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Dear Co-petitioners:
I would like to bring you up to date on recent developments, and, if I may, once
again enlist your help in pushing forward towards a satisfactory
conclusion.'
Today, Monday March 25, 2002, the Governmental Operations Committee of the New
York City Council (chaired by Bill Perkins) introduced to the full Council a bill
designed to outlaw the removal of public papers from public custody in the
future. The law would also apply retroactively to 1/1/02, and thus should bring
the Giuliani Center contract, as revised by the current administration, under its
mandate.'
[A copy of the proposed legislation can be found here on our website.]
THE GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS COMMITTEE WILL HOLD HEARINGS ON THE PROPOSED
LEGISLATION ON FRIDAY, APRIL 5. If the Committee finds, after hearing testimony
pro and con, that the bill does not need redrafting, the Committee could vote on
the bill that same day.
If a majority of the Committee supports it, the bill could conceivably be brought
before the full Council for a vote. The earliest date after the hearing that the
full Council meets will be Wednesday, 4/10/02.
'
If the bill passes, it would be presented immediately to the Mayor who would have
30 days to sign or veto it (if he does nothing, it automatically becomes
law).'
If the bill is vetoed, it returns to the Council, which has 30 days to override
the veto. Within this 30 days, the bill repeats the same cycle as above
(re-introduction, Committee vote, and full Council vote), except the full Council
must now pass the legislation by a 2/3 rather than just a majority vote. Once
this happens, the bill becomes law notwithstanding the Mayor's objections.'
THE FIRST STEP IN MAKING THIS HAPPEN, HOWEVER, REQUIRES YOUR PARTICIPATION. It is
very important that all our 1,250 signatories clearly signal to the Committee,
the Council's Speaker, and the Mayor that they support passage and signing of
this legislation. I am told that the most effective way of weighing in involves
WRITING OR FAXING A LETTER, and to facilitate this, we are providing a draft
letter (to which you may add your own comments), and a set of snail mail
addresses and fax numbers. IN ADDITION, WE ARE PROVIDING AN EASY EMAIL OPTION:
you can simply click in the appropriate box, and the same letter will be
automatically emailed to the entire contact list. ALL YOUR INPUT SHOULD BE
RECEIVED WELL BEFORE THE APRIL 5TH
HEARINGS.
Thanks for your support. We've done well so far. I hope and expect that if we
make a concerted effort now, we can win an appropriate conclusion, one that is
really in the best long term interest of all parties - and particularly the
public.
Best, Mike Wallace
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP:
Fax or mail the attached 11 pre-formatted letters to Mayor Mike Bloomberg,
Speaker Gifford Miller, Governmental Operations Committee Chair Bill Perkins, and
Council Members Joseph Addabbo Jr., Leroy Comrie, Eva Moskowitz, Michael Nelson,
Madeline Provenzano, Christine Quinn, Philip Reed, and Peter Vallone Jr.
The bundle of 11 letters is available in word or PDF format.
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