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Good Government

As founder of WikiLaw.org, I believe that the Government and its body of law should be transparent for the people it governs. As founder of VoterSearch.org, I believe that protecting your right to vote is essential to an accountable government. As former Co-Chair of Community Board 8's Communication Committee, I worked to open the community board by announcingcommunity board membership applications and ensuring they were widely available at meetings. I have continued my work with Community Board 8's Communication Committee and we have made its television show "Community Board 8 Speaks" available online.

As your City Council member I will continue the work of making City Hall transparent by making its business available online through the web, PDF, podcast, and YouTube like videos. I will openCity Hall by creating NYC.OpenLegislation.org, a local version of OpenCongress.org, where anyone will be able to share their views on all business, in support of the mission of theParticipatory Politics Foundation. City Hall will become accountable to you the people as NYC.OpenLegislation.org, will let you track business before City Hall and how your representative voted on issues of importance to you.

Statement of Disappointment at Allegations of Former Upper East Side Council Member's Pay-to-Play Politics

Nonprofits provide vital services to communities in need throughout our City.  Constituents in need should have access to the same opportunities for City funding regardless of the size of the nonprofit or the ability of its employees and board members to contribute to politicians.  City funds for a district should not go out of district just because affiliates of a larger nonprofit have donated more.  No nonprofit should have to use tax dollars to benefit politicians instead of constituents in need.  

Barkan Report Kallos Disappointed in ‘Pay-to-Play’ Allegations in Borough President Race by Ross Barkan

http://barkanreport.com/post/48046005010/kallos-accuses-lappin-of-engaging-in-pa...

Kallos, who has made more transparent budgeting practices a centerpiece of his campaign, was referring to a Daily News report that Lappin, along with Councilman Robert Jackson, showered discretionary funding on nonprofit groups whose boards and staffers have contributed to their campaigns. City Council discretionary funding, in the wake of the recent bribery scheme involving Councilman Dan Halloran, has received new scrutiny. Mayoral candidates Bill de Blasio and Sal Albanese have called for the abolition of so-called member items. 

Issue: 
Good Government

Gotham Gazette Op-Ed: Fight Member Item Corruption Using Participatory Budgeting by Ben Kallos

http://www.gothamgazette.com/index.php/opinions/4222-op-ed-fight-member-item-cor...

Last week’s events call attention to the importance that each one of the fifty-one members of the city’s only legislature have in determining how we as a city spend $77.7 billion dollars, comprising the fourth largest budget in the country after the federal, California, and New York State budgets.

Issue: 
Good Government