For the Record: Reinvent Albany Urges Yes Vote on NYC Prop 3 – Faster Street Improvements

This morning, a major NYC news outlet mischaracterized Reinvent Albany’s position on New York City ballot question #3. Reinvent Albany urges a Yes on Prop 3.

Here is our September 29, 2026 statement on the NYC ballot questions. Additionally, the NYC Campaign Finance Board summarizes Reinvent Albany’s position on #3 as “expressing overall support.”

Reinvent Albany Positions on 2026 NYC Ballot Questions (Four Yes, One No)

Question #3: Fast-Track Street Safety Infrastructure Including Bike Lanes and Bus Lanes, Acquisition of Office Space, and Activation of City Land

Reinvent Albany Position: YES

On balance, Reinvent Albany says YES to question three. We strongly support efforts to speed up street safety and improvement projects, including bike and bus lanes. We also strongly support simplified review of street safety projects and allowing the Commissioner of the Department of Transportation to fast-track street infrastructure improvements where there is an identified, immediate need.

Unfortunately, the laudable streets-related proposals are improperly paired with a completely unrelated policy question that allows mayoral agencies to fast-track the sale or lease of small city properties and neighboring property owners, the air rights above landmarked city properties, and lease large blocks of office space for city workers. The proposal also removes the City Council from the approval process. We support streamlining these transactions; however, we would like to see the risks of reduced time for review mitigated by increasing the oversight authority for the Comptroller and increasing the independence and professional staff of the Mayor’s Office of Contract Services. Both of these entities help ensure agencies fully comply with city procurement laws and processes.

We are unhappy to report that it appears the courts have given broad discretion to charter revision commissions to lump together different proposals into single questions. The New York State Legislature should clarify Municipal Home Rule Law to ensure that its intent is preserved: Multiple, unrelated changes to the City Charter should be presented to voters as separate, individual questions.