What is Ferreras-Copeland furiously fundraising for?

New York City Councilwoman Julissa Ferreras-Copeland has been fundraising furiously, and for what? Not for the city’s matching funds program, it seems. From 2014 to 2016, Ferreras-Copeland’s campaign reported spending $277,447.17, which is more than five times the $49,000 those participating in the city’s matching funds program are permitted to spend during the three-year period leading up to an election. Under the matching fund program rules, any expenditures beyond the $49,000 threshold gets subtracted from the $182,000 spending cap candidates are given for primaries. So Ferreras-Copeland would be in the red and unable to dig into her prolific war chest if a primary challenger emerges.

At this point, Assemblyman Francisco Moya and former state Sen. Hiram Monserrate – who was convicted of assaulting his then-girlfriend and on federal corruption charges – have said they may run. A spokesman for Ferreras-Copeland did not respond to questions about whether she intended to participate in the matching funds program, and why that appeared not to be part of her fundraising strategy, as it was in past elections. The matching funds program encourages candidates to engage – and fundraise from – potential constituents by matching their low-dollar donations with public funds.