http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/issueoftheweek/20090914/200/3021 "Developers are out of control," he cautioned, wearing his trademark tan suit. "You should ask every candidate here whether they get money from developers. They should disclose what developers they get money from, where they stand on these issues of eminent domain. I, for one, don't get any money from developers." But no one,... [more]
http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/issueoftheweek/20090914/200/3021
"Developers are out of control," he cautioned, wearing his trademark tan suit. "You should ask every candidate here whether they get money from developers. They should disclose what developers they get money from, where they stand on these issues of eminent domain. I, for one, don't get any money from developers."
But no one, not even Siegel or Avella, is immune from the development industry.
According to our analysis, all of the citywide candidates have taken in some money from real estate interests. Katz took in more than $790,000 -- equal to about 31 percent of the private money she has raised. Katz defends her contributions, saying as head of the land use committee she did more to protect neighborhoods than court developers.
"I have raised from the same folks as all four of the candidates up here," said Katz during the final comptroller debate on Thursday. "I've raised money from an industry that I've stood toe to toe against."
Many of the companies that Katz received funding from, like Extell Development, which is responsible for the construction of Riverside South, or Rudin Management, which is developing a luxury condominium tower at St. Vincent's Catholic Medical Center, have given funds to multiple candidates in multiple races.
Rudin, for instance, has divided $55,625 between comptroller candidates Katz, David Weprin and David Yassky.
Related Companies, one of the city's largest developers that will put a proposal to develop the Kingsbridge Armory in the Bronx before the council before year's end, has given $32,425 to the citywide candidates -- $21,850 of it went to Katz's comptroller campaign.
Two Trees Management, the developer behind a controversial condominium project in Dumbo that opponents charge will obscure the view of the Brooklyn Bridge, gave more than $42,000 to members of the City Council this election cycle. Its project, Dock Street, was approved in June (Two Trees gave $10,000 to Gioia, who voted against the plan).
Doug Muzzio, a professor at Baruch College, said developers take this tactic to cover all of their bases. "The name of the game is land in New York and it's valuable," Muzzio said. "They are heavy contributors across a broad range of candidates, because they want to protect themselves."
Of the citywide candidates, both Avella and Siegel have been the most critical of developers. Nearly all of Siegel's contributions associated with the industry -- which total $8,405 -- come from low-level realtors. He has one $4,950 contribution from a West Harlem developer that fought against the expansion of Columbia University -- a position Siegel also took.
Avella has taken some funding from larger developers, like Muss Development, one of the largest single contributors in the 2005 election, according to the Campaign Finance Board. The Avella campaign said these developer contributions are from individuals Avella knows and are the "good guys."
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