WEBVTT - NYC Comptroller Brad Lander Talks Mayoral Election 0:00:02.520 --> 0:00:07.040 Bloomberg Audio Studios, podcasts, radio News. 0:00:07.760 --> 0:00:09.319 Joining us right now is Brad Lander. 0:00:09.360 --> 0:00:13.400 He's New York City's comptroller and former may oral candidate 0:00:13.400 --> 0:00:16.680 who actually cross endorsed Mandani during the primary election. 0:00:16.840 --> 0:00:18.360 Great to have you here, Brad. Great to be here. 0:00:18.840 --> 0:00:20.400 I'll get right to the brass tacks here. 0:00:20.440 --> 0:00:22.479 I mean, when we talk about some of the fears 0:00:22.480 --> 0:00:25.200 in this city about Mamdani. We've heard it from Wall Street, 0:00:25.200 --> 0:00:27.040 We've heard it from the real estate investors, we've heard 0:00:27.080 --> 0:00:30.360 it from the business community. Will he actually be good 0:00:30.680 --> 0:00:32.000 for this city's finances. 0:00:32.200 --> 0:00:34.200 I think he's going to be great for the sense 0:00:34.240 --> 0:00:38.279 of the city having a diverse, creative energy and looking forward. 0:00:38.720 --> 0:00:42.920 Andrew Cuomo has run this sour, dark, backward looking everything 0:00:43.000 --> 0:00:44.320 is terrible campaign. 0:00:44.800 --> 0:00:45.440 I don't know why. 0:00:45.320 --> 0:00:47.560 Anyone would want to start a business in that city. 0:00:47.960 --> 0:00:50.440 But the hopeful one where things get more affordable, where 0:00:50.479 --> 0:00:53.480 people are still able to come here, I think they will. 0:00:53.640 --> 0:00:56.800 He's going to put a solid team together. I think 0:00:56.840 --> 0:00:59.720 business leaders will end up thinking, I don't remember what 0:00:59.720 --> 0:01:01.600 it was as we were so worried about. 0:01:01.520 --> 0:01:04.120 What's the balance though, between sort of carrying out some 0:01:04.160 --> 0:01:07.280 of his policies to create affordable housing and free bussing 0:01:07.360 --> 0:01:10.760 and other policies that effectively are going to cost money 0:01:10.800 --> 0:01:13.280 and at the same time sort of at least support 0:01:13.319 --> 0:01:16.560 policies that are going to be conducive to people starting businesses, 0:01:16.720 --> 0:01:17.840 building buildings, etc. 0:01:18.319 --> 0:01:20.959 Yeah, well, let's use childcare as an example. So that's 0:01:21.000 --> 0:01:24.399 the place where Governor Hochal and mayors are on are kind. 0:01:24.280 --> 0:01:25.200 Of best united. 0:01:26.040 --> 0:01:28.600 That's great for businesses. Yes, there has to be a 0:01:28.640 --> 0:01:30.319 little more money to pay for it, but if you 0:01:30.440 --> 0:01:33.479 see what you're getting is that your employees have a safe, 0:01:33.560 --> 0:01:36.240 high quality place for their two and three year olds. 0:01:36.480 --> 0:01:40.080 That shows up in business productivity very quickly. It means 0:01:40.080 --> 0:01:42.480 your employees feel like they can afford to stay here 0:01:42.920 --> 0:01:45.480 instead of moving someplace else. You got to show you 0:01:45.520 --> 0:01:48.080 can deliver it, that it's cost effective, that it's worth 0:01:48.080 --> 0:01:49.240 the money being paid. 0:01:49.680 --> 0:01:51.400 But I think that's a win win. 0:01:51.840 --> 0:01:54.400 Well, you mentioned safety, and actually we sat down with 0:01:54.440 --> 0:01:57.520 Eugene rem of Catch Hospitality Group last week. We asked 0:01:57.600 --> 0:02:00.680 him about the race. He said he really cares about 0:02:00.760 --> 0:02:03.440 safety at the end of the day. And to that point, 0:02:03.520 --> 0:02:06.120 Soaron mom Donnie has said that he would keep Jessica 0:02:06.160 --> 0:02:09.720 Tish to have her stay on as police commissioner if 0:02:09.720 --> 0:02:12.200 he is elected. Do you think that that's the right choice. 