2009 Comptroller Election | The New York Observer

Cyclists Go After John Liu Over Yassky's Bill

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:39:00 -0400

Tensions surfaced this week between members of the city's cycling community and Councilman John Liu over a piece of legislation—the Bicycle Access to Buildings Bill—that has yet to make it out of the City Council Transportation Committee, which Liu chairs. The bill, which was first introduced back in 2003 and has resurfaced in various incarnations since then, would require office buildings to let tenants store bikes in the buildings, hence encouraging more people to...

At Endorsement of Katz and de Blasio, Carpenters Official Says Bloomberg Looking 'Better Every Day'

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 12:35:00 -0400

The New York City District Council of Carpenters endorsed Melinda Katz for City Council Comptroller and Bill de Blasio for public advocate today at an event outside City Hall. Organizing the event was Michael Forde, executive secretary treasurer of the union. As he walked away, I asked him what they're doing in the mayor's race. “We haven’t endorsed the mayor as of yet,” said Forde. “Right now we’re in the process of negotiating labor agreements with all...

Speaking for Weprin, Sheinkopf Attacks Katz, Ignores Liu

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:38:00 -0400

Hank Sheinkopf is doing his bit to make a surprisingly lively comptroller's race a little livelier. Here's the response I got from Sheinkopf, who is working for candidate David Weprin, to yesterday’s Quinnipiac poll, which showed Weprin behind the three other Democratic candidates: "The road to city hall has never been paid for by landlords’ money. Landlord candidate Melinda katz, will be found out by the voters." This is not the first time Sheinkopf has made Katz,...

An Unexciting Man for an Unexciting Job

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 06:00:00 -0400

Councilman and city comptroller candidate David Weprin claims he wasn’t offended when his younger brother, Assemblyman Mark Weprin, said at a recent press conference that he wasn’t running as “Mr. Personality.” “I think I’m more exciting than he makes me out to be,” the older Weprin said. “I don’t take it seriously. He’s still a strong supporter.” Weprin, with his Inspector Clouseau moustache and awkward manner, was sitting toward the back of his campaign...

Katz's Argument for a N.Y.-Centric Investment Strategy: We're Better

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 15:27:00 -0400

In this clip from Ken Fisher’s tv show, City Comptroller candidate Melinda Katz says before investing pension money in a company, she’ll look at how many jobs they created in New York. Fisher asks if New York companies would somehow be hurt if other jurisdictions applied a similar standard. “I understand what you’re saying about other jurisdictions,” she said. “Albany may be the capital of New York. New York City is the capital of the world...

Manhattan Dems Go with Yassky, Duck Public Advocate's Race; Weprin Gets S.I.

Fri, 22 May 2009 11:25:00 -0400

City Comptroller candidate David Yassky won the endorsement of the New York County Democratic Organization last night, while one of his rivals in the race, David Weprin, picked up the endorsement of the Democratic County organization on Staten Island. In Manhattan, Yassky edged out John Liu for the endorsement. The vote was 108 for Yassky, 96 for Liu, 6 for Melinda Katz and 0 for David Weprin, according to Arthur Greig, chairman of the law...

Not Ceding the Female Vote to Katz

Fri, 22 May 2009 09:50:00 -0400

City Comptroller candidate Melinda Katz has not been shy about reminding people that she is the only woman in the race. Yesterday afternoon, a rival supporter announced the formation of a “Women for Liu” group. Olanike Alabi, a Democratic district leader in Brooklyn, emailed friends and reporters announcing her support of comptroller candidate John Liu. In that email, Alabi also said she will rally women to support him, and that “we will organize women...

Brooklyn for Thompson, de Blasio, Yassky

Wed, 20 May 2009 21:58:00 -0400

The Brooklyn Democratic organization voted unanimously to endorse Bill Thompson for mayor, ignoring a request from prospective candidate Anthony Weiner to delay the vote by two weeks, according to Democratic district leader who attended the event. The organization also voted to endorse an all-Brooklyn slate for citywide offices, going with Bill de Blasio for public advocate and David Yassky for comptroller. According to this attendee, de Blasio got 36 votes,...

Bronx Democrats Endorse Katz, de Blasio and Thompson, Defend the Choice on Facebook

Mon, 18 May 2009 13:59:00 -0400

The Bronx Democratic County organization waded into two of the city’s most contested primary races this weekend, announcing their backing of Melinda Katz for comptroller and Bill de Blasio for public advocate. They also announced they’re endorsing Bill Thompson for mayor. For the Bronx Democratic county leader, Carl Heastie, this is his first foray into the 2009 races. On Facebook, Heastie has been fending off some criticism of the endorsements—the comments are coming, somewhat randomly,...

Weprin Gets Donations From Goodman, Gives One to Diaz

Fri, 15 May 2009 14:26:00 -0400

City Councilman and comptroller candidate David Weprin raised $85,780 this filing period, and spent $183,760. New numbers were just posted on the city Campaign Finance Board web site, and I'm going through them now. Weprin has a couple of interesting items. He received four contributions of $2,500 from the campaign committee of Roy Goodman, a retired Republican state senator from Manhattan. One of the more significant expenses for the Weprin campaign was...

Yassky's Database of Earmarks

Tue, 12 May 2009 13:17:00 -0400

City Councilman David Yassky, who is running for comptroller, just launched a searchable database of how City Council members are spending discretionary funds. It’s part of his new effort to get information about the city budget online, including how each agency is spending money. The site is called ItsyourmoneyNYC.com The “earmark” database is searchable by members, by borough, and by group. Plus, you can leave comments under each earmark. (Should be interesting...

