Mayor Bloomberg's campaign reported that it spent $77.8 million to get the man reelected. Given that the Mayor spent almost $70 million for 2001 election, is inflation over four years over 12%? Or did the Mayor just decide to use more wood pulp and roboto telephoners to bombard us with how awesome he was? The Mayor said, "It is what it is. I spent my own money. I had a big message to get out and we did get the message out." Yes, the message was "I'm rich, bitch!" Fernando Ferrer spent $19.5 million for his failed campaign, which amounts to $19 per vote (the Mayor paid $103!).
One interesting fact about Bloomberg's spending was that he "spent tens of thousands of dollars on MetroCards and rental cars for canvassers and airfare for some volunteers to travel to New York in the days before the election." What? He couldn't find hardworking New Yorkers to shill his message for him?
Photograph of a cameraphone-taking-in-subway-approving Mayor Blomberg from Reuters
