De Blasio using tax money to fund app tracking his campaign promises

Taxpayer money is being spent on an internally used app that tracks how Mayor de Blasio has addressed his campaign promises — and some say it looks like nothing more than a tool to help him get re-elected.Hizzoner’s office released on Friday a “progress...

De Blasio using tax money to fund app tracking his campaign promises

Taxpayer money is being spent on an internally used app that tracks how Mayor de Blasio has addressed his campaign promises — and some say it looks like nothing more than a tool to help him get re-elected.

Hizzoner’s office released on Friday a “progress report” based on the data the app has been tracking, and it paints a rather rosy picture of de Blasio’s time in office.

The report insists that the de Blasio administration has “completed or put in motion” 94 percent of its 228 campaign commitments, with 66 percent fulfilled and 29 percent in progress.

“New Yorkers have real concerns that need addressing,” said state Sen. Tony Avella (D-Queens), who is running for mayor. “Yet we have a mayor whose prime concern is making sure his staff doesn’t remind him of those issues and figuring out how to fool us into re-electing him.”

The New York Times, which first reported on the app, pointed out that the grading sometimes seems skewed in de Blasio’s favor, including on issues like increasing diversity in the NYPD and expanding advanced-placement courses to all city high schools.

De Blasio’s progress is being tracked by 18 members of the mayor’s Office of Operations, and about 20 top officials carry the app.

City Hall spokeswoman Natalie Grybauskas said the app is not being used for his re-election efforts.

When asked about it, de Blasio described it as “an enlightened governmental expense.”

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