Charter Commission Forms To-Do List
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A commission that could make lasting changes to city government is drawing up its priority list. And while term limits is on it, ending partisan political primaries is not. NY1's Grace Rauh filed the following report.For months, members of the city's Charter Revision Commission has been criss-crossing the five boroughs hearing from New Yorkers about how they would overhaul city government and the city's constitution. And a to-do list is starting to take shape.
Changes to the term limits law and a proposal to block a repeat of the 2008 term limits extension are on it. It's good news for Charter Commissioner Kenneth Moltner, a staunch supporter of term limits.
"It's a matter of, for the public, respecting their will. What they voted for, what they voted for twice was two terms," Moltner said.
But a push to roll back the term-limits extension could face resistance from the lawmakers, like City Councilman Lew Fidler, who supported the extension and opposes any term limits for legislators.
"In the first four years the average member is trying to figure out where the restroom is, the second four years, they are trying to figure out what office they are going to run for next. It's not conducive to good government," Fidler said.
The commission may also come under pressure from New Yorkers who want to end partisan political primaries and replace them with non-partisan elections. The commission chairman says such a change is unlikely to land on the ballot this year. But those in favor of non-partisan elections say they aren't giving up yet, and insist the issue is still alive.
"We are a city of eight million people, and yet in our representative democracy, the vast majority of seats are effectively decided in closed partisan primaries that lock out the vast majority of citizens," said John Avlon of Citizens Union.
Charter Commissioner Carlo Scissura cautioned that it's really too soon to say what is on the table and what is off.
"The table is made up of 15 commissioners. We are the table. We will determine what goes on the ballot," Scissura said.
Before any changes can be made to the City Charter, voters must first sign off on them. They will also have an opportunity to sound off on the new proposals at a series of public hearings to be held over the next few weeks.