What is Ballot Question 6?
Ballot Question 6 is the last of the ballot questions, and it’s actually three questions bundled into one. This proposal would amend the City Charter to establish the Chief Business Diversity Officer (CBDO), authorize the Mayor to designate the office that issues film permits, and combine archive boards.
First, the proposal would establish a permanent Chief Business Diversity Officer. The CBDO is a new position added by the Adams administration, and the current CBDO is Michael Garner. As the CBDO, Garner is heavily involved in the city’s Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBE) program, and has been part of the push to hire MWBE-shortlisted security firms for the city’s shelters.
Second, the proposal would change which offices have the ability to issue film permits. Currently, if you want to make a movie, you need to get a permit from the Department of Small Business Services. This proposition would make it so that the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment would also have the power to issue those permits.
Third, the proposal would merge two "redundant" archive boards: the Archival Review Board and the Archives, Reference and Research Advisory Board. Pauline Toole, the Commissioner for the Department of Records and Information Services (DORIS), which manages both boards, says that the DORIS proposed the merge in order to increase efficiency. She testified that recently, the boards have been meeting together — because their jobs are so similar that there’s no need to have separate meetings.
Where did this proposal come from?
Ballot questions 2 through 6 on New York City voters’ ballots this year went through a rocky process to make it to your voting booth. In the spring, the City Council put forth a ballot measure to expand the "advice and consent" process that gives the Council the power to approve some mayoral appointees. Around the same time, Mayor Eric Adams created his own Charter Review Commission, assembling some of his closest allies to lead the process.
The Dueling Ballot Proposals
The dueling ballot proposals caused a legal clash. According to city law, the City Council’s ballot proposals and the mayor’s can’t coexist on the same ballot, and the mayor’s takes precedence. That means only Mayor Adams’ proposed Charter revisions will appear this November.
Opponents to the mayor’s charter revisions disagree, saying that although these ballot questions seem innocuous, they are actually an attempt to interfere in the city’s legislative process.
Conclusion
Ballot Question 6 is a complex proposal that may have significant implications for the future of business diversity, film production, and city governance in New York City. It is essential for voters to understand the pros and cons of this proposal and to make an informed decision at the polls.
FAQs
Q: What is the Chief Business Diversity Officer (CBDO)?
A: The CBDO is a new position added by the Adams administration, responsible for promoting diversity in business and overseeing the city’s Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBE) program.
Q: What is the purpose of the film permit reform?
A: The proposal aims to increase the speed and efficiency of the film permitting process, making it easier for productions to operate in the city.
Q: Why are the archive boards being combined?
A: The proposal aims to increase efficiency and reduce redundancy by combining the Archival Review Board and the Archives, Reference and Research Advisory Board.
Q: Who is opposing the mayor’s charter revisions?
A: Opponents, including the No Power Grab NYC campaign, argue that the proposals weaken checks and balances and increase power for the mayor at the expense of local democracy.