On February 27th, New York City Council Member Zhuang Wenyi and State Assemblyman William Colton jointly announced their support for Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine’s candidacy for New York City Comptroller in 2025.
Local Democratic Party leaders Tang Fengqiao, Gao Yingda, Xie Xiaoqiong, Prosperous Brooklyn Association Chairman Huang Qiwang, Taishan Association Chairman Madison, former president of the Fujian Overseas Chinese Association Zheng Xiugan, Bensonhurst Bay Parkway Chinese Chamber of Commerce President Li Baoluo, and hundreds of residents attended the event to show their support.
Levine will be competing for the position of City Comptroller against Brooklyn City Council Member and Chair of the City Council Finance Committee Justin Brannan. The incumbent City Comptroller Brad Lander is running for mayor, challenging the current mayor, Eric Adams. State Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar, who had previously declared her candidacy for Comptroller, has switched to run for Public Advocate. The race for City Comptroller is expected to be mainly between Levine and Brannan.
Assemblyman Colton emphasized the need for a capable and strong leader in New York City to ensure the proper utilization of government funds and to bring the city back on track. He believes that a qualified leader should not only represent a specific group or ideology but should also address the needs of all ordinary citizens and ensure their voices are heard.
Colton pointed out that the core responsibility of the Comptroller is to oversee the city’s budget and prevent wasteful spending. He stated that supporting Levine was based not on promises, but on his track record. He believes Levine is pragmatic, possesses common sense, can identify and solve problems, and truly respond to the demands of the people.
Furthermore, Colton criticized the current city government for ignoring community needs and focusing solely on building shelters, neglecting the struggles of residents and small businesses, which has led to a lack of timely government support for residents facing challenges. He believes this situation must change, and Levine can bring about that change without compromising with major donors or special interest groups.
Council Member Zhuang Wenyi pointed out that the allocation and efficiency of fund utilization in New York City are extremely low, severely affecting community development. Using her own experience as an example, she stated that even though she fought for funding for schools as a council member, it took five years for basic infrastructure repairs to be implemented, resulting in the inability to improve public facilities promptly.
She mentioned that last year, she secured $28 million for the community, but where did that money go? Simple park painting costs $2 million, while replacing a swing set costs up to $60,000, showing a lack of transparency and efficiency in government fund utilization, as well as budget management issues.
Zhuang emphasized that the city government should not prioritize using millions of dollars to build shelters while neglecting community infrastructure. She believes electing a responsible Comptroller is crucial, and Levine, with his expertise in resource integration and clear logic, can ensure funds are genuinely used to improve the community.
As the financial watchdog of the city government, the City Comptroller is responsible for auditing city agencies, reviewing contracts, and managing the city’s pension funds. Levine stated that New York City is facing an affordability crisis in housing, with skyrocketing rents severely impacting residents’ lives. He promised to promote the construction of more affordable housing and utilize city pension funds to invest in affordable housing projects. Additionally, he opposes setting up shelters in every corner of the city and will focus on enhancing the safety of subways, streets, and parks to ensure families and children in the Chinese community can live peacefully.
He emphasized that if elected as City Comptroller, the Chinese community will always have a voice and receive the necessary resources and respect they deserve.
Currently, Levine has received major endorsements from Congressman Dan Goldman, Jerry Nadler, and Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. Brannan, on the other hand, has the support of the Transport Workers Union (TWU), Brooklyn State Senator Andrew Gounardes, former State Assemblyman Peter Abbate, and former State Senator Diane Savino.
According to the records of the New York City Campaign Finance Board (CFB) as of January 15th, Levine has raised over $720,000 in campaign funds, leading all candidates, and has received over $1.86 million in public funds. In comparison, Brannan has raised $430,000 and has not yet received public funds.
In addition, Brooklyn State Senator Kevin Parker, analysts Ismael Malave, Peter Kefalas, and Danniel Maio have also opened Comptroller campaign accounts but have limited funds. Parker has raised $15,000, Maio only $600, while other candidates have not received any financial support yet.