SERINO: CUOMO DROPPED THE BALL ON ETHICS

                             SERINO: CUOMO DROPPED THE BALL ON ETHICS

ALBANY, NY—Senator Sue Serino released the following statement regarding the lack of ethics reform in this year’s state budget:

“In refusing to take up ethics reform proposals put forward by the Senate in this year’s budget, the Governor absolutely dropped the ball. Restoring the public’s trust in their government needs to be one of our highest priorities, yet here we are once again without meaningful reform—it’s no wonder New Yorkers are angry and jaded by politics.

I came to Albany to shake things up which is why since taking office last year, I have pushed for reform and signed onto legislation that would strip corrupt politicians of their pensions (S. 1923, S. 4611) implement term limits on those elected to the state legislature (S. 57) and legislative leaders (S. 2722D), and increase transparency in government and campaign spending. I have even introduced an unprecedented bill that would limit the use of messages of necessity to the emergency situations for which they were intended in order to increase transparency and ensure that legislation and budgets aren’t pushed through without the public having the opportunity to weigh in (S.5041).

However, without the support of the Executive, legislation only goes so far. This year the Senate approved a One-House budget that included significant measures to strip corrupt officials of their pensions and implement term limits on legislative leaders, but without the Governor’s support those measures are dead on arrival.

Without the people’s trust, a government will inevitably fail, that’s the bottom line. With only a few months left of this Legislative Session, restoring that trust needs to be one of the highest priorities. New Yorkers deserve better.”

To sign Senator Serino's petition to strip corrupt officials of their public pensions, click here. 

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