Albany, NY – Gubernatorial candidate Andrew Cuomo released his comprehensive reform agenda today, and he led with a system of public financing of elections as a central component of the reform our state needs to ensure our government is accountable to its citizens.
Statement from Karen Scharff, Executive Director, Citizen Action of New York:
“For far too long, New York’s political system has been held hostage by big money corporations and lobbyists who can buy legislation to advance their own interests. While corruption seems rampant in the halls of the Capitol, it’s really the system that is the culprit. While there are some bad apples, it’s the barrel that is rotten. We need to fix the system if we want to put our government back in the hands of New Yorkers.
Public financing of elections is the only way to truly put power back in the hands of the people. When enacted, public financing of elections will allow politicians to listen to their constituents, instead of spending all their time dialing for dollars. Citizen Action has been advocating for public financing of elections in New York for over a decade, and Andrew Cuomo has consistently been a strong supporter. We’re pleased that Cuomo is making public funding of elections a top priority, and will be a champion in the fight to restore a government of, by, and for the people.We look forward to working with Andrew Cuomo to ensure that meaningful legislation is passed to finally provide a system of public financing of elections in New York State.”
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