The Census numbers released last week showed the end of years of decline here in Albany, with our population coming to just under 98,000. But as Jordan Carleo-Evangelist reports, the Common Council may actually shrink if one of the two suggested proposals goes through:
City lawmakers are launching a series of public hearings Wednesday on whether 15 council members — more than Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Yonkers — are too many.
Two competing proposals would cut the number of council seats to nine and seven respectively, and the council is mulling which — if either — should appear on November’s ballot in advance of the next council elections in 2013.
Both proposals would also strip voters of the privilege of picking the council president — who is elected citywide and is first in line to succeed the mayor — and give that power to the council members themselves.
Councilman Richard Conti, author of the nine-ward plan, proposes giving 52 percent of the savings — an estimated $640,000 over four years — back to city coffers, while the rest would be used to beef up the council’s staff and increase salaries commensurate with the demands of representing larger districts. The $1.25 million in estimated four-year savings from Councilman Anton Konev’s seven-member plan would all go back to the city.
Council members currently earn $20,314 annually and are eligible for city health insurance and a public pension to which the city contributes.
Conti said the goal is not just to save money but to make the council a more effective check against the executive branch of government, which has long dominated city affairs.
Those opposed to shrinking the Council argue that this is nothing more than political consolidation and also argue that the end result of this means reduced minority representation on the Council. I think only the latter holds any weight.
Obviously, shrinking the Common Council is a consolidation of political power by definition but the argument that I’ve seen is that this is an intentional to limit the conversation and I just don’t see that being the case. Barbara Smith of the 4th Ward is quoted as saying shrinking of the Common Council leads to fewer voices. In my opinion, as a lazy observer of the Common Council, the problem with it and the reason it has been an ineffective check on the Mayor, is because there have been too many voices.
If I had to weigh the pros and cons of the two proposals, I would have to say that Conti’s plans allows for a more effective Council. Over half of the savings goes back to the city and the rest fixes the problems that arise with shrinking the Council–larger districts means larger body of constituents which means more casework, etc, etc–Conti’s plan allows for the rest of the savings to be used to beef up the Council’s staff. Not sure if I agree with the pay raise portion of the plan, but the beefing up of the staff is crucial. That’s my chief issue with Konev’s plan. You can’t cut the Council in half and not beef up a Councilmember’s ability to handle what would be an increased workload. Under Konev’s plan, a single Councilmember would represent somewhere near 14,000 residents, up from the current roughly 6,000–with no pay raise and no additional staff. (Ed. Note: I actually did all the math myself then realized Jordan had already beat me to the punch. Woe is me.)
A critical issue with both proposals is taking away the power the residents have in electing a Common Council President. I wonder what the rationale behind taking this particular power away is. This, more than anything else about the other two proposals, is about consolidation of power. From the notice of public hearings on the proposals, here’s the rationale for the change:
As a separately elected official, the Council President presides at Council meetings and votes only in the event of a tie. The Council President is also a member of the Board of Estimate and Apportionment and the Board of the Albany Community Development Agency. The Council President succeeds to the office of Mayor in the event of a vacancy. As a separately elected official the Council President is not accountable to the Common Council as a whole or representative of the Council. It has been argued that the duties and responsibilities of a separately elected President of the Common Council are better exercised by a member of the Common Council elected by Council Members. This would strengthen the position of President of the Common Council as an office which is representative of the Council.
The representatives need a representative? I’m sorry, I wasn’t aware that’s how it works.
I suggest people go to the public hearings on the matter and decide for yourself:
Wednesday (March 30th): City Hall, 7 p.m.
April 6: Pine Hill Branch of the Albany Public Library, 7 p.m.
April 13: Albany Housing Authority, 7 p.m.
April 27: Albany Community Development Agency, 7 p.m.
