Ka-ching!
According to the city’s Campaign Finance Board’s (CFB) latest filings released yesterday, Monday, March 15, some candidates finally cashed in big in their respective campaigns and races.
The CFB gives out matching funds to qualifying candidates at a rate of $8 for every $1 donated from city residents, that means up to the first $175 for donations to city council and borough president candidates, and up to $250 for donations to citywide candidates. Overall, CFB has as of now approved $9,469,159 in public matching funds payments to 90 different candidates for March. Interestingly enough, this will likely be the first year that CFB will be close to topping the $50 million in public matching funds given out in 2013’s citywide elections.
Three candidates for mayor, three for comptroller, 13 for borough president, and 71 for city council have qualified for public funds payments.
Here’s a rundown of the top finishers:
For the Mayoral race, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams has $14,060, City Comptroller Scott Stringer has $97,622, and Maya Wiley cashed in with $1,911,681.
Adam’s campaign broke out the bubbly for having raised more than $9.3 million in total if you include today’s $14,000.
“I am overwhelmed by the support our campaign has received from every corner of this city,” said Adams in a statement. “Working people — everyday New Yorkers — are propelling this campaign, and our contributors represent the beautiful diversity of New York. Our campaign has the most support because we are a movement to deliver what hard-working New Yorkers deserve: a fair, safe, prosperous city that puts them first.”
For Comptroller, which really is a job all about the benjamins, Senator Brian Benjamin raised $14,297, Councilmember Brad Lander had $76 added to his estimated stash of $3,426,051, and Assemblymember David Weprin raised a whopping $1,338,614.
The stand outs this time around for borough president candidates are Councilmember Antonio Reynoso in Brooklyn with $65,426, Senator Brad Hoylman in Manhattan with a huge payment of $996,231, business owner Leticia Remauro in Staten Island with $171,342, and Assemblymember Nathalia Fernandez in the Bronx with $229,064.
In the city council district races 11 people got the max for public funds payment, which is $160,444. Those candidates were Mario Rosser in District 9, William Rivera in District 18, Austin Shafran in District 19, Jaslin Kaur in District 23, Julie Won in District 26, Avi Cyperstein District 29, Donghui Zang in District 29, Lincoln Restler in District 33, Rodrigo Camarena District 38, Kenya Handy-Hilliard in District 40, and Shirley Paul in District 46.
There will be another round of public funds payment on April 15. There are eight public funds payments scheduled ahead of the primary elections on June 22.
