Rays of Sunshine Penetrate the City Council
Queens City Councilman Hiram Monserrate (D) will introduce a bill to require the disclosure of members of the City Council that are responsible for the "member items" that are added to the budget each year. These appropriations, numbering in the hundreds each year, are inserted by council members right before budget megotiations with the mayor end. These items come with little explanation of the purpose of each item, nor are there total figures or year-by-year comparisons.
Although Monserrate may be introducing the bill to build his bona fides in challenging fellow Democrat State Senator John Sabini for his seat this year, this is nonetheless a good proposal.
This is but one of the proposals put forth this year to reform the Council.
Earlier this year, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn introduced three bills to overhaul the lobbying regulations in New York City.
Gotham Gazette describes the bills:
Intro 190 would require that the City Clerk educate lobbyists on existing regulations and undertake random audits to ensure that lobbyists who also raise money for candidates or serve as political consultants are reporting their activities properly.
Intro 191 would outlaw any gifts from lobbyists to elected officials. Currently, officials are allowed to receive gifts valued at up to $50. Violators would be subject to a fine of up to $30,000.
Intro 192 would change the city's campaign finance law so that contributions from lobbyists can no longer be matched with public funds. Currently, contributions are matched $4 to $1.
All bills passed the City Council by a vote of 49-0 on May 24th(Dennis Gallagher and Miguel Martinez were excused) and signed into law by Mayor Bloomberg on June 13th. Anyone may look at the status of those bills by visiting the New York City Council website.
With all the problems passing reform legislation in Congress and in the State Legislature, however small the reform may be, it is refreshing to find some ideas taking root in the New York City Council. Hopefully, this trend will continue.
Although Monserrate may be introducing the bill to build his bona fides in challenging fellow Democrat State Senator John Sabini for his seat this year, this is nonetheless a good proposal.
This is but one of the proposals put forth this year to reform the Council.
Earlier this year, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn introduced three bills to overhaul the lobbying regulations in New York City.
Gotham Gazette describes the bills:
Intro 190 would require that the City Clerk educate lobbyists on existing regulations and undertake random audits to ensure that lobbyists who also raise money for candidates or serve as political consultants are reporting their activities properly.
Intro 191 would outlaw any gifts from lobbyists to elected officials. Currently, officials are allowed to receive gifts valued at up to $50. Violators would be subject to a fine of up to $30,000.
Intro 192 would change the city's campaign finance law so that contributions from lobbyists can no longer be matched with public funds. Currently, contributions are matched $4 to $1.
All bills passed the City Council by a vote of 49-0 on May 24th(Dennis Gallagher and Miguel Martinez were excused) and signed into law by Mayor Bloomberg on June 13th. Anyone may look at the status of those bills by visiting the New York City Council website.
With all the problems passing reform legislation in Congress and in the State Legislature, however small the reform may be, it is refreshing to find some ideas taking root in the New York City Council. Hopefully, this trend will continue.
posted by Will at 1:23 PM
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