| Reportedly, the new ethics standards would extend to the legislature what the Spitzer Administration has implemented for itself:
- No revolving door into Lobbying after serving
- Strict limits on lobbyists' gifts
- End paid honoraria for speeches
These are welcome steps and, if the legislature actually signs on to this agreement, it would mark a potential turning point in New York politics.
But, there would still be much to be done to clean up the mess.
This bill would not address long over-due campaign finance reform, implementation of a non-partisan and independent redistricting council, cleaning up the budget process, and changing the rules under which both the Senate and Assembly operate...which presently creates the unchallenged power of the Three Men who run New York.
I am hoping that the news report is true and that New York will establish a single ethics commission for the executive and legislative branches with the power to enforce its findings, but that would mark only the first step of many toward a clean and efficient state government. And that, after all, is our goal. |
