A Note From Warren, His support for Bob Cox!
I am in full support of Bob Cox quest to become a member of the New Rochelle School Board and I urge all residents to support him. The reason is simple; the man fully understands the educational challenges facing our City and has the courage to address these and yes, to do so in a collaborative way with his colleagues. I no longer post on Talk of the Sound, not because of any issue with Cox, but with the fact that I became a Commissioner in the Human Rights Commission and following, regretfully had to resign due to health reasons. I also am a supporter of Noam Bramson and will remain one as he seeks higher County office.
So, why Bob Cox? Bob understands the mechanics and the shortcomings of the district. He has written passionately on the issues and has added value to the board and the community and I think at long last this value is being recognized. He has a business perspective long absent from the board and while there has been improvement, it needs a strong voice.
I have written often in Talk of the Sound and in correspondence to the Mayor and Council members about my views which take somewhat of a different but complementary tack to Bob Cox’s. Foremost, is the need for New Rochelle’s administration to develop a formal working relationship with the School Board? It is essential from a number of perspectives; for example, can you reasonably expect investment by both commercial and residential potential investors if our school district is lacking in both productivity and graduation statistics. Our productivity has slipped considerably an area that Bob has talked about often. As someone who is an experienced business leader as well as a former loaned executive to the Washington DC school district, I have a pretty good idea of the importance of formal business arrangements between City administration and School District administration. I also am quite disturbed over the lack of strong collective bargaining between the district and the unions; it resembles more of a “sweetheart contract” than actual give and take negotiation. Of course there are hurdles in terms of unfunded mandates, but these hurdles do not affect the lack of concrete information on infrastructure planning. We have one high school and two middle schools in a city of over 70,000 residents and this is quite problematic. I have often spoke of the issues around Certiorari which essentially is an avoidance tactic on proper real estate assessment as it is no more than a posteriori or back door reassessment and the more astute members of the school board see the difficulties in proper financial management and resource planning under this form of arrangement.
Bob will also look at the shortcomings of our principal and senior support base and the new era of accountability requires that this be done. We need to stop whining about “teaching to the test” for one…..people need to understand that each subject for each grade calls for terminal objectives that need to be reached. It does not call for pulling a prior test and using it as part of core curricula and I think Bob understands this and will be instrumental in taking leadership in this area. And, let me tell you that the rationalizations you may have heard about separation of powers between district and city are hogwash. The NYS legislation in 1987/88 simply called for the community to vote on school budgets and on the election of board members. It did not mandate separation and several cities in New York State, Albany being one, have made adjustments. In fact, the school trustee and budget voting could be moved to the conventional November period if desired. And, I cannot understand why some infrastructure relief could not have been part of a discussion with the Diocese when Blessed Sacrament announced it was closing its doors. And, as far as the “details” of staffing, payment, etc…. simple if you have the will to think outside of the box.
Cox can think outside of the box. His personal politics are irrelevant to me. He is not running for council membership, he is not a lawyer or an educator, he is an ex business man and media specialist. He has the necessary base to serve.
Finally we have a fine citizen who, for some reason unknown to me, is not in the current hierarchy of School Board trusteeship. He is Jeff Hastie. Frankly, with due respect for the current management team, Jeff should be at the helm of this district. He has the skill and the will to be exemplary in this position and he can read a GPS. He can plug in a route from New Rochelle to Suffolk County and help Richard Organisciak on his way.
I have absolutely no difficulty in supporting Bramson, Cox and someday, Hastie, and you should not either. Be well.
Other Possibilities
I believe the reason that Astorino was elected in 2009, was because many voters were tired of too many years of Andy Spano, first as County Clerk, and then as County Executive. And by 2009, Spano was too old.
Based on demographics and Astorino’s dismal record, it is likely that Noam Bramson will be elected County Executive in 2013. Of course we will find out in November, who the voters prefer.
If Noam Bramson is elected County Exec and resigns as Mayor, there are 7 members of the New Rochelle City Council, and they will determine who is appointed to be Mayor from no-longer-than-the-period-of January 1 thru December 31, 2014. They could end up appointing whoever they choose. We have no reason to assume who that choice will be.
That probably-less-than-one-year appointment would be superceded by a Mayor elected in a Special Election in 2014. That Special Election might occur as late as November 2014, but under NY Election Law, that Special Election would likely be earlier in 2014. Nonetheless, by January 1, 2015, and probably earlier in 2014, we will have an elected Mayor whose term would end December 31, 2015.
On Election Day of November 2015, we will have a regular election for Mayor and the other City Council Members. They will be inaugurated on January 1, 2016.
Therefore, it is possible that between now and January 1, 2016, New Rochelle will have had four different people serving as Mayor.
The pragmatic question for NR’s Republicans, is who would they want appointed Mayor in 2013, and who will they run in the two elections that would occur in 2014 and 2015? Certainly their nominated candidates for Mayor, in 2007 and 2011, were poor choices guaranteed to lose the day they were nominated.
