Billionaire Michael Bloomberg tapped into his personal fortune to the tune of about $650 million — an “undoubtedly low” estimate, the New York Times reports — on “a wide variety of perks and bonuses, political campaigns and advocacy work, charitable giving and social causes, not to mention travel and lodging” during his time as mayor. Selections from the back-of-the-envelope math, from the principled to the indulgent, include …
Going from relatively anonymous, absurdly rich businessman to the most famous mayor in the world in three campaigns: $268 million
Private jet: $28 million
Private jet travel: $6 million
Campaign donations for others he happens to agree with: $23 million
Charitable giving to New York’s cultural institutions: $263 million
Renovations for Gracie Mansion, where he decided not to live in favor of his own mansion: $5 million
Fighting for gun control, immigration reform, and “volunteerism”: $18.9 million
A trip to China, likely not required for the mayor of NYC: $500,000
Weekly cleanings of the aquarium he had installed in City Hall, because he loves fish: $62,400
Complimentary breakfast and lunch for staff, because he loves food: $890,000
Running the greatest city in the world like a Fortune 500 company and/or SimCity monarchy on a salary of $1 for twelve years: Priceless
