ELECTING NOT TO

Blas panel balks at big changes, urges minor ones

Instant runoffs, redistricting, modernized elections and consolidating city agencies.

Mayor de Blasio’s Charter Revision Commission considered putting each of those important changes in how the city is governed on the November ballot — then punted.

Instead, the panel opted to ask voters to back smaller changes to campaign-finance rules, boost civic engagement and place term limits on community-board members.

It also recommended in- creasing taxpayer spending by as much as $18 million in the 2021 city elections.

“They did meaningful work overall, but there are always some things left on the cutting-room floor,” said Alex Camarda, senior policy adviser for the government watchdog Reinvent Albany.

The ballot measures approved by the commission would cut the maximum contributions in the elections for citywide office from $5,100 to $2,000 — while boosting the value of small donations.

The current 6-to-1 match would jump to 8-to-1, and the amount matched would increase from a maximum of $175 to $250.

So a mayoral candidate who got a $250 contribution from a New York City resident would collect an extra $2,000 in public matching funds.

The panel estimated the change would cost taxpayers an extra $8.5 million to $18 million.

On issues from redistricting to rank-choice voting, the commission decided “further research” was required.

The panel rejected election modernization pro- posals, noting they require Albany’s support.

It wasn’t the first to kick the can down the road.

The 2010 Charter Revision Commission considered a proposal to bring instant runoffs to city elections, but it went nowhere.

“It would dramatically change the way elections are conducted in New York City,” Camarda said.

“I think elected officials who have gained office under the current system are probably very averse to changing that system.”