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Ending Albany's Entitlements
2006 is wrapping up and for New Yorkers it couldn’t come a moment too soon. Last week, another state legislator was indicted for corruption. In this case, as in others, abuse of state taxpayers dollars allocated through “member items” was the source of the alleged scandal. A state senator from the Bronx was indicted for misusing tax dollars. Instead of allowing the money to be used by a local not-for-profit, which are the way member item monies are typically spent; this legislator used over $400,000 of the money for himself. The state senator denies the charge. However, the allegation was another example of how some state officials view their positions as a public entitlement, rather than one of public service. They feel entitled to use tax dollars in order to enhance their personal lifestyles.
The steady erosion of ethics in Albany is rooted in this view of entitlement. According to this logic, “if everyone else does it, why shouldn’t I?” And what exacerbates the situation is the failure of anyone to do anything about it. There has been no effective enforcement of the state’s ethics laws or the campaign finance law. Moreover, there has been no effort by Governor Pataki to demand that government operate at a higher ethical standard. So as 2006 limps to a close, New Yorkers can look forward to leaving this chapter of state history behind them. A new governor with a new way of doing things can put an end to this sense of entitlement among state officials. And Governor-elect Spitzer has begun to raise the ethical bar through his recent moves to unilaterally end the practice of using tax dollars to pay for TV ads that feature him, by pledging to refuse campaign contributions that exceed $10,000, by refusing fees for speeches and by demanding that his new staff give up gifts from lobbyists. In doing so, the governor-elect is sending a signal – that the way Albany conducts its political business must change. But unilateral decisions, while important, can only have a limited impact. In order to have a more lasting impact, legislation must be passed. The legislature has to feel the pressure exerted by the new governor if there is to be any real house cleaning. Unilateral moves help create that pressure and if Spitzer keeps it up once he takes office, things could change. And there is some evidence that the legislative leaders are feeling pressure. Senate Majority Leader Bruno called for legislation to make the state budget more open to public scrutiny. Assembly Speaker Silver has pledged to move ahead on a package of reforms once lawmakers reconvene in January. The new year is upon us and with it comes the hope of reform. As New Yorkers, we must demand that real change occurs at the state Capitol. For too long, we’ve had to endure seemingly endless controversies and scandals. For too long, we’ve had to endure reports of dysfunction. It’s time for change. That’s all for now. I’ll be keeping an eye on the Capitol and will talk to you next year. |
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