General Overlegislation

We are legislated to death in this city. It seems you can't take two steps without breaking several nuisance laws. Nuisance laws are an inappropriate way to fill holes in a wasteful budget. Parking fines, for example, are collected by Department of Finance rather than the Department of Justice. The fines are predatory and are generally disproportionate to the "offenses." Plenty of other nuisance laws remain unused for years, then are randomly enforced in sudden ticket writing "blitzes" when the public least expects it. Obsolete laws should periodically come up for review and should have to be passed as new or be repealed.

The trend is leaning towards greater personal freedom in many parts of the world, and even in other parts of this country. On many of these issues, New York City should have been first. Same sex marriage is recognized in several foreign countries and in several U.S. states. Anything less is discriminatory. Much of the world is also gradually legalizing marijuana for both medical and recreational use. Once again, it is embarrassing that New York City has not led on these equality and freedom issues.

Finally, the right to control your government rests with the citizens in a democracy. If millions of people can efficiently vote for American Idol each week, there is no reason why we must give legislators free reign for 4 years at a time like we did in the 1800s. You should have the opportunity to vote in onlne referendums on a variety of issues on a weekly basis. The public is intelligent enough. All we need is for the process to be convenient, quick, and non-corrupt.

I would like to:
1. Provide a system of review for “dead letters” so that the city does not have the opportunity to “resurrect” them in times of fiscal crisis
2. Promote greater involvement of the general population through such measures as more frequent referendums and internet polling
3. Implement gradual experimental phase outs of unpopular restrictive laws regulating personal freedom, following models of similar programs tried by other cities, and accompany this with careful evaluation of associated costs.