The Reformer

Happy Halloween Reformer

Reformer Sept 2024 - Like many of you, I was shocked to read the news that Mayor Adams has been indicted. These are truly unprecedented times for our city, as this is the first time a sitting mayor has been charged with a federal crime.

This summer brings exciting news for Citizens Union as our Board Chair, Randy Mastro, was nominated to serve as corporation counsel for the City of New York. Randy’s dedication to integrity, fairness, and the rule of law has been a hallmark of his leadership at Citizens Union. I have no doubt he will bring the same commitment to his new role if given the opportunity to serve.

June 2024

May Reformer

April 30 - It was wonderful to see so many of you at our recent Civic Conversation as we talked trash with Sanitation Commissioner Jessica Tisch.

Dear Friend, With the New York State redistricting cycle finally behind us, now is a good time to take a…

Feb 2024

Reformer

December 2023 - As we approach the end of the year, we reflect on the past 12 months

In November, New Yorkers exercised their right to vote in the 2023 general election. We are pleased to announce that all the candidates we endorsed have emerged victorious, and we look forward to collaborating with them to support Citizen Union’s agenda for good government reform at City Hall.

October 2023

September 28, 2023 - It was wonderful to see so many of you at our recent Civic Conversation. I want to thank Comptroller Tom DiNapoli for joining us. Tom is one of the most thoughtful, and nice people in government. I appreciate the insight he shared with us on a range of topics – from the impact of the migrant crisis on our budget to ethics to campaign finance reform. As always, John Avlon did a fantastic job facilitating an informative and engaging discussion. Also, a special thank you to King & Spalding for hosting and sponsoring the event.

August 31, 2023 - Throughout July and August, we’ve kept busy. We came out in support of the appointment of a federal receiver to oversee New York City's jail system. Historically, Citizens Union has supported local control, but the unprecedented situation on Rikers Island requires a different kind of authority. We are pleased that Judge Swain is considering appointing a federal receiver and will continue to monitor the efforts to reform Rikers Island.

June 2023 - Another primary election has come and gone in New York City, and we are once again shaking our heads over poor voter turnout.

May 2023 - It was wonderful to see so many of you at our recent Civic Conversation. I want to thank Bradley Tusk for joining us for a thought-provoking discourse about his working philosophy of politics, particularly as it relates to mobile voting. Thank you to our board member John Avlon for facilitating an informative and engaging discussion. Also, a special thank you to King & Spalding for hosting and sponsoring the event.

April 2023 - The stalemate over the state budget continued deep into April, with the legislature and the governor deadlocked on several issues, before finally coming to an agreement.  Despite the general dysfunction of Albany, we’ve grown accustomed to having the budget passed on time. This delay will have an impact on the city’s budget process.

March 31, 2023 - March was a busy month in city and state government. In Albany, the state budget season is reaching its finale, and here in New York City, there is much back and forth between the Mayor and the City Council over the city’s budget. Additionally, primary election season has begun with all 51 City Council districts up for grabs. Citizens Union is gearing up for a busy spring.

February 2023 - The first two months of 2023 have flown by! It was wonderful to see so many of you at our first Civic Conversation of the year. I want to thank Kathryn Garcia for joining us to give CU members the lowdown on what’s happening in the Hochul Administration and our board member John Avlon for facilitating an informative and engaging discussion. Also, a special thank you to our friends King & Spalding for hosting and sponsoring the event.

January 2023 - As 2023 begins, we look to the year ahead and all the challenges and opportunities it presents for our city and state. We are proud to announce that we published an extensive report outlining the immense benefits of moving municipal elections to even-numbered years, and we call on New York City to make this change.

December 2022 - As the year comes to a close, I’m reflecting on all that has happened over the past 12 months. From completing the state and city redistricting process to the midterm elections, 2022 was a busy year in New York government and politics.

The Reformer November 2022 - The 2022 midterm election season is officially behind us. Earlier this month, New Yorkers headed to the polls to vote for local, state, and federal races in the midterm elections.

October 2022 - It was wonderful to see so many of you earlier this month at our Gotham Greats Celebration. It was a great evening, and I want to thank everyone who came, including our surprise guest – Mayor Eric Adams!

September 2023 - Labor Day has come and gone, bringing to a close an uncharacteristically busy summer in New York politics. We’ve got a lot planned for the fall as we continue to monitor NYC’s redistricting process and advocate for ethics reform in Albany. We are also looking forward to some exciting events.

July 2022 - I hope you are enjoying your summer. Like many of you, I paid close attention to June’s primary election –the first of two primaries we’ll vote in this summer. While I was pleased to see Citizens Union-preferred candidates – including Governor Kathy Hochul – win their primaries, I was disappointed by the low voter turnout numbers.