Ismael Malave-Perez - Ballotpedia

Ismael Malave-Perez was born in Puerto Rico and raised in the Bronx, New York. He has a bachelor's degree in economics from Lehman College, City University of New York, and a master's degree in business administration from Baruch College, City University of New York.

2025 Elections: Who are the four Democrats running for NYC ...

Ismael is an administrative procurement analyst at the Department of Citywide Administrative Services, where he has worked since 2014. He previously served as a senior investment analyst and worked in the public affairs division at the New York City Comptroller's Office. Earlier in his career, he worked as an executive assistant for the New York State Comptroller.

Ismael previously ran in the Democratic primary for New York City Comptroller in 2025 but did not win.

Plans to implement the Monetary Applications Portal (MAP), a platform that allows New Yorkers to track how public funds are spent, including contracts, audit results, and agency budgets.

Plans to launch a platform that allows New Yorkers to track how public funds are spent, including contracts, audit results, and agency budgets.

Believes pensions should not be used as "political weapons" and supports protecting retirement funds for public employees.

Opposes divesting from companies based on political beliefs.

- Plans to launch a platform that allows New Yorkers to track how public funds are spent, including contracts, audit results, and agency budgets.
- Believes pensions should not be used as "political weapons" and supports protecting retirement funds for public employees.
- Opposes divesting from companies based on political beliefs.

Financial Management

Plans to "work to eliminate waste and inefficiency in city government."

Supports creating a "fair and inclusive city" where all residents have access to economic opportunity and essential services.

Supports reinvesting in New York's minority-owned business enterprises.

- Plans to "work to eliminate waste and inefficiency in city government."
- Supports creating a "fair and inclusive city" where all residents have access to economic opportunity and essential services.
- Supports reinvesting in New York's minority-owned business enterprises.

Economy

As of August 5, 2025, Ismael Malave-Perez’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Public Safety

Education

Housing & Urban Development

Transportation & Infrastructure

Energy & the Environment

Healthcare

Supports reforms like same-day registration and early voting to increase voter participation and strengthen democracy.

Plans to work with labor unions, community leaders, and advocacy groups to eliminate voting barriers and increase civic engagement.

- Supports reforms like same-day registration and early voting to increase voter participation and strengthen democracy.
- Plans to work with labor unions, community leaders, and advocacy groups to eliminate voting barriers and increase civic engagement.

Public Services

Instagram

Twitter

LinkedIn

Ismael Malave-Perez

Ismael Malave-Perez's campaign for New York City Comptroller is his first entry into politics. He previously ran in the Democratic primary for New York City Comptroller in 2025 but did not win.

Believes pensions should not be used for political purposes.

Proposes the Monetary Applications Portal (MAP), an AI-powered tool to track city finances and infrastructure projects in real time, to enhance transparency.

Supports same-day registration and early voting.

Ismael is an administrative procurement analyst at the Department of Citywide Administrative Services, where he has worked since 2014. He previously served as a senior investment analyst and worked in the public affairs division at the New York City Comptroller's Office. Earlier in his career, he worked as an executive assistant for the New York State Comptroller. He has over 16 years of experience working directly under five NYC Comptrollers, where he helped save taxpayers millions by modernizing operations, improving procurement systems, and holding agencies accountable from the inside.

Plans to address issues with the pension system.

Opposes divesting from companies at a loss, calling it "financial malfeasance" and a "betrayal of NYC taxpayers."

Opposes using pensions as "political weapons."

As of August 5, 2025, Ismael Malave-Perez did not have a website or any information online.

Proposes the Monetary Applications Portal (MAP), an AI-powered tool to track city finances and infrastructure projects in real time.

Ismael Malave-Perez is from the Bronx, New York. He has a bachelor's degree in economics from Lehman College, City University of New York, and a master's degree in business administration from Baruch College, City University of New York.

Buket Urgen

As of July 16, 2025, Mark Levine’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Ethics & Conduct

Mark Levine has a bachelor's degree in physics from Haverford College and a master's in public policy from Harvard University. He lives in Upper Manhattan with his wife and two kids. 

