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POWER LUNCH
City Hall: Are you an adventurous eater of Chinese food? Have you tried jellyfish?
Bill Thompson: Yeah.
CH: And chicken feet?
BT: Chicken feet I haven't tried... Chicken feet-there's some things you draw the line at.
CH: What's the biggest misconception about what the comptroller does?
BT: Well I think most people don't know what I do. Really, most people don't know what a comptroller does. And often when you're out speaking in public, you'll talk about, 'This is what I do.' It touches on a number of different areas statutorily, but we still are the second highest citywide elected official.
CH: Ahead of the public advocate?
BT: Tell Betsy I said ahead of the public advocate. But I think that's part of explaining what you do. And then you have the bully pulpit. As the comptroller you talk about so many things-it just doesn't have to be a financial thing... And it's everything from, not just audit and the books and the numbers, but prevailing wage-you set, of course, prevailing wage for working men and women, for public construction jobs in New York City. Debt issuance. Contracts. Legal settlements. There's a lot of things. But then again, it's also, and the pension funds-what do you do with it? There's everything from being involved in affordable housing issues and investing in housing in New York City, shareholder rights and corporate governance issues around the country-issues around the world even, like foreign shareholder rights in different companies. And then it's back to New York health issues. It's always said that the job is limited only by our imagination-and that happens to be the truth.
CH: You have lots of multi-culti press releases on your website celebrating Italian heritage and the like-and links for getting help with Alzheimer's treatment, where to go if you have a noise complaint. Is this preparation for another job, sort of laying some groundwork?
BT: No, it has existed for years. Some of the cultural celebrations, a lot of that started with my predecessor.
CH: So you carried on the tradition.
BT: Absolutely. And tried to grow it and expand on it.
CH: When doing audits, how do you stay friendly with the city agency heads? Do they take your phone calls when you're done?
BT: Well, people take your phone calls even if they're not happy with you. But the truth is there are some awkward moments, particularly with some of the commissioners of some of the agencies-people that you like. Or there've been some negative things that have come out. I understand nobody likes me looking over their shoulder and making recommendations. That's part of the job...
CH: What are your thoughts about our new state comptroller. Does it matter that he doesn't have the financial experience that some had hoped he would have?
BT: Is it helpful? It doesn't hurt. But I think that if you look at Alan Hevesi, Carl McCall, Ned Regan-I don't know that they had in-depth financial backgrounds when they got there. So is it helpful? Sure. If you don't have it, is it the end of the world? No. And more than anything it's a leadership position. There're people who are there [at the agency] who will be helpful in a number of areas and it's up to the comptroller to take that advice and make decisions.
CH: Have you talked to Tom DiNapoli at all?
BT: Spoke to him last week.
CH: Really? What did you guys chat about? Did he ask for advice?
BT: Congratulations. And we're going to sit down. Because there are a number of things at the comptroller's office that we've been involved in with the state comptroller's office. It's good for the city and state that we continue that relationship. So I'm definitely going to sit down with him and try and be helpful.
[Dim sum cart arrives]
CH: Chicken feet? Now's your chance, Comptroller.
BT: [Laughs] I'll follow your lead on the chicken feet.
CH: Should we try one?
BT: Oh sure.
CH: Okay, let's be adventurous. Now you can say you've tried chicken feet.
BT: Okay, if I die I'm blaming you. Mmm, chicken feet. You know, it's not bad. Don't bite it. All kidding aside, it's not bad. Just don't bite into it, because there's feet in there [laughs].
CH: People have said that Barack Obama hasn't really lived the African American experience. What do you think of that? Do you think he'll have a problem connecting with black voters?
BT: I don't think he's going to have a problem connecting with them. It's not just the African American experience; I think it's common issues.
CH: So do you think race will not be a factor for him?
BT: There are some people who will not vote for him because he's African American. I mean, who is to say that that won't come into play? There will be people who will look at him differently or judge him differently purely because he's African American. Is it going to be a dominant factor? Too early to say. Will it be a factor? Sure. There are some places where prejudice is more alive than others.
