“How’m I doin?”
Metropolis Comptroller Brad Lander, a candidate for Metropolis Corridor, is taking a web page from the late Mayor Ed Koch — by distributing an workplace “survey” asking New Yorkers in regards to the job he’s doing as town’s chief auditor and watchdog.
However the informational ballot is elevating issues that he’s utilizing public sources to promote his Democratic mayoral bid by tooting his personal horn.
“Do you know that the 5 New York Metropolis public pension methods achieved a mixed web 10% return for FY 2024? This robust, strong return will increase retirement safety for our Metropolis’s retirees and save taxpayers $1.81 billion,” mentioned Lander, whose workplace oversees the pension funds, within the word to New Yorkers.
However as The Put up beforehand reported, the positive factors nonetheless fell quick of the 13.2% return that may have come from a normal portfolio of 60% international shares and 40% US bonds, in keeping with funding consulting agency Wilshire.
In the meantime, the S&P 500 netted a virtually 23% return over the identical interval.
“It’s clearly a political gesture and never a authorities aspect gesture,” mentioned veteran Democratic political guide Jon Reinish of Lander’s missive.
Political strategist Hank Sheinkopf mentioned, “[Lander] is utilizing public sources for a political marketing campaign. He’s utilizing his workplace as a marketing campaign headquarters.”
He known as for an ethics probe.
Landers asks respondents to the survey, “Which of our latest audits have you ever heard about?”
One of many decisions was the “Adams’ Administration’s Oversight of DocGo” — the a lot criticized $432 million no-bid emergency migrant shelter contract — and the 60-day shelter rule for migrant households, which Lander opposes.
He additionally requested if residents had been accustomed to his audit of using ShotSpotter — a gunfire location and detection expertise — which discovered the alerts solely recognized confirmed shootings 13 p.c of the time. He additionally sought to seek out out in the event that they had been conscious of his report on emergency storm preparedness.
The survey additionally asks what matters are most essential to respondents.
Reinish mentioned Lander is attempting to reposition himself politically as a result of many New Yorkers affiliate him with the Democratic Socialists of America and progressive left politics and never his job as comptroller.
Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams is taken into account a extra average Democrat.
“I might wager that the majority New Yorkers don’t know what that day-to-day job of comptroller is — nor may title a lot of something that Lander has carried out that’s inside the job of comptroller which isn’t essentially an oddity. It’s fairly in-the-weeds stuff,” Reinish mentioned.
“He’s greatest generally known as an out-of-the-mainstream, far-left progressive activist, which may turn out to be a legal responsibility for him, even in a major, as town sours on radicalism,” Reinish mentioned. “Look no additional than latest examples during which politicians who march in lockstep with the DSA have misplaced their primaries, like Jamaal Bowman, whom Lander endorsed, raised cash for and campaigned alongside.
“So, since he’s working for mayor, it’s no shock that he’s attempting to focus the dialog away from his relationship with radicals within the DSA and onto his document as comptroller, together with selling examples of fiscal stewardship and oversight,” Reinish mentioned.
A rep for Lander’s mentioned the criticism was an inexpensive shot.
“An electronic mail from the Comptroller’s workplace about pension fund returns and audits—gasp!,” mentioned the comptroller’s rep, Chloe Chik.
“What’s subsequent, a weekly e-mail from Metropolis Corridor touting the mayor’s accomplishments or hack-placed hit-pieces masquerading as information articles? What’s this city coming to?” she mentioned.
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