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THE STATE OF THE STATE'S ETHICS:
A SUMMARY
In the report State of the State's Ethics, NYPIRG calls on Governor
Pataki to make reform an important part of his State of the State address.
Here is a summary of the report - to receive a copy of the full report,
email liam@nypirg.org.
Transparency - New York State government must be open to its citizens
Issue #1: Strengthening New York's Freedom of Information Law
Recommendation: Require public electronic access to records
Recommendation: Broaden the current allowance for attorney's
fees when a citizen brings a successful FOIL action against a stonewalling
agency. Recommendation: Loopholes should be closed.
Issue #2: Broadening public oversight of lobbying.
Recommendation: Expand the scope of the lobbying law to cover
procurement decisions.
Recommendation: Put budget deliberations on television.
Recommendation: Prohibit messages of necessity for final passage
of budget bills.
Independent Oversight - Unbiased, independent, nonpartisan entities
should provide oversight of government
Issue #3: Redistricting decisions play a critical role in having
maintained Albany's legislative status quo for decades.
Recommendation: Create a nonpartisan redistricting commission
to draft the state legislative and Congressional political boundaries
for the 2012 elections.
Issue #4: New York State's budget is enacted chronically late
and the initial obstacle is the failure to agree on available revenues.
Recommendation: Create an Independent Budget Office to generate
non-partisan revenue estimates and provide the public with independent
analyses of budget proposals.
Ethics - New York's weak ethical requirements must be strengthened
Issue #5: Questionable ethics.
Recommendations: Raise the ethical bar. A ban on gifts from lobbyists
to lawmakers and other top policymakers. A ban on lawmakers accepting
honoraria. Create a new, independent ethics oversight agency for both
the executive and legislative branches. The establishment of a full
one year "cooling off" period for all legislative staffers
and top party officials. The elimination of the loophole that prohibits
prosecutors from investigating ethical misconduct. Ensure that the public
knows the fate of prosecutorial actions.
Fair elections - New York's elections are too dominated by special
interests and create unnecessary obstacles to voter participation
Issue #6: New York's disgraceful campaign finance system.
Recommendation: Enact comprehensive campaign finance reform.
Issue #7: Voting in New York.
Recommendation: New York State must permit that its definition
of "acceptable" forms of identification for first-time voters
is expansive. Recommendation:
New Yorkers deserve a new statewide voting machine.
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