De Blasio's lobbying arm raises more than $1.7M

The nonprofit lobbying group aligned with Mayor Bill de Blasio has raised more than $1.7 million so far this year, with contributions from animal rights activists, labor unions and real estate developers, according to a voluntary disclosure Thursday the Campaign for One New York fund.

The health care workers union, 1199 SEIU, and the nonprofit Fund for Policy Reform Inc. each gave $250,000 to Campaign for One New York, which was formerly called UPKNYC and used to promote de Blasio's rollout of universal prekindergarten in the city.

Campaign for One New York is nonprofit and outside organization in step with Blasio's agenda but is not bound by federal donation limits or strict reporting requirements.

It is operated by Hilltop Public Solutions, a political consulting firm that aided in de Blasio's mayoral campaign and continues to keep close ties with him.

Stephen Nislick, co-founder of NYCLASS, or New Yorkers for Clean, Livable and Safe Streets, the primary animal rights group pressuring de Blasio to ban Central Park's horse-drawn carriage industry, contributed $50,000 in March, the records show. Wendy Neu, who like Nislick is on NYCLASS' board of directors, also gave $50,000 in March.

Campaign for One New York spent more than $668,000 in the six-month period through June, according to the disclosures.

It paid several progressive consulting groups for their services, including the public relations firm BerlinRosen, Hilltop and AKPD Message and Media.

Correction

A previous version of this story incorrectly identified the firm that operates the fund.