Spyglass

Speaker Boehner attends Corwin fundraiser

GOP Congressional candidate Jane Corwin picked up $150,000 at a fundraiser in Depew yesterday that featured Speaker of the House John Boehner.

Corwin is in a three-way race for a May 24 special election to replace Congressman Chris Lee. She faces Erie County Clerk Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, and businessman Jack Davis, who is running on a “Tea Party” line he created.

The Speaker shared the podium with Congressman Tom Reed of Corning, former Congressmen Tom Reynolds and Bill Paxon, and other Republican leaders from Western New York.

Boehner reminded the crowd of the nation’s rising gas prices and sagging job market — accusing Democrats of wanting to “steal” the 26th district to “move their agenda of higher taxes and more spending,”

The 26th District, with over 30,000 more registered Republicans than Democrats, has  been considered to be a “safe” GOP district for 20 years. However, recent polls put Corwin and Hochul in a virtual dead heat. A Public Policy poll, released yesterday, has Hochul four points ahead.

Davis’ commands a large minority of 24 points, up a point from a poll conducted in April.

Analysts acknowledge that Davis may be splitting the GOP vote, but also point to the recent budget proposal passed in the House that would cut future Medicare payouts for people now under 55. However, the same Washington Post warns against applying general election assumptions to special elections.

Florida’s rejected transportation funds split up among other states

If Florida Governor Rick Scott doesn’t want $2 billion to develop high-speed rail, we’ll take the money off his hands.

Fifteen states, including New York, will split the rejected spoils. Governor Andrew Cuomo, Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand — as well as other Congressional leaders — were quick to put together their wish lists for the funds.

New York will get the lion’s share of the windfall — about $345 million. Rochester will see around $1.4 million toward its proposed Amtrak rail and intercity bus station.

Young rent subsidy bill produces howls downstate

Senator Cathy Young has introduced a State Senate bill that’s drawn protests from the Big Apple. As chair of the Senate’s Housing Committee, Young’s bill would ease rent regulations on apartments. Currently, rent-stabilized apartments may only be de-regulated if the rent is more than $2,000 a month and the tenant’s income is above $175,000 for two consecutive years.

Under Young’s proposal, the rent threshold would be eliminated and the tenant income requirement would be rewritten to be an average of $175,000 over two years.