Change may come to Speaker's role

From Capital New York:

A City Council coalition is pushing for a series of reforms to empower individual members at the expense of the Council's next speaker.

Thirty existing and incoming members have signed onto the changes, led by Brooklyn councilman Brad Lander, who co-chairs the body's growing Progressive Caucus.

Council bills require 26 votes to pass, so if all 30 supporters are re-elected on Tuesday and continue to back the measures, the new rules are likely to be enacted.

"We think we've seen time and again where you get reform, where you get more transparency, you actually get a more effective body," Lander said.

The councilman and his allies want discretionary funds for non-profits to be distributed evenly amongst the body's 51 members, or allocated based on the size, population and average income of those members' districts.

The current system, which is based on political clout and specific requests for funding from members, was the source of much criticism of outgoing speaker Christine Quinn during her unsuccessful mayoral campaign this year.

The 30 supporters, including several candidates for speaker, also hope to facilitate the introduction of bills and subsequent committee hearings by creating a legislative division that works independently of the speaker.

Presently, the Council's legislative division must either draft bills at members' requests in a certain timeframe, or provide reasons for why the measures will not be pursued, Quinn spokeswoman Maria Alvarado said.