The Senate recognizes the need to reform our state's campaign finance laws in order to restore public trust in government and allow elected officials to focus on public needs rather than special interests. We're considering a number of proposed reforms, including proposals to create a system of voluntary public financing.
We're interested in your ideas and your thoughts on how campaign finance reform should work in New York:
Ideas in The Works
Senators have proposed the ideas below. Share your own ideas and comments on this page, then go to NY Senate Markup where you can comment on the actual bills listed here and more:
Full system of public financing: also known as "clean elections"
Matching system of public financing: 4:1 match and four "triggers," similar to NYC's campaign finance program
Hybrid public financing system: 4:1 match to qualify, followed by two grants
In addition, several Senators have introduced bills that reform current campaign finance laws-- known as Article 14 of the Election Law--also available on NY Senate Markup:
Lower contribution limits to candidates
Close the multiple LLC contribution loophole
Disclose employer and business address
Disclose bundling by intermediaries
Prohibit multiple candidate committees for same office
*Please be aware that posting comments on this site may constitute lobbying under New York State law. For more information, visit the website of the New York State Commission on Public Integrity.
How are we supposed to have a representative government when money equals influence. Most of those in power are only accountable to large corporations and lobbyists not the average citizen. By passing a public financing bill we can allow those that more closely represent us and our neighbors to run for office and win. Then our voices will be heard and government will be acting in our best interest. Then we will have a representative government.
Public financing of elections is the real answer to New York's campaign finance mess. Unless candidates and elected officials have a public financing system to choose from, they'll be dependent on raising tons of money from large, wealthy donors. With public financing, elections can be about small donors, and the issues that matter, not fundraising. The Senate should work with the Assembly to pass a public financing bill into law by the end of the 2009 legislative session. Any system that puts small contributors in charge, and gives a candidate enough public funds to be competitive is great.
I believe Clean Elections legislation is the best way to restore public trust in government and reduce the influence of large donors on legislative decisions. Now is the time to make this happen. Our democratic system cannot afford increased voter alienation, which will happen unless there is real reform in Albany. Clean Elections will benefit both incumbents and challengers, since it will allow them to focus on the issues and make decisions based on what is best for constituents, rather than on rewarding big donors.
I've heard that Connecticut started a system like this last year and that it is working well. Their Governor went to jail because of a campaign finance scandal- Does Hevesi and the pension fund scandal count? I certainly hope so.
Until all money is removed from elections - all elections - we will never be a democracy. Would the health insurance and banking industries "OWN" Congress if those lobbyists were not funding elections ? NO. they would have no influence at all and people would once again have real representation. At this moment the people have no representation at all. Elected officials represent corporations, not constituents. I am so sick of it, I plan to move abroad . to a REAL democracy
We need to end the influence of the lobbyists representing big money corporations in our government. The people of New York State should be the only ones expressing the needs of the people. We have to end this unwholesome dependence & influence of the lobbyists. I urge you to please pass Public Financing of Election in this legislative session. Bring the government back to what our forefathers planned for our country. Thank you.
New York State has one of the highest campaign finance limits in the country. This limit must be lowered and properly enforced. A law lacking enforcement does nothing.
Campaign reform means strict enforcement independent of the Board of Elections so voters can trust it: automatic computer detection of violations, automatic collection of penalties for violations, penalties that rise with severity of the offense, and a way for voters to know what happens.
Public finance of campaigns only makes sense with rigorous enforcement of the law so the money isn't misused. Otherwise it's just a formula for more waste.
It's fairly easy for the common man/woman to understand that big money cannot help a candidate stay clean when it comes to elections. Obama proved that small donors can create a great momentum in a campaign. That's what clean elections will do for NYS. The people will participate at the grassroots level. This will open politics to the candidates with ideas and dreams that would have never considered political office because of the incredible financial burden.
The public option will save New Yorkers money by allowing politicians to follow their constituents needs and not the needs of their large contributors. No longer will a contractor who is also a big contributor get the overinflated contract. This act, in and of itself, can change the very essence of life in NYS. Don't let this opportunity pass us by. Many other states have a public finance. The time is now to change the way we do business in NYS politics.
New York needs the Clean Elections system of public financing for campaigns. It help level the playing field, free office-seekers from the endless money chase and allow them to more truly engage with voters and policy issues. In short it will help strengthen democracy. New York has an opportunity to not only do the right thing by it's citizens, but also to set an example for other states and the federal government.
While working as a public interest lobbyist in the NY Legislature, I was stuck by the earnest, good intentions of the Legislators. Or rather, I was struck by the contrast between that and the public's disrespect for their state legislature.
