Andrew Eristoff

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Andrew Sidamon Eristoff is a Republican Party politician from New York City who served as the Commissioner of Tax and Finance under New York State Governor George Pataki from September 16, 2003 until his resignation on November 3, 2006. [1] He applied to replace former New York State Comptroller Alan Hevesi, meeting with a panel of former comptrollers and many state legislators.

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[edit] Education

Eristoff is a descendent of the noble Georgian family of Sidamon-Eristavi from Telavi. His side of the family immigrated to the United States in 1921.[1] Eristoff graduated from Princeton University in 1985. He received a juris doctor degree from Georgetown University Law Center in 1989. In 2000, Eristoff earned an advanced professional certificate in Information Technology from New York University. Known socially as Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff, he the son Constantine Sidamon-Eristoff and Anne Phipps Sidamon-Eristoff. His great-grandfather, Henry Phipps, was a partner of Andrew Carnegie and the president of the United States Steel Corporation.

[edit] Political career

Eristoff served as a member New York City Council from 1993 until 1999. In 1999, Eristoff became New York City Commissioner of Finance under Mayor Rudy Giuliani. He served in that role until 2002 when new Mayor Michael Bloomberg removed him from that position, after which he challenged Democratic State Senator Liz Krueger. He lost to Krueger by 59% to 41% in the most expensive state legislative race in history ($3 million spent by Eristoff), and in February 2003, Eristoff was appointed as the executive deputy commissioner of the state Department of Taxation and Finance by former Governor George Pataki.

In September 2003, Eristoff was elevated to the role of Commissioner of Tax and Finance by Pataki. As Commissioner, Eristoff upgraded the department helping to push for the Project Portfolio Management initiatives and Performance-Based Budgeting programs.

In January 2007, Eristoff applied to the New York State Legislature to be among the candidates screened to replace former New York State Comptroller Alan Hevesi. He announced that if selected, he would not run for a full term in 2010, nor for any other elected office.[2] On January 23, 2007, Eristoff was interviewed by a panel of former State Comptrollers, Carl McCall and Edward Regan and former New York City Comptroller Harrison J. Goldin, along with a the Assembly Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee. In his presentation to the panel, he discussed many possible reforms to the comptroller's office, many of which he said would be unpopular, but which had been previously introduced by other legislators. Citing that he would not run for reelection or for any other elective office, Eristoff said he could make unpopular decisions that, in the end, he felt would benefit New York. [3] He was not recommended by the search committee as a finalist for consideration by the full State Legislature based on qualifications and presentation during committee hearings.

[edit] Electoral history

2002 race for state senate

[edit] References

  1. ^ New York State Commissioner of Taxation Mr. Andrew Eristoff Discusses Local Government in Telavi and Tbilisi. Embassy of the United States to Georgia. October 2006.

[edit] External links

Preceded by
Carolyn Maloney		 New York City Council, 4th District
1993–1999		 Succeeded by
Eva Moskowitz