Bloomie's Astronomical Campaign Spending

A new campaign finance report shows that Mayor Bloomberg spent a whopping $108 million to beat Bill Thompson in his third-term election. Bloomberg ran the most expensive personally-financed campaign in U.S. history, spending twelve times as much as his opponent. Of the campaign tab, large chunks of money went to rather unexpected places. And not just pizza!

Bloomberg decided to be modest and not throw an inauguration bash, but according to the NY Post, he gave huge $400,000 bonuses to four top-ranking employees. In total, he handed out $2.4 million in post-election bonuses. It’s good to work for the mayor, bur watchdog groups worry that the magnate—who’s worth an estimated $16-17.5 billion—is turning public service into self service. “He has completely warped the expectation of what the bargain is when you enter public service,” said Susan Lerner, the head of Common Cause/New York.

“It’s mind-boggling,” Kenneth Sherrill, a political science professor at Hunter College told the NY Times “It makes you wonder if the mayor understands the value of a dollar.” On top of the bonuses, Bloomie handed over $34.4 million for television commercials, $20 million on campaign mailings, $10 million on office supplies and $564,000 on food—$45,000 of which went to pizza.

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By Sabrina Jaszi in News on January 16, 2010 9:58 AM

Comments [rss]

Telephone 280

Regardless of my politics, how can putting such a huge amount of money back into the economy be bad?

dgeee

Spending $108 million to make $5 or $6 billion is not much of an investment, and that's what the douche has essentially banked every term he's been mayor.

FelixtheCat & Christine Quinn'

http://queenscrap.blogspot.com/2010/01/appointing-unqualified-friends-to-high.html

Larry Scott Blackmon, a 35-year-old political operative whose recent employment included two consecutive stints in Bloomberg's re-election campaigns, has landed a choice job in the green empire. Bloomberg appointed him to serve as a Deputy Parks Commissioner making $169,560 a year according to the NY Post — thirty three thousand dollars less than Parks Commissioner Benepe. The DPR announced internally last week that he will be working with long-time Assistant Parks Commissioner Jack T. Linn on community outreach. Mr. Linn, who has decades of experience in the agency will be making thirty grand less than Mr. Blackmon. It pays to be connected.

JacqueMehoff

this from a mayor who was complaining $10 an hour is an unfair salary whereas these workers got paid 400K for 2 months work. (I know, some worked longer, I've read the NYT link)

newport27

"It’s good to work for the mayor, bur watchdog groups worry that the magnate—who’s worth an estimated $16-17.5 billion—is turning public service into self service."

Nooooo... really??

"Campaign manager Bradley Tusk, spokesman Howard Wolfson and First Deputy Mayor Patti Harris each made out particularly well - earning $400,000 bonus checks each."

So it seems these are perfect high-profile examples of the kind of people who don't care how crooked their work and the person they're working for is, as long as they get paid. You must be very proud of yourselves, you just earned a 400k bonus while the rest of NYC will get screwed for the next four years. Good work.

FelixtheCat & Christine Quinn'

This amount doesn't include the money his foundation gave for paid endorsers and well as all the city money (our money) he doled out for endorsements.

TimSPC

I'd love to see a reporter with the gall to ask Bloomberg how much worse off our city's economy would be if he hadn't pumped $108 million into it.

Sommelier

$108 million to win... by one percent?

ANGRYGOD11

Actually, 4.4% or a little more than 50,000 votes.

Considering how much money Bloomie spent and how unknown his opponent was, Bloomie should reconsider the bonuses.