Mayoral Candidate Cain Wants to Know what Outside Counsel is Costing Taxpayers

By Tony Farina

When attorney Dan Spitzer, a partner in the Hodgson Russ law firm, gives his counsel to city leaders about the ongoing eminent domain legal battle between the city and NFR over competing development projects, he is getting paid by the hour by city taxpayers.

Spitzer, siding with the city, has called the latest appeal by NFR in the eminent domain fight “nothing more than a delay tactic,” and he gave that advice while being paid by the taxpayers.

So how much is the city paying Hodgson Russ to provide that counsel?   That question is now going to be a political issue in the upcoming mayoral race.

Carl Cain, the Republican candidate for mayor against Robert Restaino, wants to know what the bill is to pay Hodgson Russ, and he wants to know before the mayoral debate, scheduled for Oct. 25.

“I want information on what the city is paying to the outside counsel, and I want it as quickly as possible to prepare to take on the mayor in the debate,” said Cain, a retired deputy police superintendent.

Cain is filing a Freedom of Information (FOI) request with the city this week in his effort to find out just what the city is paying Hodgson Russ, saying taxpayers have a right to know how their dollars are being spent.

“Just how much are we paying,” said Cain in a telephone interview on Monday.  “I want that answer before the debate because it certainly is something taxpayers and the voting public should know.”