http://admin.politicker.com en http://www.politickerpa.com/danh/2877/would-you-some-fries-constituent-service Newly-elected state Rep. Kevin Murphy (D-Scranton) is taking a lesson from the fast-food industry and applying it to his district office. No, the 113th Legislative District lawmaker, sworn in today, isn't serving food in the West Scranton office. But constituents can enjoy the ease of a drive-through window for their service needs, The Times-Tribune reports. The window, Murphy hopes, will make it easier for senior citizens and disabled constituents to get the service they need. Local Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:48:00 -0500 Dan Hirschhorn 44168 at http://politicker.com http://www.politickerny.com/1319/rebate-checks-much-shorter-note This is the very terse note accompanying the $400 homeowners rebate checks that Michael Bloomberg reluctantly sent out after brokering a deal with the City Council on taxes. Last year, the message that accompanied the checks was a little longer, and decidedly more upbeat: “The Mayor and the City Council have approved another property tax rebate. Your enclosed rebate check is the City’s way of recognizing the sacrifice you made to keep New York City fiscally sound.”   Both message were signed by Martha Stark, the city’s finance commissioner. Local Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:26:00 -0500 Azi Paybarah 44166 at http://politicker.com http://www.politickerpa.com/alexroarty/2875/murthas-seniority-continues-rise The dean of Pennsylvania's congressional delegation, U.S. Rep. John Murtha (D-Johnstown), continues climbing Washington's rungs of power. After swearing in today, Murtha will be the eighth-most senior U.S. House member and the 12th-most senior member in Congress, reports The Tribune-Democrat Monday. If Murtha, who was originally elected in 1974, wins re-election in two years, he will become the longest serving member of the Pennsylvania delegation ever, the paper reports. The 76-year-old Murtha has said he doesn't have any plans to retire. House Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:26:00 -0500 Alex Roarty 44167 at http://politicker.com http://www.politickerma.com/jeremyjacobs/2239/dimasi-doesn-t-promise-quick-action-task-force-ethics-recommendations House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi, who is currently being investigated for alleged ethics violations, said Tuesday that the House would review recommendations put forth by Gov. Deval Patrick's ethics task force but did not ensure their swift passage into law. Patrick, a Milton Democrat, called on Legislature to act on the recommendations within 30 days. He plans to introduce the recommendations as legislation on Wednesday. "The members of the House will thoroughly review the recommendations from the governor's task force and we will seriously consider any necessary changes in the new term," DiMasi, a Boston Democrat, said in a statement. Governor Local Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:15:00 -0500 Jeremy P. Jacobs 44165 at http://politicker.com http://www.politickerny.com/1314/worked-other-guy Here's the literature I mentioned I picked up last night in Jackson Heights from the campaign of City Council candidate Francisco Moya.  A very familiar slogan. President Local Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:11:00 -0500 Azi Paybarah 44164 at http://politicker.com http://www.politickerny.com/1320/john-lius-team-09-lynch-siegel-lake-mission-control John Liu has signed Bill Lynch Associates to be the general consultants on his campaign for public advocate, a campaign aide confirmed. “This is a very accomplished group of campaign strategists and partners who have signed on as a team for John Liu, the next public advocate,” said Chung Seto, a senior strategist on the campaign. Liu has also signed up some other notable political talent. Jimmy Siegel, who created commercials for Eliot Spitzer and Hillary Clinton, will do Liu’s commercials. Polls will be done by the Washington D.C.-based Celinda Lake, whose biography notes she’s particularly adept at “framing issues to women voters. Local Tue, 06 Jan 2009 14:51:00 -0500 Azi Paybarah 44163 at http://politicker.com http://www.politickerma.com/jeremyjacobs/2238/patrick-task-force-recommends-stricter-penalties-ethics-violations Responding to numerous ethics scandals that plagued Beacon Hill last year, Gov. Deval Patrick's Task Force on Public Integrity called for stricter penalties and stronger lobbying laws in its recommendations on Tuesday. The report is the culmination of public and private meetings of the 13-member task force. Patrick put the group together following former state Sen. Dianne Wilkerson's arrest on corruption charges. "Right now, thanks to several recent serious charges of misconduct, our citizens are questioning the integrity of their government," Patrick, a Milton Democrat, said in a statement. "Now is the time to assure ourselves and the public that the consequences for breaching the public trust will be serious, swift and certain." The report makes several recommendations including increasing the maximum punishment for bribery to $100,000 and 10 years in prison, up from $5,000 and three years imprisonment. It would also increase penalties for violations of conflict of interest laws and failing to register as a lobbyist. Governor Tue, 06 Jan 2009 14:38:00 -0500 Jeremy P. Jacobs 44162 at http://politicker.com http://www.politickerny.com/1318/time-smith-bringing-deal-members ALBANY—It looks like State Senator Malcolm Smith is taking a different approach to a leadership deal this time.  