Q&A
Questions about current Adams administration charter commission
6:41:00
·
149 sec
Council Member Sanchez questions Mastro about any potential involvement or discussions with the Adams administration regarding charter revisions.
- Sanchez asks if Mastro has advised or discussed his past charter revision commission experience with the Adams administration
- Mastro denies any involvement in the current charter revision commission
- The discussion touches on the use of charter revision commissions to potentially block Council-initiated referendums
- Sanchez expresses concerns about the Adams Charter Commission proposals aiming to consolidate powers within the mayor's office
Randy Mastro
6:41:00
I have not.
6:41:01
I've had no involvement in the constitution of or a fluctuation of any proposals there.
6:41:10
But each charter commission builds on the work of past charter commissions.
6:41:15
Yet you're talking about a one of dozens dozens of proposals on which we saw public comment.
6:41:23
Very few of them reached the ballot.
6:41:25
So a lot of good work was done, a lot of proposals you'd probably agree with.
Diana Ayala
6:41:30
Thank
Randy Mastro
6:41:31
you.
6:41:31
Part cherry picking.
Pierina Ana Sanchez
6:41:32
Answer was no.
6:41:33
I'm gonna I'm your answer was no.
6:41:34
It's very clear.
6:41:35
Right.
Randy Mastro
6:41:35
I just I just wanna
James Gennaro
6:41:36
be clear that probably would have really
Randy Mastro
6:41:38
a lot of proposals that were on there.
Pierina Ana Sanchez
6:41:40
Thank thank you, Mister Master.
6:41:41
This year, the council passed a bill that would require Mayoral appointees for agency heads to go before the council for advice and consent.
6:41:47
This was discussed a bit earlier.
6:41:49
This measure is required to go before the voters in a referendum.
6:41:53
Back in 1998, when you were still serving as the right hand to mayor Giuliani, the council passed a local law that would have prevented the city from spending money on the development of a Yankee Stadium in Manhattan.
6:42:04
Similarly, this measure was required to go before voters in a referendum.
6:42:08
And in order to bump this referendum question from the ballot, the Giuliani administration under your leadership, and paneled the 1998 charter revision commission.
6:42:16
Similarly, around the time that you were in discussions with the mayor for this nomination, the mayor taking a play out of your playbook also in panel to charter revision commission in order to bump your referendum question on advice and consent.
6:42:28
Our, excuse me, our referendum question on advice and consent.
6:42:31
Have you at any time discussed with the mayor or members of his staff the Giuliani administration's use of charter revision commissions to bump referendum questions from the ballot.
Randy Mastro
6:42:41
Have not discussed the Giuliani administration's use of charter revision commissions.
6:42:46
And The decision to create a charter revision commission was not the decision of the deputy mayor for operations.
6:42:53
I had no involvement in that charter revision commission in 1998.
Pierina Ana Sanchez
6:42:58
Thank you.
6:42:59
You.
6:42:59
This this council has deep concerns about the Adams Charter Commission proposals, which aim to consolidate legislative and fiscal powers within the office of the mayor.
6:43:07
Separation of powers is a key component of the healthy democracy in your history with similar Charter proposals doesn't inspire confidence that you will protect those separations at the law department is the line is the line of questioning.
6:43:19
And I Can I please respond
Randy Mastro
6:43:21
to that?
6:43:21
Can I please respond to that?
Pierina Ana Sanchez
6:43:22
Can can you let me finish, and then you can respond to whatever the chair allows you to?
Randy Mastro
6:43:27
Of course, counsel, ma'am.