Citizens Union facts for kids
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| Formation | 1897 |
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| Purpose | Good government |
| Headquarters | New York City |
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Region served
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New York State |
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Executive Director
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Betsy Gotbaum |
| Subsidiaries | Citizens Union of the City of New York is a 501(c)(4) membership organization Citizens Union Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization |
Citizens Union is a group based in New York City. It was started in 1897. Its main goal is to promote "good government." This means they want government to be fair, open, and work well for everyone.
The group was formed to fight against the power of a political group called Tammany Hall. This group had a lot of control over New York City politics. Important people like J. Pierpont Morgan helped start Citizens Union. They were among 165 founders. In 1987, The New York Times newspaper called Citizens Union a very respected "good government" group.
Contents
What Does Citizens Union Do?
Helping Elect Leaders
In 1902, Citizens Union supported Seth Low. He was the president of Columbia University. With their help, he successfully became the second mayor of New York. This showed the group's early influence.
Becoming a Watchdog
Six years later, in 1908, Citizens Union changed its focus. It stopped being a political party itself. Instead, it became a nonpartisan group. "Nonpartisan" means it does not favor one political party over another. It became a "government watchdog" organization. This means it watches how the government works. It makes sure things are done fairly and openly.
Informing Voters
Since 1910, Citizens Union has published a voter directory every year. This guide helps people learn about candidates. It also helps them understand important issues. In 1948, they started writing reports about city politics. They also reported on how transparent the government was. "Transparency" means how open and honest the government is with its citizens.
Launching Gotham Gazette
In 1999, the Citizens Union Foundation started the Gotham Gazette. This is an online newspaper in New York. It is well-known for reporting on what the city and state governments are doing. It helps keep people informed.
Leaders of Citizens Union
The current leader of Citizens Union is Betsy Gotbaum. She is the Executive Director. She used to be the New York City Public Advocate. This is an elected official who helps New Yorkers with city services.
One important past leader was William Jay Schieffelin. He was the president of Citizens Union for many years. He led the group from 1908 to 1941.
