NYC’s mayoral accountability at risk as City Council’s appointments usurp power

New York’s City Council is aiming to reduce the authority of the mayor by requiring its approval for top mayoral appointees.

This poses a direct challenge to the core of New York City’s operations: mayoral accountability.

New Yorkers rely on the mayor to lead a city that provides one billion gallons of clean drinking water daily, educates over 900,000 public school students, and responds to more than one million medical emergencies each year.

New York City’s population speaks over 175 languages and relies on 330,000 public service professionals to maintain 30,000 acres of parkland and 878 bridges across all five boroughs.

When the garbage isn’t collected or the streets aren’t cleared of snow, New Yorkers hold their mayor accountable.

The snowstorm of 1969 put then-mayor John Lindsay’s re-election in jeopardy, leading him to admit in a television commercial that he “made a mistake” in the cleanup effort.

The current City Charter, ratified by New Yorkers in November 1989, established a 51-member City Council.

Each council district represents around 172,000 residents, ensuring some level of representation for most ethnic and racial groups.

However, the charter grants the mayor the authority to appoint deputy mayors and commissioners who oversee major municipal agencies, making the mayor ultimately responsible for their competence and performance.

In contrast, the City Council’s power is dispersed.

The council convenes as a whole only twice a month, with rare meetings in July or August.

Council members play a significant role in reviewing and passing the city’s $110 billion budget, as well as having a direct say in approving or rejecting land-use plans and physical projects.

However, members seek to expand their authority, largely due to the limitations of their roles not offering a clear path to higher office.

Council members have term limits, and proposing and passing legislation is a time-consuming process.

Moreover, public hearings challenging mayoral appointments could elevate any council member to instant stardom on television.

No City Council speaker has successfully transitioned to a more influential electoral position.

This is not by chance.

Current Speaker Adrienne Adams ran unopposed in her last primary election and won the general election with just 6,521 votes.

Council members often secure their party’s nomination with even fewer votes.

Many districts lack substantial two-party competition, as Democrats significantly outnumber Republicans in the city.

Ironically, the state Legislature holds more influence over fundamental city services than the City Council does: New York State governs the subways, teacher certifications, high school diploma requirements, and penalties for most crimes.

Most New Yorkers recognize that the mayor must balance the diverse values and interests of 8.3 million residents.

Conversely, City Council members are only answerable to the voters in their districts.

Similar to the principle in the United States Constitution where powers not specified are delegated to state governments, the New York City charter assigns unspecified powers to the mayor’s office.

This is why talented and ambitious individuals vie for the position of mayor in New York City.

It’s a role with the potential to impact the lives of every New Yorker.

Diminishing the office, as the City Council intends to do, would be more detrimental than beneficial.

Mitchell L. Moss is a professor of urban policy and planning at New York University.