How Progressive Reform Created the Conditions for Special Interest Capture in an American City PART 5: NEWBURGH IS AMERICA The five incidents documented in Parts 3 and 4 span sixty years and involve different people, different politics, and different circumstances. A housing crisis. A welfare crackdown. A demolition campaign. A partisan installation. A waterfront sabotage. […]
Topic: Municipal Structure
What They Called Good Government
How Progressive Reform Created the Conditions for Special Interest Capture in an American City PART 4: WHAT THE STRUCTURE PRODUCED The 1917 charter put in place a mayor and four at large council members, with a city manager. Since the mayor was largely ceremonial, this was basically five at large councilmembers. Every two years, either […]
What They Call Good Government
How Progressive Reform Leads to Council-Manager Government Silos Power Away From Electoral Accountability PART 3: WHAT THE STRUCTURE DOES – OR DOESN’T – DO The Kenney Apartments sit at 55 Walsh Road in Newburgh. More than one hundred low-income families and seniors live there. Since 2023, they have not had reliable heat or hot water. […]
What They Call Good Government
How Progressive Reform Created the Conditions for Special Interest Capture in one American City PART 2: REVOLUTION OR REFORM New Yorkers have made a lot of news of late for putting a socialist — Zohran Mamdani — in charge of the city known as the capital of capitalism. One hundred years ago, socialism was less […]
What They Call Good Government
How Progressive Reform Created the Conditions for Special Interest Capture in one American City PART 1: ADMINISTERING COVER Prologue In May 2021, the Newburgh City Council faced an unusual demand. Todd Venning, their City Comptroller, wanted City Manager Joseph Donat’s job. He also wanted a $50,000 raise. And if the council said no, he would […]