If the Republicans want any chance to win any election as Mayor, they must choose someone who avoids Tea Party politics, who disdains the obstructions of Republicans in Congress, who is Pro-Choice, who promises to maintain if not enhance municipal services, and who does not appear hostile to the interests of the lower income voters of the South End nor the higher income voters of the North End.
Although a pragmatic Republican Party could win election as Mayor of New Rochelle, I suspect that the local Tea Party would choose to spite its face by chewing off its nose.
Regardless, Warren’s point was “He Supports Bob Cox”
This piece by Warren is from his Facebook. We saw each other a few days ago and I said I would put it out for him. The reason for the post is he wanted to show his support of Bob Cox’s quest to become a member of The New Rochelle School Board and urge other residents to support Bob Cox. His point was to urge those that may still believe in Noam to support Bob Cox for New Rochelle School Board regardless of their beliefs and friend ships with him.
There is only that passing reference to Noam. The rest of the post refers to Bob Cox and how Bob Cox can think outside of the box and has the necessary base to serve on The New Rochelle School Board. His personal politics are irrelevant. He points out that Bob Cox is not running for council membership, he is not a lawyer or an educator, he is an ex business man and media specialist. His main point, the reason to support Bob Cox is simple; the man fully understands the educational challenges facing our City and has the courage to address these and yes, to do so in a collaborative way with his colleagues.
For the many reasons Warren gives in his Warrenesk way, I also support Bob Cox in his run for The New Rochelle School Board. I have seen him in action on this site and at School Board Meetings. He asks the right questions and has the ability to give solutions and help solve the problems that exist within the school system. We have seen this many times here on Talk of the Sound. Much of his research and follow up have lead to the true problems eventually being brought forward and not hidden under the rug. His knowledge and hard work would be a true blessing and a breath of fresh air for The New Rochelle School Board, our children and taxes would benefit the most.
Sorry I missed last night, Good Luck Bob!
Perhaps, but one can’t support FDR and Hitler at the same time.
Sorry, Warren, I’m still sad at your post.
After THIRTY PLUS years of Idoni and Noam, there should be NO doubt in the minds of the citizens of New Rochelle that Noam will FORCE his clone down the throats of the naive unsuspecting citizens of New Rochelle and you and I and all the others with brains will be posting here in a year or so, telling those who don’t have a brain and who have voted in the clone of Noam who was the clone of Idoni before him:
“WE TOLD YOU SO”.
At any rate, if the voters of New Rochelle know what’s good for them, they will vote in Bob Cox.
New Mayor
Two ways to look at it. Gnome wins the county and appoints Fertel to finish his term. Fertel runs for mayor and wins.
Just what Idoni did when he left.
Or, Gnome loses the county and remains as mayor and rots in the mess he helped create that is New Rochelle.
Either way the citizens lose, because the electorate in this city is naive, apathetic or are lemmings who can’t make a decision on their own.
Warren, Warren, Warren, Warren, Warren……….
>>>I also am a supporter of Noam Bramson and will remain one as he seeks higher County office.
Realllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllly?
Dear me, that makes me SO sad. That’s all I’ll say.
>>>I am in full support of Bob Cox quest to become a member of the New Rochelle School Board and I urge all residents to support him.
Amen. Good luck, Bob Cox. Especially since Cox has helped to expose the crooked politics that is New Rochelle politics and the fish that stinks at the head, aka, Noam Bramson who is the stinking fish that will pollute Westchester County if the morons allow him to sit at the right hand of the head crook, Idoni.
Be well, Warren.
exactly
How can one be supportive of Bob Cox and Bramson at the same time? I find it baffling. The reasons you’d support Bob Cox are the same reasons you’d oppose Bramson. On one hand, you like the way Bob Cox doesn’t take any crap and would shake things up at the school board. Where is that quality in Noam Bramson? I really just don’t get it. Warren acts like some straight shootin’ old dude, who tells it like it is. Is there any clarity in that brain? What is it about Bramson? His looks? The fact he went to Harvard? Oh yes, he’s a real nice guy and he means well. Give me a break. I hate this whole “I don’t vote along political lines” type of crap.
One can’t, you’re quite right….
Bramson is a crook and a follow-on instrument in the corruption and downfall of New Rochelle, which is now a sewer. Everyone knows that.
Bob Cox has been exposing Idoni and Bramson and will no doubt expose the new Mayor whom Bramson appoints and the stupid New Rochelle citizens vote in, so Bob Cox is a hero.
Hence my very sad disappointment at Warren’s post.
I assume your note isn’t to me, willyrand.
nope
you had it right. It was about Warren.
New Rochelle School Board
I support Bob Cox
How you can help me…
I need to know who out there is supporting me so we can contact them as the election approaches and remind them to get to the polls on May 21st.
If you are supporting me (and registered to vote in NR) please send me the following (robertcox@talkofthesound.com):
Name
Address
Phone
Email
If you are not registered to vote, you have until May 7th to be eligible for this election. You can get the forms online:
http://citizenparticipation.westchestergov.com/register-to-vote
If you need assistance getting register email me at the address above and I will help. More than ever, your vote can make a real difference.
PS, campaign donations do not hurt either (see newrochelletalk.com for more on this)