This year, the NYC Campaign Finance Board (CFB) approved a whopping $17.3 million in matching funds to City candidates – a sizable portion of which went to candidates running in Manhattan.
The City’s Campaign Finance Program works thusly – candidates who raise above a certain threshold in $1-to-$8-dollar donations receive matching funds from the NYCCFB. Said threshold differs depending on the office the candidate is running for.
The program’s purpose is to incentivize candidates to seek support from average New Yorkers, instead of pandering to special interests. Over 96 percent of the candidates in New York’s 2021 elections are taking part in the program.
This year, 56 City Council candidates qualified for matching funds, 15 of which are running in Manhattan districts. Of those 15, six received the maximum possible payouts under the NYCCFB’s new “Option A” program. The 15 candidates received matching funds totaling $2,055,524 – nearly a third of the $6,357,073 raised by City Council candidates across the five boroughs.
One particular standout this month was City Councilmember Ben Kallos (D-Yorkville, Lenox Hill), who is running for Manhattan Borough President. Kallos received $460,651 in matching funds, and was the only Manhattan BP candidate to receive any at all. Steven Matteo, who is running for Staten Island BP, was the only other BP candidate to receive matching funds.
“I am proud of the overwhelming grassroots support my campaign is seeing, and today’s public funds payment is a testament to that energy,” said Kallos. “This is what it looks like when campaigns are supported by real New Yorkers, not real estate developers, corporations, or lobbyists. We are ready and eager to hit the ground running in 2021.”
“I am very much looking forward to working on behalf of the entire Borough of Manhattan, expanding on the work I have been doing in the Council around improving education, affordable housing, homelessness and making government more accountable.”
Candidate Overview
| Office | Candidate | Payment on Dec. 15 |
| Mayor | Eric Adams | $4,388,102 |
| Mayor | Scott Stringer | $3,330,535 |
| Comptroller | Brad Lander | $2,344,442 |
| Manhattan BP | Ben Kallos | $460,651 |
| City Council District 1 | Maud Maron | $160,444 |
| City Council District 1 | Christopher Marte | $159,779 |
| City Council District 3 | Erik Bottcher | $160,444 |
| City Council District 5 | Billy Freeland | $137,803 |
| City Council District 5 | Kim Moscaritolo | $160,444 |
| City Council District 5 | Tricia Shimamura | $109,075 |
| City Council District 6 | Sara Lind | $120,179 |
| City Council District 7 | Shaun Abreu | $160,301 |
| City Council District 7 | Marti Allen-Cummings | $160,444 |
| City Council District 7 | Daniel Cohen | $160,444 |
| City Council District 8 | Diana Ayala | $82,982 |
| City Council District 10 | Carmen De La Rosa | $160,420 |
| City Council District 10 | Angela Fernandez | $107,981 |
| City Council District 10 | Johanna Garcia | $160,444 |
| City Council District 10 | Josue Perez | $54,340 |
