Citizens Union and Citizens Union Foundation are committed to reforming New York City and State government by fostering accountability, accessibility, transparency, honesty and the highest ethical standards. Always nonpartisan, since 1897, we have devoted ourselves to holding our government accountable and the enfranchisement of all New Yorkers.
Fighting for reform, fighting for New York.
Our Most Recent Press Releases
Citizens Union, Other Good Government Groups Call on City Council to Reject Budget Cuts to New York City Oversight Agencies in the Mayor’s FY24 Executive Budget
Citizens Union, along with Common Cause, League of Women Voters of the City of New York, NYPIRG, and Reinvent Albany, sent a letter to Council Speaker Adams and several committee chairs expressing concerns over Mayor Eric Adams’ proposed significant budgetary reductions to key oversight agencies.
Citizens Union Applauds NYC Campaign Finance Board for Recommending Moving Local Elections to Even-Numbered Years in 2022-23 Voter Analysis Report
Citizens Union has released the following statement from executive director Betsy Gotbaum in response to the New York City Campaign Finance Board recommending moving local elections to even-numbered years in their 2022-23 Voter Analysis Report. Citizens Union issued Moving Elections to Even-Numbered Years in January, a report detailing the benefits of aligning New York City elections with gubernatorial or presidential elections
Citizens Union Responds to State Independent Redistricting Commission Vote to Advance Assembly District Maps
Citizens Union releases the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum following the state Independent Redistricting Commission vote to advance the final draft maps of the Assembly districts
Statement from Citizens Union on Proposal to Eliminate the Commission on Judicial Nomination
Eliminating the Commission on Judicial Nomination, which recommends candidates for the Court of Appeals to the Governor, would further politicize the judiciary and erode the public’s faith in our court system.
Good Government Groups Call on Governor and Legislature to Abandon Flawed, Last Minute Proposal Changing Method for Appointing Judges to the NYS Court of Appeals
Citizens Union, the League of Women Voters of New York State, and the Committee for Modern Courts, released the following statement calling on the Assembly to reject Governor Hochul’s proposed “program bill” (A5983/S06061) which passed the Senate this morning and will change the selection process for appointing judges to the New York State Court of Appeals
Citizens Union, Other Good Government Groups Call on City Council to Protect Funding for Oversight Agencies
Citizens Union and other groups sent a letter to Council Speaker Adams and several committee chairs expressing concerns over the preliminary budget proposed by Mayor Eric Adams for Fiscal Year 2024, which includes significant budgetary reductions to key oversight agencies of New York City government. The groups believe that reducing agencies’ resources and personnel will severely hinder their ability to ensure accountability, ethics, and good governance across the municipal workforce, and prevent waste and corruption.
Let New York Vote Coalition Urges NYS Legislature to Include Voting Rights and Election Funding in One House Budgets
Let New York Vote Coalition Urges NYS Legislature to Include Voting Rights and Election Funding in One House Budgets
Citizens Union Joins Watchdogs in Calling for FOIL/OML Reforms in Sunshine Week
Eight government watchdogs sent a letter today urging Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins and Speaker Heastie to pass the same transparency bills for this year’s Sunshine Week, March 12-18.
Statement from Citizens Union on Governor Kathy Hochul’s FY24 Executive Budget
Citizens Union has issued to following statement from executive director Betsy Gotbaum in response to Governor Kathy Hochul’s FY2024 executive budget, which was released earlier today
Citizens Union Calls on New York City to Move Municipal Elections to Even-Numbered Years
Citizens Union issued a report outlining the benefits of moving New York City’s municipal elections to even-numbered years. This move would bring elections for city offices in line with gubernatorial or presidential elections. Municipal elections in New York City, which are currently held in odd-numbered years, have consistently seen lower voter turnout than elections held in even-numbered years. Consolidating municipal elections with presidential or gubernatorial elections will increase voter turnout, giving more New Yorkers a say over who governs them at the local level.
