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Chair Says Charter Commission Will Step In Where Politics Has Slowed Reform


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(photo via the Mayor's Office)


Mayor Bill de Blasio’s charter revision commission, convened to examine the city’s central governing laws, concluded the second leg of its public input process last week with a series of forums where they sought expert opinions on campaign finance reform, electoral access, civic engagement, redistricting of City Council boundaries, land use decision-making, and community boards. As the commission continues to narrow its tentative list of proposals to present to voters on the ballot in November, Commission Chair Cesar Perales, a former secretary of state of New York, said in a phone interview that commission members are not looking to “invent the wheel” but rather are focused on improving the functions and structure of city government where they can.

The mayor formed the commission with specific ideas in mind, that it explore ways to minimize the impact of money in elections and increase electoral participation in a city increasingly known for low voter turnout. “[O]ne of the things we’re going to do in this city is we’re going to present to the people in November a ballot initiative for public financing of elections to take our already very progressively public finance system for elections and build upon it even more deeply to get big money out of politics,” de Blasio said in his weekly appearance on WNYC’s The Brian Lehrer Show on Friday.

Though de Blasio made his priorities understood before naming the 15 members of the panel, any charter commission created by mayoral fiat has unlimited reign over its agenda and can consider all issues pertaining to what is essentially the city’s constitution.

After a first round of open-ended public hearings, the commission homed in on four major areas on which subject-matter experts provided testimony: election administration, voter participation, and voting access; campaign finance; community boards and land use; civic engagement and independent redistricting. “I just had a series of conversations with individual commission members and I think there’s a universal sense that we’ve identified the right issues,” Perales said in the interview on Wednesday.

“We don’t have to invent the wheel,” he later added. “There are things going on out there...If it’s a good idea, then it’s something we as the members of the commission ought to be thinking about. Is it something that belongs in the charter? Is it something that ought to be done citywide?”

The mayor’s announcement about the commission initially raised eyebrows, with City Council members and government reform groups questioning the rationale behind it. Changes to the campaign finance system are usually made legislatively through the City Council and are largely based on recommendations from the independent and nonpartisan New York City Campaign Finance Board, which issues a detailed report after each four-year election cycle.

Perales said the commission was justified in taking on that role. “You’re saying the City Council could do this. The reality is, they haven’t,” he said. “The reality is that there may be political reasons why it’s much more difficult for somebody who’s concerned about reelection to become engaged in campaign financing. I’m not running for reelection. I listen to people and come to the conclusion as to what is fair, what would work better, how do we get money out of our elections.”

Perales also cited the commission’s focus on redistricting, a process in which experts insist that incumbent elected officials and those seeking office should be excluded. “There’s another example where we can look objectively as to whether or not the way districts are being drawn today is the best way to do them,” Perales said. “We don’t have to worry about running on those lines. We can listen to, for example, the Asian community saying ‘We are disadvantaged by the way lines have been drawn in the past and there must be a better way.’”

At the same time, the commission’s creation has led some City Council members to hold off on legislation lest it become a part of the agenda. For instance, Council Member Brad Lander’s proposal to create an Office of Civic Engagement -- for which he introduced a bill in the Council -- has been front and center in the commission’s discussions and Lander has said that he will avoid pushing it forward if it is taken up by the commission. Lander testified at length at the commission’s expert hearing on civic engagement.

Other bills at the Council on campaign finance have similarly been static as the commission could potentially propose the same or additional reforms. On campaign finance particularly, government reform groups have privately expressed concern that the commission could propose a drastic overhaul of the existing campaign finance program, which is considered a national model. “Clearly we’re looking to use this opportunity to improve the way things work that need to be improved,” Perales said. “Whether it’s a major overhaul or a minor overhaul, we will ultimately find out and it’ll be in the eyes of the beholder as to whether or not it is major overhaul.”

On electoral access and participation, there’s less latitude for the commission to make major improvements since those fall under state law, a factor the commission has kept well in mind. “Of course, we certainly don’t want to do something that is going to run up against the state Board of Elections or violate the state constitution,” Perales said. “We’re doing a lot of talking to the lawyers as to what we can do and how far we can push the envelope...Anyone who’s been at these hearings will know that lots of things that people want us to do are things that we don’t have the power to do. And we’re trying to figure out what it is we can do.”