Katz on Sexism and Motherhood in Politics

Mon, 11 May 2009 10:40:00 -0400

Comptroller candidate Melinda Katz, the only woman running for a citywide office this year, debuted on Huffington Post yesterday (Mother’s Day) to write about running for office as a woman and single mother. The piece addresses criticism she's received and preempts questions she's likely to get as the campaign proceeds. It doesn't make many points that haven't been made, but it's probably a decent window into how she will approach inquiries into her personal life. If...

The Katz Coalition

Wed, 06 May 2009 16:06:00 -0400

Here’s City Councilwoman Melinda with a bunch of City Council members who are endorsing her campaign for city comptroller. The Katz campaign gathered outside City Hall for a very public photo-op in an effort to offset the notion that John Liu is the only candidate in the race with diverse support. “I’m honored to have such a good relationship with the people I work with,” said Katz. Attendees include Maria Baez, Annabel...

Liu Campaign Returns Some Potentially Problematic Contributions, Keeps Some Others

Wed, 06 May 2009 11:45:00 -0400

So far, the comptroller campaign of City Councilman John Liu has returned a total of 42 contributions deemed potentially problematic, and has "flagged," but not refunded, a further 17 contributions from a bundler with a controversial past. Let's state right here what these kinds of stories often fail to state: The total amount of money at stake is not enormous, and there is no evidence of wrongdoing. But the way in which the campaign made these...

Hikind Endorses Weprin for Comptroller, de Blasio for Public Advocate

Mon, 04 May 2009 11:56:00 -0400

Assemblyman Dov Hikind of Brooklyn is not endorsing the only comptroller candidate from his borough, David Yassky, and instead backing David Weprin of Queens. Hikind made the announcement on his weekly radio show Saturday night. In a brief telephone interview this morning, Hikind elaborated. “I know he’s qualified based on his experience, going back to before he was an elected official,” Hikind said, referring to Weprin’s days working in the state's Banking Department under Mario Cuomo....

David Weprin Hires a Comedian

Fri, 01 May 2009 10:58:00 -0400

City comptroller candidate David Weprin is getting public speaking tips and comedic advice from political activist and comedian Randy Credico. “The guy has a great sense of humor,” Credico said in an interview. “He’s a sensitive guy. He’s not just a bean counter, he’s got a big heart.” Weprin’s brother Mark recently said David is not running as “Mr. Personality." Credico added, “It’s a matter of communicating [Weprin’s] sense of humor.” That, Credico said, will help “separate...

Weprin Opens Campaign Office, Rolls Out Lots of Officials

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 11:02:00 -0400

At his campaign office opening this Sunday, City Comptroller candidate David Weprin announced he was endorsed by 20 current and former officials including former Brooklyn Borough President Howard Golden and Assemblywoman Grace Meng of Flushing. Golden joins Fernando Ferrer of the Bronx and David Dinkins of Manhattan as co-chairs of the campaign. The office space was somewhat striking: a big cavernous store front around the corner from the Letterman Show and next door to where Studio...

John Liu's Sweatshop Story

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 13:17:00 -0400

Here’s more from city comptroller candidate John Liu’s appearance at a forum last night, talking about how “at the age of seven” he joined his mother working in a sweatshop. “Me and my two younger brothers, we all went to the sweatshop. And I got my first job when I was seven. And I felt lucky because, hey, I got to do this and if I worked really, really fast, I got paid a dollar...

Broadway Democrats for Yassky

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 09:45:00 -0400

The Broadway Democrats voted last night to endorse David Yassky for City Comptroller. The vote, according to an interested reader, was 22 for Yassky, 12 for John Liu, 6 for Melinda Katz and 1 for David Weprin. In case you’re keeping track of this stuff. UPDATE: Liz has more numbers from the club's vote, including Manhattan DA candidate Richard Aborn getting 84 percent of the vote for his race, and mayoral candidate Billy Thompson getting nearly twice...

Liu Gets the Working Families Party

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 22:10:00 -0400

The Working Families Party has endorsed City Comptroller candidate John Liu, citing the "coalition" he's put together and his advocacy for "living wages jobs, affordable housing, and responsible contracting." It's a major coup for Liu, who came into the race months after his opponents, Melinda Katz, David Yassky and David Weprin. According to a source familiar with the party's vote tonight, Liu got 65 votes, Katz got 18, Yassky got 2 and Weprin got none. Liu, it...

Yassky Gets Two Manhattan Endorsements

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 13:12:00 -0400

City Councilman David Yassky of Brooklyn, a candidate for city comptroller, announced in an email to supporters that he has been endorsed by two lawmakers from Manhattan, Assemblyman Jonathan Bing and City Councilman Dan Garodnick. They’re two of the major cogs in the East Side Democratic power establishment led by Representative Carolyn Maloney. Yassky is the only candidate in the race not from Queens. Conventional wisdom is that Yassky -–a wonky legislator...

Katz Kicks Off Her Campaign, Officially

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 09:57:00 -0400

Melinda Katz just emailed supporters to say she’s formally announcing the kick-off of her city comptroller campaign on Sunday, April 19 in Forest Hills. Katz, in case you haven’t noticed, has been campaigning, raising money and collecting endorsements for at least two years. She’s also been part of relatively aggressive exchanges with her rivals, which is something that usually happens much closer to Election Day. Last month, her aides were strategically placed at John Liu’s campaign...