Pols pensions would be stripped under Murphy petition

ALBANY, NY - New Yorkers have been clamoring for change in Albany for years and Senator Terrence Murphy has a plan to reform the New York State Common Retirement Fund by making it one of the most transparent and accountable public pension funds in the country. Like all New Yorkers, Senator Murphy is offended by the betrayal of the public trust by elected officials on all levels of government and has taken steps to strengthen oversight of the Fund while fixing New York's campaign finance laws.

"We must demonstrate that corruption in all levels of government will no longer be tolerated. This means passing sweeping reforms that guarantee there will be no more golden parachutes for corrupt politicians," Senator Murphy said. "State government needs lawmakers who are committed to reforming the system and making sure government works for the people. Elected officials need to be held to a higher standard."

Senator Murphy has been calling for comprehensive reforms since he was a Councilman for Yorktown. In 2014, along with County Executive MaryEllen Odell, and Carmel Supervisor Ken Schmitt, Murphy called for reforms that would retroactively strip pensions from elected officials convicted of a felony related to public office and enacting safeguards against the use of campaign funds for legal protection.

In addition, one of Senator Murphy's goals is to see legislation that he sponsored pass the legislature which would statutorily enforce term limits on leadership positions.  The bill also would place term limits for the temporary president of the senate, speaker of the assembly, minority leader of the senate and minority leader of the assembly to eight years and limits the tenure of the chairman of any single legislative committee to eight consecutive years.  While the Senate originally imposed these limits through its internal rules this bill would enforce a statutory change to both houses.
 
"If being in Albany has taught me anything, it is the need to lead by example," Senator Murphy said. "Even though the Senate has voluntary term limits, we need to make them permanent in law for the legislature and executive branches of government.  You cannot have ethics reform without term limits."
 
Senator Murphy does not believe New York taxpayers should be on the hook to support corrupt officials.  To join Senator Murphy's fight to pass reform in Albany, please click here.