Last night, with the Skaller Campaign
A very tired, but ever gracious, Josh Skaller
Josh Skaller with his campaign manager, Chris Owens
Josh Skaller addressing his volunteers
Kelly Skaller with baby SelahThe Day After The 39th District Primaries
First, let me say that I am of course disappointed that Josh Skaller did not win in the democratic primaries last night, as you no doubt already know. But in no way am I regretful for supporting his candidacy. And after spending last evening with him, after listening to the speech he gave to his very tired (and sunburned) campaign volunteers, I am more convinced than ever that he was the right man to represent us in the City Council.
It has been my incredible pleasure to get to know Josh. He ran his campaign with honesty, grace and clarity. He motivated his volunteers with his clear, unwavering message that our neighborhoods belong to us and that the City Council has to represent its citizens, not special interests.
I hope that Josh will continue to be a strong voice for change. We need him, be it in the fight against Atlantic Yards, in the fight for the Gowanus Canal Superfund designation or in the fight to preserve our brownstone neighborhoods.
To all of you friends and readers, some of whom I got to meet personally yesterday, thank you for taking the time to listen to my impassioned speeches about Josh. And most importantly,
thank you for supporting and voting Josh.
And to Josh, his lovely wife and children, I hope you get some rest, spend some time together as a family and then...plan the next campaign.
For Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking
.JPG)
7 comments:
I am disappointed too.
However, there is another story and that is that the old guard doesn't have as much political clout as they might have once enjoyed. Their hand picked candidate, John Heyer, came in third in his own neighborhood. I hope that our other electeds take note of this. Things are changing and I hope it continues.
Now we get to vote in a run off in two weeks.
Disappointed too, but also please keep in mind that the new councilman must have his feet kept to the fire by us, the community.
As one who was at the pole closing at PS 32 last night to check the numbers, lets not loose track of the fact that JOSH SKALLER WON THESE GOWANUS POLING DISTRICTS, while the candidate representing an old guard, Heyer, came in third on each of the poling machines behind the second place union candidate, Lander.
At 9:10 last night, at least at PS32, the Skallerites experienced a brief sense of victory. We just didn’t realize how little concern our Gowanus environmental issues were to our neighbors up on the Hill and the Slope--the perspective from the top of our watershed is different.
It’s still early to figure out where this leaves us on our environmental issues, but there are some developments that took place in this primary that are revealing. The results from the local individual poling districts expose a new void in leadership within the Carroll Gardens area. The Skaller team has emerged as a significant group to fill the void.
Marlene
Let's not forget that almost 60% of the voters thought that someone else was better qualified than Brad Lander and he faces two opponents (David Pechefsky and Joe Nardiello) in November.
To me the big story here is the loss of the power and the loss of the APPEAL of the Carroll Gardens "OLD GUARD", eg the Scottos and thier followers. Perhaps they never really had all that power and influece to begin with?
Even many Carroll Gardeners here for generations did not choose to support Heyer and his claim that he was "one of us". Clearly many, many voters in CArroll Gardens disagreed! This is a rather stunning revelation in a nabe that seemed to be all "ruled" by a tiny, handful of people until recently.
As much as they tried to exert enormous pressure on the neighborhood voters, (and they did!) the CG old timers were just not having it. They didnt see the Heyer as Councilman idea as such a good one, and they picked two men from the Slope over one of "their own".
This is really quite a day in the history of Carroll Gardens.
The ever-amazing Josh Skaller who ran a clean campaign without all the dollars and financial support of Lander and Heyer, managed to come in SECOND!! How wonderful is that? Josh must run again!
Lastly, it's such a shame that the voters on the "Hill" and the "Slope" could not, in many cases, see beyond their noses to the all consuming environemntal disaster that is the Gowanus Canal; licking at their feet as we speak.
Brad says he is for Superfund Gowanus - and his website said it was not paid for by developers. So I have the feeling that his campaign paid attention to what the issues were. Heyer signs were all over the nabe - didn't Scotto cover his hearst with them? There is hope for a new wind a-blowin'. Thank you Josh, because your campaign definitely impacted the issues! You are a true gent. And your wife deserves many thanks, too. And thanks to all you who worked so hard for Josh - I think he did very well!It was great how the neighborhood, the grass roots, really got very active in this election! Margaret M
Reflecting on the measure of impetus that Josh put on the issues (and early) and how each Dem. candidate needed to answer/respond to his voice. Campaign Finance Reform, as Josh says isn't easy while you're a candidate -- that has to keep up with donor $$. I've chosen to find ways around even asking people for $$, and will NOT take Public Matching Funds, period. There's been $1.4 million already spent by De Blasio & Liu alone -- taken from Public Revenues, by matching funding. Now.. how many 'working families' might that have helped in some measure of City services?
We can take a progressive or aggressive 'baton' into the race, at this point.From the start -- I'm doing this to push both major parties to a level of achievement that we simply have NOT seen for decades. It's not going to happen within a One Party system. So, now you have an 'Independent' resident that reflects our 39th District being raised in a blue-collar, union area... and one proven now, that will not take anyone's nonsense, and been supported by 71% of Republicans having met me, at their doorsteps.
If I win -- what you'd have is a City Councilman that's proactive enough on a level-playing field to appear to be shot out of a cannon. Reform, refocus or go home.
People ask how I can keep it a secret, of my role in bringing East and West Harlem together in the early 90s within the Dinkins' economic development & policy arms (one of NYC's greatest success stories along these lines, really). Fair enough, but.. after all, I'm still here to 'elevate the debate' and apply 25 years of business experience beginning with Year 3 of the Great Recession.
Brooklyn can be America's center of solar power manufacturing and distribution for example, and spawn a new industry 1,000s of related jobs. There's no other candidate (left) that has a better chance of accomplishing this and other achievements -- across a cleaner, safer, brighter era that can begin in 2010.
About Gowanus.. Action, Accountability and Community involvement were overshadowed from the beginning, that much is crystal clear -- and this issue sped at a near lightning pace (Feb-July) and with the spirit of advocates that supported Josh and then by Josh himself of course.
Now, it's October. What now?
Personally, I'm not a fan of government solutions and related inefficiencies -- and both options cannot move fast enough for me. The Canal needs to be clean. Public needs access. The environment needs protection. There's a chance for more parkland and wetlands. But, the corridor is active; some business behavior needs to change. That being said, I'm not a fan of Riverkeeper taking small businesses to court, either.
The existing and potential economy of our areas is very important to the health & well-being of our areas. Development isn't a 4-letter word. But, if there ever was a need for a true comprehensive vision -- that has full community support and by vote by FROGG and CORD and residents of Gowanus and in inspiring fashion... this is it. No matter the solution, people will be angry. Again, weak-kneed public servants and those seeking to check which way the wind blows will not get anything done -- because the Powers That Be will simply move it ahead. Robert Moses said -- you can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs. We cannot stand for that sort of mentality when it comes to the areas we love, and where we live.
Post a Comment