Results tagged “citycomptroller”

With his resounding victory as the next City Comptroller (76% of the vote to Republican candidate Joseph Mendola's 19%), City Councilman John Liu is the first Asian-American elected to citywide office. Liu, who was born in Taiwan and immigrated to NYC at age 5, said last night, "The significance of my victory tonight is not lost on me … indeed, this is an historic night for New York City and a milestone for Asian Americans across the nation. ’m truly humbled.” Supporters were excited, with one telling WCBS 2, "He is also an immigrant like me, is not American-born like me, so it's very exciting," and another invoking President Obama's historic win last year, "I see a parallel, for him to make history."

It's Election Day and polls in NYC have been open since 6 a.m. and will close at 9 p.m. You can find your polling site here.

The wondering can stop: President Obama has endorsed City Comptroller Bill Thompson in the NYC mayoral race. Although he didn't make the endorsement himself—press secretary Robert Gibbs announced it. According to the Daily Politics, Gibbs said, "The president is the leader of the Democratic Party and, as that, would support the Democratic nominee."

Last night, the Democratic candidates for Public Advocate and City Comptroller were decided in runoff elections: City Councilman Bill de Blasio won the Public Advocate race, with 63% of the vote while Councilman John Liu won the Comptroller matchup with 56% of the vote. While they will face Republican challengers in the November election (Alex Zablocki for PA, Joseph Mendola for Comptroller), de Blasio and Liu are expected to win, given NYC's overwhelming majority of Democratic voters.

Today, the Democrat candidates for NYC Public Advocate and City Comptroller will be decided today in runoff elections, because no candidate received at least 40% of the vote during September 15's primary. In the PA race, it's City Councilman Bill de Blasio vs. former Advocate Mark Green (in the primary, de Blasio got 32% to Green's 31%), and in the Comptroller race, it's City Councilmen John Liu (who got 38%) vs. David Yassky (30%). If you're a registered Democrat, go vote—because it's costing the city millions anyway!

Now that there are two runoff elections tomorrow—one for Public Advocate and the other for City Comptroller—it's believed that the city will shell out over $14 million (including matching funds to candidates) to hold the elections. And only 10% of the city's 3.1 million Democrats are expected to head to the polls.

The primary run-off election is this Tuesday, and last night, City Comptroller candidates John Liu and David Yassky had their last debate. And apparently, with the race running close, they left nothing to chance by coming out swinging.

David Yassky is best known in some political circles as the man who was the only white candidate in 2006 for the Congressional seat being vacated by Major Owens, leading some to accuse him of racial carpetbagging. Now he has the unenviable task of trying to pull an upset in Tuesday's comptroller runoff election against John Liu, blocking him from being the first Asian-American elected to citywide office.

Besides a run-off for Public Advocate, yesterday's primary election also resulted in a run-off for City Comptroller, with City Council member John Liu (D-Queens) getting 38% of the vote and fellow Council member David Yassky (D-Brooklyn) getting 30%. Two other Council members from Queens ran— Melinda Katz got 20% and David Weprin 11%.

Last night, the four Democratic candidates for City Comptroller met for a debate to show why he or she should be in charge of ensuring the city's financial health. The Daily News explains, "With just days to go before Tuesday's primary, the race to become the city's top financial official is still a nail-biter, with three of the four candidates tied in the polls. Only two would be eligible for a runoff if no one takes at least 40% of the vote."

City Councilman John Liu is running for Comptroller and, in a TV ad, he says he's worked in a sweat shop with his parents. However, a Daily News reporter wrote yesterday that he never did, based on what Liu's mother told her: Jamy Liu says she never worked in factory, though she did bring home fabric; her sons helped her with and were "paid 25 cents for every ball he spun on a yarn-spinning tool," money that Liu's father Joseph said was "allowance." Liu fired back, with a statement on his website, calling the News piece "gotcha" journalism, "My mom was very reluctant and embarrassed to talk about her experience working in the garment industry," and noted that many sweatshops "including the one my mother worked in - combined factory hours with home-based piece work to maximize the exploitation and squeeze the most out of workers: even after leaving the factory, the work never ends." Today, the News stands firm and wonders why Liu "initially said his mother worked in a sweatshop while her children were 'latchkey' kids. Now he claims she worked at home during the school year, but brought her boys to the factory during the summer." Related: Liu fires shots at Councilman David Yassky when asked by the News to discuss his rivals for the position.

