The first Charter of the City of New York, approved in 1897, united the five boroughs into America’s greatest city. And we have stayed the greatest since — but many other things have changed. For instance, the original Charter did not include a Department of Transportation. Why? Very few cars and no traffic lights. Department of Sanitation? It was called “Department of Street Cleaning” until 1929. Taxi and Limousine Commission? The first yellow cab didn’t hit the streets until 1915. Yet the Charter and our city evolved to stay great. That has always been one of the secrets of New York: we embody change through innovation. Change doesn’t happen to us; we make it happen. So our government must always be as nimble and modern as our residents. Some changes are big and bold — like our current plans to build more than 100,000 new homes through the “City of Yes” zoning plan, relieve billions of dollars in medical debt, and clean up our city by containerizing all garbage. Some changes are, frankly, much more bureaucratic, including changes to government process and authority. But, believe it or not, they are no less essential to progress. That is why every few years we make changes to our Charter in the voting booth. For this election, a commission of dedicated, diverse New Yorkers has proposed five ballot questions for your vote in order to amend the Charter so that our city can continue to improve and thrive. I strongly encourage you to vote “yes” on all five of these amendments (Proposals 2-6).  There is also a proposed amendment to the state’s Constitution (Proposal 1) to protect New Yorkers against discrimination, which I support as well. So don’t forget to flip your ballot to vote for all six measures. Here’s why the Charter changes are so important. Proposal Number Two One of the most basic responsibilities of any city is to keep it clean. Yet, right now, the Department of Sanitation is strangely not authorized to clean up all city property, including parks. That simply doesn’t make sense. This amendment would change that by authorizing DSNY to enforce all laws, rules and regulations related to the cleanliness of streets, sidewalks and exteriors of city property — including our important new rules around containerization. This is how we truly clean up our city (and defeat the rats). Proposal Number Three This proposal would protect your tax dollars by simply requiring financial impact statements to be issued by the City Council and the Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget for each proposed law. We should not be making laws without knowing the actual cost. The amendment would also set more reasonable dates for the annual budget process to ensure a better formulated fiscal plan for the city. Proposal Number Four Proposal 4 would ensure that new legislation affecting public safety would go through a more comprehensive process, including direct consultation of affected agencies and more opportunities for New Yorkers to weigh in before a vote. This year’s Charter Revision Commission was formed partially in response to concerns expressed by local leaders that laws like the “How Many Stops Act” — which forces the NYPD to document even the most basic interactions with the public, adding hours of paperwork per cop that could be used fighting crime — were rushed through without proper analysis. Proposal Number Five This amendment is also about protecting taxpayer dollars through smarter financial planning. The city puts out regular reports about the state of its assets and its capital needs, including properties and facilities. But it does not require enough detail about the conditions of those assets nor its needs, which can lead to waste. This amendment would change that by requiring much greater transparency. Proposal Number Six This is the most straightforward proposal: the formal creation of a chief business diversity officer. My administration created the position to ensure that we were properly supporting the city’s Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs). This proposal would codify the position and empower them to make policy and propose laws, in addition to overseeing our progress diversifying our city’s businesses. Our city is ever-evolving and it needs a foundational document that changes with it. In order to continue to improve, we must continue to innovate in every aspect of city life — beginning with our government. I hope you will join me in voting “yes” on all five Charter amendments this year. To find your polling place, visit Vote.nyc. Adams is mayor of New York.