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Guide to New York City's 2003 Ballot Proposals


Oct 20, 2003

 

The Six Questions

1. Paying for Sewage Systems
2. Paying for Schools in Small Cities
3. Non-Partisan Elections
4. City Purchasing
5. Government Administration
6. Class Size

Overview of Ballot Proposals

Related Links

New York City Campaign Finance Board - Voter's guide provides information on ballot proposals and candidates.

New York City Board of Elections

New York City Charter Commission


QUESTION 4: CITY PURCHASING

This proposal attempts to reform the city's contracting process for how it buys $9 billion in goods and services each year. The rules have not been changed since the 1980's and nearly everyone in city government agrees that changes are needed.

Non-profit organizations complain that they are regularly shortchanged or paid late. Politicians charge each other with using contracts to play political games. And many argue that government contracts are full of bureaucracy and fraud.

This proposal would revamp the city's contracting process with the goal of:

  • Removing from the charter detailed requirements for specific purchasing methods
  • Increasing qualifications for city purchasing officials
  • Providing more opportunities for small businesses and minority and women-owned businesses
  • Reducing requirements for security related contracts
  • Reducing delays in contracting and payments

(Text of the question as it will appear on the ballot.)

PRO

Proponents of the ballot proposal argue that the city's purchasing rules must be reformed. (Read The Business of Government by Anthony Crowell)

"The goal should be to protect the taxpayer's money while saving time and expense for those vendors who seek to work with the city," Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.

The charter commission doubts that such reforms can be reached through the legislative process with the City Council. Alan Gartner, the executive director of the commission told the New York Times, that there was a "vacuum of leadership" in the City Council, which made the measure necessary.

In addition, the mayor says that non-profits will be paid in a more-timely manner and that women, minorities, and small businesses will have greater opportunity to win city contracts. The changes also include a provision that will allow the mayor to keep contracts that he feels raise issues about "security of the city or its citizens" out of the open bidding process. This is essential, the charter commission maintains, to keeping New York safe.

CON

Although opponents of ballot proposal number four agree with many of the aims in reforming the city's contracting rules, they say the mayor is going about it the wrong way. Real changes should be decided in the legislative process between the mayor and the City Council, and not left up to voters who do not understand the confusing details of city contracting.

"These issues require much more deliberation than they could possibly receive in this short period of time," said Councilmember Robert Jackson, who chairs the contracts committee. (Read Making Contracts Work by Robert Jackson)

In response, the City Council has proposed a package of 13 bills that it says will streamline and reform the contracting rules.

Beyond process, critics also oppose some of the specific proposals and say they give the mayor and his commissioners too much power. And putting all of these various issues into one question does not allow them to be considered individually.

The Six Questions

1. Paying for Sewage Systems
2. Paying for Schools in Small Cities
3. Non-Partisan Elections
4. City Purchasing
5. Government Administration
6. Class Size

Overview of Ballot Proposals

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