New York, N.Y. (December 12, 2024) - Citizens Union has issued the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum in response to Mayor Eric Adams’s announcement of the appointment of a Charter Revision Commission
November 6, 2024 - Citizens Union has released the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum in response to the results of Tuesday evening’s election
Oct 30, 2024 - Citizens Union's testimony before the City Council Committee on Governmental Operations on proposed legislation by Speaker Adrienne Adams that would establish a new Charter Revision Commission
October 21, 2024 - Citizens Union has released the following statement in response to Council Speaker Adrienne Adams’s announcement that she will propose legislation creating a new Charter Revision Commission
October 10, 2024 - Today, Citizens Union announced its official positions on the six ballot questions that New York City voters will consider in the upcoming November 2024 general election. These questions include a statewide constitutional amendment and five proposed amendments to the New York City Charter
October 10, 2024 - write-ups of CU's positions on the 2024 ballot proposals. We recommend a YES vote on Proposal 1 and a NO vote on Proposal 2-6
July 8th, 2024 - Throughout our 125-year history, we have supported periodic comprehensive reviews of the New York City Charter to ensure that city government is operating effectively, efficiently, and in the public's best interest, and have advised every Charter Revision Commission.
July 8, 2024 - There is already ample opportunity for the public to comment on Public Safety bills before the New York City Council, according to a comprehensive analysis released today by Citizens Union. The report found that there were no major differences in time awarded for input on public safety bills compared with other bills; that the current Council does not provide less time for public input on public safety bills compared to previous Councils; and that high-profile public safety bills that drove the conversation took longer to approve than many other contentious bills.
June 25, 204 - Yesterday, the New York City Charter Review Commission issued its preliminary report on potential changes to the City's charter. In response, Susan Lerner, Executive Director of Common Cause New York and Betsy Gotbaum, Executive Director of Citizens Union, issued the following statement about the Commission's process and need to provide greater opportunity for public input
June 20, 2024 - Citizens Union has been studying police accountability and performance in New York City for more than a decade, and many of our recommendations have been implemented. We believe the best way to ensure the safe and democratic application of policing is to strengthen and streamline systems of oversight and accountability, both within the NYPD and among the independent entities that monitor police misconduct. Public safety is dependent on New Yorkers having faith in law enforcement.
June 17, 2024 - Citizens Union testified before the 2024 New York City Charter Commission's Government and Election Reform Hearing. Recommendations include establishing a minimum timeframe for future Charter Revision Commissions and for local laws sent to a referendum, maintaining Ranked Choice Voting, and more.
June 17, 2024 - Dear members of the 2024 Charter Revision Commission. My name is Ben Weinberg, and I am the Director of Public Policy at Citizens Union. Thank you for providing us with the opportunity to speak before you today. Citizens Union is a nonpartisan good government group committed to reforming New York City and State government by fostering accountability, honesty, and the highest ethical standards, and advocating for political reform and fair and open elections.
June 6, 2024 - Citizens Union submits the following statement in response to the amended bill to expand the City Council’s advice and consent, scheduled for a vote on June 6, 2024.
June 6, 2024 - Citizens Union releases the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum following today’s first public meeting of the Charter Review Commission
May 29th, 2024 - Citizens Union submitted a testimony in response to proposed legislation that would amend the City Charter to require the advice and consent of the City Council for 21 commissioner appointments. In the testimony, Citizens Union urges the Council not to rush through this Charter amendment process, and to allow for more time, committee meetings, and public hearings to fully consider the implications of this proposal.
October 24, 2022 - Citizens Union today announced Citizens Union’s recommendations on proposals on the ballot for this fall’s general election. The first proposal will be posed to all New York State voters, and the additional three proposals will only be on the ballots of New York City voters.
November 5, 2019 - Citizens Union is pleased that New York City voters have embraced reforms to make our city elections more democratic, and increase oversight of the police department.
October 7, 2019 - Good Government Group Supports Ranked Choice Voting, Increasing Oversight of NYPD, Modifications to the City Budget, and Changes to Land Use Review; Opposes Proposed Changes to Ethics Rule.
July 25, 2019 — Citizens Union, a leading good government group committed to fostering accountability, accessibility, and transparency in our government issues the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum on the proposals put on the ballot by the Charter Revision Commission.
May 2019 - Throughout its history, Citizens Union has supported periodic comprehensive review of the New York City Charter absent a political agenda via the appointment of an independent Charter Revision Commission.
March 18, 2019 - Good evening Chair Benjamin and distinguished members of the New York City Charter Revision Commission. I am Betsy Gotbaum, executive director of Citizens Union and the former New York City Public Advocate from 2002 to 2009. We are happy to see that you are holding a meeting on the Office of Public Advocate, and for giving Citizens Union and I the opportunity to share our recommendations with you.
March 7, 2019 - Good evening Chair Benjamin and distinguished members of the New York City Charter Revision Commission. My name is Rachel Bloom and I am the Director of Public Policy and Programs at Citizens Union. We thank you for holding this meeting on police accountability, and for giving Citizens Union the opportunity to publicly share our recommendations with you.
June 19, 2018 - Good afternoon Chair Perales and distinguished members of the New York City Charter Revision Commission. My name is Rachel Bloom and I am the Director of Public Policy and Programs at Citizens Union. We thank you for inviting us here today and giving Citizens Union the opportunity to publicly share our recommendations on community board reforms with you.
June 14 2018 - Good afternoon Chair Perales and distinguished members of the New York City Charter Revision Commission. My name is Rachel Bloom and I am the Director of Public Policy and Programs at Citizens Union. We thank you for inviting us here today and giving Citizens Union the opportunity to publicly share our recommendations on campaign finance with you.
May 7, 2018 - Good evening Chair Perales and distinguished members of the New York City Charter Revision Commission. My name is Rachel Bloom and I am the Director of Public Policy and Programs at Citizens Union. We thank you for holding this and other public hearings, and giving Citizens Union the opportunity to publicly share our recommendations with you.