Developer is Fine friends with comptroller candidates

THE 2009 race for comp troller is shaping up as the most competitive in years, but developer Peter Fine is almost certain to line up with the winner - because he's backing four of the five Democratic candidates.

Campaign filings show that Fine - together with his mother, his wife, his business partner and his employees - has pumped $23,800 into the war chest of Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion, $23,000 into the account of City Councilwoman Melinda Katz, $12,000 to Councilman David Yassky and $2,000 to Councilman David Weprin.

That means Fine has backed every horse in the comptroller's race except Assemblyman Jim Brennan.

COMPTROLLER HOPEFULS ARE FINE $$ FRIENDS

Fine and his partner, Marc Altheim, also spread around at least $110,000 more to other candidates for city office, including $34,700 to Rep. Anthony Weiner in the mayor's race, $10,050 to Comptroller Bill Thompson, another mayoral contender, $33,250 to Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, and $17,200 to Bronx Councilman Joel Rivera, who's running for Bronx borough president.

Even in the heady New York real-estate world, that adds up to a tidy sum of campaign cash.

Frank Marino, Fine's spokesman, said the developer was simply being a good citizen.