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| Simon, Biviano, Sikora. Photo: MK Metz |
The endorsement may not help Sikora as much as he thinks, however, as he is running in a district that is not exactly enamored with de Blasio right now.
As a candidate for mayor, de Blasio received enornmous support in Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn Heights, Downtown Brooklyn and Red Hook for his firmly-stated opposition to the sale of Long Island College Hospital (LICH).
In what locals see as a shocking betrayal, after the election de Blasio backed LICH's closure and sale to real estate developer Fortis Property Group. Since that time, a long, slow burn has been kindling in the 52nd -- and if anything, it only seems to be heating up.
While Sikora has a good record on LICH, the environment and other issues, De Blasio's endorsement may be enough to push undecideds into voting for Jo Anne Simon -- a strong, reform-minded activist who has made a mark over the years working on issues like traffic calming in Downtown Brooklyn, fighting the closure of LICH and opposing eminent domain at Atlantic Yards. On Friday, Simon received the backing of the New York Times.
In a recent debate, Sikora said that people were being too harsh on de Blasio for allowing LICH to be closed, and that Cuomo should be the focus of Brooklyn's ire. But Sikora is linked with Cuomo through endorsements by the Working Families Party, and now through de Blasio, who is backing Cuomo.
Residents from Red Hook to Downtown Brooklyn and Williamsburg, who have no hospital, may not be in a forgiving mood.
(Johnnie-come-lately Doug Biviano is also running for Assembly in the 52nd. Biviano, however, was a no-show during the two year LICH struggle.)
Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.
Shouldn't you point out that Doug Biviano is the only candidate blasting Sikora for defending deBlasio? Sikora won't apologize for his campaign consultant Berlin-Rosen who sent the mailer with deBlasio's One NY PAC that lied to voters about the level of emergency care protection the proposed Fortis ER would provide (Doctors disputed immediately). Instead of apologizing for lies, Sikora defends BR and deBlasio. ONLY BIVIANO points this out.
ReplyDeleteIt should also be pointed out that Jo Anne Simon took a $4,000 contribution from Brooklyn Dem Party Boss Frank Seddio and is a big booster of him. Seddio's law partner and Party Law Chair Frank Carone represented LICH and Carl McCall in the closing of LICH. Why won't Simon call this shameful behavior out instead of praising Seddio and taking his dirty money?
Berlin Rosen also handles the Elton John Aids Foundation, the United Nations Foundation, the Nation, and the 92 Street Y. While it is possible they are colluding in a plot with de Blasio, Sikora and developers, it does not seem likely.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Jo Anne Simon is not big buddies with Seddio. She was one of very few Dems to abstain from the vote making Seddio party boss (Chris Owens was another). (Charles Baron and his wife Inez were the only 2 to vote against him.)
Simon was running against him but couldn't win with those odds. So collaboration was her only recourse.