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.

I hope you will join us on October 24 at the Metropolitan Club for our annual Gotham Greats Awards. The evening will recognize five extraordinary New Yorkers – Deborah Archer, Richard Buery, Eric R. Dinallo, Ed Skylar and Elizabeth Velez.

You can read more about what we’ve been up to this month in this edition of The Reformer.

Best,

Betsy Gotbaum
Executive Director, Citizens Union/Citizens Union Foundation

POLICY UPDATES

New York State Ethics Commission Ruled ‘Unconstitutional’

Earlier this month, a state Supreme Court Justice ruled that New York’s independent ethics commission violates the State’s constitution. The judge argued that the enforcement of ethics laws is a power that belongs to the executive branch.

In a state with a history of corruption and unethical conduct, it is imperative to maintain an unbiased and politically independent ethics oversight system. This ruling severely impacts not only the Commission’s essential work but the entire ethics regime in New York. We trust that the Attorney General will appeal this decision to ensure that the crucial ethics oversight and enforcement work of the commission continues.

You can read our full statement on the decision here.

Governor Hochul Signs Voting Rights Bills

Earlier this month, we stood with Governor Kathy Hochul as she signed a number of bills that strengthen our democracy. We advocated for several of the reforms signed into law by the Governor, including legislation that would make it easier for New Yorkers to vote by mail, and a bill that would professionalize Boards of Elections so they will better serve voters. Additionally, the Governor signed a bill that will streamline voter registration by allowing New Yorkers to register and vote on the first day of the early voting period. This will bring more New Yorkers into the process.

We thank Governor Hochul and all the bill sponsors for their work to protect and expand the right to vote. You can read our statement in response to the bill signing here.

CIVIC CONVERSATION RECAP

On the morning of September 14 at the offices of King and Spalding, New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli joined us for our latest Civic Conversation. The hour-long discussion, facilitated by CU Board Member John Avlon, touched on a number of important issues.

The Comptroller addressed the migrant crisis and the $12 billion budget gap, reminding us of the role New York has played historically in welcoming immigrants, and calling on the federal, state and city governments to work together to find solutions. He also discussed the impact of commercial real estate and the end of federal relief funds on the city and state budgets, and why he supports the new Statewide Public Campaign Finance program.

If you missed the event, you can view a recording here. If you’d like to learn more about our Civic Conversations series, click here.

2023 GOTHAM GREATS CELEBRATION

Join us on Tuesday, October 24th, as we will hold our annual Gotham Greats Celebration at The Metropolitan Club. We are excited to come together with our valued supporters to celebrate the accomplishments of our esteemed honorees.

For information about tickets, click here.