The State Senate is still mulling over gay marriage legislation—maybe NYC Comptroller Bill Thompson's report showing that NY State "could gain over $200 million in the three years immediately following the legalization of marriage for same-sex couples" will help the senators make up their mind. The report is an update of his 2007 study, Love Counts: The Economic Benefits of Marriage Equality for New York. If the recession doesn't reduce the number of out-of-state guest, NY State could expect a $210 million gay marriage boom ($178 million is the recession is a factor) while NYC would expect $149 million ($120 million if the recession affects guest count). There would be higher insurance costs—$69 million, $37 million paid by employers. Thompson said, "Legalizing marriage for same-sex couples is not only good for the couples, but also for our economy. And while other states across our nation have legalized marriage for same-sex couples since my last report, I expect New York to still stand as a prime destination for many couples because it will stand as a welcoming beacon of diversity and acceptance." He is also "disappointed" the California Supreme Court upheld Prop 8.

The Attorney General's office, already investigating the state pension fund, is now looking at the NYC pension fund. The NY Times reports, "Investigators have long been examining why a tiny firm operated by Daniel Hevesi, a former state senator and the son of a former state comptroller, Alan G. Hevesi, was paid more than $1 million in fees for his role as an intermediary in deals with pension funds in New York City and for deals in New Mexico." (Two of Hevesi's cronies have already been indicted in the state pension fund corruption probe.) NYC Comptroller William Thompson already announced his office was investigating the use of placement agents (aka the middlemen who collect fees to match funds with investment firms) but the AG's investigation would reportedly be broader. On the state side, the Daily News says that Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver arranged meetings between investors—such as former Rangers goalie Mike Richter— and the state comptroller's office. While none of those investors were selected, watchdog group Common Cause says, "It's very inappropriate because it looks as if the speaker is using his office as the most powerful elected official in the Assembly to try and influence the controller."

The trouble is just starting for private equity firm Quadrangle. Last week, it was revealed the firm's founder—and current White House auto bailout chief—Steve Rattner allegedly paid $1 million to a middleman to be included in the state's pension fund. Now it appears the investigation is heating out up over his attempts to have Quadrangle included in other pension funds—like those of New Mexico, LA and NYC. Apparently Quadrangle paid middleman/placement agent fees to the firm of Hank Morris, already indicted in state pension fund scandal, to drum up business—the NY Times reports that after a meeting with the NYC Comptroller's office, "Mr. Rattner left the meeting irritated that his own considerable connections did not seem to be enough. He soon hired Mr. Morris." City Comptroller Thompson's office is now investigating over whether Quadrangle lied about not naming Morris as a placement agent. (Also, Morris was also former State Comptroller Alan Hevesi's political consultant/top fundraiser!) To that end, the State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli has banned placement agents from the pension fund, but a NY Times editorial suggests that the Legislature needs to create an independent body that watches the investments the State Comptroller makes.

A year and a half ago, it was discovered the city, per a NY Times article, "fail to collect millions in unpaid water bills." While the city has tried to improve its water bill collection practices, there's one notable deadbeat: The NYC Economic Development Corporation, the agency "responsible for promoting economic growth throughout New York City through real estate development programs, business incentives and more."

In the wake of revelations that the City Council had a slush fund (for rainy days when the mayor would cut budgets), City Comptroller William Thompson told City Council Speaker Christine Quinn that his office would review how the council uses discretionary money. In a letter, he wrote, "It remains clear…that the Council’s process was conceived and used to deflect legitimate inquiry into how our City’s tax dollars are being allocated.”

City Councilwoman Melinda Katz (D-Queens) broke news of her pregnancy to the Post today. And she landed on the cover because she conceived via in vitro fertilization, she's single, and she is running for City Comptroller next year!

City Comptroller William Thompson Jr. sharply criticized the Parks Department after his office examined the 79th Street Boat Basin's financial statements, finding many discrepancies and possible criminal activity. Thompson said, "During the course of the audit, a number of red flags were raised. The number and magnitude of these red flags raised the question of whether fraud occurred at the Boat Basin.”

Mayor Bloomberg presented the preliminary 2008-2009 fiscal year budget which inclued cuts to almost every city agency, saying, "Everyone is going to have to tighten their belts." One big reason is the slowing economy and its effects on the city; for instance, the city had previously thought Wall Street profits would be $16.8 billion last year but they are more likely to be $2.8 billion.

