Mark Green came under fire from all sides with City Councilman Bill de Blasio accusing the former public advocate of skipping out on the big political and social battles of the last several years.

“Where were you when we were rallying and trying to do something on these issues. Where were you?” asked de Blasio.

“I was the Bill de Blasio when Elisa Izquierdo was killed,” responded Green.

Green was referring to his work in overhauling the city’s child welfare services when he was public advocate in the 1990s. Eight years after leaving the job, Green is looking to get it back.

He debated his three opponents at a forum that, at times, turned lively. The long-time politician turned the tables on his rivals, criticizing de Blasio for not fighting to restore the public advocate’s severely diminished budget.

“I would have liked to have seen, Bill, whose part of the budget negotiating team speak out more on public advocate not when he was out of office, but when he’s in office,” said Green.

De Blasio argued that Mayor Michael Bloomberg slashed it and that the City Council needed to use limited resources to fund firehouses and child care centers.

The public advocate’s budget has become a major issue in the race, along with whether the office is needed in the first place.

“This is a turning point in this job. It is put up or shut up,” said Public Advocate candidate Eric Gioia.

The public advocate is next in line to the mayor, but the job is mostly used as a bully pulpit. During the debate, Public Advocate candidate Norman Siegel even accused the current occupant of driving the office into the ground.

“Betsy Gotbaum is the poster person for the elimination of this job. When I travel around this city people don’t know what the public advocate does,” said Siegel.

Gotbaum’s office shot back saying she has helped countless people, including abused children and the homeless. Gotbaum is not seeking reelection this year — one reason Green wants to return to city government.

In 2001, Green used the position to run for mayor. And he’s not ruling out another campaign for the city’s top job if he becomes public advocate.

“I’m not going to foreclose anything. Only a fool would foreclose anything,” said Green.

Source: NY1