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  • Ballot access: Former Parks Commission Henry Stern raised this issue, a reference to the significant legal barriers that exist to running for office in New York. He noted that state election law complicates anything the charter might say.

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  • Fair share: According to environmental advocates, the 1989 charter language that sought to protect communities from being overburdened by trash or sewage facilities has not proven effective and needs to strengthened.

  • Wage requirements: At least one union called for the charter to require that developments going through the city's land use process promise to pay workers "living" or "prevailing" wages.

  • Strengthening the Civilian Complaint Review Board: De Blasio did not get into specifics, but said the board that investigates charges of police brutality and harassment "needs to be a more vibrant, independent, and meaningful agency."

  • Empowering the comptroller: In his testimony, Comptroller John Liu called for his office to have more power over budget projections, an independent annual budget and more authority over bond issuance—and to be first in line to assume the mayoralty if City Hall is vacant (the current next-in-line is the public advocate).

    Lurking in the background is the question of whether the commission will prepare ballot questions for this November's election, wait until the 2011 elections, or put different questions before the voters each year. The 2010 vote, featuring races for statewide offices and federal and state legislative seats, will likely get higher turnout than next year's off-year election. But that means the commission has to finalize ballot language by early September, which some critics say would require a rushed process.

    "The commission wants to leave us at least the possibility—the option—of weighing in this year," says Cassino. "We haven't made a decision on that. But we have to move at a pace that gives you that option."