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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline JULY 17, 2026 | The Indian Eye 22

Commission on Government Efficiency

Releases Preliminary Report to Make

Government Work Better for New Yorkers

Report identifies opportunities to reform the City Charter to speed up outdoor dining,

housing construction permitting, bus & street infrastructure, and contracting

OUR BUREAU

NEW YORK, NY
he Commission on Govern-
ment Efficiency (COGE), the
T2026 New York City Charter
Revision Commission convened by
Mayor Mamdani, have released its
preliminary staff report outlining
potential reforms to help City gov-
ernment deliver faster and more ef-
fectively for New Yorkers. Charged
with reviewing the entire City Char-
ter, COGE welcomed more than 780
New Yorkers during its first 7 public
hearings, heard 18 hours of testimony
from 178 speakers, reviewed 345 writ-
ten submissions from members of the
public and received recommendations and using reserve funds. who call it home.” The Department of Buildings pro-
from 92 City agencies. “We listened to New Yorkers Throughout its first round of pub- cesses roughly 275,000 applications
The preliminary report identifies across the city and worked to treat ev- lic hearings, the Commission identi- each year through a borough-based
four areas where reforms could help ery idea—and the New Yorker behind fied four broad areas where reforms structure that has changed little in
government better meet the needs it, whether City worker or profession- to the City Charter could help gov- more than a century. Property own-
of working New Yorkers: Accelerate al association or individual who saw a ernment deliver more effectively for ers must navigate multiple agencies
Access to Public Space and Infra- sign for a public hearing and walked working families. to secure approvals for a single proj-
structure Improvements, Accelerate in—with genuine curiosity and re- Making it easier to use our streets, ect. Procurement presents similar
Permitting & Contracting, Modernize spect,” said Ann Cheng, Executive sidewalks, and public space is an oppor- challenges. In Fiscal Year 2025, nearly
Outdated Systems and Requirements Director of the Commission on Gov- tunity to create safer neighborhoods, 40% of the City’s budget supported
to Bolster Innovation, and Ensure the ernment Efficiency. “This preliminary stronger local businesses and more vi- contracted goods and services, yet out-
City’s Fiscal Stability. report compiles that feedback and brant public spaces. Today, restaurant dated rules continue to make it hard
Areas identified for further explora- suggests concrete paths as the Com- owners seeking sidewalk dining per- for small businesses and nonprofits
tion include, but are not limited to: mission continues to hear from New mits, communities advocating for safer to work with the city, a problem past
Outdoor Dining: Save restaurants Yorkers and considers commonsense bus and bike lanes and City agencies commissions have flagged since 1989.
time and money by streamlining pro- reforms to the Charter.” working to activate surplus proper- Modernizing how the City permits
cess to open outdoor dining. “This Commission is immensely ties all run into the same maze of re- and contracts is essential to deliver-
Permitting: Create a centralized, grateful to the more than 780 New dundant reviews, costly requirements, ing the housing, infrastructure, and
one-stop permitting system to speed Yorkers who came out to testify or sub- and years-long approval timelines. services New Yorkers are waiting on
up housing construction, infrastruc- mit written comments, and we want The Commission repeatedly while reducing unnecessary adminis-
ture projects, and renovations. even more of them in the room as heard that these barriers leave public trative burdens.
Contracting: Modernize procure- we head into our next round of hear- land underused, delay street safety As governments serves millions of
ment to cut time, save money and ings,” said Patrick Gaspard, Chair of improvements, and prevent the City people every day, technology has be-
reduce unnecessary paperwork that the Commission on Government Effi- from putting valuable public assets come increasingly essential to deliver-
slows down small businesses seeking ciency. “Our next steps will be deeply to work. New York City owns more ing services efficiently and effectively.
to do business with the city and delays informed by their passionate testimo- than 6,000 miles of streets and 15,000 The Commission heard that out-
construction of infrastructure -- from nies, each of them experts either on parcels of land. With smarter systems, dated information technology systems,
water tunnels to plazas to sewers. their block or their industry, on how those public assets can better serve antiquated legal requirements, and
Bus and Street Infrastructure: city government can worker faster and New Yorkers. duplicative administrative processes
Shorten timelines for street redesigns more efficiently. As this Commission Whether opening a small busi- slow City government without improv-
and bus and bike lane projects that im- considers reforms to put forth on the ness, building affordable housing, or ing public outcomes. Nearly 1,500 new
prove safety and mobility. ballot in November, it will be guided delivering critical infrastructure, New reporting requirements have been en-
Rainy Day Fund: Strengthen the by the shared goal of unlocking this Yorkers consistently describe procure- acted since 2011, while outdated surety
City’s long-term fiscal health by estab- City’s potential to deliver a more af- ment and construction permitting sys- bond rules and fragmented waterfront
lishing clearer rules for contributing to fordable, safe, and dignified life for all tems that move too slowly. permitting create unnecessary delays.

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