Besides casting their ballot for U.S. President, Congress and various state elected officials, city voters have to make a choice on whether they will green light or deny several proposals that would change the state constitution — or the New York City charter.

Now, critics of Mayor Eric Adams are working down to the wire to warn voters against several City Hall-backed changes to the city’s most powerful document come Election Day.

What You Need To Know

  • City voters must decide to approve or deny five proposed amendments to the New York City Charter

  • Proposition two grants the City Department of Sanitation more authority over keeping city sidewalks, streets and parks clean. Number three requires the City Council to publish cost estimates of bills before public hearings — and then wait for City Hall to release its own cost estimates

  • Another measure requires input from voters statewide. Supporters say if "proposition one" is approved, abortion will be enshrined in the state constitution

“Tell Mayor Adams we don’t need a king in New York City!” Ana Maria Archila, co-director of the Working Families Party, said during a rally outside City Hall on Wednesday. “What the Mayor is trying to do with the questions on the ballot, two to six, is to transfer power away from the City Council and to put it in the mayor’s office.”

City voters must decide to approve or deny five proposed amendments to the New York City Charter. They don’t sound controversial, but critics argue they extend the longstanding fight between Adams and the City Council on topics like public safety, homelessness and spending taxpayers’ dollars.

Proposition two grants the City Department of Sanitation more authority over keeping city sidewalks, streets and parks clean. Number three requires the City Council to publish cost estimates of bills before public hearings — and then wait for City Hall to release its own cost estimates.

It would also give the mayor more time to prepare and release the annual city budget, cutting back on negotiation time.

“Proposals two through six is tantamount to mayoral control over the New York City Council,” said Adrienne Adams, the Democratic Speaker of the New York City Council, who opposes the measures.

Proposal four says the Council must give the mayor 30 days’ notice before voting on laws tied to the NYPD, FDNY or the Department of Correction.

Number five increases oversight over spending capital construction dollars and six assigns the city a new chief business diversity officer.

“He does not have what it takes to be able to govern this city in a way that lifts up democracy,” Jumaane Williams, the Democratic New York City Public Advocate, said. “That’s what two through six is about: [making] sure that we give balances in government, the type of balances in government that allows the City Council to at least provide the checks necessary, legally, against a mayor like Mayor Adams and that’s exactly what he is trying to take away.”

“This is me quoting the mayor. He wants ‘to reign’ over New York City,” Williams added.

The changes are on the ballot thanks to decisions made by a charter review commission whose members were quickly appointed by Mayor Adams after he lost several legislative fights with the Council, especially over public safety.

Meanwhile, another proposal requires input from voters statewide.

Supporters say if proposition one is approved, abortion will be enshrined in the state constitution. The Democratic-controlled state Legislature and Gov. Kathy Hochul rushed to approve it after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

“New York already has good laws protecting abortion, protecting equality, the human rights law, but it’s not rock solid in our state constitution and we all know that laws can be repealed,” Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, said.

Opponents argue the language is too vague, learning the amendment could also add unintended privileges like granting noncitizens the right to vote or allowing minors to make healthcare decisions without parental consent.

“All these provisions are subject to enormous question and this legislature in their reckless and irresponsible urge to say we’re doing something about Dobbs, which is a phony argument because abortion rights — regardless of what you think about it — are not under any threat in New York State,” John Faso, a former Republican member of Congress, said. “They’re using the abortion argument to sneak all these other things into the state constitution.”

Opponents have spent big money on ads aimed at defeating proposition one according to the latest data provided by the state Board of Elections.

City Hall told NY1 in a statement that the fate of the ballot proposals is up to the voters.

“Ballot proposals are drafted by independent commissions after extensive input from New Yorkers, with the goal of improving our city, and are never about any one individual or administration,” spokeswoman Liz Garcia said. “The beauty of this process is that it’s the will of working-class New Yorkers who use their voices at the polls, and not elected officials, who ultimately decide what laws should be enshrined in the city’s charter.”