Mayor Bloomberg chose the members of a new commission that will study and revise the city charter [PDF]—the document that outlines how New York City government works. According to the Times, the 15-member panel of "longtime loyalists, educators, political operatives and community leaders" will study the document and suggest changes, which could include reinstating two-term limits on city politicians, encouraging nonpartisan elections, and abolishing the city's public advocate and borough presidents. more ›

According to the NY Post's sources, "Mayor Bloomberg is planning to convene a Charter Revision Commission in the coming year... Reimposing term limits for city politicians is one issue definitely on the table, sources said. And the mayor might also press to eliminate the Public Advocate's Office -- a position he's publicly said is no longer needed. He may also seek to clip the wings of the city's five borough presidents -- who earn $160,000 a year for government jobs that have largely become advisory since 1989." He's supposed to decide whether he'll convene the commission next month—maybe by then we'll stop laughing about the idea of him reimposing term limits by then. more ›

Residency, schmediency! The historic City Council victory for Mathieu Eugene continues to be debated. Eugene, the first Haitian-American elected to City Council, won the election for the 40th District in Brooklyn, but didn't actually live in the district. Eugene had postponed the swearing-in on Thursday as he looked for an apartment (though Eugene's lawyer said the swearing-in was postponed because votes weren't certified). And he was apparently succesful, because the Times reports Eugene's now residing in the district he was elected to represent. more ›

A business card may be a reminder for others about how to contact you, but when you're a City Council staffer, watch out! According to the Daily News, back in 2004, when he was deputy chief of staff to City Council Speaker Gifford Miller, Michael Nieves gave his card with "his cell phone number and the name and city phone number of another Council employee" to a tenant that a landlord had a dispute with. And apparently Nieves had a "prior business relationship" with the landlord. The city's Conflict of Interest Board said that Nieves did violate "the City Charter for employees to use city resources for private reasons," yet that was the extent of the reprimand. more ›

The Citizens Emergency Committee to Preserve Preservation hauled Mayor Bloomberg to New York State Supreme Court today for failing to reappoint or replace eight of eleven commissioners to the Landmarks Preservation Commission. The commissioners’ terms have expired, which, the Committee alleges, violates the Administrative Code and the City Charter. more ›

- Even though Mayor Bloomberg says he'll sign the City Council's 25% pay raise (an extra $22,500 to bring the total salary to $112,500), he criticizes the fact that many City Council members are able to have other jobs, since the City Charter says City Council positions are "part-time." He also blasted the "lulus" - aka stipends of thousands of dollars - the City Council members get for chairing committees and the like. Easy for Mayor Moneybags to say! more ›

The latest in the meandering renovation of Washington Square Park: The NY Times reports that State Supreme Justice Emily Jane Goodman has "halted" redesign, "saying the Bloomberg administration violated the City Charter by failing to notify the public about all of the proposed changes." And what's more, if the Parks Department will need to go through the approval process, starting with Community Board 2, all over again! Which means it's time for everyone to get their soapboxes and yelling voices ready - and for the city to consider disclosing all details to the public to avoid this kind of mess. The Washington Square Park redesign has gone through so many changes and issues - fountains moving, fountain water possibly being tainted, fences but no gates - that Gothamist looks forward to the redesign approval process do-over so we can reacquaint ourselves with the plan and start anew. more ›