COMPTROLLER
Former city Comptroller Alan Hevesi was in a tight battle last night with Republican John Faso after a contentious race for state comptroller.
Hevesi and Faso were tied at 48 percent with 30 percent of the precincts reporting.
More than a year after coming in last in a four-way New York City Democratic mayoral primary, Hevesi was trying to return to Albany, where he spent 22 years as an assemblyman before serving two terms as city comptroller.
During his campaign, Hevesi, of Queens, focused on the need for an experienced comptroller, particularly with the financial problems facing the state after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Hevesi, 62, had hoped to cruise to victory based on his name recognition in Democrat-heavy New York City, figuring it would more than off-set Faso support upstate and in some suburbs.
But as the race got uglier – particularly for a campaign for the relatively obscure comptroller’s office – the polls got tighter for several weeks, with Faso closing the gap to single digits.
Faso, 50, attacked Hevesi’s record as city comptroller, saying the city’s pension funds underperformed during his tenure.
His ads called Hevesi “ethically challenged.”
And he warned the Democrat Hevesi is looking to politicize the state pension fund by pushing for the creation of a politically appointed board to make investment decisions, instead of leaving the comptroller as the sole trustee.
He has frequently said he does not view the job as a “consolation prize”- a shot at Hevesi and his failed run for mayor.
For his part, Hevesi accused Faso of being an ultra-conservative who votes against abortion rights and is out of touch with most New Yorkers.
The comptroller audits state and local governments and is the sole trustee of the state’s more than $100 billion pension fund.
Hevesi and Faso were looking to succeed Carl McCall, who lost the governor’s race last night.
A 16-year assemblyman who hails from upstate Columbia County, Faso’s desire for the job dates to 1994, when he stepped aside as part of a deal meant to help George Pataki’s first run for governor.
In 1998, he passed up another run for comptroller because he had recently become Assembly minority leader.
