Dear Friend,
I hope you are finding ways to beat the summer heat. It has been a busy June in New York government and politics. We had an eventful end to the legislative session in Albany. Governor Hochul made the surprising decision to suspend the implementation of congestion pricing. We’ve also seen a contentious budget cycle here in New York City, with Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and Mayor Eric Adams far apart on many issues.
We also had several competitive primary elections. Citizens Union weighed in with preferences in six competitive primary elections for Assembly. We want to congratulate our preferred candidates Emily Gallagher, Jo Anne Simon, Stefani Zinerman, Micah Lasher and Jordan Wright on winning their respective races. We look forward to working with them to advance our reform agenda.
I want to personally congratulate my good friend and CU Board Member John Avlon on his emphatic victory in his primary election Tuesday night. We look forward to seeing him raise important issues on the campaign trail this fall.
You can read more about what we’ve been up to this month in this edition of The Reformer.
Betsy Gotbaum
Executive Director, Citizens Union/Citizens Union Foundation
POLICY UPDATES
Our Response to the Newly Established Charter Revision Commission
Last month, Mayor Adams announced the formation of a new City Charter Revision Commission. The Commission is working under a two-month timeframe that is insufficient to meaningfully engage the public.
Low attendance at the Commission’s hearings underscores the fact that the timeframe is much too short. We testified before the Charter Commission’s Government and Election Reform Hearing, asking commissioners:
1) not to propose significant changes in such a rushed timeline,
2) to not put proposals on the 2024 ballot,
3) and to prevent future charter gamesmanship by establishing minimum timeframes for revision processes.
We also testified at the Public Safety hearing to recommend that the police commissioner be subject to advice and consent of the Council, and to oppose the proposal that public safety laws require a special public review process.
This week, the Commission released its preliminary staff report, which includes recommendations that will guide the Charter Revision Commission as it continues to work.
You can read all of our recommendations for the Charter Revision Commission in our testimony here and see our previous positions on Charter Revision Commissions here.
Update on Campaign to Move Local Elections to Even-Numbered Years
Our top legislative priority this session has been passing legislation to move city elections throughout New York State to even-numbered years. At the end of the legislative session, the state senate passed a bill to move city elections in New York State to even-numbered years, excluding New York City.
We are profoundly disappointed by this decision. New York City consistently has some of the lowest voter turnout rates in mayoral elections among the state’s major cities. Polling shows that this reform has strong support from residents of the five boroughs, where it is most urgently needed. We will continue to advocate for comprehensive reform that includes New York City.
Citizens Union Testifies on Key Campaign Finance Bills at City Council Hearing
We recently testified at a City Council Governmental Operations, State & Federal Legislation Committee hearing on three significant bills related to campaign finance.
1)The first bill (Int 0954) we support would require the Campaign Finance Board (CFB) to mail donors a postcard acknowledging contributions and providing contact information in case of errors.
2)The second bill (Int 0953) is a long-term goal for us, aiming to limit bundling by lobbyists and individuals to the same amount they can individually contribute.
3) The third bill (Int 0952) would require the CFB to verify that specific donors who contributed through a bundler had indeed contributed. It would also withhold matching funds from campaigns that do not respond to CFB outreach. While aimed at preventing straw donors, this bill requires more work to reduce administrative burden and ensure it does not potentially disincentivize donations.
What Happened and What’s Next? Discussing Redistricting Reforms at NY Law School Conference
Earlier this month, Citizens Union joined advocates, experts, and commissioners for a New York Law School redistricting conference organized by the New York Elections, Census, and Redistricting Institute.
During a panel, our Policy Director Ben Weinberg presented on Citizens Union’s experience with redistricting over the last decade, including the campaign behind the 2014 constitutional reforms, the lessons we learned from the chaotic 2020 redistricting cycle, and how to effectively change our redistricting process before 2030.
JOIN US
Please save the date, Tuesday, October 22, for Citizens Union’s Annual Gotham Greats Celebration.
Our Gotham Greats honorees are an extraordinary group of New Yorkers who contribute their talent to strengthening our city. This year, we are excited to honor:
- Carrie Cohen – Partner, Morrison & Foerster and former Assistant US Attorney.
- Alicia Glen – Founder & Managing Partner, MSquared, former Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development.
- Marc Holliday – Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, SL Green.
- Brendan McGuire – Partner, Wilmer Hale and former Chief Counsel to NYC Mayor Adams.
Invitations will be mailed in September. For more information and to support the event, please visit our website.
Your contribution will allow Citizens Union to continue our fight for ethics and reform in New York City and State government, as we have done for more than 125 years.
CU IN THE NEWS
Amsterdam News
Get the vote out early, NYC!
June 20, 2024
THE CITY
NYC Charter Review Group’s First Public Hearing Leaves Room for Improvement
June 5, 2024
WHAT WE’RE READING ELSEWHERE
Crain’s New York Business: Adams’ charter-rewrite group considers curbing City Council’s power
THE CITY: How a Hotel Developer Bought Her Way Into Eric Adams’ World — Then Won Favors From City Hall
Gothamist: NYC Council eyes stricter fundraising rules amid legal probes into Mayor Adams’ campaign
NY Focus: This Secret Senate Committee Decides Whether Bills Live or Die
The New York Times: How Governor Hochul Decided to Kill Congestion Pricing in New York