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NYC Charter Revision Commission
Queens Public Input Session on Government Reform
Feb 24, 2025
·
05:00 PM
3 hr 29 min
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Summary
A hearing on various aspects of city governance and potential charter revisions.
Discussions focused on:
- Improving contracting and procurement processes
- Land use and housing policies
- Ethics oversight
- Election reforms.
Key proposals included:
- Elevating the Mayor's Office of Contract Services (MOCS) to a charter agency
- Streamlining the ULURP process
- Creating an independent ethics commission
- Implementing open primaries or nonpartisan elections.
Other topics covered budget transparency, recall elections, and citizen assemblies for charter revision.
Features testimony from the Independent Budget Office (IBO), Human Services Council, Legal Aid Society, Urban Pathways, Citizens Budget Commission, Reinvent Albany, Common Cause, Citizens Union, and the public.
Meeting chapters
Read summaries and watch videos for short segments that matter to you.
Chair Richard R. Buery Jr. opens the Charter Revision Commission public hearing
Chair Richard R. Buery Jr. welcomes attendees to the public hearing of the 2025 Mayor's Charter Revision Commission. He outlines the commission's goal to review the city charter, emphasizes its …
0:00:00
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135 sec
Testimony by Louisa Chafee, Director of the New York City Independent Budget Office, on fiscal responsibility and transparency
Louisa Chafee, Director of the New York City Independent Budget Office (IBO), presents IBO's top priorities for charter revision. She focuses on strengthening the city's fiscal framework, reforming procurement processes, …
0:05:28
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6 min
Commissioner Weisbrod and Director Chafee discuss the root causes of delayed nonprofit payments
Commissioner Carl Weisbrod questions IBO Director Louisa Chafee about the persistent issue of delayed payments to nonprofit contractors, asking whether it stems from charter deficiencies or management incompetence. Chafee suggests …
0:12:04
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170 sec
Chair Buery and Director Chafee discuss accountability for procurement delays and elevating MOCS
Chair Richard R. Buery Jr. asks IBO Director Louisa Chafee for specifics on elevating the Mayor's Office of Contract Services (MOCS) to charter status and potential accountability mechanisms for payment …
0:15:01
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91 sec
Commissioner Greenberger and Director Chafee discuss balancing budget transparency and flexibility through UA reform
Commissioner Sharon Greenberger questions IBO Director Louisa Chafee on how to refine Units of Appropriation (UAs) for better budget transparency without creating excessive bureaucracy. Chafee acknowledges the need for a …
0:16:37
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34 sec
Commissioner Bonilla and Director Chafee discuss agency staffing levels and contract processing capacity
Commissioner Grace Bonilla asks IBO Director Louisa Chafee if agency staffing for contract processing has kept pace with the number of contracts. Chafee notes significant staff reductions post-COVID and a …
0:17:13
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85 sec
Commissioner Nieves and Director Chafee discuss management versus charter issues in procurement and emergency contracting limits
Commissioner Dr. Lisette Nieves probes IBO Director Louisa Chafee on distinguishing management problems from issues addressable by the charter, particularly regarding procurement accountability and emergency contracts. Chafee clarifies her proposal …
0:18:40
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146 sec
Commissioner Savino and Director Chafee discuss elevating MOCS, payment issues, and refining Units of Appropriation
Commissioner Diane Savino discusses several points with IBO Director Louisa Chafee, including government succession planning, the rationale and potential effectiveness of making the Mayor's Office of Contract Services (MOCS) a …
0:21:15
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5 min
Testimony by Michelle Jackson, Executive Director of the Human Services Council, on the nonprofit payment crisis and proposed charter reforms
Michelle Jackson, Executive Director of the Human Services Council (HSC), testifies about the severe impact of chronic late payments on the nonprofit human services sector. She emphasizes the need for …
0:27:07
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5 min
Testimony by Lauren Siciliano, Chief Operating Officer of the Legal Aid Society, on contracting and payment challenges
Lauren Siciliano, Chief Operating Officer of the Legal Aid Society, describes how city contracting and payment delays critically impact their ability to provide legally mandated services. She highlights significant delays …
0:32:25
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4 min
Testimony by Frederick Shack, CEO of Urban Pathways, on the broken contracting system and solutions for accountability, transparency, and fairness
Frederick Shack, CEO of Urban Pathways and co-chair of the Mayor's Non-Profit Advisory Committee, testifies that the city's contracting process is fundamentally broken and threatens the nonprofit sector's solvency. Drawing …
0:36:48
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5 min
Commissioners and panelists discuss the effectiveness and challenges of the PASSPort contracting system
Commissioner Sharon Greenberger asks the panelists about the impact of the PASSPort contracting system, given the initial promises surrounding it. Panelists Michelle Jackson, Lauren Siciliano, and Frederick Shack agree that …
0:42:20
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3 min
Chair Buery and Michelle Jackson discuss specifics on MOCS authority and contract registration time frames
