New Yorkers applaud final ballot props to cut outdoor dining application timeline by 75%, speed up bike lane creation by 33%, accelerate nonprofit contracts and building permits, and strengthen rainy day funds
Our Bureau
New York, NY
Mayor Mamdani’s Commission on Government Efficiency (COGE), the 2026 New York Charter Review Commission, has released five final ballot proposals to make city government work better, faster and more efficiently for New Yorkers. The ballot proposals address outdated, unnecessary and redundant requirements in the City Charter to help modernize government to speed up permits and contracts, save small businesses money, accelerate housing and street safety and strengthen fiscal responsibility.
Following the announcement, small business owners, advocacy groups, community leaders, housing and transit experts and more applauded COGE’s efforts to make government work more efficiently for New Yorkers across the five boroughs.
COGE members will vote on adoption of the final report and ballot proposals this evening at 5 PM in Manhattan.
“Restaurants are integral to the neighborhoods and communities of our great city. With the COGE ballot proposals on Outdoor Dining, we feel seen and heard as owners and operators,” said Juliet & Justine Masters, Co-owners of The Edge Harlem. “These proposed reforms will allow us to reduce costs and reclaim valuable time by streamlining paperwork, eliminating unnecessary fines, and simplifying complex regulatory requirements.”
“Thrilled to see COGE propose real, first-ever contribution targets for the City’s rainy day fund. Not governed by hope, but rules,” said Aaron Kinnari, Founder of the Future Forum. “Good years should mean building a real cushion for bad years. This proposal makes that automatic instead of optional.”
“Affordable housing projects are often slowed by a fragmented permitting process,” said Samantha Magistro, CEO of Bronx Pro Group. “A more coordinated approach to permitting would provide a predictable path from planning to construction, reduce unnecessary delays and costs, and allow developers to better focus on building the affordable homes New Yorkers need. Simplifying permitting could also lower barriers for smaller and emerging developers who don’t always have the resources to navigate a complex permitting process.”
“Unlike the federal government, the City cannot borrow to meet operating shortfalls. So it is important to make financial provision for future shortfalls. At the same time, hard rules requiring fixed levels of contributions to reserve funds and limiting withdrawals can be counterproductive by limiting the City’s ability to respond to unexpected economic and fiscal developments. The proposed target for City reserve funds strikes good balance between ensuring that the City is making appropriate provision for future needs, while preserving flexibility in the budget process,” said J. W. Mason, Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Economics, John Jay College, City University of New York.
“Inefficiencies in bureaucracy are a major cause of governmental dysfunction, and the subsequent undermining of public trust in government. These proposed charter amendments will improve the lives of nonprofits, small businesses, and of New Yorkers as a whole, and add to the push towards effective governance by the Mamdani administration,” said Fahd Ahmed, Director of Desis Rising Up & Moving (DRUM).
“Every step toward a more efficient and responsive government is a step toward stronger small businesses,” said Cristy Moya, Director of the Bronx Women’s Business Center. “Reducing red tape allows entrepreneurs to focus on what they do best—building businesses and creating economic opportunity.”
“The involvement of local elected officials in such an important use of valuable curb space is critical. Many commercial areas that rely on parking to generate business such as in Belmont might be better served with sidewalk structures,” said Peter Madonia, Chairman, Belmont Business Improvement District.
“BOC Network applauds the Commission on Government Efficiency for advancing a vision of government that is more responsive, transparent, and accessible. Modernizing government is not simply about moving faster—it is about making public systems work better for the people they serve. By partnering with trusted community organizations, New York City can reduce barriers, strengthen accountability, and expand economic opportunity for local businesses, nonprofits, childcare providers, and the communities that depend on them,” said Nancy Carin, Executive Director, Business Outreach Center (BOC) Network.
“Small and ‘Mom and Pop’ businesses embody the ‘American Dream’ multitudes of New Yorkers embrace, yet cumbersome processes have halted progress towards that Northstar. As an MWBE and Chair of Bronx Community Board 8’s Economic Development Committee, I appreciate the Mayor’s responsiveness, and look forward to supporting new businesses with these expanded opportunities,” said Constance D. Barnes, Ed.D, PMP, Chair of Bronx Community Board 8’s Economic Development Committee.
“Congratulations to New York City’s Commission on Government Efficiency – the Commission’s recommendations to improve the City’s procurement process are right on target,” said Chris Yukins, Lynn David Research Professor in Government Procurement Law at George Washington University Law School. “By reducing burdens and payment delays for contractors providing vital services to the City’s most vulnerable residents, COGE’s proposed reforms meet Mayor Mamdani’s promise to make New York a better place to live for all.”