Statements and Letters – Page 2

Group Letter to Legislative Leaders on Omitting extraordinary budget powers from the enacted budget

March 23, 2023 - A letter to Senate Majority Leader and Assembly Speaker urging them to ensure that extraordinary budget powers are omitted from the enacted budget, and that they reject provisions added to appropriations that remove competitive bidding requirements and theComptroller’s oversight.

Citizens Union Joins Watchdogs in Calling for FOIL/OML Reforms in Sunshine Week

February 23, 2023 - Eight government watchdogs sent a letter today urging Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins and Speaker Heastie to pass the same transparency bills for this year’s Sunshine Week, March 12-18.

Governor Hochul’s FY 2024 Executive Budget Includes $39.5 million for New York State Public Campaign Finance Board; Fair Elections for New York Coalition Reacts

Today Governor Hochul introduced her FY 2024 executive budget. It includes $39.5 million for the state’s voluntary small donor match…

Statement from Citizens Union on Governor Kathy Hochul’s FY24 Executive Budget

February 1, 2023 - Citizens Union has issued to following statement from executive director Betsy Gotbaum in response to Governor Kathy Hochul’s FY2024 executive budget, which was released earlier today

Statement from Citizens Union on the Nomination Process of the Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals

January 30, 2023 - Citizens Union has issued to following statement from Board Chair Randy Mastro in response to the recent nomination process of a Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals

Citizens Union Responds to Senate Passage of Legislation to Reform the Operations of New York’s Local Boards of Elections

January 10, 2022 - Citizens Union releases the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum following the passage of a package of legislation to reform the operations of New York’s local boards of elections by expanding voting rights and reforming our election system

Coalition Letter Urges New York State Leaders to Protect and Strengthen Democracy in 2023

January 5, 2023 - Citizens Union joined over 100 voting, racial justice, labor, and good government groups to urge Governor Hochul, Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, and Speaker Heastie to continue leading on voting, election administration, and campaign finance reforms in the 2023 legislative session.

Watchdog Groups Oppose Legislative Pay Raise Bill

December 20, 2022 - Legislative leaders introduced a bill late last night giving hefty raises to the next state legislature. The leaders are proposing base salaries of $142,000 starting January 1, 2023, with a limit on outside income of $35,000 beginning in 2025 (about 25% of the increased salary).

Good Government Groups Request Updates to Legislative Rules That Can Help Improve the Senate and Assembly

December 20, 2022 - Citizens Union and other good government groups request legislative leaders to make updates to legislative rules that can help their ongoing efforts to improve the Senate and Assembly

Transparency and Disability Groups Ask Legislature for Open Meetings Webcasting Rules

December 19, 2022 - Citizens Union joined more than a dozen transparency and disability groups in calling the legislative leaders pass new rules that ensure that all public meetings in the Legislature are webcast. Due to changes in the Open Meetings Law (OML) approved by the Legislature in April, if the Senate and Assembly intend to use videoconferencing to allow members to participate remotely in public meetings, they must adopt a one-time joint resolution after a public hearing to authorize videoconferencing.

Citizens Union, other good government groups demand Council hold hearings to vet Board of Elections nominee

December 19, 2022 -- Citizens Union, Common Cause NY, the League of Women Voters of the City of New York, NYPIRG and Reinvent Albany have sent a letter to NYC Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and Majority Leader and Rules Committee Chair Keith Powers, calling on the Council to hold a public confirmation hearing for the New York County Democratic nominee for Commissioner of Elections and take transparent measures that would vet the nominee’s experience and fitness to administer elections.

Advocacy Groups Respond to New York State Public Campaign Finance Board Budget Request for FY 2023–2024

December 16, 2022 - Yesterday the New York State Public Campaign Finance Board voted on its budget request for FY 2023–2024. The board’s commissioners approved a request totaling $114.5 million, including $100 million for future matching funds for participating campaigns and $14.5 million for program administration. The new program launched on November 9 and will provide public matching funds to participating candidates for state offices beginning with the 2024 legislative elections.

