The Moreland Commission report, which recommends
adopting public financing of campaigns and an enforcement overhaul at the state Board of Elections, was released with little fanfare on a Monday evening, after the 6 p.m. newscasts had begun.
After a new wave of indictments against state lawmakers in the spring, Cuomo tried to convince the legislature to
adopt public financing of campaigns, the closing of loopholes for large donors, and better policing of the laws.
A handful of states, including Connecticut, have
adopted public financing of campaigns.
Not exact matches
Adopt system
of public financing of campaigns, with new lower limits on direct contributions to statewide and state legislative candidates; Establish the «New York State
Campaign Finance Fund», with transfers from the Abandoned Property Fund and taxpayer designations
of PIT liability; and limiting contributions to «housekeeping accounts» to $ 25,000.
Several MoveOn and Occupy members braved a chill wind and snow to demonstrate outside the State Capitol in favor
of the state's
adopting a
public small donor matching fund to
finance political
campaigns.
IDC Leader Jeff Klein said he's «excited» by the prospect and said he also wants the rest
of the Democrats to
adopt his group's policy agenda, including transgender rights and
public financing for
campaigns, items supported by many mainstream Democrats.
The advocates, including Citizen Action's Karen Scharff, want the state to
adopt a
public campaign financing system similar to the one in New York City where every one dollar donated by a private individual to a political
campaign releases $ 6
of public money.
But he said his group, which has been under intense pressure from progressives to return to the fold since the election
of President Trump, is «ready to move forward,» but only if any final agreement is based on a legislative agenda that includes passage
of a bill to strengthen abortion laws, enact a state DREAM Act, create a
public campaign finance system, and
adopt a single - payer health care program.
Cuomo's prescriptions in his 2016 State
of the State speech included closing a legal loophole that lets
campaign donors funnel unlimited sums to candidates through limited - liability companies; requiring office holders to report
campaign contributions every 60 days instead
of twice a year; allowing lawmakers to earn no more than 15 percent
of their legislative salaries in private - sector work; and
adopting a system
of voluntary
public campaign financing similar to what New York City has.
With just two months left in the legislative session, advocates
of campaign finance reform are pressing Governor Cuomo and the legislature to
adopt a New York City style
public financing system for the state.
Campaign finance rules are
adopted by the State Board
of Elections on a four - year cycle, Bill Mahoney
of the New York
Public Interest Research Group pointed out, meaning any changes could not take effect until the 2018 legislative elections or the 2022 gubernatorial election.
It simply says that the Senate intends to «modify» Governor Cuomo's proposal to «
adopt a system
of public campaign finance.»
Several Move On and Occupy members braved a chill wind and snow to demonstrate outside the State Capitol in favor
of the state's
adopting a
public small donor matching fund to
finance political
campaigns.