Smith met with the "gang of three" state senators last night, and an agreement under which the renegades will get committee chairmanships under Smith--similar to what was agreed last time--is close at hand. Sources on both sides confirm that nothing has been set in stone as Smith tries to cobble together a 32-vote coalition and become chamber's next majority leader. Smith would not agree to anything without speaking to his conference, which will gather tonight at the Capitol. "All of us are going to find out where we are, and get our input--is it a yea, is it a nay--and we'll move from there," State Senator Eric Adams said. Governor Local Tue, 06 Jan 2009 14:30:00 -0500 Jimmy Vielkind 44161 at http://politicker.com http://www.politickernh.com/brianlawson/4988/nh-political-library-elects-new-members The New Hampshire Political Library has announced that it has elected two new members to its Board of Directors. State Sen. Sylvia Larsen (D-Concord) and Joel Maiola will be joining the library's board. Larsen is the president of the state senate and Maiola is the former chief of staff to U.S. Sen. Judd Gregg (R-Rye). Local Tue, 06 Jan 2009 14:07:00 -0500 Brian Lawson 44160 at http://politicker.com http://www.politickernh.com/brianlawson/4987/shaheen-sworn-us-senate Former Gov. Jeanne Shaheen (D-Madbury) officially became a United States Senator when she took the oath of office shortly after noon. Shaheen defeated U.S. Sen. John Sununu (R-Waterville Valley), now a former U.S. Senator, in November to become New Hampshire's first female U.S. Senator and first Democratic U.S. Senator in almost 30 years. Shaheen is also the first woman to be elected governor and U.S. Senator from any state. US Senate Tue, 06 Jan 2009 14:04:00 -0500 Brian Lawson 44159 at http://politicker.com http://www.politickernj.com/max/26366/doherty-announces-support-three-warren-county-mayors Assemblyman Michael Doherty (R-Washington Twp.) today laid down another barrage of local endorsements for his state senate run in the 23rd District, where he hopes to succeed newly sworn-in U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance (R-Clinton). Doherty’s trying to defeat Assemblywoman Marcia Karrow (R-Raritan Twp.), whose home base of Hunterdon is the bigger of the two counties sharing the 23rd District.  To that end, he burnished the support of three Warren County mayors: Michael Lavery of Hacketstown, Douglas Steinhardt of Lopatcong, and Samir Elbassiouny of Washington Township. Each gave Doherty an unequivocal thumbs up. Local Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:52:00 -0500 Max Pizarro 44158 at http://politicker.com http://www.politickernj.com/wallye/26364/reilly-joins-codey-staff Matt Reilly, the former deputy chief of the Star-Ledger statehouse bureau, will be the new communications director for the Senate Democrats. An award-winning journalist, Reilly replaces Jim Manion, a former Associated Press statehouse reporter who is retiring after a long career in the Senate Democratic office. http://www.politickernj.com/wallye/26364/reilly-joins-codey-staff#comments Local Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:18:00 -0500 Wally Edge 44156 at http://politicker.com http://www.politickernj.com/max/26365/corzine-iraq Speaking from Iraq on a scheduled but unannounced visit days after a New Jersey soldier died from wounds suffered from a mortar round, Gov. Jon Corzine said coordinated attacks in the battle-scarred country are down dramatically with New Jersey troops performing their jobs admirably. He adamantly said the trip was not a smokescreen to cover an economic crisis at home.  "There is no reason on earth one wouldn't think it is the responsibility of the governor in the largest deployment of citizen soldiers, that when the Department of Defense organizes a visit I've been requesting for three to four months, that I wouldn't (go to Iraq)," Corzine told reporters in an afternoon conference call. Hoping to show his gratitude for the works and sacrifices of those soldiers "who protect the rest of us," the governor toured Camp Bucca in Umm Qasr, a detention facility for about 15,000 people, which is 25 percent staffed by personnel from New Jersey. Governor Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:57:00 -0500 Max Pizarro 44157 at http://politicker.com http://www.politickerpa.com/alexroarty/2874/mccall-becomes-house-speaker-metcalfe-bid-dies-own-caucus HARRISBURG -- State Rep. Keith McCall (D-Carbon County) was officially elected Speaker of the House on Tuesday after receiving the full support of his 104-member Democratic caucus. McCall, whose ascension to the position was mostly a formality after receiving his caucus' support during leadership elections, received five more votes that Republican lawmaker Sam Smith (R-Jefferson County), who received 99 votes.  Smith was nominated for Speaker of the House after defeating his colleague Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler County), who had surprisingly his announced his candidacy for the position last week, during an internal caucus vote taken Tuesday morning. Metcalfe nominated Smith for speaker on the House floor.  Smith later moved to make it a unanimous vote for McCall. Local Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:50:00 -0500 Alex Roarty 44155 at http://politicker.com http://www.politickerny.com/1311/search-city-salaries Thanks to the Manhattan Institute's Empire Center, the city’s payroll is now online, and searchable. Here what a few of our civil servants make: Deputy Mayor Kevin Sheekey:$196,574 Counsel to the Mayor, Anthony Crowell:$169,720 Outspoken City Council staffer Viola Plummer:$51,575 Michael Bloomberg's $1 salary is in the database, but other elected officials don't seem to be there. Simcha Felder's new chief of staff, Ari Hoffnung is not in the system yet.  