NYC Council's powerless charter revision panel stacked with cronies earning six-figure salaries

New York Post

10-05-2025

NYC Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and the rest of the legislative body's far-left majority are on pace to burn through millions of dollars in taxpayer money funding a powerless panel stacked with political cronies whose Machiavellian mission is to weaken the mayor's power — for their own gain, The Post has learned.
The Council's so-called 'NYC Commission to Strengthen Local Democracy' – which is in the process of soliciting public input on ways to revise government operations that include diminishing a sitting mayor's veto powers and boosting the Council's say in high-level agency appointments – is all but obsolete.
That's because Mayor Eric Adams – who isn't related to the speaker but is her political adversary — appointed his own Charter Revision Commission in December that is reviewing ways to tackle the city's housing crisis and other possible rule charges.
Under city election rules, only proposals from the mayor's commission can appear on the November ballot if both panels submit proposals.
6 NYC Council Speaker Adrienne Adams (pictured) and the legislative body's far-left majority are on pace to burn through millions of dollars in taxpayer money funding a powerless panel filled with political cronies eyeing ways to weaken the Big Apple's 'strong mayor' form of government.
G.N.Miller/NYPost
The speaker's commission under its bylaws can technically wait another year to try putting referendum questions on the ballot, but it would again be at the mercy of the sitting mayor blocking it.
However, that didn't stop the speaker and Council from appointing a 17-member commission in January.
6 Casie Addison (pictured) stepped down as chief of staff for Councilwoman Crystal Hudson (D-Brooklyn) to become the commission's deputy director and senior advisor
Casie Addison/ Linkedin
The Council posted legal notices seeking to hire 16 execs, lawyers, publicists and other staffers to run the commission – including three earning up to $200,000 and six others making at least six figures, records show.
The projected yearly salary ranges totaled $1,972,400 to $2,187,330 – well beyond the $250,000 Speaker Adams and the Council budgeted for the commission, records show.
6 Danielle Castaldi-Micca, the NYC Council's former deputy chief of staff, was appointed the commission's executive director.
NIRHAction/ X
'It's just a big waste of money,' said a Democratic councilmember who typically sides with the speaker. 'We're in the middle of the budget season, and everyone knows this Charter Commission is not going anywhere, so why waste everyone's time?'
'This commission is nothing more than an extraordinary vanity project for Adrienne Adams filled with unnecessary, exorbitant salaries, ' added a Democratic City Hall source.
Most of the jobs have been filled by Democratic operatives seeking greener pastures. Others remain vacant.
6 Henry Garrido is executive director of District Council 37, the city's largest municipal employee union, which is endorsing Speaker Adams for mayor. The speaker appointed him co-chair of the commission reviewing the City Charter.
Gabriella Bass
Those hired include Casie Addison, who stepped down as chief of staff for Councilwoman Crystal Hudson (D-Brooklyn) to become the commission's deputy director and senior advisor; and James Dezell, the former spokesman for state Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (D-Bronx), who was tapped as the commission's communications director.
Addison's new gig was advertised to pay $175,000 to $200,000, and communications director job $145,600 to $155,600.
The speaker in January separately appointed Danielle Castaldi-Micca, the Council's former deputy chief of staff, as the commission's executive director. The job's salary range was never made public, but sources said Castaldi-Micca's salary exceeds the $186,000 she made yearly for the Council.
In comparison, Mayor Adams has appointed two Charter Revision Commissions since taking office in 2022 and none relied on hired help. Instead, City Hall staff assisted the commission as part of their regular duties.
The 17 members of the Council-created commission aren't paid salaries, but many are politically connected – including co-chairs Henry Garrido and Arva Rice.
6 The Council's far-left majority claims it created the commission because of Mayor Eric Adams' willingness to cross party lines and have a cordial working relationship Republican President Donald Trump. Adams pictured here.
Andrew Schwartz / SplashNews.com
Garrido is executive director of District Council 37, the city's largest municipal employee union, which is endorsing Speaker Adams for mayor.
Rice is an outspoken former head of the Civilian Complaint Review Board who resigned from the post last year following a public feud with Mayor Adams' administration over budget cuts she claimed made it difficult for the NYPD watchdog entity to do its job.
Besides the co-chairs, seven other members were appointed by the speaker, including four who donated to her mayoral campaign.
6 James Dezell, the former spokesman for state Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (D-Bronx), who was tapped as the commission's communications director.
James Dezell Jr./ Linkedin
The Council's office and the commission declined to address the panel's bloated payroll.
Instead, Council spokeswoman Julia Agos defended the panel's creation, saying it was necessary because of Mayor Adams' willingness to cross party lines and have a cordial working relationship Republican President Donald Trump.
'It is absurd to claim a Charter Revision Commission focused on strengthening local democracy is unnecessary when our city's independence is under attack by Trump in partnership with our own mayor,' she said.