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Author Archives: NYPIRG

Ethics Reform is Still Needed

Posted on March 11, 2014 - 3:28 pm by

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The failure of Albany to clean up its ongoing – and seemingly unending – ethics scandals was again in the news last week.

The most recent conviction was that of now-former Assemblyman William Boyland, Jr.  Mr. Boyland has been in hot water with federal authorities for the past few years.  He was first arrested in 2011 as part of an investigation into a bribing scandal in which a hospital executive paid several legislators for political favors. The executive was convicted of bribing Boyland and others, but Boyland escaped conviction when prosecutors could not show that Boyland had done anything illegal, even though he had been a well-paid consultant for the hospital.

Three weeks after the acquittal, prosecutors revealed evidence showing Boyland asking for money.  In that revelation, undercover agents with the FBI released evidence in which Boyland discussed how influential he was in making deals happen in Brooklyn.  In one video, Boyland accepted $7,000 in cash. (more…)

A Budget Issue Worth Fighting For

Posted on March 3, 2014 - 2:34 pm by

There is a lot in New York State’s budget that is important. Children need schooling, the poor and the sick need to be taken care of, the roads and bridges need repair, the public needs to be protected, and the courts need to administer justice.

But there are some things in the budget which are worth fighting for and not accepting “no” for an answer.

One of those issues deals with health insurance.

Two years ago the Cuomo Administration issued a report examining the issue of “surprise medical bills.”  A surprise medical bill is when a consumer who has done everything reasonably possible to use in-network hospitals and doctors, but nonetheless receives a bill from a specialist or other provider whom the consumer did not or could not know was out-of-network.  The report called for action to protect consumers from this practice. (more…)

The Governor’s Historic Opportunity

Posted on February 26, 2014 - 9:32 pm by

Lawmakers return to the Capitol this week to tackle the big issue of the session: approving a state budget.  As part of that $140 billion plus decision, lawmakers will be forced to also debate a key issue: reforming the state’s campaign finance and ethics laws.

For at least 30 years, New York governors have called for sweeping campaign finance reforms.  New York has the highest campaign contributions of any state with limits.  Its disclosure requirements are weak and its enforcement essentially non-existent.

But for all that talk, Governors Mario Cuomo, George Pataki, Eliot Spitzer and David Paterson achieved virtually no reforms.  Lots of talk, no real action. (more…)

Big Tobacco Rises Again From the Ashes

Posted on February 17, 2014 - 11:11 am by

Listen: http://wamc.org/term/blair-horner

It wasn’t long ago when it seemed that the tobacco lobby’s stranglehold over New York policymaking was finally broken.  In addition to federal court decisions, state actions were being taken.  During the years of the Pataki Administration, the state raised its tobacco tax, enacted one of the nation’s most sweeping restrictions on smoking in public places and in work environments. The Spitzer Administration bolstered funding for the state’s tobacco control efforts, helping it rise to the 5th most well-resourced program in the nation.  In the Paterson Administration, New York raised its tobacco tax rate to the highest in the nation.

Meanwhile, the New York State Department of Health implemented a robustly-funded, evidence-based, anti-smoking campaign.  As tobacco use continued to cause avoidable misery, addiction, disease and early deaths, the smoking rate among adults and children fell to unprecedented lows.  New York seemed poised to have secured a historic public health achievement that saved thousands of lives and reduced strains on our healthcare delivery system. (more…)

Governor Cuomo’s Budget for Higher Education

Posted on February 10, 2014 - 2:14 pm by

The governor’s budget is based on a huge promise – that he will keep the budget growth to less than 2%.  The governor presents this number as a simple feat, keep to the rate of inflation and he can use some of the revenues for a tax cut.

Of course, the governor’s tax cut – trumpeted as $2 billion – is more rhetoric than reality.  He promises to cut taxes, but in the fine print the amount of that cut hinges on the governor’s prediction that the state can keep spending under 2% growth and that the federal government will shift billions of dollars in Medicaid savings to New York.

But even if the governor is right on both of those predictions, keeping spending under 2% means cuts to important programs.  Last week, the Legislature heard the details of the governor’s higher education proposal.  In a word, cuts. (more…)