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	<title>Comments on: Charter Commission Puts out a Preliminary To Do List</title>
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	<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/07/09/commisison-puts-out-a-preliminary-to-do-list/</link>
	<description>Gotham Gazette&#039;s blog about New York policy and politics</description>
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		<title>By: Gene Russianoff</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/07/09/commisison-puts-out-a-preliminary-to-do-list/comment-page-1/#comment-101868</link>
		<dc:creator>Gene Russianoff</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:18:10 +0000</pubDate>
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		<description>I think the staff of the City Charter Revision Commission got it right, not biting off more than the Commission could chew.

	The staff has wisely recommended placing a limited range of proposals on the November ballot. This makes sense, given the short time frame with final proposals due in eight weeks.  This avoids giving the interested public insufficient time to consider the merits of many proposals during a broiling New York summer, such as the complex and fractious issue of non-partisan elections as well as land use issues.

	In our first look at the report, we find a number of meritorious proposals, including:

	* giving the voters more than one choice on the kind of term limits the City should have;

	• mandating that any future term limits changes by legislation be prospective only (i.e., do not extend the eligibility of any incumbent official);

	• recommending public discussion of Instant Runoff Voting, which could give voters a choice without having to conduct expensive, high-cost runoff elections;

	• halving the onerous the number of ballot petition signature gathering for City candidates; 

	• consolidating the Voter Assistance Commission and the Campaign Finance Board; and

	• increasing penalties for violating the City&#039;s Conflicts of Interest Code and mandating ethics training for City employees.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I think the staff of the City Charter Revision Commission got it right, not biting off more than the Commission could chew.</p>
<p>	The staff has wisely recommended placing a limited range of proposals on the November ballot. This makes sense, given the short time frame with final proposals due in eight weeks.  This avoids giving the interested public insufficient time to consider the merits of many proposals during a broiling New York summer, such as the complex and fractious issue of non-partisan elections as well as land use issues.</p>
<p>	In our first look at the report, we find a number of meritorious proposals, including:</p>
<p>	* giving the voters more than one choice on the kind of term limits the City should have;</p>
<p>	• mandating that any future term limits changes by legislation be prospective only (i.e., do not extend the eligibility of any incumbent official);</p>
<p>	• recommending public discussion of Instant Runoff Voting, which could give voters a choice without having to conduct expensive, high-cost runoff elections;</p>
<p>	• halving the onerous the number of ballot petition signature gathering for City candidates; </p>
<p>	• consolidating the Voter Assistance Commission and the Campaign Finance Board; and</p>
<p>	• increasing penalties for violating the City&#8217;s Conflicts of Interest Code and mandating ethics training for City employees.</p>
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