Weisenberg blasts Denise Tagney & Long Beach City Counci

[New York Times]

NEW YORK TIMES - LONG ISLAND SECTION
September 9, 2006

Storm Protection
Rejection of Preservation Project Ripples Through Long Beach
By BEN GIBBERD
LONG BEACH, N.Y.

IT may have left no physical damage in its wake, but the recent communal storm in this oceanfront city over the future of its beaches has realigned the political and environmental landscape.

Despite fears about the city’s vulnerability to a major hurricane, the five-member City Council, three Democrats and two Republicans, voted unanimously in May to reject a $98.5 million beach preservation project by the Army Corps of Engineers that was designed to protect Long Beach from ocean flooding.

The plan would have placed a berm of dredged sand along the beach 10 feet high, with a 5-foot dune on top, from the western end of Long Beach to Point Lookout, more than six miles to the east. Point Lookout agreed to a separate plan after the Long Beach project was rejected.

A major opponent of the corps’ plan was an environmental and surfer-advocacy group, the Surfrider Foundation, whose members said the project would create dangerous riptides and harm the look of the beach, with no guarantee that the city would be better protected, as the corps and the proponents of the plan claimed.

The group held meetings to get its message to the public and the council alike, and produced testimony by a coastal engineer and several representatives from local communities whose beaches had undergone similar projects. All testified against the corps’ proposals for Long Beach.

Jeff Kupferman, the chairman of Surfrider’s Long Beach Action Committee and a 45-year city resident, said that while rejection of the plan was a “major victory” for Surfrider, surfing was far from the only issue.

“We had concerns about swimming safety, as well as surfing, about fishing, kayaking, aesthetics — any use of the beach,” he said.

James P. Hennessy, a Republican council member, agreed. “It was never just about surfing,” he said. “The council doesn’t agree about much, but it did agree that the beach fill part of the project was wrong.”

What annoyed Mr. Kupferman was that Surfrider was portrayed negatively by those who favored the plan. “Their attitude was we were, ‘Yo, just a bunch of surfer dudes out to get a wave,’ ” he said. “And they used that as the hook to try and discredit us. The fact that we prevailed has sent a lot of ripples out into this community.”

Alison Johnson, a Long Beach resident and vice chairwoman of Surfrider’s New York City chapter, which worked closely with the Central Long Island chapter in opposing the plan, said that the decision had ramifications beyond Long Beach.

“It will make the powers that be look at storm protection on the East Coast in a different way,” she said, “which is the biggest success you can ask from any project.”

Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg, a lifelong Long Beach resident and a vocal supporter of the Corps of Engineers’ project, was less sanguine about the outcome.

“How did people get elected to office that are so ignorant?” he said of the City Council. “I just pray hard and hope to God we don’t get hit by anything."

Even with the beach issue decided, the officials’ alliance with activists may continue.

Mr. Hennessy and the other Republican council member, Thomas R. Sofield Jr., have proposed an alternative storm-management plan, which includes working with advisory groups like Surfrider, and the city has asked independent coastal engineers for ways to address beach protection.

Mr. Hennessy said he still had hopes of working with the Corps of Engineers should it agree to return to Long Beach, but he is adamant about his vote to reject the project.

“I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of people who came up to me and said we’d made a mistake,” he said.

[Hospital patient]

How mean and insensitive!

Aren't the Tagney, Flynn and Heidgen families suffering as they relive their personal tragedies during the current trial of the alleged drunk driver who killed their loved ones?

Harvey is such a phony!

[Travesty]

Outrageous! I cannot believe Weisenberg said that?

[stop stirring the pot]

DT ran for office knowing full well what politics is. she was on the school board.

we all feel very sorry for both families but she ran for office after the tragedy and after her daughter asked her not to.

calling the whole council ignorant is hardly a personal attack.

DON'T TRY AND MAKE SOMETHING OUT OF NOTHING.

[Sorry Harvey, Apologize!]

I beg to disagree.

Shouldn't our proud Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg have given some pause in light of current events, such as the current litigation pending in the courts. I think Weisenberg is insensitive.

Many would say that might be considered an unfair charge? Is it?

I recognize that Harvey Weisenberg has been dedicated to the needs of the disabled. I also recognize he got some outstanding lighting for the Athletic fields in Long Beach. All good stuff.

However, Assemblyman Weisenberg has nothing but silence regarding the outrageous and dysfunctional world of Albany. Weisenberg's boss, Assembly Leader Sheldon Silver 's former aide, Michael Boxley raped not one but two woman. Weisenberg's response was silence.

Recently, Weisenberg opined that Long Beach needs a Mayor. Weisenberg was even kind enough to mention himself as a potential successor. In the face of a 25% tax hike by the City Council of Long Beach, Weisenberg's response was silence.

At a meeting this summer, Weisenberg informed an audience at the West End Neighbors that he, Harvey Weisenberg was responsible for getting the Comptroller of New York State to investigate financial improprieties in the City of Long Beach.