Chair Richard R. Buery Jr. seeks clarification from Michelle Jackson (HSC) on her recommendations regarding MOCS authority and contract time frames. Jackson suggests charter language for MOCS could mirror existing …
0:46:16
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3 min
Commissioner Bozorg and panelists discuss past instances of improved contract timeliness
Commissioner Leila Bozorg asks if there were times when contract timeliness improved and what contributed to those periods. Frederick Shack (Urban Pathways) notes improvements occurred when there was focused administrative …
0:49:52
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109 sec
Commissioner Bonilla and panelists discuss standardizing invoicing and the financial impact of late payments
Commissioner Grace Bonilla asks Lauren Siciliano (Legal Aid) for recommendations on standardizing invoicing across agencies, who suggests standardizing both format and substantive review processes. Bonilla then asks about data on …
0:52:01
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3 min
Commissioner Savino and Michelle Jackson discuss accountability mechanisms beyond interest penalties
Commissioner Diane Savino asks Michelle Jackson (HSC) about accountability mechanisms beyond interest payments, given that interest doesn't solve immediate cash flow issues. Jackson reiterates prohibiting agencies from demanding work before …
0:55:05
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107 sec
Commissioners and panelists discuss workforce impacts and further financial consequences of payment delays
Commissioner Diane Savino requests follow-up information on how payment delays impact nonprofit workforce recruitment and retention. Commissioner Dr. Lisette Nieves asks about the total financial cost beyond just interest, including …
0:56:53
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153 sec
Commissioner Nieves requests information on the impact of payment delays on smaller nonprofits
Commissioner Dr. Lisette Nieves notes that the panelists represent larger nonprofits and asks for testimony or data detailing the specific, potentially disproportionate, impact of payment delays on smaller organizations, particularly …
0:59:30
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60 sec
Testimony by Council Member Julie Won on contracting failures and land use challenges
Council Member Julie Won, Chair of the Committee on Contracts, testifies on the dire situation of nonprofits facing non-payment, advocating for MOCS to become a charter agency and detailing severe …
1:01:00
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11 min
Commissioner DaBaron and Council Member Won discuss the failure of 'Fair Share' in shelter siting
Commissioner Shams DaBaron questions Council Member Julie Won about how "Fair Share" is currently determined for shelter placement. Won asserts there is no real Fair Share mechanism in practice; instead, …
1:12:29
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4 min
Commissioner Savino and Council Member Won discuss member deference and the need for comprehensive planning
Commissioner Diane Savino asks Council Member Julie Won how to overcome member deference in the City Council, which can hinder housing development, while still respecting the local member's knowledge. Won …
1:17:06
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5 min
Commissioner Bozorg and Council Member Won discuss enforcing Fair Share for housing and overcoming local opposition
Commissioner Leila Bozorg commends Council Member Julie Won's pro-housing stance and asks how to put "teeth" into Fair Share concepts, like the Speaker's Fair Housing Framework, especially when local members …
1:22:39
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4 min
Commissioner Greenberger and Council Member Won discuss accountability for housing thresholds and the nature of member deference
Commissioner Sharon Greenberger presses Council Member Julie Won on accountability mechanisms (besides elections) if minimum housing thresholds were mandated. Won reiterates that member deference itself cannot simply be outlawed by …
1:27:10
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113 sec
Testimony by Rachael Fauss, Senior Policy Adviser at Reinvent Albany, on strengthening ethics oversight and mayoral accountability
Rachael Fauss from Reinvent Albany urges the commission to tackle corruption by proposing significant ethics reforms. Key recommendations include creating a truly independent ethics commission (modeled on the state's COLIG) …
1:29:36
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5 min
Testimony by Andrew Rein, President of the Citizens Budget Commission, on resident feedback, fiscal reserves, and budget accuracy
Andrew Rein, President of the Citizens Budget Commission (CBC), proposes three charter amendments to improve city governance and fiscal health. He recommends mandating a regular, statistically valid resident feedback survey …
1:35:05
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4 min
Commissioner Weisbrod and Andrew Rein discuss City Planning's role in the capital budget and comprehensive planning
Commissioner Carl Weisbrod asks CBC President Andrew Rein if CBC supports restoring the City Planning Commission's role as an equal partner with OMB in creating the capital budget, linking it …
1:39:27
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112 sec
Commissioner Savino and Rachael Fauss discuss creating a city-based mayoral removal process
Commissioner Diane Savino questions Rachael Fauss (Reinvent Albany) about the proposal for a city-based mayoral removal mechanism, noting the governor's existing state-level authority. Fauss advocates for a locally controlled process, …
1:41:28
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3 min
Commissioner Nieves and Andrew Rein discuss enhancing budget transparency and accuracy
Commissioner Dr. Lisette Nieves asks CBC President Andrew Rein for further budget transparency recommendations. Rein emphasizes his proposal to mandate explanations for significant changes or discrepancies in budget estimates, arguing …
