New York City's Doing Business Database Goes Online

The NYC Campaign Finance Board has put together an excellent Doing Business Database, consisting of a searchable list of individuals (principal owners, principal officers, and senior managers of entities) “doing business” with a wide assortment of city agencies and quasi-governmental entities, including through contracts, bids or proposals for contracts, concessions, franchises, grants, economic development agreements, and pension fund investment agreements, as well as those engaged in real property transactions (the sale, purchase, lease or exchange of real estate to or from the city) and seeking land use actions (applicants subject to the city’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (which governs applications for changes in zoning designation, special permits, and other actions) as well as zoning text amendments). The list also includes registered lobbyists, and is searchable by individual or entity.

The list is intended to tie in to NYC's new pay-to-play provisions, which mandate low limits on campaign contributions from people who are doing business with the city. But such a list could also be used to help officials decide whether to accept gifts from an individual as well as whether to recuse themselves, although for these purposes it would be useful to add information about which agencies or departments an individual does business with. Such a list also helps oversight groups and the news media determine who does business with a city or county.