FALSE! Weisenberg LIED! Harvey Weisenberg knew damn well he had nothing to do with it. Former City Manager Glen Spiritis working with private citizens in Long Beach collectively were responsible for the Comptroller's presence.

Weisenberg's selectivity is the real issue. I stand by my comments that I think Harvey Weisenberg should have the decency to apologize to the entire City Council, but especially Mrs. Denise Tagney.

If you have nothing to say to Shelly Silver, you should have less to say to the City Council.

[you lost me.]

to sorry harvey,

what does any of that have to do with him saying he disagrees with the council and they are ignorant?

please stick to the point. use the sop-box later.

if we can't criticize our politicians they souldn't be there. and we can't let every personal situation they have effect if we call them to task.

where do you draw the line? no one can criticize henessey until his hair grows back? no one can criticize remo until he kicks his drug habit?

they all ran of their free will and some against their families wishes.
(ask denise if her daughter tried to tell her not to run.)

we all feel for these families, so let's not use their lose as a political tool to bash someone you seem to have a bigger problem with.

[You Don't Get It!]

Questioning Harvey Weisenberg's lack of honesty has nothing to do with any of the members of the City council past or present.

Questioning Harvey Weisenberg's choice of political targets suggests Weisenberg acts as a bully on local issues of his choice while omitting comments on the difficult issues. All this while he has nothing to say on important matters affecting our community in Albany where he is our representative.

Harvey Weisenberg only has to apologize to all the members of the City Council as well as to the many people that supported their decision to reject the Army Corp of Engineers proposal.

If you agree with Harvey, then communities such as Lido Beach and Point Lookout will be left susceptible to further beach erosion.

["point taken"]

i agree with you on the local bully thing.

i was responding to the "leave denise alone" attitude.

harvey may be out of line for taking a shot at the city council, but politicians don't get to avoid public scrutiny because of personal issues.

and remember his remark was at the whole council not singling anyone out.

[One more thing...]

I do not or never have endorsed the leave anyone alone theory who holds political office. They are all accountable.

However, I question Weisenberg's humanity when he bashes the City Council knowing full well one of the members is part of a courageous family struggling to deal with a difficult loss of a loved one as well as injuries the result of a drunk driver.

It is the sign of incredible hubris to make the comments Weisenberg made to the New York Times.

As for the Tagney, Flynn and Heidgen families they have my prayers for the grace to sustain them now and in the future while enduring their tragedy yet again in the courtroom.

[disagree on that one]

but you can't ask that no one hold any of them accountable b/c of the situation of one.

so they all need to be held to task.

also, when was that comment made? wasn't that said way back when the original vote was held?

if the date of the comment was a month ago, then the Times is at fault for putting it in now.

[Wiesenberg blames NYT?]

Wow!

Did New York State Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg utter his foolish comments or not? Now you are trying to blame the New York Times reporter? Are you kidding me?

Harvey Weisenberg has lost his political fastball!

[NOT AT ALL]

nothing like that said at all. that's how rumors start.

where did that come from?

i asked when the comment was made and suggested the times could have held back.

how did you jump to harvey saying that?

[R U TAKING IT BACK?]

Harvey Weisenberg to the New York Times / Long Island section on September 10, 2006.

Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg, a lifelong Long Beach resident and a vocal supporter of the Corps of Engineers’ project, was less sanguine about the outcome.

“How did people get elected to office that are so ignorant?” he said of the City Council. “I just pray hard and hope to God we don’t get hit by anything."

That's where it came from and who said it!
No rumors!

I believe it says "Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg", does it not?
Is there someone else out there who shaved their head and is pretending to be Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg?

Better let the authorities know, at least that explains why he wasn't aware of approving the recent tax on our phone bills.

[Alan K. / Woodmere]

We are looking to get rid of Weisenberg just to send a message to the Assembly speaker Silver that only a good broom sweeps clean.
Many of my neighbors can no longer afford to financially support the largesse of our bloated New York State Government. I have met Mr. Weisenberg who seems to be a decent fellow, but it is how he votes that I am judging him by. Our school teachers make too much and combined with their generous retirements are contributing to our local property taxes. I cannot vote against Mr. Silver so I will vote against Mr. Weisenberg.

[harv comment]

harvey called denise dumb?
when was this said?

i saw an article on sept 8.

[Sunday NYT - Long Island]

NEW YORK TIMES - LONG ISLAND SECTION
September 9, 2006

Storm Protection
Rejection of Preservation Project Ripples Through Long Beach
By BEN GIBBERD
LONG BEACH, N.Y.

IT may have left no physical damage in its wake, but the recent communal storm in this oceanfront city over the future of its beaches has realigned the political and environmental landscape.

Despite fears about the city’s vulnerability to a major hurricane, the five-member City Council, three Democrats and two Republicans, voted unanimously in May to reject a $98.5 million beach preservation project by the Army Corps of Engineers that was designed to protect Long Beach from ocean flooding.