The best fact I learned is that semi-famous political gadfly Isac Weinberger's day job is at the city's Department of Transportation, and he's listed under "Erno Weinberger," He earns $64,735 annually. "That's my first name," he told me when I called him just now. Local Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:41:00 -0500 Azi Paybarah 44153 at http://politicker.com http://www.politickerpa.com/alexroarty/2873/updated-rendell-spokesman-calls-rubin-rendell-stories-much-ado-about-nothing HARRISBURG -- Governor Ed Rendell's spokesman pushed back Tuesday against a series of media reports connecting the governor to a political donor at the center of a "pay-to-play" investigation making national headlines. The grand jury investigation, which focuses on contributions made by CDR Financial Products President David Rubin to New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and state contracts his company subsequently received, drove Richardson to withdraw as the nominee for President-elect Barack Obama's commerce secretary. On Monday, PolitickerPA.com and several other media outlets reported Rubin gave $40,000 total to Rendell's two gubernatorial campaigns. And The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported Tuesday that CDR Financial had a $45,000 contract with the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, although governor spokesman Chuck Ardo emphasized that it does not have any contracts with the administration. Ardo reiterated that statement to reporters Tuesday in the Capitol and said the stories are "much ado about nothing." Governor Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:37:00 -0500 Alex Roarty 44154 at http://politicker.com http://www.politickerny.com/1315/dinapoli-thinks-march-hoping-budget-overly-optimistic ALBANY—The state's top financial officer is skeptical that lawmakers will be able to enact the budget a month early, as David Paterson initially proposed. Early adoption, Paterson said, will save $1.3 billion of next year's estimated $12.7 billion budget gap. "It's certainly been clear that we're going to have a very tough budget, and it's only been in recent past that the April 1st deadline has been real, so that March 1st is going to be the new real deadline might have been overly optimistic by the governor," DiNapoli said at a breakfast meeting with reporters in his 15th floor office suite. Governor Local Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:30:00 -0500 Jimmy Vielkind 44152 at http://politicker.com http://www.politickerny.com/1312/council-candidate-will-refuse-matching-funds The city’s fiscal crisis is the reason why John Tabacco said he won’t seek matching funds for his City Council campaign. “Well, I think the city has enough problems,” said Tabacco in a brief telephone interview this morning. “In light of the fact that we just had to accept a tax increase so that we can get our tax rebate checks from last year, New Yorkers don’t need candidate’s taking money out of their pockets.” Tabacco, who has the same spokesperson as Al Sharpton, Rachel Noerdlinger, is running to replace Mike McMahon in the special election February 24. The campaign has not filed petitions yet, but Tabacco says he will by early next week. http://www.politickerny.com/1312/council-candidate-will-refuse-matching-funds#comments Local Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:23:00 -0500 Azi Paybarah 44151 at http://politicker.com http://www.politickerny.com/1313/tedisco-sings-supper-senecas-look-obama Diane Feinstein, chair of the intelligence committee, indicated she may oppose Leon Panetta as C.I.A. head. [Balt Sun] Jim Tedisco sings against the iTunes tax, suggests money go to his campaign instead. [Liz] Williamsburg blogs will keep this park issue alive. [NAG and 11211] The Senecas are hoping that Obama and the bad economy will be good for their casino plans. [THR] Lynn Sweet vividly describes Roland Burris' arrival at the Senate. [Sun-Times] Reflecting on the candidacy of Ron Paul, a candidate for chair of the Republican Party said, “I want people involved in my party that will hang off bridges and paint on their cars and make up t-shirts." [WSJ] Local Tue, 06 Jan 2009 11:47:00 -0500 Katharine Jose 44150 at http://politicker.com http://www.politickerma.com/jeremyjacobs/2237/evangelidis-jones-trade-jabs-eve-leadership-vote Current House Minority Leader Brad Jones and challenger state Rep. Lewis Evangelidis said Tuesday that they are looking forward to the leadership vote on Wednesday, while trading subtle blows. The House GOP caucus will vote on Wednesday on its leadership. Nine members of that 16-member caucus have publicly stated they are supporting Jones  a North Reading Republican. If that number holds, Jones will be re-elected on Wednesday. That didn't, however, stop Evangelidis from just jabbing Jones on Tuesday. "I am aware that nine people have openly committed to Rep. Jones," Evangelidis, of Holden, told PolitickerMA.com. "I can say, though, that more than nine have told me that there is a need for change and that I'd make a good leader." Evangelidis would not say, however, that he has stolen votes from Jones. http://www.politickerma.com/jeremyjacobs/2237/evangelidis-jones-trade-jabs-eve-leadership-vote#comments Local Tue, 06 Jan 2009 11:46:00 -0500 Jeremy P. Jacobs 44149 at http://politicker.com