Free Money

Azi Paybarah, late of the Politicker, has a nice look in New York Press (in case you're not a regular reader!) at how the city's public finance system lavishes taxpayer money on candidates running essentially unopposed. "Charles Barron already received $78,375 from the City to ward off John Whitehead, who raised $11,305 and has not yet received any matching funds. Queens Borough President Helen Marshall already has $57,181 ready to be multiplied four-fold while her opponent hasn't filed so much as a single dollar. Other races have much the same dynamic: Majority Leader Joel Rivera has $102,491 raised, with $21,646 to receive board funds, which should help him defeat Yvette Velazquez Bennett, who thus far has raised $600; Finance Committee Chairman David Weprin of Hollis raised $420,565 with $20,751 that could be matched while challenger Celestina Akbar has raised $245." The piece has a pretty harsh take on the city's good government types, along with a key quote from the rapper sometimes known as the Big Baby Jesus: "Why would you turn down free money?"