Bloomberg Unveils Choices for Charter Revision Panel
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
Mayor Bloomberg announced his choices for a Charter Revision Commission, which will review the entire city charter and focus on codifying some of the budget practices that grew out of the city’s 1970s fiscal crisis.
Mr. Bloomberg’s decision to create a commission automatically blocks anyone else from putting an initiative on the ballot because charter commission initiatives take precedence.
Some analysts said Mr. Bloomberg appointed the commission so he can control what is on the ballot during his re-election campaign. The issues he wants the commission to study are not particularly time sensitive.
The new commission members are:
* Ester Fuchs (chairwoman), special adviser to the mayor for governance and strategic planning. She lives in Manhattan.
* Robert Abrams, a partner of Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP. He is a former New York State attorney general. He lives in Manhattan.
* Amalia Victoria Betanzos, president of Wildcat Service Corporation, a nonprofit employment program. She lives on Staten Island.
* Stephanie Palmer, the executive director of the New York City Mission Society and a former executive director of Human Services Council of New York City. She lives in Manhattan.
* Stephen Fiala, the county clerk and commissioner of jurors for Richmond County.A former member of the New York City Council, he lives on Staten Island.
* Curtis Archer, executive director of the Rockaway Development and Revitalization Corporation. He lives in Queens.
* Lilliam Barrios-Paoli, senior vice president and chief executive for agency services of the United Way of New York City. She lives in Manhattan.
* Anthony Crowell, special counsel to Mr. Bloomberg and a former executive director and general counsel to several previous charter revision commissions. He lives in Brooklyn.
* David Chen, the executive director of the Chinese-American Planning Council. He lives in Manhattan.
* Mary McCormick, president of the Fund for the City of New York. She lives in Brooklyn.
* Dall Forsythe, the chief administrative officer of the Episcopal Diocese of New York. He is the former budget director for New York State. He lives in Manhattan.
* Jennifer Raab, president of Hunter College. She lives in the Bronx.
* Stanley Grayson, the president and chief operating officer of M.R. Beal & Company. Mr. Grayson held several senior positions within New York City government, including deputy mayor for finance and economic development. He lives in Manhattan.