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TESTIMONY
Testimony by Council Member Lincoln Restler on the Charter Revision Commission's scope, balance of power, and election reform proposals
0:25:04
·
5 min
Council Member Lincoln Restler expresses concerns about the Charter Revision Commission's origins, scope, and perceived lack of connection to elected leadership. He questions whether the commission is overstepping its bounds by addressing a wide range of topics beyond its initial housing focus, potentially acting as a legislative body rather than focusing on governmental structure and process.
Restler voices deep concern that the preliminary report's proposals appear to uniformly increase mayoral power while limiting council and other elected officials' power, especially troubling given current mayoral controversies. He urges the commission to reconsider its broad approach and focus on housing, particularly streamlining the ULURP process to address the housing crisis, and suggests giving ranked-choice voting more time before major revisions.
Lincoln Restler
0:25:04
I really appreciate it.
0:25:05
Thank you for the opportunity to say hello and and sneaking me in.
0:25:10
My name is Lincoln Ressler.
0:25:11
I'm council member of 30 Third District in Brooklyn, and I chair the governmental operations state and federal legislation committee.
0:25:17
This commission was appointed by the mayor in December with a directive to focus on housing, but I do think it's worth noting at the front end of my remarks that the real reason that this commission was appointed was to block advice and consent, which was the speaker's priority proposal.
0:25:33
You know, that being said, whatever the political rationale for creating this commission was, it doesn't prevent you all from doing good work.
0:25:40
Appreciate the thoughtfulness that went into your report.
0:25:43
And on a personal level, I have a great deal of respect for many of the people on this commission, especially the chair, vice chair, and others.
0:25:51
I do have to say, though, I am concerned that this commission is lacking a compass and lacking and is not tethered to, political leadership in the city.
0:26:01
We all know that many of the members of this commission were directly asked to join it by then first deputy mayor Maria Torres Springer, And we know that she's no longer in government and, and the reasons why.
0:26:15
I think it is valuable for a commission to be connected to elected leadership in New York City because we are the ones who are accountable and responsive to our commune most accountable and most responsive to our communities.
0:26:29
You know, reflecting on the 1989 Charter Revision Commission, the last great Charter Revision Commission in our city, Fritz noted Fritz Schwartz, of course, the chair noted that a charter commission's job, quote, is to provide a structure and process for governmental decision making, not to make the decisions itself.
0:26:47
A commission is not a legislature nor should it act as one.
0:26:50
And I think that's a really important reminder for this commission considering the breadth of what you all have included in your preliminary report, an exceptionally wide range of topics, housing procurement, elections, the city maps, the infrastructure resiliency, etcetera.
0:27:03
And I agree these are all valid issues that the city leaders, that the leaders of New York City should be confronting and tackling.
0:27:11
These are arbitrary topics that do not seem right for a comprehensive charter review.
0:27:15
Many could be addressed through other avenues, legislation, agency policy making, budget allocation, etcetera.
0:27:22
I urge this commission to carefully consider whether you are acting as a process for decision making or attempting to act as a legislative body.
0:27:30
No one elected this commission.
0:27:32
And without the support and substantial education and outreach and funding to engage and educate New York to inform New Yorkers, it seems likely that New Yorkers will not have a great understanding of the ballot questions that are that are coming before them in November.
0:27:49
As it relates to balance of power, I am concerned, I would even say deeply concerned, that the unifying theme behind all of the proposals in the preliminary report appears to be increasing the power of the mayor and limiting the power of the council and other elected officials.
0:28:05
From limiting the council's power in Mueller, procurement, city and the for a president's role in the city map, etcetera.
0:28:11
Our last major charter review, again, in '89 followed one of the worst corruption scandals in our city's history, term three of the Koch administration.
0:28:20
Thirty five years later, our city, of course, again, is in a moment of crisis with a growing series of deeply troubling allegations affecting the mayor and the innermost senior ranks at city hall.
0:28:30
It's clear that the mayor's ability to serve our city is compromised and the exodus of senior administration officials unprecedented.
0:28:38
This begs the question of whether we currently have the right balance of power in city government.
0:28:42
Charter experts have voiced have voiced that the power has gradually shifted over these past thirty five years to more and more and more power on on the mayor side of city hall.
0:28:54
The the 1989 Charter Revision Commission intended for the council to be a powerful check on a strong mayorality, and it is essential that we strive to maintain that balance of power.
0:29:04
Ten years ago, I I'll again, you know, quote Fritz Schwartz, who I have so much admiration for, that, quote, any charter revision commission that further increases the power of the mayor by limiting the role of the council should and would face a high hurdle both substantively and politically.
0:29:18
I do not think that this commission has met that hurdle of demonstrating why additional power additional mayoral power would best serve New Yorkers.
0:29:26
On elections, as as the chair of the government operations committee, if I can just continue for a moment, I want to comment
Sharon Greenberger
0:29:32
more seconds, please.
0:29:33
Thank you.
Lincoln Restler
0:29:34
Well, sure.
0:29:35
But I just have to say that, we are in the set we are approaching the second citywide election for ranked choice voting.
0:29:42
I do think it's an and I'm appreciative that this commission has expressed support for it.
0:29:46
But before we do a major, revision to our voting process, I think we should give renters voting a little bit of time to play itself out.
0:29:55
I am highly concerned about the proposals that you all have made.
0:29:59
And I'll just say, I really think the right focus is on housing.
0:30:02
If we're focuses on streamlining the the Euler process, ensuring that there's a greater opportunity to address our housing crisis today, that is a meritorious focus for this commission.
0:30:11
The attempt to do everything and the kitchen sink in in your all's proposals, I think, is ill conceived, and I hope you'll reconsider as you work toward a final set of proposals.
0:30:21
Thank you for the extended time.
0:30:22
I appreciate the opportunity to say hello to y'all.
Sharon Greenberger
0:30:24
Thank you for your perspective.