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Mendez snubbed by new speaker; Calls it payback

February 6, 2014 | Filed under: News | Posted by: The Villager
Rosie Mendez is among the Council’s handful of least powerful members.

Rosie Mendez is among the Council’s handful of least powerful members.

By SAM SPOKONY  |  Regardless of all the talk of a sea change in progressive city government, Councilmember Rosie Mendez says she’s still O.K. with being punished in the name of politics.

Even though she won re-election to her third term with more than 90 percent of the vote, Mendez — who represents the East Village and Lower East Side — has now been essentially demoted by new Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, and will likely finish out her term as one of the Council’s least powerful members.

Last month, Mendez was one of only four councilmembers who were not appointed to chair any committees — which she says is clearly retribution for the fact that she’d backed Councilmember Dan Garodnick in his race against Mark-Viverito for the speaker’s seat.

“I’m disappointed, but I know that the reason I didn’t get to chair a committee was because I didn’t support Melissa,” Mendez told The Villager in a Jan. 31 phone interview. “And I think that’s a viable reason. I don’t like it, but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it.”

In her previous term, Mendez chaired the Council’s Public Housing Committee — and as a lifelong housing activist, she had set her sights last year on entering 2014 as chairperson of the Housing and Buildings Committee.

“I had made clear to [Mark-Viverito] that I wanted to chair Housing and Buildings, because that’s my life’s work, and I wanted to continue it,” she said.

But that leadership position went to Brooklyn Councilmember Jumaane Williams, who initially ran against Mark-Viverito in the speaker’s race.

A source close to the Council said that Mark-Viverito actually promised the Housing and Buildings job to Williams in mid-December — assuming she would win — after he agreed to drop out of the race and support her instead.

This all comes during a transitional period in city government that, among other things, has been presented to the public as a shift away from the strong-arm tactics of former Speaker Christine Quinn. It would appear that, for now, reforms to the Council’s internal operations can only go so far.

“If things were based solely on merit, I would think I would’ve been considered for [Housing and Buildings chair],” said Mendez, who has actually served twice as a member of that committee. “But I didn’t support the winner of the speaker’s race, so I didn’t get a good position in the Council. Is that progressive? I don’t know.

“The thing is that progressive politics are still politics,” she added.

Mark-Viverito’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

And the new speaker’s cold shoulder continued even after the committee chairperson appointments were handed out last month. In a Jan. 21 meeting with Mark-Viverito, less than two weeks after being snubbed for the Housing and Buildings committee, Mendez asked the speaker to create a subcommittee on Mitchell-Lama housing, presumably one in which the Lower East Side rep would take the lead.

“[Mark-Viverito] said, ‘No, I’m not gonna do that,’ ” according to Mendez. “She didn’t give a reason, and I didn’t ask for a reason.”

Meanwhile, a number freshman councilmembers have been awarded much more powerful positions at City Hall.

Notably, Mendez was replaced as chairperson of the Public Housing Committee by Bronx Councilmember Ritchie Torres, a 25-year-old who is just entering his first term.

And Downtown Manhattan’s newest face in the Council, Corey Johnson, was granted a key spot as chairperson of the Health Committee.

But even without the authority of a leadership position, Mendez still hopes to accomplish some housing goals, saying that she will now approach the issue from a “broader policy perspective.”

“I want to look at how we can have reforms that bring more permanent affordable housing to the city,” she said. “I want to make sure that residents have relief from construction problems and noise, and to make sure they have a right to go home and go to sleep without construction going on until 2 a.m., or starting at 6 a.m.”

With that in mind, Mendez introduced a bill on Feb. 4 aimed at putting new restrictions on the city’s ability to grant after-hours work permits for construction projects.

Under current rules, developers are often easily able to secure variances allowing them to do work before 7 a.m. or after 6 p.m. on weekdays, as well as on weekends.

Mendez’s legislation would require the Department of Buildings to have a public comment period from local residents before granting any request for an after-hours construction permit, and would ban any construction work on Sundays. Her proposal would also limit the time allowed for construction work during weekday evenings and on Saturdays.

“We can’t have the city just rubber-stamping these requests anymore,” the councilmember said. “We need to know exactly why developers are asking for an after-hours permit, and we need to know how it will exacerbate quality-of-life problems for residents.”

