The local paper for Downtown wn AN OUTOF-THEBOX SCHOOL
WEEK OF DECEMBER
3-9
Q&A, P.21 >
2015
Our Take
THE TREE MAN OF BROADWAY NEWS A new documentary profiles a tree seller on the Upper West Side BY GABRIELLE ALFIERO
For many New Yorkers, it isn’t Christmastime until the tree goes up at 30 Rock and the tree salesmen set up shop on the
SHOULD WE CARE ABOUT SHELDON SILVER?
street. A new documentary film explores the world of tree sellers in the city. The movie, “Tree Man,” follows François, a Christmas tree seller from Montreal who spends five weeks each year selling trees on the Upper West Side. “What Christmas really means is the arrival of François and hun-
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Francois, who sells christmas trees at 102nd Street and Broadway, is the subject of the documentary film “Tree Man,” which screens at JCC Manhattan on Dec. 8. Photo credit: Christine DiPasquale
SILVER CONVICTED ON ALL COUNTS NEWS Trial seen as indictment of Albany corruption BY LARRY NEUMEISTER
Former state Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver was convicted Monday in a $5 million corruption case that took down one of New York’s most powerful politicians and stunned a capital that had become accustomed to scandal. The jury verdict came after a three-week trial in which federal prosecutors claimed that the 71-year-old Democrat traded favors to enrich himself and then lied about it. The defense countered that the government was trying to criminalize the longtime routines of Albany politicians.
prison. His prosecution was a marquee case in Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara’s quest to clean up a state government he has called a “cauldron of corruption,” an effort that has led to the ongoing corruption trial of Republican state Senate leader Dean Skelos. With Monday’s verdict, “Sheldon Silver got justice, and at long last, so did the people of New York,” Bharara, who had watched from the courtroom audience, said in a statement. With the conviction, Silver automatically loses his Lower Manhattan Assembly seat. He had kept it while fighting the charges, although after his arrest he was stripped of the speakership he had held since
Even in a state capital where more than 30 lawmakers have left office facing criminal charges or allegations of ethical misconduct since 2000, the case against Silver was an extraordinary turn. An assemblyman since 1976, Silver was one of Albany’s most storied political figures, a consummate backroom operator with the power to decide the fate of legislation single-handedly. Silver, who remains free on bail until a sentencing date not yet set, plans to appeal. “I’m disappointed right now. Ultimately, I believe that after the legal challenges, we’ll get results,” he said as he left court after being convicted of all charges against him: honestservices fraud, extortion and money laundering. They carry the potential for decades in
Corruption in Albany has become the background noise of our state politics. Scandals are followed by more scandals. Politicians start out as reformers, then somehow end up as part of the problem. Which is why this week’s guilty verdict, on all counts, in the Sheldon Silver graft case is both breathtaking and depressingly familiar. And once again, we’re left to ask: Could this be the catalyst that finally prompts real change in our corrupt capitol? If the answer depended on our current governor to sweep out the muck, the answer would clearly be no. You had to smirk at Andrew Cuomo’s statement in the moments after the Silver verdict, in which he vowed “zero tolerance” for public corruption. This from a man who disbanded his own Moreland Commission, the best shot Albany had in decades to clean up its own house. No, our hope has to come from the outside, from U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara. For months, Bharara and his team have sensed that Albany was ripe for a takedown, and the Silver verdict proved them right. A win in the tawdrier trial of Dean Skelos and his son, Adam, which is going on in the same courthouse, would make it unlikely that they would stop here. No doubt, even Mr. Cuomo is watching evens unfold with slightly sweatier palms. Should we care? We don’t have any choice. And if it takes the federal government to save us from ourselves, at least change is coming.
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FOR HIM, SETTLING SMALL CLAIMS IS A BIG DEAL presided over Arbitration Man has three decades. for informal hearings about it He’s now blogging BY RICHARD KHAVKINE
is the common Arbitration Man their jurist. least folks’ hero. Or at Man has For 30 years, Arbitration court office of the civil few sat in a satellite Centre St. every building at 111 New Yorkers’ weeks and absorbed dry cleaning, burned lost accountings of fender benders, lousy paint jobs, and the like. And security deposits then he’s decided. Arbitration Man, About a year ago, so to not afwho requested anonymity started docuhe fect future proceedings, two dozen of what menting about compelling cases considers his most blog. in an eponymous about it because “I decided to write the stories but in a I was interested about it not from wanted to write from view but rather lawyer’s point of said Arbitration view,” of a lay point lawyer since 1961. Man, a practicing what’s at issue He first writes about post, renders and then, in a separatehow he arrived his decision, detailing blog the to Visitors at his conclusion. their opinions. often weigh in with get a rap going. I to “I really want whether they unreally want to know and why I did it,” I did derstood what don’t know how to he said. “Most people ... I’d like my cases the judge thinks. and also my trereflect my personalitythe law.” for mendous respect 80, went into indiMan, Arbitration suc in 1985, settling vidual practice
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MANHATTAN'S APARTMENT BOOM, > PROPERTY, P.20
2015
In Brief MORE HELP FOR SMALL BUSINESS
The effort to help small seems to businesses in the city be gathering steam. Two city councilmembers, Robert Margaret Chin and Cornegy, have introduced create legislation that wouldSmall a new “Office of the within Business Advocate” of Small the city’s Department Business Services. Chin The new post, which have up told us she’d like to would and running this year, for serve as an ombudsman city small businesses within them clear government, helping to get through the bureaucracy things done. Perhaps even more also importantly, the ombudsman and number will tally the type small business of complaints by taken in owners, the actions policy response, and somefor ways to recommendations If done well, begin to fix things. report would the ombudsman’s give us the first quantitative with taste of what’s wrong the city, an small businesses in towards important first step fixing the problem. of for deTo really make a difference, is a mere formality will have to the work process looking to complete their advocate are the chances course, velopers precinct, but rising rents, -- thanks to a find a way to tackle business’ is being done legally of after-hours projects quickly. their own hours,” which remain many While Chin “They pick out boom in the number throughout who lives on most vexing problem. said Mildred Angelo,of the Ruppert construction permits gauge what Buildings one said it’s too early tocould have the 19th floor in The Department of the city. number three years, the Houses on 92nd Street between role the advocate She Over the past on the is handing out a record work perThird avenues. permits, there, more information of Second and an ongoing all-hours number of after-hours bad thing. of after-hours work the city’s Dept. problem can’t be a said there’s with the mits granted by nearby where according to new data jumped 30 percent, This step, combinedBorough construction project noise Buildings has data provided in workers constantly make efforts by Manhattan to mediate BY DANIEL FITZSIMMONS according to DOB of Informacement from trucks. President Gale Brewer offer response to a Freedom classifies transferring they want. They knows the the rent renewal process, request. The city They 6 “They do whatever signs Every New Yorker clang, tion Act go as they please. work between some early, tangible small any construction on the weekend, can come and sound: the metal-on-metal or the piercing of progress. For many have no respect.” p.m. and 7 a.m., can’t come of these that the hollow boom, issuance reverse. owners, in business moving The increased beeps of a truck has generto a correspond and you as after-hours. soon enough. variances has led at the alarm clock The surge in permits
SLEEPS, THANKS TO THE CITY THAT NEVER UCTION A BOOM IN LATE-NIGHT CONSTR NEWS
A glance it: it’s the middle can hardly believe yet construction of the night, and carries on full-tilt. your local police or You can call 311
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