Glossary and Methodology

From Councilpedia

Councilpedia slices and dices data from candidates' campaign filings with the city's Campaign Finance Board. To make that information easier to comb through, we put some of it in certain categories, seen below.

ATTORNEY

Includes contributors who identify themselves as attorneys.

FINANCE

This includes contributions from accountants, bankers, private equity firms, insurance industry, venture capitalists, bond traders, stock traders others in the bond market and financial institutions, etc. It does not, however, include contributions from accountants at a nonprofit organization nor does it include contributions from small business owners.

HOSPITALITY

Hotels, restaurants, tourism industry groups, etc. Also includes labor contributions from these industries.

NONPROFITS OR SOCIAL SERVICES GROUPS

Any 501c3.

PACS, POLITICIANS, OR LOBBYISTS

Includes contributions from actual politicians, lobbyists or political action committees. Can also include campaign consultants, but it does not include city employees or employees of politicians.

REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY

This includes developers, real estate agents, construction industry workers, architects, builders, etc. (pretty much anyone with a stake in the city's real estate industry). It also includes lawyers who specialize in real estate transactions.

RETAIL

Includes stores, supermarkets, etc. This category would also include contributions from retail employee unions.

UNIONS/LABOR

This includes staff members of any city or state union as well as contributions from the union itself. It does not include those contributions tangentially related, such as donations from individual teachers who might be members of the United Federation of Teachers or police officers who belong to the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association.

MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR

Anyone who gives more than half of the contribution limit. For citywide offices, this category includes any donation above $2,475. For council members, our threshold is $1,375.

DOING BUSINESS CONTRIBUTIONS

Any contribution from an entity or person who does business with the city. This list is compiled by the Campaign Finance Board.

IN CITY

All contributions from individuals, companies or organizations living or headquartered in the five boroughs.

OUT OF CITY

Contributions from those based outside of the five boroughs.