New York Daily News

Legislation was introduced in the City Council by Ben Kallos (D-Manhattan) this week to increase that to $250 in an effort to stem reliance on big money donors able to give the max.

Many of the donors who have given the max to de Blasio come from the real estate industry, which has an interest in city housing and land use policies.

Councilman Ben Kallos (D-Manhattan) asked the schools boss to conduct a mock election and let kids cast ballots for their presidential favorites as a way to boost civic engagement.

“It turns out that voting is hereditary trait, and social science has shown if parents take their kids to vote, they’re more likely to vote himself,” he said.

But Fariña was reluctant to endorse the idea, though she said she shares the same goal.

A new bill being introduced in the City Council aims to make it easier for candidates to get on the ballot without the backing of party machines — scrapping requirements to gather hundreds of thousands of petition signatures.

Under the legislation by Councilman Ben Kallos (D-Manhattan), a candidate could instead qualify by raising enough donations to earn public matching funds — from $5,000 for City Council to $250,000 for mayor.

Under the current rules, candidates have to get between 450 and 3,750 signatures — but upstart office-seekers often face petition challenges seeking to knock them off the ballot.

But the city is resisting, saying a pilot program in middle schools only increased lunch participation by 6%.

“We have an opportunity to make sure that 1.1 million children don’t have to worry about hunger, which would be huge,” said Councilman Ben Kallos (D-Manhattan).

But Farina said it would have to show better results before getting expanded. “Our numbers are not reflecting this has made a major difference,” she said.

Kersh said that the group, which has filed paperwork with the city to rezone the area, plans to meet again with City Planning.

Several elected officials, including City Councilman Ben Kallos and Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, have joined their push for the rezoning.

It’s the latest trouble for Bauhouse, which last month declared bankruptcy. The company did not respond to an email for comment.

Apartments should be offered for people making less than the average 60% of area median income — $46,620 for a family of three — currently targeted in the plan, says the 18-member group, which represents about a third of the Council.“We believe in having deeper levels of affordability,” said Councilman Ben Kallos (D-Manhattan), the vice chair for policy.

East Side pols filed a zoning plan Thursday to block super-tall towers from rising in the neighborhood around Sutton Place. The application would cap buildings from 52nd St. to 59th St. east of First Ave. at no more than 260 feet. "We are drawing a line on the march of superscrapers at billionaire's row to protect our city's residential neighborhoods," said Councilman Ben Kallos (D-Manhattan), who submitted the plan along with Councilman Dan Garodnick (D-Manhattan), Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, and Sen. Liz Krueger (D-Manhattan).

"We're going to see hundreds of trucks coming into residential neighborhoods," he said. "We're looking at knowing [pollution levels] on an hour to hour, day to day basis because there are 35,000 children playing in a park near this garbage dump."

“We’re taking on the onslaught of dark money and special interests in the city’s elections,” said Councilman Ben Kallos, chair of the government operations committee and one of the sponsors.