Vito Fossella owned and opperated by WalMart

Vito Fossella supports increased traffic in Staten Island.
Vito Fossella does not support labor and union workers in Staten Island.
Vito Fossella supports over development in Staten Island.

Mr. Fossella, a Republican who represents parts of Staten Island and Brooklyn, said "the vast majority of Staten Islanders have already voted to endorse a store like Wal-Mart - they go to New Jersey every day." [Via NY Sun]

Since 2002, Rep. Vito Fossella has taken at least $13,250 from Wal-Mart.
In 2002; $2,500
In 2004; $5,000
In 2006; $5,000
In 2007; $1,000 so far

That is $13,250 that says Rep. Vito Fossella is bought and owned by Wal-Mart. Do you believe that he is voting on issues pertaining to Wal-Mart on his own will despite pocketing their money?

Wal-Mart equals increased Traffic
If there is one issue that all Staten Islanders can probably agree on, it is the problem traffic causes on the island. Rep. Vito Fossella supports Wal-Mart's efforts to open a store in Staten Island and with that he supports increased traffic and congesting.

Many community around the country are concerned by Wal-Mart's tremendous traffic. Adding to the worry is that Wal-Mart and its developers often underplay the negative potential of adding thousands of cars to an area and propose solutions that don't work. In Staten Island, where Wal-Mart is looking to build its first NYC store, the company claims that traffic won't be a problem even though the area is already saturated with retail and its road infrastructure is abysmal. In fact, an Alliance-commissioned study by Brian Kethcam conclusively demonstrates that a Wal-Mart on the South Shore on of Staten Island would be a traffic nightmare. [via the Neighborhood Retail Alliance]

If you don't believe Wal-Mart is desperate to get its foot in the door of New York City via Staten Island, why are they continuing to line Rep. Fossella's pockets with cash, even after they claim they have given up on their plans to come to Staten Island back in 2006. What else do they have to gain?

more to come...

Follow along on what stories we are working on with updates from Twitter.

LTE: Wal-Mart bad idea for the island

In a recent 'Letter to the Editor' (LTE) in the SI Advance the writer comments that the island needs better investments than even more discount stores, something they already have;

With two K-Marts, a Target, and a Kohl's, I believe we have plenty of discount department stores. A Wal-Mart is just not needed. If anything, we need to cross into New Jersey for upscale stores, not discount ones.

snip

Wal-Mart sells cheap, imported goods and provides low-paying, mostly part-time employment. A renewable energy research and manufacturing center would provide high-paying, full-time employment. [SI Advance]

Vito Fossella has come out in support of Wal-Mart coming to the island, clearly he likes the idea of taking financial contributions from Wal-Mart. More discount stores that offer little employment opportunities to the district or long term investment, it is your choice.

Bush follows Fossella's lead, opposes insuring children

Yesterday we covered a recent NO vote by Fossella on a bill to extend health insurance coverage to millions of children currently uninsured, as well as providing additional support to Medicare for senior citizens. Well it turns out President Bush agrees with Vito Fossella and is now threatening to veto the bill. If it is not clear, Bush is just as independent of a thinker and leader as Fossella.

Clearly insuring children threatens the fabric of our nation and it must be stopped at all costs or so that is the message of the Bush/Fossella plan. The Bush/Fossella plan suggests that uninsured Americans get insurance! It is simply brilliant in its simplicity and yet pathetically selfish in its caving to corporate interests. Since when did we start listening to private insurance companies financial interests over allowing a child access to a doctor?

He [Bush] favours a system of tax breaks that encourage uninsured people to take out private insurance.

I recently was without a job, although financially better off that those considered low-income households in America, and in Fossella's district. I paid out of pocket $600 a month for basic insurance coverage, not including deductables and co-payments. The Bush/Fossella plan calls for those who work at jobs such as Wal-Mart, which Fossella is actively helping bring to Staten Island, that does not provide insurance for its employees, to buy their own insurance. A worker would be looking at two weeks of work to have the income to pay for one months worth of insurance at the rate I paid into my COBRA plan. So the Bush/Fossella plan calls for tax cuts to help those Americans pay for their insurance. I know the last time President Bush talked tax breaks I certainly didn't see any money, so I find it ominous to ask my neighbors to trust them this time. Further, even if there are tax breaks, are these families really paying 25% of their income in taxes, and are they then going to see a full 100% tax break, because otherwise the tax break on $30,000 a year really does not cover the $7,200 annually I was paying into private health insurance. And that was just for myself, no children to cover.

The alternative is the bill that passed, despite Fossella's opposition.

The scheme grants federal money to help states cover the health insurance costs of families who are just above the earning limit for the state sponsored Medicaid but don't earn enough to pay for private insurance. It is estimated this will continue coverage for 6 million children and extend it to another 5 million or so uninsured children. [via Medical News Today]

You can not support the needs and build a better future for our children and support Rep. Vito Fossella.

More on Fossella refusing to insure children

Campaign for America's Future brings some coverage of Vito Fossella voting to deny health insurance to children through SCHIP programs.

How I spent my August recess: Rep Fossella edition;

But even though Fossella doesn't want his constituents to know about his vote, the NY13 Blog is spreading the word.

NY13 Blog notes that while Fossella doesn't want to expand coverage to uninsured kids, he's happy to welcome Wal-Mart to his district, a company that leaves more than half of its employees uninsured.

Bring in jobs with insufficient insurance. Provide no public recourse. Feel the compassion!

Fossella sold to the highest bidder

Rep. Fossella has sold out all of his constituents who feel Staten Island is being over developed and has a traffic crisis already, and only for $1,000. How easily are the corrupt politicians bought. You can be a Republican, Conservative or Independent and oppose Wal-Mart and what it will do to your community.

3Q Analysis

Stephen Harrison (D)
• Only 3 donors are maxed out for the primary which leaves lot's of potentially untapped funds
• He has a modest showing on ActBlue, 23 donors yet only Mole333 at DailyGotham is really pushing this so I am curious where those donors came from


Vito Fossella (R)
• $14,100 from my count of his contributions are for the General Election, meaning of his $50k Cash on Hand, only $36k of that is usable before the September 2008 primary, putting him that much further in the hole. After seeing that I went back to his 2Q numbers and he has $36k from that filing that is General Election only, so he is carrying $50k in funds that he can't use before the primary, equal to his current Cash on Hand. (I have to double check some of the finer details of this I am no expert in FEC laws)
• He continues to get Union support, although minimal (Carpenters, Operating Engineers, Painters IUPAT, Laborers)
• The only notable local party elected to contribution this quarter was former Assembly Candidate Anthony Xanthakis, updated; he was only a candidate
• Wal-Mart once again is contributing to Fossella's campaign (this was the same donation from 2Q)

Video: Harrison Announcement

update
Here is some background on those contributions Steve talks about;
Wal-Mart contributions Vito Fossella sells out his district for.

Vito Fossella's pay off contributions from big oil companies.