0:02:12.240 --> 0:02:14.600 I do. I you know, I said in during the primary, 0:02:14.600 --> 0:02:16.840 I was the first candidate to say I would ask 0:02:16.880 --> 0:02:19.200 Jesse Tish to stay on board, and I'm delighted that's 0:02:19.200 --> 0:02:20.280 are on his setate as well. 0:02:20.560 --> 0:02:22.480 Let's game plan a little bit here. We were talking 0:02:22.480 --> 0:02:26.000 about potential outcomes in the break. So let's say that 0:02:26.120 --> 0:02:29.320 zoron Mam Donnie wins, but only wins with a plurality, 0:02:29.440 --> 0:02:32.560 doesn't get more than fifty percent of the vote. What 0:02:32.600 --> 0:02:35.440 do you think that that means for his agenda going forward? 0:02:35.720 --> 0:02:38.440 Look, I do think after the race, by however much 0:02:38.480 --> 0:02:41.280 he wins, it's critical for New Yorkers to come back together. 0:02:41.360 --> 0:02:44.080 This race has been so full of vitriol. I mean, 0:02:44.360 --> 0:02:48.120 Andrew Cuomo's worst self is a very dark place, and 0:02:48.160 --> 0:02:49.800 we've been seeing more and more of it, and he's 0:02:49.880 --> 0:02:53.359 just stoked fear mongering in a way that has people 0:02:53.360 --> 0:02:56.440 on edge. So what I hope is that the mayor 0:02:56.520 --> 0:02:59.120 elect will bring people back together and say, hey, folks, 0:02:59.240 --> 0:03:01.240 whether you voted for me or didn't vote for me, 0:03:01.520 --> 0:03:03.360 I'm going to work hard to keep you safe. That 0:03:03.480 --> 0:03:06.359 vision of childcare is for you and your families. Let's 0:03:06.480 --> 0:03:09.600 heal some of the things that were broken. Donald Trump 0:03:09.639 --> 0:03:12.600 is coming for us, and we got to all respond together. 0:03:13.160 --> 0:03:14.799 Also the Katie's point, though, I mean, when we talk 0:03:14.840 --> 0:03:18.400 about Tis staying on as commissioner, there's been a lot 0:03:18.400 --> 0:03:20.600 of discussion about who Mom Donnie is going to put 0:03:20.639 --> 0:03:22.800 around him. There's, of course, one of the big knocks 0:03:22.800 --> 0:03:26.040 that Cuomo, as Lisa's tried to sort of levy his way, 0:03:26.080 --> 0:03:27.920 is the idea that he doesn't have the experience to 0:03:28.040 --> 0:03:30.880 manage a city of this size and complexity here. Do 0:03:30.919 --> 0:03:33.040 you have any sense as to what that team is 0:03:33.080 --> 0:03:33.640 going to look like? 0:03:33.800 --> 0:03:35.440 Well, look, I think people are going to get information 0:03:35.480 --> 0:03:38.280 on that pretty quickly. And what I'll say, you're going 0:03:38.320 --> 0:03:40.200 to be on the team, I think people will get 0:03:40.200 --> 0:03:41.480 information on that pretty quickly. 0:03:41.560 --> 0:03:45.720 Okay, I think a lot better. 0:03:45.800 --> 0:03:47.520 The people that are going to want to work for 0:03:47.680 --> 0:03:51.440 Zoran are energetic or excited about it, have hope in 0:03:51.480 --> 0:03:53.760 the future of the city. No one wants to work 0:03:53.800 --> 0:03:56.000 for Andrew Cuomo, So this idea that it would be 0:03:56.000 --> 0:03:59.080 better to have him, I mean, he's an abusive boss, 0:03:59.240 --> 0:04:01.840 whereas Zaurn. It's going to set the table in a 0:04:01.880 --> 0:04:04.440 way that says, hey, we get to write the next chapter, 0:04:04.960 --> 0:04:08.440 focus on affordability, stand up to Trump. I think it's 0:04:08.480 --> 0:04:09.440 going to be a first rate team. 0:04:09.520 --> 0:04:11.720 Do you think the city and meaning the people in 0:04:11.800 --> 0:04:13.560 power in the city are going to cooperate with them? 0:04:13.600 --> 0:04:16.359 The business leaders, the police, unions, et cetera, et cetera. 