1:44:34
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106 sec
Testimony by Ben Weinberg, Director of Public Policy at Citizens Union, on election reform, mayoral removal, and ethics oversight
Ben Weinberg from Citizens Union presents proposals to strengthen NYC democracy and governance, focusing on combating declining voter turnout by moving city elections to even years and opening the closed …
1:47:19
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5 min
Testimony by Susan Lerner, Executive Director of Common Cause New York, on election timing, special elections, recall, and citizen assemblies for charter revision
Susan Lerner from Common Cause New York recommends caution on changing *how* NYC votes (e.g., open primaries) until ranked-choice voting has been fully evaluated over two mayoral cycles, but supports …
1:52:32
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5 min
Commissioner Savino, Ben Weinberg, and Susan Lerner discuss even-year elections, open primaries vs. nonpartisan systems, and recall concerns
Commissioner Diane Savino questions Ben Weinberg (Citizens Union) and Susan Lerner (Common Cause) on potential partisan effects of even-year elections and the nuances of open primaries versus nonpartisan systems. Weinberg …
1:58:23
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6 min
Chair Buery requests further information on recall election experiences elsewhere
Chair Richard R. Buery Jr. asks Susan Lerner (Common Cause) for more information on the practical experiences and potential downsides of recall elections in other places, contrasting it with voters' …
2:04:39
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47 sec
Testimony by Jennifer Geiling on behalf of a campaign for a minimum wage for human services workers
Jennifer Geiling testifies in support of a charter amendment to mandate that city contracts for human services be funded sufficiently to pay workers a wage reflecting the city's official "true …
2:06:05
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3 min
Testimony by Eric Kober, Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute, on ULURP reform and member deference
Eric Kober from the Manhattan Institute proposes charter changes to streamline land use reviews and address member deference. He suggests combining early ULURP review steps (community board, borough president, etc.) …
2:10:10
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3 min
Testimony by Bernard O'Brien advocating for open, nonpartisan primary elections
Bernard O'Brien, a Brooklyn resident, urges the commission to propose a charter amendment for open, nonpartisan primary elections. He argues the current closed system disenfranchises ~1 million independent voters, results …
2:13:23
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3 min
Commissioner Laremont and Eric Kober discuss streamlining the pre-ULURP process
Commissioner Anita Laremont asks Eric Kober (Manhattan Institute) for more ideas on streamlining land use reviews, especially the often lengthy pre-certification stage before ULURP formally begins. Kober expresses doubt about …
2:17:19
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122 sec
Commissioner Weisbrod requests further input from Eric Kober on comprehensive planning and the capital budget
Commissioner Carl Weisbrod asks Eric Kober (Manhattan Institute) to follow up with written thoughts on comprehensive planning and the idea of giving the City Planning Commission a stronger or equal …
2:19:33
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35 sec
Commissioner DaBaron and Eric Kober discuss the proposed 60-day consolidated review period
Commissioner Shams DaBaron asks Eric Kober (Manhattan Institute) if his proposed 60-day consolidated review period allows enough time, particularly for community input. Kober clarifies that the 60-day timeframe mirrors the …
2:20:13
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68 sec
Testimony by Alicia Boyd, Political Activist, on development, displacement, and the ULURP process
Political activist Alicia Boyd argues that development in communities of color is driven by speculation anticipating rezonings, not organic demand, leading to displacement. Referencing past failed community planning efforts, she …
2:21:57
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3 min
Testimony by Richard Ronner advocating for open, nonpartisan primaries to include independent voters
Richard Ronner, an Astoria resident registered as an independent, testifies in favor of open, nonpartisan primaries. He argues the current closed system disenfranchises over a million independent voters like himself, …
2:25:51
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174 sec
Testimony by Kimberly Cruz on history, education, unity, and civic engagement
Kimberly Cruz, a young resident from Flushing, Queens, delivers a passionate plea for greater focus on education, history, and unity in civic life. She expresses concern about political division, historical …
2:28:51
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3 min
Testimony by Joshua Cajas in support of open primary elections
Joshua Cajas, a recent political science graduate, testifies in favor of open primaries, arguing the current closed system disenfranchises over a million independent voters and leads to more polarized candidates …
2:33:42
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178 sec
Testimony by Cormac Slade Byrd proposing a time limit for ULURP pre-certification during housing emergencies
Cormac Slade Byrd testifies that the longest delay in the land use process is often the pre-ULURP certification step by the Department of City Planning (DCP), which lacks a firm …
2:36:42
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164 sec
Testimony by Shane Moynihan advocating for open, nonpartisan primaries for inclusivity and collaboration
Shane Moynihan from Jamaica, Queens, argues for open, nonpartisan primaries, stating voters shouldn't face inconvenient deadlines or feel forced to misrepresent their affiliation to participate in democracy. He believes the …
