It’s time for Zohran’s Charter Revision Commission

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is planning to convene his own Charter Revision Commission this week, possibly as soon as Thursday, according to four sources familiar with the mayor’s plan.  

It’s unclear at this point who will be chairing the commission or who has been appointed to serve as members. Several sources with knowledge of the matter said they expect Mamdani to announce its formation on Thursday and that it will focus on issues related to "government efficiency.” Its timing, coming several days after the announcement of the mayor’s sweeping housing plan, has spurred some speculation that it could also be tied in some part to land use. Reached by phone, mayoral spokesperson Dora Pekec declined to give more details.

The mayor’s plan to form a new commission comes after Gov. Kathy Hochul and state legislators included a provision in the state budget that would allow Mamdani to simply disband the existing Charter Revision Commission convened by former Mayor Eric Adams on his last day in office. But killing the commission would likely earn a legal challenge from the panel convened by Adams, which former first deputy mayor Randy Mastro is providing pro bono legal representation to. Kayla Mamelak Altus, a spokesperson for the commission, said the group will “pursue all appropriate legal remedies” if the mayor attempts to dismantle it. 

In the meantime, that commission, composed of many of Adams’ allies and former staffers, has barreled forward without the support of the Mamdani administration. Days after announcing it would focus on issues like fighting antisemitism, housing and land use reforms, protester interference outside of houses of worship, barring elected officials from raising their own salaries and opening up the city’s primary elections, the group plans to convene for its first public hearing Wednesday night at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx. Questions about its legality and feasibility have circulated since the start. Now, with the passage of the state measure, its future is even further uncertain. 

Mamdani’s commission could come at a political cost. When Adams convened his first Charter Revision Commission on May 21, 2024, it was harshly criticized by City Council members and good government groups as a rushed process that didn’t allow enough time to seriously consider the charter before the July deadline to get questions on the ballot. Mamdani’s commission is being formed even later, and would have even less time. The group could technically wait to introduce ballot proposals next year instead if members choose to do so. Under the City Charter, a commission can exist for a maximum of two general elections before it is automatically disbanded, according to the good government group Citizens Union.

The creation of a new commission could also mean there are three charter revision commissions acting concurrently. There’s the latest one, there’s Adams’ – which Mamdani is hoping to legally nullify – and there’s one convened by New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams in January, 2025. That commission met and released a report, but it was blocked from placing questions on the November ballot by another, previous commission convened by Eric Adams, which took precedence. It’s unlikely that the group will make another attempt this time around.