Before taking public office, Mark worked as an executive director for the After-School Corporation, a vice president for One Economy, and an executive director for Teach for America. He also worked as a math and science teacher in the South Bronx.

Mark currently serves as Manhattan Borough President. He was elected in 2021 and is currently serving his first term. He previously served two terms as a New York City council member from 2014 to 2021.

Supports the NYC Affordability Fund, which aims to invest up to $2.5 billion to create or preserve 75,000 affordable homes in the next decade.

Supports investing $2.5 billion to create or preserve 75,000 affordable homes over the next 10 years.

Plans to reform procurement and payment rules to ensure timely payments to human service organizations, nonprofits, and community-based organizations.

Supports reforms to make sure nonprofits and community groups get paid on time by the city.

Plans to fight against federal funding cuts to programs like Medicaid and emergency food assistance.

Plans to fight federal budget cuts to programs like Medicaid and emergency food assistance, and protect people who rely on them.

- Supports investing $2.5 billion to create or preserve 75,000 affordable homes over the next 10 years.
- Supports reforms to make sure nonprofits and community groups get paid on time by the city.
- Plans to fight federal budget cuts to programs like Medicaid and emergency food assistance, and protect people who rely on them.

Plans to expand loan programs, ensure small businesses are paid on time, and audit city agencies to eliminate barriers for entrepreneurs.

Supports expanding loan programs for small businesses.

Believes small businesses are hindered by "red tape, late payments on city contracts, and a lack of access to capital," particularly in communities of color, immigrant neighborhoods, and low-income areas.

Believes small businesses, especially in immigrant, low-income, and communities of color, struggle because of too many rules, slow city payments, and trouble getting funding.

- Supports expanding loan programs for small businesses.
- Believes small businesses, especially in immigrant, low-income, and communities of color, struggle because of too many rules, slow city payments, and trouble getting funding.

Supports filling 3,000 vacancies in the New York Police Department to implement community policing strategies.

Supports filling in 3,000 police officer vacancies to make the NYPD more efficient and cut down on overtime.

- Supports filling in 3,000 police officer vacancies to make the NYPD more efficient and cut down on overtime.

Supports making childcare free or affordable for all families.

- Supports making childcare free or affordable for all families.

As a city council member, introduced and passed the Right to Counsel law, which provides legal representation for tenants facing eviction who cannot afford a lawyer.

Supported a law requiring the city to provide lawyers for tenants facing eviction who cannot afford one.

Supports removing investment limits on affordable housing and eliminating the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit cap.

Supports removing investment limits on affordable housing and expanding tax credits for low-income housing developments.

- Supported a law requiring the city to provide lawyers for tenants facing eviction who cannot afford one.
- Supports removing investment limits on affordable housing and expanding tax credits for low-income housing developments.

Aims to enhance subway reliability and accessibility, improve sidewalk safety, and invest in infrastructure for safe sharing of roads among cyclists, motorists, and pedestrians.

Wants to make subways more reliable and accessible, make sidewalks safer, and improve streets for people walking, biking, and driving.

Supports congestion pricing and the completion of greenways to reduce traffic and promote environmental sustainability.

- Wants to make subways more reliable and accessible, make sidewalks safer, and improve streets for people walking, biking, and driving.
- Supports congestion pricing.

As borough president, launched campaigns to plant a million more trees.

As borough president, started a plan to plant one million new trees.

As Borough President, pushed for major investments in green infrastructure.

As Borough President, invested in green infrastructure.

Supports divesting city pension funds from fossil fuels, investing in renewable energy, and ensuring public funds advance environmental justice.

Supports divesting funds from fossil fuels and investing in renewable energy instead.

- As borough president, started a plan to plant one million new trees.
- As Borough President, invested in green infrastructure.
- Supports divesting funds from fossil fuels and investing in renewable energy instead.

Supports expanding access to inpatient psychiatric care and improving compensation and workplace standards for mental health professionals.

Supports expanding access to psychiatric care and improving salaries and workplace conditions for mental health professionals.

