There is a lot at stake this election cycle, and that includes right here in New York City. In addition to the federal election and down-ballot races, New Yorkers will have the opportunity to vote on six ballot proposals in November. The first, Proposition 1, would amend the state constitution to guarantee reproductive rights, which we all support. The other proposals, 2-6, we are urging all voters to reject for what they are: deceptive and harmful efforts to rewrite the City Charter — the equivalent of New York City’s constitution — in order to strip decision-making power from New Yorkers and city council.
This past summer, Eric Adams convened a commission full of loyalists to kill a proposal from the City Council. The commission’s aim was to gift new powers and secrecy to whoever occupies Gracie Mansion. The result is a flurry of measures – ballot proposals 2 through 6 – being jammed into the November ballot that will, if passed, weaken checks and balances, make it harder to hold officials accountable, and undermine local democracy.
Together, the four of us represent twelve overlapping neighborhoods in Queens and Brooklyn. We all ran for office to fight for a New York where working families, not the ultra-rich, determine our future, where public goods are not sold off to the highest billionaire bidder, and where bold policies and solutions lead to a healthy, thriving city and state. We believe in the power of raising expectations of what government should do for the people who make this city run: workers.
Crucial to that vision is expanding democracy. That’s why we’re urging everyone to vote YES on Prop 1, and — in coalition with the group No Power Grab NYC! — to vote NO on Ballot Proposals 2 through 6.
Prop 1 is easy: Reproductive and civil rights are under attack across this country. After the overturning of Roe v. Wade, we can’t take our freedoms for granted any longer. We must move now to permanently protect abortion and ensure civil rights for all New Yorkers. Prop 1 will guarantee these freedoms as fundamental rights under our state constitution.
However we want to be clear on the rest: Proposals 2 through 6 are nothing short of a naked power grab by Eric Adams – regressive measures that will make the city’s constitution less democratic and give New Yorkers less say in how their city operates.
Take Proposal 2, called “Cleaning Public Property,” which undercuts New Yorkers’ ability to change sanitation laws and gives more power to the Mayor’s Sanitation Department to harass and criminalize street vendors.
We’ve seen the attacks on immigrant workers, like the recent crackdown on street vendors in Bushwick that sent a grandfather to the hospital, in every borough. We should be fighting for the well-being of vulnerable workers, not encouraging their dehumanization or investing in their criminalization.
Proposal 3, “Fiscal Responsibility,” is just more misdirection. It would erode the city’s separation of powers and give Adams, and other future mayors, more unchecked power and cover to block initiatives he doesn’t like, without having to say why.
It would impose new, onerous and redundant “reviews” designed to stall popular legislation and give special interests time to water it down or kill it outright. Passing legislation is already difficult, Prop 3 would make it nearly impossible.
Proposal 4, called “Public Safety,” purposely gives the Department of Corrections and New York Police Department new public policy powers that no other agency has — and shields them from accountability and transparency while impeding city council’s ability to intervene in emergency public safety laws.
Finally, like the others, Proposals 5 and 6 are bad-faith ballot additions that fail to advance any meaningful reforms.
Prop 5 adds still more layers to the city’s capital planning process — the critical stage where budget priorities are set — in a bid to take decisions about neighborhood infrastructure away from the communities that know best, without adding no new public transparency to the capital planning process. Prop 6 ties three unrelated issues together to hand the mayor more control over the city’s public records, the issuing of entertainment permits, and the awarding of city contracts — in every case allowing any future mayor to more easily ignore public input.
As our city faces serious crises in housing, education, policing, and the cost of living, New Yorkers want and need more transparency from their mayor, not less. We call on all New Yorkers to vote YES on Prop 1. And we encourage everyone to vote NO on Props 2 through 6 to put a stop to Eric Adams’ cynical power grab.
Jennifer Gutiérrez represents New York City Council’s 34th district, which includes parts of Bushwick, East Williamsburg and Ridgewood. Sandy Nurse represents New York City Council’s 37th district, which includes parts of Bushwick, Brownsville, Cypress Hills, Cityline and East New York. Julia Salazar represents the New York State Senate’s 18th district, which covers much of Northern Brooklyn. Claire Valdez is the Democratic Party nominee to represent the New York State Assembly’s 37th district, which includes parts of Ridgewood and Long Island City.
Bushwick Daily is committed to publishing a diversity of local voices. Do you have a rebuttal? Email [email protected]
Top photo taken by Erik Kanter for Bushwick Daily.
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