Forest City handouts. Why not contact him? That fact that Bramson has been allowing Forest City to tie up this property for so long rather that going after meaningful RFPs should tell you something about the boy wonder.
Bramson took the money
You’re intuition is right John. Over 2 years ago,
I answered that question in part, by listing the contributions from the NYS board of elections site. Could this be the tip if the iceberg? In light of the latest news with Karl Kruger, Sandi Annabe, Jereis etc. can we expect to see the Bramson name added to the list anytime soon? makes you wonder. If you want to see the donor list with the Ratner names click Here
I smell a Ratner!
So how do we bring this Tit for Tat to the surface?
How do we bring this stench to light?
Why is this still legal?
The answer!
The Feds…..
In NY State the Attorney General is of the same Democratic machine.. The Feds The Feds The Feds!
Seems to me like the mayor
Seems to me like the mayor got quite a chunk of change from the Rats-ners.
Sounds Right
John + John it sounds right. The obvious foloow-up is how much and who else. Wonder if anyone outside of politics, perhaps the very influencial Marc Jerome has been “blessed” accordingly.
I can be stunned by this sort of thing then perhaps self-righteous, but let me risk that in this case. I re-read the Journal News material, recalled some Westchester Guardian past articles, and Bob and others have referenced this in the past.
The idea of accepting money from an organization with no investment in anything but the pocketbook, one who plays on the weaknesses of politicians who seek contributions or some plaque with their names on it indicating their “role” in building something or another,is a tear in the very fabric of our community ethos. How anyone of any courage, moral grounding, or claim of citizenship, can endorse a process that permits these jackals to divide and conquer via individual meetings, blind to the public, on their needs and intentions, is the stuff that drives people to the barricades.
The Open Meeting Laws unfortunately do not provide adequate protection for citizens as they are not enforced by the State. They have led to positive things which we benefit from, but here is the hole in the doughnut.
Let me see if I have this pretty much in some semblance of sense and order. An organization, well known for their shenanigans and ability to tempt part time board members and ambitious mayors or politicians, with a documented record of doing exactly that, returns to offer ….
A City that is on the very precipice of mismanagement, with no commercial base, a rising crime rate in the business district, a documented record of a deteriorating school district, a disenfranchised communities south of New Rochelle Road, few prospects for concentrating on building and/or restoring the business district, with a financial management policy that lays off fire and police before looking at non essential, exempt staff at 515 North, with a city council that is unaware of their leadership potential as articulated by BOTH the City Charter and City Code….
will give the time of day and likely much more to a organization with no moral imperative, one that submitted a prior proposal that would have amounted to literally little to no financial gain for New Rochelle, and which has not at least come forward publically and offered to make major contributions to restoring the neighboring business district, perhaps by funding a police precinct, etal……
seems ready to restore developmental and fiscal insanity to New Rochelle while a limited number of citizens, primarily lower than New Rochelle Road residents, desperately hoping for councl support and relief, more, a unified city on a common front, await for the next excess while……
the political power stucture fiddles, develops word excessive rationalizations to defend all the things that belong either in future state or pehaps the circular file…….
God help us or better, joins in as we help ourselves.
Jerome Family Paid $27,400 To New Rochelle Democrats
Warren, to put a little twist on things you mention Marc Jerome from Monroe College and the New Rochelle BID. According to the NYS Campaign Website the Jerome family has donated thousands to ONLY DEMOCRATS in New Rochelle in the following denominations;
$500 Jared Rice
$500 Maryann Sussman
$500 Barry Fertel
$4,000 Shari Rackman
$8,000 Tim Idoni
$13,900 Noam Bramson
$27,400 To New Rochelle Democrats
One Jerome donation to Bramson on 10/31/07 uses a Bronx address associated with Monroe’s Bronx Campus. Monroe has received many breaks from the city for expansion and dormitories so is it any wonder that the Jerome family donates to only New Rochelle Democrats?
The $4,000 to Rackman is very curious, it is rumored that a relative of Ms. Rackman works for Mr. Jerome but I have not been able to confirm that.
Can anyone confirm that?
thank you NRinfo
Good information and explains much and I would think it is more than possible that the Jerome folks may be found (via Monroe0 as recipients of Forest City funds.
Interesting to see that Ivar Hydin was not a recipient of campaign funding. I will not speculate why but he is a fighter for downtown businss district and perhaps there is a connection.
I guess we have not learned about the direct and collateral damage done by campaign contributions to a community, While I have faith in several names on the list you provide as being open minded, it does point out the temptation is always there to provide a little extra oomph for some in office and a bigger, more blatant blast for others.
Should all keep our eyes posted on the Forest City deep pockets and see where the money goes. We do not to search too deep to find the direct and collateral damage caused by deep pockets throughout our country, state and city.
Hopefully, those who have not received any Jerome benefit will continue to serve the community as watchdogs of the common good and all downtown council members should look very closely at the causal connections between an expanding college and a city wishing to reclaim a business district to lower tax rates, provide retail and residential impetus to relocate and you know the rest.
All city council members including the Charter Head of the City Council, our ceremonial mayor, have a duty to perform. This duty includes building up and shoring up the underpinnings of a deteriorating city. The window of opportunity is narrow and narrowing further based on two recent reports on the school district results; one on the high school and another on our elementary and middle school students in Westchester Magazine.
It is getting worse. Again, for the thousandth time, when a commercial or enlightened residential prospect considers buidling or relocating to New Rochelle, the research parameters and vectors are pretty straightforward…. they look at the tax base and financial management, school district, crime, community recreational and educational.
You cannot say this too much when too little is being done
2x2x2
Prior to the last extension being granted, Forest City met with Council members 2 at a time for the specific reason of keeping the discussion out of the public’s eye. Now Shari Rackman has stated on the Bob Marrone show (WVOX) that Forest City is again beginning to meet with council members in the same 2 at a time fashion. Is this really going to continue to be a back room policy of city council decisions being made? Are they afraid of the project being able to stand on its own merit?