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By: Meyer Wolfsheim
In a move reminiscent of the late Mayor Ed Koch, City Comptroller Brad Lander, who is eyeing a run for City Hall, has launched an office “survey” asking New Yorkers to evaluate his performance as the city’s chief auditor and watchdog. But this so-called informational poll is raising eyebrows, with critics accusing Lander of using taxpayer-funded resources to boost his Democratic mayoral bid by subtly promoting his achievements, NY Post reported,
Lander’s survey comes across as more of a self-congratulatory campaign tool than an objective assessment. “Did you know that the five New York City public pension systems achieved a combined net 10% return for FY 2024? This strong, robust return will boost retirement security for our City’s retirees and save taxpayers $1.81 billion,” Lander’s office proclaimed in the note to New Yorkers. As City Comptroller, Lander oversees these pension funds, and while the 10% return may sound impressive, it falls short of the 13.2% return that a standard investment portfolio of 60% global stocks and 40% U.S. bonds would have achieved during the same period, according to investment consulting firm Wilshire.
Moreover, the S&P 500 outperformed both benchmarks, netting a nearly 23% return over the same period, raising questions about whether Lander’s touted achievement is truly noteworthy or merely an attempt to spin the numbers in his favor.
“This is clearly a political gesture, not a government initiative,” said veteran Democratic political consultant Jon Reinish in an exclusive interview with the NY Post. Reinish suggested that Lander is trying to reposition himself politically, especially since many New Yorkers associate him with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and the far-left progressive movement, rather than his actual duties as Comptroller. “Lander is best known as an out-of-the-mainstream, far-left progressive activist, which can become a liability, even in a primary, as the city sours on radicalism,” Reinish added.
Political strategist Hank Sheinkopf echoed these concerns, accusing Lander of using public resources to fuel his political ambitions. “[Lander] is using public resources for a political campaign. He’s turning his office into a campaign headquarters,” Sheinkopf told the NY Post, calling for an ethics probe into the matter.
The survey, distributed to New Yorkers, includes questions designed to highlight Lander’s oversight of various controversial issues. One question asks respondents if they are aware of Lander’s audit of the Adams Administration’s oversight of DocGo—a $432 million no-bid emergency migrant shelter contract that has drawn significant criticism. Lander also inquired about residents’ familiarity with his audit of ShotSpotter, a gunfire detection technology, which found that the system identified confirmed shootings only 13% of the time. Additionally, the survey sought feedback on Lander’s report on emergency storm preparedness.
Reinish noted that Lander’s attempts to shift the conversation from his association with radical left politics to his record as Comptroller are a strategic move, especially given the increasing unpopularity of far-left policies among New Yorkers. “It’s no surprise he’s trying to focus on fiscal stewardship and oversight, rather than his ties to the DSA,” Reinish said, referencing the recent electoral struggles of politicians aligned with the DSA, such as Jamaal Bowman, whom Lander had publicly supported.
In response to the criticism, a representative for Lander dismissed the accusations as unfounded. “An email from the Comptroller’s office about pension fund returns and audits—gasp!” retorted Chloe Chik, Lander’s spokesperson.
