Comptroller Predictions
Bill Cunningham, political consultant and former deputy mayor
Richard Brodsky Bill Mulrow Tom Dinapoli Martha Stark Joe Morelle
Says we may need to wait "for white smoke" to know when there is a winner.
Ryan Karben, lawyer, consultant and former Assemblyman
Tom DiNapoli Andrew Eristoff Dave Hancox Bill Mulrow Marsha Stark
Predicted winner: DiNapoli
Edward-Isaac Dovere, Editor of City Hall magazine
Frank Morano, outspoken Independence Party memberMartha Stark Tom DiNapoli Richard Brodsky William Mulrow Alphonse Fletcher
Tom DiNapoli Bill Mulrow Richard Brodsky Joe Morelle Martha Stark
"I think DiNapoli gets it in the end."
A junior assembly member
A Democratic operative not associated with any candidateBill Mulrow Tom Dinapoli Joe Morelle Andrew Eristoff Philip Latessa
Martha Stark Bill Mulrow Tom DiNapoli Richard Brodsky Joseph Morelle
Next comptroller: Morelle
An aide to a city official
A knowledgeable Brooklyn DemocratBill Mulrow Tom Dinapoli Howard Weitzman Alphonse Fletcher Philip LaTessa
A Brooklyn-based journalist with a twisted sense of humor"If Eliot Spitzer gets behind Martha Stark, it's hers."
Your predictions? Update: The financial disclosure statements from the candidates are here. -- Azi PaybarahThomas E. Dewey. Dewey's record as a fearless prosecutor and reform-minded governor will match well with the "new Albany" that Eliot Spitzer is trying to bring into being, while his reputation as a "wise old man" of New York politics is a nod to tradition. Since he's a Republican, albeit a liberal one, his appointment will strike a blow for bipartisanship, yet he can't beseen as threat to Spitzer's future ambitions, seeing as he's been dead since 1971. Ask yourself--would a dead Dewey really be any less dynamic than some of these stiffs they're considering?
How come not one word from elected officials and even the press on changing the way a controller vacancy is filled.
We know those in Albany would do anything for money or power, but why is the press sleeping on this issue.
Why not pass a bill to fill the office until the next election. It not a good thing to how few defenders of the public right to vote are out there.
Martha Stark collects taxes for the city. She has no experience whatsoever as an auditor or with investments. She is not considered tactful or able to navigate the political waters in dealing with elected officials from the city council; how will she handle Albany?
May I ask the 800 pound question: If she was not African American would anyone even mention her name?
Arthur Levitt
Meyer Lansky
Dennis Kozlowski
Denny McLain
Beauregard Jackson Pickett Burnside
There is only one vote that counts for Comptroller and that is Speaker Silver's vote: he wants DiNapoli and Nassau Assemblyman Tom DiNapoli will be the next state Comptroller. End of story.
Let the screening panel do their job. No one can question the bona fides of the 3 former Comptrollers and their recommendations will carry major weight.
Once that is done then it is truly up to the Leigslature as a whole to select the next State Comptroller who will have been given the seal of approval by experts more qualified to do so than the Governor, Speaker or Majority Leader.
admittedly he might not be a favorite amongst the handicappers but Assemblyman Grannis is probably the best man for the job. He has a long track record as a staunchly independent and outspoken reformer. He holds a committee chairmanship in the Assembly but he's FAR from being an insider and is often a thorn in the speaker's side. he's a maverick assememblyman who has used his position as insurance committee chair to advocate for strict regulation of a complicated financial industry.
he's got the integrity, intelligence and independence. though all those things might mean he won't have the votes.
let's list the criteria for the best choice. 1. someone from outside the 5 boroughs of NYC. 2. preferably, a non-male. 3. preferably, a person of color. 4. a member of the assembly. 5. someone who doesn't come with skeletons in their closet.
now, let's all look at the 17 candidates and eliminate all of the individuals who do not meet the 5 above - listed criteria.
Who's left?
If DiNap gets through to the final five he probably will be the choice. If the screening committees really wanted to take it out of Silver's hands they would not let any of the Assemblymembers through.
I can't believe that no one has picked the obvious winner: Dave Weprin!
10:46 is exactly right. This is a full term now for an unelected official. If the expense of a special election is too much, we should at least be able to vote next November. If a constitutional amendment is required, someone should introduce it now, before it looks like it's based on the personality of the new Comptroller.
Eristoff is the best qualified, but they'd never pick a Republican, not even a moderate one.
Alphonse Fletcher is doing extremely well in Albany today. He is being well-received by the members and has answered questions directly, clearly and succinctly. Fletcher's resume alone has extremely impressed the panel
While Fletcher has an impressive resume, I thought he bombed.
is flecther the one they were mentioning as being in the closet? I would love to see a member of the LBGT community in a statewide postion.
Morelle blew everyone out of the water and Grannis was second (maybe tied with Mulrow). Clearly Morelle did his homework as he had a much better grip on what the office actually does (which is so much more than the pension).
Morelle **
Brodsky
Mulrow
Wietzman
Eristoff (but only because he's the only republican).
** Morelle takes it.
What about Dave Hancox? I thought he did really well. Mulrow was ok.
Not one of the Assembly members will make the public regain the public trust, especially when they are so closely aligned with Silver, who will make the decision. If he weren't still there, maybe it'd would be a different story, but I see no change in that house.