Dear Lucas,
Your help is needed to strengthen the City Council and make it a more effective legislative body.
With the recent election of twenty-one new members and the upcoming selection of a new Speaker, the City Council has a unique opportunity to implement reforms that would make the body more democratic and effective, while ensuring that it is a strong institution that can balance a powerful mayor. The time for comprehensive and widespread reform to the City Council's Rules is now.
As we approach a new legislative session, we need you to contact the candidates for Speaker of the City Council and tell them to act and pass these reforms.
Your help is needed to press for change and take advantage of this opportunity. Can you email the candidates for Speaker today to tell them to enact meaningful City Council Rules reforms? We need your help to make sure they address the following issues:
- Operations of Council Committees -- Reducing the number of committees and empowering committee chairs in the running of committees;
- Councilmember Compensation -- Greater disclosure of outside income, elimination of "lulus" or stipends for all positions other than leadership, and ensuring that pay increases apply prospectively;
- Discretionary Funding -- Ensuring a more equitable and needs-based approach to funding, and creating greater transparency; and
- Independent Bill Drafting -- Creating of an independent bill drafting service, similar to what is in place for the New York State Legislature, which enables members to more easily have bills drafted and introduced.
Citizens Union recently unveiled a list of re-elected and incoming 2014 New York City Councilmembers who support changes to the City Council Rules, which are the governing rules of the City Council. Can we count on you to hold them to their commitments and help make our city council fairer and more democratic?
Email the candidates for speaker today.
Sincerely,
Dick Dadey
Executive Director