New York Civic

Governor Defers Budget Decisions,

Blames Volatility in World Markets

Henry J. Stern

Henry J. Stern is the founder and president of New York Civic.

Thursday, November 10th, 2011

A widely used political metaphor is the canary in the mineshaft. The small yellow bird is said to be more sensitive to carbon monoxide and methane than human beings. Therefore, when poisonous gases accumulate in an enclosed underground area, the canary is reputedly the first creature to sense its toxic effects. This makes the bird a living smoke alarm, and signals miners and others to escape.

The canary warns of danger not by calls of alarm, but by their absence. Since canaries sing a great deal of the time, miners could read their silence as indicating that the birds were dead or dying, and that it was past time to flee. The concept of the canary in the mineshaft is used to describe a situation in which peril is perceived by a few, but is imminent for all.

"No-Fault" Divorce in New York One Year Later

Is Breaking Up Still Hard To Do?

Arlene S. Kayatt

Arlene Kayatt is a divorce attorney and former newspaper editor

Friday, November 4th, 2011

Unhappily married New Yorkers received some good news last year when New York's new "no fault" divorce law went into effect on October 12, 2010 - a seventh ground - irretrievable breakdown of the marriage - was added to the divorce law. While no fault was vigorously opposed for over 200 years by the Catholic Church and many women's groups, it is now law, but many New Yorkers on the verge of divorce are still weighing whether to let the fault go, or to fight a grounds war.

Back in the days before the 1966 divorce reform laws, the only ground for divorce in New York was adultery, leading to Woody Allen's infamous quip, "The Ten Commandments say 'Thou shalt not commit adultery,' but New York State says you have to."

One Small Step

Pension Reform Agreed Upon,

But Will the Promises Be Kept?

Henry J. Stern

Henry J. Stern is the founder and president of New York Civic.

Friday, October 28th, 2011

The city's antiquated pension system has long been in need of streamlining and updating. The agreement reached yesterday by Mayor Bloomberg, Comptroller Liu and leading labor unions provides hope that 2012 will be a year of pension reform, but such hopes have previously arisen and been dashed on the rocks of political reality.

New York City employees have different pension plans, all under the management of the City Comptroller: the Employees' Retirement System (NYCERS), the Teachers' Retirement System (TRS), the Police Pension Fund Subchapter 2, the Fire Department Pension Fund Subchapter Two, and the Board of Education Retirement System (BERS). Each pension fund is financially independent of the others and has its own board of trustees, which include city officials and relevant union leaders. In general, the city and the unions have roughly equal authority over the funds.

We're Back

Brief Interruption Ends;

Commentary Will Resume

Henry J. Stern

Henry J. Stern is the founder and president of New York Civic.

Thursday, October 20th, 2011

Some of you may have wondered at the absence of commentary for the past few weeks. An explanation is in order.

It is not that there is nothing to say about the city or that everything worth saying has already been said.

It is not that we have despaired of improving the performance of government and have withdrawn from commenting out of a sense of futility.

Nor is it that the affairs of the nation, state, and city are being so well handled by Mssrs. Obama, Cuomo, and Bloomberg - not to mention the legions of their adversaries, rivals, and detractors - that any commentary would be superfluous.

Spirit of '76

How Do We Get

Better Leaders?

Henry J. Stern

Henry J. Stern is the founder and president of New York Civic.

Monday, September 26th, 2011

Today is the fifth day of fall in the year 2011. The political calendar has however raced ahead. We are in the midst of the 2012 Presidential campaign, and the 2013 Mayoral race is already under way.

This acceleration of political competition is due in part to campaign finance laws, which require reporting of contributions far in advance of the election. Candidates are judged by the media and the public by the amount of money they have raised. It is therefore in the interest to collect as much as they can as soon as they can.