No! I don't mean NYCHA is not broke but ...New York City’s Housing Authority (NYCHA) has been and is being mugged and robbed by Federal, State and City Republicans. NYCHA operates more than 2600 buildings with more than 180,000 apartments and many more than 400,000 residents. (It does a lot more, but for purposes of this post and the next, I focus only on its role as housing operator) As a result of planned policies federal, state and local subsidies for NYCHA have declined dramatically over the Bush, Pataki, Giuliani and Bloomberg years. As a result, cash for routine maintenance is drained away, fees and rents have increased and surprisingly, NYC continues, vampire-like, to suck hundreds of millions of dollars a year from NYCHA. (See the figures after the jump)

NYCHA’s GOP government-induced financial crisis was the subject of a fascinating forum a few days ago at the New School's Center for NYC Affairs. There Daily News columnist and editorial board member and former NYCHA resident Errol Lewis convened a panel of experts and officials and an audience of alarmed tenants and activists. The tales they told, the problems they debated and recent developments point to a NYCHA crisis which could, if not addressed, severely damage the largest single bloc of affordable housing in NYC – some of it imposed by Mayor Bloomberg right this minute.(Check out the forum here)

...turns out He managed to get through to George Pataki, causing the latter to reconsider this running for the Presidency business.

From the Manchester Union Leader:

Pataki said that "he's not going to actively campaign for President, indefinitely," said a person at the dinner who asked not to be named. "He never came out and said, 'I'm not running for President,' but everybody basically saw the handwriting on the wall, which is he's out. When you tell your activists it's OK to go support other candidates, the handwriting is on the wall."

"He said he is going to shift direction and focus on policy and spend more time with his family," the source said.

Thank You, oh Lord, for letting that cup pass us by.

(Hat tip: Alien and Sedition)

I am not an enthusiastic fan of Hillary Clinton for a variety of reasons. However, her dogged dedication to a cause very close to my heart is enough to earn my vote. Hillary continues to champion the cause of the tens of thousands of victims of 9/11--no, not those who died in the attack but those who died and are dying and will die as a result of the attack.

Hillary invited the son of Cesar Borja to the State of the Union Address in her seemingly futile crusade to focus national attention on what one day may be considered to be one of the most heinous crimes in American history. Cesar Borja is one of a growing number of 9/11 heroes who are dying. Borja needs a lung transplant because he was poisoned on The Pile. Borja is one of as many as 400,000 victims of the largest and most ignored toxic waste dump in world history.

Back in September of 2006, NY1 ran a series on the release of a Mount Sinai Medical Center study that horrifyingly documented the true nightmare and crime of 9/11. This profoundly disturbing study scientifically documents the short and long term health impact of the World Trade Center collapse among an estimated 400,000 New Yorkers. That number includes those heroes who worked on the pile during the days and weeks following 9/11, the office workers and residents who returned to their jobs and homes in lower Manhattan within weeks following the disaster and residents of Brooklyn and Staten Island who were subsequently exposed to lingering dust and the dumping of debris.

Fred Dicker over at the Post brings us the startling news that ex-governor Pataki is demanding round the clock security, at state expense, to be provided by four full-time state police officers. Notably, no previous ex-governor has asked for, or received, a comparable level of protection, perhaps because it's not necessary.

The expense would amount to $20,000 a week; the matter is currently before the state Ethics Commission. Pataki's request would violate the statute that Alan Hevesi ran afoul of; and if you recall, the ex-governor (how I love writing that) came back to Albany from Iowa specifically to address that scandal.

Here's a thought: legality and ethics aside, methinks the ex-governor overestimates the degree of animosity (or any other emotion) he inspires. Simply put, people probably don't care enough to threaten the man. It's very hard even to imagine someone sitting in a dank basement somewhere plotting bodily harm to George Pataki; unless excruciating boringness inspires violence, the ex-governor should be quite safe.

On Monday at noon, George Pataki will finally, blessedly, get out of the way. This state can then at long last breathe a sigh of relief and get back to actual governance.

He is not, however, going away entirely, caught up as he is in the desire to cast wider the nets of his failure by running for President. On the one hand, that's a remarkable leap of faith on his part; on the other, one has to be strangely fascinated by the fact that he believes in himself so strongly that this quest of his hasn't been aborted by the incredulous derision it inspires.

George Pataki leaves behind a state that neither loves nor hates him. If he inspires any reaction, arguably, it's boredom, the kind you get from an uncle whom you like at some level, but who can't stop yapping about golf. Your relief when this uncle finally leaves your Thanksgiving dinner is precisely what New Yorkers are feeling as the Pataki era draws to a close. Pataki is Calvin Coolidge, without the excitement.

