New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. today issued the following statement regarding the approval of a contract for Octagon Inc., to provide marketing services for the Department of Education:

“Today’s approval to once again enter into an agreement with Octagon Inc. illustrates how the DOE has not yet learned from their mistakes.  After the disastrous results of their partnership in 2003 one would have thought that the Bloomberg Administration would take the necessary steps to ensure that DOE’s funds are spent as wisely as possible.  However, today’s vote flies in the face of common sense.

 I have urged the members of the PEP to vote down this agreement based on a number of questions surrounding this deal, but unfortunately my concerns have fallen on deaf ears.  The fact that the City cannot justify how they chose Octagon, nor can they specify why the company is needed, should raise a red flag to all New Yorkers who feel that this money would be much better spent where it is needed; in the classroom.”

In a letter to Panel members on Sunday, Thompson exposed the troubling and ongoing entanglements that the DOE has had with Octagon, urging them to reject the contract.

To view the letter click http://www.comptroller.nyc.gov/press/pdfs/09-14-09_Berry-DOE-letter.pdf

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New York City Comptroller’s Office press@comptroller.nyc.gov / Main: (212) 669-3747 / Fax: (212) 669-8879

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