The commission is expected to again foray into the five boroughs to solicit opinions on the more narrower list of issues. Internally, Perales said, there is no final consensus on any one issue, nor is there major disagreement and no ideas have been rejected outright. The commission staff is currently preparing a preliminary report with the pros and cons of a number of proposals, he said, which will then be aired to the public.

Perales himself is “piqued” by Lander’s OCE proposal while participatory budgeting received “universal praise” from members, he said, referring to the City Council’s current program carried out in select districts and suggestions that it be expanded citywide. He was also impressed with Comptroller Scott Stringer’s testimony before the commission on community boards, wherein Stringer recommended that each community board hire a professional urban planner and train members in issues related to land use.

There has been debate, of course. One idea that has overwhelming support among good government groups and also prominent elected officials is instant runoff voting, also known as ranked-choice voting, which helps avoid costly and laborious run-off elections with low turnout. Most believe it is a no-brainer. Perales disagrees.

“I don’t know that it’s a no-brainer,” he said. “I think there are some people who still like the idea that everybody would get to vote for the two finalists,” he said, speculating that in an instant runoff, voters choices might be invalidated completely if they fail to pick either of the top two vote getters. “So there are arguments. On the commission, there is not a total agreement on an issue as complicated as this,” Perales said. “Just as there is no total agreement immediately on what the campaign limits ought to be in terms of contributions. This is a lot more complicated than people like to think.”

It is widely expected that the commission will recommend lowering the maximum contribution amount allowed by an individual to a candidate. There are also expectations that the commission will propose an increase in public matching funds that candidates can earn.

An ironic aspect of the entire exercise is that even as the commission delves deep into suggestions around improving civic participation to get New Yorkers informed and engaged across the city, the commission hearings have received little attention in the media. “I’ve been around long enough to not be surprised by this,” Perales said, expressing some disappointment. “Most people don’t understand what the city charter is, how it gets changed and what it does...Obviously I would have preferred greater attention to it but I’m not surprised. It’s certainly not going to affect the way I approach it, and I don’t think it’s going to affect the way any of the commission members approach this.”

[Read Gotham Gazette’s full coverage of the mayor’s charter revision commission here]

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by Samar Khurshid, senior reporter, Gotham Gazette
     

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Max & Murphy Podcast: The Long Fight for New City Sexual Harassment Laws


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Ben Max, left, of Gotham Gazette, and Jarrett Murphy, right, of City Limits


June 25, 2018 - Max & Murphy Podcast: The Long Fight for New City Sexual Harassment Laws, with City Council Member Helen Rosenthal and former Comptroller, Brooklyn District Attorney and Congressional Rep. Liz Holtzman

rosenthal holtzman pod 277

When Liz Holtzman was city Comptroller -- the first and only woman to hold that office -- she sought to determine city agency policies around sexual harassment and was met with resistance. Twenty-five years later amid the #MeToo movement, Holtzman wrote a Daily News op-ed in February of this year that recounted her experience and discussed the need to make public city policies and data on harassment complaints. That op-ed helped spur City Council Member Helen Rosenthal, chair of the Council's Committee on Women, to jumpstart an effort that led to an 11-bill package of legislation, now law, to prevent and punish sexual harassment, both in city government and the private sector.

Holtzman and Rosenthal joined the podcast to discuss their efforts, the details of the new laws, what comes next, and much more about fighting harassment, assault, and gender discrimination -- including Holtzman's work as the first woman elected to become one of the city's district attorneys.

Listen to the full conversation and let us know what you think -- we're on Twitter @TweetBenMax and @JarrettMurphy with @HelenRosenthal and Liz Holtzman. You can listen to the episode through the embedded audio below or download the episode wherever you get your podcasts.

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by Ben Max, Gotham Gazette
     

Read more by this writer.

The Week Ahead in New York Politics, June 25


New York City Hall

New York City Hall


What to watch for this week in New York politics:

The week begins with continued attention on the children separated from their families at the southern U.S. border who have been placed with New York agencies to care for them. The Trump administration has stated that it has stopped separating children and parents at the border and begun reuniting those separated, but it is unclear if they have a good process in place for doing so or how quickly they will be able to help those childen in New York reunite with their parents.

The week also begins with much consternation over how the state legislative session ended, particularly with regard to speed cameras around New York City schools. The State Senate refused to do a straight extender or an expansion of the current legislation authorizing cameras near some schools, meaning the permission for their use will expire in July. Senators led by Majority Leader John Flanagan and Brooklyn’s Simcha Felder, a key member of the Republican conference, attempted to attach other provisions to the legislation, which the Democrat-led Assembly refused to pass. The cameras have proved successful in catching speeders around the schools at which they are placed and reducing the speed of drivers in those zones.

