DiNapoli tops GOP foe for new NY comptroller term

November 5, 2014 By Michael Hill Associated Press

New York state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli won re-election in the state. AP Photo/Richard Drew, File

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ALBANY — Democratic Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli won another term as the state’s chief financial officer on Tuesday, turning back a challenge from little-known Republican Robert Antonacci.

DiNapoli, 60, was initially chosen by his colleagues for the comptroller’s post in 2007 after Alan Hevesi resigned amid scandal. DiNapoli won a four-year term in 2010.

Antonacci is a 49-year-old accountant and lawyer serving his second term as comptroller for Onondaga County, located in central New York and home to Syracuse.

Under a pilot program established this year, Antonacci was the first statewide candidate to pursue public campaign financing. But he fell short of meeting the $200,000 threshold in smaller donations to qualify as he trailed far behind DiNapoli in polls.

DiNapoli, who raised more than $3 million from private donors, declined to take part in the pilot program.

The comptroller audits spending by the state and local governments and is the sole trustee of the state’s $181 billion pension fund for public workers.

DiNapoli says his auditors have helped reduce waste at state agencies, local governments and public authorities while he helped boost the pension fund to a record level.

Antonacci said if elected he would make sure state economic development projects are delivering results.

The state comptroller’s office has a budget of almost $276 million and a staff of about 2,500. The comptroller’s annual salary is $151,500.