This post is part of our Money Face-Offs feature. Let us know who you think comes out ahead in this head-to-head match-up, and check out our other Money Face-Off posts.

From the bodegas of Brooklyn to the penthouses of Central Park, most New Yorkers would probably tell you that they like the present mayor Mike Bloomberg a whole lot better than the previous occupant of Gracie Mansion, Rudy Giuliani.

Neither Bloomberg nor Giuliani suffers from low self-esteem. I worked for Bloomberg LP for seven years and had some brief encounters with Bloomberg over the years. One time, I called him "Mr. Bloomberg" when I shook his hand at the company's Christmas party. He insisted that I call him "Mike." I continued to call him Mr. Bloomberg. Warm and cuddly, he is not, and working for Mike's company wasn't always easy.

But Bloomberg's accomplishments as both a businessman and mayor are undeniable. In fact, one of the first things we learned at Bloomberg was that Mike Bloomberg founded the company after getting fired from Salomon Brothers. It didn't slow him down obviously.

Competition from Bloomberg LP drove Dow Jones & Co. (NYSE: DJ) into the arms of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. (NYSE: NWS). The Bloomberg terminal is simply superior to anything else out there. As BusinessWeek pointed out recently, Bloomberg improved city services by among other things creating a customer service line for New Yorkers to report problems.

On his website, Giuliani plays the terrorism card, promising to "ensure that every community in America is prepared for terrorist attacks and natural disasters." He also portrays himself as a fiscal conservative, claiming that he cut taxes 23 times, a claim that the nonpartisan FactCheck.Org says is an exaggeration.

The former mayor, who gained acclaim during 9-11 that his critics say is undeserved, currently leads the polls for the 2008 Republican nomination. His lead may evaporate once former Sen. Fred Thompson's candidacy gains momentum. Lucky for him that Bloomberg decided against running for the White House so he wouldn't have to deal with unflattering comparisons.

Vote in our poll for Rudy Giuliani or Mike Bloomberg, and let us know in the comments why your choice has the financial edge in this match-up. Also be sure to check out our other Money Face-Offs.