Mayor Eric Adams’ latest Charter Revision Commission held its first meeting on Tuesday.

A handful of people were in the audience for the meeting, which marks the start of a process of reviewing and possibly making changes to the city’s charter — the governing document of the city.

“I’m really committed to using this opportunity to really think about how we can make the city work better for New Yorkers,” Richard Buery, chair of the commission, said. “I would just ask everybody to participate, to be patient and to listen and to judge us by the work we do in the next few months.”  

What You Need To Know

  • The mayor's latest Charter Revision Commission met for the first time on Tuesday 

  • The commission will review and potentially suggest changes to the city’s governing document — the city charter — with a focus on housing and affordability 

  • The commission met just one day before the City Council’s own commission is set to hold their first meeting

  • There are critics who once again claim Mayor Eric Adams empaneled the commission to block changes to the charter by the City Council

This is the second time the mayor has empaneled a commission. Like the first panel, this one is also facing criticism, sparking claims that it’s a political ploy by Adams to hamper any proposals made by the City Council’s own commission. Any ballot proposals put forward by a mayor supersede all other ballot initiatives.

The City Council’s own charter commission is set to meet on Wednesday. 

“I am again open to all ideas and I know other commission members would say the same. All ideas and wherever they come from,” Buery said. “I’m not a politician, I’m a volunteer. I’m here because I believe in New York City. I believe this is the best city in the world and I believe there is work we can do to make sure it remains the best city of the world.” 

Buery said though there will be a focus on housing and affordability, he is also looking at other areas of improvement like payments to nonprofits. Buery said the commission is open to all suggestions when asked about potential changes to ranked-choice voting. 

Adams at a separate event on Tuesday, left the decision to look at changing the voting process in the city to the commission. 

He won the mayoral primary in 2021 after several rounds of ranked-choice voting. The first time it was used in a citywide race. 

“Even if they do look at ranked-choice voting, it won’t impact the next mayor’s race at all. They should make the determination, they should make an evaluation,” he said. 

The first public hearing for the commission will be held in Brooklyn next month.