Mamdani appoints Queens budget veteran as Finance commissioner

Richard Lee was tapped to serve as Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s commissioner of the Department of Finance.  Photo via Lee/LinkedIn

By Jacob Kaye

The mayor last week tapped a Queens native with extensive ties to the World’s Borough to lead the city’s Department of Finance, where he’ll guide the collection of more than $50 billion in city revenue each year.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani selected Richard Lee to serve as the commissioner of the Department of Finance, which also manages the city’s $10 billion treasury and advises on its municipal pension system.

Lee is no stranger to Queens – he got his start managing budgets for several local elected officials.

While Lee’s bona fides were obvious, his hiring was controversial.

Lee most recently worked as the director of the New York City Council’s Finance Division, where he represented the Council in its budget negotiations with the mayor.

A release announcing Lee’s hiring specifically noted that the Flushing resident was not poached from his position, claiming instead that he “applied to this position through the city's job portal.”

“The Department of Finance plays an essential role in keeping our city running. New Yorkers are able to send their kids to public school, visit our parks and have their trash picked up because of the revenues DOF collects,” Mamdani said in a statement. “Even as New York City faces a serious fiscal crisis, my Administration will never sacrifice the essential services New Yorkers depend on.”

“That’s why I’m proud to appoint Richard Lee as our next commissioner of the Department of Finance,” he added. “His command of the city’s budgeting process makes him uniquely qualified to lead the agency and ensure that our city continues meeting New Yorkers’ needs.”

Lee said it was “an honor to continue my lifelong commitment to New Yorkers by joining Mayor Mamdani’s administration as the next Department of Finance commissioner.”

“Especially in the midst of an affordability crisis, New Yorkers are looking to their city government to ensure that they can remain here, in the city they love, to raise their families and build their legacies,” the new commissioner said. “We can work together to ensure that the city’s finances equitably serve the New Yorkers who make this city run: working people, immigrants, small business owners, and communities across our city.”

Richard Lee is a Queens native who once ran for City Council. File photo via Lee’s campaign

Lee began his career at Asian Americans for Equality, directing the nonprofit’s policy and community advocacy.

In 2011, he began working as the director of budget and legislative affairs for then-City Councilmember Leroy Comrie, who now serves in the State Senate. Comrie was deputy majority leader when Lee served under him.

In his role, Lee also oversaw the budget process on behalf of the entire Queens delegation.

When Melinda Katz, then a member of Queens’ Council delegation, was elected Queens borough president, Lee came with her, serving as her budget director beginning in 2014.

He remained in the role until 2021, when he launched a campaign for City Council District 19 in Northeast Queens.

Lee finished second in the six-way Democratic primary for the seat, losing by a little less than 1,000 votes to former State Senator Tony Avella, who himself would go on to lose his race for the district by a little less than 400 votes to now-Councilmember Vickie Paladino.

After his campaign, Lee returned to the Council as the head of its finance division, where he served under another Queens official – former City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams.

"The appointment of Richard Lee as the new commissioner of the Department of Finance is a win for all New Yorkers," the former speaker said in a statement. "As a lifelong New Yorker and public servant, Richard has dedicated his career to shaping our city into a more equitable place for all to call home.”

“The city budget is a reflection of our values, and under Richard's steady and thoughtful leadership, we succeeded in safeguarding the pillars of our city: libraries, cultural institutions, and public parks, ensuring their full funding,” she added. “Throughout multiple budget cycles, Richard demonstrated a rare talent in finding creative solutions to longstanding issues. New Yorkers across all five boroughs stand to benefit from Richard's advocacy and proven leadership in city government."

His appointment was also celebrated by several other former bosses.

“I proudly congratulate Richard Lee on his appointment as Commissioner of the NYC Department of Finance,” Comrie said in a statement. “His dedication and proven leadership will be invaluable to our city.”

“Richard's integrity, expertise, and commitment to public service make him exceptionally well-suited for this role,” the senator added. “I look forward to working together to strengthen our city’s financial future.”