0:04:16.680 --> 0:04:18.480 Look, I mean it's a city in which people got 0:04:18.480 --> 0:04:20.920 a lot of opinions and they feel strongly but they 0:04:21.120 --> 0:04:24.720 love We love New York City, and that's a pretty 0:04:24.760 --> 0:04:27.800 profound feeling. So I just I really do hope even 0:04:27.839 --> 0:04:32.320 folks who don't voters are on tomorrow will say, how 0:04:32.440 --> 0:04:36.039 can we work together to actually make it work? Everyone 0:04:36.120 --> 0:04:39.160 benefits from a more affordable, from a safer from a 0:04:39.200 --> 0:04:40.200 more inclusive city. 0:04:40.320 --> 0:04:43.560 Well, Brad, let's try to get at your future plans 0:04:43.600 --> 0:04:45.960 through a different way. Are you planning to run for 0:04:46.040 --> 0:04:48.080 Congress in the tenth district? Are you waiting to see 0:04:48.080 --> 0:04:48.760 how tomorrow show? 0:04:48.800 --> 0:04:51.520 So for today, I'm really focused on helpings or on 0:04:51.600 --> 0:04:55.080 when tomorrow, on making sure these affordable housing ballot propositions 0:04:55.120 --> 0:04:57.800 pass tomorrow, which people aren't talking about but are a 0:04:57.800 --> 0:05:01.080 big deal for building more housings through tomorrow and the 0:05:01.080 --> 0:05:03.640 bulls close, I'm going to stay focused on helping make 0:05:03.640 --> 0:05:04.720 sure those things happen well. 0:05:04.760 --> 0:05:06.600 With that in mind, talk us through what the next 0:05:06.680 --> 0:05:09.159 twenty four plus hours look like for you, because I 0:05:09.160 --> 0:05:10.839 have to imagine this as a sprint to the finish. 0:05:10.880 --> 0:05:13.680 Oh. We started today at six am with a Zoron 0:05:13.760 --> 0:05:15.960 and a crew of us walking across the Brooklyn Bridge. 0:05:16.000 --> 0:05:19.480 Poles open at six am tomorrow they go till nine pm. 0:05:19.560 --> 0:05:22.320 It's really important that everyone comes out to vote. Most 0:05:22.360 --> 0:05:25.440 people don't even know about those housing, those pro housing 0:05:25.480 --> 0:05:28.480 ballot propositions. So I'll be out at polesite saying, hey, 0:05:28.520 --> 0:05:30.960 here's an opportunity for you to vote for more affordable 0:05:31.000 --> 0:05:33.080 housing to get built. We'll bring it home all the 0:05:33.120 --> 0:05:35.599 way till they close at nine pm, and then we'll 0:05:35.839 --> 0:05:38.159 get to be together and celebrate the results. 0:05:38.440 --> 0:05:40.600 I'm going to ask you a very loaded question here, Brad, 0:05:40.640 --> 0:05:43.279 and this has to do with your campaign and why 0:05:43.880 --> 0:05:46.320 it didn't succeed. There's been a lot of talk about 0:05:46.320 --> 0:05:48.880 this sort of being a litmus test for progressivism or 0:05:48.880 --> 0:05:52.080 whatever the Democratic Party is trying to be here. Why 0:05:52.120 --> 0:05:54.920 did Zoron bubble up out of nowhere for a lot 0:05:55.000 --> 0:05:56.400 of people people like you did. 0:05:56.720 --> 0:05:59.280 Cuomo's behind in the polls and Adams is out of 0:05:59.320 --> 0:05:59.640 the race. 0:06:00.040 --> 0:06:02.600 Yeah, look well, I mean Adams sold our city out 0:06:02.600 --> 0:06:04.480 first to Turkey and then to Trump, and people are 0:06:04.520 --> 0:06:08.920 tired of corruption. Cuomo came in with big leadership in 0:06:09.040 --> 0:06:13.400 name recognition, but ran a sour, backward looking race. I 0:06:13.520 --> 0:06:15.839 ran the campaign maybe you could say, of the guy 0:06:15.880 --> 0:06:18.880 that does the homework, and that wasn't what voters were 0:06:19.000 --> 0:06:23.840 excited by. Zoran ran a campaign that inspired and excited people, 0:06:23.920 --> 0:06:27.400 that focused on affordability, that offer something new and hopeful 0:06:27.600 --> 0:06:28.440 in a dark time.