Pataki's legacy is, in fairness, mixed. He preserved more open space than any of his predecessors. He championed the cleanup of the Hudson. Until he started running for President, he supported gay rights and a woman's right to choose. He also cut taxes, especially in his first term, and took some steps to shrink state government, notably the sale of the World Trade Center in 2001. He even managed to deliver an on-time budget two years in a row. By the low standards set by contemporary republicans, he was not as bad as he could have been, which, I suppose, translates into a gentleman's C, politically speaking.

Outgong Governor George Pataki called the state legislature back into session this week. He dangled pay raises in front of them in exchange for confining sex offenders after their prison terms are served and lifting the cap on charter schools.

Confining sex offenders after they are "released" from prison is a hot topic. On paper, it makes sense for a conservative to want it, because it looks "tough on crime", especially the crime-of-the-month. But if we really want to keep sex offenders off the street, why not just increase the prison sentences?

We have reached the current limit of 100 charter schools statewide Despite lower enrollment of special education and "ELL" (English language learner) students in charter schools, there is no added benefit to most students. Meanwhile, the 98% of students who don't get in to a charter school are being squeezed into smaller spaces with fewer resources. Adding more charter schools will just exacerbate the problem without providing any kind of solution.

Pataki wanted both of these things passed and, knowing how justly unpopular they are, tried to bribe the legislature with a pay raise. Fortunately, the legislature effectively told him to take a long walk off a short pier.

Simpering Sebastian Mallaby provides today's example of elite punditocracy wankery in discussing this essay in The New Republic. Long story short, he makes the case that liberals and libertarians can unite, but only if liberals give up that pesky, un-chic economic security agenda that got them elected in the first place.

The New York Times tells the tale of Hillary's first gropings towards the Presidency, by reaching out to New York party leaders. But can she win in Ohio?

New York Magazine, meanwhile, keeps the Bloomberg '08 chatter alive. But can he win in Ohio?

Also in the Times, from yesterday's City section, an uncritical paean to robber-baron excess, in the form of a 3,000 word tribute to the newly-on-the-market penthouse of The Pierre.

The excellent new blog, The Albany Project, presents the Brennan Center's withering evaluation of the state legislature, here.

Capitol Confidential somewhat incredulously notes that Pataki has hired someone new for his, um, "presidential campaign". Once again, the civilized world is left to wonder just what is in the water supply of Pataki's house, and how to get some.

Lastly, Gatemouth writes The Daily Gotham a love letter.

Back in 2004, as one George was seeking election, another George organized a gaudy ceremony at the World Trade Center site. Flags were flown, songs sung, and a multi-ton piece of granite was laid in place to be the cornerstone of the new Freedom Tower.

Of course it was too good to be true, since republicans all seem to adhere to the FEMA school of competency.

The New York Times reports that the cornerstone was returned to its quarry today, with no return date set. Completion is presently estimated for 2011.

Nice work, Georges.

Apparently not.

The New York Times speculates wildly about a possible run by Michael Bloomberg, perhaps based on the theory that anyone with an opinion on national politics must be running for something. Either that, or it was a slow day for the newspaper of record's new tabloid business.

Urban Elephants reports that some people in Iowa are quite taken with George Pataki. Seriously. Note to Iowa: if you want him, you can have him. Just don't inflict him on us – we've suffered enough.

There are unconfirmed rumors that our junior Senator – her name escapes me at the moment – may be considering the same lofty goal.

Not to be outdone, former mayor Rudy Giuliani is beefing up his PAC. My personal take is that Rudy is smart enough to know that his scrawny in-with-gay-people-moving, mistress-at-Gracie-mansion-shtupping butt would get fried in the primaries, so that his flirtation should be seen as a promotional gimmick for his consulting business, but that's just me.

Then, I had a semi-serious conversation the other day gaming out scenarios for a White House run by Eliot Spitzer. Most likely outcome, as determined by us: he runs in 2016, when President Warner retires and Eliot's in the middle of his third term. Alternate scenario: After President Gore's retirement, Eliot battles Vice President Warner for the nomination, winding up with the Veep spot.

Of course, Eliot would also have to contend with Chuck Schumer, but that's a whole other can of worms.

Heck, even David Yassky is probably pondering a run, given the way he is sucking in developer money. He wouldn't even need a Sister Souljah moment, considering how pissed off the Congressional Black Caucus is at him even today.

Did I forget anyone?