Meanwhile, as the election approaches, the comptroller candidates spend most of their days doing the two things that all candidates must do.

Only contributions of $250 or less from 500 city households are eligible for public matching funds for the comptroller candidates.

But he will need to go further, and work for a ban on donations to comptroller candidates by asset managers who deal with city pensions.

But not a single assemblyman made the cut when a panel of former comptrollers submitted a list of comptroller candidates to the Legislature on Thursday evening.

Their news release said that the panel would select "up to five comptroller candidates."

I've had calls from mayoral candidates, public advocate candidates and comptroller candidates.

Neither comptroller candidate lacked information about the Board of Education's capital spending.

"I have lost 14 pounds, 8 percent of my body weight," said Mr. Siegel, demonstrating his ease with numbers, an advantage for a comptroller candidate.

Mr. London said that as an independent comptroller candidate, he was compelled to speak out.

Neither comptroller candidate lost an opportunity at the debate yesterday - their first public encounter - to question the other's qualifications and integrity.