Restrictions Placed on Council Member Ads
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.
The City Council today voted 48-1 to institute new restrictions on council members’ advertisements, seeking to prevent officeholders from using city resources for self-promotion. Under the new rules, council members are prohibited from taking out advertisements wishing constituents a happy holiday or congratulating them. In addition, they can no longer advertise in organization newsletters or advertise events not sponsored by the government. The new rules do not bar council members from using public funds to purchase garbage cans bearing their names.
“These new rule changes send a clear message that we are committed to responsible, open government,” the speaker of the City Council, Christine Quinn, said yesterday.
“If we are going to inspire confidence in our constituents, we must make the way we spend their hard-earned tax dollars beyond reproach,” she said.
