June 8, 2018 - Group condemns NYPD’s misuse of state law 50-a with frequently changing and new interpretations, urge Mayor de Blasio to support concrete policy reform that repeals state law.
June 7, 2018 - Bills have already passed State Senate 62-0 and 60-2 Would increase transparency of state business subsidies and fairness of economic development contracts.
May 9, 2018 - Good government and fiscal watchdog groups commend the Senate for passing a package of bills intended to improve the transparency and accountability of the state’s multitude of economic development programs.
May 8, 2018 - As New York now once again faces a vacancy in the office of a top statewide elected official, Citizens Union urges the New York State Legislature to appoint an independent, professional and respected lawyer to become New York's Attorney General, with the law enforcement, government regulatory and litigation experience required to do the job. Whoever is appointed should come from the top ranks of the legal community, not the political clubhouse.
April 19, 2018 - Citizens Union commends Governor Cuomo for signing Executive Order 181, restoring the right to vote to the tens of thousands of New Yorkers currently on parole. Denying the right to vote to New Yorkers who are living and working in their communities is unjust.
March 27, 2018 - The board of Citizens Union elected two new board members, Christopher Giglio and Cliff Chenfeld.
March 30, 2018 - On March 27th, the board of Citizens Union elected two new board members, Christopher Giglio and Cliff Chenfeld.
March 28, 2018 - Today, Citizens Union released Spending in the Shadows: Nonspecific Funding in the FY 2019 New York State Executive Budget.
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.
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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.