Changing With The Times:
Reforming The City Charter
By Randy Mastro

This November, as New York City voters you will have a chance to exercise a unique democratic right, one that will have lasting implications for our city. You will be asked to vote on changes to the City Charter. Despite the significance of this action, however, the process of revising the Charter--and the Charter itself--are not well understood. That's why, even before specific proposals are discussed, it is important to take time to learn what the Charter is and how it is revised.

The New York City Charter is essentially the blueprint for our local government. It functions like a constitution for city government, but while amendments to the United States Constitution are extremely rare, the City Charter is amended and revised on a regular basis. The Charter outlines the structure, rights, and responsibilities of our local government. For example, the Charter establishes the Office of the Mayor and describes the role of the City Council and the Borough Presidents. It also requires that the city provide a Sanitation Department, a Police Department and a Fire Department for the benefit and protection of residents. The Charter is, above all, a functional document. It was created with the expectation that it would be updated to adjust to changing times.

In 1901, the year the city's modern Charter was first revised, the City Comptroller--a Democrat by the name of Bird S. Coler--wrote a book on municipal government. In the first line of the first chapter he wrote, "It was not expected that a charter for a great city would be perfect." Revisions to the Charter were expected by Coler and his contemporaries and considered desirable. These turn of the century leaders knew the importance of learning from government's successes and failures and understood there would be innovations they could not foresee. History has proven them right. In fact, over the last 100 years there have been nine separate successful charter revisions in New York City.

Charter Revision gives us an opportunity to incorporate the lessons we have learned as a city into our governing document--whether it is protecting our city from future budget crises or protecting foster children and the rights of immigrants. Charter revision gives us the ability to institutionalize reforms and innovations that have proven their worth. It also gives New Yorkers the power to change those institutions that have resisted reform.

Charter Revision allows voters to decide for themselves whether to vote for or against a series of very concrete and important proposals. The 15 members of the current Charter Commission--the majority of whom are Democrats--believe that each citizen should have a say in the big issues that our city will face in the future. We encourage you to study the proposals and attend hearings that will be held in each borough. We believe that the people of New York City should determine the direction of New York City.

The purpose of Charter Revision is simple: Good government. The proposals that we submit for the voters' approval will build squarely upon the successes our city has seen over the past eight years. If you think New York City is a better place to live, work and raise a family than it was eight years ago, Charter Revision is your best opportunity to see that our progress becomes permanent. So let's keep the progress going. Support Charter reform.

Randy Mastro is chair of the 2001 New York City Charter Revision Commission