Gotham Gazette, a publication of Citizens Union Foundation, brings New Yorkers smart and insightful coverage of local news and issues. Click here for today's stories.

Citizens Union delivered testimony today at the public hearing held shortly before Mayor Bloomberg signed into law the term limits extension bill. While CU opposed the bill, with the inevitability of enactment CU called for the city to come together to face the challenges ahead.

Citizens Union Foundation proudly announced that it submitted to the Board of Elections in the City of New York over 5,000 applications from New Yorkers interested in serving as poll workers in the upcoming General Election on Tuesday, November 4, 2008. Forty percent of applicants were college age, and fourteen percent applied to be language Interpreters.

Citizens Union released its 2008 General Election Voters Guide, announcing its support for thirteen state legislative candidates in the November General Election, including support for Councilmember Addabbo and incumbent Queens State Senator Frank Padavan in two Queens State Senate races. Please click here to read the news release.

Citizens Union released a statement in response to the City Council’s vote to support the Mayor’s bill to extend term limits to three, four-year terms, calling the day of the vote “an unfortunate day for New Yorkers” which sets a harmful precedent for how our government should operate on critically important issues. Click here to read CU's statement.

Citizens Union asks that the Mayor and Council Speaker bring all sides together to collectively find common ground on the term limits issue. It is necessary to work together to put the question to the voters in a way that brings it to a quick resolution, does not subject the city to countless lawsuits, and doesn’t throw the 2009 election process into chaos. Click here to read CU's statement.