CH: Is it going to come into play in terms of whom African American officials in New York pick for their candidate considering we also have a home state person in the race?
BT: I think more than anything, the biggest factor is the New Yorkers-the New York elected officials... have a hometown candidate who people know and know well, who people respect, who's been good on issues, who's worked with a number of people for a period of years. So Hillary Clinton is a known commodity. I think more than anything, Barack Obama in New York State is an unknown commodity. And I think one thing, whether it's African American voters or elected officials-nobody's going to make a decision about supporting him only because he's African American. So you're going to wait to see. People will to wait to see what his positions are, where does he stand on a number of issues. And not just Iraq. Where does he stand on national economy, where does he stand on job creation...
CH: Do you like Hillary?
BT: Yes, I do.
CH: Have you endorsed her yet?
BT: She only declared a couple weeks ago.
CH: You haven't picked a favorite for the presidential race yet?
BT: No, not yet. But listen-do I like Hillary? Yes, I do. And we've had the chance to talk in the past, obviously to do things together. So no, I have to say that I'm definitely favorably inclined towards the senator from New York State.
CH: What was it like growing up in Bedford-Stuyvesant?
BT: I enjoyed it. I mean, I still live in Bed-Stuy.
CH: Do you still live in the same house you grew up in?
BT: I do. I mean, I've lived in a number of other places over the years and we owned it. The house has been in my family since 1939. Let me tell you, the transition over the years-'39 my family was the first black family on the block. And years later you see the block is becoming reintegrated. The neighborhood had changed dramatically over the years.
CH: For the better?
BT: What people are concerned about is gentrification and those that have lived there years-you don't want to see them pushed out. Because you watch housing values just skyrocket. But at the same time it's, you know, reduction in crime, safer neighborhood, other things coming in-that's good for the neighborhood. And so it's kind of a balance right now...
CH: As comptroller, you've made an effort to invest in city-owned businesses, and women- and minority-owned businesses. Do you ever have to sacrifice profitability in making those investments?
BT: We've got to keep an eye on the bottom line. So you have to invest in what you believe is a good investment, and would generate return. And you can look to create return across a spectrum. We invest in some things that are higher return that will generate 15, 18, 20 percent. And then you invest in some things that will generate five to seven percent. You try to create a balance... It's the same thing if you look at minority firms, African American-, Latino-, women-owned firms, you try and you look at a firm that can generate return. It is not a gift. There are some firms that have done business with us where the return wasn't what we expected, or didn't perform the same level as some of their peers and we could no longer do business with them... It's not social investing. It's not, 'Okay, we don't need a return.' We do. So try and create opportunity but in the end, it's about production.
CH: What has been Mayor Bloomberg's biggest mistake since he's been in office?
BT: West Side stadium. It was the single-minded focus on that and when a number of people opposed it he just kept going. He just-
CH: But he got reelected after that.
BT: Yeah, he did, but I don't know that that was the only factor-you talk about his biggest mistake. And that was probably it. At the same time, it ended well than a year before the election and it wasn't a fatal mistake. It was a mistake.
CH: After eight years of Mayor Bloomberg, what sort of person do you think New Yorkers are going to be looking for in a mayor?
BT: Oh, well, somebody who's about- let's see, how tall? No-who likes Chinese food. No, I think that the city would look for somebody- the city has grown and improved over the last 10, 12 years. I think people would like to see the city continue to grow, to improve, continue to be a safe city. You're going to look for not just continuity-but that's part of it. But I think the city will look to someone with new ideas and... vision for the next 10 to 12 to 15 years for New York City. I think that will be important.
CH: Do you think they'll be looking for another outsider?
BT: I don't know that-there were a number of factors that went into Bloomberg being elected in 2001... I don't think New Yorkers look and think, 'Okay, somebody inside,' or 'Somebody outside.' Eliot Spitzer on the state level is a reformer and he came out of government so I don't know that it's defined as insider-outsider... If you look back at Mike Bloomberg's election in 2001 there are a number of factors that went into that. Because New Yorkers didn't know Mike before the election, but all the factors that went into it: the after effects of September 11, Rudy Giuliani's resurgence, the Democratic party having its own internal fights and problems, Mike spending a lot of money. I mean, so many factors went into his election. I don't know if people view it as much as 'Let's get an outsider.' It was, at that point, who best to move the city forward, who best to help rebuilt it? And I think that's why people looked at him that way...