Mayor Bill de Blasio, Governor Andrew Cuomo, and many other elected officials and others from the city are calling on the Senate to return to Albany to pass the bill that the Assembly passed to extend the speed camera program. De Blasio, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, and many others rallied on Sunday to push the Senate to act. The Senate Republicans, meanwhile, have put forth an alternative proposal that includes more stop signs around schools.

While we’re watching for any news of a special session in Albany to address the school zone speed cameras, and possibly other matters, the major storyline of the week will likely be Tuesday’s congressional primaries. In New York City, there are a handful of Democratic incumbents facing spirited challengers from the left and the hotly contested Democratic and Republican primaries in the 11th Congressional District, a seat currently held by Rep. Dan Donovan, who is trying to stave off former Rep. Michael Grimm in the GOP primary. [Read: Donovan, Grimm in Final Days of Contentious Congressional Primary]

And, there are several other political events to be aware of this week, including a full meeting of the City Council, at which previously considered bills are passed and new legislation is introduced -- see the day-by-day rundown below.

***Do you have events or topics for us to include in an upcoming Week Ahead in New York Politics?
e-mail Gotham Gazette editor Ben Max: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.***

The run of the week in detail:

Monday
At 11 a.m. Monday, Governor Andrew Cuomo will make an announcement, at 7 World Trade Center.

On Monday at 7 a.m., Mayor de Blasio will appear live on MSNBC’s Morning Joe. "Later, the Mayor and Interim NYCHA Chair Stanley Brezenoff will visit an apartment at Campos Plaza." After, at about 11:15 a.m., "the Mayor and Interim Chair Brezenoff will hold a media availability to make an announcement about NYCHA repairs and renovations." Later, the mayor will appear on NY1’s Inside City Hall, in the 7 and 11 p.m. hours.

"On Monday, Chancellor Richard A. Carranza will visit Spruce Street School and join students in a video conference with NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station. After, he will deliver remarks at Leadership and Public Service High School’s commencement ceremony."

At the City Council on Monday:
--The Committee on For-Hire Vehicles will meet at 10 a.m. to discuss proposed laws related to commuter vans, and to “reducing certain penalties for taxi and for-hire vehicle drivers.”
--The Committee on Technology and the Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises will jointly hold an 11 a.m. oversight hearing on “the city’s cable television franchises.”
--The Committee on Parks and Recreation will meet at 11 a.m. for an oversight hearing regarding “how to protect the city’s beaches from increased erosion.”
--The Committee on Juvenile Justice will tour the Bronx Family Resource Center in Concourse Village at 1 p.m.
--The Committee on Environmental Protection will meet at 1 p.m. to discuss proposed laws related to reducing and preventing sewer system backups.

At 8 a.m. Monday, Common Cause New York will host “Speaking Our Truth In The Age Of Trump” at the NYIT Auditorium on the Upper West Side. Featured speakers will include former City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, Black Lives Matter activist Deray McKesson, and Jezebel reporter Prachi Gupta.

At noon Monday, the New York State Board of Elections will hold a commissioners’ meeting at the its offices in Albany.

On Monday, this week’s episode of the Max & Murphy podcast will be recorded and published by Gotham Gazette and City Limits. It will feature former City Comptroller Liz Holtzman and current City Council Member Helen Rosenthal discussing the long fight for new sexual harassment prevention legislation.

At 6:30 p.m. Monday, the Brooklyn Historical Society will host “The (New) Urban Resistance: Progressives Go Local,” discussing the increasing role of cities in enacting progressive policies. Panelists will include City Council Member Brad Lander, Juan Gonzalez of Democracy Now, Yaritza Mendez of Make the Road New York, and Philadelphia City Council Member Helen Gym. The panel will be moderated by Lizzy Ratner of The Nation.

