Yvette Clarke represents the 11th congressional district in Brooklyn. Her mother (Una Clarke) is the former city council woman from Brooklyn’s 40th councilmanic district. When Una was term-limited in 2001, her daughter Yvette succeeded her in the council seat. Una was born on the island of Jamaica and loves to highlight her roots as a maroon. Yvette was born in Brooklyn, and loves her Caribbean-American heritage and culture as much as she loves her African-American birthright. Maroons are militant people: they don’t take too much shit. Bill Perkins was lucky that Una wasn’t at City Hall yesterday.

Look, I have had a few issues with Una along the by and by, but I have always admired her spunk; as tiny as she is she just might have decked Perkins yesterday, for the way he handled Yvette. While we know exactly who Una is most of the time, Yvette has always been “Una-lite”; sometimes it is better that way: yesterday might have been one of those times.

Just so that you know: if there is ever a “throw-down” between the uptown boys and the Brooklyn crew, I am fighting with Brooklyn. Roughing up the Brooklyn electeds is my job; and Perkins needs to stay out of my terrain/lol.

Bill Perkins is the state senator from Harlem -where he was born and raised I am told. At one point between 2001 and 2005 he was a member of the city council; so too was Yvette Clarke. I am assuming they both got along all right; especially since I have never picked up anything adverse through the grapevines. That’s why yesterday’s ungentlemanly behavior by Bill “Perks” Perkins leaves an opening for much speculation. I was surprised by Bill’s mannerisms, demeanor and tone of voice. He was angry like hell; obviously, there were many things on his mind.

Okay, let’s go to the video tape as supplied by “You-Tube”.

Screenshot detail of Bill Perkins' election campaign site.

This came to my inbox this morning:

For Immediate Release: April 17, 2006
Contact: Richard Fife 917-617-4188

1199 SIEU Endorses Bill Perkins for State Senator
- Pledges To Invest Energy Heavily To Elect Perkins

Reflecting the growing strength of the campaign, 1199 SIEU voted to endorse former Councilmember Bill Perkins for State Senator to fill the seat being vacated by David Paterson. Citing his proven record of action and results, the union pledged to invest their energy heavily to win this race. This endorsement comes on the heels of the enthusiastic support for Perkins announced by Councilmembers Bob Jackson, Melissa Mark-Viverito and
Miguel Martinez. Each councilmember represents a portion of the district.

"We're getting involved in this race early, and we're going to invest our energy heavily, because it's important to have leaders in Albany who are progressive people of action and results, like Bill Perkins," said Dennis Rivera, President of 1199 SIEU, which represents healthcare workers and is the largest local in the country.

So who else is running on this district? Don't tell me, like 3 Puerto Rican Iraq War veterans, a couple of disabled feminists, and a transgender midget? Just kidding. I like Bill Perkins and wish him the best.

On a more serious note, let's hope the money they raise for the campaing is better spent than in the company or consultants responsible for developing the man's site. It is almost completely usless in Firefox for the Mac; leading me to believe the people who worked on it are MicroSoft savants who have no respect whatsoever for web standards. I honestly don't understand why people go into web development if they know nothing about CSS, HTML and the importance of cross-platform compatibility.

And it proves a point I've been discussing with other NYC bloggers : New York is behind the times when it comes to politics online. Seriously behind the times.

The race for the seat of BP here in Manhattan is probably one of the most contest races in the city with 9 seemingly equal contenders. We can highlight Brian Ellner as the most media saavy of the lot; Eva Moskowitz as the most politically willful and Carlos Manzano as the one with the most renegade grassroots of the lot. But it is Bill Perkins that stands out as the most fit for the job.

Perkins wowed me with his commitment t cilvil liberties and his understanding of how New York City has been use as the trigger for the war in Iraq and how the passing of laws like that Patriot Act, in the name of those dead on September 11 have had major consequences on the civil rights of all Americans.

Not only that, but with simple legislations, such as his proposal to expedite landmark hearings, shows he understands the need for reforming city government, making more transparent and more in tune to the needs of We The People. Not only that, this simple measure demonstrates his understanding of how building are not just properties to be transacted or razed for profit and gain, but they are fundamental to the history of our city.

The role of the borough president should be to make government more accessible, transparent and actionable to their constituents. Bill Perkins understand exactly that.

It is outrageous to me that in this day and age, "the people" do not have access to many aspects of city, state and national government. How can you leave it to the discretion of a panel or committee who gets to participate or testify in the process of creating laws, executing policy of preserving history?

[via Perkins bill to let Council calendar landmark reviews]:

The bill, introduced Aug. 17, would also allow the City Council, by a majority vote, to require the Landmarks Preservation Commission to calendar designation hearings for eligible properties. The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation is an enthusiastic supporter.

"Our board of directors voted last week to support this new legislation to provide alternate ways to calendar landmarks designation hearings for endangered buildings," said Andrew Berman, G.V.S.H.P. executive director.

The L.P.C. currently has the sole discretion, often after requests by preservation groups and sometimes owners, to calendar buildings or districts. A spokesperson for L.P.C. said this week that the commission is evaluating Intro 705. But the agency's negative response to an earlier bill that involves properties eligible for listing on the state register indicates that Intro 705 will not get L.P.C. support.

Perkins, a Democratic primary candidate for Manhattan borough president who represents Central Harlem and heads the Council Governmental Operations Committee, said, "This is a simple bill that says, "Let there be a hearing." It's the result of several committee hearings and a report on opportunities to review, reflect and reform 40 years of landmarks preservation. It does not require the L.P.C. to designate the properties."