Just a few weeks before the election, the city Council of new York city may abolish the elected office of the public advocate. Today, November 14, 5 legislators present at the meeting of the Council an appropriate bill.
This will occur in less than 2 months before the current public advocate Letitia James will leave this post to hold the post of attorney General after winning the election held last week.
The public advocate of new York-the municipal office in the Executive branch, which was established in 1993, is President of the city Council. In addition to Letitia James public lawyers since 1993 was also mark green, Betsy Gotbaum and bill De Blasio.
Public advocate presided over the meetings of the city Council and was a member of all its committees. Since the changes in 2002, the public advocate has lost the right to vote, but may submit bills for consideration is the Ombudsman in the oversight of city agencies and programs.
One of the reasons for the abolition of the post was called saving taxpayers ‘ money. For the current fiscal year budget of the office of public counsel is approximately $3.6 million, and the salary itself Letitia James this year reached nearly $185 thousand.
Before he became aware of the bill, there were many candidates for the vacated seat. If the office of public counsel is not abolished, he will be elected in nonpartisan special elections in early 2019. Among the candidates: a member of the Board of new York, Jumaan Williams, journalist Nomic Konst, members of the state Assembly Michael Blake and Daniel O’donnell.
Whether the bill is passed, it is unknown, however, O’donnell stated: the Executive power must be the controller.
«Progressive and independent public advocate who fights corruption, is exactly what she wants and what this city needs, but this is the worst nightmare for many politicians,» wrote O’donnell on Twitter.
What Kalman Jaeger, one of those who will be presenting today the draft law, said that the opinion of O’donnell — the last thing he is interested in.
