NYC Finance Commissioner Finally Ousted Over Scandals

A month after allegations and evidence mounted against NYC Finance Commissioner Martha Stark moonlighted at a second job and provided jobs to relatives, she's been canned by Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

The mayor had asked the city Department of Investigation and Conflicts of Interest Board to investigate after the Post reported that Stark is romantically involved with ex-assistant commissioner Dara Ottley- Brown.

Post reports also said that Stark:

* Hired three of her own relatives.

* Gave a job to Brown's ex-husband, Jodie.

* Secretly served as a director of a real-estate firm while she was commissioner. She resigned from the company, Tarragon Corp., after a Post report in March.

Sources said Stark had told the Mayor's Office she did not have a relationship with any of her subordinates.

COIB and DOI representatives declined comment Tuesday.

A City Hall source said it's "unlikely" that Stark will face criminal charges. Stark and her lawyer also declined requests for comment.

Dara Ottley-Brown was earning $65,000 in 2003 as a mid-level manager. She was named assistant commissioner in November 2004 with a salary of $120,984 and her pay rose to $138,013 in two years.

In 2006 she was appointed a commissioner of the Board of Standards and Appeals with a salary of $139,827. Brown's husband was hired at Finance as a graphic designer earning $78,000 shortly after he filed for divorce in 2007.

Stark also came under fire recently for allowing an administrative judge with the Parking Violations Bureau who is married to her first deputy commissioner to bill for office hours when he was not at work.

The amazing thing is that criminal charges aren't likely to stem from the investigation, despite the cronyism and nepotism.