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I voted "yes" on all the NYC ballot questions, for the record. They're all basically sensible measures so that the City can get shit done faster.

Question 1: faster sidewalk cafes, less nosy neighbor meddling Question 2: procurement reform (good!) Question 3: faster street safety projects (bike lanes, bus lanes, public plazas) Question 4: streamlined building permitting Question 5: specific targets for the city rainy day fund

Question 1. Right now, city councilors can veto individual sidewalk cafe applications. This is an easy path to corruption. ("Oh, you want a cafe? Give to my campaign.") Q1 removes the council veto, which is good for business and good for rule of law. Vote yes.

Question 2. Q2 gives the city procurement board the power to streamline the requirements to become a city contractor for smaller vendors, and other technical changes. As someone who worked in city contracting, this is a sensible reform. Vote yes.

Question 3: Q3 speeds up the process to build bike and bus lanes, and removes months from the timeline to put in new safety infrastructure. Bike and bus lanes *should* be simple to put in - let the Department of Transportation do their jobs. Vote yes.

Question 4: This requires the Department of Buildings to establish a central permit hub for building permits, instead of the current stupid system where you have to submit permit applications to a zillion different city agencies for different things. Vote yes.