Citizens Union 2026 Candidate Questionnaire - State Comptroller Primary Election

Candidate Questionnaire

Local Candidates Committee NYS Comptroller Election - Primary 2026
Name*

First NameLast Name
Congratulations on your decision to run for New York State Comptroller! Citizens Union appreciates your commitment to serving the public.

For over 125 years, Citizens Union (CU) has been devoted to holding our local government accountable with the highest ethical standards and fighting for political reforms that improve New York democracy (https://citizensunion.org/issues/). To promote a competitive and diverse political culture, a fair and open political process, and accountable and responsible government, we evaluate candidates running for office and back those who strongly support reform. Our evaluations are done through questionnaires, independent research, and interviews conducted by our Local Candidates Committee. (https://citizensunion.org/portfolio-item/citizens-union-2025-candidate-evaluation-info-for-candidates/).

As a prerequisite for receiving the support of Citizens Union, please complete the following questionnaire and submit your response by Tuesday, April 21, 2026. As you complete the form, you can click “Save” and return to the form later. All short answers have a 250-word limit. Once you have completed the questionnaire and submitted your response to us, you will receive a copy of your submission. Your submission will be posted on our website (with the exception of contact info).

After the questionnaire is due, we will schedule a virtual interview with members of our Board for the week of April 27th to May 1st. The interview will be recorded. Shortly thereafter, we will announce our support in key priority races to our members and on our website and other channels.

Please feel free to reach out to Citizens Union with any questions or comments at candidates@citizensunion.org.

Thank you very much. We look forward to your response.

GENERAL INFORMATION
Age*
Education*
Current job, position, or occupation*
Other positions or roles
Previous Offices, Campaigns and Community/Civic Involvement
Campaign Contact Information
Email*
example@example.com
Campaign Manager Name*
Campaign Manager Email*
example@example.com
Scheduler contact info (If relevant)
example@example.com
Phone Number*

Area CodePhone Number
Website
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
Bluesky
Other social platforms
Signature*

GOALS AND PLANS

In addition to evaluating stances on the reform issues, Citizens Union considers the campaign goals articulated to voters, issues specific to the district, and the ability propose thoughtful solutions to represent constituents’ interests.
1. What are your top three campaign promises or goals, and what actions will you take to achieve them if elected?

0/250
2. What experience have you had, if any, with good government and reform issues? (e.g. voting and elections, campaign finance, ethics and anti-corruption, checks and balances, government transparency and oversight, police accountability). If you've worked to advance these goals, we'd love to hear about it.

0/250

ETHICS AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN GOVERNMENT
3. The State Comptroller is tasked with reviewing government contracts and addressing potential cases of waste, fraud, or corruption. Please describe your approach to reviewing contracts, and what areas in State Government procurement you believe most need attention to such issues?

0/250
4. The Governor has attempted to curtail the comptroller pre-audit authority by removing the types of contracts (depending on size and type) that would trigger a review. Governor Cuomo enacted similar measures. How would you ensure contract auditing power is permanent? How will you fight ongoing attempts to curtail the OSC power over contracts?

0/250
5. What would be your auditing priorities? What agencies, authorities, and local governments would you audit first?

0/250
6. Do you support applying lower contribution limits to lobbyists and people doing business with the State or seeking contracts from the State? New York City imposes lower contribution limits for registered lobbyists and individuals doing business with the City, and has enacted a Doing Business Database to track such individuals.

0/250
*In the box below, you may provide additional information on any actions that you have taken or plan to take to improve ethics and accountability in New York State government.

BUDGET AND FISCAL HEALTH
7. Funding threats from the federal government and unclear economic prospects could have a dramatic effect on New York. How would you utilize the authority of the Comptroller’s Office to ensure the fiscal health of our State?

0/250
8. Do you believe that the current balance of power between the governor and the legislature in the budget process is appropriate? What steps do you believe are necessary, if any, to change this balance?

0/250
* In the box below, you may provide any additional information on any actions that you have taken or plan to take to improve the fiscal health and budget in New York State government.

PENSION FUNDS
9. Comptrollers implement various strategies for responsible investing, from divestment to shareholder advocacy and targeted investments. How do you, or how would you, propose to balance maximizing investment returns with broader social responsibility goals?

0/250
10. The OSC manages nearly $300 billion in pension funds. How do you, or would you, ensure the highest levels of ethical conduct and transparency in the management of the funds?

0/250
*In the box below, you may provide any additional information on any actions that you have taken or plan to take to improve the fiscal health and budget in New York State government.

ADDITIONAL INFO
Please feel free to attach any additional information such as resume, campaign brochures, or issues statements.

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What else would you like us to know about yourself?

Please review your answers by clicking PREVIEW ANSWERS below.

At the bottom of the preview page, you can
- get a copy of your aswers by clicking PRINT, and
- submit the questionnaire by clicking SUBMIT.
IF YOU DO NOT CLICK SUBMIT, WE WON'T RECIEVE YOUR QUESTIONNAIRE.

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If you have any further questions, you may contact us at candidates@citizensunion.org
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Candidate Questionnaire

GENERAL INFORMATION

Campaign Contact Information

GOALS AND PLANS

ETHICS AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN GOVERNMENT

BUDGET AND FISCAL HEALTH

PENSION FUNDS

ADDITIONAL INFO