New York City Council members gathered alongside union representatives and advocates in Essex Crossing Park on Tuesday for what they advertised as a “press conference to highlight the misleading language and negative impacts” of three housing-related ballot proposals submitted by Mayor Eric Adams. But the elected officials – including City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, and Council Members Kevin Riley, Lynn Schulman, Gale Brewer, Chris Banks, Crystal Hudson and Julie Won – did more than underscore the language of the proposals. At least one directly called on the public to vote ‘no’ on the measures, a move that has led critics to call for greater attention into if the council members are engaging in electioneering by advocating against a candidate or bill issue through the use of public funds.
The New York City Council has been vocal about its opposition to three of the proposals intended to spur housing development since they were put forward, even imploring the Board of Elections to keep them off the ballot last month (an effort that ultimately failed). But Tuesday’s rally was the most explicit move members have made in opposition so far.
When responding to a question about whether the rally was in fact an example of electioneering, Hudson said “we’re not electioneering because we haven’t told people how to vote.”…