William C. Thompson 308,998
Herbert E. Berman 261,608
(Official Vote Count from the Board of Elections)
Comptroller Campaign Trail
9/6/01
For comptroller, Newsday endorses Herbert Berman, largely because of cost overruns in the school construction program during his opponent William Thompson's tenure as school board president. And for public advocate, a job that the paper believes should not exist, it chooses Stephen DiBrienza. (Newsday)
The New York Times endorses William Thompson for comptroller in his race against Herbert Berman. "Neither man, unfortunately, is an ideal choice for the job of the city's financial watchdog. Mr. Thompson and Mr. Berman were both in positions that should have allowed them to discover that the city's public school construction program was running wildly over budget, but neither blew the whistle. Both, in fact, seemed to feel that they should not have been expected to find out about the overruns unless someone else informed them.. . .As head of the Finance Committee, [Berman] has had plenty of experience with the creation of a city budget. But the committee's oversight work, despite some good intentions, has been thin. Mr. Berman may also be too mired in the old-style political horse-trading that is the hallmark of the council's part in budget-making.
"Mr. Thompson, a younger and more thoughtful candidate, has some missteps on his record. As a 'rainmaker' for the investment firm of George K. Baum & Company, he waited too long to take the test required by the National Association of Securities Dealers. He also failed to pay enough state tax on two occasions. . . . Both of these matters, although relatively minor, are worrisome in a candidate for the comptroller's post.
"Nevertheless, of the two candidates we prefer Mr. Thompson, whose tenure as president of the Board of Education brought an unusual period of quiet progress. Mr. Thompson also seems the more energetic candidate, who would regard the comptroller's job as a challenge to be met. Mr. Berman, on the other hand, is more likely to see it as the capstone of a long political career.
"The only African-American running for a citywide office, Mr. Thompson wants to be a more 'activist' comptroller, speaking out on the city's financial state. During this campaign he has expressed concern about the city's debt level 1"2 an attitude we prefer to Mr. Berman's more optimistic approach. Mr. Thompson has also promised to make more of the audits public, building on his efforts at the Board of Education, where he worked to make financial records more transparent.
"The most important first step for the next comptroller will be his choice of deputies. . . . The new comptroller must also be especially scrupulous about picking a top-notch first deputy, a job that should go to someone who is above reproach, who has a great range of experience and is respected in government and in the financial marketplace. We endorse Mr. Thompson with the expectation that he will make those personnel choices his first priority to send a signal that his stewardship is based on the public trust, not political favors." (New York Times)
The Daily News endorses Berman. "Fiscal experience and prudent sensibilities will matter much during the next term. Herb Berman has those qualifications, and more, making him the Daily News' choice for the job. As chairman of the City Council Finance Committee since 1990, Berman has navigated the ins and outs of the budget process and capital-spending programs. Working with Mayor Giuliani and Speaker Peter Vallone, he helped negotiate successful and responsible budgets. Berman would barely have to switch hats to assume the controller's key roles 1"2 scrutinizing the city's books, selling bonds, safeguarding the pension system and advising the mayor, council and public on the city's monetary health. He also has worn the fiscal watchdog cap comfortably.
"Berman's opponent, ex-Board of Education President Bill Thompson, is an attractive candidate whose sensible stewardship kept the peace on a fractious board. Questions have been raised about two tax liens filed against him for late payments, but they do not disqualify him from elective office. Indeed, Thompson's political future in this city is bright. But, here and now, for the controller's job, Berman is the better candidate." (Daily News)
The Observer also endorsed Councilmember Herbert Berman in the Democratic primary for comptroller. Its editorial cites Berman's understanding of how the budget and government work, his 26 years of government experience, and his having been a key player in the city's budget process as chair of the council's budget committee. On the other hand, the Observer says, his opponent, William Thompson "was missing in action while the [school] capital spending plan ran up cost overruns of nearly $3 billion." (New York Observer)
The two Democratic candidates for comptroller, Herbert Berman and William Thompson, clashed yesterday in a heated television debate. Each candidate in the increasingly bitter race argued the other is unfit for the post. Berman accused Thompson of failing to pay his taxes on time and not getting legally required licenses on time when he worked on Wall Street. Thompson countered by accusing Berman of running "a gutter-type, mudslinging nasty campaign." Both men are running negative television ads. (NY Times)
Some of the bitterness of the comptroller's race could be due to the fact that it's so close. According to a Quinnipiac College survey, William Thompson and Herbert Berman are virtually tied with Thompson at 24 percent and Berman at 22 percent. But 52 percent of voters have yet to make up their minds. (New York Post)
9/4/01
City Comptroller candidate Herb Berman is set to unleash a TV ad today
attacking his rival, William Thompson, as a tax scofflaw and law-breaking
banker. "William Thompson managing our tax dollars? New York City filed
warrants against Thompson for five years of unpaid taxes," a narrator says
as copies of warrants flash across the screen. "He broke the law as an
investment banker and had his securities license suspended." Thompson's
campaign shot back yesterday, saying Berman has "sunk to the politics of
lies and slander." (Daily News)
8/29/01
In the race for comptroller, William Thompson had raised barely
$1 million to Herb Berman's $1.5 million, as of Aug. 10. And
by far, Berman is attracting the big money. Berman's donors
include just about all of the city's biggest real estate developers,
its biggest bus companies and many landlords.(Daily
News)
8/28/01
A mailing sent out by comptroller candidate Herbert Berman
directly attacks the integrity of rival William Thompson.It
focuses on published reports about tax liens that had been
filed against Thompson in 1984 and 1997 and allegations he
violated securities regulations while he was a private investment
banker in the early 1990s. But Thompson's campaign spokeswoman
replied that Berman is resorting to "an underhanded and despicable
distortion of the facts." (Daily
News)
8/25/01
Both candidates for comptroller, Herb Berman and Bill Thompson,
are longtime political insiders with a head for figures. Each
uses the word "utilize" a lot. And each agrees with the other
on almost every issue. To the extent that the candidates disagree
on anything, it is on the outlook for the city's economy and
budget. Mr. Thompson takes the gloomier view But the lack
of drama does not mean that the comptroller's race is unimportant,
especially now that the city's economy is beginning to skid
and tax revenues look likely to shrink. The comptroller will
have to be the bearer of any bad economic news to the new
mayor, the new City Council and the public - as well as paying
the bills, borrowing the money and checking out the contracts
signed by the city. (NY
Times)
7/18/01
Former Board of Education President and city comptroller candidate
William Thompson won the endorsement of the United Federation
of Teachers union yesterday. (Daily
News)
Mets co-owner Fred Wilpon and his Sterling Equities real-estate
company donated nearly $100,000 in this year's city elections,
including $50,700 to the four Democratic mayoral hopefuls.
