But major victories for good - government watchdogs such
as public financing of political campaigns and ending the practice of donating unlimited funds to political campaigns through a web of limited liability companies has alluded passage so far.
Not exact matches
He told Syracuse.com he opposes Cuomo's calls for the Legislature to approve
public financing of political campaigns, is undecided on closing the LLC loophole that lets wealthy donors contribute almost unlimited amounts to politicians, and is against the governor's call to limit the outside income
of lawmakers to 15 percent
of their $ 79,500 base salary
as legislators.
Sources Friday evening said Cuomo and the leadership
of the party had reached a tentative deal for the incumbent Democrat to take the labor - backed line in exchange for pushing on key progressive issues such
as the Dream Act, the
public financing of political campaigns and the women's agenda.
The resolution, approved earlier this month after some back - and - forth haggling over pre-Kindergarten spending levels, the
public financing of political campaigns and the Dream Act, doesn't go into detail
as to what the sales tax exemptions and adjustments would cost in revenue to the state budget.
There are other differences
as well, including Cuomo's support for the
public financing of political campaigns, which the Assembly supports and the Senate does not.
Cuomo on Saturday was endorsed by the labor - backed WFP and at the same time announced his support for a Democratic takeover
of the Senate,
as well
as a package
of liberal measures including the
public financing of political campaigns.
«Independent expenditures tend not to be particularly
as big in New York
as say the LLC Loophole or housekeeping accounts,» said Blair Horner
of The New York
Public Interest Research Group, referring to
political party accounts not subject to the same
campaign finance limits
as candidate
campaigns.
Cuomo, to chants
of «four more years», promised to deliver in his next term on a mostly progressive agenda, including enacting a number
of items that were stalled in the State Senate over the past couple
of years, like an abortion rights provision
as part
of a women's rights agenda and
public financing of political campaigns.
But while Cuomo was able to get several Republican Senators to vote to enact same sex marriage in 2011, he could not get them to budge on several issues that the Democratic left was pushing for, including, further increasing the minimum wage, allowing children
of undocumented immigrants college aid known
as the Dream Act, and
public financing of political campaigns.
New York City's system
of public financing for
political campaigns is often cited
as a model that enhances democracy.
Senate Republicans are laying into Stewart - Cousins, elected the Senate Democratic conference leader on Monday, for her comments on Fred Dicker's Talk - 1300 show this morning in which she endorsed the
public financing of political campaigns, listing it
as a top priority for her in the coming legislative session.
Liberals remain skeptical, however, Cuomo is truly on their side, pointing to what they see
as half - hearted attempts at
public financing of political campaigns and flipping control
of the Senate to his own party.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo in a news conference this morning did not mention the women's agenda
as potential measures he'd like to push in the spring, but did note the Dream Act,
public financing of political campaigns and changes to the teacher evaluation law were items he wished were in the budget.
Protesters barred from the Senate Elections Committee hearing this morning taking a critical look at
public financing of political campaigns sought to make themsevles heard
as much
as possible.
George Soros, the liberal financier, contributed to key Senate candidates, and his son Jonathan Soros once again funded the Friends
of Democracy PAC
as a vehicle to pass the
public financing of political campaigns.
As Liz noted in the Morning Memo earlier, the pro-business group Unshackle Upstate in Rochester released a report that takes a critical look at
public financing of political campaigns.
Tkaczyk's victory two years ago was attributed in part to a concerted effort by organizations backing the
public financing of political campaigns, which launched a paid advertising effort
as well
as field operation on her behalf.
The seven commission members who broke with the 25 - member panel on the
public financing recommendation pointed to that Common Cause report
as a sign that
public financing of political campaigns can be easily undermined thanks to IE groups.
Cuomo said that he wanted a special session to tackle sweeping ethics and
campaign -
finance reform changes, including the
public financing of political campaigns as well
as a cap on outside pay and banning employment
of state lawmakers from firms that have business before the state.
As for the claim that is widely made by good government groups and left leaning reformers that establishing a
public campaign finance system would go a long way toward getting big money out
of the
political system and reducing corruption, New Yorkers aren't really on board.
Bill Lipton, the party's state director, said the party decided to stick with Mr. Cuomo because he promised to support some
of its top goals, such
as raising the minimum wage and providing
public financing for state
political campaigns.
Cuomo's stated agenda during the
campaigns included
public financing of political campaigns (no specifics on that,
as yet), limits on the outside income for legislators, raising the age
of criminal responsibility and extending
public tuition assistance programs to undocumented immigrants.
There was also discussion
of a proposal to use
public funds to
finance political campaigns, which Cuomo has proposed but is in limbo
as lawmakers move to finish state budget negotiations.
Mr. Cuomo's call for
public campaign financing, along with substantially lower contribution limits and much more aggressive enforcement
of campaign finance laws, already faces the well - funded wrath
of a
political establishment that cares little that elections are bought
as much
as they are won.
Among Ganim's reported expenses in the last three months were $ 10,000 for the Simsbury law firm that unsuccessfully represented him in his effort to overturn a state law that barred him from participating in the
public campaign financing system because
of his felony conviction and more than $ 3,400 to reimburse the city
of Bridgeport for the mileage driven by the city police detective who chauffeurs him to
political events
as well
as events in his official capacity
as mayor.
Good government groups see the pension forfeiture measure
as a token reform and have pressed for the closing
of the «LLC loophole» that allows businesses to create multiple limited liability companies to donate virtually unlimited amounts
of campaign cash;
public financing of candidate campaigns; the end of lump sum appropriations in the budget; limits on political contributions by companies with business before the state; limits on legislators» outside income; and a renovation of Albany's ethics watchdog, the Joint Commission on Public Ethics (J
public financing of candidate
campaigns; the end
of lump sum appropriations in the budget; limits on
political contributions by companies with business before the state; limits on legislators» outside income; and a renovation
of Albany's ethics watchdog, the Joint Commission on
Public Ethics (J
Public Ethics (JCOPE).
The report authors argue charters have come to represent a force that «preempts traditional local control
of public schools» and spends «hundreds
of millions
of dollars to promote itself...
finance electoral
campaigns up and down the
political ladder and hire publicists who spread misinformation, aggressively lobby, and paint charter opponents
as part
of the problem they are solving.»