Preliminary Staff Report and Recommendations tothe Chair of the 2010Charter RevisionCommission

July 9, 2010

New York City Charter Revision Commission2 Lafayette Street, 14

FloorNew York, N.Y. 10007

HAIRatthew GoldsteinICE-CHAIRohn H. BanksSECRETARYngela Mariana FreyreEMBERSnthony Perez Cassinoetty Y. Chenavid Chenope Cohennthony W. Crowelltephen J. Fialarnest Hartev. Joseph M. McShane,.J.enneth M. Moltner atheryn Pattersonarlo A. Scissuraishop Mitchell G. Taylor XECUTIVE DIRECTORorna B. Goodman

July 9, 2010Dear Chairman Goldstein:As you requested in June, the staff has prepared a PreliminaryReport

to serve as the basis for further discussion and action bythe Commission. The contents reflect discussions withCommissioners, information elicited at the public hearings andexpert issue forums and at meetings with representatives of good government organizations and concerned citizens. Wehave examined the social science and other literature on theissues discussed in the Report and conducted legal research inconjunction with the New York City Corporation Counsel’sOffice, which serves as formal legal adviser to theCommission.The most difficult part of writing this report has been choosingfrom among the many creative and meritorious ideas offeredthose which the Commission has the time and resources to prepare for the ballot in November. With that in mind, theReport discusses those proposals which could be ready by November, and, in the last part, those proposals which needfurther study and discussion, are not within the Commission’sauthority to propose, or for other reasons should be reservedfor the future.As you have said from the start, this is an iterative process.We expect that Commissioners may want to discuss additional proposals, and that some of the staff’s recommendations will pass the test of the summer’s debate and others may be put back on the table. We view this Report as the first step in anexciting discussion that has yet to be concluded.The staff looks forward to working with you and the other Commission members to refine and distill the very best ideasto present to the voters.Yours truly,Lorna Goodman