Supports establishing a loan forgiveness program for mental health professionals who work in public hospitals to reduce student debt and attract talent to the field.

Supports loan forgiveness for mental health professionals who work in public hospitals to attract more workers.

Supports investing in mental health initiatives like Intensive Mobile Treatment, Assertive Community Treatment, and Community Behavioral Health Clinics.

Supports funding mental health programs that send trained teams into the community to help people where they are.

Plans to ensure every neighborhood has access to affordable, high-quality healthcare, keep community hospitals open, hold private hospital systems accountable, and address long emergency room wait times and emergency response times.

Plans to make sure every neighborhood has affordable, high-quality healthcare, keep local hospitals open, and shorten wait times in emergency rooms and for ambulances.

- Supports expanding access to psychiatric care and improving salaries and workplace conditions for mental health professionals.
- Supports loan forgiveness for mental health professionals who work in public hospitals to attract more workers.
- Supports funding mental health programs that send trained teams into the community to help people where they are.
- Plans to make sure every neighborhood has affordable, high-quality healthcare, keep local hospitals open, and shorten wait times in emergency rooms and for ambulances.

Rooting Out Corruption

Supports establishing clearer standards for mayoral removal in cases of corruption or misconduct.

Plans to launch a secure, anonymous hotline for reporting city procurement, fraud, or misconduct.

Supports accessible public services, including public bathrooms.

Supports building more accessible public bathrooms.

- Supports establishing clearer standards for mayoral removal in cases of corruption or misconduct.
- Plans to launch a secure, anonymous hotline for reporting city procurement, fraud, or misconduct.
- Supports building more accessible public bathrooms.

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Mark Levine

- Supports establishing clearer standards for mayoral removal in cases of corruption or misconduct.
- Plans to launch a secure, anonymous hotline for reporting city procurement, fraud, or misconduct.

- Wants to make subways more reliable and accessible, make sidewalks safer, and improve streets for people walking, biking, and driving.

- As borough president, started a plan to plant one million new trees.

Before taking public office, Mark worked as an executive director for the After-School Corporation, a vice president for One Economy, and an executive director for Teach for America.

- Supports investing $2.5 billion to create or preserve 75,000 affordable homes over the next 10 years.
- Supports reforms to make sure nonprofits and community groups get paid on time by the city.

- Plans to fight against federal funding cuts to programs like Medicaid and emergency food assistance, and to protect vulnerable populations.
- Supports investing in mental health initiatives like Intensive Mobile Treatment, Assertive Community Treatment, and Community Behavioral Health Clinics.
- Supports filling 3,000 vacancies in the NYPD, improving efficiency, and reducing reliance on overtime.
- Plans to ensure every neighborhood has access to affordable, high-quality healthcare, keep community hospitals open, hold private hospital systems accountable, and address long emergency room wait times and emergency response times.

- As Manhattan Borough President, advocated for universal childcare.

- Introduced and passed the Right to Counsel law, which provides legal representation for tenants facing eviction who cannot afford a lawyer.
- Supports removing investment limits on affordable housing and eliminating the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit cap.

- Aims to enhance subway reliability and accessibility, improve sidewalk safety, and invest in infrastructure for safe sharing of roads among cyclists, motorists, and pedestrians.

- As borough president, launched campaigns to plant a million more trees.

- Supports expanding psychiatric care and improving salaries and workplace conditions for mental health professionals.
- Supports loan forgiveness for mental health professionals who work in public hospitals to attract more workers.

- Supports participatory budgeting, which allows citizens to directly decide how to allocate a portion of the city's budget.
- Supports using the city pension system's existing Economically Targeted Investments (ETI) fund to invest $2.5 billion to create or preserve 75,000 affordable homes over the next decade.
- Has a plan to reform payment rules to ensure timely payments to human service organizations, nonprofits, and community-based organizations.

- Supports expanding access to inpatient psychiatric care and improving compensation and workplace standards for mental health professionals.
- Supports establishing a loan forgiveness program for mental health professionals who work in public hospitals to reduce student debt and attract talent to the field.

