Forget the headline and the lead. What is important here is that Silver was standing next to Bloomberg, getting something (the reopening of Park Row) he has been asking for for quite some time.

You could just as easily turn this headline and lead on its head and say, "Silver Refuses to Rule Out Stadium."

Silver mum on
stadium go-ahead

BY MICHAEL SAUL
DAILY NEWS CITY HALL BUREAU

Standing next to Mayor Bloomberg at City Hall, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver flatly refused yesterday to make any commitment to vote on the West Side stadium before Olympic officials select the 2012 host city this summer.

"I can't guarantee anything," said Silver, who has veto power over the controversial project.

Bloomberg insists the project must be approved by the Public Authorities Control Board - an obscure state panel controlled by Silver, Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno and Gov. Pataki - before the International Olympic Committee chooses the 2012 host city on July 6.

If the stadium isn't approved before the vote, Bloomberg says, New York will have no chance of winning the Games.

Silver, who attended a news conference at City Hall yesterday, has previously raised numerous concerns about the stadium, and expressed reservations about approving it before the Olympic vote.

"I don't set the agenda for the PACB," said Silver (D-Manhattan), referring to the panel, "and the matter is not before us right now."

The state budget director, John Cape, a Pataki appointee, sets the agenda. Officials have told the Daily News that he intends to place the issue on the May 18 agenda.

Silver and Bruno (R-Rensselaer) are officially neutral. Cape supports the stadium, which also would house the Jets.

Bloomberg said yesterday he remains optimistic that the stadium will get the green light because he's never heard Silver or Bruno "ever say, 'No!'"

As for Silver's refusal to make a commitment about voting soon, Bloomberg said, "I didn't hear him say anything that left me thinking that we don't have a decent chance if I can show him why this is about jobs in this city."

Meanwhile, Stephen Cassidy, head of the firefighters' union, and Pat Lynch, head of the police union, have sent letters to Silver and Bruno, urging them not to vote on the stadium before the Olympic vote.

"It does not appear to us that there should be a rush to commit to construct a stadium," they wrote.