Assemblyman Danny O’Donnell recently received a flier in the mail from Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s office. The mailing, which advertised how the mayor’s congestion pricing proposal could curb the asthma problem, was conveniently filled in with the names of local representatives that constituents should call to voice their support for the new traffic policy—encouraging O’Donnell to call, of all people, himself.

“The mayor spent millions of dollars sending letters to you, with the picture of a little girl that says ‘I don’t want to have asthma. Can’t you tell Danny O’Donnell I don’t want to have asthma?’ I was not happy about this,” laughed O’Donnell, who represents the 69th district in Morningside Heights.

This and many other not-so-lighthearted shortcomings of local government were discussed last night at the Broadway Democrats’ annual town hall meeting. Several local political leaders were in attendance to give briefs on their recent actions and answer questions from the audience.

First to speak was Bob Ginsberg, committeeman on the New York State Democratic Committee, who gave a critique of his own position. “We’re essentially the board of directors for the Democratic Party in New York,” Ginsberg explained. “Its sort of like the Soviet politburo. We just approve things that come down from the people up top—in this case, [Gov. Eliot] Spitzer.”

The committee’s major function is to nominate Democratic candidates every two years, but “the only reward of being on the state committee is that we have a great cocktail party before the meeting [the nominating caucus],” Ginsberg continued. “I cannot emphasize enough that there is no real function that we have, and those of us who are interested in making things better have to go out on our own and organize something.” Ginsberg, who was Dennis Kucinich’s presidential campaign chairman in 2004, is currently heading a group that aimes to get Al Gore to run again in 2008.

State Sen. Bill Perkins, D-West Harlem, was also in attendance and was questioned by an audience member on his favorite topic—rats. Perkins launched a veritable crusade during his tenure on city council against the city’s rat problem, and last night several area residents complained that landlords who left trash out overnight for morning collection were attracting rodents. “Rats are not just a quality of life thing,” Perkins reiterated. “They’re a real health issue.”

Perkins also spoke about the need for constituents to “keep the faith” and continue to pressure politicians on the issues that matter to them. Perkins referred specifically to two issues: Columbia’s proposed Manhattanville expansion and concern about Mitchell-Lama, an affordable housing program. “The best thing you can do is be a thorn in the side of the people who are making those decisions,” Perkins said.

“Everybody here needs to learn how to be a thorn.”

But it was O’Donnell who summed up the night’s message best: “If you need anything at all, just call my office.”

Zack Hoopes can be reached at zack.hoopes@columbiaspectator.com.