- Plans to fight against federal funding cuts to programs like Medicaid and emergency food assistance, and protect vulnerable populations like LGBTQ+ youth, immigrants and low-income New Yorkers.
- Supports investing in mental health initiatives like Intensive Mobile Treatment, Assertive Community Treatment, and Community Behavioral Health Clinics.
- Supports filling 3,000 vacancies in the NYPD, improving efficiency, and reducing reliance on overtime.
- Plans to ensure every neighborhood has access to affordable, high-quality healthcare, keep community hospitals open, hold private hospital systems accountable, and address long emergency room wait times and emergency response times.

Mark has a bachelor's degree in physics from Haverford College and a master's in public policy from Harvard University. He lives in Upper Manhattan with his wife and two kids. 

Mark Levine currently serves as Manhattan Borough President. He was elected in 2021 and is currently serving his first term. He previously served two terms as a New York City council member from 2014 to 2021.

Supports participatory budgeting, which allows citizens to directly decide how to allocate a portion of the city's budget.

Peter is a small business owner and consultant. He is also the author of "1984 Bureaucratic Tentacles: Rise and Fall of The Chevron Doctrine."

Supports investigating city contracts with rising costs and no results, holding city agencies accountable for delays and budget overruns, and increasing public access to government spending reports.

Supports conducting a forensic audit of Freshkills Park’s development budget to prevent waste and ensure timely project completion.

Supports full financial transparency on Staten Island’s tax contributions versus allocated city spending, independent audits of city-funded projects to prevent waste and mismanagement, and increased political advocacy to ensure fair representation in citywide budget decisions.

- Supports investigating city contracts with rising costs and no results, holding city agencies accountable for delays and budget overruns, and increasing public access to government spending reports.
- Supports conducting a forensic audit of Freshkills Park’s development budget to prevent waste and ensure timely project completion.
- Supports full financial transparency on Staten Island’s tax contributions versus allocated city spending, independent audits of city-funded projects to prevent waste and mismanagement, and increased political advocacy to ensure fair representation in citywide budget decisions.

Supports conducting a full audit of city fines and fees to prevent small businesses from being unfairly targeted.

Supports implementing tax incentives for local businesses to help them compete against corporate businesses.

Supports reviewing and revising commercial lease regulations to prevent abuse.

- Supports conducting a full audit of city fines and fees to prevent small businesses from being unfairly targeted.
- Supports implementing tax incentives for local businesses to help them compete against corporate businesses.
- Supports reviewing and revising commercial lease regulations to prevent abuse.

Supports auditing NYPD spending in Brooklyn, increasing transparency on public safety grants, and investing in community-led safety initiatives to reduce crime and improve neighborhood trust.

Supports auditing NYPD spending, increasing transparency on public safety grants, and investing in community-led safety initiatives to reduce crime and improve neighborhood trust.

Advocates for increased police presence in high-crime areas and additional emergency medical resources.

Advocates for increased police presence in high-crime areas, additional emergency medical resources, and adequate firehouse funding in Staten Island.

Supports ensuring NYPD funding is allocated fairly across boroughs to improve response times in the Bronx and wants to increase investment in community programs that reduce crime and provide economic opportunities.

- Supports auditing NYPD spending, increasing transparency on public safety grants, and investing in community-led safety initiatives to reduce crime and improve neighborhood trust.
- Advocates for increased police presence in high-crime areas, additional emergency medical resources, and adequate firehouse funding in Staten Island.
- Supports ensuring NYPD funding is allocated fairly across boroughs to improve response times in the Bronx and wants to increase investment in community programs that reduce crime and provide economic opportunities.

Supports auditing Department of Education spending in Staten Island to identify discrepancies in per-student funding, advocating for fair funding distribution, smaller class sizes, and increased teacher recruitment efforts in underserved schools.

Supports holding underperforming schools accountable and providing them with resources to improve.

