Originally Published: March 29, 2014
On proposed changes in the state budget to campaign finance, election enforcement and ethics
Public financing for comptroller-only candidates opens the door to campaign finance reform, but the Governor and the legislative leaders must now walk through that door and finish the job by Monday and agree to comprehensive campaign finance reform. It isn’t over until it is over.
The proposed changes to election oversight and enforcement are clear steps in the right direction and hopefully will go far to end the shenanigans at the State Board of Elections and lead to cleaner campaigns and fairer elections. Tougher penalties for bribery and more aggressive tools for to pursue violations of the public trust will strengthen the prosecution of acts of misconduct, giving a glimmer of hope that the culture of corruption may change in Albany.