Tuesday
Tuesday is primary day for New York’s congressional races. Polls open at 6 a.m. in New York City as well as Dutchess, Erie, Nassau, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Suffolk, and Westchester Counties, and at noon everywhere else. All polls close at 9 p.m. [See Congressional Primary Races to Watch in New York City and Beyond]

"On Tuesday, Mayor de Blasio and First Lady McCray will vote in New York City’s Congressional primary election. This event is closed press. Later, the Mayor will hold a hearing for and sign the following eight bills: Intro. 401-A mandates that every borough have a full-service animal shelter; Intro. 615-A requires DOHMH to distribute the overdose-reversal medication, naloxone, to syringe exchange programs, and requires that their staff be trained in its use; Intro. 667-A requires DSS and DHS to refer individuals receiving opioid antagonists for additional services; Intro. 668-A relates to overdose prevention and reversal training; Intro. 623-A requires the FDNY to submit a report relating to the administration of opioid antagonists; Intro. 669-A requires the Municipal Drug Strategy Advisory Council to include data about opioid antagonists use in their report; Intro. 717-A requires the NYPD to issue reports about opioid antagonist use; Intro. 618-A relates to the distribution of educational materials on drugs and opiates awareness and prevention to middle and high school students. This event is open press. There will be no Q-and-A. In the evening, the Mayor will attend and deliver remarks at the Jewish Heritage Reception at Gracie Mansion. This event is open press. There will be no Q-and-A."

At the City Council on Tuesday: The Committee on Housing and Buildings will meet at 10 a.m. to discuss proposed laws related to new penalties for illegal conversions of apartments into short-term rentals.

At 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, the Joint Commission on Public Ethics will hold a commissioners’ meeting in Albany.

On Tuesday evening, Public Advocate Letitia James will deliver remakrs at the The Seneca Democratic Club Anniversary Dinner in Brooklyn.

At 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, City & State will honor its “Long Island Power 50” at a reception at the Mansion at Oyster Bay in Woodbury, Nassau County.

At 7 p.m. Tuesday, the Rent Guidelines Board will hold its final vote on 2019 rent increases for stabilized apartments at the Cooper Union in the East Village.

Wednesday
At the City Council on Wednesday:
--The Committees on Women and Health will meet jointly at 10 a.m. for an oversight hearing regarding “maternal mortality in New York City,” as well as to discuss proposed laws related to “access to doulas in New York City” and “reporting on maternal mortality.”
--The Committee on Transportation will meet at the Cardozo School of Law’s Jacob Burns Moot Court Room in Greenwich Village at 1 p.m. for an oversight hearing regarding “the latest mitigation plans for the 2019 L train tunnel closure.”
--The Committees on Education and General Welfare will meet jointly at 2:30 p.m. for an oversight hearing regarding “implementation of UPK and 3K expansion and the transition of EarlyLearn NYC to DOE,” as well as to discuss a resolution “calling upon the City of New York to eliminate the disparity in compensation paid to teachers, staff and directors at community-based EarlyLearn NYC centers, as compared to the compensation paid to Department of Education instructors for similar employment.”

At 10 a.m. Wednesday, the City Planning Commission will hold a public meeting at 120 Broadway.

On Wednesday, "the de Blasio Administration will commemorate the achievements of more than 100 college-bound high school graduates currently residing in shelter. Together with their families, the graduates will join leadership from the Department of Homeless Services and partners from the Department of Education and the New York Public Library for an evening celebration and commemoration ceremony, where they will be awarded a free laptop and duffel bag full of move-in necessities to help them with their college studies." Participants will include Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Dr. Herminia Palacio; Department of Social Services Commissioner Steven Banks; and others.

At 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Mayor de Blasio will hold a town hall meeting at PS 191 on the Upper West Side. He’ll be joined by Council Member Helen Rosenthal, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, U.S. Rep Jerrold Nadler, State Senator Marisol Alcantara, and Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal.

Thursday
The City Council will hold a stated meeting at 1:30 p.m. Thursday. Council Speaker Corey Johnson will hold the usual pre-stated press conference at 12:30 p.m.

Friday and the weekend
Mayor Bill de Blasio may make his usual weekly appearance on WNYC’s The Brian Lehrer Show on Friday at 10 a.m.

At 10 a.m. Saturday, the New York Immigration Coalition will host a rally at Foley Square, in conjunction with rallies in other cities, to protest the Trump administration’s policy of family separation at the border.

NOTE: There will be no Week Ahead in New York Politics published for the week of Monday, July 2. The next Week Ahead will be posted on Sunday, July 8 for the week starting Monday, July 9.

***
Have events or topics for us to include in an upcoming Week Ahead in New York Politics? E-mail Gotham Gazette executive editor Ben Max any time: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (please use "For Week Ahead" as email subject).

***
by Ben Brachfeld and Ben Max
@GothamGazette



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