NEW YORK — As the 2021 race for city comptroller begins to take shape, State Sen. Brian Benjamin on Thursday night said he would look to audit several big agencies in the news recently if elected.
The Democratic candidate said some of the top city agencies he would look to audit include New York City Health + Hospitals, the education department, and the NYPD. Benjamin said in those agencies in particular it's important to conduct a thorough audit to identify waste.
"When you're looking at the police department, we should be reimagining public safety in totality," Benjamin said in an interview with Inside City Hall anchor Errol Louis. "When we talk about what we are actually investing in the police department, it's not just more law enforcement for more law enforcement's sake. It is, we have a very specific need for the police department and then we are investing in some other key issues that help with public safety."
The comptroller oversees the city's five public pension funds and has the authority to audit city agencies. Benjamin said his previous time as an investment banker for Morgan Stanley gave him the experience to manage the city's nearly $230 billion public pension fund. He said he would work with his labor trustees, and hopes to expand economically targeted investments.
"When you look at the affordable housing crisis you have in this city, and on top of that, the homeless crisis we have in the city, there's no reason we shouldn't be producing more affordable housing and supportive housing so that we can move folks from shelters into homes," Benjamin said. "I think that kind of targeted investments in the city is the kind of thing that the next comptroller has to be able to do to move the city forward: big, bold ideas that are practical."
The citywide position is currently held by Scott Stringer, one of several Democratic candidates running for mayor. The primary for comptroller, mayor, City Council offices, and other city races will be held in June, with the general election to follow in November 2021.
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Watch the full interview above.
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