Now that disgraced State Senator Carl Kruger has been forced to retire from a life of, ahem, public service since pleading guilty to corruption charges, the race is on to seize his south Brooklyn district. In one corner, you have Democratic City Councilmember Lewis A. Fidler, who has not officially declared his intention to campaign for the job—though a party insider says he's got enough support to get the nomination. In the other corner, you have local Republican leader David Storobin, who, the Times reports, is "at the top of a very short list" for the nomination. Who are these guys? more ›

The City Council endorsed today Mayor Bloomberg's plan to raise the city's sales tax to 8.875 percent. The measure, which passed 37 to 10, now goes to Albany for approval by the State Legislature. While those who voted against the increase argue the tax is regressive and unfair, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn says the measure will save 1,200 to 1,500 retail jobs. But, not all councilmembers who approved the tax say they did so willingly. Said Councilman Lewis Fidler to the Gotham Gazette: "If we don’t authorize the sales tax, as distasteful as it is, there will be layoffs...I prefer we find it somewhere else, but that is not the choice we have." The increase is expected to bring more than $500 million in new revenue to the city. more ›