They also donated $35,300 to city comptroller candidate Herb
Berman, a Brooklyn city councilman who was a key in building
a $33 million stadium in Coney Island for a minor-league Mets
team. The Mets are seeking a new $500 million major-league
stadium. (NY
Post)
8/24/01
The two candidates for comptroller got endorsements from Latino
public officials yesterday, Herb Berman from Councilmembers
Margarita Lopez, Victor Robles, and Guillermo Linares, and
Assembly member Jose Rivera (one of the Vieques Four); William
Thompson from Congressmembers Nydia Velazquez and Jose Serrano
(Daily
News).
7/04/01
William Thompson, the ex-Board of Education president and
investment banker who's running for city comptroller, broke
a half a dozen securities regulations over his vaunted eight-and-a-half-year
banking career, raising doubts about his qualifications for
the city's second most important elected post. (Village
Voice) Thompson denies the charge. (NY
Times)
04/27/01
The man who wants to be the city's chief financial watchdog,
former Board of Education President William Thompson, twice
had liens filed against him for late income tax payments,
the Daily News has learned. State tax officials filed the
liens against Thompson in an attempt to get him to pay back
taxes, once in 1984 for $11,165 and again in 1997 for $1,772.
Thompson, who became Board of Education president in 1996,
eventually did pay the taxes, fines and penalties. (Daily
News)
3/15/01
The recent ruling by the city Conflicts of Interest Board
that is forcing Board of Education President Bill Thompson
to resign could have wide-ranging implications in future elections.
The board ruled that high-ranking, appointed city officials
cannot raise money if they are candidates for a city office.
Since most prospective candidates begin raising money years
before an election, the ruling means future candidates who
are top city employees will either have to quit years before
they run or hold off raising money until closer to the election.
The ruling affects up to 2,000 city officials. (Crain's NY)
3/14/01
On an almost daily basis, the two Democratic candidates for
New York City comptroller, City Council member Herb Berman
and Board of Education President William C. Thompson Jr. wander
from one political function to another, hoping to entice any
who will listen to pay attention to the race for the city's
No. 3 job. The city comptroller regularly performs audits
of the city budget and makes budget recommendations, as well
as approves all city contracts. The annual salary is $160,000.
No Republican candidate has materialized. (NY
Times)
2/11/01
The recent ruling by the Conflicts of Interest Board that
bars appointed officials, but not elected ones, from campaign
fundraising unless they resign, will affect several races:
Brooklyn Borough President (where deputy borough president
Jeannette Gadson is a candidate and has been actively promoted
by her boss Howard Golden); Staten Island Borough President
(where deputy borough president James Molinaro is a candidate
and has been actively promoted by his boss Guy Molinari);
Comptroller (where Board of Education President William Thompson,
who sought the ruling from the Conflict of Interest Board,
will now step down three months before his term ends. (Daily
News)
2/06/01
Board of Education President William Thompson, running for
city comptroller, said yesterday he would resign his post
to comply with a ruling made last week by the Conflicts of
Interest Board barring top city employees - but not elected
officials - from raising campaign funds. (Daily
News)
1/06/01
Thompson, "a fixture of black Democratic politics in Brooklyn"
and the son of another fixture, has had some financial experience,
working as a consultant for an investment banking firm, "the
Board of Education is known for killing political careers,
not making them," and some see him as too cozy with Mayor
Giuliani. (Daily News)
08/15/00
Two months after helping win approval of a controversial new
stadium in Coney Island for a minor-league baseball team owned
by the Mets, City Council member Herb Berman received over
$50,000 in campaign contributions from team owners and associates.
The contributions were raised by Jeffrey Wilpon, son of Mets
co-owner Fred Wilpon, on June 2, records show. Berman received
checks of $4500--the maximum allowed under city campaign --from
Jeffrey and Fred Wilpon, two other relatives of the Wilpons,
and three executives in Wilpon's real estate firm, Sterling
Equities. Other family members gave lesser amounts. All told,
Berman received $54,000 from the Wilpons and their associates,
accounting for more than 10 percent of the $504,000 collected
thus far by the Brooklyn Democrat who is running for city
comptroller next year. The Mets said the gifts followed a
fundraising appeal from Berman's campaign. (Village
Voice)