Guide to New York City's 2003 Ballot Proposals
Oct 20, 2003
![]() The Six Questions1. Paying for Sewage Systems2. Paying for Schools in Small Cities 3. Non-Partisan Elections 4. City Purchasing 5. Government Administration 6. Class Size Overview of Ballot Proposals Related LinksNew 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 5: GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION
Question number five is an effort to reorganize and reform various aspects of city government. This proposal would:
- Give the mayor power to issue rules governing the professional conduct of judges and hearing officers in the city's administrative courts
- Increase the penalties for violating the city's ethics laws
- Replace the current 16-member Voter Assistance Commission with a 7-member panel
- Eliminate the Preliminary Mayor's Management Report, a report on the performance of city agencies.
(Text of the question as it will appear on the ballot.)
PRO
Proponents argue a number of reforms to the city's administrative rules would make for more efficient and accountable government.
For example, currently the administrative judges and hearing officers do not have a written code of conduct. The mayor wants to create one and fine those who violate it.
Another aspect of the ballot question would replace the current 16-member Voter Assistance Commission with a 7-member commission. (Read more about the commission)
The Voters Assistance Commission was created in 1988 and is charged with ensuring fair elections and encouraging voter participation. Streamlining this committee would reduce bureaucracy, advocates say, and improve the monitoring of elections in the city. The head of the current Voters Assistance Commission supports the plan.
Another provision would eliminate a lengthy report that costs the city valuable time and money. The city charter requires that the mayor issue two management reports each year: a preliminary report by mid-January and final report by mid-September. The management report must have detailed information on each of the city's 44 agencies. (See Guide to the Mayor's Management Report)
The mayor wants to eliminate the preliminary report, arguing that it is unnecessary and expensive.
CON
Critics of the proposal say it would diminish the vital aspects of the city charter that make the mayor accountable to the voters.
A major point of contention for the City Council is the Voter Assistance Commission. Currently, the City Council selects six of the sixteen members. This proposal would eliminate five of the six council appointees and give the mayor more say in who is on the commission.
"The idea runs the risk of making the Voters Assistance Commission severely partisan since the mayor's office is an inherently partisan agency," said Councilmember Joel Rivera.
The council and government watchdog groups are also upset with the idea of eliminating the Preliminary Mayor's Management Report. The purpose of the report is to monitor how responsive city government is to the public. The report is used for budget negotiations and the council often sets its agenda based on the information in the report.
Critics do not believe that the report is too expensive, but contend that if it is eliminated, government waste will be harder to monitor.
"Accountability stems from knowing what each dollar in the budget buys," wrote Glenn Pasenan in his article Shrinking Accountability. "Without the budget-service links, we are left with widget-counting."
The Six Questions
1. Paying for Sewage Systems2. 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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