After elevating greater than $100,000 previously few months for a possible metropolis comptroller marketing campaign, Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine is formally leaping into the 2025 race for the fiscal watchdog submit, teeing up a aggressive Democratic main that’ll embody no less than two different high-profile candidates.
Levine opened a comptroller marketing campaign account in August to begin elevating money, however cautioned on the time he hadn’t made a last determination but whether or not to truly run.
“I have the relevant technical background. But what I am most proud of is that I have, over my career, seen big problems in this city and mobilized to address them successfully,” Levine mentioned, referencing how as a Metropolis Council member he was the principle sponsor of the invoice that established the town’s “Right to Counsel” program, which ensures low-income New Yorkers can get free authorized illustration in Housing Court docket.
The transfer from Levine, who is about to formally kick off his marketing campaign at a press convention Thursday, comes after he raked in $106,000 in donations for his comptroller bid between his Aug. 9 launch and Oct. 9, the shut of the most recent reporting interval, data present. That haul got here on high of cash Levine already had within the financial institution from his Manhattan BP account, leaving him with a comptroller marketing campaign money stability of $319,544, the best of all declared candidates.
Nonetheless, Levine is anticipated to face severe competitors within the comptroller main.
Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar at Metropolis Corridor on June 26, 2023. (Luiz C. Ribeiro for New York Every day Information)
Queens Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar, an ally of Mayor Adams, has additionally declared a 2025 run for comptroller and drew in $240,432 in the newest reporting window.
Brooklyn Councilman Justin Brannan, who chairs the Council’s highly effective Finance Committee, introduced a comptroller marketing campaign, too, only a few days after Levine in August and pulled in $224,006 within the newest stretch. Brooklyn state Sen. Kevin Parker, who not too long ago opened a comptroller account, is one other native politician contemplating a run.
“I’m not going to talk negatively about the other candidates at this point,” Levine mentioned when requested why he’s higher fitted to the comptroller job than his opponents. “I feel very confident in my record.”
The comptroller serves as the town authorities’s inside fiscal watchdog and is tasked with auditing companies, reviewing contracts and overseeing the municipal pension funds, amongst different obligations.
John McCarten/NYC Council Media Unit
Metropolis Councilman Justin Brannan, proper. (John McCarten/NYC Council Media Unit)
In a press release, Levine’s marketing campaign prompt he’ll run on points apart from the comptroller’s conventional duties, itemizing “driving affordability and solving the housing crisis” as key priorities for him ought to he be elected.
“There are some direct levers that can be pulled in using pension funds to invest in affordable housing development in New York City that can produce good returns for our retirees and be a win-win for affordable housing,” Levine mentioned of how he envisions utilizing the comptroller’s workplace to deal with the housing disaster.
In tandem along with his marketing campaign launch, Levine introduced endorsements from a handful of native elected officers, together with Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso.
“Our city needs someone like Mark at the helm — leaders who are guided by their values, who will go through the books line by line and make sure New York is on a strong fiscal path, and who will always put our neighbors first,” Reynoso, who served with Levine within the Council, mentioned in a press release. “After a decade of working side by side in city government, I know Mark Levine to be that leader.”
