Bay Ridge

DiNapoli seeks another term as state’s fiscal watchdog

October 30, 2014 By Paula Katinas Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli (standing at right) visited Bay Ridge last year at the invitation of Assemblymember Alec Brook-Krasny (standing at left) to meet with merchants.
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Thomas DiNapoli is the first to admit that his job isn’t glamorous. But the New York State comptroller said that while it doesn’t grab headlines, his job is an essential one. “I feel that we are the backbone of state operations,” DiNapoli told the Brooklyn Eagle in an interview on Wednesday.

As the state’s fiscal watchdog, it’s DiNapoli’s job to audit governmental operations, root out wasteful spending and financial corruption, and oversee the state’s $176.8 billion pension fund.

DiNapoli, a Democrat, is running for his second full term on Nov. 4. His main opponent is Republican Robert Antonacci. Theresa M. Portelli is the Green Party candidate on the ballot. The Libertarian candidate is John Clifton.

A Siena College poll released on Oct. 22 had DiNapoli enjoying a 27-point lead over Antonacci, 58 percent to 31 percent. “DiNapoli, who survived a tough campaign four years ago, maintains a huge lead. Despite the fact that Antonacci is running even among independent voters, DiNapoli is crushing Antonacci with 80 percent support among Democrats, and he’s getting support from more than one-third of Republican voters,” Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg said in a statement.

The comptroller’s area of influence extends into places one might not realize, like Superstorm Sandy relief efforts in Brooklyn and other storm-ravaged communities.

While much of the money pouring into New York for Sandy relief was from the federal government, and therefore out of DiNapoli’s direct jurisdiction, the comptroller conducted audits in the cases where funding was coming through the state. He said the audits were necessary to ensure that the funds went to where they were supposed to go. “Some of it is federal money. But some of the money does come through the state and we certainly have put a priority on expediting those payments as quickly as possible,” he said.

For the most part, the funds were properly handled, DiNapoli said. He did uncover some problems with purchases of emergency generators, but the problems involved no criminality. “We made recommendations on how they could improve their inventory procedures,” he said.

DiNapoli said he is keeping a close eye on expenditures going towards the rebuilding of the state’s coastal areas and infrastructure. “We work in close collaboration with our governmental partners, especially when it comes to expenditures on emergency preparedness. We can’t prevent storms, but we can make an effort to be better prepared for them. We are all aware of the climate change that is happening,” he said.

DiNapoli, a former Nassau County Assembly member, became the state’s comptroller in 2007. The State Legislature voted for him to succeed Alan Hevesi, who was hit with corruption charges. DiNapoli, who said the office was “mired in corruption” when he arrived, got busy cleaning it up. “If the comptroller’s office has no credibility, it can’t function,” he said.

In 2010, he ran for his first full term and won, beating back a challenge from Republican Harry Wilson.

DiNapoli said he takes his job as the state’s fiscal watchdog seriously. “We do audits all the time. Sometimes we find areas of where accounts could be better kept. Other times we find instances where people are stealing from the taxpayers. We work very aggressively to stamp out corruption,” he said.

The comptroller has a message for would-be crooks. “If you think you’re not going to get caught, you’re wrong,” he warned.

Brooklyn is a borough with thousands of small businesses, and the comptroller’s office can help them in certain instances, according to DiNapoli. Many small businesses are vendors licensed by the state. “We work to make sure the payment processes and contract approvals are done as quickly as possible. We work to cut bureaucratic red tape,” he said.

The comptroller is the guardian of the state’s unclaimed funds, some $13 billion in assets. Unclaimed funds are monies that are turned over to the state by banks, utility companies and other institutions when an account is declared dormant due to inactivity or in cases where the institution cannot reach the account holder. “We would love to return that money to New Yorkers,” DiNapoli said. “It’s a tough economy and people could use that money.”

Any New Yorker can call 1-800-221-9311 or visit the comptroller’s website at www.osc.state.ny.us to find out if they have funds to claim.  In recent years, the state has returned more than $300 million to residents.

DiNapoli said he had a special unclaimed funds outreach to Hurricane Sandy victims “who really need the money as they rebuild.”

His goals for the next term, should he win re-election, include continuing a strong hand in pension fund management.

DiNapoli said he is determined to keep New York’s fiscal house in order. He noted that Moody’s upgraded the state’s bond rating in June. Standard & Poor’s did the same in July.

 

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