Mendez also has two other things going for her in the Council, even if they’re not particularly powerful posts. She leads the Council’s Gay and Lesbian Caucus — now a six-member group, which includes other openly gay representatives, like Johnson and Torres — and she co-chairs the Black, Latino and Asian Caucus.

And in terms of the lack of recognition or prestige that has gone along with being overlooked by the new speaker, Mendez says it simply doesn’t faze her.

“I think I got the recognition I deserved when I got 82.7 percent of the vote in last year’s primary, and then won the general election,” she said. “That let me know that I’m keeping my promise to my constituents, and that I’m doing my job. That’s the only recognition I need.”

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9 Responses to Mendez snubbed by new speaker; Calls it payback

  1. Anon February 6, 2014 - 12:56

    Rosie didn't just get snubbed beause she supported Garodnick. She got punished because she called for an ethics investigation of de Blasio during the Mayoral campaign (for his worst landlord's list). It is one thing to support another Speaker candidate (as many who got chairs did), but it is another to question a person's ethics and credibility (especially if they win). The fact that Rosie doesn't have much respect amongst her Council peers doesn't help either.

    Reply
  2. villagerwatcher February 6, 2014 - 14:06

    i think the takeaway gem here for all of us to watch—including this publication is!!!—"progressive politics are still politics.”

    This is a great line.

    Happens nationally…why not locally?

    Reply
  3. Questions 2 B Asked February 6, 2014 - 16:05

    " I didn’t get to chair a committee was because I didn’t support Melissa,”"

    Whom does she think she's kidding? Garodnick himself got an important charimanship. She didn't get a chair because she is feckless.

    The East Village, represented by Mendez and her former boss, Margarita Lopez, have had no decent representation in 20 years. Neither has sponsored or led the fight for any substantial piece of legislation. What a pity. We deserve better.

    Reply
  4. WhisperInMyGoodEar February 6, 2014 - 17:40

    Rosie has my support. She's done a great job for her district and her leadership on housing issues has had a city-wide impact. Nice to find an elected who is interested in progress and not position.

    Rosie rocks.

    Reply
  5. Sammy Olivier February 6, 2014 - 20:12

    I don't know Rosie, I am not in her district. I don't know much about Mark-Vivirito, but I think that council member Mendez did not do the right thing when she backed Margaret chin for the horrific nyu2031 scam of taking city owned park land and giving it away for zilch to the privately owned NYU. Everyone knew it was and us nothing more than a real estate venture on the guise of education, council member Mendez admitted she would have voted no, but instead chose to vote for her sister Margaret chin. That's just not right. It was not just Rosie, but ALL but one city council member voting as a block. You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. That's not a way to run a city. That's not a way to represent each district. I'm just hoping that somehow, someway things might change. Maybe this term under this mayor thing might be different. And that each city council member stands up for those they are elected to represent, and not just the big 10 real estate developers which includes NYU. Maybe the council will rethink their giveaways Of public parks in exchange for campaign funds from real estate developers. Parks and open land belong to the people. There is just too little left to cavalierly give it away. Maybe it's just wishful thinking, or just maybe this year will be different.

    Reply
  6. Sara February 6, 2014 - 20:49

    Ha, didn't even read this nonsense,dg zheself got a lulu chair

    Reply
  7. lopex February 7, 2014 - 04:45

    Do not for one moment think that the speaker is a progressive I just hope that mr torres remain true to his roots and fight to substain nycha irregardless of his chairmanship. He represents the people not melissa.

    Reply
  8. urbanangel February 7, 2014 - 08:21

    No one is more a experienced and consistent advocate in the Public Housing Arena (on the correct side.the residents/public) than Rosie Mendez. Her history in this area goes back years before she even considered a run for council.
    A Freshman should not have this seat. This Freshman should soend a term on the committee under Rosie's tutelage.
    We need to respect the tenure and expertise of ourcouncil reps and their life work in their fireld of passion on behalf of the public which they serve.
    so….Progressive? NOT Just a new crop of bully pulpiteers..from the top down.

    Reply
    • Guest February 10, 2014 - 12:26

      All that may be true, UA, and I like Rosie, but how effective was she? I don't see any place where housing has done anything but go downhill. can you point to anything she has accomplished?

      Reply

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