NY Student Voter Registration Day

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It was another banner year for Common Cause New York at Student Voter Registration Day.

Last year at Brooklyn Tech High School, they were able to assist 631 seniors at Brooklyn Tech in becoming voters.

This year they surpassed that goal, registering 828 students to vote in just one day.

Student Voter Registration Day (SVRD) is a program run by NYC-Votes, the New York City Council, and Common Cause New York.

In year two, SVRD tripled in size, going from just over 20 schools to 65 schools participating this year.

The hope is one day that each school in the city will participate.

By educating and registering 17 year-olds to vote in schools, we can go a long way to boosting civic participation and hopefully create many more lifetime voters.

A big “Thank You” goes out to all of our hard-working volunteers whose efforts made this year such a success.











NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

NYC Mayor de Blasio Shutting Down His Secret Money Nonprofit

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Thursday he has begun shutting down the nonprofit group that was started in 2013 to advancing his political agenda, a move that comes just weeks after a government watchdog called for a probe into its actions.

His group, dubbed the Campaign for One New York, was not bound by city campaign finance laws and could accept unlimited contributions from donors. It used that money to promote some of de Blasio's signature policy initiatives, including universal pre-K and a rezoning plan that would aid in his effort to build more affordable housing.

The rezoning plan is expected to be approved in a City Council vote next week, which de Blasio said is triggering the group's closure. "The work is done," de Blasio said Thursday.

But aides to the Mayor said the decision was made to wind the group down so it does not become more of a distraction during the run-up to de Blasio's 2017 re-election campaign.

Good government groups had expressed fears that the nonprofit's donors may be looking to curry influence with elected officials through their sizable checks. One such group, Common Cause New York, had called for an investigation into its spending.

Its President said Thursday that "it does not serve the public interest to have a shadow government, serving only to breed mistrust and confusion among voters." "We do not accept that secret money is a necessary function of the modern mayoralty," said Susan Lerner, the group's head. "This is the right decision which we hope others will follow."

The Campaign for One New York had received more than $1 million in donations from real estate developers since its launch. Many of those corporate donors have projects underway in the city and have backed the Mayor's housing plan.

Though not required to by law, de Blasio's 501(c)(4) group does disclose donors. But many more of the nonprofits, which have been in use for years at the Federal level and have become increasingly popular among Mayors and Governors, do not, leading good government groups to dub their spending "dark money."

The demise of de Blasio's group, which was first reported by The Wall Street Journal, will be finalized in the coming weeks. De Blasio is far from the first political figure to disband a nonprofit when questions arose about its dealings; in 2013, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo started the Committee to Save New York but disbanded it after criticism about its donors' business ties to the State.











NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

NY 2016 Student Voter Registration Day

Are you passionate about voting and advocating for democracy? Are you tired of hearing about “low youth voter turnout” in NY elections, and want to do something about it?

Common Cause New York needs your help! they are once again preparing for Student Voter Registration Day, which will be held on March 18th.

They are thrilled be part of such a great event again, and looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help make it a success. Volunteers would spend a day helping 17 year-old students at Brooklyn Tech High School register to vote.

If you would like to be a part of Student Voter Registration Day with Common Cause New York, send an email saying "SVRD" to jmumm@commoncause.org.

Student Voter Registration Day (SVRD) 2016 is a non-partisan youth program designed to educate and promote voting for students throughout New York City schools. This program seeks to increase the number of youth voter registrants while encouraging students to take part the democratic process through civic engagement. Through an educational program, students are exposed to the history of voting, the process of civic engagement, and most importantly, students have the opportunity to take part in our American right, registering to vote.

That’s where they need your help!

Last year at Brooklyn Tech HS, volunteers were able to register over 600 high-school seniors to vote in just one day, and talk to hundreds more!

They are trying to beat that mark this year, and with your help, can make that happen.

Sign up today! Send an email to jmumm@commoncause.org by Wednesday, March 9th. Also, if you have any questions about this great opportunity or for more information, you may also reach them at 212-691-6426.











NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

NYC Mayor's Campaign for One New York

If you haven’t already heard about New York City Mayor de Blasio’s shadow lobbying entity, the Campaign for One New York, take notice.

It’s become clear from numerous press reports, that the fund is supporting de Blasio’s personal PR campaigns by accepting millions in donations from those doing business with the City of New York.

The Campaign for One New York, was created by political professionals from Blasio's Mayoral campaign as a vehicle to push his initiatives, and whose donors included real estate developers and unions. The communications strategy for the Campaign for One New York’s work to promote the Mayor’s agenda has been overseen by BerlinRosen, a public affairs consulting firm known for its political work. It represents numerous clients that do business with the city, including real estate developers and nonprofit organizations. The firm had a central role in Mr. de Blasio’s successful bid for City Hall.

Susan Lerner of Common Cause New York called out this practice as an end-run around our campaign finance laws, and an insult to the city’s attempts to limit the influence of big money interests.

The Campaign for One NY is back in the news now as the entity just received $485,000 from just 4 individuals.

Digging into the financial disclosures of One New York, it demonstrate several questionable instances.

One example shows how nearly $1.1 million was given from real estate interests in the year leading up to de Blasio’s continuing of the Tax Abatement, 421-a subsidy proposal. After de Blasio’s proposal was announced last summer, but failed as the unions could not agree on parts of it, donations to One New York from the real estate industry have largely dried up. Just $35,000 from two LLCs have come to One NY after the 421-a decision came down. As the details of One New York continue to come to light, Common Cause New York firmly argues that Mayor de Blasio is setting a dangerous precedent that must be stopped. New York City needs to limit, not empower special interests.











NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker