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Press Releases
March 22, 2016
New York, NY – Candidates for public office in New York City would no longer need big dollar contributions in order to run for office under new legislation, Int. 1130, introduced by Council Members Ben Kallos, Fernando Cabrera and Brad Lander. The legislation would increase the amount that is matched with public dollars at 6 to 1 from $175 to $250 and would increase the public match from 55% to 85% of the total spending cap.
In the 2013 mayoral race, maximum contributions of $4,950 accounted for less than 5% of all contributions. These big dollar contributions accounted for nearly than half of funds raised ($23.9 million out of the total $48.9 million).
March 19, 2016
Our city continues to grow and with it our need for more schools. The challenge we face as a city is juxtaposing that need against a limited amount of land on which to build new schools, especially in areas where new development is occurring. As you know, the limited supply of land is a key barrier to the construction of new schools and every vacant lot must be seen as a potential opportunity for building structures that can be used to educate the city’s children. My district, and the city as a whole, is currently faced with the challenge of impending church closings. Although we wish to avoid the closings, they present a unique and time sensitive opportunity for building new schools that would go a long way in increasing the number of available school seats, and especially pre-kindergarten seats.
March 18, 2016
The death of an Upper East Side resident Tuesday morning after being struck by a city Sanitation truck at First Avenue and 92nd street was the type of tragedy our city is working so hard to avoid. My thoughts and prayers are with the victim of this tragic collision as well as her friends and family.
Unfortunately, the administration's plan to build a Marine Transfer Station -- the only such facility in a residential neighborhood -- will bring many more trucks through this dense area and make it all too likely for tragedy to repeat itself. Garbage trucks and residential neighborhoods don't mix and we must stop hundreds of trucks from driving through residential side streets that are already dangerous.
March 17, 2016
Council Member Kallos gave the below remarks upon voting in favor of both Mandatory Inclusionary Housing and Zoning for Quality and Affordability at today's hearing of the Committee on Land Use. "Thank you to the Speaker, Chair Greenfield, Chair Richards, and the Council Staff for your hard work amending both proposals to reflect the voices and expertise of our communities. I have spent the past year fighting to improve Zoning for Quality and Affordability (ZQA) and Mandatory Inclusionary Housing (MIH) to build affordable housing for all New Yorkers while protecting light and air by limiting building heights.
March 9, 2016
New York, NY – The vast bureaucracy of New York City would be tamed by a new bill that would centralize New Yorkers’ interactions with government through a new mobile app and website personalized to each resident. The legislation authored by Council Member Ben Kallos would allow residents to apply for affordable housing, benefits and jobs, and business licenses, or pay parking tickets, taxes and fines as well as manage their city services all from one account on a mobile app or website.
March 2, 2016
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March 1, 2016
Elections and Civic Engagement Targeted for Upgrades by N.Y. City Council
New York, NY – A legislative package of 11 bills and resolutions aiming to improve elections and civic engagement through increasing voter information, additional language access, expanding the franchise and improving election administration were heard yesterday in the Committee on Governmental Operations, chaired by Council Member Ben Kallos. Many of the bills in the package were highlighted in Speaker Melissa Mark-Vivierto’s State of the City.
U.S. voter turnout in recent elections has been staggeringly low. 53.6% of eligible voters cast a ballot in the 2012 presidential election and 36.4% in the 2014 midterm elections, the lowest rate since 1942. In New York State, the number is even lower, with turnout of only 29% in the 2014 midterms, making it 49th in the nation for voter participation. In New York City, the turnout rate for that election was an historic low of 20%.
Voter information legislation would offer email and text reminders, mail voter histories, notify voters when poll sites moved during preceding four years, and provide a voter guide for all elections. Language access legislation would offer that voter guide in additional languages and mandate Russian language interpreters. Resolutions to expand the franchise seek to restore voting rights to parolees and designate a day for student voter registration. Legislation to improve the election administration would consolidate primaries, allow in person early voting, and requests that the Board of Elections allow poll workers to work 8 hour shifts instead of 16 hours or longer. Taken together, these changes hope to improve the democratic process ahead of this year’s Presidential election.
“We need a voting process that encourages greater participation,” said Council Member Ben Kallos, Chair of the Committee on Governmental Operations. “This package of legislation ensures that New York City’s voting process is transparent, inclusive, and adaptable to new technologies. By opening up the process to more voters, we are one step closer to a City that has a more inclusive voting process which aims at strengthening civic engagement.”
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February 26, 2016
Broad coalition supporting the city’s proposal includes business, labor, AARP, and more
NEW YORK—Mayor Bill de Blasio, Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, Public Advocate Letitia James, Comptroller Scott Stringer and a broad coalition of business, labor, and other leaders rallied today in support of New York City’s push to become the first city in the country to create a retirement savings program for private sector employees.
February 22, 2016
NEW YORK CITY– Today, more than 150 New Yorkers joined community groups, environmental justice leaders, national environmental organizations, and local officials on the steps of City Hall to thank Mayor Bill de Blasio for his commitment to power 100 percent of City operations with renewable energy and urge him to ensure that offshore wind power plays a major role in achieving that goal.
At the rally, a letter signed by over 50 diverse organizations calling for offshore wind power was delivered to the Mayor. The letter highlights the massive potential of offshore wind power to reduce pollution and spark transformative job creation in New York City and across the state. Prioritizing offshore wind power for NYC is also crucial for meeting Mayor de Blasio’s broader goal of cutting climate pollution in New York City 80 percent by 2050 and 35 percent within government operations by 2025. The letter also calls on New York State and the Federal Government to take the actions necessary to launch offshore wind power for New York.
February 8, 2016
The Eastside Taskforce for Homeless Outreach and Services (“ETHOS”) launched today by Council Member Ben Kallos, Council Member Dan Garodnick, State Senator Liz Krueger and Manhattan Borough Preisdent Gale Brewer with churches, synagogues, and non-profits devoted to addressing challenges facing the significant number of homeless people on the Upper East Side. The Taskforce, in formation over the past 4 months, will provide support for breakfast, lunch and dinner meals, food pantries, street outreach, legal services, substance abuse, medical, supportive housing and shelter services.