Take a good, long look New York: You could be staring into the squinty eyes of your future mayor. (Yes, the white dude on the right.) Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, who describes himself as “somewhat comical” [emphasis added] is on the verge of announcing his candidacy for mayor. Fuhgeddaboutit?

Back in 2006, an agreement signed the day construction started for the new Yankee Stadium promised the team would pay $1.2 million a year in cash and in kind to a fund benefiting Bronx residents for 40 years. It was a gesture to make up for the inconvenience during construction and loss of parkland the new stadium was costing the neighborhood. After a year and half, none of the money has been distributed - and it's unclear who will be distributing it, if ever.

A well-known ruin is crumbling. According to Roosevelt Island Historical Society president and historian Judith Berdy, part of the north wing of the Smallpox Hospital collapsed about a week ago. She writes, "The rest of the north wing especially the front is in danger of coming down any time... [The Roosevelt Island Operation Corporation] is working with TPL, the Southpoint park developers to find a way to do emergency stabilization of the rest of the building... Please encourage RIOC to do all possible to save the rest of the building."

Just because the 2009 elections are over 22 months away doesn't mean some interesting moves can't happen. Adolfo Carrion Jr. (pictured, on left), the Bronx Borough President, has decided to run for City Comptroller in 2009, making it a tough field and shedding light on the mayoral contest.

Even thought Rudy Giuliani's presidential campaign tries to insist that the story is old news and a hit job, the Rudy-NYPD security detail Travelgate situation keeps getting messier. Why? Because even if one agrees that a security detail for Giuliani while he was visiting his then-mistress (and now current wife) Judi Nathan in the Hamptons is a legitimate use of taxpayer money (even if it was randomly billed to various city agencies - which the...

Rudy Giuliani told the American public, via a sit-down with Katie Couric, that the story pointing out expenses for trips to the Hamptons - to see then-mistress Judi Nathan - were billed across a number of obscure city agencies was a "typical political hit job" and a "debate day dirty trick." He even called it a "false story," but Politco, the website that broke the story, pointed out neither Giuilani or his aides "have questioned...

Just in time for last night's Republican debate, political website Politico broke a story claiming that former mayor Rudy Giuliani billed "obscured city agencies for tens of thousands of dollars in security expenses" for extra-marital Hamptons trips with future wife Judith Nathan. When Giuliani would travel outside the city, he would be accompanied by a police detail. And if he stayed overnight, the police would also need lodging and other expenses taken care of. Politico...

The NY State Division of Housing and Community Renewal finally closed a loophole in rent regulations that would have allowed owners and landlords leaving government-subsidized housing programs to increase rents to market rates by citing "unique and peculiar" circumstances. According to the NY Times, some tenants' rents would have skyrocketed from $981/month to $4,500/month for a two-bedroom on the Upper West Side and from $1,000/month to $5,275/month for a three-bedroom, also on the Upper West...

City Comptroller William Thompson Jr. stated in an audit released Thursday that the New York had wasted almost $6 million attempting to develop a Scottish links-style golf course in the Bronx. That's not how much the city spent; that's just how much Thompson thinks the city wasted. Developer Ferry Point Partners has been working on the project for the better part of the last decade (since 2000), and in 2002 requested additional funds for environmental remediation. Of the $7.2 million the Parks Dept. paid Ferry Point Partners since then, an audit released by Thompson's office determined that $5.8 million did not go towards environmental remediation.

For the past few years, the officials have been warning that NYC's Off-Track Betting, or OTB, has been on the verge of going broke, whether it's former State Comptroller Alan Hevesi or City Comptroller William Thompson. OTB doesn't give the city any revenues and recently pinned its hopes on attracting more customers by making over OTB parlors and allowing bets to be placed online and by cell phone or Blackberry.

Plans for a water park on Randall's Island are on the verge of collapse as the developer granted a state concession to build the amusement complex missed its second deadline in seven months to secure financing. According to the Daily News, many East Harlem residents and park advocates were ecstatic at the project's possible failure. Tickets for the water park would have been priced at $37 a person and would result in a de facto reduction of public park space for those unable to afford admission. The neighborhoods closest to the proposed water park are the South Bronx and East Harlem.