Billionaire (not that one) announces NYC mayor bid

Other Republicans who have thrown their names into the ring or are likely to include former Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chairman Joseph Lhota; Tom Allon, a publisher; and George McDonald, the head of a nonprofit that helps the homeless. Former Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion, a former Democrat who is now unaffiliated, might run as an independent on the Republican line.

Announced and likely Democratic contenders include former City Councilman Sal Albanese; Public Advocate Bill de Blasio; Comptroller John Liu; City Council Speaker Christine Quinn; and former Comptroller Bill Thompson.

While registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by more than 6 to 1 in the city, no Democrat has held the mayor's office in nearly 20 years.

Catsimatidis' family left Greece for the United States when he was an infant. He began his career in the grocery business and branched out into oil, real estate and other areas.

Should he win, he'd plan to follow his wealthy predecessor's lead in working for $1 a year — sort of.

"I was a grocer — I'll work for 99 cents," he quipped.

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