2:39:37
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3 min
Testimony by Ed Brady advocating for nonpartisan elections to empower independent voters
Ed Brady, a Manhattan resident, veteran, and registered independent, forcefully advocates for nonpartisan elections. He argues the Democratic and Republican parties act as special interests excluding voters like him, and …
2:43:41
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3 min
Testimony by Harsha Hanumaiah supporting open primaries for competitive elections
Harsha Hanumaiah briefly testifies in support of open primaries, arguing they would make New York City elections more competitive and representative by forcing candidates to appeal beyond a narrow primary …
2:46:57
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31 sec
Testimony by Alex Hackworth, NYC Regional Organizing Director for Unite New York, supporting open primaries
Alex Hackworth from Unite New York advocates for putting open primaries on the ballot. He argues the current closed system excludes over a million diverse voters, weakens democracy, and produces …
2:47:52
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109 sec
Testimony by Hope Cohen on reforming the city's environmental review process (CEQR)
Hope Cohen, former Manhattan Community Board 7 member, proposes reforms to make the city's environmental review (CEQR) process more efficient and useful. She suggests narrowing its scope by exempting more …
2:50:05
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3 min
Testimony by Jenny Dubnau on housing affordability, ULURP, and concerns about the commission's process
Jenny Dubnau testifies that building more market-rate housing exacerbates the affordability crisis and displacement, citing studies. She opposes weakening community input in ULURP, advocating instead for deeply affordable housing on …
2:54:49
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168 sec
Testimony by Sarah Prinsloo advocating for open primary elections
Sarah Prinsloo testifies in favor of open primaries, emphasizing that independent voters are a large and growing group excluded from decisive primary elections they help fund. She argues open primaries …
2:58:09
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3 min
Testimony by Dean Rosow supporting open primaries for broader representation and sensible government
Dean Rosow advocates for open primaries, arguing they would compel candidates and elected officials to appeal to a wider range of voters beyond party activists, leading to more moderate and …
3:01:42
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158 sec
Testimony by Maria Danzilo, Executive Director of One City Rising, in support of open primaries
Maria Danzilo, Executive Director of One City Rising and a former City Council candidate, testifies in strong support of open primaries. Drawing from her campaign experience, she highlights how closed …
3:04:43
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3 min
Testimony by Yiatin Chu, President of Asian Wave Alliance, on the need for open primaries for Asian community representation
Yiatin Chu, President of Asian Wave Alliance, testifies in support of open primaries, arguing the current closed system particularly disenfranchises the Asian community, which has high numbers of unaffiliated voters …
3:08:50
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122 sec
Testimony by Theodore Kronby, student intern with Unite New York, supporting open primaries for youth engagement
Theodore Kronby, a high school student and intern with Unite New York, briefly testifies in support of open primaries. He argues they would make the city's democracy more inclusive, potentially …
3:11:24
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78 sec
Chair Buery clarifies the scope of the open primary proposal with Theodore Kronby
Chair Richard R. Buery Jr. asks student Theodore Kronby whether the open primary proposal he supports applies to City Council races. Kronby indicates the focus is currently on citywide elections, …
3:12:44
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52 sec
Testimony by Jeffrey Aron expressing frustration with closed primaries and supporting open primaries
Jeffrey Aron testifies passionately in favor of open primaries, expressing anger at being excluded as an independent voter and being pressured to change registration simply to participate in decisive primaries. …
3:14:26
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3 min
Testimony by Linda DiGusta supporting open primaries for inclusivity and dialogue
Linda DiGusta briefly testifies in support of open primaries, noting New York City is unique among ranked-choice voting jurisdictions for maintaining closed primaries. She argues opening primaries is necessary to …
3:17:53
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53 sec
Testimony by Alex Protopapas supporting open primaries, highlighting restrictive rules and impact on new Americans and veterans
Alex Protopapas supports open primaries, adding details to previous testimony. He points out the yearly restriction on changing party affiliation, shares an anecdote illustrating how confusing and counterintuitive closed primaries …
3:19:03
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171 sec
Testimony by Frank Morano advocating for nonpartisan elections based on experience and principle
Frank Morano testifies strongly in favor of nonpartisan elections, drawing on his current experience as a candidate in one and noting NYC's long use of them for education councils. He …
3:22:07
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3 min
Testimony by Howard Levy supporting open primaries for participation, moderation, and accountability
Howard Levy testifies in support of open primaries as a way to combat mistrust in government by increasing participation and ensuring voices like his (as an independent) are heard. He …
3:26:08
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114 sec