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Bloomberg Campaign Spending 'Off the Charts'

Mayor has doled out a record $85M, could hit $140M

By John Johnson,  Newser Staff

Posted Oct 24, 2009 10:26 AM CDT
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(Newser) – Billionaire Michael Bloomberg has spent a record $85 million of his own money on his re-election campaign in New York, and the figure could reach $140 million before it's over. His nearest opponent has managed $6 million. The New York Times figures Bloomberg's total for his three mayoral campaigns will be somewhere around a quarter-billion dollars.

“I have never seen anything like this—it’s off the charts,” says a Yale expert. “He’s in a league of his own.” Bloomberg may not need the name recognition anymore, but he's at least stimulating the local economy by pumping in $1 million a day. Much goes to advertising, but other expenditures include $322,521 on food, $293,953 on transportation, $176,066 on furniture, and $39,858 on parking.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.   (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
Mayor Michael Bloomberg listens during a press conference in New York.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg listens during a press conference in New York.   (AP Photos/Bebeto Matthews)
Mayor Michael Bloomberg, right, and former mayor Rudy Giuliani, listen to a speaker during the Borough Park Jewish Community Council Legislative Breakfast Oct. 18.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg, right, and former mayor Rudy Giuliani, listen to a speaker during the Borough Park Jewish Community Council Legislative Breakfast Oct. 18.   (AP Photo/Tina Fineberg)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 12 comments
Cost_and_Benefit
Oct 25, 2009 12:51 PM CDT
Money is a form of expression whether you like it or not. Supreme Court is correct in not restricting too much what money is used for. As for "properly represented", all the statement means is that you don't have the representation that you want.
cornelison
Oct 25, 2009 12:25 PM CDT
This is why it's difficult for decent and public-service oriented candidates to run for public office. Money pushes them away & others don't like asking people for money.
Robert_Dada
Oct 25, 2009 5:27 AM CDT
feldgreg - Money is not a form of expression. It is merely the means by which to buy access to media to express oneself. Once that enters the arena of political campaigns, the true exchange of ideas (real expression that is) becomes skewed in favor of the wealthy and their self interests. And no, it has nothing to do with the representation I want. It has everything to do with the representation we need.
Politics • US

 
New York City • Michael Bloomberg • mayor • campaign advertising • Mayor Bloomberg • campaign spending

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