- Supports auditing Department of Education spending in Staten Island to identify discrepancies in per-student funding, advocating for fair funding distribution, smaller class sizes, and increased teacher recruitment efforts in underserved schools.
- Supports holding underperforming schools accountable and providing them with resources to improve.

Believes in auditing city-funded housing projects to ensure tax incentives are creating affordable housing, investigating vacant luxury developments, and demanding transparency in rent stabilization programs to prevent abuse.

Believes in reviewing city zoning and development policies to ensure Staten Island’s growth is sustainable and does not harm existing communities.

Believes in conducting audits of city-funded housing projects to ensure they provide real affordable housing and increasing fiscal oversight on homelessness spending to ensure funds go toward long-term solutions.

Believes in increasing fiscal oversight on homelessness spending to ensure funds go toward long-term solutions.

Believes in investigating "illegal housing practices that put low-income residents at risk."

Supports ensuring affordable housing projects prioritize Bronx residents.

- Believes in auditing city-funded housing projects to ensure tax incentives are creating affordable housing, investigating vacant luxury developments, and demanding transparency in rent stabilization programs to prevent abuse.
- Believes in reviewing city zoning and development policies to ensure Staten Island’s growth is sustainable and does not harm existing communities.
- Believes in increasing fiscal oversight on homelessness spending to ensure funds go toward long-term solutions.
- Believes in investigating "illegal housing practices that put low-income residents at risk."
- Supports ensuring affordable housing projects prioritize Bronx residents.

Supports conducting a forensic audit of MTA spending in Brooklyn to track taxpayer funds, and advocates for greater transparency in infrastructure contracts, and prioritizing investment in flood prevention and climate resilience projects for at-risk neighborhoods.

Supports conducting an audit of MTA spending to track taxpayer funds, and advocates for greater transparency in infrastructure contracts, and prioritizing investment in flood prevention and climate resilience projects for at-risk neighborhoods.

Supports improved transit options like the Staten Island light rail and expanded ferry service.

Supports improved transit options like the Staten Island light rail and expanded ferry service and toll relief on Verrazzano Bridge.

- Supports conducting an audit of MTA spending to track taxpayer funds, and advocates for greater transparency in infrastructure contracts, and prioritizing investment in flood prevention and climate resilience projects for at-risk neighborhoods.
- Supports improved transit options like the Staten Island light rail and expanded ferry service and toll relief on Verrazzano Bridge.

Believes in "full transparency on climate resilience funding" to ensure Staten Island gets needed infrastructure upgrades.

- Believes in "full transparency on climate resilience funding" to ensure Staten Island gets needed infrastructure upgrades.

Supports auditing NYC’s healthcare funding to ensure fair investment in the Bronx, increasing hospital funding to improve staffing and reduce wait times, and expanding community health programs for asthma prevention and mental health services.

- Supports auditing NYC’s healthcare funding to ensure fair investment in the Bronx, increasing hospital funding to improve staffing and reduce wait times, and expanding community health programs for asthma prevention and mental health services.

As of July 16, 2025, Peter Kefalas’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Peter Kefalas

Peter is a small business owner and consultant.

- Supports auditing NYPD spending, increasing transparency on public safety grants, and investing in community-led safety initiatives to reduce crime and improve neighborhood trust.
- Advocates for increased police presence in high-crime areas, additional emergency medical resources, and adequate firehouse funding in Staten Island.
- Supports ensuring NYPD funding is allocated fairly across boroughs to improve response times in the Bronx and wants to increase investment in community programs that reduce crime and provide economic opportunities.
- Supports auditing NYC’s healthcare funding to ensure fair investment in the Bronx, increasing hospital funding to improve staffing and reduce wait times, and expanding community health programs for asthma prevention and mental health services.

- The New York City Comptroller is the city's chief financial officer, responsible for overseeing the city's financial health, auditing city agencies and programs, and managing public pension funds. ​
- This position is elected citywide to a four-year term and can serve up to two consecutive terms. ​
- As of 2020, the Comptroller's annual salary is $209,050. ​
- In the line of succession, if both the Mayor and the Public Advocate positions become vacant, the Comptroller assumes the role of acting mayor. 