The only way to change that to respect will be to remove the aura of pervasive corruptness by having the taxpayers fund elections campaigns. All the people know that Paying means Playing in Albany and all but a couple of state legislatures. All the lawmakers know they must raise competitive funds to be reelected. Let's stop kidding ourselves with proposed ethics commissions. Give the candidates enough public funds to run a competitive campaign----and they will give service to all of us.
I really feel that public financing of elections would solve so many problems that we are facing. Too munch money is flying around to believe that voters and constituents matter as much as donors.
- Candidates need enough funds to be competitive - The system needs to have disincentives so that privately funded candidates are dissuaded from trying to outspend their publicly financed opponents - Candidates need to know that they won't be in a position to fundraise from the same people who lobby them. - Qualifying contributions should be realistic.
Remove the ability of the rich and the powerful to exert more influence than individual voters who have no wealth or favors to provide (beyond one vote).
The ONLY way to fix election reform and make a government that is honest and fair; is to have equal access to voters for all candidates and easy equal access to become a candidate. That would mean outlawing ALL campaigning except in an equal access format such as a printed newspaper with equal word counts and equal TV and Radio time allotments. All this should be funded from the public coffers and NOWHERE else.
This NOWHERE else is an essential requirement for fair elections, anything short of that is SHORT OF THAT and short of fair elections. Do we want "more fair" elections or do we want fair elections period? Quit playing political games and fix it once and for all. Otherwise all you are doing is changing where the loop holes are.
All elections should be publicly financed. They should run for 3 months only. All parties get the same amount of tv air time, radio air time and postage for mailings. A flat minimal amount is given to each candidate to make their point. All participate in a specified (say 4) debates on major topics. Election day is a holiday and polls are open from 5am until 9pm. Because of the savings in time and money we could assist people who need help in getting to the polls. We would vote on machines that are not computerized and hackable. Machines that leave a paper ballot in case of recounts, and voters will know that their vote was properly counted. People will be able to register at the polls and will need only one of several appropriate forms of ID. One of which will be a free government ID, much like a non drivers license. Many more polling places must be made available to eliminate long lines and difficulty getting to the polls.
If congressmen were forced to mention their three to five top campaign contributors with each and every commercial that airs, some might be much more reluctant to accept money from lobbyists.
Clean Elections is the legislation that the NYS Senate needs to pass before the session ends in June. Clean Elections will mean that the public at large will be the primary concern of elected officials instead of the big money interests that finance elections now and then get rewarded by stopping important legislation like real health care reform get or get sweetheart deals in new laws.
A good business weighs each action in terms of its impact on the bottom line. Every product concept, engineering design, marketing plan – virtually every agenda item of every meeting is focused on the ultimate goal. The success of this intense, American-style capitalism accounts in large part for the relatively affluent lifestyles we enjoy. Most of us, in fact, count on the basic instincts of free-market capitalism to deliver bountiful financial returns for retirement or pay for the next vacation.
But corporations, vital as they are to the American way of life, are neither moral nor necessarily patriotic entities. Their focus is narrow. And the path taken to profit is guided only by the boundaries we as a society choose to establish. When corporations invest in political campaigns, it is because of the anticipated return on that investment. And when a candidate for office accepts a large sum from a corporate PAC he or she does so knowing what is expected. And this arrangement is perfectly legal. Now is the time for taxpayers to chase the money changers from the steps of the Capitol.
Thomas Jefferson and John Adams often disagreed but they nonetheless maintained an open dialog on the philosophy of government. On October 8, 1813 Jefferson wrote a letter to Adams since entitled "The Natural Aristocrat." In his note he differentiates the "natural aristocrat", defined by "virtue and talent" from the "artificial aristocrat", defined by wealth and birth. He goes on to make the case that "that form of government is the best which provides the most effectually for a pure selection of the natural aristocrat into the offices of government".
Clearly Jefferson sought a way to attract the "best and brightest" into elected office. (Isn't this exactly how all enterprises attempt to staff positions of high responsibility?). The decisions made by our representatives in Albany are critical to the future health and prosperity of the entire State's population. We want our leaders to be the best and brightest but the fundraising required by our current electoral process discourages most from participation in government. We need a Clean Elections law passed this session. Eliminating the drudgery of the money chase and simultaneously breaking the bonds between moneyed special interests and government would be huge steps towards making Jefferson's vision a reality in New York State.
Finally, I submit a short list of “must have” features of a Clean Elections system: - Candidate qualification must be based on a measure of popular support, not fundraising ability - Public monies awarded must be sufficient to run a competitive campaign.
- The candidate accepting public funding must be shielded by the law from indebtedness to special interests and therefore accountable only to the voting public.
For all he's been a decent mayor, the spectre of a succession of billionaires of varying qualities overwhelming the electorate's consciousness with zillion dollar campaigns is terrifying.
The election playing field should be a level one with the emphasis on vision and qualification.
Vote Up
Vote Down
Close