Borough Politics Buzz

Queens politicians have been getting a lot more press lately than is normal. There have been a few promotions, and a couple may be on the verge of gaining even more power.

State Senator Malcolm Smith (D-St. Albans) is now a candidate for replacing David Paterson as minority leader in the state senate, should Paterson leave his senate seat. (Paterson has been confirmed as Eliot Spitzer’s running mate in the gubernatorial race.) And of course, the Democrats predict the minority leader will soon enough be the majority leader. See the Chronicle for details.

Assemblyman Ivan Lafayette (D-Jackson Heights) received appointment as deputy speaker, and Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan (D-Ridgewood) will head the State Assembly’s Education Committee. In city politics, Councilmember Thomas White Jr. will serve as the new chairman of the Economic Development Committee.

Most interesting is Mayor Bloomberg's support of Queens Democratic Councilman Joseph Addabbo who may run against Republican State Senator Serphin Maltese (R-Middle Village). It's a gambit to change the power dynamics in a state where New York City pays more in tax revenue than it receives in state services. See the details in the Daily News.

Momentum is key in politics, as in any business. I can only hope that ends up meaning good things for Queens, the second-most populous county in New York State, and in real need of more classroom seats.

• Elected Representatives for Queens, NY