Less than five weeks before Election Day, Mayor Michael Bloomberg's campaign attacked Democratic candidate William Thompson's record on education Thursday.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg lately has gone on the offensive, first with television ads that criticize Thompson's record on education back when he was president of the now-defunct Board of Education.

Now, the Bloomberg campaign also produced a four-page brochure attacking Thompson's oversight of the city's $80 billion pension system. It says the pension's returns were mediocre and that Thompson took campaign contributions from investment managers doing business with the city.

At an event in Downtown Brooklyn where Bloomberg picked up the endorsement of Democratic Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, the mayor said on balance he thinks Thompson has done a good job as comptroller.

"We've worked well together on a lot of projects that needed the comptroller to sign off. When it comes to the pension funds, I think the record speaks for itself," said the mayor. "I will say I'm somewhat disturbed by taking campaign donations from people that then do business with the city, although whether he did something wrong or not, I don't know."

Meanwhile, Thompson attended a rally on the steps of City Hall in Downtown Manhattan to protest the rent increases that started today on rent-stabilized apartments.

Thompson continued to harp on his theme that Bloomberg has failed middle and working class families, with employment and poverty on the rise.

"Mike Bloomberg's board continues to escalate rents, continues to squeeze us more each and every day. Continues to say to those who rent, 'New York City's not for you,' unless you're going to rent luxury housing," said Thompson. "And they're pushing us out of the City of New York."

Thompson said the pension fund's performance has been good, and pointed out that the mayor's representatives chair the pension boards that sign off on investments.

As for campaign contributions from those doing business with the city, Thompson said he has adhered to the strictest campaign finance laws in the country.