Greg David

At the Crain's business breakfast breakfast this morning Representative Anthony Weiner spoke about "saving" New York's middle class, a theme that is likely to be at the center of his mayoral campaign.

The crux of Weiner’s speech, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Manhattan, focused on job development. He did not rule out raising taxes, but did say that high taxes stymie job development. He defended the policy that prevents Wal-Mart (but not other big box stores), from coming into the city because it does not pay adequate wages. And he said that the city has to do a better job of offering incentives to keep business in New York City, since New Jersey has lower business taxes and can still access the city's workforce.  read more »

State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli wants public financing for all comptroller candidates, he said this morning.

He has not opened a campaign account, nor begun fund-raising, and has returned all checks he has received in support of his re-election. The filing in January will show his account has no money.

At a business breakfast at the Grand Hyatt, he also fielded a question that referred to a Joe Bruno quote in a recent New Yorker article when Greg David, editor of Crain's asked, "Is Shelly Silver really the biggest wimp in town?"

More after the jump.

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Bill Weld had his audition for the theoretically friendly, in fact polite but unenthusiastic, audience at a Crains New York Business breakfast at the Sheraton this morning.

On the substance, the most striking point was his apparent retreat from his sweeping opposition to emininent domain at the Manhattan Institute not long ago. There, he framed his opposition to the Kelo decision as broad, and not limited to its endorsement of the role of a private developer:

"The fundamental problem with Kelo is that it represents statist central planning. The government decided that it wanted new real estate projects, and then let a private entity effectuate a transfer of wealth."

But asked about the details by Crain’s Greg David, he said he supported the Atlantic Yards project becuase it’s "imbued with public interest." He has mixed feelings about Columbia’s expansion into Morningside Heights. And he doesn’t want to demolish "a whole neighborhood" to build affordable housing.

Oh, and semi-relatedly, he’s all for the West Side Stadium. Doctoroff’s presentation was, he said, "completely persusive." He even wore his Olympics tie.

So it’s unclear if he actually opposes government planning as it’s actually been practiced in New York State since Jane Jacobs basically won the debate decades ago.

[Today we add a new feature to the Politicker, a daily calendar of events. Please email event listings to me at nbrydson (at) observer.com. Also, name our new calendar by posting your suggestions in the comments section and win...err.. nothing but bragging rights, but that's enough, right?]

Tomorrow morning at the Sheraton, Crain's hosts a breakfast with Tom Suozzi, who will be questioned by editor Greg David, beginning at 8 am. (Note, you must be pre-registered to attend.)

Later, at 8pm, the Three Parks Democratic Club will be hosting an Attorney General Forum with Richard Brodsky, Andrew Cuomo, Mark Green, Charlie King, Sean Patrick Maloney, and Denise O'Donnell (all confirmed). Each candidate will be allotted up to fifteen minutes to make their presentation and answer questions at Hostelling International New York, 891 Amsterdam Avenue at 103rd Street.

—Nicole Brydson