New York CIty Council Member Ben Kallos
This website is maintained for historical purposes.
Ben Kallos is no longer a candidate for Manhattan Borough President or any other office.

Fight Corruption

Council Member Ben Kallos Cleaning Up Corruption

Real estate developers get billions in tax breaks, politicians take thousands in campaign cash, and tenants like us pay for it all. That’s why Ben has always refused money from real estate developers, corporations, and lobbyists.

As a Council Member, Ben wrote the laws to:

Ben’s not done yet and as Borough President will keep big money out of politics, restore ethic in government, root out corruption and make it easier to vote, by

Fresh Ideas: Fight Corruption

Senator Elizabeth Warren with Ben Kallos and Julian Castro

Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) had a “crisis of faith” and introduced legislation imposing a lifetime ban on lobbying for elected officials. Explaining her reasoning, Senator Warren said “our national crisis of faith in government boils down to this simple fact: People don’t trust their government to do the right thing because they think government works for the rich, the powerful and the well-connected and not for the American people. And here’s the kicker: They’re right.” 

Here in New York City, elected officials and agency heads can go through a revolving door from government to lobbying without a break, the only restriction was a one-year, now two-year, prohibition against appearing before the agency were they worked, leaving the rest of government wide open. As I proposed to the 2019 Charter Revision Commission, in order to remove real and perceived corruption, as the next Borough President I will win a lifetime ban on lobbying for elected officials.


Learn more about Lifetime Lobbying Ban.

More Fresh Ideas: Fight Corruption

Petitioning

Voters should get to choose between candidate on the ballot. Instead, party bosses and corrupt politicians play a blood sport of knocking candidates off the ballot. That's why Ben has never tried to knock anyone off the ballot and never will. Legislation Ben has proposed would let any candidate that qualifies for public funds on the ballot automatically. During a pandemic people shouldn't have to risk their lives just to have a choice on the ballot. As a Council Member, Ben's already fighting to give voters a choice, and as Borough President will always put voters first.


Learn more about Ballot Access for All.
Line to Vote at Wagner Expand Early Voting

We need to make voting easier not harder and early voting was supposed to help. Instead what we got was not enough poll sites leading to voters waiting hours to vote, even in the rain. Albany failed to require enough poll sites leaving none in my Council District and too few throughout the borough of Manhattan. That's why Ben's proposed legislation to mandate more poll sites June Primary together with more hours to vote. Ben is already working with Borough President Gale Brewer to find new sites and will get it done as Borough President so you can vote early and easy.


Learn more about Expand Early Voting.
Mayor de Blasio signs Online Voter Registration

In the 21st Century, democracy should be just one click away. Forty states offer online voter registration and I wrote the law to make New York City is one of them in 2017. A corrupt city Board of Elections and Albany legislature have refused to implement the law and even blocked it over the past four years. As the next Manhattan Borough President I will continue to fight corruption at the Board of Election and in Albany to make it easier for people to register and vote.


Learn more about Online Voter Registration.
NYC.gov Job Search

Finding a job should be about what you know, not who you know. All too often, government hires people for patronage jobs that were never posted and no one was even interviewed. That's why Ben is fighting patronage legislation to post every job. As a Council Member, candidate, and the next Borough President, Ben will post all jobs, and continuing to fight patronage to open jobs to every New Yorker.


Learn more about Post All Jobs.