More choices for all New Yorkers – New York Daily News

As a retiree, I proceed to pay dues to my labor union after spending 11 years as a public faculty trainer. As a former NYC councilmember I compiled a powerful labor pleasant report.

Labor unions have been main contributors to creating a powerful center class in America and New York Metropolis is, and can proceed to be, a union city. Politicians of all stripes will search their endorsement beneath the current (and poor) electoral system or beneath the Open Primaries and Closing 5 system I’m proposing. The distinction is that my reform will end in a greater ruled metropolis. Good governance is necessary to all New Yorkers and particularly for organized labor as town is experiencing a myriad of issues.

New York is hemorrhaging rich taxpayers who pay a major quantity of taxes. Business actual property in Manhattan is being hammered, leading to much less income for metropolis coffers. As well as, federal largesse as a result of pandemic is drying up. Many center and dealing class civil servant retirees fed up with high quality of life, excessive actual property taxes and rents are shifting down South. I’m watching the exodus in my house borough of Staten Island and my former Council District in South Brooklyn.

The municipal lively and retiree workforce is already dealing with greater well being care prices, together with copays and conflicts over who will cowl their advantages in retirement. This subject will grow to be extra pronounced as child boomers are retiring in massive numbers and live longer.

Then there’s the outlined profit pensions which might be so necessary to sustaining an honest high quality of life within the golden years. The NYC pension plans are adequately funded presently and for the close to future, thanks partially to town’s contributions. Nevertheless, there are hazard indicators forward due to demographics I listed above and poor inventory market efficiency. These dynamics will outcome within the metropolis having to extend its contributions to keep up the viability of the pension system.

Non-public sector unions in development, and so on. face a few of the identical headwinds as a result of they rely on a fiscally steady and well-run authorities. Lastly, the fiscal well being of town has lots to do with unions negotiating contracts that at the very least hold tempo with inflation. Indicators appear to level to the workforce (a few of whom are working beneath expired contracts) not receiving agreements that may sustain with the price of residing.

Political management is important to a livable and financially wholesome metropolis. New Yorkers have been burdened by poor management and except that adjustments quickly this nice metropolis will proceed its downward spiral. One of many predominant obstacles to good management is an outdated and damaged political system that advantages political insiders on the expense of nearly all of residents.

Our electoral course of, pushed by closed celebration primaries, is an train in low turnout elections dominated by excessive partisans on the left and proper. Multiple million and rising unaffiliated voters are excluded from taking part within the metropolis’s most necessary election, the first. The winner, particularly in citywide elections, is a lock to win the workplace as a result of common elections aren’t aggressive. The dearth of a aggressive common contest and being elected by a small slice of town’s inhabitants is horrible.

I’m proposing an overhaul of our electoral system to let all registered voters forged their poll in an open main and permit candidates to run beneath conventional celebration traces, smaller celebration banners or no labels. The highest 5 vote getters will then transfer on to the overall election the place Ranked Alternative Voting is utilized, guaranteeing not solely badly wanted competitors however that the winner must garner greater than 50% of the vote.

Due to this fact, the mayor and different officers will probably be considerably incentivized to control on behalf of nearly all of voters quite than a small slice of primarily laborious core partisan main individuals. The open main and ultimate 5 system may also decrease polarization and encourage elected officers to concentrate on fixing issues as a result of they must enchantment to a broader constituency as an alternative of a tiny share of voters to be reelected.

Labor unions, and certainly all residents, can have a lot to lose if town shouldn’t be nicely ruled. I’m a powerful believer that the open main and ultimate 5 idea will result in a greater ruled New York and plan to make my case to labor leaders. Town is a labor city and unions will proceed to play a key function in electing its management beneath any political scheme. Nevertheless, I’m urging them to assist reform our politics as a result of it’s within the curiosity of their members and town as a complete.

Albanese is chairman of Final Five Voting NYC.