Thomas DiNapoli

Tom DiNapoli
54th Comptroller of New York
Incumbent
Assumed office February 7, 2007
Governor	Eliot Spitzer David Paterson Andrew Cuomo Kathy Hochul
Preceded by	Thomas Sanzillo (Acting)
Member of the New York State Assembly from the 16th district
In office January 1, 1987 – February 7, 2007
Preceded by	May W. Newburger
Succeeded by	Michelle Schimel
Personal details
Born	(1954-02-10) February 10, 1954 (age 67) Rockville Centre, New York, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Residence	Great Neck Plaza, New York
Education	Hofstra University (BA) The New School (MA)
Website	Government website

Thomas Peter DiNapoli II (born February 10, 1954)^[1][2] is an American politician serving as the 54th and current New York State Comptroller since 2007. A member of the Democratic Party, he was previously the New York State Assemblyman for the 16th district, first elected in 1986.

DiNapoli was elected by the New York State Legislature as New York State Comptroller on February 7, 2007; he was formerly the Chairman of the Assembly Environmental Conservation Committee. He is a resident of the village of Great Neck Plaza on Long Island. In November 2014, he won reelection, leading the statewide ticket with the most votes.^[3] He was easily reelected to a fourth term in November 2018, receiving 64.9% of the vote.^[4]

Entry career and education[]

Thomas Peter DiNapoli II^[5] was born to Nicholas Peter DiNapoli and Adeline Abbondandelo,^[6] named after his paternal grandfather Thomas Peter DiNapoli.^[7] DiNapoli has been active in politics since he was a teenager, when he ran for and won a position as a trustee on the Mineola Board of Education.^[1] At the age of 18 in 1972, he was the youngest person in New York State history elected to public office.^[8] He served on the school board for 10 years.^[9]

In 1976, DiNapoli graduated magna cum laude from Hofstra University with a bachelor's degree in history.^[8][9] After college he worked for New York Telephone^[1] and AT&T.

In 1988, he received a master's degree in human resources management from The New School University's Graduate School of Management and Urban Professions.^[8][9]

New York Assembly and politics[]

DiNapoli worked as an aide for Assemblyman Angelo F. Orazio. He also served as a District Representative for Congressman Robert J. Mrazek. DiNapoli was a member of the New York State Assembly from 1987 to 2007, sitting in the 187th, 188th, 189th, 190th, 191st, 192nd, 193rd, 194th, 195th, 196th and 197th New York State Legislatures. He represented the 16th District, located in Northwest Nassau County. DiNapoli was later also elected as Chairman of the Nassau County Democratic Committee. In 2001, he lost the Democratic nomination for Nassau County Executive to Thomas Suozzi, who later won the election. In 2006, DiNapoli was a candidate for lieutenant governor, but dropped out of the race after Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, the party's frontrunner for governor, chose Senate Minority Leader David Paterson as his running mate.

State Comptroller[]

Election[]

January 11, 2011 New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli's Inauguration

DiNapoli applied to be State Comptroller to replace Alan Hevesi, who resigned in December 2006. He was interviewed by a panel of two former State Comptrollers, a former New York City Comptroller and a group of legislators on January 24, 2007. DiNapoli was not amongst the three finalists recommended by the review panel. On February 7, 2007, in a joint session of the New York State Legislature, DiNapoli was elected as New York State Comptroller, succeeding Alan Hevesi by a vote of 150 to 56.^[10]

Service as Comptroller[]

In lieu of a transition committee, DiNapoli established a commission to review the Comptroller's office. The commission was headed by former Mayor of New York Ed Koch and financial expert Frank Zarb. Also included in this commission were Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi, Chancellor of Syracuse University Nancy Cantor, and New York City Comptroller William Thompson.^[11]

In March 2007, as one of DiNapoli's first public statements as Comptroller, he criticized Governor Eliot Spitzer's proposed budget, stating that the levels of spending were at an "unsustainable rate". DiNapoli stated that, at the rate proposed by Spitzer's budget, there would be a $13 billion deficit in three years' time.^[12]

As Comptroller, DiNapoli makes periodic, public reports on a variety of issues affecting state, local, and charitable agencies. In March 2010, he reported that non-profits had been hurt by the recession as well as by delays in state contracts.^[13]

