Only two Queens BP candidates qualify for matching funds
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Former Councilmember Elizabeth Crowley and Councilmember Costa Constantinides were the only two candidates for Queens borough president to qualify for matching public funds, the New York City Campaign Finance Board announced on Wednesday. Photo via City Council
By Victoria Merlino
Just two of seven candidates running for Queens borough president qualified for city matching funds, picking up nearly $1 million in additional campaign cash ahead of the March 24 special election.
Former Councilmember Elizabeth Crowley received $497,795 and Councilmember Costa Constantinides received $476,697 in matching funds, the New York City Campaign Finance Board announced on Wednesday.
The public matching fund program is a voluntary program intended to incentive candidates to collect small dollar contributions in municipal elections. To qualify in Queens borough president special election, candidates had to receive 100 contributions from Queens residents and raise at least $44,614 in funds.
Candidates who qualified received an $8-to-$1 matching rate, based on the first $175 of a single person’s contributions, meaning that candidates can only receive a maximum of $1,400 of public funds per contributor. The NYCCFB capped contributions to matching program participants at $750.
All candidates chose to participate in the matching funds program, the Eagle previously reported, though the others did not qualify in the first filing period.
Crowley was already the top fundraiser in the borough president’s race, netting $104,797.20 from 737 contributors since July 15, 2019.
"I'm grateful to be the candidate leading with the most grassroots support from right here in Queens and we will continue to out work the others to win the Queens Borough President race," Crowley said in a statement to the Eagle.
In the same period, Constantinides received $19,507 in eligible contributions from 737 contributors.
“The numbers make one thing clear: this is a people-powered campaign that’s ready to transform Queens,” Constantinides said in a statement.
Councilmember Donovan Richards, the candidate who raised the second-highest amount in total funds behind Crowley, did not qualify for the matching funds program. Richards is endorsed by the Queens County Democratic Party.
“While we disagree with the Campaign Finance Board's assessment we are confident that the campaign will receive the proper matching funds allotment,” Thomas Musich, a spokesperson for Richards’ campaign, said in a statement to the Eagle.
Additional reporting by David Brand
