The most potent weapon the speaker of the City Council has to control the local legislature — discretionary funds dispensed as “pork” — would be removed under measures supported by a majority of members.
Proposals being circulated by 30 of the 51 lawmakers would take away the power of allotting funds to council members and their districts from the speaker, one of the position’s pivotal tools for swaying votes.
Instead, the funds — which often go toward neighborhood nonprofits, social-service providers and recreational groups — would be distributed by a more equitable formula that takes into account factors such as population, funding needs or geographic size.
“Right now, too much politics goes into who gets how much money for discretionary funds. It needs to be equitable, it needs to be fair and it certainly needs to be transparent,” said council member Liz Crowley (D-Queens).
“New Yorkers deserve to know how their tax dollars are spent and why one area may have received more funds versus another.”
Crowley is among several of Council members who have claimed funding was cut to their districts after they clashed with the current speaker, Christine Quinn.
Quinn’s office has denied those claims.
In the most recent fiscal year, $50 million was distributed to the 51 council districts through so-called “member items.”
But some legislators are defending current practice, saying the power to distribute funds is a necessary “carrot and stick” that brings cohesion to a group of lawmakers that would otherwise be rudderless.
“I’m a member of the minority party and I’m saying this — you get to the point where if you over-democratize the institution, you essentially neuter the position of speaker,” said James Oddo (R-SI).
“How on earth can we be a legitimate check on the executive . . . when the rules already give the executive an imbalance of power?”
Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Queens) said it was premature for prospective lawmakers to discuss the initiative since council elections aren’t until next Tuesday, and a new speaker has yet to be selected.
“If you weaken the office of the speaker or the power of the speaker, you will enable the mayor and the executive office to pick off individual members of the council to get certain legislative proposals or policies enacted,” said Ulrich, echoing his GOP colleague.
“Particularly when it comes to land-use items and the budget, our negotiating ability is strengthened by the fact that we are united and that we speak with one voice rather than 51 different voices.”
Supporters of the reform measure insist it can work even with competing interests at work.
“Yes, you have to be able to act together, and a good speaker will enable this body to work together in a very productive and positive way,” said Brad Lander (D-Bklyn.).
“We believe that with more transparency, more inclusion and more fairness, you’ll get the contribution of members who have an awful lot to contribute.”
One skeptical council insider pointed out that previous attempts to change the member-item process have flopped.