This comes from Public Advocate candidate Norm Siegel's campaign:

Norman Siegel Opposes Budget Cuts in the Office of the Public Advocate.

On the heels of today's troubling news that the Public Advocate’s office was cut by 40% in the 2009-2010 NYC Budget while treating other offices differently, civil rights attorney Norman Siegel, who is running for the office this year, issued this statement:

"The Public Advocate's office is the one institution we have that is designed to keep the mayor, the City Council and all the other officials making up our City's government honest. It is the one bridge between the people and the political establishment, where the grievances of all New Yorkers can be addressed."

He went on to say, "it is interesting to me that at this point in time, when the news regularly reports on abuses and waste in government, the office of Public Advocate is being effectively stripped of its functions, thereby reducing the mechanism for New Yorkers to fight for their rights and for more effective government."

"It would appear that this action represents one more step toward a weakening of the democratic structure of our City. We need to have a long overdue public discussion about the role of the New York City Public Advocate. I, for one, strongly believe this office is essential to guarantee that both the executive and legislative branches of NYC government respect the rights of all New Yorkers and that these bodies are held accountable."

Norman Siegel has been endorsed by the Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats, Democracy for NYC, Park River Independent Democrats (Upper West Side), the Village Reform Democratic Club, the Grand Council of Guardians (an organization of African-American law enforcement officials), Room 8 blogger and Brooklyn City Council candidate Rock Hackshaw, the New York Metro Area Postal Union (APWU, AFL-CIO), Audubon Reform Democratic Club (Hamilton Heights and Washington Heights), and Brooklyn Democrats for Change (Bay Ridge, Bensonhurst, Dyker Heights, Fort Hamilton, Bath Beach and Gravesend).