Unjust and Ineffective
March 1, 2018 - Citizens Union has focused on holding our government accountable, read our report
March 1, 2018 - Citizens Union has focused on holding our government accountable, read our report
February 21, 2018 - Citizens Union delivered a letter on Friday, February 16th, to Mayor de Blasio’s office in City Hall, critical of the manner in which the Mayor is approaching the creation of a Charter Revision Commission.
February 21, 2018 - Citizens Union believes pressure from the Mayor’s office for the Commission to pursue specific reforms on the New York City Charter, directly conflicts with the responsibilities of a Charter Revision Commission.
February 1, 2018 - Citizens Union is pleased to announce the arrival of its new Executive Director, Betsy Gotbaum, former New York City Public Advocate and longtime ally of good government.
February 1, 2018 - Citizens Union is pleased to announce the arrival of its new Executive Director, Betsy Gotbaum, former New York City Public Advocate and longtime ally of good government.
January 22, 2018 - A series of major government corruption trials begin today with former executive deputy secretary to Governor Cuomo, Joseph Percoco and top political contributors to the governor facing bribery and extortion charges.
January 9, 2018 - One day after being appointed Ranking Democratic Member of the New York State Senate Elections Committee, Senator Brian Kavanagh today joined with fellow legislators and advocates to urge Governor Andrew Cuomo to fully fund early voting in the Fiscal 2018-2019 Executive Budget.
January 5, 2018 - Citizens Union is pleased the needed special election to fill 11 seats in the State Legislature has been scheduled by Governor Cuomo. We maintain that critical reforms need to be put into place, especially since special elections have the lowest voter turnout rates of any elections in New York. New Yorkers are both unable to participate in the process of nominating special election candidates and are not turning out to essentially ratify the choices of party leaders.
October 26, 2017 - This week, Randy Mastro, Chair of Citizens Union, sent letters to the District Attorneys of New York City, on behalf of the board.
September 11, 2017 - Citizens Union today announced its endorsements for citywide and City Council contests for the 2017 New York City general election.
August 16, 2017 - Since its inception 120 years ago, Citizens Union, New York's pre-eminent non-partisan good government group committed to uniting New Yorkers to build a better democracy, has focused on demanding more of our local government and local elected officials.
Click here to join the Citizens Union Constitutional Convention email list and stay up-to-date on the campaign. Click here to view…
For Immediate Release June 15, 2017 Priscilla Grim 347-871-7695 Citizens Union Calls for the Governor and State Legislature to Enact…
June 1, 2017 - For the first time in more than 50 years, Citizens Union, by a unanimous vote of its governing board, declined to support any of the candidates running for Mayor.
May 25th, 2017 - Citizens Union will announce the latest findings of the annual Spending in the Shadows report. This report illuminates $13 billion in nonspecific lump sum funding “pots” found in the New York FY 2018 Enacted Budget.
May 17, 2017 - Five good government groups applauded the New York State Assembly’s passage of a package of nine bills aimed to make voting easier by removing barriers that actually make it difficult for voters to cast their ballots.
March 21, 2017 - There is little, if any, public disclosures in reporting on how these funds are eventually spent, involving whom, and what elected officials are involved.
March 16, 2017 - Charges will not be filed against the Mayor or his associates related to the various investigations into his fundraising activities is a double edged sword.
Citizens Union Files Historic Federal Lawsuit Against State of New York and Governor, December 13, 2016 Citizens Union Calls on…
December 13, 2016 - Will fight a law designed to chill free speech and silence government critics by limiting contributions To charitable nonprofits working to educate the public.
November 16, 2016 - Action, Not Words, Are Needed to Prevent the Corruption in our State Capitol.
November 15, 2016 - Measures are needed to prevent corruption but salary should not be part of a quid pro quo negotiation.
September 29, 2016 - Citizens Union released the latest edition of the budget report "Spending in the Shadows."
September 1, 2016 - Issues preference for 4 incumbents, 2 challengers, 5 open seat candidates and 4 no preferences.
July 6, 2016 - Good government organization calls upon mayor de blasio and council speaker mark-viverito to enact legislation requiring such nonprofits be subject to the jurisdiction of the city’s campaign finance board. Law would require groups to register, disclose activity, limit contribution size from those with business before the city, and forbid fundraising by elected official. Law needed to curb return of “pay-to-play” culture of corruption at city hall where big money poses threat to honest government decision-making. Good government group also releases letter sent to conflicts of interest board asking if recent declaration that certain specific mayoral consultants are “agents of the city” should they be required to file financial disclosure statements.