14 The Queens Courier • march 6, 2014 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com politics Liu backs Meng Former Comptroller John Liu put an end to rumors he may run against Congressmember Grace Meng by endorsing the popular Flushing representative for her re-election bid. “I thank John Liu for his endorsement and for highlighting the important work I’ve done in Congress during my first year in Washington,” Meng said in a statement on Monday, March 3. “I look forward to continuing If You’re Ready to Buy a Home,We are Ready to Help. The State of New York M ortgage Agency offers: Up to $15,000 Down Payment Assistance 1-800-382-HOME(4663) for Housing www.sonyma.org to work with him to make our city, state and borough an even better place to live.” Liu, after an unsuccessful bid for mayor, has reportedly been eyeing a spot back in elected office. However, the current part-time Baruch College professor has not confirmed or denied any rumors that include possible challenges to Congressmember Nydia Velázquez or State Senator Tony Avella. Photo courtesy Congressmember Grace Meng. de Blasio, Bratton unveil ‘Seven Steps’ for NYPD BY CRISTABELLE TUMOLA ctumola@queenscourier.com/@CristabelleT The NYPD is introducing new protocols in the hope of building more trust between officers and citizens. Mayor Bill de Blasio and Police Commissioner Bill Bratton unveiled seven police practices to improve community relations on Thursday, February 27, in light of the department’s controversial stop-and-frisk policy. “These are the kinds of things that will continue to deepen our efforts to keep the city safe and to build that deep partnership between police and community,” de Blasio said. The new practices, called “Seven Steps to Positive Community Interactions,” will be integrated into police academy curriculum, according to the mayor. “The seven steps are things that a lot of officers already know instinctively and practice every day, but we want to make it the norm,” he said. According to the mayor, the steps are: 1. Whenever possible – whenever it makes sense – the officer politely introduces himself and provides name and rank. 2. Actively listen and attentively listen to the people they’re encountering. 3. Keep an open mind about the information they’re receiving. 4. Be patient with the people they are serving. 5. Know the resources of the NYPD – and other agencies – that would be available to help people with their problems. 6. Make every reasonable effort to address the needs of the people that have asked for help. 7. Make sure every encounter, whenever possible, ends on a positive note so people know that they have been served with that respect. Bratton, who called the steps “common sense,” said the idea is to create new language for police to use that can help them “diffuse” rather than “escalate” situations. ASTORINO’S HAT IN THE RING BY CRISTABELLE TUMOLA ctumola@queenscourier.com/@CristabelleT Rob Astorino is asking voters whether New York is winning or losing. The Westchester County Executive, in a video challenging Andrew Cuomo’s economic successes in leading the state, has announced he is running on the Republican ticket for governor. “I’m tired of listening to the fairy tale that everything is just great when it’s just the opposite. I’m tired of watching New York’s decline,” he said, declaring his candidacy on Wednesday, March 5. If the state is winning, Astorino, 46, proclaimed, then re-elect Cuomo, but the evidence, he added, shows it is not. New York has the highest taxes in the country, worst business climate, most corrupt government and second highest electric rates, Astorino claimed. The video also attacked the governor for raising taxes and for his plan to fund college classes in prisons. Astorino called Cuomo’s handling of Common Core a “disaster,” and promised to replace it with better standards, teaching and testing, all set and controlled at the local level. He additionally said New York needs more charter schools, not fewer. He promised bipartisan, inclusive governing that he said helped get “Westchester back on the winning path again.” Before he was elected to his first term as County Executive in 2009, Astorino served on the Westchester County Board of Legislators, and was a Mount Pleasant councilmember for 12 years. Though he won re-election last year in a 2-1 Democratic Photo courtesy Friends of Rob Astorino county, he has an uphill battle if he faces Cuomo in the general election. Cuomo, a popular incumbent, already has more than $33 million in campaign funds, according to the New York State Board of Elections. A February 13 Quinnipiac University poll showed Cuomo, with a 63 percent job approval rating, would beat Astorino 58 to 24 percent. It also found he would easily defeat another potential challenger, Donald Trump. The 2010 GOP candidate for governor, Carl Paladino, could reportedly run as a third party candidate. Challenger calls for Smith to step down BY MAGIE HAYES mhayes@queenscourier.com/@magghayes Clyde Vanel launched his campaign against State Senator Malcolm smith in January, and now wants the incumbent to step down. Smith was arrested last April on corruption charges. His trial is set to begin June 2 and Vanel said Smith, who is up for re-election, “cannot properly represent the community while on trial for political corruption.” “The senator is innocent until proven guilty. However, the community’s need for proper representation during this difficult period is outweighed by the senator’s individual circumstances. Smith should step down,” Vanel said. The State Senate will be out of session come the trial date, but Vanel said that “doesn’t mean the work for the community isn’t done.” “The petitioning period for the campaign begins in June. The time to really engage and talk to the public is during the campaign. If you’re too busy and you cannot do that, that’s a detriment to the community,” he said. Smith will be tried, along with former Councilmember Dan Halloran and former Queens GOP leader Vincent Tabone. The three were allegedly involved in a scheme to get Smith, a Democrat, on the Republican ticket for last year’s race for mayor. Smith and representatives for the state senator did not comment.
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