Reverberations from a rumored 2001 back-room arrangement that gave the crucial Queens County Democratic Party’s endorsement for borough president to then-Council Member Helen Marshall (D) could impact an oddly similar race for the same post in 2009.
That year, there were three Democratic loyalists angling for county support in the contest for borough president, including Assembly Member Audrey Pheffer (D). There were also two Vallones seeking party backing—Peter Vallone, Jr. (D), who was running for City Council, and his father, then-Council Speaker Peter Vallone, Sr. (D), who was running for mayor.
After negotiations, county passed over Pheffer and Council Member Karen Koslowitz (D) and supported Marshall. The organization also endorsed Vallone, Jr. for Council. But for mayor, the county went with then-City Comptroller Alan Hevesi, rather than Vallone, Sr.
Pheffer remained in the Assembly. But based on the discussions at the time, she had reason to believe that she would be given special consideration from the county organization in the 2009 borough president’s race in return for her exit, according to a Democratic source with knowledge of the 2001 discussions.
However, Pheffer said there was no deal.
This was echoed by Michael Reich, executive secretary of the county organization.
“There is never consideration one way or another,” he said. “She did what was necessary for unity for the Democratic Party, and for that I know a lot of leaders were very grateful.”
With the machine behind her in 2001, Marshall handily defeated the well-known Carol Gresser, a former city Board of Education president who had the endorsement of The New York Times, in a three-way race.
Koslowitz became deputy borough president under Marshall, and is a possible candidate for her old seat in 2009.
For next year’s race, most expect there will again be a wide field of Democratic candidates, again including Pheffer, who is pushing hardest for county support. There are also likely to be two Vallones: attorney Paul Vallone, a candidate for City Council representing Bayside, and his brother, Peter Vallone, Jr., expected to run for borough president.
The three possible contenders most intent on county support in 2009 are Pheffer and two Council members, Leroy Comrie and Helen Sears. Vallone, Jr., with borough-wide name recognition thanks in part to his father’s many years in government, and his $498,000 war chest, is in a better position to run even without county backing. And several district leaders interviewed said he is less likely to get it.
Pheffer, who has represented Ozone Park, Howard Beach and the Rockaways for more than 20 years, said there was no deal to get her to leave the race in 2001, but she hoped the move created goodwill within the party.
“I would love to have county backing,” she said. “It is a strong organization and I am proud to be a part of it. I am working to get their support.”
If she does not win the endorsement, she said she would continue in the race.
Pheffer said she was suited to the advocacy work that comprises much of the role of borough president, given her work as a City Council aide, as a staffer for a Queens arm of a citywide neighborhood stabilization program and as an Assembly member. She said she would use her experiences to draw greater services, such as police and buildings inspectors, to the borough. Nor does she shy away from development issues, expressing her support for video lottery terminals and hotels at the New York Racing Association’s Aqueduct Racetrack.
District leader and former Council Member Archie Spigner (D) said he viewed Pheffer, Vallone and Comrie—his former staffer—as the leading candidates.
“Vallone, Jr. said he would run whether he has county support or not. County will be extremely important and I think certain individuals like Comrie and Pheffer are working hard to be chosen,” he said.
So far, Pheffer is the only formally announced candidate.
Comrie, who has not officially announced his intentions, said only that he was “in a good position to be borough president.”
He also thought he had a good shot at getting county support.
“It is way too early to even speculate,” he said, but added, “I fully expect that won’t be a problem.”
Vallone, who said he was seriously considering a run for borough president, noted he had raised the most of any non-citywide candidate.
“The Queens borough president involves bringing money and services to Queens County, and no one has done a better job of that as a councilman,” he said, pointing to his own record.
He said winning without county support was possible.
“My father didn’t have county support in 2001 and beat the county candidate two to one, so I am not concerned,” he said in reference to his father winning more votes in Queens against Hevesi.
Sears said she, too, was mulling over a run.
But it is “too early to announce. We are busy doing a lot of stuff,” she said.
Pheffer may be the one with the borough president campaign filed officially with the Campaign Finance Board, but she trails Vallone in fundraising. She has raised $234,826, but only $80,000 of that was raised over the past year, with the balance coming from her 2001 race, as of the last filing date.
Vallone has raised $688,998, and holds $498,000 in the bank.
Comrie, who raised just under $80,000 over the past year, has only $8,543 on hand, while Sears has raised $73,485.