Crains New York - September 24, 2012 - (Page 6)

THE INSIDER by Andrew J. Hawkins and Chris Bragg DEALS See why at BryanCave.com/deals N Billionaires at the ballot box ew York may be a deeply Democratic town, but among its 20 wealthiest residents, there are likely more votes for Mitt Romney than for Barack Obama. A Crain’s analysis of Forbes’ new list of America’s 400 richest people shows that among the city’s 20 most affluent residents (all men), only four are registered Democrats. Seven are Republicans, according to Board of Elections records, while another seven have no party affiliation. Crain’s could not locate two of New York’s richest in city voter records: Rupert Murdoch (above left), an Australian who was naturalized in the U.S. in 1985, and Richard LeFrak, chief executive of the LeFrak Organization. The four Democrats among the city’s 20 richest are developers Stephen Ross (above right) and Sheldon Solow and publishing heirs Robert and Daniel Ziff. Most of the billionaires vote regularly, but not all of them. Fashion designer Ralph Lauren, an independent, has cast ballots in New York only three times since 1998. Discover 360° Service. Whether you need to restructure your occupancy plan or your debt structure, move to a new building or manage your building’s operations, Cassidy Turley’s experts deliver results. MARKET SPACE MANAGE SPACE BUILD SPACE FINANCE & STRUCTURE FIND SPACE Discover Fully Integrated Service. Discover Cassidy Turley. Peter Hennessy President, New York Tri-State Region 212.318.9790 Peter.Hennessy@cassidyturley.com www.cassidyturley.com Tenant Representation / Project Leasing / Project & Development Services / Property Management / Corporate Services / Capital Markets The richest New Yorker on the list, David Koch, is well known for lavish political spending on conservative candidates and causes, as is his brother Charles, of Kansas. Mr. Koch is registered as a Republican on the Upper West Side. Estée Lauder heirs Leonard and Ronald Lauder, who were 43rd and 118th on the Forbes list, respectively, are also affiliated with the GOP. Ronald played a major role in helping independent Mayor Michael Bloomberg (a former Republican and Democrat who is 10th on the Forbes list) gain a third term in office by agreeing not to oppose a term-limits extension. Mr. Lauder had spent more than $4 million on referendums to enact an eight-year limit. Other city Republicans on the Forbes list were hedge fund manager John Paulson, investor Carl Icahn and Henry Kravis, who cofounded the private equity firm KKR, where he is co-chairman and co-CEO. Messrs. Bloomberg and Lauren are not the only billionaires who have no party affiliation. Others include Ronald Perelman, Samuel Newhouse, Bruce Kovner, Leonard Stern and Leon Black. Grocer to rival: Got cheddar? Another billionaire, Republican John Catsimatidis, won’t decide until after the November elections whether to run for mayor, but he’s ready to cite one advantage he has over GOP contender George McDonald. “The question is whether he can raise enough money to run a meaningful campaign,” said Mr. Catsimatidis, who runs Gristedes. “It’s not an issue for me.” Mr. McDonald makes in the mid-six figures at the Doe Fund, which he founded in 1985 to provide work, housing and education for people with histories of incarceration, homelessness and substance abuse. John Catsimatidis He said he is aiming to post a big fundraising number in January to show his candidacy is viable, and won’t seek public matching funds. “I believe I will be the only Republican that runs,” Mr. McDonald said, adding that he would be willing to take on a fellow Republican in a primary. For daily political and government news, subscribe to CRAIN’S INSIDER @ www.crainsnewyork.com/insider buck ennis bloomberg news http://www.BryanCave.com/deals http://www.BryanCave.com/deals http://www.cassidyturley.com http://www.crainsnewyork.com/insider http://www.cassidyturley.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Crains New York - September 24, 2012

In the Boroughs
In the Markets
The Insider
Business People
Corporate Ladder
Small Business
Opinion
Greg David
Report: Accounting
The List
Classifieds
Real Estate Deals
New York, New York
Source Lunch
Out and About
Snaps

Crains New York - September 24, 2012