Submitted by JohnF, Aug 16, 2008 09:46

The list of restricted donors omits a great many people who have "business dealings" with the city. At the top of the list should be people who have union contracts with the city -- that is, almost every employee of the city of New York, as well as their unions. Add to that tenants who have a business relationship with the city, specifically those whose maximum rent is determined by the city in exchange for their votes. That would surely include a majority of tenants in the city, specifically those with rent stabilized apartments. The list could also include those receiving direct government aid. Put another way, anyone whose rice bowl is filled or partially filled by the City of New York could -- and perhaps should be -- construed as having business dealings with the city. Certainly, omitting unions from the list is preposterous. Either the courts need to expand the definition, or toss out this law as having a capricious definition of "business dealings."

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