CH: I'd heard that you stayed out the mayoral primary in '05 because it was messy.
BT: That's part of it... Everybody walked on eggshells in the '05 race. Trying not to create the same animosity that existed in 2001.
CH: In 2009 we're looking at some big players, too-you, Christine Quinn, Anthony Weiner, Adolfo Carrion-is it shaping up to be that kind of messy race?
BT: It's way too early to be able to determine what type of election it's going to be, what people will say. One would hope that- I mean, I know Chris, I know everybody in the race. Chris and Anthony and Adolfo. I think everybody would be comfortable in putting their credentials forward and their ideas for the future of what New York City should be and look like and run on that. And I think everybody's kind of looked at the past, 'Don't do this and that again.'
CH: But these are all very accomplished and serious people, too. So you're not intimidated?
BT: No, I'm not intimidated.
CH: I heard you were in a long-term, serious relationship with somebody. Is that true?
BT: I wouldn't exactly put-, let me put it this way:... I mean I really don't talk about my personal life.
CH: Not at all?
BT: No.
CH: Do you have any pets.
BT: No, I do not.
CH: Not even a goldfish?
BT: I used to really love fish. I grew up around dogs and cats and things like t
hat. I used to love fish even though they weren't there for that long and after a while it was just kind of like-
CH: Tired of flushing the toilet? A burial at sea.
BT: Exactly. Good bye.
CH: We're in Chinatown. Are you going to bust anyone selling counterfeit goods?
BT: We don't do arrests at the comptroller's office. We point them out.
CH: Are you taking notes?
BT: Right now? No... There is a concern about counterfeit goods and I continue to express that I think in a number of ways it is bad for the city not just in tax revenue and other things that the city's deprived of, but kind of undermining some of the things that make New York City great-intellectual capital, creativity and some of the businesses-it undermines them...
CH: Have you ever bought a bootleg DVD?
BT: No.
CH: Do you buy CDs or do you download music?
BT: I really don't buy CDs as much anymore because now you'll download it.
CH: What kind of music do you listen to?
BT: It is mostly older stuff-60s, 70s, Motown-something along those lines. But still, heck, yesterday I downloaded a couple by Joss Stone, a couple by Gnarls Barkley, a couple by, heck, saw part of the Grammy's last night, Mary J. Blige... So it's some newer things, not a lot of rap. Occasionally Kanye West...
CH: Do you still boycott Snapple?
BT: That was such an unfair question... Most of the time I won't pick it up. It's in the office. I'm still Snapple-free. I'm sure I'll break the Snapple fast sooner or later. Issue's over. I've gone through withdrawal already. I used to drink either diet lemon or diet peach. And since it started-the whole lawsuit and the back-and-forth-I really- now it's just I haven't. I'm sure I will. I'm not avoiding Snapple. I made a joke at one point at the New York Post during the whole thing, I was like, 'I'm sure if I was still drinking Snapple, you guys would take a shot and put it in the paper.' And they went, 'Absolutely.'
CH: Was math your best subject in school?
BT: Definitely not.
CH: So all the failing math students can have hope that maybe one day they can become comptroller.
BT: They, too, have a chance.
CH: What was your best subject?
BT: I was always better in English and social studies, history.
CH: Do you balance your checkbook?
BT: Yeah, but that's not hard.
CH: The bill is $24.75. What is the tip?
BT: Was it really $24?
CH: Yeah, it really is.
BT: I'm going to move in here. We should order lunch from this place! I'd leave like-you want to be generous-I'd leave like a $7 tip, a $6 tip.
CH: What's your tipping strategy?
BT: I try and go 20 percent. Because that's so cheap, you go a little bit more then. But would I do the 20 percent on the total, as opposed to the total with tax?
CH: What about when liquor's in?
BT: I do the 20 percent on that also.