Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
TESTIMONY
Testimony by Council Member Joann Ariola on ULURP changes, even-year elections, and open primaries
0:27:17
·
3 min
Council Member Joann Ariola testifies in strong opposition to the commission's proposals regarding land use and elections.
She argues that changes to the ULURP process would strip the City Council of its authority and harm communities.
Ariola also contends that moving elections to even years and implementing open primaries would dilute local representation and lead to one-party rule.
- Ariola claims the proposed ULURP changes are a "direct attack" on the City Council's legislative power.
- She believes weakening the council's role in land use disconnects communities from decisions that shape their future.
- She argues moving elections to even years would cause local races to be overshadowed by national campaigns.
- Ariola describes open primaries as a threat that could lead to a "tyranny by the majority."
Joann Ariola
0:27:17
Yes.
0:27:17
Good evening, everyone.
0:27:18
I'm here tonight because this commission is on the verge of advancing proposals that amount to clear government overreach, and I cannot stay silent while it happens.
0:27:26
Most frightening of all things being discussed by the commission are the dramatic changes that are being proposed to the EULAR process.
0:27:33
These changes would strip land use authority away from the city council and hand it over to unelected bureaucrats who have no idea about the intricacies of the neighborhoods they are seeking to change.
0:27:45
The removal of ULURP is a direct attack on the legislative body that represents the people and prevents us from advancing on behalf of those who trust to represent them in city hall.
0:27:56
Council members know our neighborhoods inside and out.
0:27:59
Weakening our role only serves to disconnect communities from the decisions that that shapes the future and makes our communities more overburdened and more difficult to live in.
0:28:09
The ULURP changes also prevent council members from negotiating with developers regarding the communities and what they would like to see as a part of upcoming projects.
0:28:18
These negotiations also enable council members to advocate for union labor at projects within their district.
0:28:24
Removing that ability from the council would also remove a key protection that is often provided for our unions to ensure that our laborers laborers are hired and protected at some of the city's biggest jobs.
0:28:37
The commission is also considering dramatically expanding the powers of the borough presidents.
0:28:42
With this in mind, I believe it is imperative that we give New Yorkers the ability to vote on whether council members should have appointment input in their local community boards.
0:28:52
The decision to appoint community board members if made solely behind closed doors by a borough president would be another example of centralized control overriding local representation.
0:29:03
It sends a message to those closest to the community should have less to say, and while politically appointed bodies gain more influence without direct accountability.
0:29:13
The proposal would move municipal elect the proposal to move municipal elections to even years two serves to dilute the power of local representation by virtually ensuring that their races get overshadowed by larger national campaigns.
0:29:29
By having our local races compete for attention with federal and state elections, we can also guarantee that attention will be diverted away from the elections on the community level, and thus our electorate will be less informed than they should be.
0:29:42
Having elections on odd numbered years, however, will allow New Yorkers to better focus on elections and the issues that can have direct impact on their lives, and thus will give the best chances for the neighborhoods for an informed decision for themselves and their neighborhoods.
0:29:57
Finally, the issue of issue of open primaries is one which threatens to bring in tyranny by majority by the majority that the philosophers of the past have warned about.
0:30:07
By opening primaries to everyone regardless of party would effectively usher in one party rule.
0:30:14
The that prevent opposition parties from ever gaining a foothold in the elections and thus a real platform to bring about change.
0:30:22
The beauty of the current system lies in the fact that the opposition is guaranteed a voice in the larger political conversation, but a system that does away with primary this would be abolished.
0:30:34
These proposals, as they are, do not empower the public.
0:30:37
They fly in the face of all that we hold dear as Americans.
0:30:41
I urge this commission to reconsider these proposals.
0:30:44
The people of New York deserve a government that listens to one, that not one that controls the above, and I will be
Selvena Brooks-Powers
0:30:50
submitting testimony.
Richard R. Buery Jr.
0:30:51
Thank you
Anita Laremont
0:30:51
so Fine.
Richard R. Buery Jr.
0:30:52
Thank you so much, council member.
0:30:54
Thank you.
0:30:55
Are there any questions for council member Eliola?
0:31:01
Alright.
0:31:01
Thank you so much for your testimony.
0:31:02
We look forward to seeing your written testimony as well.
Michael Sandler
0:31:04
Thank you.
Joann Ariola
0:31:04
Thank you so much.