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 William C. Thompson, Jr.
became New
York City's 42nd Comptroller on January 1, 2002. A lifelong
resident of Brooklyn, Bill Thompson is the proud product of the
New York City public school system.
Bill graduated from Brooklyn's P.S. 161, Andries Hudde
Intermediate School and Midwood High School. Thompson then
graduated from Tufts University, where he currently serves as a
member of the Board of Trustees. In 1998, Thompson was awarded
an honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from Mercy College.
After serving as Brooklyn's youngest-ever Deputy Borough
President, Thompson was appointed to the New York City Board of
Education. In 1996, Thompson began the first of five consecutive
terms as its President, where he led a reform agenda that
resulted in improved student achievement and greater public
accountability. Bill also distinguished himself in the private
sector, serving as a senior Vice-President for Public Finance at
a NY Investment banking firm in the early 1990's.
Since becoming Comptroller, Bill Thompson has aggressively
safeguarded the City's finances, seeking out savings and rooting
out waste. His audits of City agencies have uncovered $90
million in savings, including more than $22 million in Medicaid
reimbursements unclaimed by the Department of Education and
almost $4 million in fines uncollected by the Taxi and Limousine
Commission.
With over two decades of public service, Bill has earned a
reputation as a tough advocate for New Yorkers.
As Comptroller:
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He has stood on the side of working people seeking a
living wage and fairness on the job.
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He led the fight to protect the City's Meals-On-Wheels program, an invaluable lifeline for many frail elderly.
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Thompson's battle against the proposed bus and subway fare hikes forced the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to open its books to the public.
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Thompson was a leader in the successful campaign to fully reinstate the City's recycling program.
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Through his Community Action Center, Thompson has helped more than 40,000 New Yorkers with problems regarding City services.
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Championed the urgent need to address the City's future affordable housing needs. Thompson has highlighted the City's woefully inadequate plan to provide affordable housing over the next decade.
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Worked to launch the City's "Banking Development District" program to use City deposits to develop banking services, economic development and job growth in communities that are underserved by banks and other financial institutions.
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As custodian and investment advisor
to all five of the City's pension funds, Thompson manages a
combined portfolio of more than $82 billion. In this role,
Thompson has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in
affordable housing and commercial real estate in New York City,
helping increase housing and job opportunities within the five
boroughs.
He also has been an aggressive corporate shareholder, seeking
reforms on issues such as employment discrimination, executive
compensation as well as environmental and human rights policies.
He gained a national reputation (highlighted by CBS-TV's "60
Minutes") for his efforts to stop corporations like Halliburton
from doing business with countries that actively support
terrorism.
Thompson lives in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, with his wife
and daughter. |
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| Copyright, 2004 PAID FOR BY FRIENDS OF BILL THOMPSON |
