A Plan to Clean Up Albany
A new coalition urges a campaign financing model based on NYC’s successful matching fund system to prevent corruption in the Empire State.
A new coalition endorsing the governor’s call for meaningful campaign finance reform in New York State launched today. New York Leadership for Accountable Government (NY LEAD) is a bipartisan group of New York business, civic, and philanthropic leaders who have joined to advocate for comprehensive reform to the way elections are funded in the Empire State. The group, formed with the goal of restoring integrity to the state’s political process, is endorsing Governor Andrew Cuomo’s call for campaign finance reform, as outlined in his January State of the State address, and is calling for a system of public financing for New York State elections as the centerpiece of that overhaul. Members of the new group are listed here.
The new group supports a public financing system modeled on New York City’s successful matching funds system which has increased the competitiveness of elections, diversity among candidates, and the participation of small donors. Comprehensive campaign finance reforms, “will put the needs of real voters — the business owners and workers who drive New York’s economy — back on the agenda,” according to the NY LEAD website.
NY LEAD adds a new voice to the increasing calls for campaign finance reform in New York State. Earlier this month, over 100 groups from the civil rights, business, faith, grassroots community, good government, environmental, and labor communities wrote Governor Cuomo detailing the need for publicly financed campaigns, lower contribution limits, and better enforcement.
Members of NY LEAD are scheduled to hold a press conference in Albany today at 12:30. You can follow NY LEAD on Twitter and “like” the new group on Facebook.