New York CityProposal 1

“If you are a fan of New York City’s outdoor dining, this amendment is an easy “yes.””

— Abundance New York

“Government efficiency is important, but it should not come at the expense of public participation and legislative oversight. Streamlining administrative processes should not mean removing meaningful opportunities for New Yorkers and their elected representatives to weigh in on decisions affecting public spaces.”

— Common Cause New York

“JFREJ recommends voting yes on all five ballot measures.”

— Jews For Racial & Economic Justice

“This is a straightforward, positive step to improve the outdoor dining culture that has greatly benefited our city.”

— Citizens Union

“We strongly support efforts to streamline the approval process for the City’s popular outdoor dining program. The ballot proposal smartly combines the revocable consent requirements for sidewalk cafés and roadway dining into a single application, making it easier for businesses to apply.”

— Reinvent Albany

“creates a barrier to participation, particularly for low-income residents and people with sensory or digital access limitations. It also does not allow for valuable back-and-forth conversations with public officials.”

— Center for Independence of the Disabled, New York

“swift and efficient approval for these and other accessibility projects is an important step ensuring that millions of New Yorkers and visitors with disabilities can access housing, public space, and transportation.”

— New York Lawyers for the Public Interest

“we support the land use proposals in ballot questions #1, 2, and 4”

— Municipal Art Society of New York

“Removal of requiring newspaper advertising for public hearings may not be replaced with a method sufficient to notify the public.”

— League of Women Voters of the City of New York

“The Council is concerned by the speed and process through which the Administration advanced these Charter Revision Commission proposals”

— New York City Council spokesperson

“We're particularly excited about ballot proposals one and three, to speed up outdoor dining permitting and fast-track the installation of street infrastructure that will both save lives and save commuters a great deal of time.”

— Ben Furnas, Executive Director of Transportation Alternatives

“New Yorkers love outdoor dining, and our small businesses shouldn’t have to navigate an eight-month bureaucratic maze to make it happen”

— Sara Lind, Co-Executive Director of Open Plans

“Making the permitting process more efficient allows restaurant owners to spend more time investing in their businesses and less time navigating paperwork”

— Sandra Jaquez, President of NYS Latino Restaurant Association

“While all the ballot proposals are important, I am particularly thrilled to see proposals streamlining the approval process for pedestrian ramps, benches, and sidewalk cafés as well as modernizing city contracting to expand opportunities for small businesses and nonprofit organizations.”

— Pedro Suarez, Executive Director of Third Ave BID

“The reforms proposed by COGE will do just that. These proposals will make it simpler to enjoy lunch outdoors on a sunny day, find an affordable place to live, and to cross the street safely.”

— Ben Guttmann, Executive Director of Queens Economic Development Corporation

“Streamlining approvals for outdoor dining, accessibility ramps, benches, and sidewalk improvements, while modernizing City contracting, will help reduce costs, eliminate unnecessary red tape, and create greater opportunities for small businesses and nonprofit organizations.”

— Nina Flores, Executive Director of the Staten Island Business Outreach Center & Forest Avenue BID

“The first ballot measure helpfully proposes streamlining it — but stops short of moving outdoor dining onto standard permit footing, leaving restaurateurs with a bespoke arrangement they can’t fully count on.”

— Vital City