The plan would have placed a berm of dredged sand along the beach 10 feet high, with a 5-foot dune on top, from the western end of Long Beach to Point Lookout, more than six miles to the east. Point Lookout agreed to a separate plan after the Long Beach project was rejected.

A major opponent of the corps’ plan was an environmental and surfer-advocacy group, the Surfrider Foundation, whose members said the project would create dangerous riptides and harm the look of the beach, with no guarantee that the city would be better protected, as the corps and the proponents of the plan claimed.

The group held meetings to get its message to the public and the council alike, and produced testimony by a coastal engineer and several representatives from local communities whose beaches had undergone similar projects. All testified against the corps’ proposals for Long Beach.

Jeff Kupferman, the chairman of Surfrider’s Long Beach Action Committee and a 45-year city resident, said that while rejection of the plan was a “major victory” for Surfrider, surfing was far from the only issue.

“We had concerns about swimming safety, as well as surfing, about fishing, kayaking, aesthetics — any use of the beach,” he said.

James P. Hennessy, a Republican council member, agreed. “It was never just about surfing,” he said. “The council doesn’t agree about much, but it did agree that the beach fill part of the project was wrong.”

What annoyed Mr. Kupferman was that Surfrider was portrayed negatively by those who favored the plan. “Their attitude was we were, ‘Yo, just a bunch of surfer dudes out to get a wave,’ ” he said. “And they used that as the hook to try and discredit us. The fact that we prevailed has sent a lot of ripples out into this community.”

Alison Johnson, a Long Beach resident and vice chairwoman of Surfrider’s New York City chapter, which worked closely with the Central Long Island chapter in opposing the plan, said that the decision had ramifications beyond Long Beach.

“It will make the powers that be look at storm protection on the East Coast in a different way,” she said, “which is the biggest success you can ask from any project.”

Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg, a lifelong Long Beach resident and a vocal supporter of the Corps of Engineers’ project, was less sanguine about the outcome.

“How did people get elected to office that are so ignorant?” he said of the City Council. “I just pray hard and hope to God we don’t get hit by anything."

Even with the beach issue decided, the officials’ alliance with activists may continue.

Mr. Hennessy and the other Republican council member, Thomas R. Sofield Jr., have proposed an alternative storm-management plan, which includes working with advisory groups like Surfrider, and the city has asked independent coastal engineers for ways to address beach protection.

Mr. Hennessy said he still had hopes of working with the Corps of Engineers should it agree to return to Long Beach, but he is adamant about his vote to reject the project.

“I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of people who came up to me and said we’d made a mistake,” he said.

[gezt]

hang ten harvey

[LB Waves]

Someone get the Assemblyman Weisenberg a life raft. He seems to be in the process of self destructing. Harvey just apologize to the entire City Council and make nice with Mrs. Tagney.

[LB Dems]

Harvey is being outed. Not a bad guy, but he has benefitted massively from s decent supporting cast around him that is now gone. Without the Big Man running the show, and no more Mr.Crystal to deliver the votes, Harvey looks vulnerable when he opens his trap and inserts his foot in his mouth.

:)

[LB DEMS]

Did Harvey really apologize?

Can we get confirmation?

[Like Harvey but ....]

I think he should apologize to the members of the City Council for his hurtful and uneducated words of criticism.

bump

Eighteen years as our elected assemblyman is enough. If Harvey
Weisenberg won't quit on his own, the voters ought to do it for him.

Compared to our other elected representative in Albany, Dean Skelos, Harvey has done nothing for his constituents. Harvey's dedication is to Shelley Silver. Silver gave Harvey an additional money stipend of about $55,000 for being appointed by Silver 'Deputy Speaker Pro-Tem'. Silver asks Harvey to jump. Harvey quickly responds, how high? Harvey talks the talk, but in reality, he doesn't give a hoot about the people.

Harvey's comments describing the Long Beach City Council as"ignorant" regarding its rejection of the flawed beach erosion proposal, shows his hypocrisy and his own double-talk. When questioned why he never expressed his displeasure and criticism about the City Council's passing the 25% tax increase, Harvey's immediate and defensive comment was "I don't get involved with City Council matters". Why the double standard? Is Harvey getting dementia?

[Silver / Weisenberg]

Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg has lost his political fastball. Harvey looks extremely tired and seems uninspired. Nine (9)Consecutive terms have left Harvey feeling he is above the political process.

The concern is that Harvey is looking for an appointed position with the Spitzer Administration that he can comfortably retire from.

Albany Reform under Eliot Spitzer will look like this:
Weisenberg gets appointed position at $200,000 a year;
Judy Jacobs gets fat appointed position;
Alan Hevesi gets fat appointed position after being forced from office.

[Fix Albany?]

How can you fix Albany if you send a nine term Assemblyman Weisenberg back who looks out of touch and disrespectful of his political colleagues and opponent?