Our families deserve a state government that is open, transparent and responsive to their needs. Enacting meaningful reform is essential to accomplishing these goals. My proposals make our state government more accountable to the people it serves.

To ensure that these crucial reforms become law, the Assembly and Senate should immediately appoint conference committees to reach agreements. These committees will help resolve differences between the two houses, and get the reforms signed into state law.

Ensuring on-time, responsible state budgets

Perhaps the most pressing matter facing our state government is the budget process. It is imperative that responsible state budgets are passed on-time every year. I will continue seeking to amend the constitution to reform the budget process to help bring an end to New York’s unacceptable string of late budgets. My legislation would allow for better revenue and spending projections and institute provisions to instill greater accountability and transparency in the process (A.1, A.2).

To ensure that schools have an opportunity to plan ahead for the amount of state aid they receive, the budget reform plan would require a two-year appropriation for education aid. This finally gives schools the information they need in advance so they can responsibly plan ahead.

Reducing the influence of lobbyists on state government

Another important part of the reform package would limit the influence of lobbying on the awarding of state agency contracts (A.9).

Currently, there are some disclosure requirements of lobbyists, but not on procurement lobbying – an area where billions of taxpayer dollars are at stake. My measure would expand the definition of lobbying to include any effort to influence the action of any public official – state or municipal – regarding procurement of goods or services, construction and the sale or purchase of land.

Taxpayer dollars should never be wasted, and taxpayers deserve greater accountability and oversight of lobbyists and their activities. These reforms will set a higher standard for government officials and lobbying organizations.

Ensuring Empire Zones do their jobs

The Assembly’s Empire Zone program has indeed created jobs, but over the past few years serious problems have come to light. The reform plan would ensure the program does the job it was created to do (A.6).

The Empire State Development Corporation, which oversees Empire Zones, has strayed from its mission since the governor took office. There is no burden of proof on businesses to show they have actually created jobs before they receive state economic development benefits. Without proper oversight, the Empire Zone program has lost some of its effectiveness.

The Assembly’s proposal reforms the Empire Zone program by:

·        requiring each zone to reconfigure its boundaries to better address the needs of distressed communities and prevent the zones from sprawling into undeveloped space or more desirable suburban locations;

·        replacing the ESD-controlled Empire Zones Designation Board with a three-member control board;

·        requiring the state Department of Taxation and Finance to certify that businesses receiving tax benefits through the program are legitimate; and

·        mandating annual reports to inform policymakers about the program’s job creation record.

Making public authorities more accountable

In an effort to end abuses of the public trust by state authorities and public benefit corporations, I unveiled proposals to make them more accountable (A.3). The legislation creates a public authority inspector general to ensure authorities are given the kind of oversight they’ve been lacking. The measure would also help ensure that there is no improper influence when it comes to awarding authority contracts.

In addition, the bill would establish an independent budget officer to collect, distribute and assess information about the budget for each authority, and provide the information to the public and elected officials.

Making state government more efficient

In addition, my comprehensive reform plan will:

·        implement the Help America Vote Act to make voting in New York easier and more accurate (A.5, A.122, A.121, A.119, A.120); and

·        reform the state’s judicial selection laws to ensure that the most qualified judges serve (A.7, A.8).

I have been seeking reform in Albany from the day I was first elected.  I am pleased we are finally seeing results.  These reforms are just a beginning, and I will do everything I can to get them implemented and begin working on new ways to make state government more efficient. I strongly urge the Senate and governor to join us in making our state government more accountable and responsive to the needs of the public.