Seizing the Day:
Now the Tough Part

But last Tuesday, with our overwhelming vote for self-rule, the election of a reinvigorated RIRA, not to mention the defeat of Senator D'Amato, the election of Chuck Schumer, and even the reelection of Governor Pataki, we're suddenly confronted with one of those rare occasions when real change is possible.

Of course, the second rule of politics is that there's nothing more dangerous than victory. The easy assumption is that we've won; that Jerry Blue, as a D'Amato appendage, will somehow seamlessly disappear; that we can all return to Trellis, sip coffee into the wee hours and congratulate one another for a campaign well fought.

The truth is that the toughest part is only just beginning. Yes, the overwhelming majority of Islanders voted for self-rule, but they did so after a well-run voter education campaign capped by a well-organized get-out-the-vote operation. And the reality remains that not only are Jerry Blue and RIOC not going anywhere fast, but translating what was essentially an advisory vote into concrete action by the State Legislature will take hard, focused and sophisticated work and a rededication to the unity of purpose that's gotten us this far.

Here's the politics. While Blue holds his job courtesy of his long-time relationship with ex-Senator D'Amato and his administration is staggeringly inept, his policies - especially his refusal to seek any kind of funding for the Island - accurately reflect the Governor's political philosophy. In other words, even if Blue goes, and that will take a fair amount of agitation, there's no guarantee that he won't be replaced with someone equally objectionable. That said, there's a fair probability that a Governor with White House aspirations might have concern about carrying a defeated Senator's patronage baggage into the glare of the national media spotlight - but it's going to be up to us to make that case. And it would be unfair not to point out that a Democratic Governor, absent protest to the contrary, could just as easily use the Island as a dumping ground for his/her own unqualified appointees.

The ballot initiative and the work of the Maple Tree Group that stands behind it offers another way and one that holds the promise of systemic, positive change - but it won't be easy.

 Self-government for Roosevelt Island requires significant changes in State law, which means passage of complicated legislation by the Democratic-controlled State Assembly, the Republican-controlled Senate, and finally the assent of Governor Pataki. We've crossed a major first hurdle with Assemblymember Pete Grannis's aggressive sponsorship of the initial Assembly bill. But in a political process where the vast majority of bills never come close to becoming law, the onus is on us to develop a cogent case and then effectively take our arguments to the key elected officials and opinion leaders who can help move this process forward. Grannis was unusually blunt and precisely correct when he reminded a Town Meeting last week that elected officials, especially on issues where they have no personal stake, often respond to the better lobbyists rather than the better arguments. So the more intense our pressure, the more sustained our campaign, the easier it is for him to find support and build the kind of consensus that can move the bill towards passage.

So what does all this mean for us? As a newly-elected RIRA Common Council member, it seems to me that we're going to have to make some choices. Do we want to invest our political capital and volunteer resources in a final push to get rid of Jerry Blue, or do we want to focus on the legislative route, or can we develop and sustain the kind of high-level campaigns where we can succeed at both? And then there's the host of other serious Island issues that remind all of us that the one option that isn't available is a return to the status quo anti. From Island development and the future of Mitchell Lama status at Westview and Island House to safety and co-oping in Eastwood or the opportunity to help build on the promise of a newly revitalized PS/IS 217, we're going to have to become even more professional, rigorous and inclusive about identifying and managing the issues we care about and then making sure we understand how to capture the attention and support of the public officials who can help us succeed. We're demanding the right to run ourselves and build a prosperous, successful community, under rights that millions of people across the country take for granted. But however legitimate our claim, no one's going to hand any of this to us on a platter. We're going to have to fight, hard, smart and together, every step of the way.

Graham Cannon