By April 2010, DiNapoli gained a reputation as a critic of the State's budget deficit.^[14][15][16] He "has proposed major reforms in the state budget process".^[17] He unveiled a package of proposed reforms to the budget process in March 2010.^[14][18] Key parts of his plans are for "governors to identify plans to erase budget deficits in future years", to cap state debt, and to require excess surplusses to be deposited into the "rainy day fund".^[14]

2010 election[]

DiNapoli ran for election in November 2010.^[19] On May 1, 2010, he won the Democratic Rural Conference's Straw Poll by acclamation.^[20] On May 26, 2010, DiNapoli received the designation of the New York Democratic Party. "I'm grateful for your support and I salute your commitment to moving our great state forward. It's a commitment I share with each of you," said DiNapoli on the occasion.^[21] He received the nomination of the Working Families Party for comptroller.^{[citation needed]}

In November 2010, he narrowly won reelection.^[22] DiNapoli claimed victory early the morning of November 3,^[22] and Harry Wilson conceded later in the morning.^[23]

2014 election[]

DiNapoli ran for reelection in November 2014. On May 21, 2014, he received the nomination of the New York Democratic Party.^[24] "This office has an important compelling and independent role to play in moving our state forward. As New York State Comptroller, I'll continue to go to work every day striving to do right by New Yorkers," said DiNapoli at the Democratic Convention. He also received the nomination of the Independence, Working Families and Women's Equality parties for State Comptroller.

In November 2014, he won reelection, defeating Republican candidate Bob Antonacci. DiNapoli received the most votes of any statewide candidate with 2,077,293 votes.^[25]

2018 election[]

DiNapoli ran for reelection for a third full term. On May 23, 2018, he received the nomination of the New York Democratic Party.^[24] "This office has a lot more work to do for a safer, fairer New York. As New York State Comptroller, I'll continue to go to work every day striving to do right by New Yorkers," said DiNapoli at the Democratic Convention. He also received the nomination of the Independence, Working Families and Women's Equality and Reform parties for State Comptroller.

In November 2018, he won reelection, defeating Republican candidate Jonathan Trichter, a former Democrat who switched to the GOP. DiNapoli once again received the most votes of any statewide candidate with 4,027,886 votes.^[25]

Personal[]

DiNapoli is single and has no children.^[1] Both of his parents are the children of immigrants. His father, Nick, served in World War II, and after the war worked as a cable splicer for New York Telephone. For a time he was a shop steward for his union, the Communications Workers of America. DiNapoli's mother, Adeline, was a records clerk for the county police department.^[26] On September 1, 2013, he received the honorary citizenship in the small town of Paduli, in the province of Benevento - Italy, the birthplace of his paternal grandfather.

Electoral history[]

*DiNapoli also appeared on the Independence Party and Liberal Party lines; Zampino also appeared on the Conservative Party line.

*DiNapoli also appeared on the Independence Party, Liberal Party, and Working Families Party lines; Galluscio also appeared on the Conservative Party and Right to Life Party lines.

*DiNapoli also appeared on the Independence Party, Liberal Party, and Working Families Party lines.

*DiNapoli also appeared on the Independence Party, Liberal Party, and Working Families Party lines; McGillicuddy also appeared on the Conservative Party line.

*DiNapoli also appeared on the Working Families Party line; Wilson also appeared on the Independence Party and Conservative Party lines.

*DiNapoli also appeared on the Working Families Party, Independence Party, and Women's Equality Party lines; Antonacci also appeared on the Conservative Party and Stop Common Core Party lines.

References[]

Further reading[]

• Letter Written To The New York Times In Response To An Article About New York's Small, Freshwater Wetlands
• "Instant reformer: Face to Face with Thomas P. DiNapoli," (Pensions & Investments)
• Paterson, David Black, Blind, & In Charge: A Story of Visionary Leadership and Overcoming Adversity. New York, New York, 2020

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Thomas DiNapoli.

• New York State Office of the State Comptroller government website
• DiNapoli 2022 campaign website
• Appearances on C-SPAN
• The New York Times - Times Topics: Thomas P. DiNapoli collected news stories and commentary

• Profile at Vote Smart