BROOKLYN — Even though city Comptroller William Thompson Jr. has not announced plans to run for mayor, as has been widely rumored, a Brooklyn official wasted no time in declaring his intentions to run for comptroller — if Thompson doesn't run for another term.
That official is Assemblyman Jim Brennan (D-Park Slope, Kensington, Windsor Terrace). Brennan, who has 20 years of experience in Albany, is a former chair of the Assembly Standing Committee on Mental Health, Mental Retardation, and Developmental Disabilities.
He also, according to his Web site, was responsible for funding 5,000 units of housing and allowing half-fare on the MTA system for those with mental illness. He has a campaign office, a campaign Web site,
www.jimbrennanfornewyork.com, and has raised more than $100,000 in contributions.
Brennan recently said that he has discussed the situation with Thompson, and that the Comptroller voiced no objections. A spokesman for Thompson told this newspaper that the comptroller would make an announcement about his future plans this fall, and until then, couldn't make any comments.
Among the responsibilities of the comptroller, says Brennan, are oversight of the city's pension funds; capital budget and enforcement of the Prevailing Wage Law; auditing construction projects for time and budget constraints; and more.
''I'm particularly interested in monitoring the performance of city agencies and the creation of jobs,'' Brennan said, in a conversation with this newspaper. ''The city has many different agencies who have some sort of job creation program. My office will hold them to a standard in relation to the fulfillment of their mission.''
Asked whether he faces any possible opponents, Brennan mentioned Councilwoman Eva Moskowitz (D-Manhattan) and Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion. A spokesperson for Moskowitz said that the councilwoman has established a campaign office, but hasn't made any announcement. A spokeswoman for Carrion said she wasn't aware of any plans on the borough president's part.
Brennan said he plans to work with the city's Economic Development Corp., the Division of Small Business Services, the Industrial Finance Agency and the Industrial Development Agency ''to stimulate job creation, not just commercial development.''
He also would make sure small businesses get help in dealing with ''the basics of city services,'' in getting loans and in using new technologies.
Another concern of Brennan's is health insurance. ''About 40 percent of all people in [government] health programs in the City of New York are involuntarily dis-enrolled. When they have to recertify, many of them don't succeed,'' he said.
Brennan, an attorney by profession, says he would undertake a study to find out how many people in the city have health insurance, and would compensate small businesses so they can provide health care to their employees.
Public officials who have endorsed Brennan's tentative comptroller bid, according to his Web site, include Brooklyn Assemblyman Peter Abbate, Borough President Marty Markowitz, Congressman Major Owens, Councilman Vincent Gentile; and Brooklyn Democratic District Leaders Jo Anne Simon, Ralph Perfetto, Amanda Bonilla and Booker Ingram.
Eva Moskowitz is head of the Council's Education Committee, and represents Manhattan's Upper East Side, where she founded the area's first new public school in 30 years. She cheered Mayor Bloomberg's putting the city's schools under mayoral control, although she is critical of some of the mayor's educational policies.
Carrion, a former Bronx City Councilman, was one of the ''Vieques Four'' who went to jail for protesting the U.S. military's use of the Puerto Rican island of Vieques as a bombing range.
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