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Councilman Tony Avella (D-Bayside) is doing widely-favored Democratic candidate Comptroller Bill Thompson a big favor: staying in the race.

The existence in the race of Avella, who lags behind Thompson exponentially in fund-raising, means the victor in the primary will be able to spend twice the maximum he would if he did not have a primary.

As of the May 15 filing, Avella has raised $248,270 and has spent $116,664. Thompson has raised $5,122,673, and spent $1,753,321. If both stay in the race, their privately raised funds will be matched by the taxpayer up to a total cap of $6.158 million apiece. The winner would then be entitled to spend that same amount again – not as much as the $18 million Mayor Mike Bloomberg has already spent, but a considerable boost, nonetheless.

Without a primary, and if he accepts matching funds, Thompson would have to rein in his spending at just $6 million instead of $12 million total.

Asked if it would be more fiscally prudent for the city not to have a primary, since as of now Thompson is widely perceived as the Bloomberg’s greater threat, Avella said:

“That’s what [Thompson] is saying. In other words, Bill Thompson doesn’t believe in democracy. In my opinion…Bill Thompson is not the best candidate. He’s running a very low key campaign thus far.”

“We believe we’ll raise enough money to raise matching funds,” Avella said. We’ll be competitive. Even if we weren’t it shouldn’t come down to money. If it comes down to money, then where’s the democracy in this country anymore? Raise money, no votes – you just win? Democracy is in serious trouble if that’s the case.”

Asked if anyone from the Thompson campaign had contacted him to encourage him to stick in the race, Avella said; “Not to my knowledge. If that communication was made from the Thompson campaign I would send out a press release. That would be collusion.”

“I would consider such a request to be illegal,” Avella added.

The matched financial padding will help get Thompson’s name out among the public ahead of the race against the mayor. Thompson said this week he is more focused on the race against the mayor than the primary, and will probably not spend the full $6 million in his fight against Avella.