February 23, 2012 - Good Government Groups wants Governor to seize the moment and seek permanent constitutional reform. LATFOR drawn maps demonstrate why fundamental and lasting redistricting reform is needed.
February 2, 2012 - Experienced prosecutor has the needed integrity to head new ethics body charged with enforcing state's new ethics law.
February 2, 2012 - Draft maps manipulate population deviation to maximize majority power. Opportunity to elect districts falls short of creating a legislature reflecting the state's diversity. Good Government Group's testimony before LATFOR follows appearance in Albany criticizing LATFOR for unnecessarily dividing cities and counties and violating the state constitution's requirement for compact districts.
January 11, 2012 - Redistricting reform must be top reform priority as legislature returns to Albany. Legislators must finally honor commitments to voters to regain public trust.
January 4, 2012 - Establishment of a campaign finance system based on New York City model will build on Cuomo's first-year accomplishments in changing Albany's culture.
December 21, 2011 - Doing business limitations remain an important component of city's robust campaign finance program
October 25, 2011 - Citizens Union Commends City Board Of Elections For Putting Sample Ballots Online For Election Day.
September 21, 2011 - Urges state legislature to return to Albany for a special session to pass redistricting reform. New two-step proposal would involve acceptable reform in 2012 and constitutional amendment passage bringing about permanent reform.
September 7, 2011 - Calls on legislators to return to Albany to pass redistricting reform at hearing in Queens. Party-controlled and partisan body continues with the status quo redistricting process.
July 6, 2011 - Grade Of "I" For "Incomplete" Needs To Be Removed If Not, LATFOR-drawn Lines Will Be Vetoed By Governor.
July 1, 2011 - As New York’s leading civic reform organizations, we are disappointed in Governor Cuomo’s decision not to hold regular primaries and general elections this fall for six vacant State Assembly seats and instead issue proclamations to hold special elections for these seats on September 13th. We strongly disagree with this decision, which we believe will result in lower voter turnout, increased confusion at the polls and potentially higher costs to localities.
June 24, 2011 - Citizens Union is confused about how the Senate can justify the creation of an independent commission for mandate relief but not for redistricting.
June 6, 2011 - With the crime wave of public corruption in our state government having tripled in the past six years, the formal announcement today by Governor Cuomo, Speaker Silver and Majority Leader Skelos that an agreement exists on a broad ethics package is welcomed news.
May 27, 2011 - Citizens Union identifies 15 Assembly and 6 State Senate Districts with Asian Americans equal to or exceeding 20 percent of the population.
May 11, 2011 - Reforms would limit disproportionate influence of lobbyists also involved in political campaigns and money raising. Good Government Group urges restrictions on public funds for political candidates connected to lobbyists. Fourteen recommendations to be formally presented at city lobbying commission tonight also include moving oversight and enforcement from the city clerk's office to the campaign finance board.
April 6, 2011 - Campaign unveils legal memo by respected international law firm exposing false assertions. Cuomo bills gain overwhelming majority support in Assembly from both Democratic and Republican conferences with 89 cosponsors.
March 23, 2011 - Urges judges be given discretion to deny automatic pension benefits to those officials convicted of public corruption. Calls upon state legislature and Governor to make pension forfeiture part of ethics reform package.
March 14, 2011 - Nine distinguished New Yorkers lead call for change including Harry Wilson, Dr. Calvin O. Butts III, John Avlon, Gerry Benjamin, Grace Lyu-Volkhausen and Lillian Rodríguez López, and former elected officials from both parties - Robert Abrams, Ed Koch and Frank Padavan.
March 3, 2011 - Over half the chamber is now supporting Gov Cuomo's redistricting bill, introduced by Silver. Duo calls on Senate Majority Leader Skelos to honor pledge to enact redistricting reform in time for 2012 election.
February 14, 2011 - Crime wave is accelerating: number of legislators who left in the past six years because of ethical and criminal misconduct has tripled over the previous six years.
February 3, 2011 - New project opens up local government activity to information sharing by New Yorkers.
December 14, 2010 - Urges ending partisan gerrymandering and removing the legislative conflict of self interest in drawing district lines.
November 4, 2010 - Numerous ballot-related complaints from NYC voters on election day reveal need for this common-sense reform. Citizens Union repeats call for City Board of Elections to post sample ballots online for future elections.
October 30, 2010 - Troubleshooting Guide to Take Into the Polls And Solve Common Problems That Arose During the Primary.
October 27, 2010 - Recommendations on ballot questions are part of historic Good Government Group's 100th anniversary voters directory now available online along with candidate questionnaires. Opposes question #1 reducing the term limits of city elected officials to two terms. Supports a "yes" vote on question #2 requiring disclosure of independent campaign expenditures and easing access to the ballot for candidates.