Charter Revision Commission amends ballot proposals at the last minute

New York City Council members, advocates and other elected officials were in the midst of slamming the Charter Revision Commission’s proposed ballot amendments when speakers learned the 13-member panel had just quietly scaled back one of the most controversial aspects of its initiatives.

NYCLU Policy Director Michael Sisitzky spoke up towards the end of a Thursday afternoon rally to let everyone know there had been last minute changes to the Charter Revision Commission proposals, prompting boos. City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, a handful of City Council members, and a bevy of advocates had gathered outside of the Brooklyn library’s Central Branch ahead of what would be the commission’s final meeting. 

The assembled advocates expressed displeasure that there had been several last-minute changes, but they are likely a bit happier with the adjustments. The initial version of the commission's final report, which was released Tuesday afternoon, included a proposal that would have prolonged the City Council’s legislative process for bills pertaining to public safety by requiring the chamber to announce a hearing 45 days before holding it. Members would also need to give a notice of at least 50 days before they could vote on the legislation – time the mayor and agency leaders could use to hold their own public hearings. 

The amended version – shared with panel members at the start of the commission’s Thursday afternoon vote – would only require the City Council to give the mayor and public 30 days notice before voting for public safety-related legislation. The mayor could still use that time to hold his own hearings, commission members noted at the meeting. 

Carlo Scissura, head of the commission, said the amendment was made in response to public outcry. 

“Since the proposed final report and the ballot proposals were released on Tuesday, we’ve heard many comments from the public and others regarding this specific proposal,” Scissura said. “Taking into consideration the responses we have received, I have directed the staff to draft an amended proposal that would limit the requirements placed on the City Council while maintaining the mayor and commissioners' ability to hold public hearings on critical public safety legislation.” 

He added that the revised amendment and ballot question was shared with the rest of the panel at the start of the meeting.

For weeks, the City Council has criticized Adams’ decision to form the commission in May, charging the entire process has been both rushed and undemocratic – undertaken at least in part to knock the chamber’s own power expanding initiative off the November ballot. The release of the commission’s specific proposals only heightened members’ anger given two of the commission’s proposals would hinder City Council power. 

“The Mayor’s Charter Revision Commission’s proposed changes to the City’s constitution represent a power grab that will make government less responsive to New Yorkers by consolidating even more power to the Mayor and his agencies,” City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams said in a statement Thursday afternoon. Regarding the eleventh hour changes, a council spokesperson said, “The Commission’s last-minute amended proposals with no notice exemplifies the extreme hypocrisy of this rushed, anti-democratic process.”

Other aspects of commission proposals that have drawn City Council outcry remained unchanged, including a requirement for the chamber to provide the Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget an opportunity to submit fiscal impact statements for proposed legislation.

The commission approved all five ballot proposals unanimously during the hearing, meaning New York City voters will have the opportunity to consider each on the November ballot. 

“This commission carefully examined our city’s charter, heard from residents across all five boroughs, and approved thoughtful ballot proposals regarding cleaner streets, fiscal responsibility, public safety, capital planning and minority- and women-owned business enterprises that their fellow New Yorkers will have the opportunity to vote on when they flip their ballots this November,” Adams said in a statement following the vote.