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October 14, 2008
SURE PAYS FOR MARTY TO BE MIKE'S BUDDY
NY Post
by Rich Calder
Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz is cashing in big-time by being a favorite of Mayor Bloomberg.
Since 2003, the Bloomberg administration has handed out at least $2.7 million in taxpayer cash to three nonprofit groups Markowitz set up to fund "free" concerts and other pet projects, a Post investigation has found.
The programs funded have been instrumental in boosting Markowitz's popularity and helping him get re-elected, critics charge.
...While political candidates face strict limits on how much they can receive in campaign funding from donors, a loophole in the law allows donors to be as generous as they want for a politician's pet projects.
Since 2003, Markowitz's nonprofits have received between $3,323,424 and $5,644,124 in taxpayer funds from government agencies, according to city Conflicts of Interest Board records.
...The beep also is cashing in from the private sector.
The Post reported Friday that Nets owner Bruce Ratner and others involved in the controversial $4 billion plan to build an NBA arena and 16 apartment and office towers in Brooklyn donated between $680,000 and $1,075,000 to Markowitz's nonprofits since 2003. The beep is considered the project's greatest cheerleader.
Posted by eric at October 14, 2008 11:38 AM