Good Government Groups: No Pay Raise Without a Real Ban and Cap on Outside Income

December 15, 2022 - Yesterday, in response to news about a possible pay raise for lawmakers, Citizens Union joined Common Cause/NY, League of Women Voters of NYS, NY Public Interest Research Group, and Reinvent Albany penned a letter to legislative leaders in Albany demanding any raise come with a ban on income earned through certain professions and a cap of up to 15% on certain permissible outside incomes. This request follows the same guidelines Congressional members use.

Watchdog Groups Ask Governor Hochul and AG James to Announce their Final Nominees to New Ethics Commission

November 21, 2022 - Watchdog groups ask Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James to announce their final nominations to New York’s Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government (the “Commission”). Four seats on the new ethics commission still remain unfilled.

Watchdog groups request the new Ethics Commission to investigate JCOPE’s approval of Governor Cuomo’s book

November 11, 2022 - Citizens Union, Common Cause/NY, N.Y. Public Interest Research Group, and Reinvent Albany sent a letter to the members of the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government, requesting they investigate JCOPE’s approval of former Governor Cuomo’s book deal as well as compliance with and enforcement of the terms of that approval. The letter also requested the Commission revise its rules to require Commission approval for outside income requests of agency heads statewide officials.

Citizens Union Responds to NYC Districting Commission Approval of the Final City Council District Maps, Ending a Ten-Month Long Process

November 1, 2022 - Citizens Union releases the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum as New York City’s redistricting process reaches its conclusion

Letter to Speaker Adams on reducing further delays to the Council redistricting process

October 7 - Letter sent to Council Speaker Adrienne Adams requesting that she speed up the City Council’s review of the plan submitted by the New York City Districting Commission, so that the public has sufficient time to provide input on future revisions

Citizens Union Responds to NYC Districting Commission’s Revised City Council District Maps, Calls on Council to Act Immediately

October 6, 2022 - Citizens Union releases the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum after New York City Districting Commission released and voted on their latest draft of district maps, as part of the redistricting process for New York City’s 51 council districts

Dozens of Unions, Watchdogs, and Other Groups Urge Gov. Hochul to Sign Bill Restoring Comptroller’s Oversight Powers

October 5, 2022 - Eight unions and 27 organizations sent a memo of support today urging Governor Hochul to sign S6809-A/A7925-A (Reichlin-Melnick/Zebrowski), which restores many of the State Comptroller’s contract oversight powers. District Council 37, CWA District 1, AFSCME, and NYSUT were among those calling on the Governor to sign the bill, which the legislature passed in June.

Citizens Union Applauds NYC Districting Commission for Open Map Drawing Sessions, Allowing Public to See How City Council District Maps Are Drawn

September 30, 2022 - Citizens Union releases the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum after the New York City Districting Commission completed their two day process for drawing maps for New York City’s 51 council districts, which was open to the public

Watchdogs Ask New Members of Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government to Reset Expectations about NYS Ethics Oversight

September 26, 2022 - In a letter to the new members of the NYS State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government, watchdog groups said that the creation of the new Commission provides the opportunity to “reset” public and state officers and employees’ expectations about state ethics oversight.

Citizens Union Responds to NYC Districting Commission Voting Down Proposed City Council District Maps

September 22, 2022 - Citizens Union releases the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum after New York City Districting Commission voted down the second draft of the district maps as part of the redistricting process for New York City’s 51 council districts

Watchdog Groups Say New Ethics Commission Should Begin Work this Month

September 8, 2022 - Now that the New York State Independent Review Committee composed of the State’s law school deans has approved seven out of eleven commissioners, we urge New York’s Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government (CELG) to begin its work immediately. There are now enough commissioners appointed for a quorum – the legal minimum required to conduct business.

Watchdogs Ask Governor Hochul to Require Yearly Updates of NYS Agency Transparency Plans

September 1, 2022 - Watchdog and civic technology groups asked Governor Hochul to issue an Executive Order mandating annual updates to the state agency transparency plans she first required in September 2021.

Watchdogs, Community Groups Urge NYC Districting Commission to Hold Mapping Deliberations in Public

August 10, 2022 - Citizens Union was joined by dozens of good government and community groups in urging the New York City Districting Commission to hold mapping deliberations on the new City Council district plan as part of an open public meeting, and to provide the public with a detailed explanation of how and why new lines are drawn.