NEW YORK – May 12, 2022 – Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies is pleased to announce Nathan Toth — long-time deputy director of Finance for the New York City Council — has joined Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies’ fast-growing New York City practice. Toth, a veteran government official who played a leading role in overseeing the city’s massive $103 billion fiscal 2022 budget, joins Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies as a principal and will work out of its Manhattan office. Toth was recruited by recently elevated co-chairs of the New York Practice, Rose Christ and Katie Schwab.
With some 21 years of city government service — including 11 years of helping the New York City Council manage the largest municipal spending package in the country — Toth will now represent a wide range of Cozen O’Connor clients, helping them better understand and navigate the often complex, inner workings of the city’s budgeting and legislative and contracting processes.
“Nathan has spent decades building close working relationships in City Hall and with some of the region’s largest government agencies, including the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA), City University of New York (CUNY), and the Economic Development Corporation,” said Katie Schwab, co-chair of Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies in New York. “His unique knowledge and experience make him an excellent addition who will immediately help our clients achieve their funding and legislative objectives,” added Rose Christ, co-chair of Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies in New York.
“Nathan will provide high-level New York City government insight that most others simply cannot replicate,” added Howard Schweitzer, CEO of Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies. “In addition to playing a key role in overseeing the country’s largest municipal budget, he also supervised the capital discretionary processes — essentially helping city agencies determine how and when to spend their money once the budget is approved. He’s a big-time addition to our New York City team, and I’m very happy to welcome him aboard.”
Since 2011, Toth and his staff of 23 managed the budget reports and hearing documents for some 26 New York City agencies, including the departments of Environmental Protection, Transportation, Sanitation, Economic Development, MTA, CUNY, Parks, Housing Preservation & Development, Housing Authority, Buildings, Cultural Affairs, Libraries, and Design and Construction. As such, he represented the City Council in commissioner-level meetings with each agency and executed every facet of the City Council’s capital discretionary process — including negotiating with the administration, ensuring projects were eligible for funding, and determining award amounts. Prior to assuming that position, Toth served as Director of Operations for Capital Plan Management with the NYC School Construction Authority, overseeing the Department of Education’s five-year $11.1 billion Capital Plan; and as a Legislative Financial Analyst, providing financial guidance on the Department of Education’s $13.5 billion Capital Plan and CUNY’s $307 million Capital Plan.
“It’s exciting to be a part of Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, which has an outstanding reputation here in New York City,” Toth said. “With 21-plus years of hands-on city government experience, I bring a deep, intimate understanding of how New York City’s budgeting processes work, including each agency’s systems, timing, and procedures. All of which can and will be leveraged to the benefit of our clients.”
Toth earned his Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from Baruch College and his B.S in economics and management science from the State University of New York at Cortland.
About Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies
Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, an affiliate of the international law firm Cozen O’Connor, is a bipartisan government relations practice representing clients before the federal government and in cities and states throughout the country. With offices in Washington D.C., Richmond, Albany, New York City, Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Chicago, and Santa Monica, the firm’s public strategies professionals offer a full complement of government affairs services, including legislative and executive branch advocacy, policy analysis, assistance with government procurement and funding programs, and crisis management. Its client base spans multiple industries, including healthcare, transportation, hospitality, education, construction, energy, real estate, entertainment, financial services, and insurance.
About Cozen O’Connor
Established in 1970, Cozen O’Connor has over 775 attorneys who help clients manage risk and make better business decisions. The firm counsels clients on their most sophisticated legal matters in all areas of the law, including litigation, corporate, and regulatory law. Representing a broad array of leading global corporations and middle-market companies, Cozen O’Connor serves its clients’ needs through 33 offices across two continents.
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